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

Fixing a Broken Heart at the Highland Repair Shop is the first in a new series by Kiley Dunbar and is published by Boldwood Books on 24 July 2025

You can find the book on Amazon, Goodreads and Storygraph

📝 Why I picked up this book…
This review comes to you simply because I adore Kiley Dunbar’s books. No blog tour, no promotional involvement — just pure reader love.

A heartfelt thank you to Boldwood Books @theboldbookclub for granting me auto-approval on NetGalley. It’s genuinely an honour to have access to their brilliant list of authors — and of course, the very first book I reached for was Kiley Dunbar’s. I’m so glad I did, especially as this marks the beginning of a brand-new series. I can already tell it’s going to be something special.

As always, this review reflects my honest thoughts.

About the book

Never take broken for an answer…

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?

About the Author

Kiley Dunbar has been telling romantic stories since 2019, including her bestselling Borrow a Bookshop series. She lives in the north of England with her partner, her two lovely Dunbar babies and a beloved Bedlington Terrier, Amos. When Kiley’s not writing cosy love stories she is a senior lecturer at The Manchester Writing School.

Visit Kiley’s website: www.kileydunbar.co.uk

Follow Kiley on social media: Instagram Facebook

My Five Star Review

“So many stories begin with a broken heart. This one begins with a broken paper shredder.”

I mean… how can you not fall a little in love with a book that opens like that?

Starting with the broken paper shredder was such a clever way to begin the story. It sets the tone perfectly — a little quirky, a little emotional — and gives us a glimpse of Ally’s life without ever feeling like a backstory dump. Kiley Dunbar has such a natural way of pulling you in, and from that very first page, I knew I was in for something special.

This book had me smiling, sighing, and — if I’m being honest — falling completely in love with the Highland setting, the Repair Shop, and (almost) every character who wandered through its doors. I read the whole thing in one sitting because once I’d started, there was just no way I could stop.

The Cairn Dhu Community Repair Shop is something Ally’s family has poured their hearts into — and you feel that love in every corner. But it’s more than just a place to fix broken toasters and wobbly chairs. It’s a hub of kindness, community, and second chances. The shop, the café, the volunteers with their own stories — all of it felt so vivid, so real, I could practically hear the clink of tools and smell the fresh baking in the air.

I loved how the physical repairs in the shop echoed the emotional work happening in the characters’ lives. It’s not just old radios being restored — it’s people gently piecing themselves back together, too. And that’s what made this book feel so comforting and so honest. Healing often comes in small, meaningful ways — through purpose, connection, and feeling part of something again.

In no time at all, I felt like I knew Ally. I was right there with her — feeling her heartbreak, rooting for her, and quietly cheering her on. Her story of betrayal and career disappointment was handled so sensitively, with a real sense of hope woven through it all.

And then… Jamie Beaton arrives.

The trouble that comes with him sends shockwaves through the community, and it’s no surprise that Ally’s defences go up. But as we begin to see the real person behind the uniform, it’s clear Jamie carries a quiet sadness of his own. His reasons for being in Cairn Dhu slowly unfold, and that extra layer of emotion really took me by surprise. His connection with Ally builds gradually — never forced, just two people slowly finding comfort in one another as they work through their own uncertainties.

The book doesn’t shy away from the harder choices either. Ally is presented with an unexpected opportunity — one that could pull her away from everything she knows. Jamie’s future is uncertain too. That push and pull between safety and possibility, between staying and starting again, is so relatable. And the lack of communication (which is so true to life in those moments!) had my heart in knots, willing everything to somehow fall into place.

This is such a heartfelt, warm, and thoroughly uplifting read. Yes, it’s about broken things — but more importantly, it’s about the courage it takes to fix them. It’s romantic, hopeful, full of charm, and brimming with community spirit.

Five stars honestly don’t feel like enough. I adored this book, and I’m already itching to return to this Highland setting. I have so many theories about who might take centre stage next… and I’ll be there, day one, when book two lands.

See About My Reviews and Review FAQ for full star rating explanations and review guidelines.

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DISCLOSURE: I received an advance or review copy of this book. As always, my thoughts are honest and my own.
DISCLOSURE: I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley/Zooloo’s Book Tours. As always, my thoughts are honest and my own.
DISCLOSURE: I purchased this book myself. As always, my thoughts are honest and my own.

📝 Bookworm Behind the Scenes:
Just to show how much I trust Kiley Dunbar to deliver that perfect feel-good escape — I’ve just ordered paperback copies of every one of her novels I don’t already own. I’m saving them for when I need a safe, comforting, go-to read. Because Kiley’s stories never let me down — and always make me feel a little better.

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