Description:
Grace needs a bit of peace and quiet. Bryan just needs a little grace.
Grace Rios has four short weeks to turn in a delinquent manuscript before her editor revokes the advance Grace already spent. She also has a bad case of imposter syndrome and exactly zero words written when she wins an all-expenses paid trip to the Isle of Barra in Scotland's Outer Hebrides. What could be better than a peaceful island paradise for clearing her head and finally writing the book?
There's just one hitch...
Bryan MacNeil is a man with a plan. After inheriting his grandfather's island cottage, he returns home to renovate the old house into an off-grid eco home, hoping to convince a like-minded investor to fund his dream of opening a carbon neutral whisky distillery. He has a short deadline for the job, but with long hours and a lot of elbow grease he's determined to make it work.
The only problem? It's the annual summer music festival, and Bryan's sister already rented out his cottage to Grace as a B&B for her writing retreat. With every other hotel on the island booked for the festival, can the two find common ground to finish their projects? Or will they both lose out on their big dreams?
Brief description: Rose Prendeville is a multi-award winning author, most recently earning the 2026 Gold Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award for her contemporary romance Grace on the Rocks. A librarian from Middle Tennessee, with a passion for stories about found families and flawed people doing their best, she lives with her husband, the world's cutest dog, and a garden full of bees, delighting in books with happy endings because she firmly believes in their ability to brighten the world.
Review Quotes:
Grace on the Rocks packs four weeks of romcom hijinks, miscommunications, and steamy yet respectful yearning into a tight narrative that flies by as quickly as Grace and Bryan's deadlines for their respective projects.
Snappy banter between Grace and Bryan crackles on every page, while frank, funny descriptions of physical attraction delight and satisfy. Prendeville successfully employs the dual perspective to provide insight into Grace and Bryan's different interpretations of conversations and events, encouraging readers to empathize with each one, despite their miscommunications.
Popular romance tropes compel in this delightful offering, and Grace on the Rocksdistinguishes itself with a diverse range of lovable, quirky supporting characters, a unique small-town island setting, a distinct sense of humor, and irresistible give-and-take between Grace and Bryan.
Prendeville expertly layers Grace and Bryan's characters with thoughtful backstory, specific passions, and shared internal wounds, laying a solid foundation for emotional and physical intimacy to blossom. Bryan is particularly multifaceted, featuring a nuanced portrayal of his stammer and bisexuality-a truly singular and swoon-worthy "stoic Scot."
-The BookLife Prize Critic's Report