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The Trouble With Scotland
Kilts and Quilts series, #5
By Patience Griffin
IBSN: 9780451476395
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Una
Description:
Return to the Scottish Highlands in the latest Kilts and Quilts novel from the author of The Accidental Scot—
The quilting ladies of the Scottish village of Gandiegow are known to piece together more than just fabric . . .
Life isn’t going as planned and Sadie Middleton is rethinking her whole future. Thankfully one thing is staying the same: She’s able to share her love of quilting with her grandmother Gigi. The two of them enter a contest and win an all-expenses-paid trip to the Kilts and Quilts retreat in the Scottish Highlands. But their victory turns hollow when Gigi passes away before they can go. Sadie is grief-stricken, but her brother convinces her to take the trip to Gandiegow anyway.
There she meets a charming circle of quilters who remind her of her grandmother—and Ross Armstrong, a handsome fisherman who brings a smile to her face. Newly single, Ross intends to enjoy his freedom. That plan goes awry as he comes to know Sadie—and a surprising spark is lit. Too bad some well-meaning folks want to protect Ross from getting hurt again and are determined to keep him and the American lass apart. . . .
Review:
When I opened this book I wasn’t certain I would like it but Patience Griffin had me hooked with her flow of story and her setting and development of characters.
Sadie is introduced as a young woman who has just lost her beloved quilting grandmother, and has been given a life threatening diagnoses of Chronic Kidney disease. Her overprotective brother decides that what she needs is to go to Gandiegow for distraction. In the beginning all this does is enhance her illness and she finds everything reminds her of her grandmother intensifying her grief. When she meets Ross a light begins to shine and Sadie slowly emerges from her grief and comes to term with her illness. With Ross she feels safe and able to function and the chemistry they have only adds to her contentment. Why then would the ladies of Gandiegow be so against the relationship when Sadie has so much to offer the town.
Ross has been in a relationship and now wants to relish in his freedom however Sadie has thwarted that. As he grows more and more attached to her he finds he is fighting the town and Sadie’s brother to verify the relationship. After all the ladies in the town just want to protect him from getting involved with someone so ill.
Patience Griffin, through her writing, draws the reader into life in small town Scotland. Her use of language and descriptive setting had me feel like I was part of the cast.
An absolutely delightful read and I know I for one will look out for more Griffin, Kilts and Quilts books.
9780451476395 Ancora una volta non ho saputo resistere all'abbinata quilt-highlander... Ho apprezzato fin da subito la protagonista e ho fatto davvero il tifo per lei in quanto riuscivo a capire cosa provava. Mi è quasi dispiaciuto che il libro sia finito, ma spero di leggere ancora di questa coppia nei volumi successivi perché voglio sapere come prosegue la loro storia, anche dopo il lieto fine. 9780451476395 The Trouble with Scotland, which is slated for release on April 5th, is a return to the wee village of Gandiegow, where our resident meddler is as bossy and annoying as the men are alpha and broody.
Note: I was send an advance copy in exchange for an honest review from the author. This review will also be put on Amazon and my personal blog, https://sarcasticsassyskeptic.wordpre..., on 3/30/16
We begin with our hero, Ross Armstrong, trying to figure out what to do with his life now that he was jilted, justifiably, by his childhood friend and long-intended bride. He has spent the time after Pippa’s wedding to Max fending off the well-meaning but misguided attempts of every member of their village to find him a new woman. Sadie, on the other hand, is a visiting American who is battling both illness and grief. Her brother has brought her on a trip that she and her dearly departed grandmother had won, when all she wanted to do was stay home.
The meet-cute of Sadie and Ross is sweet without saccharine infused in it, and the build-up of their relationship between each other is nice without being overly dramatic, but all of the outer obstacles they have, whether it be meddler Deydie sticking her nose into their business and warning Ross to stay away from the girl because of her illness or Sadie’s brother Oliver being over-protective and a bit of an ass to both Sadie and Ross when things were entirely innocent between them, was just over the top, especially with the mentioning of Sadie’s chronic kidney disease in what felt like every other scene of the first half of the book. If it wasn’t clearly spelled out in the very beginning what afflicted Sadie, the author made sure everyone understood the disease and its complications throughout the whole book and that was just way too much.
I love the hero and heroine, I really do, and I love their paths of self-discovery and their evolution into a couple; that said, I think the outside pressure and chaos from everyone else just made it too hard to get through without wanting to throw the book against the wall. Even after we discover why Deydie was so against Ross getting together with Sadie, I couldn’t excuse the behavior. And the resolution with Oliver was a bit “too little, too late” in feeling to me.
I want to be nice in my review, but I must also be fair. I feel like there was too much of an agenda in this. The added note at the end about why Ms. Griffin chose to put CKD into the book only reinforced it. I get wanting to bring awareness to an issue, and I like seeing characters with functional illness trying to live lives as normally as possible as that is something I see and do on a daily basis. That said, I think that having nearly everyone else important in her life focus solely on that illness, rather than seeing the person living with the illness as a person with feelings and a need to live a life as close to normal as possible, was just too much. And having Deydie not realize how much someone could be hurting while grieving and needing space, after everyone in her life who had died, made me want to take the broom that she always wields to prod people to get things done and take her to task.
