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The Highland Fling

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In this steamy tale by USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn, an American searching for her purpose escapes to a Scottish town but finds more questions than answers when she meets a brooding yet handsome handyman.

Freshly fired from her third job in a row, Bonnie St. James has lost her way. So when she and her best friend stumble upon a “help wanted” post to run a coffee shop in the Scottish Highlands, they apply on a whim. Who knows? Maybe traveling to a new place is just what she needs to figure out her next move.

When the friends arrive in the tiny idyllic town of Corsekelly, they instantly fall for the gorgeous Highland landscape and friendly townspeople. But Bonnie finds a less-than-warm welcome in Rowan MacGregor, the rugged local handyman. Busy wrestling his own demons, Rowan’s in no mood to deal with the quirky American—even if she is a bonny lass.

As Bonnie and Rowan’s paths inevitably cross, insults—and sparks—fly. Can the pair build on their similarities to help each other find purpose and direction…and maybe romance too? Or will their passionate tempers fling them apart?

341 pages, Paperback

First published August 24, 2021

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About the author

Meghan Quinn

102 books30.3k followers
Like me on FB: https://www.facebook.com/meghanquinna...

When I was in high school I occasionally read books but was consumed by other teenage things so I didn't take the time to appreciate a good book on a cloudy day, wrapped up in a blanket on the couch. It wasn't until I received a Kindle for Christmas one year that my world completely flipped upside down. When looking for books I came across the Contemporary Romance genre and was sold and I haven't turned back since.

You can either find my head buried in my Kindle, listening to inspiring heart ripping music or typing away on the computer twisting and turning the lives of my characters while driving my readers crazy with anticipation.

​I currently reside in beautiful Colorado Springs where the sun is always shining and there is a trail waiting to be hiked on every corner. I share a lovely and warm home with the love of my life and my five, four-legged children.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,692 reviews
Profile Image for Matilda.
269 reviews2,505 followers
November 5, 2021
2.5 stars ☕️

I'm a bit upset because this had a ton of potential! An enemies to lovers with a grumpy hero set in Scotland. I mean, how perfect is that?? But it just didn't deliver on a few things

The heroine, Bonnie, was too qUiRkY for my taste. Like we get it bitch, you eat a lot of cake and you haven't had an orgasm in a few months...I don't need to hear about it in every one of her chapters 🙄
Cake consumed today: One slice...okay two...fine, FIVE, FIVE LARGE SLICES.


a few chapters later...

Days since male induced orgasm: Seventy, and I wiped a cobweb from my lady area this morning.


description

The "enemies to lovers" didn't even exist. The hero, Rowan, was just grumpy and kinda rude, but nothing happened between the MCs for this to be classified that way by some of the reviewers. Like they're both lusting for each other hard as fuck in their inner thoughts so I sensed more sexual tension (what little there was) than actual hate towards each other

"Stop that." I poke him with the broom.
Stagnant. Unwavering. He doesn't even blink an eye.
"Stop what?"
"Checking me out."
"Trust me, lass, if I was checking you out, you'd know it."

→this was from their first meeting...like am I supposed to be feeling something???


Rowan was definitely the best character in the book aside from the town goat, Fergus. He's a grumpy sad boy, which I'm a sucker for, and he makes pottery. Let me tell you, that's fucking hot. Kinda upset we didn't get a scene like the one from movie, Ghost. A missed opportunity to say the least—

description

The second half of the book had me crying, but also angry af...Bonnie and her best friend, Dakota, travel to Scotland to live there for 6 months after they saw an ad to take care of a coffee shop in a little Scottish town. Dakota started off really likable because she was sorta that opposite of Bonnie so it kept her in check.

Well, halfway through the book Dakota starts acting like a real bitch...for no reason. Then, when a girl that Dakota was seeing, asked about what her ex did to her...Bonnie explained to her what made Dakota that way. Dakota didn't like that Bonnie talked about "her story" and she yelled at her, called her selfish and a bunch of all hurtful shit just out of the blue. Dakota acts like this was the reason she acted like a bitch, but she was already acting like one before by neglecting her friend and ignoring her???

