A review by lisaluvsliterature
Shopping for a Highlander's Elopement by Julia Kent

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I wasn’t sure if I was going to get an early copy of this, but I did, and I did a little dance when it showed up in my email inbox! I adore these characters, this whole series really, and the fact that we get other characters from other series that I love by this author made it that much better! And of course my love of all things Scottish/Outlander, and I was texting my sister who lived in Scotland to ask about all the words and meanings as they talked about, such as chuff, because of the dog named Chuffy. And of course the fact that Hamish is from Glasgow, where my sister now lives with her Glaswegian boyfriend made it fun to read and ask her about things they said.

So this isn’t our first foray into Hamish and Amy’s romance/relationship. Which could be obvious from the title having the word elopement in it. We know these two are in love. But the things they are put through in this story from deciding to get married puts a huge strain on them. First is the disaster that is Hamish’s proposal at his exhibition game. Then there is the craziness that surrounds both the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom who each have exactly how and where they want the wedding all planned out, and there’s no way to combine it seeing as how the wheres are in two different countries. As mentioned in the blurb, there are cameos from other series by this authors. Series I’ve read all the books in, and series I still have a few to get through. But I knew the people and it was fun getting back into those worlds. I love when authors cross over in their worlds like this!

I also love how even when things get rough and there are events or things people say that could totally come between Hamish and Amy, nothing changes their minds about wanting to be together. The drama doesn’t cause a riff between them. Most of the drama in this is hilarious in its own right, even when it is so frustrating to see the wedding plans just being hijacked and ruined left and right. But the love these two have for each other is exactly what they both need and neither will give it up, and neither will let the other not know exactly how they feel.

Now, because they are together already for the story, the amount of steam in this story is WAY up there. The only thing keeping it from a full 5 on that aspect for me was there wasn’t anything too crazy in what they did. But there is a lot of sex. And it is pretty much all on the page, no fading away, no closed doors.

And finally I just want to say that Hamish is one of my top book boyfriends. Yes, the fact that he’s Scottish plays into it, but more than that it is his sense of humor, his happiness, those are the things that I want in a significant other. There are a few bits in the story that make me think of some other romances I’ve read recently. One thing, the scrunchie, and a recent Helena Hunting story. I can’t remember the other part right now? But I adored this one. I’m so glad I got the opportunity to read it. All I need now is time to go back and fill in all the stories in the other series that I’ve missed to fill in all I need to know about these characters.