The Cottage by the Loch: A totally gripping and unforgettable Scottish romance (Loch Cameron Book 1)

Once I got into this book I really enjoyed it. Great romance

This is the about Zelda, who goes to Scotland to do a photo shoot.Whilst there she has an accident which means see can’t travel back home and has to stay longer than she wanted. She meets the laird, and is interested to find out more about him.I loved this story, which was funny and had a little bit of mystery too. The characters were lovely. The village of Loch Cameron is described beautifully, a place you’d want to visit and see all the places mentioned throughout the book.I recommend this book.

Received a copy of this book ,Excellent plot and real life characters,a real page Turner have recommended this book to family and friends,

Publication date 24th January 2023.This is the fifth book I have read by this author. It is also the first book in the 'Loch Cameron' series. I have previously 'The House At Magpie Cove', 'Secrets of Magpie Cove', 'Daughters Of Magpie Cove' and 'Dreams Of Magpie Cove' all from the 'Magpie Cove' series and all of which I would also highly recommend reading.I was originally drawn to this book by its stunning eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of Susanne O’Leary, Debbie Macomber and Pamela Kelley will adore this page-turning read set in the Scottish Highlands about family secrets and starting over, from USA Today bestselling author Kennedy Kerr.' I am a huge fan of Debbie Macomber so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Kennedy and if this is half as good as 'The House At Magpie Cove', 'Secrets Of Magpie Cove', 'Daughters Of Magpie Cove' and 'Dreams Of Magpie Cove' it is sure to be a gorgeous read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).This novel consists of a prologue and 39 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!This book is based in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited and had holidays in Scotland on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Kennedy has based the book on.This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Zelda Hicks . The benefits of third person perspective with are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.Aww yet another stunner from the extremely talented Kennedy!!! Well done Kennedy on yet another absolutely beautiful and perfect read!! This is the ideal beach read where you could sit there and turn around and just imagine Loch Cameron and Loch Cameron Castle.The book is extremely well written with beautiful descriptions that completely drew me in. I could feel the sun on my skin and the sea on my toes. The synopsis and the cover match the storyline perfectly!!The storyline itself completely swept me away. It is filled with love, friendship, romance and drama. It kept me turning the pages late at night. I really enjoyed having the insights into Zelda's life and her journey into the stunning Loch Cameron. I absolutely fell in love venturing into Loch Cameron and Kennedy portrays life in a small village absolutely perfectly, bringing the neighbours to life and showing that when you live in a small place everybody knows everybody else's business. Living in a small village myself and, ironically enough, one that also has a castle Kennedy's descriptions are perfect. In a way I became so invested in this book that it actually felt like going on a holiday and I absolutely dreaded coming to the end where I had to unpack my suitcase and get back to reality. I don't want to say much more about the book as I don't want to give it away but I love the fact that Kennedy doesn't just write the one storyline but there are always several going on and just the right amount so you don't get confused. It was an absolutely compelling and addictive heart lifting read that kept me turning the pages until late at night. I loved discovering the pasts of many of the characters and I was absolutely swept away in the story lines. The Castle and Loch Cameron came to life around me and I cannot wait to return in the next book in what promises to be an absolutely stunning series. The ending was absolutely perfect as always with Kennedy and this stunning series. This book would make a beautiful movie!! I really do love this series and I cannot wait to jump into the next book and visit the beautiful Loch Cameron again. I also loved the fact that Kennedy gives us lots of information in the acknowledgment section so please make sure you read that. It was fascinating to read more information on the May Day celebrations along with further information on Gaelic songs, translations and information on areas that she based these books on. I haven't been to Scotland for a long time but my son keeps asking to go and this book has tempted me even more. Thanks to Kennedy when we do go I have her recommendations