About the book, The Highland Lodge Getaway 
- Publisher : One More Chapter (October 20, 2023)
- Publication date : October 20, 2023
- Language : English
- File size : 2822 KB (347 Pages)
Fall in love with the Christmas romance of the year, full of love and second chances!
Lottie Grant loves the festive season so much that she works at the incredibly successful Christmas shop, Christmas Crackers, in her pretty Scottish home town of Craig Brae. But when the shop is sold, her world is turned upside down, leaving her wondering what she will do next.
Just as she’s about to give up hope on finding a new dream job, an offer comes that she can’t refuse, managing a set of luxury wooden cabins… and opening just in time for Christmas!
As she gets to work decorating the cabins, and hanging lights on the fir trees, Lottie can’t believe her luck. That is until the arrival of Blake Dempster, a moody but handsome hiking expert, who threatens to bring down her festive joy. But never one to shy away from a challenge, Lottie is determined to change Blake’s mind about all things festive.
And as the snow falls and the fairy lights sparkle, will work-obsessed Lottie and frozen-hearted Blake make their Christmas wishes come true?
Buy, read, and discuss this book:
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About the author, Julie Shackman 
Author Bio – Julie Shackman is a feel-good romance author from Scotland and is published by the HarperCollins imprint One More Chapter. When not writing or reading, Julie loves to take her Romanian rescue pup Cooper for long walks, watch romcoms and indulge her love of music. The Christmas Highland Lodge is Julie’s ninth novel.
Connect with Julie:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
My Thoughts 
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.
