Back on the Isle of Skye, we get the second Macabe brother book. And this Macabe brother is the hometown hero, golden retriever 😍

I will read almost any book that’s set in Scotland, especially the Isle of Skye. Elliot Fletcher does a wonderful job describing the Scotland scene so it makes you feel like you’re there.

I love a black cat and golden retriever trope and this one delivered. Callum is the golden retriever hometown hero veterinarian that puts everyone first, taking care of his ailing father, his veterinary business, his friends and neighbors, and now his brother’s ex-fiancé.
And the ex-fiance, Juniper, is the black cat who also always wears black and has a mean cat 😂. Loved her character, the growth she experiences through the book, and the banter between her and Callum is delicious.

And also, that off limits relationship tho. Brother’s ex-fiancé?! Could it get more off-limits?! It created so so much tension!!

I wanted more insight into why things didn’t work out between Callum’s brother Alistair and Juniper (but I’m assuming that’ll be in Alistair’s book). It explains it to an extent but I wanted more. I also wanted more from Callum and Alistair’s confrontation, I felt it all got swept under the rug too quickly and I wanted more drama.

Overall, really cute, spicy romance and definitely excited for the next one in the series!

Does it make me an alcoholic to enjoy books centered around liquor? No? Okay good! Mix that with small town and Scotsmen? I’m sold. Am I easy? Yeah probably, but I have fun time doing it!

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.

Thank you so much to Elliot Fletcher and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for the eARC of this book! I LOVED THIS BOOK. The Dual POV was perfect. It has one of my favorite tropes, Grumpy x Sunshine. This is the second book in the Macabe Brothers series and I can't wait for more from Elliot! The Scotland setting is one of my favorites! I can't say enough good this about this book!

Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley!

Tropes: Ex's Brother, Age Gaps, and He falls first. These are some of my favorite tropes in a good romance novel. The development of the characters and the story was great. The writing made you really like the characters. This is my first time reading this author and i very much enjoyed it. Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book. I look forward to more by this author.

4.25 ⭐️ Yes! The exes older brother trope. 🔥

These Maccabe brothers are pure Scottish sin.

Callum: oldest brother
Veterinarian
“Community Ken” 🤣

Juniper: the black cat
Inn “owner”

It had tropes I love.
Grumpy x sunshine
Black cat x golden retriever
Age gap

Oh the pining.
Boy obsessed.

I liked setting, hiking and exploring the little Scottish island.
Banter

Netgalley arc review ✨

I really enjoyed this book!
The characters felt life like, and I could imagine their banter as it was happening. The dual POV allowed you to really see how Callum had always been dealing with his feelings for Juniper and how Juniper was able to deal with her abandonment issues.
Overall, it's a really enjoyable read that has everything you could want from a romance!

Scotch on the Rocks is the second installment of the Macabe Brothers series and I was so excited when I saw this book announced! I absolutely loved the first and continue to be obsessed with this town and its inhabitants.

Juniper has rules about the Macabe brothers, mostly to avoid them at all costs, after having her heart broken by Alistair. But Callum is determined to win her over and will do anything to finally get his girl. They make a deal that while Callum helps to restore a plumbing emergency at her family inn, Juniper will let him show her around their town.

Juniper has amazing growth throughout the story as she learns to let people into her life and accept love. Her and Callum are both such softies inside and my heart couldn’t take it! I love her independence and take charge attitude as well.
Callum was head over heels from page 1 which could sometimes be off-putting for me, but it didn’t take away from their tension and banter at all! Their relationship was seriously hot and had me blushing throughout the entire book!

Read if you like:
Black cat FMC x sunshine MMC
Ex’s brother
He’s obsessed with her
Age gap
Small-town in Scotland

I would have liked to see a bit more resolution between Juniper and Alistair, but I have a feeling we will get to know more in the next book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

“Scotch on the Rocks” was teeming to be one of the most exciting reads for me this year. Callum is the older, hot, charming brother of Juniper's bff AND ex-fiancé, and the chemistry they dutifully ignored has just begun to bubble over. I have to say though, regrettably, their story really didn’t reach those beginning hopes I had.

So, hear me out…the concept of an ex’s brother, age gap, small-town romance was superb, but the carry-through felt ..clunky. The previous relationship Juniper had with Alistair /is/ left scorned, however, he is not evil or villainous enough for you, as the reader, to want to see him left in the dust like that. I felt almost icky the way Callum was so prideful his brother's relationship fell and he could finallyyyy take the reins. The elements surrounding their coupling felt ungratifying and left behind essentially: Alistair was not entirely a bad guy (he’s getting his own book for pete's sake!!) therefore this trope doesn’t work. But! focusing solely on the characterization of Callum as the understanding, attentive, caring upgrade for Juniper - that aspect was precisely what I wanted, and wins for the most enjoyable factor.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Elliot Fletcher for providing this eARC!

I’m a big fan of some of the tropes in this book. Taboo relationship (ex’s brother), age gap, he falls first. This story had great depth and development and really just a lot to like. I hadn’t read this author before and wanted to thank Avon and Harper for the opportunity to read and review!

s someone who loves a romance book with the enemies to lovers plot line, I very much enjoyed this book. Callum has always had a thing for his brothers ex-Juniper (scandalous) but things don’t progress until years later (which I appreciated). This book has great banter, strong character development & enough spice to hope your neighbor on the train can’t see what’s on your kindle.

