***Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ebook.

Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley was such a lovely and unexpectedly heartfelt read. At first glance—especially from the playful title—you might expect a goofy or spicy romance, but what you actually get is something much deeper and more emotional. It’s a second chance romance, yes, but at its core, it’s a story about love, loss, personal growth, and the profound impact a mentor can have on your life.

The story follows Brooke, who is co-writing a memoir for her beloved mentor, Mhairi, a woman who also happens to be the aunt of Jack—Brooke’s old flame. When Brooke and Jack embark on a meaningful hike through the stunning landscapes of Scotland, they not only revisit the ghosts of their shared past, but also reflect deeply on Mhairi’s legacy. The descriptions of the Scottish countryside are breathtaking, grounding the emotional journey in a vivid and unforgettable setting.

As the hike progresses, it becomes clear that Brooke and Jack never stopped loving each other, despite the pain that once drove them apart. Their reunion isn’t flashy or over-the-top—it’s tender, raw, and deeply moving. I found myself getting teary-eyed more than once, especially as they processed what Mhairi meant to them—not just personally, but as a guiding force in their lives.

If you’ve ever felt lost or had someone in your life who helped you find your way, Scot and Bothered will hit home. It’s a beautiful, emotionally rich story with just a touch of romance—a perfect read for anyone in need of a little direction, or simply a reminder of the power of human connection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review!
Ok is it too much to ask that I just want to move to Edinburgh and find my own Jack? I loved Kilt Trip so as soon as I saw that Alexandra Kiley was coming out with this I knew I had to read it! Loved all of the descriptions of the real locations and I could shut my eyes and picture myself there with the characters. There was a surprising depth to this story that I wasn’t expecting, but really loved. Only wish is that there were more coos🐂

Wellllll snap. I will say based off the title alone I expected more rom-commy vibes? But alas, twas just romance which is fine. I love a good romance. This was a nice story with some deep undertones. Had some good gut punches. Made you question “how would I have handled this.” However it seemed to be missing a HUGE chunk of the story. At what point did the fmc and Mhairi become close? I kept expecting a flashback or a story that explained how they became close after the “incident” but it never came. It just ended immediately after the incident and there was never a “then” part of the story again. So that confused me. I kept feeling like I must have missed something at the beginning. But it still was a cute book. Some of the dialogue was choppy and I couldn’t tell who was saying what here and there but I figured it out. Just needed a bit more smoothing over. But all in all I think 3 starts rings pretty true. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced electronic reader’s copy!

I love me a second chance romance. This book does that trope perfectly. The writing is beautiful and makes me want to book a trip to Scotland immediately. I also really loved the dual timelines and thought it was a great addition to add depth to the characters and the romance story. I will definitely recommend to my romance loving friends.

Brooke had dreams of being a published author, dreams that died seven years ago. Now a ghostwriter, she has the opportunity to write, but not under her name. She gets her chance when her mentor, Mahari McCallister, asks her to co-write Mahari's memoir of her time on the Skye Trail. Brooke jumped at the opportunity, even if it means hiking the trail with a photographer who just happens to be Mahari's nephew Jack, the man who broke her heart.

I'm partial to a good romance set in the highlands of Scotland. I looked forward to joining Brooke and Jack as they trekked the Skye trail. And I did enjoy that part of the story. Unfortunately, the alternating time line between "now" and "then" slowed the pace of the story. The "then" chapters provided history of Brooke and Jack's relationship, but each time the story switched from "now" to "then" I felt like it took me out of the action and I had to read a few pages to get back into the "now". I think there might have been better ways to illustrate the history, or perhaps cut back the number of times the "then" cut into the "now".

Brooke and Jack and Mahari are interesting, well crafted characters with whom I could empathize. I could feel Brooke's anxiety and fear in actually going for what she wanted, and Jack's anxiety as he found himself caught between his dreams and his family's expectations for him.

