Another cute story. ( )

Agreeing with everyone about the weird and rather baffling inconsistencies...

Plus, after the intensity of Book 3 and Dr. Saif .. um ... whatever his last name actually is and Lorna, I was frantically reading this to find out what happened next, since it left us with a bit of a cliff-hanger (or more accurately, foggy beach hanger)...

But then it was MANY MANY pages before that story line came back, and I was rather peeved with the new characters, since they were kind of a distraction. Finally, though, the story between the star-crossed lovers took yet another turn, but it seemed kind of hollow, like an after-thought by that time. A little frustrating.

Also frustrating was the tired, tired, oh-so-tired Flora who was barely there, except to be sad and tired, but who the previous books had me caring a lot about.

Last criticism - again asking for better editing - I love Jenny's funny, twisty descriptions, but in several parts it seemed way out of hand, with run-on sentences that were so labyrinthine, it kind of spoiled the punch line.

All that said, though, I love Mure. I love that the character of the island itself is what shows through, regardless of which characters (and dogs!) are being spotlighted. And I really actually love Jenny's writing (when not in a long, long, long paragraph of all one sentence).

So now, I must go search for the next one and see what happens NEXT. Yes, I am hooked. But not quite as enchanted as I was before. ( )

Sometimes I feel like Jenny Colgan makes cariacatures of the tropes she's already used. Still a delight and I will happily read anything she writes. ( )

After thoroughly enjoying The Christmas Bookshop, I needed more of Jenny Colgan's Scottish fiction so listened to Christmas at the Island Hotel. It was wonderful: Colgan stretches the rom com genre to add a bit of complexity and inclusivity. I dropped into the middle of a series of books set on the fictional island of Mure. The characters are quirky but honestly portrayed in all their humanity. I love the way Colgan lovingly exposes their innermost thoughts to the reader. She also manages to create a not-so-villainous villain. I laughed out loud and was pleasantly surprised by some of the plot twists.

The story focuses on Constantine, a young Norwegian noble who owing to his profligacy has been banished to the Rock, a soon-to-open hotel on the island. He arrives with his big dog and his bigger chip on his shoulder. He connects with a cast of diverse characters, all looking for happiness and love in sometimes challenging circumstances. I especially love the way Colgan includes children as important parts of the story rather than just embellishments. That was true in The Christmas Bookshop as well.

The narrator for both books was Eilidh Beaton, and she was terrific. ( )

I could not keep track of all the characters. I usually love Colgan's books but I felt lost in this one.