I was excited to read this next story after loving Kilt Trip. The Highlands is a place I’ve always wanted to visit and almost felt like I took a trip there by reading this book. The second-chance romance was so sweet and I loved the suspense of the dual-timeline plot.

Brought me right back to my trip to Scotland- I loved reliving some of my favorite spots alongside a new cast of characters. Well written, with a good pace- I found myself excited to check in with my new friends each day when I read more of the story!

I liked "Scot and Bothered" more than "The Kilt Trip" but it still didn't quite work for me. Brooke and Jack were together when she was a college senior and him a TA in one of her classes (though not her TA). When the university learns of their relationship, Brooke's whole life and career trajectory are sent off the rails. She ends up a ghost writer versus an author under her own name, scared to pursue her dreams. Brooke and Jack reconnect on a project she is co-writing, hiking a Scottish trail together so she can 'experience' it and he can take photos. And of course, love is also back in the picture.

The hike and the Scottish countryside are the true stars of "Scot and Bothered." Jack and Brooke suffer in comparison. There is chemistry there, but her relative quickness in forgiving him is incongruous when compared to the years she spent blaming him. He has apparently never stopped loving her but has also never sought her out to apologize, despite having a direct line to her through his aunt? I also didn't quite understand how Brooke could be so angry at Jack and yet so loving of Mhairi, considering all of the circumstances. And when we finally get to the culmination of the past timeline, we also learn that apparently all Jack and Brooke would have needed to do was disclose their relationship earlier on? So......why did they not just do that? (I mean, I get it, there would be no book, but still.)

Anyway, as I said, the main couple does have chemistry and the writing isn't terrible. There were just a number of plot holes that pulled me out of the story. 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

1.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the e-ARC of this book.

Tropes:
●Second-Chance Romance
● Dual Timeline
● Forced proximity

Pros: The cover on this book is amazing!

Cons:
I must honestly say that I was not pulled in by the love story. I was more intrigued on what happened to their relationship and how they broke up. Who was the one that told on them? How did they break up? I was not interested in their second-chance romance. There wasn't really banter for me to get sucked in. The story seemed really sad by the end since Aunt Mhairi's illness was discovered. Also, the way that Brooke doubted herself was a drag. I understand how we have moments of weakness and we have this form of negativity but the way that she expressed herself was not good. Lastly, Jack didn't captivate me has the MMC. He seemed all over the place and didn't have courage to go after what he wanted.

Overall, their love story didn't seem realistic to me.

this book was such a super cute read! Mahairi is such a sweet soul and I love that in her memoir, Luke and Brooke reconnect. Luke and Brooke met in Uni and even though their relationship was against rules to Luke position as a TA, they couldnt stay away, Costing them both more than they ever bargained for, including the careers they were working towards. When reconnected, the LAST thing either of them wanted was to be hiking together for a week. But as the week goes on, Luke and Brooke discover more about what happened to cause their unfortunate end, more about eachother, and more about whaat brought them together all over again. Maybe those feelings arent that far gone after all.

I love the way it loosely ties into Kilt Trip! Alexandra Kiley is absolutely becoming one of my favorite writers!

i really tried to enjoy and read this one but i couldn’t really connect with the characters and it felt a bit slow. usually between 50-100 pages i’m HOOKED, but this has truly dragged on and i’ve lost interest in the story. unfortunately i had to dnf at 54% into it. i also usually really enjoy a dual timeline, but this one just didn’t work for me. and i’m a sucker for a second chance romance, so this one hurt 😩 the most interesting thing for me was the hiking trip to skye, but their relationship (why they got together, the forbidden romance, student/TA, she looses everything, but she helped him realize his dream) was not it.

Seven years ago, Brooke had her dreams and heart shattered by Jack. She now has to hike 80 miles along the wild Highlands of Scotland with Jack. She is helping her mentor, Mhairi, write her memoirs, and Jack is Mhairi’s nephew, who is taking the photos for her book. The two have to work together and spend hours and miles together, giving them time to talk about their past and learn about their current lives.

This book is a great example of how to do a second-chance romance. The chemistry builds through the book with all touches, glances, and inside information. This made me want to go explore the Scottish Highlands. I would even consider going on a SHORT hike. I liked the dual timeline of this book.

Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley is a second chance romance with all the feels. Brook and Jack knew each other during their university days. Until it all blew up and they parted and have not seen each other in many years.

There is something about a second chance romance that always resonates with me. This dual POV and dual time-line story comes together seamlessly and draws you in. I enjoyed watching Jack and Brook figure out who they were, to love themselves, and realize the gift they had in each other. It was fantastic to visit Scotland through the pictures the author so eloquently painted and get to walk and adventure on beautiful trails. There are few thing I love better than highland coos.

Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley is a second chance romance that will bring you hope. I recommend.
I received advance copies of the eBook from Harlequin Trade Publishing, and HTP Hive. All review opinions are my own.

I like almost everything about this book except the title, which doesn't really match the book but feels like a situation where the author was found a title they liked separately and just related to Scotland. But there's a lot going on here that's really great - the familial relationships, the obvious chemistry between the main two leads, the Isle of Skye. I do think that the book would have been better if the back and forth main conflict had been sped up a little, because there probably should have been more time pacing wise spent on resolving the conflict and less just helping us figure out what happened.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley.