The last third of the book was the strongest part of the story. Written strictly in the now, Mahari became the center of the story. I have to admit the end of the story left me with tears in my eyes, a lump in my throat and a warm feeling in my heart.

I truly fell in love with Kilt Trip last year. Kiley's writing style just hooked me in and just the way she writes grief so carefully and thoughtfully through her main characters is beautiful and emotional. With Scot and Bothered, she just did it again, writing characters like Brooke and Jack, so relatable in the sense of not wanting to take risks in fears of failing, I feel like that is a mindset a lot of twenty year olds have. I loved the dual timeline, personally it's a writing style that keeps me wanting to read more because I want to solve it all and it also being dual POV was just chefs kiss. We can see the way Brooke and Jack had this respect and care for each other, they always made each other happy, until they didn’t. But this is a second chance romance after all, which is a favorite trope of mine, it was nice seeing the barriers go down during their trip, old habits die hard.
Just the way Scotland was described during their trip, I really felt like I was being immersed which I enjoyed.
Mhairi!! I LOVED THAT WOMAN and the last chapters made me utterly sob. And just the connection that both Brooke and Jack had with her was so beautiful.

Thank you Alexandra Kiley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!

I loved Alexandra Kiley's first book, and this sophomore romance did a fantastic job of showing her growth as an author. I loved the setting (the Scottish highlands will always feel magical to me) and adored the fact that we got a now/then timeline for Brooke and Jack. I liked getting to see their growth over time when they were apart, and really enjoyed how quick their pull back together was once they met again. The dialogue was fantastic and sweet and full of enough reflection and nostalgia that it kept me wanting to read more.

Thank you so much for this early read opportunity!

American Brooke Sinclair was living her dream of becoming a writer as a scholarstip student at The University of Edinburgh. And then she wasn't. Seven years later, her mentor Mhairi has enlisted Brooke to co-write her memoir which is heavily set in the Isle of Skye. Brooke has the story on paper, but something is missing. Mhairi sends Brooke to the Isle to find the beauty and life that is missing from the book. Joining her will be he book's photographer and Mhairi's nephew, Jack, who broke Brooke's heart years before.

"Scot and `Bothered" is the follow up to Alexandra Kiley's previous book "Kilt Trip" but. can be read as a stand-alone. This second-chance, forced-proximity romance was a fun read with dual timelines. We explore the current and past relationships between Brooke and Jack as they make their journey down the trails of Isle of Skye together. Kiley does a beautiful job of bringing the Scottish island and its characters to life. Brooke and Jack are wonderfully complex characters and i throughly enjoyed their stories.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alexandra Kiley, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with the ARC of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC of Scot and Bothered! This was my first book from this author and I was very excited about the premise. I found this book to be a little slow. I did, however, enjoy the alternating timelines between the past and present, and the lead up to the reveal of why our main characters were no longer together. Id be interested in reading more from this author and ultimately gave this book two stars.

3.75/5 Stars (rounded up to 4)
1/5 Spice (open door, but not explicit)

The follow up to Alexandra Kiley's "Kilt Trip" brings you back with the same in-depth descriptions of the scenery that will make you feel like you've jumped on a plane and landed in the middle of Scotland.

I really enjoyed this book! There was so much yearning and tension that Brooke and Jack experienced while trying to figure out their past and present feelings while sorting out their future plans!

Definitely pick up this book if you want to be transported into the gorgeous landscape of Scotland, love second chance romance, forced proximity, and a love story that ends in a HEA!

Tropes:
- Second Chance
- Forced Proximity
- Writer x Photographer
- Dealing with Grief
- Dual Timeline
- 3rd Person POV
- LOTS of tension
- HEA

A heartfelt, second-chance romance with depth, drama, and a dash of Scottish charm

Scot and Bothered delivers all the emotional beats I love in a second-chance romance, with the added bonus of one of my favorite tropes: writers writing about writing. Brooke’s ghostwriting career—and the impact it’s had on her identity and confidence—adds a rich layer to this story. The idea of ghostwriters as central to the plot felt fresh and surprisingly emotional, especially in how it ties to questions of authorship, legacy, and owning your voice.

