Katie meets Graeme when she is in Scotland. Tamed for her misadventures what will she get up to in Scotland? A fun read!

Some Like It Scot
By Pepper Basham
Rating: 4.5/5

Wow. Wow. I haven’t read much from this author but I will definitely be reading more. This contemporary story was so good. I absolutely fell in love with the main characters. I laughed. I cried. I swooned. The dialogue is witty and punny. I did not want to stop reading. I absolutely want more stories from the MacKerrow family. I loved how the author was able to weave some of her faith into the story without being preachy. I enjoyed the visit to Scotland and even listened to the story with a Scottish voiced Siri.

Highly recommend this clean romantic comedy that will take you on a wild misadventure through Scotland and make you fall in love!

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

The premise had all the makings of a light, fun romcom—an American blogger swept up in an unexpected romance with a hot Scot during an adventure? Sign me up. But the actual story felt flat. It leaned too heavily on repetition—yes, we get it, she’s a tall woman who feels small next to him. That point was hammered in so often it lost all impact. On top of that, the emotional beats—like grief and strained family dynamics—were touched on but lacked depth, leaving them feeling more like checkboxes than real, affecting conflicts. It had potential, but the execution just didn’t land.

As the daughter of an army chaplain, Katie Campbell is used to travelling, so her job as a travel writer is perfect for her. Yet when she finds herself nearing thirty with no real place to settle down, she begins to wonder what the future holds for her. When a lengthy project in Scotland promises to not only give her travel fodder for months but also a shot at a coveted editing position, she accepts and is sent to spend three weeks in the newly created Craighill House, a Scottish home redesigned to offer guests an Edwardian experience. There she meets Graeme, who is a gruff but handsome Scot raising his brother’s son. Soon, Katie is falling in love with Graeme and his family and the whole of the Scottish countryside and wondering if her world-traveling lifestyle can fit in with them.
An entertaining read with plenty of emotion, with both Katie and Graeme having experienced the loss of family members. There is depth to both characters, and this is revealed as they become closer. The secondary characters in this book are delightful, making it challenging for Katie to contemplate leaving.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you for considering me for this ARC.

I found the formatting of this eFile difficult to read, especially when there were multiple lines of dialogue. I spent a lot of the time having to reread to understand who was actually speaking.

The plot of this book was also slow paced, with more exposition than action. I knew more about Katie and Graeme in their opening chapters that it felt counter productive reading the rest of the book, as I confidently guessed the plot points and tropes.

I found the setting an plot of this book intriguing, and the characters were enjoyable to get to know. However, I struggled with the writing of the book: the descriptions would go on for so long that I would completely get lost in the plot and it was difficult to come back from those descriptions or flashbacks and figure out where we were in the storyline.
If you like the movie Austenland you will probably enjoy this one!

Oh, boy...This amazing story brought together and satisfied all of my wanderlust, Downton, and Scottish romance dreams. I smiled. I laughed out loud. I yearned for someone to call me, "lass." (I'm sure my husband's getting right on that...😂) Pepper Basham is an auto-read author for me at this point and I've been dying to read this one since she announced it. It didn't disappoint and the author's note made me appreciate its beauty even more. Definitely don't skip it! Now, I'm just over here not-so patiently waiting on Pepper's next work of art and continuing to catch up on her backlog...❤️

Katie...This girl is such an authentic FMC. She isn't your stereotypical 5'6"-5'7" thin and blonde heroine who seems to have it all together. Instead, her curvy, tall frame and fiery locks are seen getting into all sorts of crazy misadventures. The comical situations that she finds herself in and the grace that she exhibits as she works through each one is perfection. She does have some baggage (who doesn't?), but I really enjoyed seeing her work through that and finally stop "running."

Graham...What an absolutely swoony book boyfriend! Fun fact: If you listen to the audiobook, you get to hear that wonderful accent for real. 🥵 Graham is just such a solid, steadfast guy. He too is working through some things, but his love for family, art, and his ancestral home is so very admirable and attractive. I adored reading about all the wonderful characteristics he saw in Katie that were so much more than skin-deep. It was also really special to see some major healing moments for him along the way.

Things I loved:

❤️All the travel and fun facts about different destinations
❤️The entire idea of the "Edwardian Experience"
❤️All of Katie's wonderfully charming and often hilarious mishaps
❤️The descriptions of the highlands, lochs, and glens
❤️Buttercups and heather
❤️Katie's fond memories of her grandparents
❤️Mirren's book shop and her relationship with Katie
❤️The "book club grannies"
❤️All the Scottish lore (fairies, mermaids, Nessie, etc.)
❤️Fishing with Lachlan
❤️Graham's art
❤️Pepper's authentic and sensitive rep of the loss of a sibling
❤️All the Scottish words, but especially "lass"
❤️Katie's relationship with Brett
❤️Katie joining Graham's family at church
❤️Family dinner
❤️Katie's secret project
❤️Callum
❤️Mentions of faith and God
❤️Grand gesture
❤️Epilogue

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️

I 100% haven't gotten enough of Katie and Graham. I'm so hoping we might see more of them in the future!

