21 Best Books About Scotland to Read Before Your Visit
We are not sure where our obsession with books about Scotland began. It may have started with Outlander, we cannot be sure. What we do know is that the breathtaking landscapes and enchanting cities, make Scotland the perfect setting for any book.
Scotland has a rich history, vibrant culture, and untamed beauty that cannot be found anywhere else. From love stories spanning centuries to tales of epic battles, the literary tapestry of Scotland is as diverse as the country itself.
In Books About Scotland, we are giving you our list of favorite books set in Scotland. You can choose between historical fiction, romances, and more in a literary journey through the pages of these books set in Scotland. We hope the essence of Scotland will jump from the pages and that you find these books as unforgettable as we do.
*Scotland Books Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
This post fulfills a prompt for the 2024 reading challenge! It’s not too late to join!
Historical Fiction Books About Scotland
Outlander
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Year: 1991
Genre: Historical Fantasy
More info: Outlander Series Book 1 of 9
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This epic story begins in 1945 when Claire Randall and her husband take a second honeymoon to the Scottish Highlands to celebrate being reunited after the war. When Claire touches one of the standing stones, she is transported to 1743.
This is when the real story begins. In order to stay safe as an English woman in Scotland, Clare must depend on Jamie Frasier for protection. Soon Clare finds herself living in a world she has only read about in history books and torn between two men that she loves. In addition to being a brilliant fiction that is rich in historical details, it is an epic love story as well. For me, this is magical realism at its finest.
Trigger Warnings
Rape, sexual assault, sexual violence
Why Kirsten loves it
How do I love Outlander? I cannot count the ways. There is a reason this is one of my favorite books of all time. I am a huge reader of historical fiction and this one checks all the boxes for me. The characters are rich, the plot is complex without being overly complicated and the epic love story make it almost perfect in my eyes.
Why Jackie loves it
Even though I am not a huge historical fiction connoisseur, I could not put this book down. Even at 640 pages, I did not want it to end and immediately picked up the next book in the series. I love the touch of magical realism that transported Clare back in time 200 years and Gabaldon’s story telling made the characters jump off the page.
Find this book in: Best Romance Novels of All Time / Ultimate List of Historical Fiction/ Books Like A Discovery of Witches / Adult Fantasy Romance Books / Magical Realism Books / Best Adult Fantasy Novels
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
This is a dual-timeline story about the invading Jacobites in 1708 that takes place at Slains Castle. A writer from the present decides to write a story about her ancestor from this time frame and begins to live the experience herself.
There is romance, ghostly memories, and a wonderful perspective of the famous Jacobite uprising we know from Outlander. How could we not include this pick on a list of books like Outlander? This is also perfect pick from books set in Scotland to add to your list.
The Lost Queen
Author: Signe Pike
Year: 2018
Genre: Historical Fantasy
More info: Book 1 of 3 in The Lost Queen
Age Range: 18+
Plot
If you love Outlander, The Mists of Avalon, or The Clan of the Cave Bear, then you will love this pick from royal reads. Set in Britain/ Scotland when Christianity is poised to become the religion of the country, a future queen who swore to the old ways is learning how to balance the needs of her people and her religion with the role she’s expected to play.
Meanwhile, her twin brother is training to be the man history knows as Merlin. The first in a new trilogy about Arthurian legend.
This book is a perfect pick for a list of books like A Discovery of Witches or a list of books like Outlander. If you love books set in Scotland, this book is a must-read.
Why Kirsten loves it
I love historical fiction books and I also love stories about King Arthur. This series is perfect for me especially because it also takes place in Scotland. This is a triple win in my books.
Why Jackie loves it
When I first got this book, I wasn’t sure that I was going to like it. I had a very difficult time reading it since I could not pronounce any of the names. As soon as I started listening to this book, I was immediately drawn into the story. If you love historical fiction or historical fantasy, I would highly suggest listening to this series.