Here’s the thing; I think the author is still trying to find her voice as a writer, and is learning how to balance personal biases and drawing from real life with weaving an excellent story. She creates amazing characters and settings, well developed and nicely built; but the actual storyline is a little weak in most of her books. If she can learn how to make her storyline a little more believable without losing her strength in writing great characters, I think that Patience Griffin has the potential to be on the best seller lists with every book release. 9780451476395 This is the 5th book in the series Kilts and Quilts, but the first one I have read. On the cover it reads: The quilting ladies of the Scottish village of Gandiegow are known to piece together more than just fabric . . . Life isn’t going as planned and Sadie Middleton is rethinking her whole future. Thankfully one thing is staying the same: she’s able to share her love of quilting with her grandmother Gigi. The two of them enter a contest and win an all-expenses-paid trip to the Kilts and Quilts retreat in the Scottish Highlands. But their victory turns hollow when Gigi passes away before they can go. Sadie is grief-stricken, but her brother convinces her to take the trip to Gandiegow anyway. There she meets a charming circle of quilters who remind her of her grandmother—and Ross Armstrong, a handsome fisherman who brings a smile to her face. Newly single, Ross intends to enjoy his freedom. That plan goes awry as he comes to know Sadie—and a surprising spark is lit. Too bad some well-meaning folks want to protect Ross from getting hurt again and are determined to keep him and the American lass apart. .
I don’t read many ‘romance’ novels but I do read romance/suspense combination books. I enjoyed reading this book. I found myself wanting to visit the small town in Scotland. The characters seemed very real and likeable. Small towns are known for everyone knowing your business and thinking they have a right to help you with any and everything. This small town was no different. I also like reading books that gives the reader some background into the culture and/or traditions for a specific area. This book did not disappoint.
If you want to read a nice romance novel set in another country-this is one to read.
I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
9780451476395 Life isn’t going as planned and Sadie Middleton is rethinking her whole future. Thankfully one thing is staying the same: she’s able to share her love of quilting with her grandmother Gigi. The two of them enter a contest and win an all-expenses-paid trip to the Kilts and Quilts retreat in the Scottish Highlands. But their victory turns hollow when Gigi passes away before they can go. Sadie is grief-stricken, but her brother convinces her to take the trip to Gandiegow anyway.
There she meets a charming circle of quilters who remind her of her grandmother—and Ross Armstrong, a handsome fisherman who brings a smile to her face. Newly single, Ross intends to enjoy his freedom. That plan goes awry as he comes to know Sadie—and a surprising spark is lit. Too bad some well-meaning folks want to protect Ross from getting hurt again and are determined to keep him and the American lass apart.
My Review:
The Trouble with Scotland was a great slow build romance with good relationship anticipation. I like slow romances sometimes because its nice to get an easy pace read that doesn't have a lot of complication to it. You can relax and just simply enjoy the love and character build. Sometimes I really need something that isn't crazy action or drama. If you need a sweet and classic of Scottish romance books this is the one for you.
My Rating:
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Disclaimer:
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews received a print copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Source:
Received a print copy in exchange for an honest review from Penguin Publishing.
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If any of Krissys Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like or let me know what you think! Thank you! 9780451476395
Return to the Scottish Highlands in the latest Kilts and Quilts novel from the author of The Accidental Scot—
The quilting ladies of the Scottish village of Gandiegow are known to piece together more than just fabric . . .
Life isn’t going as planned and Sadie Middleton is rethinking her whole future. Thankfully one thing is staying the same: she’s able to share her love of quilting with her grandmother Gigi. The two of them enter a contest and win an all-expenses-paid trip to the Kilts and Quilts retreat in the Scottish Highlands. But their victory turns hollow when Gigi passes away before they can go. Sadie is grief-stricken, but her brother convinces her to take the trip to Gandiegow anyway.
There she meets a charming circle of quilters who remind her of her grandmother—and Ross Armstrong, a handsome fisherman who brings a smile to her face. Newly single, Ross intends to enjoy his freedom. That plan goes awry as he comes to know Sadie—and a surprising spark is lit. Too bad some well-meaning folks want to protect Ross from getting hurt again and are determined to keep him and the American lass apart. . . . The Trouble With Scotland (Kilts and Quilts, #5)
When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome. - Wilma Rudolph
Like Wilma Rudolph, Sadie Middleton has a handicap to overcome. Shortly after she was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), her beloved grandmother passed away. Alanis Morissette would find it ironic that after Gigi's death, Sadie received notice that their quilt block won an all expense paid trip to Gandiegow, Scotland. Her brother, Oliver, insists she travel to Scotland to claim the prize, with him overshadowing her the entire way. Once they arrive in Gandiegow, Sadie extracts herself from the crowd of other quilters who remind her of Gigi, only to bump into Ross, a local fisherman. She saves him from an aggressive suitor. In return, Ross takes Sadie away from town to simply breathe. Over the next two weeks, they find themselves drawn to the other as they share their desire to escape family expectations. Ross and Sadie encounter misunderstandings and misdirection only to realize they are the better half of the other.
