3/5 ⭐️s
🫑 - kissing only

*I will preface this by saying I made the mistake of requesting this ARC without looking into the details of this book well enough. My bad.

LOVES:
- The chaos Katie seems to attract is endearing. Goodness, how many near-death experiences can she have??
- All of the Scotland details are very well written, I feel like I’m there. The accent is written out in a way that makes me hear it in my head, but doesn’t go so far as to confuse me about what’s being said.
- I loved how Graeme and his entire family see through to who she really is. She needed some unconditional love and it was sweet that it wasn’t just the MMC who gave that to her, but his entire family and the community.
- Lachlan was the cutest kid and so wise beyond his years. One of my favorite characters 🥰
- The way grief was embedded in this story, just woven through every character’s life, was poignant. Especially, the contrast between how different characters dealt with that grief.
- The ending is very sweet.

CRITIQUES:
- The clothing snafu really starts to piss me off. Somehow she is being shamed for not being able to wear the appropriate clothing… the fvck.
- I’m good with any religious representation (*again, my bad for not realizing it was a Christian romance), but it seemed like all of a sudden, the characters were thinking about God all over the place. It didn’t feel organic.
- There was SO much individual reflection that it felt like the main characters didn’t spend enough real, meaningful time together.

The writing was good and the characters were plenty lovable, but for some reason I slogged through this one. I just couldn’t get fully invested in this story and didn’t really feel like picking it up and reading. 🤷‍♀️ That’s probably a me problem, but nevertheless, it wasn’t as enjoyable to read as I would like.

Overall, this was entertaining, and I very much enjoyed many and varied references to Scottish folklore and mythology and the connection between the highlands and the Blue Ridge/Appalachian region of North Carolina. Grumpy Scottish carpenter (and maybe laird?) Graeme meets Sunshine Scottish-American travel writer Katie in a comedy of mishaps straight out of…well, a romance novel. Very much a romcom with laugh out loud moments, but also deals with grief and some of the many forms that it can take.

That said, I feel like the book description has the potential to be misleading to a potential reader. I know that Thomas Nelson is a Christian imprint. That said, nothing in the description would imply that this is a faith focused or driven romance. For a reader who does not understand what the Thomas Nelson imprint is, I believe that they could be disappointed and or feel like they were misled based on the book description alone.

Again, I understand that this is being published by a Christian imprint, but I also feel that it could reach a wider audience if faith and religion were less woven into the story, especially given that in spite of their presence, I don’t feel that they have an impact on the plot, only on the characterization.

I didn't care for this one. I was bored for most of it and the romance wasn't doing it for me. We get it, she's big and clumsy. To be fair, I didn't realize this was considered Christian when I requested it.

I got this as an ebook ARC and was enjoying it, but life was too busy, so when it released, I grabbed the audiobook to finish and oh my word is it a treat! Absolutely love the narration and hearing the Scottish accents just added to the whole appeal. This story is funny, heartwarming, immersive, and just all around lovely. It made me swoon for the love story and the descriptions of Scotland!

TW: Past Loss of Siblings

I love Pepper Basham’s writing and was so excited to get a copy of this one to read early! I loved the characters, the quirky setting, the beautiful descriptions of Scotland, and so much more! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Travel writer Katie Cambell gets the writing assignment of a lifetime in an all in Edwardian Highland vacation experience in Scotland. Amidst the glittering and a bit uncomfortable lifestyle, Katie meets Graeme, a local Scot. This is their story, an absolutely delightful slow burn, enemies to lovers, grumpy-sunshine RomCom that readers will be completely charmed by. The exciting characters, the Scottish setting, and a story of faith to overcome past traumas coming together will cause readers to want to linger a little bit longer with this beloved story.

Title: Some Like It Scot
By: Pepper Basham
Pub. Day: April 8, 2025

Genre:
Fiction, Women’s, RomCom, Christian,

Trigger Warnings:
Loss, Cancer, Sabotage

Memorable Quotes:
“Sometimes home is a place. Sometimes home is a person. Sometimes it’s both.”

“No matter where you run or how fast or far, you’ll never outrun your own heart.”

Summary/Review:
Katie Campbell, aka Miss Adventures, has gained her fame by her misadventures traveling around the world. She enjoys discovery and exploring, as she’s never really had a place to call home. She’s a graceful mess, who has a towering frame, and a big soul of kindness. Graeme is a hot scot who can’t take his eyes on her.

The author has created a clean rom com filled with humor and sprinkled with Christianity. I started reading this narrative, and found myself immersed in the storyline, so I then received a copy of the audiobook, and to my immense surprise, the story was even better. Both narrators were engaging, and hearing the Scottish accents helped me connect with Katie. I highly recommend this lighthearted and witty narrative. It hooked me with humor and held me with heart. I can't wait to read more novels by Pepper Basham!

Thank you to Pepper Basham, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am voluntarily leaving my review.

#SomeLikeItScot
#PepperBasham
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#ThomasNelson
#NetGalley

This was such a fun romantic comedy set in beautiful Scotland. I have always wanted to visit Scotland, and the descriptions of the landscapes in this story had me longing to join the story. Pepper Basham created a story that was both fun and heart-rending. The chemistry between the protagonists was steamy, yet it was a clean romance. That first kiss was swoon-worthy!!! I enjoyed listening to the audio version because it brought the Scottish brogue to life.

This is a review of the audiobook.

Pepper Basham has a wonderful sense of humor and it shines thru in Some Like it Scot. Parts of this novel were laugh out loud funny! I loved the telling of the story switchs back and forth between Graeme and Katie. Hearing the events from both of their perspectives just adds so much to the storyline. What’s not to love when teaming up Grumpy and Ms. Sunshine never mind some really exotic characters thrown in the mix.

Both Grame and Katie have pasts to deal with and questions about the future. Some Like it Scot was not only entertaining but thought provoking. And yet, this really was a fairly light read. For those who enjoy contemporary fiction that is funny and sometimes a little quirky, Some Like it Scot will be a hit. I received a copy from NetGalley. All opinons expressed are my own.

Where is home? For travel-writer Katie Campbell, who has struggled with familial relationships and putting down roots, home is a concept that doesn’t exist. For Scotsman Graeme MacKerrow, who has spent the past several years doing nothing but putting down roots, the small country town of Mull is, and always will be, home. Thrown together in a hilarious and cheesy mix up during an Edwardian Experience in Graeme’s ancestral home, Katie must learn to be loved and accepted while Graeme must learn to let go of his past so that they can both move forward in life and love.

Fans of Pepper Basham won’t be let down by this newest book in her line up. Some Like It Scot is every bit as funny, quirky, and entertaining as each of the books in her Skymar series. Basham deals with some difficult topics in this novel but manages to speak truth and grace through a story even while making her readers laugh. The characters are charming and witty and wont fail to steal your heart. I’ve been practicing my Scottish accent in hopes this book might become part of a series. Perhaps it could be Calum’s turn next?

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The story was fun and lighthearted and I had a good time reading it.
This was a wonderfully written romantic comedy.
I absolutely loved these characters and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A sweet, funny and heartwarming read!

I was so excited to read this, but I couldn’t get into it. The writing is well-done and the premise was interesting. Unfortunately, it just dragged. There was an overabundance of “Scot-speak” that was more distracting than charming, the chemistry was lacking, and the humor just wasn’t all that humorous. It was like everything that happened was contrived and over the top, but nothing important or exciting was actually happening at all. I stopped at just over 38%. I may try to finish it as this is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I’ve heard great things, but as of right now, it’s a DNF for me.

Pepper Basham is such a fantastic writer! This is a charmingly funny and punny rom-com. It has adventure, travel, intensity (actions, results of life, and swoon) . I loved the sweet Scot who was a gentleman, a hero, and a bit gruff. Katie-girl is a sweet loveable character who finally gets some clarity on where and who home is. Highly recommend this book!

“My value wasn’t measured by her behavior. Or my mistakes. It was measured by God’s love. A love I couldn’t out-fail. Ever.”

May I say this quote above made me cry as it is something I need to remember often, when my mind takes me places it doesn’t need to stay. Like Katie, I need to find my ultimate value in God, not what others may have said to me.

Hairy coos, puffins, a few exotic pets, an Edwardian Era adventure, an adorable ten-year-old, an American travel writer in Scotland, and a #hotScot!! Whew!! That’s a lot!! Mix them all up with a touch of faith, dependably but step-by-step guiding the characters through their choices and messes ( this *is* the social media phenomenon known as Miss Adventure for a reason),and we have a wonderfully endearing, humorous story that you will be sorry to close the book on.

Scotland, with its nearly constant (as I read it)mist or rain has never been high on my travel list. But Pepper Basham is so talented, that in Some Like it Scot, she could convince the biggest naysayer that Scotland has a rugged beauty that needs to be seen, smelled, and felt! Not to mention meeting the #hotScot! A totally infuriating, standoffish, confusing, and ultimately, just maybe attractive #hotScot !

With a dysfunctional family in her background, our heroine Katie is desperately searching for a sense of belonging and home. A conversation with her brother highlights this. “What if Scotland is the place you’ve been searching for?…Home, Katie. We’re all trying to find it.…Sometimes it’s a place. Sometimes it’s a person. Sometimes it’s both.”
When Katie finally realizes her sense of home, will she accept it, or will she attempt to run? ( We often recreate the familiar, even to our own hurt!)