"...you're too busy playing coffee shop and throwing yourself at Rowan."
"I don't throw myself at him...did he say that to you?"
"He told the Murdach twins he wanted to stay as far away from us as possible."

→it was so wrong of her to say this, especially at this point. Bonnie and Rowan were in a bad spot in their relationship and she used to as ammunition against her...Dakota was just projecting her insecurities by putting someone else down.


As for the reason I was crying, well it really just had to do with Rowan's family and their struggles. It was pretty well written and after Rowan got a horrible call from his family and found Bonnie snooping in his pottery shed...well when he was yelling, it almost felt like he was yelling at me 💀

"I didn't think it was a big deal. I'm sorry. but Rowan, you're really good. You could sell this-"
"Out."
"Rowan, please, let me—"
"I said, fucking out!"


description

Conclusion, this may be for someone else, just not me! If you enjoy a cute little romance (that should have been longer) that makes you sob like a baby, this is for you.
Profile Image for Warda.
1,258 reviews21.7k followers
June 13, 2022
This had potential, but it got stupid. It was annoying and frivolous and not funny though it tried to be.
The conflict was beyond dramatic. Beyond.

I wish it wasn’t as ‘rom-commy.’ There were some pretty heavy themes that could’ve been explored better throughout the story, but instead we got humour that wasn’t humorous, childish-ness and a somewhat forgettable story.
Profile Image for Christy.
4,101 reviews34.6k followers
August 26, 2021
4 stars


Scotland is a country that’s always been on my bucket list, so this was a lot of fun for me to read! It had the best small town vibes and I enjoyed the grumpy hero and Meghan Quinn’s signature humor a ton.

Bonnie and her best friend Dakota decide to leave LA for a while and go to run a small coffee shop in Scotland for a few month. Bonnie especially needs some time away, to find herself and her purpose. She’s expects to spend some time with her best friend, sight see, and have fun running the coffee shop together. What she’s not expecting is Rowan.

Rowan’s parents own the coffee shop that Bonnie and Dakota are going to be running, and while they’re out of time Rowan is sort of keeping an eye on things. Bonnie and Rowan do not hit it off right away. It’s almost like they clash a bit at first, but you can tell with some time they’ve got it bad for each other. I loved the banter these two had!

Bonnie and Rowan have things going on in their life, and this book isn’t as light as some of MQ’s other books, but it was still so much fun! If you’re looking for a rom-com that’s got some emotion, a grumpy hero and enemies to lovers romance, you need to pick up The Highland Fling

Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Paula Nederhorst & Antony Ferguson
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 10h 57m
Profile Image for Kelly (AndKellyReads).
894 reviews55 followers
September 1, 2021
Okay, so here's the thing. At its core, this book wasn't bad. It was fun, it was whimsical, and it was a solid idea. I loved the premise that two girls looking to kickstart a change in their lives take off to Scotland for six months. It's very Eat, Pray, Love, and I had no issue getting behind any of that.

I also really liked most of the characters. Rowan is one of her best heroes to date, honestly. He's burly, he's grumpy, he's protective, and he's just absolutely charming with a dash of snarky humor. I loved every bit of him with my entire being, and I loved loved loved his chapters. He was everything I want from a Meghan Quinn hero and I had a great time getting in his head. In fact, I even kind of miss him. I also loved the rest of the crew, Dakota, Isla, the twins, and the rest of the townsfolk. They were charming, they were silly, and they brought a bit of joy and levity to a story that had some depth and sadness to it.

So overall, most of this story was designed for me. I was excited.

And then I met the heroine.

I don't know what it was about Bonnie, but I did not jive with her. At all.