Unfortunately this didn’t hook me like I thought it would. It was still overall a decent read but it took me a while to get through. I kept putting it down to do a task. The main characters were feisty which was a plus but I wasn’t able to really invest in their storylines as much as I had hoped. It wasn’t until around the 70% mark that I really started to resonate with the main characters. Not to say this book was bad, maybe it was just not for me. I would give it a go and see for yourself.

4 out of 5 stars
“A Cozy, Spirited Romance with Heart”

Scotch on the Rocks by Elliot Fletcher is a charming, easy-to-love read that blends humor, warmth, and just the right splash of drama. Fletcher’s writing style is smooth and engaging, making it easy to get swept up in the story from the very first page. The characters feel relatable and well-developed, and the chemistry between them is authentic without feeling forced.

I especially enjoyed how the Scottish setting was almost a character itself — cozy, rugged, and inviting, adding an extra layer of atmosphere to the romance. The dialogue is sharp and witty, and there are plenty of moments that made me smile.

The only reason I’m holding back from a full five stars is that a few parts felt a little rushed, especially toward the end. I would’ve loved just a little more time to savor the resolution. But overall, Scotch on the Rocks is a delightful escape — perfect for anyone who enjoys a feel-good love story with a strong sense of place.

Definitely recommend!

Just from the title and cover I knew I was going to love this story. This is my first book from this author and it did not disappoint. The banter that the FMC and MMC have is infectious!! I also LOVE a reverse sunshine. The push and pull that Juniper and Callum have together. Callum doing what he can to show Juniper he is her person and seeing our grumpy FMC slowly realize it was what kept me turning the page. You could feel the tension on the page. When I saw the tropes for this I geeked! First off, ex fiancées brother - hello yes!! I also eat up when the MMC falls first and hard and does everything to show the FMC how he feels. Add in the setting being a small town in Scotland, oh and an AGE GAP!! Yes yes!!
If you love all the above as well as open door romance then this is the book for you. Thank you so much Avon and Harper Voyager as well as Elliott Fletcher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I really appreciate it!

I have loved this series so far! The sweet and fun second chance romance was beautiful, and I enjoyed the vivid Scottish town descriptions and the lovable characters.

4.5/5 stars !
Scotch on The Rocks completely took me by surprise as I don’t normally enjoy contemporary romance THAT much. But, I completely fell in love with Juniper and Callum. From the first chapter I was so hooked. Their character development was so beautiful and the relationship was so genuine.
The setting was beautiful, I’m completely enamored by the Scottish highlands and I felt like I was there the entire time I was reading.
I’m most definitely picking up the first book in the series and look forward to the third!

I adored Whisky Business so I was really excited to get my hands on this book and I just knew I’d love Callum. And I did! I love everything about the Scotland setting, the characters, and family dynamics that all play a role in the story. It’s so good and both laughed and cried while reading!

The YEARNINGGGG. Their chemistry was giving. The way he silently took care of her😭 It was so messy because of the whole brother's ex thing but it was so entertaining!! I recommend it, it was so romantic

Scotch on the Rocks

What to expect from this book:
🍪 Dual first-person POV
🐈‍⬛ Black cat FMC (who owns a literal black cat)
🩺 Veteran/veterinarian MMC
🍪 He falls first and harder (major “mine” vibes)
🐈‍⬛ She’s his brother’s ex fiancée
🩺 They have sassy banter (he calls her harpy, she calls him “Community Ken”)
🍪 A wet waterfall scene
🐈‍⬛ She was adopted
🩺 Alzheimer’s representation (his dad)
🍪 Several open-door spicy scenes

Scotch on the Rocks (out June 5) is book two of the Macabe brothers series (book one is titled “Whisky Business” and is already out).

This book follows eldest Macabe brother, Callum, who falls head over heels for a strange witchy woman on a train. But WHOOPS! The sultry stranger is none other than his baby brother Alistair’s fiancée, Juniper.

But then years after Alistair breaks up with Juniper, her and Callum’s paths start crossing…and often. Juniper is back in Kinleith to watch over her parent’s inn while her mom is out of town. Callum, the local veterinarian, goes out of his way to help her with repairs and the two form a friendship—with feelings.

But this wasn’t the start of their feelings; the two almost slept together a few years after Juniper’s engagement was called off, but the two had so much guilt around Alistair.

Can the two of them look past their unusual connection and circumstances and finally admit their feelings? What will become of their friends and family if so?

——————
The opening line of this book sold me. “Falling in love with Juniper Ross felt like stepping into oncoming traffic.” What!? So great!

I loved the vibes the two had and that it was a little taboo, all while Juniper—who has a hard exterior—shows her sweet side. He is so down bad for her fire. And she loves his caretaker side. I also felt for Juniper’s family story—I wish it was explored even deeper. I also would have loved to hear more about Callum’s time at a veteran and his relationship with his father.

In my opinion, this book is heavier on the lust vs. the romance. It focuses more on the relationship between the main characters vs. being driven by plot. It is funny, sassy and spicy!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing this eARC. These were my honest opinions.

If you’re going to insist on giving your character a stupid nickname, it should not be used in every paragraph every single fucking time the male main character says anything to her. This happened in the first book with princess (ew) and now its happened in this book with harpy. Please. Call her by her name. Or literally anything else. Mix it up.

My arc copy had a few grammar mistakes.

Also reviewed on goodreads