Fave character? Obviously, the two main characters are the winners here. But Mirren, with her soul-piercing discernment and unconditional love has got to be a close second!! And the Highlander Coo! ( I must say that Moolatté is disappointed in this representation of her adorable breed!) Could it be, that animals, and people, have inward qualities that cannot be judged by outward appearances? Katie can see this as relates to the #hotScot, but she has difficulty understanding how others see her because of who God made her to be. Will she be free to be herself, or will she forever be trapped trying to conform to ghosts of impossible expectations? This is a hilarious, must-read book!!

I received a copy of the book from JustRead Tours via NetGalley. I also bought my own ecopy. ( But I need the pb- this is one for the keeper shelf!!) No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“Love lingers long.”- Mirren

“Graeme, it’s not about your hold on God. It’s about His hold on you.”- Greer

“When you know you’re loved, it changes everything.”

This book had a cute concept, but I feel like it missed the mark. The dialogue eluded to great banter and funny moments, but I didn't laugh even once. The two characters are too cookie cutter for me, and just not relatable.

I am a big fan of dual POV and romcoms in Scotland, but I had a hard time getting invested in the main characters. There was so much about the FMC being 6 feet tall, the religious references became so overt, and the Scottish phonetics were a bit heavy handed. It explores some good themes, but could do with some editing and refining. "Lass" might be the only nickname that doesn't immediately give me the ick, though. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

American travel writer Katie Campbell has made a career of finding the silver linings out of her misadventures. Her latest travel writing foray takes her to Scotland to participate in an "Edwardian Experience" for the magazine she works for while also exploring her family roots. Graeme MacKerrow is fully tied to his home, the Scottish island Mull and is set on helping restore his ancestral family home, even if it means renting it out to an eccentric Englishwoman who wants to put on a three-week "Edwardian Experience". Of course, Katie and Graeme collide, literally, almost immediately.

This book had all the makings of something that should work for me (I am nothing if not a woman who will consume any grumpy-sunshine romance with a grumpy Scot that I can get my hands on), but that didn't end up happening. Beyond the first meeting of our main characters I had a hard time connecting with the characters at all. Further, there were some additional introductions to the story maybe a third to midway through the book that I felt made the story too cluttered and like it was doing too much. Further, some of the emotional journey, at least for me, felt unearned. I'd ultimately rate this 2.5 stars, but round up to 3 where half stars aren't available.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the eARC.

Thank you to Pepper Bash, NetGalley, and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an eARC of Some Like It Scot in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a little while to get into this book (the slow burn was definitely slow burning for me), but the ending made the wait for Katie and Graeme’s love story all that much sweeter!

Katie’s clumsy and humbling nature was definitely groan-worthy at times, but she more than makes up for it with her heart for her work and for others. Graeme’s outwardly grumpy nature belies a heart that has been broken and needs to heal before he lets anyone else near it.

I didn’t realize that this was a Christian romance when I first started reading it, but the elements of faith in it didn’t feel overwhelming or like it was overtaking the whole story.

Some Like it Scot is a standalone novel by Pepper Basham. The McKerrow family of the Isle of Mull, Scotland has brought the family estate back into their possession, but the expense to purchase it and the further expenses to restore it are immense. To meet these expenses, they have given a short lease to the ultra wealthy Lennox family of England who will be holding authentic three week Edwardian experiences during this time. When the lease is up and the Edwardian experiences are over, the MacKerrow family will complete the transition of the estate to a bed and breakfast.

The first Edwardian experience is by invitation only as the Lennox family invites socialites, influencers, business partners, and travel writers. Katie Campbell, aka Miss Adventure, is both a travel writer and a travel podcaster with a wide audience, making her a much wanted guest. Much of her fame, and her Miss Adventure nickname, comes from her daring travels and the misadventures that seem to accompany her as well as her comedic retelling of the events. Unaccustomed to being in one place for this long, Katie will use her down time to explore the area and see what she can learn about the home of her ancestors.

When the paths of Katie and Graeme MacKerrow literally collide upon her arrival, the stage is set for the adventures that will unravel. This story is told with humor and heart, touching on sensitive topics with care. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

DNF at 67% - I can’t go on, I’m falling asleep on every page.

It comes down to this: the writing itself is fabulous - the author writes well and has great format.

The chemistry between the two main characters is cute and fun but runs its course pretty quickly. He’s the beast, she’s just lovely bla bla bla …

The rest falls unbearably flat. It’s just not at all interesting. The story line is boring, the side characters are dull and lack any depth. Which is a shame because the whole “Downton Abbey” experience could have been super cute (it’s lacking). Some drama is added with mentions of relatives deaths which is just discussed way too much for what should be a beach read.

Overall it’s just a lot of 🥱 which is a shame because I truly do think the author writes well.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.