Actually, I know exactly what it was. She was rude, she was self-centered, she was kind of an asshole, she had absolutely no boundaries, and I honestly wonder how she caught Rowan's attention or managed to keep Dakota as a friend. She was inherently flawed, but it was too much. I love a flawed character because it makes them authentic and real, but the combination of faults we found in Bonnie made it hard to empathize with her or even cheer for her. In fact, I skimmed most of her internal monologue after a while because I just found it unbearable and whiny. I have some more thoughts about how her story worked out but, for the sake of spoilers, I'll keep my mouth shut. But just know I think how things played out was unfair in the long run and I'm still fuming about it.

Bonnie made me hate this book. Not even Rowan's playful comments, or the twins running around in kilts made up for it. I just, I couldn't get beyond my distaste for Bonnie. And what sucked the most was that there were these moments in which you saw how sweet and caring and vulnerable she could be and I would just scream YES THIS. I WANT THIS BONNIE. But it was so fleeting that it didn't feel honest, and then you'd turn the page, she'd do something absolutely cringey, and forget she even had that moment.

I also wish this story didn't have such a rushed resolution. I felt like we finally got to a number of more serious topics and kind of just wrapped them all up with a little bow. We were getting to the core of Rowan's issues, learning more about Dakota and her fears, and then within the span of a chapter or two? Maybe? Everything was finished. The pacing just felt off and I kind of wish we had spent more time resolving all of those things, not just a quick convo with Bonnie for each thing and then *bam* done. I don't know, that might just also be because I was finally getting invested and then it was ripped from me. Who knows.

One last thing, and then I promise I'm done! The reuse of the same few Scottish words (is that the right phrase?) also left a sour taste in my mouth. It kind of felt like Meghan didn't really have any Scottish beta readers? To go through and check her usage of certain words or just things in general? I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking it, but I felt like I saw the same few phrases and words over and over and over and it was kind of grating. You could tell she did her research, absolutely, but I just wonder if she had that final look through before hitting publish by someone with more knowledge.

Anyway, long story short, I wanted to love this one so badly, but the heroine made me want to throw my kindle off a bridge. This story had everything I wanted, but it tried too hard to be funny and quirky, and I just, it didn't hit for me. I almost DNF'd it, but I couldn't do that to Rowan.


Many thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for my review copy of The Highland Fling.
Profile Image for Heather Adores Books.
1,106 reviews1,033 followers
February 13, 2023
4.5⭐ rounded up.

Featuring: sunshine & grump, small town, slow burn and dual 1st person POV ~ an absolute perfect choice for these characters.

Bonnie and Dakota are both looking for a change at this point in their lives, so when they see an ad to move to Scotland for 6 months they jump at the opportunity.

Rowan, or Kilty McGrumpyShire, is the town handyman and grump. He's the sweetest grump though, once you get to know him. I didn't care for him for a minute towards the end there, but I suppose it was understandable. His hobby is adorable.
The chemistry between these two just oozes off the pages. Their banter is perfect.

Every character was lovable, even Fergus. The comradery between Bonnie/Dakota and Rowan/Isla/Leith/Lachlan were #friendshipgoals. And I'm wondering if the twins really do have some videos I could watch. 🤣

Overall, a cute and fun read and I need butteries in my life, and cherry chocolate cake and Dundee cake and I might as well have some shortbread while I am at it.

Perhaps I've been living under the boaby stone because I'm not quite sure why this is my first time reading Meghan Quinn's work, but it most certainly will not be my last!
Profile Image for Mizz.
1,074 reviews381 followers
September 3, 2021
This was trying too hard to be a comedy:
Forced jokes
Blathering heroine
Trying to break the 4th wall

It was more annoying than funny
Profile Image for Ms reads a lot.
440 reviews
October 3, 2022
I first read this last year and thought it was hilarious, so when I saw the audiobook on Scribd, I thought I would listen to it as well. I was expecting hilarity, but the audio was TERRIBLE. Mostly because of the male narrator. His female impressions were HORRENDOUS and PAINFUL to listen to! DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS! Read it instead! The book was great. I found it funny and charming.

