I was so excited to read this book. I love European settings. The scenery was not discussed ….it was assumed we knew what Edinburgh is like. I understand the story does not have anything to do with the scenery and the characters were the main focus. The characters were developed and relatable. I was rooting for them to get back together. The book is predictable and very much a slow burn. Scot and Bothered was a sweet and cozy love story through the ages unfortunately parts of the story will not be memorable to me.

Consider me a believer in a second chance at love…Brooke and Jack made mistakes and will most likely continue to make them, but perhaps they’d get a chance to do that together. How sweet is that?! After having to divert her dream seven years ago, Brooke finds herself back in Scotland as a ghostwriter. Her old flame, Jack, is the photographer for the memoir Brooke is helping write. Told in a then and now format with both PoV, their hard earned journey to a second chance at romance is full of truths revealed and trust regained, a bit of spice, heartache and healing, all with a beautiful setting.

A second chance romance that also offers a second chance at choosing what path you want to take in life…while also quite literally happening on a path!!

Brooke Sinclair, an American ex-pat living in Edinburgh, has always dreamed of being a writer- and now she’s somewhat there with a thriving ghostwriting career (but does it make her happy?). In the midst of writing a memoir with her mentor/favorite teacher/founder of a famous trail on Isle of Skye, she’s offered a chance to explore that trail with her mentor’s nephew Jack…with whom she shares a fraught past…and who has found his path in life and is so much more assured (and handsome) than he even was before.

Brooke and Jack take the week on Skye to figure out themselves, reevaluate their relationship, and ponder what their futures could hold. I found this book deeply introspective and a great exploration of what it means to chase your dreams or sell out, to choose yourself and your happiness or choose security even if it doesn’t spark joy. Does success mean anything if you don’t get to have happiness and fulfillment? Does any of it matter if you’re standing alone at the end of the day? This book posits no, and for that, I am in total agreement!

Thank you so much to Alexandra Kiley and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

I got to a little more than halfway and realized that I still had no idea what was going on. I couldn’t for the life of me tell you what the main characters names are. It just didn’t seem to hook me the way that I wanted it to. I feel guilty DNF’ing but it just wasn’t hooking me the way I was hoping it would.

4.5

Scot and Bothered is Alexandra Kiley's sophomore novel and I had so much fun with it!

Scot and Bothered follows Brooke and Jack as they travel across the Skye Trail in Scotland. This story jumps back and forth between two timelines - the past, when Brooke is in undergrad at the University of Edinburgh and Jack is there for grad school, and the present when Brooke and Jack are forced into hiking the Skye Trail to complete their respective jobs for Jack's Aunt's upcoming memoir.

Brooke is currently a ghostwriter and is given the opportunity by Mhairi (Jack's Aunt) to help co-write her memoir, which would be the first time Brooke's name is put on the cover of a book. Jack kinda works for his family's tour guide company but has mostly committed to photography and trying to get his work in galleries.

In the past, the reader is taken on a journey through Brooke and Jack's original college relationship. These two had some major chemistry in college but things are complicated when they realize that Brooke is in a class that Jack is co-TAing for. The past plotline follows their struggles with their friendship, the knowledge they both want something romantic, and the issues that would come about if they tried to start something while Brooke and Jack are technically in a student/teacher relationship.

Back in the present, things are a lot more tense! Brooke despises Jack and doesn't want to spend days hiking with him, but is also aware that the hike isn't something she could do herself. Jack is much more open to trying to figure things out between them - to try and get to a place where they could try a romantic relationship.


I really enjoyed the way Alexandra Kiley jumped back and forth between the two timelines. I read a book earlier this year where the past timeline was NOT in chronological order and now I am so much more appreciative when books can do this successfully for the reader! It really helps show the true progression of characters relationships and stories. I think a lot of second-chance romances that have dual timeline can also struggle with balancing where the action is occurring. I think that was a con of Scot and Bothered. It felt like there was a lot more action occurring on page in the past, the present was a lot more of an emotional character journey - which is fine, I just think there could have been more of a balance between the two. Another thing that was kind of a detriment, Jack is the brother to Logan, Alexandra's MMC in her first book. I wish this had been marketed as a sequel because I wish I had known to go back and reread "Kilt Trip" so I could have had a bit more context towards Jack's role in the family business. I do think "Scot and Bothered" technically stands alone and doesn't Need to be read in order, but I'm sure Jack has appearances in Kilt Trip that would have given him a bit more ooomph in this story if I had read them closer to one another.

The writing was so good! The vulnerability of the MCs was heartwarming. This was a very well done second chance romance set in Scotland, I loved a Scottish setting.

