Can she stop her past from ruining her future?

Sorcha Mackinnon isn’t your typical tortured artist. She is also a party girl, a vintage shopper, and the heiress to a whiskey fortune. But when inspiration suddenly flies out the window, she’s left with an empty whiskey glass and a blank canvas…until a childhood friend waltzes back into her life.

She’s known Danny Gordon since birth, but they lost touch as their careers took them in different directions. He offers to show her the parts of Scotland he swears will spark life back into her brushes. And as they tour the sights on the back of his motorcycle, Sorcha realizes that under the tattoos and smart mouth, Danny may inspire more in her than just a new painting.

But as a good time begins to morph into an ever after, Sorcha is reminded of old wounds that just won’t heal. Danny tries to open her heart, but her self-imposed isolation makes things harder than ever. Now she must decide what to do because what happens in the ruins doesn’t always stay there.

Titles in the What Happens series include — What Happens In The Highlands – What Happens In The Ruins –

Title:  What Happens In The Ruins
Series:  What Happens #2
Author:  Kelsey McKnight
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  July 8, 2019
Publisher:  Tule Publishing
My Rating:  4.5 stars

To paraphrase a line from the cover description – ‘WHAT  HAPPENS IN THE RUINS isn’t the run of the mill rich, party girl finds a lover’ type of story, not at all.  Sorcha is indeed rich, she is, after all, a whiskey heiress, she does love to party why shouldn’t she, also add accomplished artist to that growing list and you have an interesting woman.  Add to that an event from her past that continues to bring her pain and haunt any chance at happiness in her future and you have a pretty good idea of what to expect in this second story in the What Happens series.

I don’t happen to think that the What Happens series is easily just dropped into at the later books.  There is a lot from WHAT HAPPENS IN THE HIGHLANDS that lays the groundwork for the other friends’ stories to emerge.  Do you “have” to read the first?  No, of course not.  Yet I do believe you’ll have a better understanding of the dynamics of each friend outside of their friendship if you can read the first book as well.

Kelsey McKnight has delivered a word picture of this beautiful country and it’s hidden treasures, one that kept me smiling throughout.  There were moments when I either wanted to shake or hug Sorcha as she battled with her past and the future with Danny that was within reach if she’d only take the risk and trust them both.  I “got” her reasons, yet with a love like Danny’s, he will help her through all those rough parts that will never ever really fade away.   I don’t dare say more since I don’t willingly give away spoilers – but these two belong together.

I had a blast with their romance, as well as the ups and downs that they encountered along the way.  If you’re in the mood to be swept away then this story and series are exactly what you need.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story.  It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Available for the Kindle