Brooke and Jack’s dynamic had just the right balance of tension, unresolved hurt, and slow-burn reconnection. Their shared history is messy in the best way, and the forced proximity of the Skye Trail hike gives them room to unpack their past and rediscover each other. I also really appreciated that the backdrop—Scotland’s rugged beauty—felt like a character in itself.

There are some heavier themes, like illness, career setbacks, and long-held regrets, but they’re handled with care. At its core, this book is about second chances: in love, in writing, and in finding peace with the paths we didn’t expect to take.

Fans of emotional, introspective romances with a strong sense of place (and a soft spot for literary themes) will definitely want to add this one to their TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Brooke and Jack have history. After not seeing one another for the last seven years, they're pulled together when Brooke's mentor, Mhairi, a famous author in Scotland, asks her to co-write her memoir. Mhairi's nephew, Jack has become a well-known Scottish landscape photographer, who will be providing the photographs for the novel. Since Mhairi was a founder of a highly challenging hiking trail, the two of them set out to conquer the trail and get what they need to finish the memoir.
Interspersed between then (seven years ago) and now, and switching back and forth between both characters' POVs, Scot & Bothered was a great time. The thoughts and feelings from both characters feel natural and realistic. I loved that we got snippets of the past for the former couple - seeing not only what happened to drive them apart, but how their relationship grew and formed in the first place. It seemed to flow very well, and was much better than just a single flashback of what happened back then. 
The Scottish backdrop was a beautiful setting. The growth we got to see in Brooke was really nice. It didn't seem rushed, it felt very natural. Not only was this a great second chance romance, but it only furthered my need to explore Scotland myself.
A huge shoutout to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!

5⭐️ Kiley does it again.

A five-star contemporary romance needs incredible characters, a setting that stays with you, a believable conflict, and, of course, that something special about the love story that sets it apart from the rest.

Scot and Bothered has all of this and more. But I want to talk to you about Kiley’s descriptions of Scotland. As with her first book, Kilt Trip, I am haunted (in a good way) by this setting. Her writing makes you not only feel like you are there - but also as if you’ve already been there. This one was cozy, emotional and somehow nostalgic (even to someone like me who has never been to Scotland). And, at the risk of being too nerdy, I adore how meta that fact becomes, Kiley’s book mirroring so many of the important writing goals Brooke has for Mhairi’s memoir.

Jack and Brooke were written with so much heart - I felt their pain, and I considered whether I would have given it a second chance if I was in their shoes/hiking boots.

Lastly, I adore a quiet conflict. So often romance reads fall into the trap of manufactured conflict to keep the story moving/engaging. Kiley proves that isn’t always necessary—though I imagine it is the harder road as an author. Perhaps not as hard of a road as the Skye Trail, though.

God I loved this! The beautiful Scottish backdrop, the emotional rollercoaster, the romance, just everything, so good! This is a second chance romance with a dual time line and with a bit of forced proximity! I had so much reading about Brooke and Jacks journey to finding out what they're true dreams and passions are and to rediscovering their relationship. Just had such a good time with this! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

I enjoyed this novel about painful decisions of youth and the need to follow one’s passions. The story is told with dual narration and weaves in the past memories of the narrators. The main thread of hiking a difficult trail was interesting and I enjoyed picturing the journey. I recommend for those who enjoy romantic novels and thinking about how different a situation can be based on poor decisions made out of love.

