Scotch on the Rocks by Lizzie Lamb

From the first few lines of Scotch on the Rocks we know exactly the kind of character we are meeting in heroine Ishabel Stuart.  Brave and intelligent, her single minded determination could achieve anything but she may well antagonise anyone who crosses her path.  Returning to her home island in the Scottish Highlands she is seeking peace and a new life after the break down of her engagement.

But first she must arrange her father’s funeral and she is not best pleased to find her Aunt Esme’s B and B brimming with guests.  The guests depart, sadly taking Esme with them, but Issie still has to deal with the unwanted presence of a tall, handsome, charming American.  Why is she so rude to him and what is he hiding?

On the face of it, we have the recipe for a sweet romance as conflict gives way to love but Lizzie Lamb’s books offer far more than just that.  Mystery builds up as to why Brodie has come all the way from Kentucky to stay for the entire summer.  Parallel to this we wonder why Issie’s father and Aunt Esme had been estranged for so many years.  The more we learn, the more it appears that any relationship between Brodie and Ishabel is doomed.

And then there is Lindy, or Lola as she is calling herself that week, a zany, madcap young lady who helps out at the Guest House.  Lindy longs to escape Cormorant Island and she sees Brodie as her passport to Las Vegas.  Adding to the hilarious household is Pershing the Parrot, a cantankerous, vociferous bird who makes helpful remarks such as, “You silly tart!”

The beauty of the island landscape and the colourful characters living there make this novel a pleasure to read.  There are several incredibly funny scenes involving “ladies of the parish,” or Issie’s mother, an “Italian” Diva (well Dumbarton actually!).  The blunt description of Ishabel’s cheating ex-fiancé are refreshing to read and this is very much a contemporary story even though set in an idyllic location.

The love and passion experienced by more than one couple is intense and explicit and no-one would doubt the inevitable matching.  But in addition, a 50 year old wrong is righted and mysteries solved in a very unexpected conclusion.  There is something for everyone in Scotch on the Rocks, including the bottle of Scotch!

You might also like to read Lizzie Lamb’s earlier novels:-

Tall, Dark and Kilted – Notting Hill Meets Monarch of the Glen – 2012 http://bit.ly/TDKLLamb

Boot Camp Bride – Romance and Intrigue on the Norfolk marshes – November 2013 http://bit.ly/BCBLLamb

Lizzie Lamb

Author Lizzie Lamb

Life is not a rehearsal
If you have a dream – go for it.

After teaching her 1000th pupil and working as a deputy head teacher in a large primary school, Lizzie decided it was time to leave the chalk face and pursue her first love: writing. She joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers’ Scheme, honed her craft and wrote Tall, Dark and Kilted (2012), quickly followed a year later by Boot Camp Bride. Lizzie loves the quick fire interchanges between the hero and heroine in the old black and white Hollywood movies, and hopes this love of dialogue comes across in her writing. Although much of her time is taken up publicising Tall, Dark and Kilted and Boot Camp Bride, she has published a third novel SCOTCH ON THE ROCKS and started writing number four. Lizzie is a founding member of indie publishing group – New Romantics Press. In November 2014 they held an Author Event at Waterstones High Street, Kensington, London the icing on the cake as far as they are concerned – and a fitting way to celebrate their achievements. As for the years Lizzie spent as a teacher, they haven’t quite gone to waste as she is building up a reputation as a go-to speaker on the subject of self-publishing.

Lizzie can be found at:-

www.facebook.com/LizzieLambwriter

lizzielambwriter@gmail.com

website: www.lizzielamb.co.uk

twitter: @lizzie_lamb