Belonging

Here is a tale for dark, wintry nights, with a cozy quilt, a cat or two, and a cup of tea (of course!) in fine, flowered china. It is the story of sophisticated urbanite Rebecca Urquhart, who flees her Edinburgh home for the comforting Highlands and the family estate she had known and loved as a child. There, she manages to bury her heartache (we don't know what it is, but Raife, with her usual skill, lets us feel the anguish with Rebecca anyway) in a flurry of sensible and hard work as she struggles to help save the property from ruin. As the story deepens, it becomes even richer. Yes, there is a love interest, sexy as hell, but this is no lightweight romance, and the eventual ending is as satisfying as any fairy tale--but with a strong dose of reality. I loved this book, and highly recommend it.

Belonging takes place in the same area of Scotland as Wild Highland Home. If you liked Wild Highland Home, you will like this. It is however, very different. The main character Sally is a take-charge character who finds herself suddenly adrift. A vacation/escape to a family -owned inn turns into more than she bargained for when she finds herself managing the day-to-day operations of the hotel. Alexander Raife has a light touch and absorbing prose. This is not your typical "romance" book. The characters are well-written and for the most part likeable. The day-to-day chronicle of their lives is absorbing. Clare and Donald from Wild Highland Home are mentioned as well as other characters from that book. Trudy, a character I liked in Wild Highland Home has a more prominent role in this book. A solid read.

A nice little story of a woman who goes back to visit an old family home of her childhood for a holiday only to become entrenched in life there. Instead of escaping life and having time to herself she is thrown into helping to manage a busy seasonal hotel. Not only does she not resent the change in her life, she also finds, as the title suggests, a sense of belonging.The story has a beautifully described landscape, however, it was a little slow for me, and perhaps too close to "Wild Highland Home", which is also set there, with the same characters.

I found this book thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable. The plot was never boring, carrying the reader through to the finish. The secrets that plague Dan and Rebecca and that threaten to destroy their relationship are startling and interesting. Their relationship was wonderful - kind and caring as well as complex and interesting because of their multi-faceted personalities. The story on the whole was fabulously romantic and pleasant. I recommend this book without hesitation!

Rebecca Urquhart fled her beloved family home in Ardlonach on the west coast of Scotland when her younger but male cousin Tony inherited the family property. However, several years later, when it seems that Rebecca has attained everything in Edinburgh, she abruptly quits to return to her family home. Rebecca seeks rest from her out of control pace before she makes a personal decision that will change the rest of her life. She quickly finds that her former home is a failing hotel whose owner, Tony, has deserted it and his spouse Una for the Cayman islands and another woman. Rebecca quickly applies the tools she learned in Edinburgh and takes charge of running the hotel and helping her friends with their problems. However, the only problem the female dynamo cannot resolve is Dan McNee, who quietly gets his way. As fire and ice collide, they fall in love. However, Rebecca has a decision to face back in Edinburgh and what ever she decides will impact on any lasting relationship with Dan. BELONGING is a warm romance that brings alive life in a small Scottish community. The story line is entertaining as Rebecca and Dan do constant battle. The secondary cast provides incredible layers of depth rarely seen in a romance. With her beautiful tales, Alexandra Raife is quickly proving that she belongs with the top writers of contemporary Highland romances.Harriet Klausner