 Today I'm delighted to present a guest post by Evie Alexander, the author of HighlandGames, a new hilarious rom-com, set in...Scottish Highlands, of course! My inspiration for the cabin in Highland Games The cabin in Highland Games is as much a character as Zoe and Rory are. The story starts with Zoe arriving at the cabin she has inherited from her great-uncle in the dead of night, and discovering it is in a complete state. It’s just one room, and the only things left inside are a rickety table and chairs and a Rayburn stove. My inspiration for the cabin has come from many places, but most of all, from a one roomed wood and cob barn that my friend (also called Zoe) built. It is one of the most earthy and romantic places I have ever been, with dogs and chickens running around inside, and a very old Rayburn stove in the centre. I remember once going to visit, and Zoe washed her hands in a water butt outside that had frozen over. She smashed the ice and plunged her dirty hands in, and I thought ‘oh my god you are so badass!’ Her cabin is full of amazing smells and texture and cool light, and was the biggest inspiration for the cabin in Highland Games. Another inspiration came on a holiday with old friends from University. We were staying in a big old rectory, and one day, my friend came running upstairs to get me as the owner had shown her a secret wooden house in the grounds. It was the most amazing structure, built around a tree, with a wood burning stove, secret cubby holes, and stained glass. I remember my jaw dropping when I saw it, as it was like something out of a fairy tale. There is something inside me that wants to live a very simple life in a wooden house in nature, and so the cabin in Highland Games is part of my fantasy blending with real places I have known. I knew that I wanted the cabin to be something that Zoe and Rory fought over, as both of them felt the same romantic tug towards it. In chapter one they meet for the first time at the cabin. It’s pitch black, and they argue about who owns the cabin and what Zoe is doing there. ‘Who the hell are you? And what are you doing sniffing around my house in the dead of night?’ The man-bear stopped laughing, and straightened up. ‘Okay. First up, it’s not the dead of night, it gets darker quicker up here than in the home counties. Second, I work on this land and saw a piddly little sports car abandoned on the track. I came to see what was going on and got attacked by a lunatic armed with a loaf of bread. And third, you can’t live here; it’s not fit for human habitation. I’ll show you the way to the village. There’s a pub with rooms you can stay in, and tomorrow you can go home.’ Zoe clenched her jaw and spat out her words like bullets. ‘Listen here, Mr Know-it-all, let me get one thing straight. This is my land and my home and I intend to live here. I don’t need an enormous, overgrown Yeti trespassing on my property and frightening the crap out of me. Now bugger off.’ She held up the loaf of bread. ‘I’m going to make myself some beans on toa—’ she remembered there was no electricity, ‘bread, and have a quiet night in.’ ‘Maybe watch some telly?’ he replied. ‘Surf the web? Have a nice hot bubble bath? Good luck with that.’ He stepped off the porch and strode away, whistling for the dog to follow him. Zoe stalked into the cabin and slammed the door as hard as she could. It rewarded her by falling off its hinges and landing with an almighty crash on the front deck. The man didn’t look back.  Highland Games-Summary: A fiery heroine, a Scottish god, a cabin, a castle, and enough heat to warm the coldest Scottish winter… Highland Games is an unputdownable, enemies-to-lovers, romantic comedy, with sparkle and sizzle and a guaranteed happy ending. This sexy, witty, debut from Evie Alexander will have you laughing, swooning, and staying up way past your bedtime... Perfect for fans of Sally Thorne, Talia Hibbert, Sophie Kinsella, and Helen Hoang. If you’re looking for a riotous romantic comedy with plenty of heat, then Highland Games is for you! ♥♥♥ Welcome to Kinloch, and the hottest winter Scotland’s ever seen. ♥♥♥ Zoe’s always played it safe, just as her parents wanted. But when her great-uncle dies and leaves her a ramshackle cabin in the Scottish Highlands, she decides it’s time to change her life. Upping sticks seems like a good idea in her cosy flat in London, but the reality is very different. There’s no electricity or running water, the roof leaks and there’s no front door. If that wasn’t bad enough, she’s moved up in the depths of winter and her scorching hot neighbour wants her out. Rory’s got a fifty thousand tonne problem. If he can’t make Kinloch castle profitable, he’s out of a job. He needs a clear head, but there’s someone living in the cabin he saw as his own and she’s turned his world upside down. Rory needs Zoe out of Scotland, and out of his life. The trouble is, she has no intention of leaving. Let the games begin… Purchase Link  Author Bio Evie Alexander is the author of sexy romantic comedies with a very British sense of humour. She takes a method approach to her work, believing her capacity to repeatedly fail at life and love is what has given her such a rich supply of material for her writing. Her interests include reading, eating, saving the world, and fantasising about people who only exist between the pages of her books. She lives in the West country with her family. website / facebook / instagram / twitter / goodreads/ bookbub / pinterest  Giveaway to Win a signed copy of Highland Games, Shortbread and more… (Open to UK Only) Prize is a signed copy of Highland Games, Exclusive postcard and bookmark, Personalised heart & Shortbread *Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.  Comments are closed.
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