to visit Inveraray Castle, the seat of the Duke of Argyll and Eilean Donan so thank you so much Kennedy. Congratulations on the fact that you have done your research and that fact absolutely shines through during the story. There is not much worse than when an author does not do any research into their chosen topics and locations which leads to needless mistakes throughout the book but you don't have to worry about this in this book or any of Kennedy's stunning books.Do not turn a single page of this book until you have cleared your schedules and when you do get ready to go on a stunning holiday you will not want to leave!!It is always worrying when starting a new series as you have no idea who the characters are. It is very important for me to bond with not only the lead protagonists but also any characters that may make repeat appearances during the series too.I became completely invested in the characters, along with the storyline, who were all absolutely fantastic with their own individual personalities and quirks. They have all started feeling like friends so quickly having got to meet so many of them so well. Whenever I finish any of Kennedy's books I feel like I am leaving amazing people and friends and I always feel a bit sad about it but am happy in the knowledge that Kennedy is hopefully writing her next book and bringing them alive as I write this (hint hint Kennedy 😉). I really enjoyed learning some Scottish slang and Gaelic songs along with Hal's war cry and loved that Kennedy explained some words. I loved watching how Zelda's character and personality developed and went from strength to strength from the first page to the last. My heart went out to her at times but I must say that at others I wanted to knock some sense into her in regards to how she was brining Hal's previous wife Maggie up (Maggie had passed away). Considering Zelda had lost her mum not so long ago herself I did find that she was being insensitive at times but I will say that she did realize some of her mistakes herself so I will give her that. I adored Hal Cameron from the start and thought that he was very handsome, rugged and romantic although he was definitely miserable and gruff at times, but I must say that is typical men for you lol. There so many characters that I loved and cannot wait to meet again including Gretchen who made me laugh several times and I loved how feisty she was plus her attitude, Dotty, Myrtle and Anna were all lovely women who were great friend's and a good support network for Zelda. I also adored Emery who is only in Loch Cameron for a short time but is an excellent friend to Zelda and I hope we see him more in the rest of this gorgeous series . I was not a fan from Ryan from the start and although he seemed nice and friendly and even romantic at times there were a few warning bells for me but I wont go into further details as I don't want to spoil it for future readers. There are many more characters I loved meeting but I shall leave it there for this review as I'm sure we will meet them again in the next books and I will speak more about them then but as it is the first book in this series I like to concentrate mostly on the main characters. Regardless of whether you love them or hate them these characters all work perfectly together to make an addictive storyline and are realistic of a small community. I cannot wait to meet most of them again in the next book in this series which I really, really, really hope is not going to take too long to come out!!!This is one of those series which could go on and on and I wouldn't get bored. Here's to meeting them all again along with the next new faces of Loch Cameron!!Congratulations Kennedy on another gorgeous success!!! Looking forward to my next holiday to Loch Cameron!!! This is exactly why you are one of my favourite authors!! If you have never read this book or any books in the Magpie Cove series (which I also absolutely LOVE!!!) pick one up today, you won't regret it and you are definitely missing out if you don't!!Overall this is a perfect, stunning, page turning beach read with a great gang of characters that will sweep you away to Loch Cameron from the very first page to the end!Genres covered in this novel include Women's Romance Fiction, Women's Contemporary Fiction, Romance Novel, Domestic Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy, Women's Literary Fiction and Holiday Fiction amongst others.I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of as well as fans of Fiona Valpy, Lucinda Riley, Barbara O’Neal., Jojo Moyes, Debbie Macomber, Susanne O’Leary, Pamela Kelly, Nancy Thayer. Amanda Prowse, Diane Chamberlain, Shari Low, Veronica Henry, Heidi Swain, Nicholas Sparks and any lovers of a book that you can float away with at the beach!!!321 pages.This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it )

