The Highland Fling

DNF. Couldn't get into it because the plot is too similar to another book that I just read. Also, it breaks the fourth wall, which was weird.

Where does one find ads for running coffee shops in Scotland? I need to go there after reading this book! Rowan is so that guy! This is such a cute story, and I was swept away.

I picked up The Highland Fling in physical form for a book club. Given the way people talk about Meghan Quinn, I honestly thought this would be a higher heat and enemies-to-lovers type of romance. Instead, it is very much a romcom with only two fairly vanilla sex scenes near the end. My dark romance brain kept waiting for something a little more intense that never came. There are pieces here that absolutely work. The Scottish village setting is cozy and atmospheric. The cast of charming side characters includes small village Scots and a mouthy goat. Rowan has all the makings of a great grumpy hero. He is broody, kind under the gruff exterior, and dealing with real grief and family pressure. When Rowan's world tips sideways, you can feel how tightly he is holding himself together and how much weight he has been carrying for everyone else. My issues are almost entirely with Bonnie and her character's tone. Bonnie is supposed to be quirky and lovable. She mostly came across as rude, self-centered, and judgmental. I usually do not mind flawed heroines. Bonnie's combination of flaws made it really hard to root for her. Her internal monologue leans heavily on cake consumption while staying effortlessly thin, counting her lack of orgasms, and over-the-top self-commentary. The romance itself never felt like true enemies-to-lovers. There is mutual attraction and banter, but minimal real conflict between them that would justify the enemies-to-lovers label. The romance leaned more towards romcom because Rowan is a grumpy local and Bonnie is a chaotic American girl. They trade barbs while not so secretly lusting after each other. They are so evident in their attraction that their friends call it out early on. The barbs come across as attempts to push the other person away for no reason. There is a line early on where Rowan says, “Trust me, lass, if I were checking you out, you’d know it." I remember thinking that I should be swooning here. I mostly felt Rowan was firmly rejecting Bonnie. Their chemistry never fully clicked for me. Rowan’s anger is another sticking point. I enjoy a broody, emotionally closed-off hero who has to learn to open up. What I do not love is behavior that tips into straight-up verbal abuse. The scene where he screams at Bonnie for snooping in his pottery shed is framed as him lashing out in overwhelming emotional frustration. Bonnie was wrong to invade his space. The level of verbal rage Rowan directs at her is so intense that, in real life, I would tell a friend to leave the relationship. The emotional whiplash of an angry man was jarring given the romcom nature of the story. Then there is the friendship. I love the premise of two best friends dropping everything, moving to a tiny Scottish town for six months, and running a coffee shop together. Then, Dakota drags Bonnie across the ocean for her dream job, checks out of the actual work, and leaves Bonnie to carry the business. Luckily, Bonnie turns out to have a knack for renovation and business. I love renovating and am a huge HGTV fan. You would think I would find watching Bonnie turn the coffee shop around satisfying. Instead, it just made me irritated on her behalf that no one seems to call out the imbalance of work Dakota created. It feels both dramatic and out of touch when the friendship later blows up over Bonnie sharing Dakota's previous relationship troubles with Isla. It felt like the author wanted a big romcom emotional climax without laying the groundwork for a believable breakdown. Some craft choices did not work for me. Each chapter opens with a brief inner thought or diary entry meant to be funny and relatable. I mostly found them cringy. The humor overall leans hard into quirky bits and exaggerated banter. You might have a much better time if you love that style of humor. I felt it undercut the heavier themes of grief, family obligation, and rebuilding life that could have been explored more deeply. I felt this was a solid representation of why knowing your reading mood and subgenre preferences matters. I went in hoping for Grumpy X Sunshine, more heat, and a bit of emotional bite. What I got was a: Romcom with a heroine I couldn't stand. Hero who needs actual therapy for anger management Friendship conflict that felt more mean than moving. That said, I completely see this working for readers who: Love quirky heroines who overshare and live in their heads. Want a mostly lighthearted small-town Scottish romance with some emotional moments. Prefer low to moderate spice rather than a full-on steamy read.

It’s been a while since I laughed so much reading a book! This one was a fun escape. I was surprised by the serious turn it took, and I even shed some tears. But overall, a sweet and steamy romance that made me want to visit Scotland even more than I already did.

#popsugarreadingchallenge2022 (prompt 40a - A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit)