When one drama is only the beginning…

Synopsis

Escape to the beautiful Scottish Highlands for a heartwarming and feel good cosy romance that will whisk you away from lockdown!

When Scotland’s sleepiest hamlet becomes the centre of hot gossip, Layla Devlin finds herself caught in a mystery…

When Layla’s fiancée has an unexpected heart attack and dies – in another woman’s arms, no less – Layla is determined to pack up and leave Loch Harris, the village she’s always called home. But an unexpected inheritance and love for her quiet corner of Scotland send her down a new path.

Now Layla finds herself facing a whole new kind of drama. Rumours swirl that a celebrity has moved into Coorie Cottage and Layla is determined to have him headline her opening night at local music venue The Conch Club. But the reclusive star is equally determined to thwart Layla’s efforts. RafeBuchanan is in hiding for a reason, and soon his past comes to Loch Harris to haunt him…

My review

Just when Layla thinks she has it all, her world fall apart. Not only did her fiancée die unexpectedly, but he also died in his ex-wife’s arms…
As everything reminds her of him, she is determined to just pack everything up and leave Loch Harris. She needs a new start, making new happy memories. Even if leaving the place and the people she loves, she sees no other option.
But when an opportunity arises, she decides to stay and do what she loves the most, opening a brand new music venue, The Conch Club.
And when rumours arise that a celebrity has moved into Coorie Cottage, Layla wants to have him as a headliner at opening night.
But Mask wants to remain hidden in the shadows, and doesn’t want that his true identity as Rafe Buchanan is discovered. To add an extra layer of drama, someone from his past is determined to get payback…

The first part of the story I truly pitied Layla. Okay, between her and her fiancée is an age gap, but when the love is there, age is just a number.
Then having your fiancée dying, is just devastating. But in Layla’s case it is even all worse, because not only did he die while having a certain activity with his ex – wife, the ex – wife herself is just being a b*tch.
I understood Layla’s desire to get away from everything and on some level even refusing the inheritance. But is running away the solution? Especially when everyone you care about is at the place you call home?

When however Layla decides to stay, I thought it would be a fresh start, a new dream to chase, surrounded by the people she truly cared about. But was I wrong! Not only did she have her heart broken by her fiancée, also her own mother is responsible for an extra layer of drama. It’s obvious her mother is a presence you’d rather see disappearing, but the nonchalance she acts with, just made me truly dislike her.

Despite all the drama Layla is trying to digest, her kindness and desire to help out anyone, is standing out.
Okay, initially she contacts Mask/Rafe purely out of her own interest and when there is truly a mystery around him, it’s more the curiosity that pulls her to him.
But even if he is being evasive and wants to keep Layla as far as possible, Layla sees he is just a man struggling with his past.

I was curious to read how Rafe would react whenever Layla did the opposite of what he wanted. The chasing away was hilarious, the him accepting her was sweet and tender. It was a pushing and pulling story with knowing there was so much potential if only some characters wouldn’t be so damn stubborn!

I found this a lovely story about picking up the pieces after having your heart broken, but also about not letting other dramatic events pull you in a downward spiral. Layla is the perfect example of just never giving up, fighting for you own happiness, and about seeing people for who they truly are.
No matter how much Rafe tried to push Layla away, she saw someone in need and offered all the help she could provide. If only there would be more people like Layla, without believing the rumours and having prejudices!