Book: 4 stars ⭐️
Audiobook: 2.5 stars ⭐️
Profile Image for anouk♡.
333 reviews190 followers
December 9, 2023
❥Dnf at 37% due to insufferable fmc.

I think Bonnie was supposed to be funny and quirky, but she is just very self-centered and insulting.
This did start out good (with some slight irritations), but it went downhill quickly..

❥Short summary:
Bonnie and Dakota both have hit a rough patch in life, so they decide to pack up their belongings to move to Scotland for 6 months, to run a coffee shop.
While Dakota seems reasonable and knows what she got herself into, Bonnie runs around like a crazy person.
The first man they encountered was immediately a disaster because Bonnie apparently didn’t know Scottish people have accents. She also didn’t know anything about the country or the place they were gonna live.

❥My opinion:
A lot of things I could forgive because I liked the premise of the story, the side characters, and Rowan.
However, at some point, I just had enough of her antics.

✧ Let me give some examples with a little quiz! ✧

If you’re going on a mountain hike in a strange country, do you:
A: Listen to the locals and go home because a storm is coming that could be dangerous.
B: Ignore the locals and stay behind with 1 guy, but after he told you the storm is getting really close and you reallyyy have to go, listen to him.
C: Ignore everyone and endanger yourself and the guy staying behind because you refused to listen.

Next question!

If for some reason you picked C, and you realize you created a dangerous situation and then find out the guy had a traumatic experience in a similar situation, do you:
A: Apologize sincerely, understanding you should have listened and learn from your mistakes.
B: Ignore the situation.
C: Insult the guy.

Last one..

If for some reason you went with C again, do you now:
A: Again try to apologize, without any insults this time.
B: Accept this is a lost cause and leave the man alone.
C: Kiss the angry man unprovoked, get insulted when he wipes his mouth asking you WTF you are doing and then threaten that next time, you'll use tongue.

Bonnie for some reason always goes for the worst possible option, and I got fed up with it. She’s not cute and funny; she’s a full-grown adult who can’t take accountability and doesn’t understand consent.
I’m giving this 2 stars, 1 for Rowan and 1 for Dakota.


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pre-read
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All I’m asking is some actual funny jokes and non cringy smut. Pls don’t let me down thanks 🤞🏼🩷
Profile Image for Ginger.
840 reviews436 followers
March 1, 2022
4 stars!

I usually don’t give contemporary romance such a high rating. I’m a bit tough on this type of genre because the characterization, plot and dialogue need to be on point for me.

In the case of The Highland Fling, it had all three and I ended up really liking this book!

The main characters of Bonnie St. James and Rowan MacGregor were well done and got better as the book went along.

In the beginning, I wasn’t sure what to think about the character of Bonnie.

She was a bit much at times and "could" be funny. She was also self-centered, pushy and tried too hard to be funny if you know what I mean.
I was wondering if she used humor and being ridiculous all the time because she wasn’t confident with herself, her life or what her purpose would be.
When I saw the vulnerable side to her later in the book, I thought this was the case. You really see her grow as a person, friend, and lover.

I still wish at times that she wasn't so much but it's hard to write a perfect character.
I do like characters with flaws because at least it feels more real even if they annoy me at times.

Besides Rowan being a grumpy and hot Scottish dude, he was very protective of his family and friends.
He had tons of layers and a heavy heart with some of the things that’s happened in his life.
I really liked him as a character and I'm glad things got resolved with his Dad in the end.

The extra characters of Dakota, Isla and the community of Corsekelly was a plus!
I thought the setting of Scotland worked well for a romance and about a plot on finding your path and purpose in life.

