Part of Mackenzies & McBrides
First published 2012
The Mackenzie family descends on Scotland for a clan Christmas and Hogmanay, the first Hart and Eleanor have hosted as a married couple. Preparations are already chaotic when one of Ian's prized Ming bowls gets broken. Beth watches her husband closely after the accident. Ian has built his life around order and his beloved collection, and she worries the loss has sent him retreating into the closed-off private world he fought so hard to leave. Meanwhile, Daniel sets up a betting ring covering everything from the exact hour Eleanor's baby will arrive to whether Mac's former-pugilist valet can win a boxing match. The house hums with noise, wagers, and competing plans. Ian responds to the breakage by throwing himself into a new obsession, and the family must decide whether to follow his lead or try to pull him back. What holds them together is not a perfect holiday but the stubborn loyalty they show one another when things go wrong.
Genres: fiction, romance, adult, adult-fiction, contemporary-romance, family-drama
Vibes: cozy, emotionally-resonant, humorous, intimate, warm
Tropes: emotional-growth, found-family, loyalty-tested, second-chance
Setting: Scotland
Period: Christmas, Hogmanay
202 pages · ebook · JA / AG Publishing