Fixing a Broken Heart at the Highland Repair Shop – Kiley Dunbar

Published By: Boldwood
Pages: 280
Released On: 24/07/2025

When her career stalls and her boyfriend betrays her, Ally McIntyre’s dreams shatter into a hundred little pieces. Which is apt, given Ally’s family has built a haven for the worn out and broken: the Cairn Dhu Community Repair Shop and Café in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, famous for its band of expert fixers (and delicious baking). But repairing gadgets and restoring heirlooms is one thing, fixing herself is quite another.

Jamie Beaton is on a temporary summer transfer to Cairn Dhu as a Special Constable, though there’s a deeper, sadder reason that’s drawn him to the Highlands. When a scandal threatens the repair shop and Ally and Jamie’s paths cross, an instant connection – and attraction – sparks. Could finding new love, and the missing piece of Jamie’s past, help Ally’s heart to heal?

As the long summer days draw in, however, Jamie must leave. An unexpected job offer also comes Ally’s way, which could take her far from the Highlands. Should she take a leap into the unknown? Where does she truly feel whole?

*****

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood for my copy of this title in return for an honest review.

Oh it’s been a while since I’ve had a Kiley Dunbar book to lose myself in. I love them so much, and with this one set in Scotland, I’m instantly hooked.

I generally don’t like it when a book is written in a specific dialect, for me it removes me from the action. But I liked it in this. It’s only now and again, and it makes me feel closer to Scotland, and I love Scotland.

It is quick and easy to read, a quarter of it was done in an hour, and then I sped through the rest as I just couldn’t put it down.

Ally was a very recognisable character, so real and flawed and familiar. She was almost depicting the experiences of every reader. The other characters were all great to – if not necessarily great people – and they all worked wonderfully against Ally’s story.

I do wish the romantic aspect had happened more organically; I found it a little forced at first, shoehorned in to fit a plot that didn’t really need it. There was nothing and then in the space of a couple of pages, there was this romance that just didn’t feel very real to me. Although it did get more natural as it went on, I just think the start of the romance storyline needs working on.

It is a bit busy, there’s a lot going on (I won’t spoil it by saying what), and I do wonder if it would have been better if Kiley had focussed on a few of these storylines instead of all of them…I’m on the fence. I really enjoyed it so I can’t say it negatively affected the enjoyment of it, but I did find myself thinking that there were perhaps too many storylines.

I loved the sense of community in this book. We live in such a one-use wasteful world that I love this inclusion, this fixing things, and very much “make do and mend”, it was lovely, but it wasn’t preachy.

What I love about Kiley’s books are how warm and cosy they make you feel. This wasn’t my absolute favourite of hers, but I’m glad there’s a new Kiley Dunbar book in the world as they really are very good.