The steamy parts in the book were very hot. If you struggle with sex scenes in a plot, this might not be the book for you. Of course, why are you reading a romance book at all?! hahaha

By the end of this book, I was feeling all of the emotions, the eyes started leaking and it wasn't allergies!
Due to spoilers, I'm not expanding more about why I turned into a mess.

I’ll check out more books by Meghan Quinn in the future. I really enjoyed this one!
Profile Image for Sammie Reads.
907 reviews137 followers
January 6, 2023
Ohhh man, I had high, high hopes. Over the last few years, MQ books have been really miss for me. I cannot stand the ridiculous, over the top characters and their embarrassing and cringey ways. Buuuutttt then I read The Romantic Pact, which turned into one of my favorite books, and then I started seeing The Highland Fling all over the place and thought...is this another unicorn? Spoiler alert...despite the unicorn being the national animal of Scotland, it was not. It's yet another one of MQ's "Oh em gee, I'm just SO cute and QUIRKY!!!" characters. And not in a good way.

Bonnie (said Quirky Adorable Girl) and her best friend Dakota have had it with their lives in LA. They're burnt out, unfulfilled, and each overcoming personal issues that leave them feeling less than. Enter Dakota, and a well-timed international ad for two coffee house barista jobs in Scotland, complete with free lodging for a six month contract! Dream job, am I right? So naturally, the girls land the gig, and away they go to Scotland, where they meet their hosts, and their extremely grumpy (read, ASSHOLISH) son Rowan, who Bonnie instantly takes a shine to, because of course she does.

Aaand that's all she wrote! These two dance around each other, share one non-consensual and awkward as fuck kiss that Bonnie forced on Rowan and then unabashedly doubled down on, much to my horror (#metoo anyone?!) and some lackluster rolls in the hay. Buzz...your girlfriend. Woof!!! Color me unimpressed. I hated Bonnie's adorable, Just So Quirky, cake loving guts most of the time. But don't worry y'all...she loves sweets soooooo much, to the point of binging and getting crumbs (adorably) all over herself, but she's still thin! She wants to be VERY clear on that. She thinks about exercising all the calories off alllll the time, but she just doesn't have to. Part of her charm, I suppose.

Anyway...Rowan was...fine. He was fine. Besides his size and looks, I do not get the appeal, nor do I get the two of them together. No sparks. Just jabs at each other, Bonnie sexually objectifying him constantly, and making a complete and utter ass out of herself (don't worry, he thinks she's precious) and Rowan acting like a dick just to get a cute little rise out of her. Things I did love: their hilarious drunken scene, though I could have done without them jacking the triangles off. (it's as weird as you're picturing) Also, Fergus cracked me up, as did the twins. Lastly, I liked that we didn't have 5-8 years between the breakup that she has absolutely KILLED me with in the past. Aaaand that's really about it! I think that concludes my affair with MQ for good. The end.
Profile Image for Kristina .
891 reviews507 followers
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
August 1, 2023
I am having so much trouble getting into this book. I don’t really like the female protagonist. She seems like a loser. I get that she’s supposed to be struggling to find herself, but she is a follower and not a go getter. If I ever finish this and she ends up staying in Scotland or following the hero wherever he goes I won’t be surprised. I like Meghan Quinn most of the time but I usually cringe when she gets it into her head to have a ‘quirky’ heroine. They usually just strike me as dumb and annoying. I would not want this person as a friend so I cannot want her for Kilty. And for real, nobody talks this much about penises in every day life, especially to strangers. I may just skim the remainder of this book and highlight the off colour, not funny sexual jokes.
It’s not a bad read but I can’t get past the annoying heroine and unnecessary blue humour.
Profile Image for Dani.
609 reviews200 followers
June 10, 2022
3.75⭐️

Pretty good and quite funny, but nothing memorable.
Well... except I now know what the word boaby means.

Google search: is Boaby a Scottish word? According to Metro UK: Boaby. Yet another word for penis. Unfortunately for Scottish men called Robert, this might also be their nickname.

