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A Scottish Island Surprise
by
Holly Wyld
contemporary romance in a Kindle edition that was published by the author on March 21, 2023 and has 87 pages.
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The first novella in the Primrose Island romance series revolving around its inhabitants. The couple focus is on Rose Mackie and Joe Fraser.
My Take
A stone cottage? On the beach? Take me there now! Yeah, it’s old and could do with some work, but oh, Wyld makes it sound so romantic. And even though it’s a short story, Wyld does write a complete one.
Busy girl, that Rose. Fifteen cities in the past month alone. Sadly, it sounds as if the photography gig is the best thing ever in Rose’s life. Sad, because her mother and her ex were jerks, that clause in the will about the house, her father’s experiences and memories — we know Rose’s thoughts because Wyld uses third person protagonist point-of-view from her perspective.
It’s so sad about Hector, wanting to meet his daughter and never getting the chance. I cried. Although, I gotta wonder that a man can’t organize something in his daughter’s 36 years. That cache Rose found does, sort of, make up for it.
As for Lawrence and his wanting to get back together with her? As if.
That mother of Rose’s! Oy. Wyld never does address why Rose’s mother and family acted as they did. Too bad “mom” never came up against Elspeth, lol. Man, an interrogation before you can even buy groceries!
That was a clever idea, putting in that clause in the will. It’ll force Rose to think. Elspeth has her own ideas — you’ll have to check out her revenge dress.
Every story has some action and “A Scottish Island Surprise” is no different. Most of it is, however, about Rose’s thoughts and feelings as she learns about her father.
The Story
Maybe Rose had never dreamed of owning a house, but she sure won’t be keeping this one! Determined to pack the house up, sell it, and get gone, Rose realizes this may be her only chance to get some idea of who he had been.
The Characters
Rose Mackie is a professional photographer wandering the world from commission to commission. Callie is Rose’s London-based agent. Hector Mackie is the father she never knew. Lawrence is Rose’s ex-husband.
Primrose Island
Joe Fraser is Rose’s neighbor and an old friend of Hector’s. Coll had been Hector’s dog, now he’s Joe’s. Robert and Mary Fraser are Joe’s welcoming parents. Sam is Joe’s godson.
Donal Abernethy had been Hector’s solicitor. Gannet’s Beak is the grocery store owned by Elspeth McGillicuddy — she’s a contender for island matriarch. Angus had been Elspeth’s husband. The Struthers live in Tilladrum House, the big house, where Freya Struther talks about their home and their business.
The eligible bachelors on the island include David Munro, Lockie Anderson, Jasper Struthers, Cameron Fraser, Joe Fraser . . . Potential buyers include Jilly and Gerald Ruskin, Phil and Stan, Eleanor and Patrick . . .
Rolf Van der Mer is a potential, very important client for Rose.
The Cover and Title
The cover is pretty in its soft pastels. The left side is the hilly coastline of a pale, pale lilac hill with a grayish mint hill in front of it before we encounter Rose’s two-storied white cottage with a dark purple roof. A lower and lighter mint green hills follows the house with two bubbles of teal green and with deep fuchsia flowers springing from them in the forefront at the bottom. On the right side is the pale blue ocean with creamy sand separating it from the hills. The series info is at the top in fuchsia. The title, in purple, is below that taking up most of the cover with a white envelope addressed To: Rose below that. At the very bottom is the author’s name in white.
The title, “A Scottish Island Surprise”, is more of a shock.