3.5⭐

'Some Like It Scot' is a charming rom-com set in Scotland, featuring an American fmc and a Scottish mmc. The story touches on important topics such as grief, love, and the journey of self-discovery. I liked the writing style, which made the story both easy to follow and engaging.

However, despite the emotional journey of the main characters, they still felt a bit flat to me. Their love story didn't feel entirely believable, because the plot unfolds over such a short time frame, and their chemistry didn't come across as particularly strong to me.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the E-ARC. This is my second book by Pepper Basham and I adored it as well. This was such a easy clean and fun read. Katie is a travel writer who has Miss Adventures and writes about them. She goes to Scotland to for a Edwardian experience but encounters so much more....left enter Graeme the grumpy heroic Scot. I loved the banter between the characters and all the side characters as well. I also love how Pepper integrates God in her story where its not pushy but just perfect. Cant wait to read more by her

“A few fairies here, a mermaid there, occasional book club grannies brewing up trouble with magic tea.”

When travel writer Katie Campbell ventures into an Austen-era experience in Scotland, she doesn’t actually see any fairies or mermaids—though she sometimes wonders if she is a victim of their mischief! But there are meddlesome grannies armed with books and knitting and their own magically healing kind of love. Which Katie—who famously lives up to her moniker of Miss Adventure—could definitely use.

Attacked by a thieving macaw, a maniacal bicyclist, and a vengeful competitor, Katie finds herself being rescued again and again by a grumpy Scot. Might her reluctant rescuer be the one to help her find her way home . . . to him?

Some Like It Scot is brimming with romance, hope, and the daring to give life after grief another chance. I laughed out loud, cringed with embarrassment, and dabbed away the occasional tear or two. Readers, you’re going to love this one!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Some Like It Scot was a fun story and sweet Romance, but it got off to a slow start for me Early on, I was distracted by the author trying too hard to check certain literary boxes. For example, dialogue for the native Scots seemed too forced and not genuine. The main character's trademark clumsiness and being accident prone was too over the top to be believable. And I love a story, especially a Romance, where the main characters express their faith, but it came across a bit forced. As I got used to these things, the story grew on me and picked up speed. In the end, I enjoyed it very much. My 3 stars is really 3.5. Glad I stuck with it!
Thank you to Net Galley for the advance read.

This was such a fun romcom. I loved the Scottish vibes/setting and the quirkiness of the FMC. A darling love story with unique elements.

With no anchor at home following the deaths of her grandparents, Katie travels the world, never stopping anywhere long enough to get attached - she loves her job as travel writer, and it's safer that way. This three-week Edwardian Experience in Scotland will be the longest she's stayed anywhere for a long time. But it isn't long before she starts to wonder whether it will be too short. Despite her avoidance of attachments, something about both the place and the people has been so welcoming and accepting that it's like the home she's never really known. But with years of experience of misadventures, often ending badly for someone, the idea that anyone would want her for herself, let alone be willing to sign up for a lifetime of saving her life and inadvertently endangering his own, is incomprehensible. Graeme has been struggling since the death of his sister, closely followed by being dumped by his fiancee, and the idea of leaving Mull is altogether off the cards. So an attraction to a travel writer is clearly idiotic - if only he could convince his heart of it. Can this impossible couple overcome the baggage of their past to form a future together?

A delightful, hilarious but also deeply touching story that grabbed my attention from the start and held it through each twist and turn until I almost reluctantly reached the very satisfying end. I say 'almost reluctantly' because while I was thrilled to see Katie and Graeme get their long-awaited happy ending, I was also sorry to say goodbye to either of them, or indeed to Mull. Katie's mishaps were amusing (though less so when it became clear how much they shaped her idea of herself), but I actually particularly liked the way that previous mishaps are hinted at in passing, leaving room for so much imagination... For the rest, the story holds various quirky characters, including a mild villain who gets what he deserves, a wonderfully welcoming family, people who are willing to speak the truth in love even when it hurts, main characters I really cared about, an inspirational message and the aforementioned amusing mishaps. Best of all, though, there are people who see the best in each other and build each other up when they're struggling. Both Katie and Graeme have baggage holding them back, and it's inspiring to see them deal with it rather than keeping on trying to bury it or run away. All in all, a great read that I can imagine coming back to reread multiple times. Highly recommended.

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

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
A delightful romp full of heart, humour, and Highland charm. Pepper Basham brings together a swoon-worthy setting, sparkling chemistry, and a warm, faith-driven romance that feels honest and uplifting. A feel-good love story with just the right amount of Scottish spice.