And omg, I'm only finding out now that Meghan Quinn is married to a woman??!
Because the heroine's best friend's sapphic romance is *chef's kiss* and I am definitely down for an F/F romance from MQ if she wants to write one. Just sayin' 😏


TW: talks of cancer & diagnosis, death of a parent due to cancer, death of sibling due to a hiking accident, manipulative ex-partner
Profile Image for Rachel.
408 reviews213 followers
March 19, 2022
So freaking cute.

Who doesn’t love a love story set in Scotland?

I thought this book worked really well because while it was less steamy than some other books Quinn’s written, this one had more depth. I also liked how goofy the protagonist was, although I know some other readers found Bonnie to be a bit much. I thought she balanced really well with the other characters though, they played nicely off of each other. The relationships also faced significant conflicts, the love interest had actual obstacles he was trying to overcome, and there was real tension. There weren’t just silly fights about ridiculous misunderstandings, the issues were major and felt organic to the story. (You don’t always get that with romcoms so I like when it feels like there are actual stakes.) And the romances were so sweet! I loved that both Bonnie and Dakota had romantic storylines, and they were both adorable. And I was expecting Rowan to be this super alpha douche since I’ve run into that with the other books I’ve read of hers, but he really wasn’t. He genuinely was lovable and just kind of crotchety and overcoming trauma.
Also, I didn’t even know we were going to get a gay love story, so that was just an added bonus.

*just a heads up though, if you’re mainly picking the book up for MQ’s signature steam, just be aware this one has a different tone and it’s also a slow burn.
Profile Image for Amy | Foxy Blogs.
1,593 reviews1,030 followers
August 26, 2021
WHO DOESN’T LOVE A HOT SCOTSMAN?!

Imagine taking a 6 month trip to Scotland with your best friend. That's exactly what Bonnie and Dakota did. The only catch is they will be working for an older couple who are taking an extended vacation and need someone to run their coffee shop. Bonnie’s best friend, Dakota found this deal and the two knew they needed a reset button on their lives.

Leaving behind their busy lives in Los Angeles to live in a small quiet town in Scotland was a culture shock especially for Bonnie. The charm of the town and where they were staying was a little much for Bonnie especially when she saw a toilet bucket.

Bonnie's lack of purpose and wanting to find her passion made uprooting her life in America an easy decision. On the other hand, Dakota needed time away after a bad breakup with her girlfriend. So, the appeal of Scotland was calling to them.

SCOTLAND, WATCH OUT HERE COMES TWO SINGLE LADIES!

Rowen is the son of the elderly couple who is taking a 6-month vacation. Unknowingly, to him, there will be two women running the coffee shop while his parents are traveling. His first time meeting Bonnie was when she was coming out of the shower in a towel and he was in the kitchen. It was a surprise to both of them. Their little meet cute had Bonnie threatening him with a broom.

Rowen is put off by these American women and their ways. On the first day of running the shop, they are late on opening it, and, at one point, Bonnie messes in a well trying to get water but instead disturbs a colony of bats. These incidents make Rowen feel like he has to babysit them so they don’t ruin his parent’s business. The ignorant American stereotype is strong at certain times with Bonnie.

Not until Bonnie ends up being the third wheel on Dakota’s date does Rowen start to soften towards her. He recognizes his friend and Dakota are trying to have some alone time and that’s when he convinces Bonnie to join him so Dakota and her date can be alone.

After Rowen hangs out with Bonnie while Dakota is on her date that starts the turning point for these two who were more enemies than friends. Even though, they are able to get along and work towards a common purpose of rejuvenating the coffee shop they still have hardships ahead of them. There are moments that challenge their relationship.

Bonnie finding her passion in redoing the coffee shop for when tourists visit was like bringing joy into Bonnie's life. Once that happened Bonnie's zest for life beings to fill the pages.