Alexandra Kiley’s ability to write descriptions that make me feel everything is exceptional. As a reader that does not visualize, this is important to my enjoyment of a story. As I embarked on my journey through Skye, I felt like I was there experiencing everything that Brooke and Jack experienced; I guess it helps that I have visited Scotland before. This book has reignited my desire to do so, so that I may see some of which I had not seen before but felt through this journey.
This story is told with dual perspectives and dual timelines. The chemistry between Jack and Brooke in both timelines is tangible. I could feel the desire in the past and the hurt laced with longing in the present. The story is a slow burn, both in the journey and the rekindling of the romance, with significant character development. While typically I would be turned off by the miscommunication trope, Alexandra handles this with care and in a way made it necessary; the characters were young and had a lot of growing up to do. There is still so much growth that both characters need to undergo in the present in order to heal, especially Brooke. Both of the main characters have expectations from others and of themselves that they must overcome come in order to truly embrace their lives and each other.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that has longed to visit Scotland, or would like to return, and to those that like a heartbreaking story with puzzle pieces being reassembled into what could only be described as fate.
Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing (Canary Street Press), NetGalley, and Alexandra Kiley for a digital early copy of the book. The opinions expressed are honestly and my own.

This was a fun, second chance romance on a hiking trail through the Scottish Highlands.

Brooke and Jack fell for each other while he was a TA (not hers as there were 2) and she was a student. Then things happened that made them have to walk away from each other. Now Brooke is ghostwriting Mhairi's memoir and needs to hike the trail Mhairi made to make it even more authentic.... The problem is Jack is the photographer going with her.

This hike was full of rain, a little bit of fog to get lost in, and memories too strong to ignore for long. I felt the pain and she that Brooke held into. I also felt that it kept her from pursuing her actual dream. But at the same time, I'm so happy she was able to gift Mhairi in one small way.

I love the rekindling of Brooke and Jack. The heat between them is super charged even when they are on the outs. They just felt that they were a perfect fit for each other and they just needed to find that perfect time for their relationship to really bloom.

I feel like it's 1-2 edits away from being a 5 star book for me.

I didn’t even really mind the reason for their breakup, I minded the timing of it. I think if the author revealed it to us at the start of the hike and gave us a few more chapters from Jack's POV it would've worked a lot better. The “why” happened so late and then the additional conflict happened, it felt like a piling on instead of resolutions. I left this feeling like the story wasn’t truly settled.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

3.5 stars

as i get closer to my upcoming trip, i find that i keep stumbling upon romances taking place in scotland… definitely not complaining, especially with dual narrators with accents 😉

despite guessing where this was going, i still enjoyed the read! as for the alc, i always love a dual narration

Read this if you like:
•only one tent
•second chance
•Scotland

This is dual POV and also past/present timelines. I enjoyed learning what happened years ago as well as seeing the current day play out. The descriptions of the island and their hikes were beautiful. This book WILL make you want to go to Scotland asap. Thank you Harlequin for ARC

okay this book hit all the feels and then some. I felt like I was in the fmc’s shoes and going thru everything she was as I read along. Loved the dual pov and time jumps…very necessary and made the story feel so whole. Some of my favorite tropes make an appearance: second chance, one-bed, secret relationship mixed with Scottish landscapes and sexy ass accents.

ARC BOOK REVIEW

Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley

Thank you, @HTPbooks @thehive @canarystreetbooks and Harlequin Audio, for the #free eARC and audiobook of this one! I’m so grateful to be a member of The Hive! #hiveinfluencer #HTPpartner #htpbooks #htphive #canarystreetpress #ScotandBothered

SYNOPSIS: “Brooke Sinclair’s dream of being a published author derailed when she was expelled from the University of Edinburgh seven years ago. Now a ghostwriter, she sticks to other people’s stories. But when her college mentor Mhairi McCallister needs a co-writer for her memoir about Scotland’s most challenging trek, Brooke would do anything for the opportunity—including agreeing to hike the rugged Skye Trail for authenticity’s sake... not knowing the nature photographer who’ll join her is Jack Sutherland, the man who shattered Brooke’s writing career—and her heart.

Between getting sacked from the University and walking away from his family’s tour-guiding business to follow his photography dreams, Jack is desperate to prove he didn’t disappoint his family for nothing. And he can’t ignore his Aunt Mhairi’s final wishes for her memoir. Even if it means acting as guide and storyteller for the one who got away. Even if it means keeping secrets about Mhairi’s health.

As Jack and Brooke head into the solitude of the sweeping Scottish landscape, they’re forced to confront old feelings that haven’t disappeared with time. But can two weeks and eighty miles heal years of unspoken hurt and offer a second chance at the end of the trail?”

REVIEW: Romantic tension. Second chances. Idyllic locations. Long hikes with your ex. I’m here for every single romance set in the Scottish Highlands!

Brooke and Jack have had an ELECTRIC connection from the beginning, and that is no different when they see each other again. However, Brooke cannot stand Jack and never imagined seeing him again. But now that they two are forced into a week-long hike together, tensions get super high. One bed? Try ONE TENT!

I really loved these characters! They are so very tender together, and I loved watching their journey…from the beginning to seven years later.

I was lucky enough to get the audiobook of this one, and it was such a delight to listen to. Angus King as Jack and Savannah Davies as Brooke do such an amazing job bringing the characters (and their accents) to life!

Publisher: Canary Street Press
Pub date: 3/4/25

This book was so cute!! You knowwww I love a second chance romance! But a SCOTTISH second chance romance????
😍🥰❤️😍☺️😊🥳🤩🥰

I loved the dual timelines and POVs. It really helped build the tension! The audio is well done and Angus King’s Scottish accent 😮‍💨 I LIVEEEDDD for the pain they felt for their original breakup. AK always throws in a couple funny one-liners too, huge fan of those.

“Jack in a kilt? Damn, who knew that was on my bucket list.” 🤣

This was a beautiful 4⭐️ for me!!

Read if you loved: You, With a View, PS: I Hate You, Wanderlust, and/or A Thousand Miles.


Thank you to Alexandra Kiley and Canary Street Press for the ARC!

I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out what to say about Scott and Bothered and truthfully remain unsure as to how I feel. There were moments that felt profound, that made me think and re-evaluate things in my own life, and I loved that aspect. And there were others that made me want to take a break from reading or to skim a paragraph or two, and those aspects are the ones I’m struggling to articulate. My two theories are that my dissatisfaction boiled down to repetition and my lack of faith in the relationship. Repetition: most learned life lessons mentioned in the book were repeated many times, which led to the story feeling unnecessarily long and redundant. Lack of faith in characters: when I was about 75% through, I started to get frustrated that the characters seemed to flip toward and away from each other on a whim. I understand that betrayal can lead to issues with trust, but I’m of the belief that trust is integral to true love, making it difficult for me to reconcile the idea that the characters were somehow in love and also so very…changeable. They never truly dug into what led to their falling out in the first place and although I believe that second chance love is possible, I don’t believe it can last unless the past is fully addressed. So. This is all to say, Scot and Bothered was well written (I have a feeling I would love to sit down and chat with Alexandra Kiley about life and philosophy and general beliefs and perspectives) but the story itself ultimately fell flat for me.

Brooke agrees to hike the sky trail in Scotland with her mentor Mhairi and nature photographer Jack.. she wants to help write a book on Mhairi 's life and he wants to hike the trail to make it more authentic. good story.

I enjoyed this book! I felt like the ending was a bit rushed after all of the build up through the rest of the story - but overall I enjoyed! The relationship building, the banter - it was well done!

I genuinely enjoyed this book overall with the second chance trope being an absolute favorite. It’s so amazing to get to see people fall in love all over again. Brooke is such a relatable female main character with her fears of being stuck and unsure of where she sees herself going in the future and Jack is most certainly relatable in terms of coming from a smaller community where it’s normally expected to carry on in a family business. Getting to read and watch them find not just each other but also themselves again during this journey was an amazing thing to read and I definitely look forward to reading more books from this author!

Brooke has always wanted to be a writer. When she achieves this dream as a ghost writer, she figures, it's better than not writing. She is given the opportunity to write her mentors memoir but told it doesn't have heart.

Brooke proposes a hike to the home land the made her mentor who she is. However, her mentor can't go with her. Instead she proposes her nephew Jack, to which Brooke adamantly says no. With history between them, Brooke doesn't have a choice.

Can they survive spending time together again? Will they rekindle their relationship?

Honestly, the story moved very slow and was difficult to get into. Abandoned after about 25%

I finished this book at 11:54 PM and immediately had to get up out of bed and write this review. This book is that good. I first saw Jessica Joyce recommend this book on her social media. I went straight to NetGalley and requested it for myself. I'm so glad I did.

Alexandra Kiley's writing is like a mix of B.K. Borison and Jessica Joyce. Beautiful imagery, soft and tender relationships. I couldn't get enough. I adored Jack and loved the growth each of the MCs had. Especially Brooke's growth, being able to forgive Jack and realize he was trying to protect her and wasn't out for himself.

I didn't realize that this was an interconnected book. I *really* appreciated that. So many times, one reads an interconnected stand alone and you feel like you're on the outside of a friend group. You don't understand the inside jokes and you realize the side characters are being spoken of intimately, but you barely know them. It wasn't until 90% of the way through Scot and Bothered and Logan and Jack were discussing Addie that I realized there MIGHT be another book. I am so grateful for that. It was a small blip and at no point did I feel like I was missing a deep part of the story.

The celebration of life had me in my feels and my eyes were profusely watering. So beautifully written.

I also really loved the ending and epilogue. So often we're given the happily ever after of engagements and babies. But what we got was even better, dreams that came true.