27 Light Romantic Novels About Christmas in Scotland
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Christmas can be a sad time for many, but a bit of light escapism can certainly help lift the mood. To help, we've gathered up a fun collection of light romantic Christmas novels set in Scotland.
27 Light Romantic Novels About Christmas in Scotland
The books below are in no particular order.
Cold Feet at Christmas | Debbie Johnson
Leah Harvey was expecting Christmas Eve to be the best day of her life. She'd be in a majestic castle in Scotland, wearing her dream dress, and ready to marry the man she loves – but when she catches her soon-to-be husband being unfaithful with the bridesmaid just before they're supposed to say “I do,” it all falls apart.
In a panic, she runs away from the wedding during a heavy snowstorm and ends up lost, finally collapsing into the arms of a ruggedly handsome stranger in a nearby cottage.
Meanwhile, Rob Cavelli is surprised to find himself holding a beautiful, drenched, and very cold runaway bride. Given the weather and the holiday, he couldn't be so cold-hearted as to turn her away…
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The Highland Lodge Getaway | Julie Shackman
Lottie Grant is passionate about Christmas and even works at Christmas Crackers, a popular holiday store in her charming hometown of Craig Brae in Scotland. However, her life takes an unexpected turn when the store is sold, and she's left uncertain about her future.
Just as Lottie starts to lose hope of finding another job that she loves, she gets an irresistible offer to manage a collection of posh cabins set to open just in time for the holiday season.
As she starts decorating the cabins and stringing lights on the trees, Lottie is thrilled with the opportunity – until Blake Dempster shows up. He's a great-looking but grumpy sort, and he doesn't share Lottie's enthusiasm for the holidays. Lottie, however, isn't one to back down from a challenge and she's determined to show Blake the magic of Christmas.
With the snow falling and the festive lights twinkling, Lottie and Blake both face the question: can they overcome their differences and find holiday happiness together?
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It Happened in Scotland | Patience Griffin
Rachel has spent the last three years mourning her husband Joe. Now, during the Christmas season, she's ready to make new memories with their five-year-old daughter by visiting Joe's hometown of Gandiegow in Scotland, where his grandfather lives. However, Rachel's plans are complicated when she unexpectedly encounters Joe's cousin—the very man who once made her doubt her decision to get married.
Brodie, back in town to help with his grandfather's fishing business, isn't thrilled about seeing Rachel. She broke his heart right before she married his cousin six years ago, and he's never really gotten over her. Despite their rocky past and constant clashes, if Rachel and Brodie can find a way to get past their old issues, they might discover that a new love is possible.
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The Second Chance Cafe | Amanda Prowse
Widow Bea has given up on the idea of finding love again. She's been pouring all her energy into her deli in Sydney, which has become famous for its delicious carrot cake.
Out of the blue, she gets an email from a cafe owner in Edinburgh that convinces her to visit Scotland, even though it's the coldest part of the year. Thoughts of a traditional Christmas fill her mind, and she starts thinking of an old romance she had buried away in another life…
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If Every Day Was Christmas | Donna Ashcroft
Meg Scott is looking forward to celebrating Christmas on her own terms this year. She owns a year-round Christmas store in a small Scottish village and adores everything about the holiday season. However, her plans are put to the test when her argumentative family shows up, dampening her festive cheer.
On the other hand, Tom Riley-Clark can't stand Christmas and has zero interest in the holiday festivities. He's come to the Scottish Highlands to help a friend at The Apple Cross Inn and is all about work, with no time for holiday traditions like mince pies or decorations. It's a surprise to everyone when Tom, the Christmas skeptic, and Meg, the holiday enthusiast, start to enjoy each other's company, especially beneath the mistletoe.
Tom is hiding something from his past, though, and in a small town, secrets don't stay secrets for long. When Meg finds out the truth about Tom, it could turn their world upside down.
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The Christmas Sisters | Sarah Morgan
Suzanne McBride is excited for a cozy Christmas in the snowy Scottish Highlands, eagerly awaiting the return of her three adopted daughters. However, the reunion is not without its stress.
Hannah, the career-focused daughter, can't skip another family Christmas, yet it's not the family's expectations that are worrying her; it's the significant secret she's keeping. Beth, a mom who's been out of the workforce, is in the midst of a crisis. She hoped the holiday gathering would help her figure out whether she's ready to start working again, but instead, she's feeling more pressure than ever. Posy is questioning whether she's really happy with her life, feeling stuck because her parents need her…and then there's Luke, who recently caught her eye…
As the picture-perfect Christmas Suzanne had imagined starts to slip away, she has to hope that the holiday magic will help her daughters come together.