this is a sweet, emotional, tender story. I loved the setting of the beautiful Scottish mountains, it was the perfect backdrop to this second chance romance! Brooke and Jack are adorable, tender-hearted sweethearts who are forced (in proximity) to rehash old hurts and find a way to work together now. I love the way they both have so much love to offer the other, even when they are still guarding their hearts, they just can''t help but care for the other. there's a lot of communication in this story that is necessary to get to the happily ever after, which makes it a very emotional, tender, spicy story as it all comes to the surface and Brooke and Jack find their happily ever after with each other. I also really enjoyed the characters careers being an essential part of the plot because it was fun learning more about nature photography and ghost writing!

thank you for the ARC :)

📗 Scot and Bothered
By @akileybooks
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🗣️Dual POV
🕰️Dual timeline
📖 Memoir
✍️ Ghost writing
📸Photography
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒Family expectations
2️⃣Second chance love
💗 Forced proximity
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
🏔️ Hike
⛺️ only one tent
⛈️ storms
🎥 video messages

This is a second book in the series but can be read as a stand alone! It was slower to start with the dual timeline and I thought the University timeline was slightly unnecessary but the ending was wonderful and I enjoyed the book!

Thank you Alexandra Kiley, Netgalley, Canary Street Press, HTPbooks and Harlequin Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

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I absolutely adored Kilt Trip last year. It was one of my favorites of 2024, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Scot and Bothered and it was everything I hoped it would be and more!!

This was a beautiful second chance love story that gave me butterflies from the very start. It’s dual timeline, which added so much to the story, had a stunning Scotland setting that made me feel like I was back in Portree, tension, emotion, angst, a shared love for Jack’s aunt Mhairi, a delicious slow burn and all the swoon in between. Jack is my new favorite book boyfriend. He was supportive, witty, so apologetic, sexy and swoony. I adored him! This is everything I could want in a second chance romance and I can not wait to reread it on audio! I highly recommend both Kilt Trip and Scot and Bothered!

Scot and Bothered is a second-chance romance featuring Brooke Sinclair, currently acting as a ghost-writer. Her dreams of publishing under her own name came crashing down during her last semester at the University of Edinburgh when it was discovered that she was romantically involved with Jack Sutherland, who was a Teaching Assistant at the same school. As a result of her "ethical violation," she was forced to withdraw from school without completing her degree. She's been hired by her former English professor to help write a book detailing the professor's role in establishing a hiking trail on the Isle of Skye.

When the Professor asks her to hike on the Isle of Skye to get a feel for the actual trail, Brooke agrees. The professor's nephew, Jack Sutherland is asked to go along with Brooke to take photographs for the book. Of course, this is where the true drama begins. The story takes turns giving us the backstory, of what happened "then," with what is happening "now," as we watch Brooke and Jack interact with each other, and other hikers along the way.

This was an interesting story, and I highly recommend picking up a copy of Scot and Bothered, which is available now!

Special thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an Advanced Reader Copy of this title.

Okay, I loved this book. As someone who’s a sucker for second-chance romances and all things Scotland (except haggis), "Scot and Bothered" hit all the right notes. The story follows Brooke, a ghostwriter still reeling from a shattered dream, and Jack, the guy who broke her heart (and her career) seven years ago, as they’re forced to hike Scotland’s rugged Skye Trail together for a memoir project. The dual timeline (then vs. now) slowly unravels their messy past while their forced proximity on the trail reignites all those unresolved feelings. There’s pining, angst, and a slow burn that had me yelling, "Just talk to each other already!" (But in the best way.) But seriously, Brooke’s struggle to reclaim her voice as a writer and Jack’s guilt over the past (and his secret about his aunt’s health) were relatable. And Mhairi? Absolute gem of a character—her warmth and wisdom tied everything together.

That said, I *did* wish for a bit more confrontation about their history earlier on—the miscommunication trope dragged a smidge—but when they finally hash it out? The payoff was worth it. So, if you love emotional second-chance romances with modern Scottish settings, this one's for you. It’s heartfelt, steamy (but not overly so), and fun. Just be warned: You’ll finish it and immediately google flights to Skye.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC!