Fresh From the Bookshelf: Five Days in Skye {A Review}

Last month I shared a review of Carla Laureno’s newest book, London Tides, the second novel in her The MacDonald Family Trilogy, introducing you to Grace and Ian. But where did it all start? Five Days in Skye is the first installment of the trilogy and I’m happy to be sharing my review of this inspirational fiction book with you today.
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Five Days in Skye introduces us to the Scottish setting for this trilogy. We discover the Isle of Skye through the eyes of American hospitality consultant Andrea Sullivan, who arrives after being forced to take on a new client after a previous multi-million-dollar deal went south. Bitter about being what she considers to be punished, just because she stood up for herself when the client couldn’t keep his hands to himself, she is ready to just get in, get it done and get out! She is supposed to be in Tahiti instead of Scotland! But then she accidentally gets off on the wrong foot with the very client she’s there to meet with, who all happens to be very ruggedly handsome, things don’t quite go as she has planned.

World renown chef, restaurateur, and TV cooking star James MacDonald is very put out to accidentally discover that his old brother, and business partner, has set him up for meeting with Andrea without telling him. But he is intrigued after his initial accidental mistaken-identity meeting and decides to learn more about Andrea (aka Andy).  He is especially ready for a change of scenery, having grown weary with the public scrutiny that comes with his success, and agrees to follow through with the meeting.

Though they start off on the wrong foot, both Andy and James decide to spend some time getting to know each other, and James is determined to change her opinion and show her how beautiful Scotland can be. Through the course of five days, each of them learns about the hidden hurts lurking below the surface and they are drawn to each other in ways neither is prepared for. Could five days in Skye be all it takes to discover God’s plan for them and give them each a second chance at a deep true love?

What Are My Thoughts?

I really liked the way Five Days in Skye started, though it was rather predictable. It showed the feisty spirit that Andy has and makes you root for her from the get go. I think that the book really does a good job about sharing the hurts she’s experienced in her life, in a way where we slowly get the big picture as the book progresses. She had plenty of backstory, which shows us why she’s the way she is.

James is an interesting character. He actually reminded me a lot of Jamie Oliver, a chef and TV personality in real life, so I kept picturing his face when I’d read more about James. I loved his passion for food, and his gentleness with his family. I felt that he tried very hard to figure out his relationship with his brother Ian, even though it wasn’t solved in this book.

The only thing I don’t like—is just the unrealistic aspect of the time period. Five days. LOL. Okay, okay, I know it’s a fictional story and like a fairy tale, one where love comes quickly, but they still aren’t my favorite. I prefer ones that span a larger period of time instead.

Long story short, I really feel like the author developed James and Andrea’s characters nicely and gave a lovely hint at the rest of the MacDonald family for the rest of the trilogy.

How Would I Rate the Book?

Of the two books in the trilogy, I prefer this first book Five Days in Skye over the second installment, London Tides, but both books are worth a read! You will enjoy meeting the MacDonald family in the lovely Scottish setting.

Five Days in Skye: A Novel

by Carla Laureano

ISBN: 978-0781413077

Available as Paperback and Kindle

About the Author

Carla Laureano is the author of the RITA® award-winning romance Five Days in Skye as well as London Tides and the Celtic fantasy series The Song of Seare (as C. E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons.