I enjoyed this book, but I’ll admit that the setting in Scotland earned it one whole star from me.
🤷🏻‍♀️
The story itself wasn’t bad, but the the flashback chapters were far less enjoyable that the “now” chapters. I appreciate that the “then” chapters explained the past between the two main characters but they really started to drag the story down for me. I found myself saying “JUST GET TO THE POINT ALREADY” because I was far more invested in the “now” chapters and started feeling like so many of the “then” chapters were interruptions.
🫠
All in all, I’d still recommend this to other readers for people who enjoy a cute little second chance romance set in the place at the very top of my travel bucket list!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I liked the first book in this series (Kilt Trip) but I absolutely LOVED Scot and Bothered. The now and then timeline of this second-chance romance is so well done and builds your love for these characters and their yearning and hope for one another. As the wife of a photographer (with freckles...glasses...backwards cap..... and REI cargo pants), this book was so much fun to read. Kiley gets the natural light photography details just right (she told me her dad is a professional photographer & it shows) and the way she writes about following your passions was truly inspiring. I cannot wait to see what she writes for the youngest Sutherland brother, Reid.

This book was such a delight to read! It was a book that I easily got lost into, and couldn’t stop reading it. I love a good second chance romance and this book delivered just that. And of course the one tent trope like YES!!! The book jumped from Brooke and Jack’s current timeline to their past timeline and it was interesting to see how their relationship progressed. And the forced proximity as they trekked the trail was so so good. The first half of the book had me swooning and I had such a fun time with it.

While I enjoyed the moments on the trail, I wasn’t very invested in the chemistry between Jack and Brooke. There was a lot of miscommunication between the two of them and the reasoning for their relationship ending in the first place could have easily been resolved. But that’s what happens with miscommunication!!

Overall this was a fun book to read! I loved for the scenery of Scotland and being immersed in a place I love so dearly!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review!

3.75 ⭐

After their college romance ended in disaster, Brooke and Jack must come together years later to fulfill an obligation that takes them on an 80-mile hike through Scotland’s Isle of Skye in this story of self-discovery and second-chance romance. 🥾

Don’t let the cover and punny title fool you, because this is more of a contemporary romance than a rom-com. For me, it was just okay overall. Told in alternating timelines between college flashbacks and current day, I found the balance between the two off. It was fairly equal between them, but personally, I would have preferred more of the “now” timeline. The book kept me reading, but I found it to be an average read overall.

My thanks to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for a complimentary advance copy of this eBook, out 3/4/2025.

Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 2/5 🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Scot and Bothered is a heartwarming read full of emotion, dreams, passion, and longing.

Brooke Sinclair and Jack Sutherland are both haunted by their past and they can’t escape it no matter how hard they try. After many years and a lot of heartbreak along the way, they find themselves on a week-long trip together. Brooke wants to stay focused on finishing writing her mentor’s memoir, while Jack is dealing with grief and the feelings for Brooke he has never gotten over.

I really enjoyed getting to see the natural progression of Brooke and Jack’s relationship throughout the alternating timeline. It made the story feel realistic and more engaging. The contrast between the timelines was wonderfully done, with one timeline being a sweet, forbidden romance and the other being filled with heartbreak.

Reading this book feels like visiting Scotland! I loved following along with Brooke and Jack’s story as they work to reconcile the past with the future while also learning about the incredible landscape!

Overall, a fun and sweet story with wonderful MCs and a great ending!

Tropes:
- Second Chance Romance
- Forced Proximity
- Nature Setting
- Alternating Timelines
- Forbidden Romance

4.5 ⭐️! I was immediately pulled in when the opening scene was in McEwan Hall, having done grad school there it was like stepping back in time! I will always love books set in Scotland but getting the parallel timelines where one was in Skye and the other in Edinburgh added to the mystical feeling I get when I read about Scotland. I loved Jack and Brooke's second chance at not only love but also life and their dreams, I think it was a great way to have the plot go deeper than just romance. I DID NOT expect to get so weepy at the end during the celebration of life service. Alexandra balanced joy, discovery, and grief really well throughout the whole book and the ending tied it all together really really well. Scot and Bothered was a great trip down memory lane, and I really hope it inspires more people to get lost in the Scottish countryside because it really is just how Brooke describes it of unruly and magical.

This story was a masterfully written second-chance slow burn. The flashbacks were such a clever way to set up the current timeline and they truly heightened every touch and every glance. If you enjoyed Kilt Trip, then this is a must read!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Alexandra Kiley's second Scottish romance is a bittersweet joy.

"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."

We meet Brooke as she's in a funk. She's barely living, just existing and long ago gave up her dreams after a betrayal by Jack. Jack isn't in a much better place and together they take on the hike to fulfill their beloved aunt/mentor's wish.

It's on the trail that the book takes elements from "Wild" and some delightful romance tropes for the reader to track the growth that they each go through.

Interspersed are scenes from their history-- ways to help see what went wrong and what needs to change to go right for them.

It's a more somber and serious romance than the first in this series, but it's such a moving journey.

This second-chance romance told over the course of two different timelines (similar to Julie Soto's Forget Me Not) was a more serious entry than the first in this series, which felt more slapstick. I did really like the set up of the two timelines, but felt like, at some points, the back and forth creating some wonky pacing that made it harder to get into the story. For me, the biggest issue was that the current timeline remorse and apologies for the big *break up event* in the past came before we really knew what the event even was, which left me feeling like a) they lacked impact, and b) I got all angry at the MMC at a time when the FMC had already forgiven him, so I felt frustrated and out of sync.

Overall, though, I enjoyed the writing, setting, and characters. This was not as fun for me as book 1, but I would definitely pick up another book either in this series or by this author.

Read If You Like:
- Second-chance romances
- Stories set in the Scottish Highlands
- Narratives involving outdoor adventures
- Explorations of past relationships impacting the present
- Romantic comedies with emotional depth

Brooke Sinclair's aspiration to become a published author was derailed seven years ago when she was expelled from the University of Edinburgh.

Now working as a ghostwriter, she seizes the opportunity to co-author a memoir for her former mentor, Mhairi McCallister. The project requires Brooke to hike Scotland's challenging Skye Trail for authenticity, accompanied by nature photographer Jack Sutherland—the man responsible for her expulsion and heartbreak. As they traverse the rugged landscape,

Brooke and Jack are compelled to confront unresolved feelings and past misunderstandings. Amidst breathtaking scenery and shared challenges, they explore whether two weeks and eighty miles can mend years of hurt and offer a second chance at love.

This novel weaves a heartfelt tale of redemption, personal growth, and the enduring power of love set against the enchanting backdrop of the Scottish Highlands.

Thanks so much to the publisher for my ARC!

Massive thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for an eARC of this book so I could provide my own review.

I absolutely loved reading Brooke and Jack's story! I am such a sucker for a second-chance romance, and this one was perfect! We get a dual timeline/POV and I love the backstory as much as I love present day. As someone that has always been a bit obsessed with Scotland, this one made the travel itch that much worse, and I need to be on this trip (even though I'm not a huge hiker/outdoorsy girl). I loved seeing the growth in both of our MCs.

If you love any of the below, this might be a great book for you:
- Second-chance Romance
- College romance
- Gorgeous scenery
- Dual Timeline
- Longing

So thankful to be apart of the HTP Hive and to have had the opportunity to read this one <3

The formatting was really messed up and I will just have to wait for release day! Doesn’t copy over well to kindle from netgalley so I won’t be reviewing at this time.

3.5-4 stars. Brooke Sinclair is living adjacent to her original dream of being a published writer by working as a ghostwriter. The trajectory to her original path was derailed seven years ago in somewhat of a scandal that lead to the loss of her scholarship at her university. Jack Sullivan, the reason for that predicament, is finally living out his dream as a photographer. His beloved aunt Mhairi is Brooke’s longtime mentor and now these two will have to collaborate together in Mhairi’s upcoming memoir about the Skye trail.

Brooke and Jack have this incredible chemistry that leads them through a lust fog of sneaking around and stolen touches back in the day. Now, Brooke cannot even bear to look at him and Jack is beyond remorseful. I liked this dynamic because Jack really did screw up, but he is a well intentioned guy and not an actual jerk, yet he was way overdue to apologize to Brooke.

Their initial antagonism because of Brooke’s grudge was actually entertaining, especially with Jack trying to come to a truce. There’s nothing like forced proximity out in nature where the weather is unpredictable and Brooke, who is unaccustomed to the elements, has to rely on Jack and to decide if she is willing to forgive and reconcile. While I felt Jack’s regret, I’m not sure he expressed it well enough for Brooke even though he was doing everything else right, but I was still looking for the actual words. While time is limited and Brooke understands that, it was too easy for her to simply let go of her grievances the way she did for the sake of Mhairi. I enjoyed the beginning of their journey on Skye Trail and the flashbacks, but lost a little momentum towards the end of the trek and looping Mhairi in as the reason for having new perspectives because that came off formulaic and cliche despite wanting the rekindled relationship

Thank you NetGalley for this arc! For some reason this just didn’t quite meet my expectations. I was really looking forward to reading this, but it felt very repetitive in the beginning/half way through the book. I also didn't feel like I could relate to the female main character at all. It was a cute love story, but just wasn’t my cup of tea.

4.5 stars rounded up. This was a tender, emotional dual-timeline second chance romance and I ate it up.

I loved the immersive experience I felt while reading Kilt Trip last year, so I was very excited to travel back to Scotland with Alexandra Kiley and another Sutherland. Jack and Brooke’s trek across the Isle of Skye together was healing in ways for them both, individually and together. Alexandra Kiley also has a way of describing the scenery and vistas in a way that made me feel like I was right there and often enough made me look up photos to feel it even more.

Brooke and Jack’s ‘Then’ timeline was fraught with secrecy, discouraging outside influences, and the fear of indecision or making the wrong choice. At the same time, it was that fizzy feeling of young love and letting oneself enjoy life even when it’s a risk. I don’t usually love a dual timeline but it worked so well here. It was done in a great way where the timelines started at the opposite ends of the “feelings” spectrum but built the tension in a paralleling way to the fallout and peak of both ‘Then’ and ‘Now’. This was also true with the choices Brooke and Jack had to make for their independent lives as well as the impacts on the chances of their relationship together.

There was a deeply emotional element to this book with a secondary character. (I don’t read blurbs often enough to remember if it’s mentioned in there and I don’t want to inadvertently spoil anything.) It was touching and helped craft the narrative of the story and the importance of living the life you’re in while you’re in it and going after what you value and hope for.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

While the story is framed within a second chance romance, the heart of the story truly is about finding one’s dreams and having the courage to live them. I loved the format of this book where we have the journey through the Isle of Skye the main characters, figuring out what their dream is independently and together, but also having flashbacks of their first romance, and how those life events change the trajectory of their lives. The ending had me in sad and then happy tears.

That the main characters needed to heal from past heartbreak and current heartache while dealing with the impending death of a family member/mentor/role model. The hiking trip on Skye allowed both characters to take a step back and reevaluate what has happened in their life since their first break up. This was a trip meant for soul-searching and deciding what was most important to each character. That living your dream is the best way to live life.

Who could resist an only one tent and a second chance romance trope? Not me! I enjoyed Kilt Trip and was so excited to dive back into Scotland at the hands of Alexandra Kiley. Brooke and Jack’s chemistry jumped off the page. The beautiful setting of both Edinburgh and The Isle of Skye had me longing to be back in one of my favorite countries. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. Be sure to check out this book when it’s released on March 4th, 2025.

Alexandra Kiley is a masterful storyteller. Especially with this dual-timeline, dual point of view second chance almost adventure romance. I loved her first novel, Kilt Trip, and I loved the expansion of that universe with Brooke and Jack's story. Seeing them heal and grow and come together again while finding their passions was an absolute tear-jerking delight. I truly hope that she writes a novel for the last Sutherland brother, but either way, I'm so excited to get to read more of her books!

I should start by saying I really enjoyed Kilt Trip and was really excited about this one. While I enjoy Kiley’s writing I just had a hard time falling in love with the characters in this one and it never really pulled me in. The initial betrayal felt very anticlimactic once it was revealed. Plus I needed a little more to understand the deep connection with a side character.

First of all, Alexandra Kiley has some of the best book titles out there. Kilt Trip and now this? Gold ⭐ for titles, ma'am!

I read Kilt Trip a little while ago and was excited to receive this eARC since they both take place within the same world. (I do enjoy a series with rotating main characters!) Granted, there wasn't a whole lot shown of Jack in Kilt Trip to get a great reading on him, but I felt instantly drawn to him and Brooke and their story (both past and present) as soon as I started this one.

The book alternates between their past, building up to something that clearly happens to drive them apart, and the present, where years later circumstances have brought them together again in a bit of a forced proximity capacity (one of my favorites). I felt the sparks between these two instantaneously in the flashbacks and couldn't wait till they started to hash things out in the present. There was an undeniable pull between them in both timelines, and it was impossible to not root for them. I loved them both as individual characters, and the chemistry between them absolutely sizzled off the pages.

Scotland takes center stage in this one as a main character as well, and there will never be a complaint from me for that. I truly felt like I was traveling the Skye Trail with Brooke and Jack. The setting was so rich and vivid and immersive.

No offense to Kilt Trip, but I loved every aspect of Scot and Bothered even more. From the core characters to their back stories to their dreams to their romance to the plot in both past and present; Alexandra's writing is sharper than ever with this one as well, and now I can't wait to see what she writes next!