the books
Fiction
The Art of Burning Heather
Coming December 9, 2025
Available for preorder now
A daughter’s escape to the Scottish Highlands becomes a mother’s reckoning, a sister’s choice, and a grandmother’s last chance in this witty, bittersweet novel about first loves, old ghosts, and the courage it takes to change.
When floral designer Deli MacDonald’s heart is broken by unrequited love and her best friend’s abandonment, she flees to the Scottish Highlands and her estranged aunt Mo’s cliffside cottage by the sea. There, embraced by a village of eccentric locals and her aunt’s unconditional, unfamiliar love, she finds herself drawn to brooding pub owner Lachlan Scott―whose path once crossed hers twenty years ago on these same heather-strewn hills.
As Deli fights to find her footing in the Highland soil among the wreckage of her life, she wakes family ghosts and accidentally reopens a decades-old rift. And when her mother and grandmother arrive unexpectedly, three generations of women must finally confront the painful patterns of love, lies, and grief that once drove them apart.
Through a tapestry of wildflowers, family secrets, and fierce hearts, Deli must reckon with the truth of how she learned to be loved. But choosing between the familiar ache of her old life and the uncertain promise of a new one means finding the courage to let her family’s legacy, and the world she built, burn away completely.
“A compassionate and hilarious must-read. Donalson’s trademark wit shines.”
- Jeneva Rose, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“The Art of Burning Heather is a story full of sweeping scenery, hilarious women, and hunky Scots. A beautiful and fragile exploration of love and identity that will sweep you away to the cliffs of Scotland. Donalson takes us by the hand and tenderly guides us through those universal experiences, and some unexpected ones too. Donalson left her heart on the page. It takes talent, courage, and good wit to unpack a broken heart, and Donalson delivers.”
―Stacey McEwan, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of
A Forbidden Alchemy
“A story as beautiful as it is gut wrenching, this debut fiction novel introduces you to complicated women trying to love in the only way they know how―for better or for worse. A heart-on-your-sleeve kind of tale that will have you booking a trip to the Scottish Highlands and begging for another sweeping adventure penned by Donalson.”
―Summer N. England, author of
The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne
“It felt like I was there, on a seaside cliff in a Scottish Highland town, holding my heart in my hands, determined and clever and full of grit. A stunning debut with complex characters, wrapped in sizzling banter and kilted spice.”
- ―Anna Przy, bestselling author of Keep It Up, Cutie
Inspired by a true story.
Inspired by a true story.
9 million people watched Devrie run away to Scotland and stumble into the adventure of a lifetime.
The first words of The Art of Burning Heather were born there—in the shadow of a castle, on the shores of the Isle of Skye.
Now, it’s finally yours.
Slàinte.
Non-fiction
Dear Reader Just Doing Your Best,
Give me a minute, and I'll tell you a story.
I'll tell you about my junior high soulmate, my haunted house, and running away to Scotland to lose my virginity. I'll tell you about my ardent belief in the power of cheese and the goodness of pigeons, the rules for attending my funeral, and my struggle to reconcile feminism with Brazilian bikini waxes. I'll tell you about my greatest failures and the many ways I have suffered because of my fear. I'll tell you about my greatest triumphs and exactly how I figured out how to be a person I'm proud of.
If you've ever felt the visceral fear of being abandoned or the anxious anticipation of change, you might find something here like hope or validation. If you've ever wondered if you had it in you to start over, or if you've found yourself questioning what you've always believed, you might find a road map to navigating both.
What I hope you find in these pages is a little laughter, a little healing, and permission to be okay. I hope you find the courage to embrace change and the sudden joy of believing you have always, always been enough. Above all and against all odds, from one pizza rat to another, I hope you feel seen.
Sincerely,
DD
You’re Gonna Die Alone (& Other Excellent News)
Available now
A refreshingly honest, wonderfully humorous, and entirely inspiring exploration of change, fear, and what it really means to be alone.