The Cottage by the Loch is only the second book I have read by Kennedy Kerr as I only discovered her writing late last year. This is a gorgeous, cosy and inviting read that I found ideal to read between some heavy books that I had been reading in order to try and reduce my TBR pile. The story overall doesn’t ask too much of the readers in terms of having to keep innumerable characters straight in their heads and the plot had a lovely flow to it and was very easy to follow. Basically, it provides you with a means to escape from the chaos of the everyday world. For a few hours, you are taken away to the picturesque setting of Loch Cameron in Scotland and you forget everything going on around as you become lost in the story of Zelda as she tries to find her way in life following a deep loss. This is a lovely book that is easy to dip in and out of if only brief bursts of reading time are available to you. It has a relaxing storyline with some great characters -Gretchen in particular, some ups and downs, a mystery to be solved that helps Zelda to realign things in her own life and of course not forgetting some romance which we all look out for when reading books in this genre.Our main character Zelda is an American living in New York. She has a good job working for a local newspaper but the new boss is determined to give sales a much needed boost. Instantly, I liked Zelda, she had an interesting job yet there was a rawness and vulnerability about her as you could tell that she was lost and adrift. That if she could find her way to where she had been before her mothers illness and subsequent death then things would go her way again and she would feel composed and confident once more. At the moment she is deep in grief and her anchor has gone. It had only been herself and her mother ever since her Scottish father abandoned them when she was just three years old. But her mother left her with some solid advice – to always be strong and independent and to follow your heart. This advice she must trust the further the story develops.Zelda has a strong sense of being unmoored from reality and her work now feels meaningless as her passion for telling stories is gone. When tasked with organising a shoot in Scotland, you would think that a complete change of scenery would start Zelda off on the right track once more but there are a few tests coming in her direction. The constant crushing sense of grief lingers with her but as she arrives in Scotland, and to Loch Cameron where Hal is the Laird, little does she know the journey of transformation, acceptance and romance that awaits her.The setting was absolutely perfect for Zelda and for the reader. I mean a Scottish castle with a handsome owner and a cute little village where you have a range of characters.The surrounding countryside was so vividly described and the land on which the castle stood plays a significant role in the story. I could picture so clearly the hills, streams lush green forests, the loch and so much more and it just added to the warm feeling that grew throughout the book.Zelda feels like she shouldn’t have come to Scotland, even though it was for work, as she is in some way betraying her mother. She wants to get the job done and get out of there but when she falls and breaks her wrist there is no way she will make the return flight home. I felt like it was fate that this happened to Zelda. It gave her no option but to stay and in doing so she was allowed to rest and think although her creative mind is never not on the go both in terms of the writing she does and the subsequent party she goes on to organise. I loved that about her that she was creative and imaginative but at the same time did she do so much so that she didn’t have to think about her own personal situation. This enforced time in Loch Cameron meant she had no other option than to face up to what she had been avoiding and the more time she spends in the village the more its people and the beautiful countryside slowly start to soothe her jangled nerves.When Zelda is finally recovered and able to return to America she receives news that the paper has been sold and the existing team are being let go. The one constant in her life is now gone and she carefully considers what is she rushing back for? When she meets Gretchen this is where the blurb and the title of the book starts to come into play. Gretchen is elderly although she still has all her faculties and now she is moving into a nursing home she agrees to let Zelda stay in the cottage if she will do it up and redecorate. And whilst she is engaged in this process she finds a secret bundle of letters which opens up a whole new can of worms but in my mind provided the perfect link between the past and the present and through learning more about the contents of the letters and the people mentioned Zelda sees some small similarities in her own life and it helps her in her healing process and what also in deciding what her next steps should be. You could see Zelda getting comfortable and relaxed in her new setting and she really integrated well with the locals. Although herself and Hal rub each other the wrong way countless times. I loved Fiona in the fashion shop and how Zelda had brilliant ideas to move her business forward. The same could be said for helping getting the castle back on the tourist radar once more. Zelda clearly loved a project and getting her teeth stuck into things as I think it didn’t allow her time to sit and ponder what was and what might have been.Hal was a rough and ready type with his old fashioned dress sense and ways but Zelda finds him handsome and attractive and although the pair often clash the sexual tension and electric energy just oozes off the pages every time they appear together. Hal too was grieving, he had lost his wife to cancer and since then he had let things slide in the castle and the infamous May Day party was no longer held. I loved the tradition around this and the standing stones on the land too. It could have all seemed a bit OTT and far fetched but the author had clearly done her research and this aspect slotted in well to the overall plot of the book. As Zelda offers herself to improve the castle website and get it open to weddings and parties she grows closer to Hal but there are simmering tensions between and she hears things and instantly takes them at face value therefore changing her perception and opinions about him. I think she trusted too much in a certain other character who wasn’t as all straight laced and as nice as pie as they are first made out to be. Zelda I found jumped to conclusions too readily and took gossip on board when perhaps she should have filtered it and subsequently this led to some twists and turns as I neared the conclusion.The only fault I found with the book was that given there was so much time and effort put into all aspects of the story the ending for me felt a little rushed and up in the air. There wasn’t something really solid cementing what I thought was going to happen at least that’s what I felt. But maybe it was for the reader to decide the long term outcome/resolution for themselves or maybe there will be more from this setting and these characters in the future. I’d love to see Fiona get a book of her own. Despite this, I really enjoyed The Cottage by The Loch and on a cold and damp day it would be an engaging and charming read to curl up on the couch with which is just what I did.

If you're looking for a contemporary Highland romanceThis delightful read deserves more than a chance!With great characters, a beautiful setting and lovely community,It also involves coping with grief, a mystery and family history!Get ready for changes galoreNew possibilities to exploreCommunity feelings, new friendships, too,Mysteries to solve and plenty to do!NY Journalist Zelda Hicks is sent on photoshoot to Scotland.A visit to her father's homeland isn't anything she'd planned.The village of Loch Cameron is quite a surprise,So are the locals and the Laird, she quickly comes to realise.Could this be the break (ouch) that she didn't want but yearns?Maybe this stay will be when her life for the better turns?Coping with grief is different for everyoneEspecially when a loved one is gone.What a gorgeous readNow the next in the series is what I need!I can't wait to return to Loch Cameron once moreTo see the community and to explore!