This book was complicated for me to review. It had a lot of potential but it was very very slow. Not much happened the first half of the book. I loved the concept and what I felt like it could have been. I wish it was much shorter, like a quick read. Or that the story line was more in depth for the other characters and even the woman characters. I felt there was a lot of opportunity to add more details where it was missed.

I would love to try another book by this author to see if it was just this story, or if it is their particular writing style.

Upbeat rom-com, set in the rolling hills of Scotland, with great situational comedy, plenty of heart, and touches of faith.

Katie Campbell is a "Miss Adventure"-ing travel writer, sent on assignment to check out a Edwardian living experience in the stunning countryside of Scotland. Used to never staying one place too long, Katie doesn't expect Scotland to slowly carve its way into her heart. She is a talented writer, and often feels out of place or in the way. I admired Graeme as a devoted son and father-figure, he also has many creative talents of his own. Gruff on the outside, he has a genuine heart of gold.

Heartwarming, filled with plenty of swoon-worthy moments, wit, and situational humor. An irresistible read, highly enjoyable, with a full cast of wonderful characters. I definitely raced through this one far faster than I wanted (I had plans to savor it), but I was hooked. The Scottish accents, and great interactions pulled me in. A wonderful read from beginning to end!

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

"Sometimes home is a place. Sometimes it's a person. Sometimes it's both."

Romance, humor, faith, and emotional depth combine to create an unforgettable read.

On the surface this is a romcom full of witty banter, romance, hilarious misadventures, and unforgettable characters...but look deeper and you'll find this story is beautiful, layered, healing, and inspirational.

I absolutely fell in love with Scotland, Katie, Graeme, and the whole MacKerrow clan!

Pepper Basham has such an electric way with words. Her ability to draw emotion and hold you captive and then release it at just the right moment with a look, a touch, or a witty retort is everything! I get completely lost in her books, in the worlds she creates and the characters she breathes life into.

I had the opportunity the listen to the audiobook after reading the book and let me just say...the narrators are phenomenal! The accents, the emotion, the pacing, the way they truly brought the story to life, all combined to create an excellent listening experience.

I highly recommend this book in whichever format you prefer!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC, and to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction audio and NetGalley for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my second book by Pepper Basham’s and I can’t wait to read more.

This book is so fun. So full of heart and humor and a swoony Scotsman.

Katie is absolutely adorable. I love that she was travel writer. She’s in Scotland for an Edwardian experience to share with her followers. (Oh my goodness, so many funny moments from that and Katie’s “misadventures”.) I love how Katie immersed herself into Craighill and Scotland. It makes me want to visit. The author did a fantastic job with the setting and characters. I loved the town and the knitting ladies. Lachlan (he was adorable. I loved his and Katie’s sweet relationship) and Graeme’s mum were also wonderful.

Graeme’s painful past was enduring. And Katie’s losses and disappointments were hard too. Each of them finding what they needed in each other was wonderful.

Once Katie broke through Graeme the grumpy beast, their conversations were so lovely. But the ones before that were just as good too. Graeme and Katie had amazing back and forth banter. The dual POV showed the inner thoughts of each so well.

I loved the shout out to Jaime Jo Wright!

And wow that kiss! The ending, it was simply perfect. (The author’s note also tugged at my heart.)

I received a NetGalley link from the publisher. And a NetGalley approval from the publisher for the audio book. All views are my own.

Some Like it Scott is a super sweet, cozy, feel-good read from Pepper Bashrum. Her stories are enchanting and the Scottish setting is atmospheric and delightful. The banter is humorous, the lessons are meaningful and have depth, and the romance is endearing. This story is not only entertaining, but also therapeutic. I will read everything this author writes!

** “I didn’t have to find weird. It always seemed to find me.” **

Pepper Basham once again delivers a fun, sweet and quirky romance with “Some Like It Scot.”

Travel writer Katie Campbell is an accident waiting to happen, which has allowed her to develop her online persona Miss Adventure. Taking advantage of her natural clumsiness and ability to find trouble, she travels the world sharing her adventures and misadventures with the world.

So when she finds herself covering an Edwardian Experience in Scotland, she’s ready to see what the experience will bring her … and what troubles she’ll find.

Graeme MacKerrow and his family are renting out their ancestral home, Craighill House, to the Lennox family for the Edwardian venture. But when the quirky red-headed American writer quite literally falls in his lap, he finds himself intrigued. How will Katie change his life’s trajectory?

As the two find their paths continually crossing, the attraction between them grows. Can they overcome past losses and grief, as well as two completely different lifestyles, to build a relationship?

As usual, Basham creates delightfully quirky and flawed characters, as well as including some great themes, like you can convince yourself you’re fine, when you aren’t really; we all bring our own stories to life; having an inexplicable longing to linger and tarry; beauty inspires us; overcoming grief; and what is it that makes a home — people or places.

Five stars out of five.

Thomas Nelson provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.