As I'm not prone to unplanned flights around the world based off fictional descriptions, it's very, very rare I read about locales and then immediately want to book a trip. However, author Julie Shackman has me eyeing themed cabins in the Scottish Highlands.

Her newest book in the Scottish Escapes series, The Highland Lodge Getaway, follows Lottie Grant, a consistently upbeat woman convinced her future will involve taking over Christmas Crackers, an appropriately named holiday shop, when her boss retires. However, when the store is suddenly sold off, Lottie's left with no idea what her future will look like. Enter: a couple starting a vacation business featuring high-end cabins. And wouldn't you know it—they need a decorator and manager with a festive vision.

This early set-up almost encapsulates the idea of a Christmas miracle and sets the tone for the feel-good story that unfolds over the next 300 pages. It makes sense. Lottie embodies the spirit of the season and, really, if she didn't land on employed feet so early in the book, things would get get depressing fast. Genuinely likable with a bubbly personality that reads as real without becoming overly saccharine, she lives for Christmas and works overtime to spread that cheer.

She's the perfect foil for any grinch, which is convenient considering her new job has her working alongside Blake Dempster, a grumpy activities expert with complete disdain for Christmas. While Lottie dreams of nutcrackers and fairy lights in the lodges, Blake pushes for a Western theme. This being a romance—and since opposites do attract—Shackman carefully wrings tension out of this workplace relationship and their antics are a ton of fun. While it's fairly obvious the two have simmering chemistry early on, Shackman carefully paces Lottie's attempts to bring Blake to her joyful side of the holiday. In turn, Blake slowly reveals his own secrets, resulting in several truly heartfelt moments.

Ultimately, The Highland Lodge Getaway is a love letter to Christmas. With a wonderfully built romance and incredibly sweet characters, it's charming enough to put the stingiest of folks in the merriest of moods. And with Shackman's playful descriptions of bauble-themed cabins, it has me wishing for a literary travel agency.

Lottie Grant is the manager of the successful Christmas shop, Christmas Crackers. She is looking forward to buying the business when her boss retires. When she finds out that the owners of the building sold it to a restauranteur, she is shocked and not sure what to do next. As she is trying to figure out what to do next, a couple come into the shop and make her an offer. They have purchased some cabins that need to work and they want Lottie to make them over into luxury cabins for vacations. She is excited and accepts the job, but not everyone else working with them agrees with Lottie's vision. Blake Dempster, is a moody but handsome hiking expert, who dislikes anything to do with Christmas. He tries to convince the owners to go with a Western theme year round, which angers Lottie as he goes behind her back. She is determined to change Blake’s mind about all things festive. The more time they spend together, the more they get to know about one another. Both Lottie and Blake have some baggage, but Blake has a lot more. Can Lottie help him to rediscover the fun and love of Christmas?

This is the first book by Julie Shackman that I have read, but it won't be the last. Lottie is that person that goes all out for Christmas, she is full of Christmas cheer and wants everyone else to be as well. She is looking forward to making the cottages into wonderful Christmas Getaways, until Blake shows up and tries to quash all her plans. Of course there has to be something that is making Blake hate Christmas and it takes quite awhile, but Lottie finally gets it out of him. She is sure she can change his mind about Christmas and comes up with different plans and activities to immerse him in the fun in Craig Brae. I loved getting to know both of these characters, as well as the others in the village. The setting was gorgeous and added a lot to the festive feel of the story. With a Christmas Market, someone getting lost on the mountain and Blake playing Santa for the school, this was a fun, festive story that I really enjoyed. There is some angst, and a huge surprise near the end to bring it to a satisfying conclusion.

The Highland Lodge Getaway by Julie Shackman

We are in the Scottland in a small town called Craig Brae. Lottie lives there and she works there at the Christmas Crackers shop. Or, she worked there because it’s been sold and it will be turned into a restaurant instead.

Lottie doesn't know what to do, she looks for new jobs but can’t find any and just when she is about to give up she gets an opportunity she can’t turn down. There are some luxury wooden cabins being built and the owners want her to manage them and decorate them.

Lottie is very happy about her new job and is about to pour her heart and soul into it, until she meets Blake Dempster. He is a moody, grumpy but very handsome hiking expert who will offer his services to the people who book the cabins. There is one thing Blake Dempster does not like, Christmas and anything Christmassy. We can’t have that - thinks Lottie and will do anything to change his mind.

I looove this heartwarming, cozy and wonderful story. I loved both Lottie and Blake very much.
Put this one on your TBR and read it in December. It was just like a Christmas movie in a book.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this ARC.

A thoroughly enjoyable read with sparkling lights and perfect to enjoy with a glass of wine and block of chocolate. The romance had me swooning and the settings are Devine.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book. Julie Shackman is a new author to me I’ll definitely be reading her books again. This is the 5th book she has written but all are standalones. This story follows Libby as she embarks in a new challenge can she persuade Blake to be happy at Christmas . Definitely pick up this book to find out.

The book was cute enough. I appreciate that Lottie actually had all the skills for her job and even though she was Christmas-obsessed, This was a really cute holiday read.

As someone who grew up in a family-owned Christmas store in a tourist town in the Colorado Rockies, I really connected with Lottie, the protagonist of The Highland Lodge Getaway. She’s smart, plucky, creative, and goes beyond her job description running the store Christmas Crackers on behalf of its owner. When her plans to buy the business are killed by a landlord refusing to renew the shop’s lease, she must find a new job and forge a new path all in the last few weeks before Christmas. I really loved that author Julie Shackton juxtaposed her main character’s world falling apart with the coming together of the holidays, and I felt her situation was very plausible.