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Christmas in the Scottish Highlands | Donna Ashcroft
Thirty and single, Belle Albany is feeling the sting of loneliness during the holiday season in her quiet Scottish town. Her life hasn't changed at all since the last Christmas, and her dreams of finding true love seem to be fading.
Her Christmas takes an unexpected turn when she accidentally runs into an older woman named Edina with her red bicycle. It wasn't the charming encounter Belle had been hoping for, but she sees something familiar in Edina's eyes and decides to do her best to make this Christmas special for both of them. She didn't expect that Edina woudl live in an old castle, and that her attractive but grumpy grandson, Jack Hamilton-Kirk, would show up unexpectedly during a snowstorm.
Jack's arrogant and prickly behavior threatens to dampen the festive spirit Belle is trying to spread. Despite him seeming like a real-life Grinch, Belle can't help but feel a spark when they're together. They bicker over everything from food to music, yet Belle begins to see a gentler side to Jack.
As they work together on a nativity play and rescue a donkey from a winter mishap, Belle feels their mutual attraction growing. But Jack has a secret that might get in the way of their budding relationship. Will this be the Christmas that Belle finds love, or will Jack's past keep them apart?
If you like this book, the author has written two further books in the series: Snowflakes & Secrets in the Scottish Highlands and Christmas Secrets in the Scottish Highlands.
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Christmas Romance in Scotland | De-ann Black
Fiona works as a craft editor at a Glasgow magazine, where she's been really busy writing about all things crafty for the holiday season, like knitting, sewing, and baking cakes. One day, while she's out buying a Christmas tree in Glasgow, she spots a handsome Santa in the holiday section of a local shop. Then she bumps into Mark, a charming and playful lawyer.
At a Christmas party hosted by her friend Maribel, Fiona finds herself dancing with both Mark and the Santa, who turns out to be Fulton, a competitive gymnast. She also gets involved with Weir, an architect.
With Fiona's love for Christmas clear, the only question left is who will capture Fiona's heart this holiday.
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Scotland for Christmas | Cathryn Parry
US Secret Service agent Jacob Ross doesn't easily show his emotions, but he's determined to uncover a painful truth: the circumstances surrounding his police officer father's death in Scotland, which occurred while his father was trying to save the niece and nephew of billionaire John Sage.
Meanwhile, Isabel Sage, another niece in the Sage family, is studying hard in her final year at university in New York City and needs a driver to take her to her cousin Malcolm's wedding in Vermont. She's a diligent and devoted family member, but she's intrigued by Jacob, her new and somewhat stern driver.
Isabel is in the running to be the next CEO of the Sage family's business, so getting involved with Jacob could be a conflict of interest. And for Jacob, getting romantically entangled with Isabel isn't an option either, considering his own ambitions and the different worlds they come from.
With a trip back to Scotland for Christmas on the horizon, Jacob faces a tough choice: should he reveal his true feelings to Isabel, risking his career and everything he's striving for?
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Starting Over Scottish | Tricia O‘Malley
Harper Scott is hitting the reset button on her life. She's excited for a unique job at a Scottish pub, but when she arrives at her rented apartment, she's greeted by a barely-dressed and maddeningly attractive Scotsman who is also claiming the place. Since it's the Christmas season and every other place is full, neither of them is willing to back down and vacate the apartment.
On top of this, the local pub where Harper was looking forward to working is under threat from property developers. With her new beginning soured by the presence of a grumpy Scotsman who seems intent on driving her away, Harper has to make a choice. She can either focus on outwitting the Scotsman or put her efforts into saving the pub before Christmas rolls around. The competition is on, Highland-style.
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A Scottish Christmas | Roxanne Rustand
Lucy Davis has only two weeks to wrap up her late aunt's affairs in Scotland before she has to fly back to Chicago to sort out her own complicated life. Since she's the last family member left and she never met her aunt, Lucy anticipates a straightforward task—finding new homes for a couple of cats and donating her aunt's belongings to charity.
What Lucy doesn't expect is to discover that her aunt was the owner of a lovely bed and breakfast, which is currently home to a group of eccentric and steadfast guests who aren't ready to leave. Among them is a tall, enigmatic man who could very well be the one Lucy has been searching for.
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The Christmas Castle | JL Jarvis
Librarian Charlotte Glass has just ended a five-year relationship with her self-centered boyfriend. Despite his sarcastic remark wishing her enjoyment on what would have been their romantic getaway, Charlotte heads off on the trip by herself.
She finds herself in a secluded castle in the Scottish Highlands just two days later. While the castle is lovely, Charlotte is battling jet lag and decides to take a quick nap. Waking up in the middle of the night, she makes her way to the castle's library, where she meets Ian MacKay, an incredibly charming Scotsman with warm gray eyes, sitting by a warm fireplace.
