A Christmas Romance in the Scottish Highlands

by Donna Ashcroft

With a Christmas backdrop, we meet the talented Ella McNally who left art school to take care of her father. After he passed away, she took on the failing family house cleaning business. She is exhausting herself trying to pick up the load for her helpless stepmother and her selfish stepbrothers who frequently claim illness when it is time to work. Ella is too kind for her own good as she tries to fulfill a promise to her dying dad that she will keep the business afloat. 

Alex is sent by his father from the family business in Edinburgh to the town of Mistletoe on a sabbatical of sorts to pursue his art interest under the world renown Scottish watercolor artist Henry Lockhart. He expects Alex to return with a landscape for the company’s main lobby. Alex can not remember a time when he has met his father’s expectations. 

Ella and Alex get off to a rocky start, but they have to work together under Henry’s tutelage. He demands they look inside for their “truth” and put that into their art. Henry involves Alex in painting the set for the Christmas pantomime which will be “Cinderella” with Ella playing the part of Cinderella. When the actor playing the prince breaks both his ankles, they need to find a replacement quickly. By the way, Alex’s last name is “Charming.” There are fun, subtle echoes of the Cinderella fairy tale sprinkled through the book.

There is a nice subplot as the artist Henry tries to reconcile with Mae, Ella’s godmother who owns an art gallery. Henry learns a lesson about “truth” in art. Alex has never had a pet or been around children. In Mistletoe he finds that a little Yorkshire terrier is very attracted to him as is the housekeeper’s grandchild, Hunter. Hunter is like Alex in that his father doesn’t appreciate his interest in art and is disparaging of anything he does. Alex reaches out and tries to be an affirming father figure to the enthusiastic little boy. 

Both Ella and Alex try to help each other with their respective domestic issues. but sometimes those efforts can backfire. It doesn’t help that Alex’s father is very much like The Grinch, and Alex himself has been raised under a philosophy reminiscent of Scrooge. You’ll need to read this romance to watch their attraction to each other blossom and discover how they attack the hurdles life throws at them.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Fiction, Romance

Notes: As the book is a romance, one can expect a relationship between Ella and Alex. It starts off as enemies and progresses to a slow burn. Then the connection plummets off to an open door scene that was not necessary to the plot. Ashcroft is a good writer, but she missed the opportunity to be discreet and avoid an intimate descriptive passage. Is innuendo a lost art?  

Publication: 10/18/2024—Bookouture

Memorable Lines:

He was used to proving himself—but for the first time in a long time, he wondered if he’d ever reach a point in his life when he wouldn’t have to. Whether he’d ever be enough just as he was??

“No one is irreplaceable, not even you.” Alex nodded, numb to the ‘pep talk’ which was designed to make him feel insecure.

Alex mulled what to say. He knew every word counted, mere syllables had the power to snap a spirit or build it. His father had always had the same choice—why had he chosen to break it every time?