Great characters and a great story in a beautiful setting.

I enjoyed the setting of the book. Scotland is a great place to visit (in fiction and in real life).

I loved the detailed descriptions in the book of the the Scottish Highlands.

You felt the difference in the setting of the book by the great writing and narration.


The House on the Shore is a fun book that combines romance, suspense and humor.

I really enjoyed this book, but only gave it 3 stars based on the number of grammatical errors on the Kindle version. It was very distracting.

Read and reviewed for Armchair Interviews

Anna MacDonald has been betrayed! The coveted teaching position she has been waiting to get has been given to the other woman that her boss, and boyfriend, has been sleeping with. In anger, Anna quits her job, gives up her flat in Edinburgh, and takes off for the only place that she has ever felt truly happy. Anna’s late grandmother’s croft, located on the shores of Loch Hourn, in the Scottish Highlands.


The croft is isolated. Anna has no phone, no close neighbors, and only her two border collies for company. Her plan for the summer is to nurse her broken heart and pride back to normal while working on the novel she has been yearning to write for years. She doesn’t plan for company during this time. Especially not the unexpectedly handsome company offered in the form of the slightly rude American who knocks at her door one morning.

Luke Tallantyre is a well known artist from Cape Cod Massachusetts. Faced with an artistic dry spell, he has set sail for the unknown wilds of Scotland. He has braved the Atlantic Ocean alone, and has come to Loch Hourn. When his yacht develops a navigational problem, he ends up knocking on Anna’s door for help.

Anna is more than a little resentful of Luke’s intrusion. Faced with an attraction she doesn’t know how to handle after her last rejection, she finds him an unwelcome distraction into her hermetic life. However, when an unknown assassin tries several times to kill both Anna and Luke, they find themselves thrown together in an attempt to find out why.

Will Anna and Luke find out who is trying to kill them and why? Will either of them realize the opportunity for true love that arises during the time they spend together?

I really enjoyed this book. The story drew me in quickly. I found myself having to pace my reading speed in order not to rush through the book. I enjoyed Victoria Howard’s descriptions of the Scottish Highlands, and Loch Hourn. They made me even more convinced that this is a part of the world that I want to someday visit. This was a very compelling story, and I totally enjoyed it despite it being a very quick read. It was one of those rare books that left me thinking "I can't be done yet!" when I turned the last page.

2.5 stars – It was OK/I liked it

This romantic suspense novel set in Scotland delivers a good product in many ways, but in others it fell short for me.

The Scottish setting is wonderfully described. Add in the information about the history and local culture, and it’s easy to imagine yourself in those surroundings. The suspense/mystery held my interest.

Where I struggled with the book was what seemed to me like contrived plot lines. Two examples being the boat breakdown and the conveniently owned cottage for the heroine to run away to. It felt like something from a mediocre chick lit novel.

I did enjoy the relationship between Anna and Luke, and their interactions felt true.

Ruth Urquhart narrated this book and I very much enjoyed listening to her.

Disclaimer: I got the audio book for free in exchange for an unbiased review

Great characters and a great story in a beautiful setting.