THE TROUBLE WITH SCOTLAND is Book 5 in Griffin's Kilts and Quilts series. She delivers her trademark warmth with themes of crippling grief, overbearing family, the Ugly Ducking, and Wilma Rudolph's triumph.
(Wilma was born on June 23, 1940. June 23 was later proclaimed Wilma Rudolph Day in her home state of Tennessee. June 23 is the anniversary of the First Battle of Scottish Independence in 1314 when the ragtag Scots routed the English Army at Bannockburn).
I enjoyed my visit to Gandiegow through the eyes of Sadie. I appreciate how Griffin delivered authentic characters who embrace their imperfections. They gather their family together, wrapping up in the quilts made with love by the townsfolk. Griffin incorporates Scottish culture, ancient and modern, for a feel good read. Let me add that I do not quilt, knit, or even sew. Yet I understood how the craft bound together the quilting ladies, created a viable business for the small town, and served as a metaphor of how different pieces sewn together makes a beautiful, but strong, community.
Recommended read for fans of small town romance, Scottish culture, and characters who overcome adversity.
I received a print copy from the author for an honest review. 9780451476395 I really did enjoy this sweet romance but it moved a little too slow for my taste, in part because of Ross and Sadie and too much time spent denying their feelings for each other...more from Ross than Sadie. Sadie's overprotective brother, Oliver, is another reason the story never hit the 'loved it' mark.
That said, the people of Gandiegow are a fun, quirky bunch and I'll more than likely read more in the series. 9780451476395 I was craving a sweet Scotland romance, and this was exactly what I was looking for. This book was full of Scotland awesomeness and adorable romance. This wasn't the best book I have ever read, but I enjoyed myself while reading it.
The best thing to compare this book to is a Hallmark romance movie. It was kind of cheesy, but it was still heart warming and cute. The romance wasn't insta-love. I thought the author did a great job of pacing the romance so it felt believable. I basically cheered when Sadie and Ross finally kissed! They had some ups and downs, but they managed to push through the drama. I was thankful for that because some of the drama was really frustrating.
I will say that I thought the first interaction between the couple in this book felt odd. Sadie and Ross didn't know each other, and they went out on a mini getaway right away. It was so weird because they were strangers! I know everyone in town knew that Ross was a great guy, but Sadie didn't really know that! Ross didn't know that Sadie wasn't a threat. I thought it was a little ridiculous that Ross felt protective of Sadie, who was a stranger to him. He went extremely out of his way to make her happy, and it was weird. I felt like Sadie trusted Ross to easily and kind of forced him take care of her. It obviously was fine and the first interaction worked out for the characters. It just seemed really unrealistic to me.
Some parts of the book felt a little slow, but it didn't make me hate the book. I was glad that the book would pick back up again after the slow parts so it wasn't slow the entire time. One great thing about this book was that the romance wasn't the entire plot of the book. This book also had plots base on personal growth, family, and grief. It was really nice to see that.
I haven't read the other books in this series, so it was a little hard for me to keep track of who was who. It was also difficult to keep track of the relationships between all of the characters. I was eventually able to get it all straight, which made it easier for me to enjoy the book.
Overall, this was a sweet and easy read. I would recommend this book to everyone who would want to read about book that feels like Hallmark romance movie set in Scotland.
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for a honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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9780451476395 I read this for review at All About Romance and gave it a C-, so 2.5/3.00 stars. I wrote:
I love good contemporary romances set in the UK, so this fifth in the author’s Kilts and Quilts series seemed a natural choice. I was also excited to discover a new-to-me author, but by the time I was a few chapters in I knew I would not be reading any more of this series. And if not reading for review I would have closed the book and put the town of Gandiegow out of my mind. .....
For more of my review go to: http://likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookRev...
9780451476395 5 stars
This is such a lovely series to read, with drama that is realistic and a town that is filled with interesting people even if they deserve a good smack every now and then. I love this story, Ross and Sadie were fantastic characters and I felt for both of them. Sadie is suffering from an illness which means she will need a kidney transplant and she is treated like a child by her brother and in a way that makes her feel worthless by those around her... Ross's actions at times don't help this. Ross is suffering at the hands of townspeople who think they need to set him up with his future wife and are constantly pushing women on him, he has had enough and the story starts with he and Sadie's first meeting ending in them running away. If you have read the previous books in this series you would know Deydie and I just have to say I really did dislike her quite a bit in this book when it came to her treatment of Sadie. Patience Griffin has created a world in which you can immerse yourself and really feel like a part of Gandiegow for the time it takes you to read the book, you will like some characters others may annoy you but it all comes with a pair of characters you want to see have a happy ending and you accept the rest because the story wouldn't be as good without those other characters who help make the story come alive. 9780451476395
