Romantic Chaos, Dedications and the ‘Netflix Execs’ in My Inbox

There is an unwritten rule in romantic fiction: if you invite a group of opinionated characters to the Scottish Highlands with a wedding on the horizon, absolute mayhem and muddle will follow.

I’ve spent the last year entangled in the mechanics of a fictional romance—one involving high-stakes bets, unpredictable weather, a bespoke craft beer named (fittingly) Bonnie Brew, a dress that looks as though it’s come straight out of Braveheart via Outlander, and two people who are convinced they are utterly wrong for each other right up until…

Well, that would be giving the game away, wouldn’t it?

Writing about engagements and weddings makes you realise just how quickly those idyllic, picture-perfect moments can collapse into glorious farce. There is endless scope for things to go wildly off course:

• The Lost Ring: Safely hidden in a jacket pocket before the grand proposal? Naturally, it vanishes. Either a sudden gust of wind knocks it into a thicket of heather, or a well-meaning dog mistakes the box for a chew toy.
• The Wedding Fair Traps: You pop in intending to sample a bit of cake; you leave three hours later, utterly bamboozled, having somehow agreed to a chocolate fountain, a harpist and owls bearing rings
• The “Quiet” Ceremony: Planning a quiet, low-key gathering? Not on my watch, matey! Cue distant relatives turning up unannounced in a camper van, a local pipe band setting up directly outside the window and a gale-force wind trying to turn the marquee into a hot-air balloon.
• The Speeches: There is a terrifyingly thin line between a heartfelt toast and the Best Man casually revealing a decade’s worth of deeply buried secrets to the bride’s grandmother.

I had so much fun bringing all this absurdity to life, especially spending time with Mhairi, who was such a joy to write. This book also holds a special place in my heart: it’s dedicated to my sister, who died last year. She was a huge fan of my Highland books and loved Mhairi in particular, so finishing this felt like a special way to honour her memory.

Of course, the drama isn’t just restricted to the pages of my books. On top of navigating fictional chaos, I continue to be targeted four or five times a week by scammers. My latest ‘fan’ claims to be Ryan Mickler, Global Head of Partnerships at Netflix (previously of YouTube Southern Europe & Emerging Markets, no less!). He breathlessly wrote to tell me: “I’d love to explore the possibility of acquiring the film and television adaptation rights for the project. Are the adaptation rights currently available for discussion? If so, I would be delighted to arrange a conversation at your convenience.” Ah, if only! You have to admire the sheer audacity, even if it gets a bit tedious deleting them.

(The first giveaway is almost always the email address. Scammers use gmail addresses because they are free and easy.)

Grifters aside, the real thing I’m here to share is that the book itself is finally out in the wild. If you’re in the mood for cosy escapes, witty banter, and romantic mayhem, Highland Proposal is available now. Whether you’re snuggled up with a cup of tea or stealing twenty minutes of reading time on your commute, I hope it brings a little extra warmth to your week.

If you do decide to take a trip up to the Highlands with Mhairi and the gang, I’d love to hear what you think!

Until next time, I’ll be over here sipping far too much Diet Coke and trying not to sell my film rights to any more fake streaming executives.