Straight From The Heart
(2026)(The fourth book in the Scottish Love Story series)
A novel by Sheila Fowler
A Scottish Love Stories NovelShe’s cooking for the past. He’s playing for the future. Can they find a harmony that tastes like home?
Olivia Aitken has spent the last three years living in the shadow of a memory. As the head chef of The Proper Mate, she’s determined to preserve her late father’s culinary legacy, one traditional Scottish recipe at a time. But between her mother’s Florida homesickness and a kitchen that feels more like a museum than a business, Olivia is drowning in expectations. She doesn’t have time for distractions; especially not the handsome, bass-playing distraction who just rolled back into town.
Rory MacLeod is the soul of the indie band Five Inch Hearts, but his roots in Crieff run deeper than any chart-topping hit. Growing up as the "sixth Buchanan brother," Rory has always been part of the town’s furniture, but he’s finally ready to step out of the wings and into the spotlight. When he returns to Crieff to find Olivia struggling to keep her head above water, he realizes the girl he once knew as "just one of the mates" has become the melody he can’t get out of his head.
When a high-stakes food critic and a looming family anniversary put the restaurant on the line, Rory and Olivia strike a deal. He’ll help her find the "rhythm" in her kitchen if she helps him find the heart of his new solo song. But as the Scottish mist settles over the Highlands and the scent of Florida citrus fills the air, they discover that the best recipes (and the best songs) are the ones you write yourself.
From the cozy pubs of Crieff to the sunny shores of Tampa, Straight From The Heart is a story about honoring where you came from while finding the courage to go exactly where you belong.
Olivia Aitken has spent the last three years living in the shadow of a memory. As the head chef of The Proper Mate, she’s determined to preserve her late father’s culinary legacy, one traditional Scottish recipe at a time. But between her mother’s Florida homesickness and a kitchen that feels more like a museum than a business, Olivia is drowning in expectations. She doesn’t have time for distractions; especially not the handsome, bass-playing distraction who just rolled back into town.
Rory MacLeod is the soul of the indie band Five Inch Hearts, but his roots in Crieff run deeper than any chart-topping hit. Growing up as the "sixth Buchanan brother," Rory has always been part of the town’s furniture, but he’s finally ready to step out of the wings and into the spotlight. When he returns to Crieff to find Olivia struggling to keep her head above water, he realizes the girl he once knew as "just one of the mates" has become the melody he can’t get out of his head.
When a high-stakes food critic and a looming family anniversary put the restaurant on the line, Rory and Olivia strike a deal. He’ll help her find the "rhythm" in her kitchen if she helps him find the heart of his new solo song. But as the Scottish mist settles over the Highlands and the scent of Florida citrus fills the air, they discover that the best recipes (and the best songs) are the ones you write yourself.
From the cozy pubs of Crieff to the sunny shores of Tampa, Straight From The Heart is a story about honoring where you came from while finding the courage to go exactly where you belong.