One reason why fictional stories are so powerful is because they transport the reader to another place or time. I have found myself drawn to books set in certain locations over and over again, the settings coming alive in my head. One of my very favorite fictional book settings is Scotland.
Some of the books that have brought the countryside of Scotland alive for me have been:
- The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
- At The Water’s Edge by Sara Gruen
- The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
The wild greenery and the rolling hills of the countryside hold a certain draw for me. Maybe it’s the sense of adventure that comes with wide-open spaces, like a scene in Harry Potter or Lord of The Rings. Maybe it’s the rocky coastal beaches and windswept seashores that pull me in. It could also be the Scottish characters. A lively bunch the scots are, a proud and generous people. I also really enjoy reading the phrases of Gaelic mixed in with heavily accented English.
I was lucky enough to travel to Edinburgh last year, where I fell in love with cobble stone streets of the old town lined with pipers and pubs. Now that I’ve seen a piece of Scotland for myself, I can feel these stories even more vividly than before.
Whatever the reason, when I read a book description that is set in Scotland, I am much more likely to pick the book up and take it home with me.
Dream by Day 
The On Dublin Street series is also set in Scotland, it’s one of my favorites, it’s in the category of New Adult-Adult Romance, though.
Great post!
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I’ll have to check out the series then!! Thank you. 🙂
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You’re welcome 😉
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As a Scot, I’m pleased you’ve enjoyed books set here! Of course, Hogwarts is in Scotland too!
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I read a book Faery Tale by Signe Pike which has one of the settings in Scotland, it gives truly beautiful landscapes and mystical faery lore. It’s a wonderful read!
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That sounds great! I’ll look it up. 🙂
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Awesome post! It was really great reading about your favourite book settings. I haven’t read Outlander yet, but it’s on my TBR. I love the show though!
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Thank you for reading! I love the outlander series! The first book takes a few chapters to get into, but it’s worth it!
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Yes I have it on kobo and had started it, but stopped to read other stuff. I think I’ll start it again next week.
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I hope you like it!!
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I totally wish I could go to Scotland one day..anywhere in Europe really..haha
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I love it there!
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I’m going to break the mold here.. I loved the setting in Outlander as well! But I also LOVE books set in Ireland. There’s a book called Born in Fire by Nora Roberts thats part of a trilogy set in Ireland and about 90% of the reason I love it is the descriptions of the countryside. Gorgeous. Settings can add so much beauty to a book!
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I haven’t heard of Born in Fire, but I’ll have to look it up!! I totally agree, settings can make all the difference in a book! Ireland definitely beautiful too. 🙂
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Full disclosure its totally a cheesy romance. Typical Nora. But I love it 🙂
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Sometimes that’s exactly what you need!
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As a Scot, I am delighted you love Scotland! It is a beautiful country. The west coast of Scotland is beautiful too; always a different island on the horizon. I will give a think about other books to point you towards.
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That would be great- thank you!!
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The Thirty-nine Steps, by John Buchan. Adventure and suspense, set in (from memory) both London and Scotland. Written around the time of the First World War, it’s pacy and thrilling and has been made into several films. I can highly recommend it!
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