Okay, before we begin I must tell you that this was my first book in the Laura Lake series by Wendy Holden, and yes, A View to a Kilt is not the first but rather the third. I got hooked from the description and honestly when I was reading it, you couldn’t tell (for the most part!).
Laura Lake is a journalist for Society magazine and in this book we see her fight and struggle to allow her beautiful and glossy magazine to stay on shelves even if that means an impromptu trip to Scotland. She doesn’t want her work subdued and restricted to only online and this really resonated with me. Being a recent journalism graduate myself, this hit home. We, as a society are moving away from print and moving into a world enveloped in tech and for journalists, this may mean our livelihoods. And yet, here we see a new release novel that doesn’t agree with the status quo and that was extremely refreshing. It keeps the hope alive and I’m so very thankful for Wendy Holden to include this controversial concept.
“Laura gasped softly. Aidan Turner. If he got the part…But this was disloyal.”
And if Lake wasn’t already a great character, she’s also one who appreciates the acting chops of Aidan Turner, the male lead in Poldark as well as the dwarf, Kili in The Hobbit. I definitely agree on her admiration and this really sold it for me. I could see her as a friend and a coworker and this relatability made for an easy read. Plus, her coworker is named after Poldark’s wife, Demelza. So if you’re a fan of Poldark, you may find some kinship with Holden and her books!
“What does she look like? If it was anything like her mother, this was a non-starter.”
One-liners like this kept me hooked. This series also has tons of great humour.
“Scotland was built on a spectacular scale and seemed to demand a spectacular emotional response. It was, Laura felt, the perfect place to fall head over heels in love.”
But I must warn you, this is not a romance novel. I had high hopes just like Lake, because hello, she goes to Scotland, but we were both wrong. I was expecting a whirlwind romance with a Scot and unfortunately that’s not what happened. Instead we have to settle for her on/off boyfriend Harry and a one-night-stand with her ex, Caspar. Harry was absent and the scenes that he did appear in made him cold and unlikable. However, seeing as this book is the third in the series, I won’t hold his actions accountable for reflecting the series as a whole. As for Caspar, I instantly loved his character but I didn’t like them together. He reminded me of Bridget Jones’s has-been popstar friend, but straight. I think it was the cockiness but hell, was he a breath of fresh air.
“But Lulu dressed to please herself. She shook back her cascade, of thick, shining, assisted-blond hair and swept the menu with an expert eye.”
Lulu is a fantastic character! Not only does she exude confidence and dress to impress but she also has the brains and skills of ju-jitsu to stun people out of their assumptions of her. Every scene with her was great because all everyone saw was, for a lack of a better term, a bimbo, which let her turn the tables. Like I said, she’s clever and definitely someone you want on your side. And if they manage to pull a fast one on her, she’s got an Estonian, ex-military assistant who will not hesitate to shoot off a cork to pour some champagne, and yes, you heard that right, so you know where her loyalty lies.
This book is very quirky and full of even quirkier characters. Holden took care while crafting not only her main character, Laura Lake but also with every single supporting one as well. They have their own personalities and most importantly, Holden gives them the time of a day to show it to her readers and that matters!
Although the romance fell flat, there’s a great mystery in here! And it’s one that you’ll never see coming! Hidden dungeons, a mysterious man dressed in oriental garb that guards the front gate and staff that seems to come and go as if they weren’t even there, are just the beginning. This book will definitely leave you wondering what just happened (but in a good way).
I’ve learned many things since reading this book too. Like did you know that the Scotland equivalent to Alexa, is named Fiona and apparently she can’t understand anything unless it has a Scottish accent?
“I dinna knae what ye’re meaning, Mr Ruane,’ unhelpfully responded Fiona.”
I swear I sat laughing, awkwardly (because you know that’s the only way) at my reader because I could not get over this! It was hilarious and extremely relatable. This is an international struggle…
Any Outlander fans will also be familiar with the history explored in here because it traces the Battle of Culloden and the Bonnie Prince Charlie.
I’m evaluating this book for what I read and not basing it off of the entire series, as I haven’t read them. I give A View to a Kilt by Wendy Holden a 7 out of 10 because I was looking for a romance that never happened and what we did get seemed like a poor substitute. This was also another slow read for me and I feel like it wasn’t made for an international audience as there were many terms, slang, and places where if you’re not familiar, it lessens the impact and ends up confusing the reader more than it intended. I enjoyed this book very much and I’m intrigued to see how this all started with Laura Lake and The Hipster Weddings.
A View To A Kilt is now available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
Will you be reading A View To A Kilt? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Laura Lake, editor of glamorous glossy magazine Society, is in trouble. Advertising revenues are down, and her job will be in jeopardy if she can’t pick them up.
According to those in the know, Scotland is having a moment. Haggis tempura is on Michelin-starred menus, smart spas are offering porridge facials, and a chain of eco-hotels on the sites of Highland Clearances are pulling in star punters. With a view to getting a slice of this ultra-high-end market, Laura’s been sent to a baronial estate in Wester Ross to write a think-piece about celebrity bagpipes.
It’s supposed to be gorgeous, glitzy and glamorous. But intrigue follows Laura like night follows day. And at Glenravish Castle – a shooting lodge fit for a billionaire – Laura finds herself hunting for a scoop that won’t just save her job, it could save her life…