Ian is charismatic but troubled. He's interested in Charlotte, but he knows that when his secrets come to light, they could ruin everything.
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Love in the Scottish Winter Highlands | Beatrice Bradshaw
When Londoner Marla Wilson finds herself saddled with a dilapidated castle in the Scottish Highlands, she decides it's her chance to start anew. Her new neighbour, Niall McCarron, wants her to sell the place – but she's not having it. Despite their constant bickering, there's a growing attraction between them, even if he has a taste for rosé wine.
Gradually, hostility turns into a friendship, and then, during a heavy snowstorm, they let down their defenses and share a night filled with intense feelings and intimacy. Unfortunately, Niall is keeping a secret that could shatter Marla's hopes of making a home in the Highlands. Can their new love endure once the truth is revealed, or will their past pains destroy their chance at happiness?
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The Christmas Castle in Scotland | Julie Caplin
Izzy McBride was taken by surprise when she inherited a castle from her great uncle Bill, but she soon makes big plans to transform it into an upscale bed and breakfast.
However, things get complicated when Izzy's quirky mother decides to rent out a room to the mysterious and charming novelist Ross Adair. With the Scottish winter laying down a thick blanket of snow, Izzy is under pressure to fix up the castle quickly. If she doesn't, they might all end up trapped there during the Christmas festivities.
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The Christmas Bookshop | Jenny Colgan
Carmen has just lost her job at a department store, and with meager savings, her choices are dwindling. She's not looking forward to spending Christmas with her sister Sofia, who seems to have it all: a perfect house, perfect kids, and a perfect upper-middle-class lifestyle.
Sofia isn't too keen on having her difficult sister Carmen around either, especially since she's pregnant again. But their mother wants them to get along, and Sofia's client, who owns an old bookshop, needs some help. So, reluctantly, Carmen agrees to move in with Sofia and work on fixing up the bookshop.
Once she starts working at Mr. McCredie’s quaint, albeit a bit run-down, bookshop in the beautiful old part of Edinburgh, Carmen finds herself getting attached. She wonders if she can turn the shop around in time for the holiday rush. Things get even more interesting when a charming and well-known writer shows interest in the bookshop—and in Carmen. With Christmas coming up, will the festive atmosphere help mend the strained relationship between the two sisters?
If you enjoyed this one, you may also enjoy her later book, Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop.
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Christmas on the Island | Jenny Colgan
On the isolated Scottish island of Mure, Christmas comes with cold winds and icy roads, but it's also full of holiday cheer and beauty.
It's a time when people snuggle up by fires made from old whisky barrels, sipping drinks and eating sticky treacle pudding with loved ones. That is, unless you're Flora, who has just found out she's pregnant by her former boss and is dreading telling anyone.
At the same time, Saif, a doctor who has fled the conflict in Syria, is trying to make the most of his first Christmas in the West with his sons, now that they've found refuge on Mure. But his wife is still missing, and her absence is a sorrowful cloud over their festivities. He's left wondering if it's possible for them to experience the warmth and happiness of the season without her.
This book is part of Colgan's Mure series, and the series also includes another Christmas novel, Christmas at the Island Hotel.
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The Christmas Kilt | Caroline Mickelson
A single kilt, two people who are perfect for each other, and a series of mix-ups come together to create a chaotic Christmas. No matter how much Santa Claus tries, he can't seem to align the stars for museum curators Jack Lantz and Kirsten Nichols. They're perfect for each other, but they're too busy competing to get their hands on a vintage kilt to notice the romantic sparks between them. Maybe a little help from some North Pole elves and a dash of Christmas magic will smooth things out for them?
What follows is a fun-filled chase that starts in Scotland and winds up playing out on Santa's home turf. Along the way, there's a question hanging in the air: Will Kirsten and Jack find the ancient kilt they're after, or will they end up finding something even better?
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The Christmas Secret | Karen Swan
Alex Hyde is a top-notch executive coach who helps big shots deal with big stress. She's usually booked for months, but she can't say no to a very well-paid, last-minute job right before Christmas. Lochlan Farquhar, the unpredictable and difficult CEO of a prestigious whisky company in Scotland, needs her help. He's a wild card and it's Alex's job to figure him out before he causes serious trouble for his business.
Typically, this kind of work is second nature to Alex. But when she arrives on the snowy, isolated island of Islay, though, she's thrown for a loop. Lochlan is not like her other clients; her time-tested tactics don't work on him. With Christmas coming up and her deadline looming, she'll have to gain his trust to complete her assignment.
As Alex gets closer to Lochlan, the lines start to blur and she discovers there's more to Lochlan and the situation than meets the eye.