I was really excited for this book and really enjoyed the first one in the series. But this book just kept going on and not giving me much.
The two POVs and the time switches were too much. The author should have just picked one.
I really liked Jack in the last book so, he was the only reason I hung on for so long

Back to Scotland we go with Alexandra Kiley's latest book, Scot and Bothered! This time, we're following Jack's quest for a second chance with Brooke, featuring only one tent and a whole lot of longing. What more could you ask for?

This dual POV and dual timeline romance is a masterclass in tension. The past timeline unfolds with Brooke as a student and Jack in grad school. They're not supposed to date since Jack is TA for a class Brooke is taking (but not her TA). In the past timeline, we see their forbidden romance and eventual breakup.

In the present, we have a front row seat to Brooke's lingering resentment toward Jack for derailing her dreams of becoming an author. The suspense around the exact cause of their breakup builds beautifully.

In the present, Brooke and Jack must navigate the Skye Trail together, collaborating on a book for Mhairi, Jack's aunt and Brooke's mentor. Their chemistry is electric, and Jack's determination to make amends and his feelings shine through. They both learn things about themselves as during the two week trek.

Audiobook Narration
I did an immersive read, experienced this story through both the audiobook and ebook formats, and let me tell you, Jack's Scottish brogue is pure perfection. I highly recommend the audio! You don't want to miss out on hearing Jack's chapters.

I started off intrigued and excited - I enjoyed being plopped down into Brooke's world, but sometimes the flipping back and forth between past and present throws me off. I'm also not normally a second chance romance fan, but I did enjoy their story in the end!

Definitely recommend this sweet story between Brooke and Jack. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for a copy of this book to review!

I really liked the premise of this second chance romance. In Scot and Bothered, Brooke reunites with her college boyfriend to hike the arduous Skye Trail. After his betrayal resulted in her leaving the University of Edinburgh without a degree, she has nursed the pain of their breakup for years. And Brooke is a writer! I love stories about writers and publishing.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t live up to my expectations. I listened to the audiobook and toward the end I struggled with boredom. At first, I couldn’t put my finger on why. Eventually I realized that I simply wasn’t interested in the characters. And when the reason for their college breakup was revealed, I was annoyed with their choices.

I don’t think was the fault of the narration. I enjoyed listening to the story. In fact, I suspect I would’ve lost interest earlier if I had been reading the book in print.

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc. i read kiley's debut of kilt trip and was excited to see she wrote a follow up. this one was just as good, with the beautiful descriptions of scenery to make you feel as if you traveled there. the romance was excellent with well-written characters.

Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley is a cozy, emotional second-chance romance set in the stunning Scottish Highlands. Brooke, a ghostwriter trying to find her own voice, ends up on a hiking trip to co-write a memoir—only to discover her travel partner is Jack, the guy who broke her heart (and got her kicked out of school) years ago.

Told in both past and present timelines, the book slowly unpacks their messy history while throwing them back together in close quarters. There’s a lot of longing, unresolved feelings, and beautiful scenery along the way.

It’s a thoughtful, slow-burn story about healing, forgiveness, and figuring out who you are. Some parts move a little slow, but the emotional payoff and the swoony setting make it worth it—perfect for fans of introspective love stories with gorgeous vibes.

The setting and the way Kiley describes it is beautiful, which I knew from Kilt Trip, so I really enjoyed that part. The romance for me was... okay. I feel like I don't know much about Brooke other than her writing dreams, the random facts that she tells Jack when they first meet, and... yeah that's all I can think of honestly. I don't know. I will definitely read Kiley again- I really loved Kilt Trip and maybe that blew my expectations a little too high for this one.

If you need to know one thing about me, it's that I adore a good romantic book about books, and this one was simply darling. The setting in Skye was enchanting and added so much to the story. Read this if you love: wholesome and slightly spicy romances, yearning, a second-chance romance, dual-timelines and an atmospheric feel.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, NetGalley, and Alexandra Kiley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The perfect book to get me ready for Scotland! So cute and swoony! These little loves had so much passion for each other and I loved the chemistry!

I really enjoyed Kilt Trip so I was excited to read Scot and Bothered.

Vibes:

💕Second-Chance Romance
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Atmospheric Scottish Setting
🥾Hiking on the Isle of Skye
⛺️Only One Tent
🎓University Shenanigans
❤️Deep Love
🫂Found Family
🐮Hairy Coos

What’s not to love?

Net Galley ARC Review:

I really enjoyed Kilt Trip so I was excited to pick this one up! Unfortunately it just didn’t land the way I wanted it to. I normally love a good second chance romance, but this just didn’t quite work for me. The way the main characters got together the second time around was so abrupt. It was like nothing had happened in the 7 years they were apart and they just jumped back into things so quickly. Then the conflict at the end felt so forced to me. I also felt like the female character lacked internal motivation and seemed to need a LOT of validation from the people around her, and that carried throughout the book.

I loved the concept of hiking the trail together, and the book definitely made me want to travel to Scotland! Overall. It was a pretty fun read but it really lacked in a lot of places and I found myself just not really caring about the characters