Find this book in: Best Books About Scotland / Books Like A Discovery of Witches / The Best Witch Books / Books like Outlander / Mythology Books
Dual-Timeline Books Set in Scotland
The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley
The Vanished Days is set between 2 timelines, 1707 and 1684. Lily makes a claim of marriage to a deceased soldier looking for her pay, but without proof of her marriage, Adam needs to investigate if the claim could be real.
Set against the backdrop of the Jacobite rebellion, this is perfect for the Outlander fans of the world and we knew we needed to include it on a list of books like Outlander! I was engrossed in this story…then I got to the end, was shocked, and wanted to read the whole thing again!!
If you are looking for books about Scotland and its amazing history, this book is a perfect pick.
Wild Wood by Posie Graeme-Evans
This was such a unique story! After getting knocked in the head Jesse, normally right-handed, is able to draw with her left hand a place she’s never been to in her life.
Her neurologist has been to the sweeping keep, he lived there for years, and so he decides to bring her home with him on holiday to see if he can get to the bottom of it.
Meanwhile, in the dual timeline of 14th-century Scotland, Bayard is investigating a mystery of his own. The way the two stories meet at the end is masterful.
Not only is this one of the books about Scotland that is dual-timeline but the story itself is beautifully written and a real page-turner.
Contemporary Fiction Books About Scotland
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
Author: Gail Honeyman
Year: 2017
Genre: Fiction
More info: June 2107 Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick
Age Range: 14+
Plot
I wasn’t sure how I felt about this contemporary fiction book initially. Initially, Eleanor’s behavior and responses to people and situations upset me. I had the outside perspective of a reader to understand how Eleanor is misinterpreting situations. She is not supposed to be likable initially which is why I persevered and ended up loving the book and Eleanor.
Eleanor has difficulty with social skills and is used to being alone until one day, she saves an elderly man who has fallen with the help of Raymond from her work. The three develop a friendship that helps Eleanor heal.
Trigger Warnings
Loneliness
Why Jackie loves it
As we get to know Eleanor and understand her profound loneliness, it made me think about what initial judgments I make in other areas. Eleanor is able to find herself and understand herself in this wonderful, feel-good book.
Why Kirsten loves it
If you love a character-driven novel, this is the book for you. Eleanor changes so much from the beginning of the story to the end, I loved taking the journey with her.
Find this book in: Books Like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine / Books Like A Man Called Ove/ Books About Scotland / British Books / Books With Neurodivergent Characters / Best Books Like Lessons in Chemistry / Books Like Where the Crawdads Sing / Ultimate List of Feel-Good Books
The Bookshop on the Corner
Author: Jenny Colgan
Year: 2016
Genre: Fiction
More info: The Bookshop on the Corner #1
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This contemporary fiction book was the first book I read by Jenny Colgan and is different from her others. It is not centered around food but rather, books.
When Nina, a librarian, finds herself without a job, she embarks on a journey with a mobile bookshop in Scotland. There is nothing not to love in this sweet and cozy book.
Why Kirsten loves it
If you are ever in a reading slump, please pick up this story! I felt like I was with Nina puttering around the lanes of Scotland in her bookmobile. The romance in the story was charming as well! This remains my favorite Jenny Colgan story.
Find this book in: The Best Jenny Colgan Books Ranked / Novels About Scotland / Books About Books / Books about Bookstores / British Books
Romance Books Set in Scotland
Kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley
Looking for some literary travel plans? Come visit Scotland with a romance novel that will leave you with butterflies in your stomach.
Addie Macrae is a travel consultant coming to Scotland to save Logan Sutherland’s Scottish tour business. He’s resistant to change, she’s trying to prove herself in her new job and sparks are flying in the office as they try to sabotage each other with ridiculous pranks.
But Addie is also looking to reconnect with her deceased mother’s past – by trying to find the places in Scotland her mother loved best. As Logan helps her find the hidden sites in a bid to help her see things his way, they both share vulnerabilities and connect in ways they weren’t expecting (but we were because it’s a romance 😜)
I felt like I was traveling around Scotland with these lovebirds – the push and pull between them, the funny pranks, and the cast of secondary characters made this romance stand out!
