Charlotte McGregor: Forever In Your Arms
Highland Happiness #1

Forever in Your Arms

Love finds you when you least expect it.

Grieving her beloved father, Colleen Murray leaves Boston to explore his birthplace and heritage in the Scottish Highlands. Initially blind to the quaint village charm of Kirkby and the rugged beauty of her surroundings, Colleen’s world is turned upside down when she crosses paths with Alex Fraser, the attractive but rather guarded owner of the local bed & breakfast, “The Cosy Thistle.”

As a fellow horse enthusiast and single father to an amazing boy, Alex is everything Colleen didn’t know she was looking for. Happiness seems within reach when shadows from Alex’s past emerge, threatening to unravel their budding romance. Will Colleen’s journey to her roots lead her to everlasting love, or will unforeseen perils tear them apart?

“Forever In Your Arms” is the first novel in the “Highland Happiness” series. Dive into a story of love defying all odds, set against the majestic backdrop of Scotland’s enchanting landscapes.

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Quick Profile

Forever in Your Arms is a heart-warming Highland romance about fresh starts, family ties, and slowly arriving in a place that first looks like nothing but rain—until it starts to feel like home.

  • Genre: feel-good romance | Highland romance | small-town romance
  • Setting: Scottish Highlands, fictional Kirkby — centred around the upmarket B&B The Cosy Thistle, plus village life, fireside evenings, whisky, dog vibes and plenty of horse energy
  • Main characters: Colleen Murray (American, coming to Kirkby for her father’s funeral—bringing her dog Tito and more baggage than she’d like) & Alex Fraser (B&B owner, responsible single dad, holding his life in Kirkby together)
  • Mood: cosy, romantic, emotional, with humour, small-town dynamics, and lots of heart
  • Tropes: Fish Out of Water • Small Town • Single Dad • Forced Proximity • Slow Burn • Found Family • Returning to your roots • Inheritance/Will conflict • Co-parenting / absent parent
  • Heat level: 2/5 chillies — sensual, clearly open door (includes an explicit scene)
  • Happy ending: yes
  • Entry point: the perfect start to the Kirkby universe (Book 1)

Who is this for?

Who is this for?

  • If you love Highland atmosphere: rain, wide landscapes, eccentric villagers, pub gossip, and community
  • If you enjoy romance that grows through everyday closeness (pitching in, belonging, becoming part of something)
  • If you’re drawn to fresh starts + family history: roots, grief, loyalty, and the question of what “home” really means
  • If you want single-dad romance with heart—including a child, a dog, and real responsibility
  • If you like watching an outsider become an insider—and a stay turn into a life

Not for you if…

  • You read strictly clean (this one is clearly open door).
  • Themes around grief/funeral hit too close to home.
  • Family conflict (including inheritance/will disputes and a difficult mother–daughter dynamic) stresses you out.
  • You struggle with scenes involving a child getting hurt in an accident (see Content Note).

Tropes & Themes

  • Fish Out of Water: an American in the Highlands—culture shock, weather, village rules
  • Small-Town Romance: everyone knows everyone, everyone has an opinion—and help arrives unasked
  • Single Dad: responsibility, protectiveness, family life—and where love fits into that
  • Forced Proximity: a stay that becomes closer than planned
  • Slow Burn: chemistry and closeness, but not at full sprint
  • Found Family: Kirkby as a safety net—people who catch you when things wobble
  • Grief & new beginnings: loss as a catalyst to re-order your life
  • Inheritance / will: conflict, loyalties, decisions—and what money cannot fix
  • Co-parenting / absence: a child between two worlds, and adults who must step up

Series Context

This novel is fully self-contained and can be read without any prior knowledge. There’s a loose overarching thread in the background, but you don’t need it to enjoy the story. Chances are high you’ll fall for Kirkby and its residents—and want to read everything that follows.

Reading Order in Kirkby (chronological)

FAQ

Where is the story set?
In the Scottish Highlands—in the fictional village of Kirkby, with The Cosy Thistle as the central setting.

Can I read the book without any prior knowledge?
Yes. It’s Book 1 and the ideal entry point into the Kirkby universe.

What’s it about (low-spoiler)?
Colleen comes to Kirkby, her father’s home village—initially only for his funeral. But the B&B owner Alex (and his day-to-day life as a dad) pulls her, step by step, into a world she first resists…and then can’t let go of.

Is it more romcom or more emotional?
It’s feel-good and has humour, but it also gets emotional—grief, family, and responsibility play real roles.

How spicy is it?
1–2 chillies: sensual, open door, with an explicit scene.

What role does the B&B play?
It’s more than a backdrop: a meeting place, a home-for-now—and a driver for village dynamics, responsibility, and closeness.

Do animals play a real role?
Yes: Tito the dog is part of the story’s heart—and there are plenty of horse vibes (Highland atmosphere included).

Is there a happy ending?
Yes.

Formats & Publication Details

  • Formats: Paperback and eBook
  • ISBN paperback (Amazon): 9783910843196
  • ISBN paperback (wide): 9798232699147
  • ASIN (Amazon eBook): B0D94SK4FS
  • Language: English
  • Series: Highland Happiness Saga 1
  • Length: 348 pages
  • Publication date: 24 January 2025

Short Recommendation Copy

An American travels to a rain-soaked Highland village for her father’s funeral—and ends up outside the locked doors of a bed & breakfast. Between community, dog happiness, and single-dad life, a love story grows that turns grief into a new beginning.

Keyword Set

Kirkby • Scottish Highlands • Highland romance • small-town romance • feel-good romance • bed & breakfast • The Cosy Thistle • Harriswood House • American heroine • returning to your roots • fresh start • grief • inheritance • will • family secrets • single dad • found family • dog • horses • Clydesdale • open door

Content Note

Contains (low-spoiler) themes of grief and the father’s funeral, a family conflict around inheritance/will (including a distressing mother–daughter dynamic), a scene where a child is injured in an accident (cut/bruise, bandages, hospital, arm in a sling), as well as sensual open-door scenes (including an explicit scene).

Out now!