A curse that brings more than just bad things…

Synopsis

Escape to the Scottish Highlands with a brand new spring romance from bestselling author, Julie Shackman

*Julie Shackman’s brand new romance The Cottage in the Highlands is exclusively available on First Reads for November*

Determined to overcome a family tragedy, Elle Cassidy decides to reopen her late mother’s ailing newsagent as a stationery shop in the quiet Scottish town of Fir Haven.

But when the arrogant yet handsome crime writer Dexter Grayling almost runs over Elle in his beast of a sports car, the town is thrown into a tailspin – especially when Dexter claims that local resident Linda Carlucci has put a curse on him and he is no longer able to write.

Can Elle put aside her dislike for the self-absorbed writer and help Dexter uncover what is really going on with the Carlucci family? And in the process will Elle realise that there’s a lot more to her beloved Fir Haven than she first thought…

For fans of Donna Ashcroft, Jane Linfoot and Rachael Lucas.

My review

After losing her parents in a terrible tragedy, Elle Cassidy wants to reopen her mother’s newsagent as a stationery in shop.
Living in the quiet Scottish town of Fir Haven, Elle knows everyone and everyone knows her.
But the quiet quickly changes as famous crime writer Dexter Grayling has moved to this town. And when he nearly runs over Elle and local resident Linda Carlucci with his sports car and even diminishes his actions, Elle for sure makes it clear that such behaviour is not appreciated.
Despite her dislike for the man, Elle finds herself helping Dexter with his claim of being cursed after the incident and now the famous writer no longer can put words on paper.
While trying together to discover if there is really a curse and learning more about the Carlucci’s family, Elle also learns more about Dexter and realizes that he isn’t as arrogant and obnoxious as she thought… 

I am not the type of woman who believes in curses. So just like Elle I was very sceptical with Dexter’s claim that Linda Carlucci had cursed him.
Also it didn’t help that Dexter didn’t make a great first appearance and his behaviour for sure was not a nice one. 

Elle’s tale is a sad one, and it made me understand better her fierce reaction to Dexter’s driving skills. I can only try to imagine the pain she felt after losing her beloved parents. It saddened in a way to see how she submerges herself in work. Having a focus is all good and well while grieving, but Elle was too focused on the job, not allowing herself to grieve properly in first place, and just to live again. We see this also in other events, where she is too focused, has too much on her plate 

And while initially she isn’t all too happy to help Dexter, as she only does it to please her Grandma, we see the real character of Elle slowly submerging again. An Elle that is passionate, determined, and has a great heart for not only people but also for the lovely place she is living in.  

Her dislike for Dexter is very understandable, as I said earlier, he doesn’t make an effort to be liked in his first appearance.
And I have to admit, his behaviour didn’t always make me change my mind about him. Most of the time he keeps behaving like a VIP, a privileged person, not always taking other people’s feelings in account.
So why would we even try to like him? Well, because it’s the moments where he shows his vulnerability, or when he shows a gentler side, that make up for all the lesser likeable moments. 

Another admission is that I was perhaps more invested in the curse itself, and not the evolving relation between Elle and Dexter.
I was intrigued by it. Was Dexter truly cursed? And why? Along with Elle and Dexter I wanted to know  more about not only Linda Carlucci, but also about her past and what her family had to endure. 

I found this a wonderful mix to read. On one hand we have Elle and Dexter on an emotional level, after an initial standoff, getting to know each other better and even develop feelings. And on the other hand we have the mystery of the curse, and a past that affected many inhabitants of Fin Haven. And why not, let’s also add a community ready to save a nature reserve.
And while there may seem to be happening a lot at once, the whole story takes its time to develop properly, letting the readers comprehend each character, each event better. 

Reading this book was exactly what its title says, an marvellous escape with evolving and maturing characters all in an idyllic Scottish setting that made me want to go there! And even the threat of a curse could stop me from reading!