Plot
When Maya bumps into her ex, Sam, at a holiday party, she never imagined she would see him again and certainly not naked and serving drinks. Maya is moving home after a breakup with her live-in boyfriend and the timing could not be more awkward.
She also never expected that they would end up working together in the Scottish Highlands as ski instructors. As they begin to spend more time together, they realize some things about their past- was their breakup a huge misunderstanding? Will Maya work up the courage to tell her father that his dreams are not her dreams?
Why Jackie loves it
This adorable pick will make you want to hop on a plane to Scotland.
Find this book in: Christmas Books 2023 / Books Set in Scotland
Finding Fraser by KC Dyer
This is an adorable contemporary fiction read about a woman who goes to Scotland to find her man. The criteria- he has to look and be like Jamie Fraser.
That shouldn’t be too hard, should it? Isn’t every man tall, handsome, and completely perfect? Instead of finding her Jamie…she ends up finding her inner Claire instead. Totally cheesy but very fun for our list of books like Outlander and an adorable pick from books set in Scotland.
Highland Games by Evie Alexander
I gushed about this on Instagram, but I’m gonna gush about it again here too. I love a good Scottish romance, which long-term readers know because of our books like Outlander
This one has Zoe deciding to pack up her London life and move into the rustic, decrepit cabin on a castle estate her uncle left for her when he died. The problem is Rory, the castle’s caretaker, wanted the cabin for himself.
Rory starts messing with Zoe to get her to leave Scotland, but when he realizes he needs her help, sparks fly in this grumpy sunshine romance. This is the first in a new series of books set in Scotland about Rory and Zoe and their Scottish hometown.
It was charming, funny, STEAMY, and heartwarming. I personally can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Some Like It Plaid by Angela Quarles
In this story, our hunky future chieftain leaves 1st century Scotland for 2019 San Francisco to catch himself a wifey, whom he promptly teleports back to Scotland (Druid magic IDK) and shenanigans ensue.
This book set in Scotland is funny, romantic, and totally cute. I loved it! This is one of the time travel romance novels you will want to read again and again.
Historical Romances Set in Scotland
When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare
This historical romance is equal parts sexy and funny. A London heiress invents a Scottish betrothed to get her out of social obligations.
She writes to her intended, Captain MacKenzie, but when a real-life man comes to her home, letters in hand, things get interesting. This is one of a few romance novels set in Scotland from our list and we love it.
My Lady’s Choosing: an Interactive Romance Novel by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris
What is so great about this book is that it can go anywhere you want it to. Choose your adventure…and choose your own man. It’s exactly like those books we all loved as children, except with VERY adult content.😉
You can pick as many or as few stories as you want. Personally, I found my happy ending with a Scottish man who was clearly modeled after Jamie Frasier! This is a perfect pick for books like Briderton as well as books like Outlander. If you are looking for steamy romance novels set in Scotland, this is your pick.
Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore
This particular romance is set in 1920s England and is the third in Ms. Dunmore’s women’s suffragette series. Hattie Greenfield, artist extraordinaire, is forced into marriage with Lucian Blackstone, a self-made man (V frowned upon by nobles at the time.)
We love that she is an artist for our novels about art and they travel to Scotland on their honeymoon. Perfect for books about Scotland. But, we couldn’t stop thinking that it is also perfect for books Like Outlander!
While the romance itself is swoon-worthy, it’s the depth of non-romantic topics that make it a joy to read. I learned so much about the coal industry and the perils to coal communities in the process.
An English Bride in Scotland by Lynsay Sands
The arranged marriage of the English lass to the Clan chieftain in this romance novel was very reminiscent of Claire and Jamie’s wedding….and wedding night.
This is a steamy rom-com book set in Scotland that focuses on the newlyweds finding how their relationship will mesh while navigating the terrifying person hellbent on hurting them.
The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George
The follow-up to Harper St. George’s Gilded Age romance series was another fun pick featuring the younger Crenshaw heiress.
This time, Violet Crenshaw, looking to escape and arranged marriage to an odious man, looks to the Earl of Leigh to help her escape to Scotland. But the Earl has a different plan with the bubbly lady he wishes to call his own. This is another one of the books about Scotland that is a must-read for romance fans.