● enemies to lovers
● grumpy / sunshine
● Scotland
● 6-month vacation
● yummy cake
● dual narration
● dual pov
● standalone

CW: a parent with cancer
Audiobook source: Audible
Narrator: Paula Nederhorst & Antony Ferguson
Length: 10H 57M
Profile Image for Jody.
307 reviews90 followers
January 27, 2022
2.5 Stars

Positives:
✅ Free on Kindle Unlimited
✅ Some belly laughs
✅ Scotland locale and village
✅ Dakota and Isla
✅ Rowan and his backstory
✅ Fergus the town goat & highland cows

Negatives:
❌ Bonnie (main character) I found her so annoying. Over the top, banter that was forced, vulgar and just cringe-y. I would have really enjoyed this story with a more likable MC. My dislike for her erased all the positives.

Second thing that wasn’t for me was that this book was kinda smutty. I guess that’s this author’s thing, but I haven’t read anything else by her so I didn’t know. It wasn’t fun smut it was Blech smut. There’s a difference. This book just wasn’t for me.
Profile Image for ✦ Rox ☽.
291 reviews55 followers
September 7, 2021
An okay, fast paced enemies-to-lover(-ish) romance to get you to daydream about Scottish countryside

Why the 3 stars:
1) although funny, it was the type that got annoying pretty fast since it kept repeating itself;

2) a LOT of telling and not showing;

3) the characters feel too shallow;

4) heroine gave me a headache with how QuIRky she was being. Like girl, we get it! Chill, please!!

5) this is a me thing, but I really hate when there’s family drama (rightfully so) but we are encouraged to forgive and forget without any good reason. If you want me to forgive a parent for being exceptionally shitty, then I need five hundred pages of them redeeming themselves. Sorry not sorry - I’m a petty gal🔪

🌶🌶/5
Profile Image for Mindy Lou's Book Review.
2,773 reviews716 followers
July 21, 2021
My favorite part is that this is set in a small town in Scotland. It was so well described I felt like I was there. Also the great thing about small town romances is the many side characters you get.

I thought this was a very cute story. I liked all the characters and the slightly enemies-to-lovers trope. It wasn't overdone and it was mostly funny.

Bonnie was slightly crazy and maybe a bit immature, but I still liked her and she was a big reason I laughed a lot in this book.

Rowan was majorly grumpy and I do adore a grumpy hero. He did have a few actions that made it harder for me to believe he was falling for Bonnie, but then he would prove me wrong. While I liked him, he did have a few disappointing moments.

I thought it was fun the the author gave us a secondary romance in Dakota and Isla. The twins though...I would love to see them get a book.
Profile Image for Honey Roselea Reads.
722 reviews199 followers
November 24, 2021
Best book of November by far. I have fallen deep in love and I'm so glad I picked this up. My life has turned upward and I'm so happy to have read this. I fucking teared up okay? I'm emotional and this book made me feel happy every step of the way.

I fell in love with Bonnie and Rowan's relationship and The Highland Fling was so atmospheric. I felt as if I was there in the book. Absolutely loved this and just — this book honestly made my day.

Find me on:
My Blog | My BookTube | My Book Club | Instagram | Twitter
Profile Image for TJ *Book Twins Reviews*.
1,096 reviews2,546 followers
August 30, 2021
A great travel romance read (listen)!

If you’re in the mood for a quirky kilt loving heroine and a sexy, yet touching romance check this one out. I’m a big fan of this author, so this was a no brainer for me.

Here’s what you get:
Two friends traveling abroad who gain more than just an adventure.
A quirky and sometimes ridiculous heroine (said with love and affection) who says the darndest things.
Slowburn but spicy!
Great emotional moments! I was just as caught up in the secondary love story as I was the main event.

