A second-chance romance where the breakup felt like it was based on more than just a miscommunication—there was real hurt and hard decisions behind it (with a touch of miscommunication, of course).

The hike had me yearning to book a trip to Scotland, even though you’d never catch me sleeping on the floor.

The flashbacks were underutilized. There wasn’t enough romantic development in the past to make me believe in the intense yearning the characters felt seven years later, after all the hurt. One benefit of dual timelines is the ability to skip around in the past and show us the highlights. I felt like too much time was spent on their slow buildup and not enough on the height of their relationship. And rekindling their romance without fully talking through the past didn’t leave me feeling confident about their future.

Overall, it was cute and fun but could’ve been so much better. Kilt Trip is still my favorite, but I’ll be keeping an eye out for the third Sutherland brother’s story.

Thank you, NetGalley and Canary, for the ARC!

🐮 Forbidden Romance
🐮 Second chance romance
🐮 Forced Proximity
🐮 Dual timeline
🐮 One Tent AND One Bed
🐮 Strangers to lovers
🐮 Slow Burn
🐮 3rd person POV
🐮 Hot Scots!
Brooke Sinclair’s dream of becoming a published author ended when she was expelled from the University of Edinburgh. Now a ghostwriter, she gets a chance to work with her former mentor, Mhairi McCallister, on a memoir about Scotland’s Skye Trail.
Brooke realizes she must hike the trail herself to understand the experience and she is partnered with the books photographer.
Unfortunately for Brook that photographer is Jack Sutherland, the man who hurt her career and heart.

🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮
This was such a good book all the way around. Not only do you get a beautiful romance story but you also get a moving story about family and all the alluring country of Scotland. Seriously, this book had be day dreaming of Scotland (until I looked up the Bad Step!).
I really enjoyed the “Then” and “Now” of the story mixed together. It made the slow burn all that much sweeter. Alexandra Kiley did such a good job of describing the scenery that you felt like you were there. I was compelled to look up some of the places she mentions. And let me just say- I would absolutely NOT be crossing the Bad Step.
My only critique is that both of these characters were too smart to think that going home as the girlfriend was a good idea. Mhairi is literally the aunt- did they think the family wouldn’t talk about it?
Speaking of Mhairi… I think her character and role in the book was handled so well. She was a side character that really pulled you into the book empathetically.
I’m definitely going to pick up Alexandra’s first novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. “Scot and Bothered” by Alexandra Kiley is set to be released on March 04 2025

Alexandra Kiley returns with another heartfelt romance set against the breathtaking backdrop of Scotland in Scot and Bothered. This second-chance romance between aspiring author Brooke Sinclair and photographer Jack Sutherland is as much a love letter to the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands as it is to the complexities of love, ambition, and forgiveness.

What Worked:
Emotional Depth: Kiley masterfully captures the raw emotions behind lost dreams and missed opportunities. Brooke’s struggle with the fallout of her expulsion from the University of Edinburgh and Jack’s guilt over their shared past are both poignant and deeply relatable.
Immersive Setting: The Skye Trail serves as more than just a scenic backdrop; it becomes a character in itself. Kiley’s vivid descriptions transport readers to Scotland’s windswept landscapes, making you feel like you're right there with Brooke and Jack.
Dual Timeline: The alternating “then and now” structure is executed beautifully, allowing readers to watch Brooke and Jack’s relationship evolve while slowly revealing the reason behind their painful separation. Both timelines are equally compelling, avoiding the common pitfall of readers favoring one over the other.
Compelling Tropes: From only one tent to forced proximity and forbidden love, this book delivers on beloved romance tropes. The emotional pining and tension between Brooke and Jack are well-paced, creating a satisfying slow-burn dynamic.
Character Growth: Both protagonists are well-developed, with clear arcs of personal growth. Brooke’s journey from fear-driven ghostwriter to someone ready to chase her dreams is especially inspiring. Jack’s redemption arc feels genuine and well-earned.
What Could Be Improved:
Third-Act Conflict: The third-act breakup felt unnecessary given the weight of the past conflicts. With so much emotional baggage already addressed through flashbacks, the added drama in the present timeline seemed a bit forced.
Pacing Issues: While the dual timelines work well overall, the early sections of the book can feel repetitive, and the slow build-up may test the patience of readers eager for resolution.
Overall:
Scot and Bothered is a beautifully written, emotionally resonant romance that explores forgiveness, ambition, and the power of second chances. The stunning Scottish setting and complex characters elevate this novel beyond a typical rom-com, making it a must-read for fans of slow-burn, character-driven love stories.

