I received an Early Reviewers copy in exchange for my honest opinion (through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program). I found the characters lacking; they were either over-the-top like those with the Scottish accent or wooden. ( )

Mmmm... No.

I am not vibing with this. The flow and pace of the story was way off, the writing style failed to impress, the storyline was too bland and chessy for my tastes, and the characters lacked depth.

I didn't care enough to read on.

( )

I received an Early Reviewers copy in exchange for my honest opinion (through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program). I found the characters lacking; they were either over-the-top like those with the Scottish accent or wooden. ( )

A fun story with interesting characters. ( )

“One Stormy Night” by Sofia Sawyer

**Received an Early Reviewers copy in exchange for my honest opinion (through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program).

Story: 16%
After three years of being overworked and underappreciated, Charlie Middleton is beyond ready to quit her job at MindThrive AI as the assistant to CEO and founder Lachlan Hart. But just as she’s about to give her two weeks’ notice, Charlie’s world is shaken by the unexpected death of her beloved aunt. In a fog, Charlie returns home to comfort her mother and learns that she’s inherited a cottage on a remote island off the coast of Scotland. With the hope of finding a new beginning, she sets out to assess her new property and grieve before starting a new career. However, when she arrives, Charlie learns of a dangerous storm system headed directly for the island.
Meanwhile, handsome tech genius Lachlan Hart finds himself in uncharted waters when he realizes that his trusted assistant has resigned. Unable to keep his life together for even a day, Lachlan resolves to find Charlie to convince her to come back to work for him. However, when he arrives at the cottage and finds a defiant and beautiful woman instead of his meek and submissive assistant, his mission takes on a new objective. In a heated argument, Charlie and Lachlan miss the last ferry off the island, forcing them to take shelter in the cottage. Things heat up quickly as they battle the storm and their mutual attraction.
Usually, I don’t have trouble summarizing a story covering the high points and the central conflict in a short paragraph. Ordinarily, I don’t struggle with translating a story. However, in this case, I struggled to condense the story into a concise synopsis which leaves me wondering what it is about this story that is so hard to break down. As a whole, I did enjoy the story, though I couldn’t help but feel that something was missing. Evaluating it now, I’m more inclined to conclude that there is too much going on in this story. The basis of Charlie losing her aunt, dealing with her mother’s past in the south, and her uncertainty about her future is a good foundation. However, factoring in the Scottish cottage, Lachlan racing across the Atlantic to get his assistant back, and the storm creates more conflict than need be. I understand the purpose of the storm confining them to the cottage to build an intimate connection. Yet, the location of Scottland and Lachlan traveling that far to get her back is a bit far-fetched. Their romance also escalated from lust to love quickly without building on anything from their past other than Charlie’s disdain for Lachlan’s workaholic nature. There was a lot of push and pull between them that drove me a little crazy because I just wanted them to get together already. I’m not sure the end paid off either for all that they had to go through to get there.

Writing Style: 16%
Despite the story at times feeling a bit contrived, it was still enjoyable to read. The details about the Scottish island, and subsequent cultural references, were well researched. Still, the tech industry information and back story didn’t seem convincing. Additionally, the dialogue wasn’t always realistic. On the whole, there was a fair amount of unnecessary exposition and several lines in the book that felt like loglines or snippets for an outline.

Characters: 17%
Like the story, it isn’t easy to know where to start with Charlie. She appears somewhat lost and confused about her life and what she wants. Although Charlie is confident in her decision to quit her position with Lachlan, she embarks on a new career with doubt and trepidation. It’s not clear if she has a genuine interest or passion for what she’s going to be doing or what her true passions are in general. Lachlan tries to figure out what drives Charlie so he can win her over, but in the end, it’s still unclear if he was able to answer that question. On the other hand, Lachlan is very explicit in what he wants from the very beginning. Even as his mission to get charlie back changes to wanting to win her affection, he makes firm decisions and goes after his desires. Charlie develops marginally by the end by seeing her commitment to a new career and repairing the cottage. Nevertheless, Lachlan makes a more significant adjustment by restructuring his entire life.

Supporting Elements: 15%
As far as love stories go, I’d say this was moderately on brand. I did want the characters to give in to their attraction much sooner. The story would have progressed better if they had. The more obvious theme centered on finding one’s self which both characters did appear to do. The Scottish cottage served, in part, as symbolism for Charlie’s old life and the freedom she craved. However, Charlie’s determination to resist love persists even as the storm dismantles the cottage. Of course, the overall irony is that she quits her job only to fall in love with her boss.

Expectations: 11%
I suppose I actually had high hopes for this one. I was looking forward to a steamy office, boss, and assistant romance. I wasn’t sure how the Scottish cottage aspect was going to play but had hoped it would be a bit more stimulating. All in all, this was an okay story that had potential but didn’t quite live up for me.

Total Rating: 75% / 100% ( )