4 Solid Stars
Profile Image for Karsyn.
377 reviews24 followers
December 7, 2023
3.5/5 ⭐️
Not my fave by MQ, but I loved the resolutions and character development. Could’ve done without a lot of cringey moments.
Profile Image for Rachel | What’s Rachel Reading.
141 reviews33 followers
June 27, 2021
*adds Scotland to bucket list*

The Highland Fling is the perfect rom-com. Broody hero. Excellent banter. Slow burn. Interesting side characters. I truly loved this book.

The Highland Fling follows Bonnie and her best friend, Dakota as they travel to Scotland to find themselves while working at coffee shop in a small town. Bonnie meets Rowan, a local who helps Bonnie and Dakota at his parents’ coffee shop. The relationship development between Bonnie and Rowan is slow and organic. Their banter is hilarious and relatable. This opposites attract, romantic comedy has side characters that leaves you wanting more and a setting that has you adding Scotland to your bucket list.

The Highland Fling checked all the boxes for a perfect rom-com. It has wit and banter but also has relatable drama. The character development is perfect and refreshing. I read The Highland Fling in one sitting as I didn’t want to put it down and leave Scotland and the coffee shop.

Thanks to Montlake, NetGalley, and Meghan Quinn for the advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.
March 31, 2022
The fact that this small Scottish town drinks coffee more than tea irked me.

I'm petty but that's the straw that broke the camel's back.

It felt so shallow. Oh, you have these hiking trails/places name thrown at you, but honestly, it lacked the imagination where usually transported the readers from the seat of their couch to where the characters are in the book. It failed. It tried but oh how it terribly failed.

Oh and let's talk about how QUIRKY our heroine is. It's like she slapped my face, screamed 'I'M SO QUIRKY' right in my face and then rode off on top of a flying unicorn singing A Thousand Miles out loud. She's THAT quirky. GOD, I HATE HER. Authors should know how to temp it down a little. It's like a character assassination to make her so freaking silly that we couldn't take her seriously anymore.

Final thought: I would rather read Dakota and Isla's story.
Profile Image for Dali.
1,929 reviews546 followers
October 8, 2021
Meghan Quinn writes a swoony delight of grumpy Scotsman proportions.



The Highland Fling made me smile, laugh, cry and swoon with its wonderfully well developed and likeable characters. Rowan is adorably grumpy while Bonnie is hilariously quirky. Their enemies to lovers banter had me in stitches. I also loved the side characters that included lifelong friendships.

Other reasons why Ioved this book
- Fergus the goat and the hairy coos were adorable.
- The Murdach identical twins with their personal training videos. Decked out in their kilts and nothing else.
- The deliciously described baked goods.
- The incredible scenery that had me traveling to beautiful Scotland
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The Highland Fling is standalone rom-com by Meghan Quinn. Guaranteed to make you laugh, smile, cry and swoon. Genres: Rom-Com. Tropes: small town | grumpy – sunshine | enemies to lovers

𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

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Profile Image for Antonella.
3,717 reviews515 followers
September 21, 2021


his parents left their business which is very important to them to strangers to take care of instead of their son



+ point fo that one joke at the beginning for making me laugh
+ point for accurate representation of small-town community and tourist coming in


Profile Image for Nyah ☾.
227 reviews
August 26, 2021
Because of this book I spent an hour trying to practice my Scottish accent, i think it’s perfect if i do say so myself.

Overall an anticipated read that ended up being very underwhelming a lot of dramatics and Bonnie was slightly annoying throughout the entirety of the book. I had to pause a bunch just to assess what the fuck i’m reading.

BUT if you did enjoy this it really reminded me of It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
Profile Image for Syndi.
3,153 reviews917 followers
September 23, 2021
Reading The Highland Fling makes me want to go to vacation to Ireland and hopefully meeting a very grumpy handsome handyman. That would be a delicious fantasy considering living in the pandemic era.

Aside from Ireland, I found this book OK. Not much to be expected from Miss Quinn aside from her signature humor. The plot feels flat for me. Not so much adding bonus on the plot.

OK read.

3 stars
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