Today I am reviewing Shortbread in the Highlands by Robin Jones Gunn
Book Description:
“When friends meet, hearts warm.”
Scottish saying
Cousins Nora and Allie are bound by a friendship that feels more like sisterhood, so when their Gran asks them to travel to Scotland on her behalf to claim an unexpected inheritance and unearth her old diary, they jump at this chance for the trip of a lifetime together.
When they arrive in Gran’s childhood village, they run into roadblocks but use the delayed schedule to experience the beauty of Scotland. Over shortbread from the local bakery and a boat ride on Loch Lomond, through exploration of ancestral castles and autumn highlands, they wonder what God wants to teach them in this land of mist and heather.
Though they revel in their time together abroad, they find they’ve brought more baggage than just their suitcases. While Allie fears she may have to leave early to deal with issues back home, Nora struggles to understand all the unknowns before her. What is it about Scotland that keeps drawing her to this unfamiliar place?
As the truth of Gran’s past comes to light, Allie and Nora must make weighty decisions. Will they learn to rely on the creative purposes of God, even if it means their lives will never be the same?
On this armchair trek to Scotland, Robin Jones Gunn takes readers on a journey of faith, friendship, and family. Themes of European travel, midlife adventures, and unexpected secrets make this inspirational women’s fiction a perfect selection for Christian book clubs.
My Review:
Thanks to Netgalley for my review copy.
I have always loved Robins books and am loving this new series of Suitcase Sisters. The books are all standalone reads but in the same series and could be read in any order. This time we travel to Scotland with cousins Nora and Allie. Their grandmother is from Scotland and inherits a library of books. She only wants one book, her diary and signs the library over to the cousins who need to retrieve the item in a short time frame.
The cousins go but nothing is smooth sailing there are travel delays and then delays in searching for the diary. Add some drama back home involving Allie and the fact she may need to leave early. But in spite of the issues the cousins do have some great adventures. Including eating shortbread and even meeting some Scottie dogs. In many ways it is a journey of discovery for both of the cousins and seeing Scotland through their eyes was interesting.
Both cousins have longings. Allie to be a mum and Nora to be married and have a family. While the hopes are still there the book brings things into perspective. I have to say I loved the ending.
If you have enjoyed the Sisterchick books and the others in this series, you won’t be disappointed. I look forward to these books, and they are always a must read for me.