More Books Set in Scotland
Clanlands
Author: Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish, forward by Diana Gabaldon
Year: 2020
Genre: Nonfiction
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This hysterical book is part history and part comedy. Stars of the Outlander TV series, Sam Heughan (who plays Jamie Fraser) and Graham McTavish (AKA Dougal MacKenzie) go on a road trip with each other. Along the way, they tell funny stories and experience Scotland’s rich heritage. I laughed out loud multiple times at their antics, and then promptly watched their show Men in Kilts on Starz.
Why Kirsten loves it
I laughed out loud multiple times at their antics, and then promptly watched their show Men in Kilts on Starz. If you are a fan of the Outlander series (television series), you must read this pick.
Find this book in: Books about Scotland / Nonfiction Books for Beginners / Celebrity Memoirs / Books like Outlander
The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency
Author: Lydia Travers
Year: 2023
Genre: Historical Mystery
More info: The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency #1
Age Range: 14+
Plot
This is a delightful detective novel set in Scotland about two women who decide to start a detective agency in 1911. While no one takes them seriously at first, they soon have their first client and case – to stop a jewel thief who repeatedly hits up house parties.
Why Kirsten loves it
I loved this cozy mystery book. It was the perfect story to escape into during a rough week. I look forward to the next book in this detective series- they are delightful historical mystery books.
Find this book in: Books about Scotland / Best Historical Mystery Books / Detective Books / Best Cozy Mystery Books
A River Enchanted
Author: Rebecca Ross
Year: 2022
Genre: Fantasy
More info: Elements of Cadence, book 1
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Rebecca Ross’s historical fantasy books are sweeping magical stories. This particular one is about the Island of Cadence and its warring inhabitants. It’s also a love story between Jack, a bard who can sing to the elements, and Adaira, the heiress of the East.
The story slowly builds but ends on a cliffhanger, which concludes in the second book of the duology. The story is perfect for fans of books like Outlander because it’s inspired by Scotland. This is one of my favorite books on the list of adult fantasy novels and books set in Scotland.
Trigger Warnings
Kidnapping
Why Kirsten loves it
I love fantasy romance novels and the fact that it is inspired by Scotland makes this high on my list of favorite adult fantasy novels as well. Ross weaves a brilliant and beautiful story
Find this book in: Best Adult Fantasy Novels / Books like Outlander / Historical Fantasy Books /Best Books About Scotland
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
This isolation thriller is one of the books about Scotland that will leave you guessing until the very end. A group of college friends are taking their yearly New Year’s trip to a beautiful and remote estate in the Scottish Highlands.
The trip starts off with good intentions as the friends from Oxford embark on the train to their destination, but on New Year’s Day, one of them is dead and all of them are suspects. The book will keep you guessing throughout because you will not know who has been murdered until the end. This is a thrilling pick from New Year’s Eve books.
YA Books About Scotland
My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand
The latest book by this writing trio is another historical fantasy with a twist. This time it’s Mary Queen of Scots’s story that gets the magic treatment.
Mary can transform at will into a mouse, but she needs to keep it a secret as shape-shifting is frowned upon. Can she be the Queen the country needs, win Francis’s heart, and keep her secret? This is such a fun historical fiction book for teens and a great YA pick from books about Scotland!
City of Ghosts
Author: Victoria Schwab
Year: 2018
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Age: 10 – 13
More info: Cassidy Blake #1
Plot
When Cass is rescued from drowning, she suddenly becomes able to maneuver between the land of the living and the other side of the veil. The boy who rescued her is a ghost, and he becomes her best friend.
Her parents are ghost hunters and then they get a job filming a TV show in Scotland, they all pack up and go, including Cass’s ghost. What they find is scary and creepy, and makes for a fabulously fun novel.
Why Jackie loves it
While this is technically a middle-grade book, this paranormal book was SCARY. I absolutely loved it, but it should not be read by anyone afraid of ghost stories or ghost books.
Find this book in: Halloween Chapter Books / Books Set in Scotland / Ghost Books / Middle Grade Fantasy Books
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