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Christmas at the Edge of the World | Kate Hewitt
Laurel West doesn't hesitate to jump in when she learns her estranged sister has checked into rehab and her 14-year-old nephew needs watching. Still, as a single woman still harboring dreams of her own happy ending, she's not prepared for the moodiness of a teen in turmoil. When her nephew is expelled from school, Laurel takes drastic measures and temporarily moves them to her great aunt's cottage in the Orkney Islands north of Scotland.
From the moment they arrive, things only get worse. Even still, there's something about the harsh environment and quirky residents that might bring about the changes everyone needs…
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I'm Glad I Found You This Christmas | CP Ward
Maggie Coates is frustrated to find her long-term boyfriend Dirk slowly drifting out of her life. He's gotten a great new job in London, and while Maggie wants nothing more than to settle down, Dirk's life seems to be winding up for something different.
Her friend convinces her to book a romantic holiday for the two of them, so she picks the quiet Scottish village of Hollydell. But what if he doesn't show up? And what if Maggie finds something – or someone – better for her in the charming little town?
Other books in this series are set elsewhere in Great Britain, and Christmas at Snowflake Lodge is another one set in Scotland.
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A Christmas Escape to Arran | Ellie Henderson
Marketer Amelia seems to have a charmed life. She recently married the love of her life, they honeymooned in Italy, and they're living together in London. It's all going rather well until she loses her job and comes home to find a note demanding a divorce. With no job or husband, there's no reason to stay in London.
The Isle of Arran seems like a great place to start over in a new place full of natural beauty. What she doesn't expect is Fergus, the dreamy Scotsman she meets there…
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Snowflakes & Secrets in the Scottish Highlands | Donna Ashcroft
When an aunt asks 31-year-old Merry to pet-sit at her cottage in the snowy Scottish Highlands, it seems like the perfect escape from a personal life that isn't going quite how she'd like. Unfortunately, everything goes wrong at the cottage. The lights won't work, she's freezing her butt off, her aunt's pet turkey is going a bit crazy, and the handsome local vet keeps swinging by as though she's incapable of handling the animals on her own.
She tries to keep up a chilly air, but vet Theo is breaking down her barriers and slowly winning her over. But can she trust another man?
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Highlands Christmas: Wishes Come True | Amy Quick Parrish
American interior designer Melissa Mackenzie is happy…until her husband Dave admits he's cheating and wants both the house and his independence. So that sucks.
When she finds out she's inherited a home in Scotland, though, things are looking up. Unfortunately, the Scottish American divorce lawyer who's handling her husband's side of their divorce is somehow also a resident of the village where Melissa's newly inherited Scottish home is located. And he's kind of sexy.
If you like this one, the series has a second book, Highlands New Year, about a romantic Hogmanay celebration on the Isle of Skye.
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Christmas at the Highland Flower Shop | Lucy Coleman
Bella Reed has been running the Highland Flower Shop since she left college, but now they're being evicted – thanks to handsome businessman Maverick McIntyre. Despite a deal his father made years ago that would allow Bella to keep the shop, Maverick has no interest in letting her stay.
Of course, when the sexual chemistry gets going, it all gets much more complicated…
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A Kilt For Christmas | Tricia O'Malley
When Maisie Barron makes a wish at the standing stones by Loren Brae, she doesn't realise it will turn into a major catastrophe that threatens the upcoming Christmas Book Festival.
At the same time, professor Weston Smith is heading for a holiday at Loren Brae, completely oblivious to the fact that he's about to meet the woman he's been waiting his whole life to find.
With a big snow storm brewing and a gaggle of overzealous elderly book club ladies assisting, Maisie and Weston might just find their happily ever after together.
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Snowed in For Christmas | Sarah Morgan
This year, all the Miller siblings are coming to Christmas with secrets. At the same time, an uninvited guest, Lucy Clarke, is making her way to the family home. She's facing the prospect of losing her job if she can't win the business of Ross Miller.
When she arrives on their doorstep, she's mistaken for Ross's girlfriend and the snowstorm makes it impossible for her to leave. Of course, the instant chemistry between the two of them means she might not want to…
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The Ex-Mas Holidays | Zoe Allison
Maya Bashir is not looking forward to going home for Christmas. She has to tell her family she quit her high-paying job and ended her long-term relationship, so stopping by her friend's holiday party seems like a good distraction. That is until she arrives and sees Sam, the guy who broke her heart eight years ago, working there as a nearly-nude bartender.
Sam Holland is secretly taking on extra work to help a friend make ends meet. He never expected Maya to show up at the party and find out his other job, especially since they'll be working together again at his main job as a ski instructor in the Scottish Highlands.
Maya and Sam start to realize they might have been mistaken about the things that broke them up years before. Now, they'll just have to decide if they're willing to forget the past and fight for what they really want.
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