I'm going to start this review by stating that this book was nothing of the sort what I thought that it would be. It is in fact, quite the opposite.
Ailsa Calder has just inherited half of her childhood house, the other half belonging to someone who might as well be a stranger to her, her estranged father, who disappeared 27 years ago. She goes on this adventure to Scotland with someone else who is practically a stranger to her. Carrie, her half sister.
When I first went into this book, I had no thoughts of it having paranormal aspects, but the further I got into it, it was all that I could think of, but still, there wasn't, which I still can't seem to fully wrap my head around for some reason. I think the fact that it is set in an old manor, situated in the middle of nowhere Scotland, had some influence on why I kept thinking this.
Even though I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I felt that not much actually happened until the 'big reveal' a few chapters from the end, which I quite enjoyed as it seemed much more life like, and not "put on" like it would have been done in a movie. Another thing that I also, surprisingly, liked, was that there was no romantic aspect to the story, and if you know me, you know I love a good love story. Not this time though, I liked that it didn't as not everyone's life is constant romance. I know that Ailsa had a boyfriend, Johnathan, but he was never in the picture because of his job, and I am super surprised that Alisa never even considered cheating on him with someone from her past, and new people she met in Scotland.
I know I'm not good at guessing a book's plot twist, but this one however; it didn't even seem like what happened was going to happen as the story and its pacing is so casual, I will admit that I audibly gasped when the big reveal was revealed.
I love the fact that there was so much Scottish dialogue throughout this book, even though I found it really difficult to read at first, I think that it is a good thing to include more than one accent in stories as it helps to lay the tone of where the book is set.
I really enjoyed this book, as well as Elliot's last one, The French Girl, and I can safely say that I am highly anticipating her next one!
Ailsa Calder has just inherited half of her childhood house, the other half belonging to someone who might as well be a stranger to her, her estranged father, who disappeared 27 years ago. She goes on this adventure to Scotland with someone else who is practically a stranger to her. Carrie, her half sister.
When I first went into this book, I had no thoughts of it having paranormal aspects, but the further I got into it, it was all that I could think of, but still, there wasn't, which I still can't seem to fully wrap my head around for some reason. I think the fact that it is set in an old manor, situated in the middle of nowhere Scotland, had some influence on why I kept thinking this.
Even though I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I felt that not much actually happened until the 'big reveal' a few chapters from the end, which I quite enjoyed as it seemed much more life like, and not "put on" like it would have been done in a movie. Another thing that I also, surprisingly, liked, was that there was no romantic aspect to the story, and if you know me, you know I love a good love story. Not this time though, I liked that it didn't as not everyone's life is constant romance. I know that Ailsa had a boyfriend, Johnathan, but he was never in the picture because of his job, and I am super surprised that Alisa never even considered cheating on him with someone from her past, and new people she met in Scotland.
I know I'm not good at guessing a book's plot twist, but this one however; it didn't even seem like what happened was going to happen as the story and its pacing is so casual, I will admit that I audibly gasped when the big reveal was revealed.
I love the fact that there was so much Scottish dialogue throughout this book, even though I found it really difficult to read at first, I think that it is a good thing to include more than one accent in stories as it helps to lay the tone of where the book is set.
I really enjoyed this book, as well as Elliot's last one, The French Girl, and I can safely say that I am highly anticipating her next one!