Reviewed by Emma Crowley
Welcome to Christmas Resort, the festive retreat where the scent of cinnamon is in the air and chocolate yule log is eaten all year round! But with the resort in trouble, can Holliday Harrison save Christmas and find true love along the way?
Thirty-year-old Holliday Harrison is throwing herself into the festive season to give her life some purpose after losing her fiancé three years ago. Working at Christmas Resort, an all-year-round holiday village, with its sparkling lights and community of quirky characters, is the warm environment she needs right now. But everything is about to change…
When handsome, blue-eyed businessman Damon MacAndrew arrives to stay in one of the cute log cabins, at first Holly is intrigued. Why has this serious stranger come to such a jolly place? But then he makes his plan clear: Damon wants to buy the resort and change everything about it.
Determined to put Damon off Christmas Resort, Holly is soon engineering cold showers and setting him up to get lost in the maze. But with freshly baked cookies and delicious hot chocolate available on tap in such a magical setting, it’s hard to find ways to make the resort seem unappealing… Holliday tries her hardest to fight for the resort but the romance of Christmas seems to have other ideas.
As they take sleigh rides together and spend long evenings in front of the log fire she can’t deny the sizzling attraction between them. But has Damon really fallen in love with the magic of Christmas, or is he still a cold-hearted businessman? And will this this turn out to be the best Christmas ever… or will it end in heartbreak?
Many thanks to Bookouture via NetGalley for my copy of Christmas Secrets in the Scottish Highlands to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
Donna Ashcroft certainly knows how to do a Christmas book and my god does she do it well. Christmas Secrets in the Scottish Highlands was an utter joy to delve into and I barely came up for air until I reached the final page. This wonderful story was packed full of festive fun along with a more serious message being explored. That being the theme of memories and the way we chose to deal with them on a day to day basis - do we avoid and destroy them or chose to celebrate and acknowledge them? I loved this strand that was running through the story and it certainly gave me plenty of food for thought as to how I deal with memories and in that sense I could really identify with the main female protagonist Holliday.
As well as this emotional and heartfelt theme which was developed and explored to perfection was the theme of Christmas and every little detail was thought of right down to Christmas tissues. I embraced every bit of Christmas throughout this story and yes there could have been a danger that there could have been a severe overload and it would have just become twee and just way over the top but thankfully the story never fell into this territory at all. In fact, I just wanted more and more as I was loving it all so much. Really, I don’t know how Donna was able to think of so much as just when you thought Christmas Village had revealed all that it had to offer then with a turn of a page there was more that the reader would never have even thought possible.
Holliday Harrison works in the Scottish Highlands at Christmas Resort which is located quite close to Christmas village which has previously featured in some of Donna’s books. But don’t worry if you haven’t read the previous books set here as there are only a few characters who make a brief reappearance and there are plenty of new characters who are introduced making this very much a stand alone novel full of glorious festivities and memories to be made. Holliday embraces all things Christmas and we soon discover it’s her method of trying to keep the memories of her fiancée alive. She lost him several years ago and still can’t move on from the fact that he is gone. Her connection to the resort prior to working there is touching and sentimental yet heart-breaking as is what she does with the house the couple shared together. Holliday is the resorts arts and entertainment manager and she relishes her role always providing the best experiences to the guests.
As I have mentioned up above every little detail is thought of when giving the guests the most magical Christmas holiday and I couldn’t get enough of the fabulous descriptions of the resort and the activities. Decorations, lights, mince pies, garlands, holly, mistletoe, gingerbread men, reindeer, Christmas trees, sleighs. I mean I could go on and on. Everything was just so amazing but I’ll leave you to discover what else the resort has to offer. Christmas Resort has been Holliday’s refuge. It’s a place where enduring memories for families are made and in small way it helps her though her grief whilst clinging to the memories and trying to Andrew alive even though he has gone from her life. But now that is threatened as the owner is selling up and Damon MacAndrew has bought it. What plans has he for it? Will it remain the same as it is although it is need of renovation in order for the magic to continue to be created.
Holliday avoids her feelings and tried to pretend that nothing has changed. By staying at the resort is she trying to remember Adrian and in doing so does his make her happier? She had carefully constructed a world around herself following her huge loss but is she just stuck in time fearful of moving on and in in doing so doing more damage than good? Her emotions are kept firmly locked inside instead of facing them and surely this will cause harm rather than tentatively stepping on the path to acceptance? This little world that she has created for herself may just very well about to come crashing down when a discovery is made that Damon has plans to completely change the resort and build a normal hotel. Can Holliday, Bonnibell and co work their magic and get Damon to change his mind? Can they make him see that Christmas is a valuable and worthwhile place which does so much for the community and the guests that visit? A plan is put into action and a fantastic story unfolds that keeps the reader rapidly turning the pages.
Damon arrives at the resort to get a sense of what he is buying into. He is handsome and catches Holliday’s eye but she can she really warm to someone who has their heart set of changing what has worked for years and means so much to so many? The reasons for Damon’s desire to change Christmas Resort quickly become evident and in one way I could understand where he was coming from as he was so hurt and angry but on the other hand he was being very dramatic and in a way very ruthless. Disloyalty and faithfulness are two very strong words in his mindset and he does seem to not want to be swayed. He keeps his plans private but a chance discovery by Innes, the housekeeper sets the cat amongst the pigeons. Damon needs to start living in the present instead of fixating on past hurts and Christmas Resort is the last place that needs to be eradicated and then he can move on. But he doesn’t bet on Holliday and co having a very different opinion from him and they are not prepared to let Christmas Resort become a part of people’s memories never to be relieved again. Damon initially came across as ruthless with a heart made of stone and I feared that Holliday wouldn’t be able to penetrate and melt the external wall of ice that he has surrounded himself with. As she sets about showing him how special and remarkable the resort is and all that it has to offer she firmly hopes that he can be persuaded to change his mind.
What follows is a gorgeous, delightful and satisfying story that will bring a smile to your face. Christmas Secrets in the Scottish Highlands was a pure piece of Christmas heaven and one of my Christmas reading highlights for 2023. It should come with a warning that you will not get any work done but at the same this is just the book you need to allow you to switch off from all the madness and preparations that ensue at this time of year. It’s a wonderful feel good read that will warm your heart and certainly have you all excited for Christmas no matter how early you read it - yes I am that person that starts their Christmas reading at the end of September/beginning of October. How could you not when there are so many fabulous Christmas books published each year?
It was evident that Donna Ashcroft was enjoying writing this entertaining and engaging story as it was infused with such warmth, humour and human understanding that I immediately fell in love with the characters, the theme and of course the amazing setting.The cover alone would make you want to pick up this book and take a trip to Christmas Resort. Make sure you do because I guarantee you won’t be one bit disappointed. I hope Donna has planned a return visit for next year as I would love to reunite with Holliday and co once again.
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