Recommended For:

Fans of Happy Place by Emily Henry and Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
Readers who enjoy second-chance romance with deep emotional stakes
Anyone who loves immersive travel settings, especially the Scottish Highlands
This book will leave you longing for misty mornings, highland coos, and your own second chance at love.

Thank you @akileybooks for the arc of your new release🤍

First, any book set in Scotland and I’m already sold! It’s one of my favorite settings and I cannot get enough of it.

This was a romance full of longing, fighting attraction, being brave, and fighting for your dreams.

It had a bit of everything: humor, heart, sadness, and of course a lot of romance.

For the reader who loves:
• second chance romance
• only one tent
• highland coos
• atmospheric setting

My rating 4.25 stars

I’ve really been enjoying second chance romances lately! I thought this one did a fantastic job with the dual timelines. Often during dual timeline books, there is one timeline that I am more interested in and spend 1/2 of the book just wishing we were in my favorite timeline. But I felt equally invested in both timelines of this book!

Our MCs do experience a bit of insta-love but the circumstances surrounding them in their past timeline forced them to slow down and be friends first, which really helped build their chemistry and make it more believable. I also really liked the forbidden romance trope in the past timeline.

Meanwhile, in the present timeline we got a lot of pining and angst in the middle of a beautiful Scottish setting. I fell in love with the idea of the Skye trail almost as much as I loved Jack and Brooke. Almost.


<spoiler>

The one thing that kept this from being a 5 star for me was the third act break up. I don’t always mind a 3rd act break up. But with the dual timelines, I just didn’t feel like it was necessary. There was already enough conflict happening in the past timeline, that the break up in the current timeline felt unnecessary. The conflict didn’t last long. But I wish they would have just figured it out together instead of on their own and then coming back together after they had figured it out.

</spoiler>

Just like her previous book, the author does a great job setting the scene and making the reader feel like they are exploring Scotland with the characters, but I unfortunately had to force myself to finish this book. Even at the halfway mark the story felt so incredibly dragged out that I found myself not caring about what happened. The characters were flat and the relationship between Jack and Brooke, both in the present and the past, felt very surface level and I didn’t understand the reasoning for trying to make it work as adults. Additionally it’s been 7 years between the timelines and we’re expected to believe Brooke hung around Scotland (and working with Mhairi) that entire time? The reason for their break up would have had a large impact on Brooke’s future but we get no real information between past and present on how she got to where she was today.
I did enjoy the dual timelines and always enjoy a second-chance romance, but this book didn’t deliver like I thought it would.
Thank you to Harlequin Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read Scot and Bothered.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC

4 Stars

Scot and Bothered is a heartwarming dual-timeline second-chance romance between Brooke and Jack. 7 years in the past, we learn about how Jack and Brooke met, fell in love, and fell apart. In the present, we see the two of them struggling to make their individual dreams a reality. They’re thrown back together again when Brooke’s mentor (who also happens to be Jack’s Aunt) asks her to co-write her memoir, which involves her walking the 80 mile Skye Trail. The only problem is that Jack’s the photographer for the project and now they have to do the hike together.

Brooke has so much anger towards Jack and feels betrayed by him and the way things ended between them in college. Jack feels extremely guilty for how things went down and has always wanted to apologize and make things right between them. Once on the grueling week-long trek in Skye, they’re forced to confront their past and what it could mean for their future.

This is the sequel to Kilt Trip which is about Jack’s brother, Logan, but they can both be read as standalone stories. I loved Kilt Trip when I read it last year so this was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I was so excited to receive an ARC!

This book is too cute!! Our MMC and FMC are both so relatable. Jack always struggled to figure out what he wanted to do with his life (which has always been hard for me), and Brooke has always known exactly what she wanted to be an author but was too afraid to truly go all in on her writing. This led to her becoming a ghost writer instead of writing her own stories. Her fear of failure really resonated with me and I enjoyed reading her journey to overcoming that fear.

I loved the now and then time jumps. The impact of Jack and Brooke’s love story and break up was so emotional! My heart broke for them both when I read what happened to end their relationship. When we meet them 7 years later, they are both still mutually pining for each other and wondering “what if?”.

Jack and Brooke’s story gave me such warm and fuzzy feelings. It had everything I needed to make it a great rom-com - dual pov, fun banter, so much yearning, forbidden love, only one tent (!!!), a down bad, green flag mmc, and a stunning setting that will make you want to book a trip to Scotland asap!

Read this if you liked:
Happy Place by Emily Henry
Variation by Rebecca Yarros
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
The Rule Book by Sarah Adams

Tropes:
-TA/student
-Forbidden love
-Second chance
-Forced proximity
-Only one tent

Quotes:
“She was drowning in memories of him, tossed around by the ones they never got to make, all those wasted nights dreaming about a future that’d never materialized. She was terrified to look him in the eye, to open a connection that had always felt so intimate and inevitable.”

“He felt an inevitability with Brooke, like the changing of the seasons. Like no matter how hard he fought it, he couldn’t change the outcome. He couldn’t seem to walk away.”

3.5/5 ⭐️

The premise for this novel was strong: second chance romance with a dual timeline and outdoor setting on the Skye Trail. Unfortunately, I found Brooke and Jack to be lacking chemistry and sexual tension making me feel very indifferent in rooting for the couple. I love a tent sharing/one bed trope, but it wasn’t executed in a way that created any sort of anticipation. Additionally, the setting was not nearly as immersive as it should’ve been and aside from the occasional phrase uttered by Jack, it was easy to forget he was Scottish. One could’ve picked this book up and plopped it on any trail in the United States and it would have read the same.

I enjoyed Mhairi’s character: the history of founding the Skye trail and her present day plight elevated the story. I would’ve preferred if the dual timeline included her story during the foundation of the trail rather than Brooke and Jack in college.

Overall, it’s your typical rom com that’s quick, easy and enjoyable to read, but lacks uniqueness and laugh out loud humor.

That being said, I will likely read the other books in this series and would pursue the author in other books if the topic interested me.


Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Brooke Sinclair’s aspiration of becoming a published author faltered when she was expelled from the University of Edinburgh. Now a ghostwriter, she focuses on telling others' stories until her mentor, Mhairi McCallister, invites her to co-write a memoir about Scotland’s challenging Skye Trail. Eager for the opportunity, Brooke agrees to hike the trail, unaware that her companion will be Jack Sutherland, the man who deeply affected her writing career and her heart. Jack, having left his family’s tour business for photography, must honor his aunt Mhairi's wishes despite the emotional turmoil associated with Brooke. As they navigate the beautiful Scottish landscape, old feelings resurface, forcing them to confront a past filled with unspoken hurt.

I have to admit that as I started reading this book, I did not remember the first one and things felt familiar. Then I realized Jack is the second brother! Duh. I like how the author used alternating timelines to showcase the evolution of Brooke and Jack's relationship, blending sweet moments with heart-wrenching emotions. The forced proximity trope adds tension and excitement as they trek through breathtaking landscapes, making every interaction feel significant. Readers will appreciate the relatable themes of dreams, longing, and the impact of miscommunication on relationships. Kiley's vivid descriptions and authentic portrayal of natural light photography enrich the narrative, enhancing the overall reading experience. I think it gives a little bit of insight into ghostwriting, something I had not really thought about before. I love the HEA, although I was crying at the end. This book is sure to resonate with anyone who loves a heartfelt romance filled with hope and second chances (and a bit of sexy spice). Thanks to #NetGalley and Harlequin for an ARC. This book is out in a few days --> March 4, 2025!!!

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