Yet another cozy, sweet romance from Alexandra Kiley. Having read her previous book I was excited to dive back into this family and world she had created. The build up of the second chance alongside the jumps back and forth in time were handled extremely well, making them easy to follow.

Equal parts emotional and adventurous! A heartfelt second-chance romance set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Scottish Highlands. Brooke and Jack’s chemistry crackles as they navigate winding trails, buried secrets, and the weight of the past. With humor, heart, and gorgeous scenery, this story proves that sometimes love and forgiveness take the long way around. Perfect for fans of slow burns, emotional growth, and misty moors. 💚

This was so well done! I will say, I initially went into the book looking for a silly rom com with highland cows and did not find that. Instead, Scot and Bothered is much more serious and thought provoking than Alexandra Kiley's last book. The writing is improved and the story has so much more depth. I enjoyed Kilt Trip, but this is a very different story.

I did not finish at 72% (audio and reading digital) . 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. But he and Brooke just weren't clicking. If she was still so upset about what happened all those years ago why was she even thinking about reconciliation.
I was starting to get so annoyed at the characters that the female narrator started bugging me. But I was probably just tired of Brooke. Lol I'm so disappointed.

This book is a beautifully told story with time hop - from the main characters’ college days to present time. The author skillfully managed this in a way that felt organic, a great feat to do successfully.

Surprisingly, Scot and Bothered managed to break my heart and put it back together again. It’s a second chance romance that makes you work for it - which I loved. I’m not a fan of when the characters forgive right away bc it’ doesn’t feel realistic. This felt so true to life.

Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley is a second-chance romance packed with heart, heat, and a whole lot of emotional payoff.

Brooke’s writing dreams crashed and burned years ago, thanks to one person: Jack. Now she’s getting one last shot to tell a real story... but it means hiking Scotland’s Isle of Skye trail with the guy who ruined everything. No big deal, right?

The slow burn between Brooke and Jack is seriously satisfying. They’ve both grown up, but the feelings are still there, tangled up with all the hurt they never really dealt with. The dual timeline showing how they fell apart — and how they’re trying to rebuild — makes every moment hit harder. Plus, their honesty and emotional messiness made their reunion feel earned, not rushed.

Mhairi is an absolute standout in this story. She’s the push both Brooke and Jack need without ever stealing the focus from them. Also, if you love a setting that feels real, Kiley’s Scotland is vivid without ever dragging down the pace.

This book brings all the emotion without feeling heavy, and the characters’ growth is believable and worth rooting for. I’m definitely hoping we get even more stories from this world, because I’m not ready for it to end.

Thank you @akileybooks, @harlequinbooks and @netgalley for the #gifted ebook arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was so excited to read this and gave it my all by reading up to roughly 50% before making the decision to dnf.

I love a fluffy romance and don’t need a ton of deep topics to feel connected, however, by 50% I was still trying to figure out the setting and plot and just was not connected to the characters in any way.

Thank you for the opportunity!

This was a cute book, though I felt like the start was really slow. Definitely took me a good bit to become interested/invested and I really didn’t enjoy the MFC…but overall the writing and ending still made it a 4 star read for me.

Unfortunately did not connect with the characters or feel the kind of yearning that I knew I was supposed to.

I really enjoyed Alexandra Kiley's debut romance, Kilt Trip, and was excited that her follow-up novel would feature the brother of the first book’s male main character, Jack. This story follows Jack as he reunites with his lost, once forbidden love, Brooke, seven years after their affair was discovered, which ultimately altered the course of their lives. Told from dual points of view and across dual timelines, Kiley skillfully weaves a tale of love, loss, and second chances—both individually for Jack and Brooke, and as a couple. Like the first novel, Scotland plays an essential role, almost like a character in its own right, and Kiley beautifully captures the island’s spirit, showcasing what draws people to its stunning beauty.

That said, I did feel the alternation between timelines was a bit too frequent at times, which left some gaps in the story that I wished had been more thoroughly explained. And once the couple reunited, I wish we had seen more depth in their relationship in the present timeline. I both read and listened to the story, and the dual narrators were fantastic, adding an extra enjoyable element to my reading experience.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

This book was such a love letter to the outdoors and the beauty of Scotland. I recently took a trip there and can agree it deserves a love letter. The characters were fun and their conflict kept the story moving.

After obsessing over Kilt Trip, I knew I would love Scot and Bothered just as much! Extremely likable characters and a sweet story that I couldn’t put down!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Seven years ago, Brooke's future as an author fell apart when she was expelled from her university. She's been working as a ghostwriter ever since while longing to see her own name on the cover of a book. When her mentor asks her to cowrite her memoir, this is Brooke's big chance. She'll have to get out of her comfort zone and hike Scotland's most difficult trail with none other than the man who destroyed her career and broke her heart years ago, Jack Sutherland, the photographer for the project.
With alternating timelines, the story follows the pair on their adventure in the present and jumps back in the past to explain what went wrong between them. I enjoyed both timelines and hearing the perspective from both sides. I had an arc copy of this book, but also borrowed the audiobook and I loved listening to these narrators, especially the man with the wonderful Scottish accent!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am very sad to say that this story was a struggle for me to get through despite being one of my most anticipated ARCs of the year. The story was not only duel timeline (past/present) but duel POV as well which made the story complicated to follow. I spent a good deal of time confused as the timeline changes felt very abrupt and i personally did not feel like the duel timelines added anything to the story..Second chance romances are usually my all time favorite but this one left me wanting more. It seemed like there were a lot of good ideas, but they just weren't full fleshed out which left plot holes.

Additionally, I didn't feel like we ever really got to know the characters for who they truly are. They felt underdeveloped and I couldn't form a connection to either of them and it made it hard to root for them, both individually and together. This is turn caused the romance to fall flat for me, and also felt underdeveloped. I feel like the story focused more on their careers than the romance, which seemed to take a backseat.

**thank you to netgalley and Canary Street Press for the AC and chance to read and review. All opinions expressed are my own**

This was such a good book! I love the second-chance romance and the heartfelt family vibes in the story. I also really liked that the second chance wasn't so dramatic like they sometimes can be. Maybe I am too forgiving, but I hate when a character is trying to make up for a mistake and the other character is not having it. So I really appreciated that the characters didn't have such a dramatic getting back together story. There was the perfect amount of tension. I also loved the dual timeline.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Equal parts side-splittingly funny and tear-jerkingly sad, this second chance romance is not to be missed! The lush imagery of the Scottish scenery and the depth and intricacies of these character's everyday lives are so beautifully done. In each of her books that I read, Alexandra Kiley inspires me to want to drop everything and run off to Scotland, consequences be damned! I'll continue to read any romances she writes.

This book had me wanting to go to Scotland to find myself a husband.

So so good!!! I cannot wait to see what Alexandra comes out with next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I'm a sucker for any romance set in Scotland, and this was no exception. I really enjoyed the dual timelines. Getting to learn about Brooke and Jack as they were and what led to their breakup is such an important part of the story. And experiencing them come back together was delightful! This was a fun, sweet read!

Seriously, why do I not live in Scotland? I loved this so much. A second chance romance with a dual timeline and dual POV? Yes, please. And then throw in a hike across the Isle of Skye? Again, yes. I loved the journey these characters took to get back to each other. They had a common purpose a shared reason to help someone they both loved and that in turn led them to realize they still loved each other. Alexandra Kiley's books are just so good and I'm excited to read more from her in the future.