More than that, Lottie is truly likeable, pitching in to help out even when one of the colleagues at her new job isn’t exactly supportive of her ideas. Of course, her sparring with Blake, the rugged hiker, turns into something more, and watching their rivalry turn into a friendship through the pages of this novel was quite rewarding. Neither character seemed overdrawn, and their emotional truth grounded the story, keeping the tinsel as an accent and not an overwhelm.

I really loved the use of a small town as a sort of Greek chorus in this book. Author Shackman has made the town of Craig Brae into a character of its own, as well as a place I’d love to visit.

Compelling, cozy, and just Christmassy enough to feel festive, this novel has family drama and romance but also personal growth and characters finding second chances in organic ways. Overall, it’s the perfect read to get you into the holiday spirit.

Goes well with: mulled wine and mince pies.

While I had not read the previous books in this series by Julie Shackman, The Highland Lodge Getaway definitely can be a stand alone. Grab your blanket and a cup of tea and read this cozy story about second chances.

I haven’t read the previous 4 books in the series but i really liked this one! Set in Scotland, it was a perfect read for the holiday season. A main character who loves Christmas. A grinch who doesn’t and the romance between the two. Glad I was able to read this before Christmas for all the vibes!

This was such an endearing/enchanting read that gives you that cosy Christmas feeling no matter what the time of year.

I’m going to add this author to my very growing list of favourite authors thanks to netgalley.

Endearing characters, a quaint town, winter setting and a delightful plot all make this the perfect getaway that you are looking for! When you can't actually travel, this is the next best thing! Travel via a delightfully entertaining story to the Scottish Highlands for a visit that will have you turning pages furiously as you can't wait to see what happens next. This grumpy-sunshine rom com will have you entertained for hours to come! I belatedly found out that this is part of a series by this author so now I'm excited to see what the previous books have to offer. I will say it made no difference in my ability to enjoy this book that I hadn't read the other books in the series first, although now my curiosity is peaked as this book was so wonderfully written, I can't wait to dig into the rest of this authors books!

A story set at Christmas time in a small Scotland town. The main female character is about to lose her job she is offered a new one and meets grumpy Blake. The book is a cozy rollercoaster. I enjoyed the Christmas vibes/setting, the grumpy sunshine dynamic was fun. The book was a bit slow to start, wasn’t sure I was reading a romance because you don’t meet the main male character til 25%. Over all it was a good holiday read.

Such a charming story and a feel good Christmas novel. Sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
Many thanks to Harpercollins UK and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Just before Christmas Lottie Grant is given the devastating news that the Christmas shop she manages in the pretty Scottish town of Craig Brae is to close down however, an amazing opportunity presents itself and Lottie is given the chance to use her designer skills on preparing a group of themed holiday cabins. Given carte blanche to get the cabins ready for the festive season Lottie does her best to add some much needed sparkle only to find opposition from the handsome, but decidedly grumpy, Blake Dempster who seems determined to take away Lottie's Christmas shine.

This is a lovely warm-hearted story and you can't help but be drawn into Lottie's enthusiasm for all things festive. Her growing relationship with Blake, although off to a rocky start, adds a certain frisson of excitement and I certainly enjoyed watching how their relationship would play out. The other characters who flit into and out of the story add a sense of community and I loved how Craig Brae came alive, with its quirky shopkeepers, seasonal festive markets and an intrepid mountain rescue team. Although the book is book number five in the Scottish Escapes series it reads perfectly well as a standalone story.

Wonderfully festive, with a hint of will they, won't they romance the The Christmas Highland Lodge is a perfect read for the holiday season

This book is part of the Scottish Escapes series of books but can definitely be read as a standalone novel.
I really enjoyed reading this book, it is very festive and cosy. The perfect book to curl up with on a cold day. It was heartwarming and engaging. I definitely recommend reading it, it is the perfect Christmas read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my copy.

Really charming story, gorgeous setting, very well written, flowed well, great characters that i could really connect too, and it was a lovely read.

This was such a delightful, cosy Christmas romance that I absolutely adored. Lottie and Blake are the most gorgeous grumpy x sunshine duo, I couldn't get enough of their banter and teasing, that developed into a beautiful love story. I always love a Scottish escape with Julie and she never disappoints!

Having read a previous book in this series and loving it I had high hopes for this one. It did not disappoint, such a lovely cosy Christmas read. I loved the characters of Lottie and Blake, a great grumpy to sunshine story. Highly recommend this book.

4,5*

WOW, this gave me allll the Christmas feels. It's like a warm hug full of festive feelings. The story is your typical Netflix/Hallmark Christmas movie, but in book form. Cozied up on the couch with a hot chocolate or warming tea, this is the perfect read for this time of year. The story is kind of predictable, but don't we all crave a little romance around Christmas? The festive setting immediately makes you want to book a holiday to a small snowy town and watch all of the twinkling Christmas lights. Highly recommend if you're a sucker for romance and Christmas like me.

Thanks NetGalley and One More Chapter for providing me with an ARC to read for an honest review.

Although this is a book in Julie Shackman’s Scottish Escapes series it can easily be read as a stand alone book as I have only read some of the previous four & didn’t feel like I was missing any back story or information on characters that would lead to confusion.
A cosy, feel-good novel full of interesting characters & a storyline that held my attention from beginning to end.
A wonderful winter read, perfect for the festive season.