It was an exciting day when author, speaker, and performer Devrie Brynn Donalson slid into my DMs and asked if I wanted to review her book, The Art of Burning Heather, on my blog.
There was some definite fangirling that morning. An excited gasp, a barely concealed squeal, and some hurried texting to my friend who “introduced” me to Devrie a few years ago.
Me and Devrie go way back (though she doesn’t really know it)
To be clear: I don’t know Devrie. (Though I feel like I do, just a little bit, after reading The Art of Burning Heather.) I started following her TikTok account a few years. My friend had told me, “There’s this hilarious American woman wandering about the Scottish moors, in front of the most stunning scenery, talking about men, kilts, and cheese.”
Of course, I immediately hit subscribe. And Devrie was, indeed, fabulous. She is fabulous. The way she says things is pure gold. She’s got my type of humor, and I made sure to follow her on Instagram when I wandered away from TikTok.
It had admittedly been awhile since I’d seen Devrie’s posts when she messaged me (thanks, crappy IG algorithm). I’d had no idea she’d written a novel! A women’s fiction novel, no less – my favorite genre. Set in Scotland.
Of course, I immediately said YES! to Devrie’s offer of a review copy of The Art of Burning Heather. And, here we are.
What is The Art of Burning Heather about?
Main character and floral designer Delilah MacDonald is bit of a pushover. She didn’t used to be; she used to be wild and free and unafraid of anything.
Now, at twenty-nine, she prefers to go by the nickname Deli (yes, as in “-catessen”), but her mother and grandmother refuse to respect her wishes – on that topic, or any other. Deli’s generally made to feel unlovable by those people she loves the most.
Deli thinks this is just life as usual until, one night, she thinks her longtime unrequited love interest, Trey, is finally going to make his Big Move. Of course, she’s wrong. Very, very wrong. And she decides to flee to the Scottish Highlands and nurse her broken heart with her estranged aunt.
Kindred spirit Aunt Mo welcomes her niece with open arms, despite not having talked with Deli in decades. Because Mo knows how vicious her family can be; there’s a reason she emigrated to Scotland years ago. Mo becomes a safe harbor and sounding board for Deli, as do so many of the eccentric locals in her remote Highland village that feels like it was plucked straight from Outlander.
Slowly but surely, Deli finds her own inner strength. But her newfound freedom is put to the test when surprise visitors arrive from L.A. with the intent to drag Deli home – and back into the shell of a person she used to be.
The Art of Burning Heather is a slow burn
I’m-a be honest: I didn’t love The Art of Burning Heather when I first started reading it. The beginning chapters move slowly, and I had a hard time connecting with Deli. Plus, the early chapters didn’t feel believable to me. My main issue was Trey, who is so totally an asshole to Deli, it seems impossible she’d be in love with him. I mean, the scene that prompts Deli’s impulsive escape trip to Scotland is brutal.
But, I know how writing stories works: the set-up can be the hardest part. I kept reading The Art of Burning Heather and was rewarded with a sweet, romantic, empowering novel that I really enjoyed.
What I liked about The Art of Burning Heather
This women’s fiction-fueled-by-romance novel is a great leisurely story to relax into. Get through the early chapters and you’ll find a heartwarming story about a young woman who reconnects with her long-lost aunt, finds her self-esteem, and lusts after a feisty Scottish man who (mostly) refuses to wear a kilt.
Devrie’s writing is beautiful. She snuggles lovely turns of phrase in between poignant moments, vivid descriptions of the rural Scottish scenery, laugh-out-loud funny dialogue and banter, and smoldering sexual tension. Deli definitely feels like an homage to Devrie’s winsome personality and hilarious sense of humor. I rooted for her from the moment she stepped foot onto Scottish soil and started to come into her own.
Family drama takes center stage for The Art of Burning Heather. Deli obviously has her own shit to work out, but so do Aunt Mo. And, so does her oppressive but (mostly) well-meaning mother and grandmother. Even Deli’s Scottish love interest, the sexy and brooding Lachlan, has some heavy issues. The drama between blood family members of all clans makes the moments of found family in this book shine.
And, of course, there’s the romance. Romance is a huge part of this book, both in why Deli flees to Scotland and why she ends up enjoying her stay there. Enemies-to-lovers trope addicts, this one’s for you. Deli and Lachlan start off ready to tear each other’s eyes out, but it’s not long before you’re rooting for them to tear each other’s clothes off instead.
Should you read The Art of Burning Heather?
Lovers of women’s fiction, slow-burn romance, and even magical realism should pick this one up. The Art of Burning Heather is a delightful story in which you really get to know the characters and what makes them tick. You come away from reading feeling like you’ve made new friends, not just read about people in a book.
Plus, I picked out lots of (intentional or not) nods to popular shows and movies like Outlander, The Holiday (the early Deli/Trey dynamic is so Iris/Jasper), and Made of Honor. If you like any of those movies/shows, you’ll love the themes in The Art of Burning Heather.
Although Devrie’s a great writer, I do think the book could have used a better developmental editor. The story – especially the beginning and end of the novel – needs some tightening up. But, that’s the writer/editor in me talking. I don’t think non-writers will notice the developmental issues as much as I did.
What’s the book-inspired recipe?
Check back in for the book-inspired recipe: Creamy Tuscan Chicken.
Although I received a complimentary advance copy of The Art of Burning Heather from the author, all opinions expressed in this review are my own. I was not compensated in any way for this review or for any other promotion/publicity I’ve done related to this book.
