Thank you to NetGalley and Elliot Fletcher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I’m obsessed with this series! I squealed when I saw this approval in my inbox and the book itself did not disappoint.

I wasn’t sure how “brother’s ex-fiancé” was going to work, but this book pulled it off. I was rooting for Juniper and Callum from page one. I was intrigued by her character in Whisky Business, so I loved getting a deeper dive into who she is. Seeing older brother Callum absolutely PINING after her was perfection. This is fully that scene in New Girl where Nick says “stop being so mean to me or I’m going to fall in love with you!”

I wanted a bit more of Juniper’s background and history, but the character growth with both MCs was well done. The tension, the flirting, the banter: it was exactly what I was hoping for! I cannot wait to see what’s in store next for the Macabe family.

This book has a lot of emotions. I could relate to the FMC by not voicing myself and standing my ground. The MMC shows her that love and push she needs to gain control. The banter was a little much but I still enjoyed it. I’m planning on going to Scotland because of this book.

Oh my god you guys, the nicknames. The yearning. The ability to competently remodel a bathroom.

This is the second black cat & golden retriever romance I've read this year and I fear that MMCs who are just so down bad might be my new favorite. The characters that Elliot Fletcher has created are just so good. There were times in this book that the pacing felt a little off, or the plot felt a little shallow (more Juniper backstory please), but the characters carried me through.

Probably a pretty niche comparison, but I'm a big reader of Dramione fanfiction (with a side of Panville), and Juniper has some serious Pansy vibes. In the best possible way.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review.

4 / 5 Stars
I enjoyed “Whisky Business,” so I was excited to read the next in the series! A tiny plot summary: Juniper Rose has always felt like an outcast. The people in her town can be heard saying “she wears so much black, she looks like she works in the mortuary.” (Boo, black matches everything, you judgmental townsfolk). But she moved back to her hometown after her father died and her mother needed help running their inn. That was right around the time her fiancé, Alistair, ended their relationship over FaceTime (so shitty, dude). But Juniper doesn’t need anyone. She can do it all on her own. Except when she can’t and needs help from Alistair’s super hot brother, Callum. Callum has been in love with Juniper since before he knew she was dating his brother. But they are off limits to each other and honestly, doesn’t that much make it hotter and more tension filled?

When I first heard about the brother’s ex-fiancé idea, I had no clue how it could be pulled off but I thought it worked here. Having Callum be in love with Juniper even before he knew she was dating his brother was the most logical way to connect them and make it seem tangible and even remotely okay.

Everyone loves Callum (“Community Ken” as Juniper calls him) and he is a simple man with two main motivations: 1) be the caretaker for everyone and 2) be down BAD for Juniper. Juniper felt like a much more complicated character – she spent time in the foster system, the town gossips and is unkind to her pretty often, she feels like people leave her easily because she just isn’t enough, and all of that has hardened her. Their chemistry together was hot and I had felt like some of the spice in “Whiskey Business” was a bit repetitive and I do not have that complaint here. These two figured out how to do everything but in many creative ways.

I did feel like there were a few areas that didn’t get fully explored for both characters. For example, Callum was in the army and we heard about his experience once (and it sounded pretty traumatic) and then never again. Or Juniper mentions that in foster care, she learned that it was better not to draw attention to herself, but she clearly now stands out in this town so I wanted to know more about how that felt or how she got there.

That being said, it feels like the series is continuously developing and growing so I am excited for the next book. I am assuming it will be about Alistair, so that will be interesting to read. Oh, and you get to learn new Scottish terms with every read.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed reading Callum and Juniper's story. I didn't read the first book in the series. The banter between the two were great. I enjoyed the setting of the book. I can't wait to read more from the series. I look forward to reading more from Elliot Fletcher.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for ARC of this story in exchanged for my honest opinion.

I really wanted to like this story -- I liked Callum and Juniper and I was intrigued by the plot -- a woman falls for her ex-fiance's brother who has always had feelings for her. However, I DNF - I almost made it to the end, but I wasn't invested enough in the story to complete the novel.

The issues I had was the pacing of the story. At times it was just extremely slow and there were too many details of the character's mundane actions and not enough interaction or actual action. Basically, at times it was a little boring. Also, the tension just wasn't there. There were so many sidestories that distracted from the main plot that I think the stakes weren't really clear. Why couldn't they be together? It wasn't really clear and then Alistair suddenly appears (and frankly I was kind of uninvested at that point and just quit the story.

Also, there were BIG time jumps too which subtracted from the tension as well.

I liked the characters, but just didn't feel invested in the story.

This novel transported this American directly to the cozy small Scottish town of the Macabe Family. A touching and spicy tale of two lovers destined to be companions.

Scotch on the Rocks was a fun romance that featured a golden retriever Scottish man (who knew?), a broody Scottish lass, and a grumpy cat. It starts out quick and jumps right into the story of Callum and Juniper. They are fun, grumpy, and somehow always dirty, in many ways. Scotch on the Rocks is an upbeat romance that makes your heart swoon with the how much love there is!

Absolutely loved this book! The character development for both main characters was amazing. I read this book in one sitting because I didn’t want to put it down. I’m also a sucker for a book playlist! If you love black cat/golden retriever, dual pov, brother’s ex, or “I hate you but not really” moments…. This book is for you!

Veterinarian, Plumber, and a comedian? I’m in love with a Macabe brother. I mean, how do you make plumbing sexy? Idk, but Callum does it.

June is my absolute favorite type of FMC, big black cat energy. Of course she just needs the right man to retract her claws (or dig them deeper, if that’s what you’re in to ;) In the end we all just want to be cherished and loved.

The way these two call each others bullshit, the yeaaaaars of pinging (his), and the push and pull of control in the bedroom—I am completely obsessed. Not to mention, I was cackling within the first few pages. Witty writing that hooks you in immediately and keeps you reading like it’s laced with MSG. With all that snark I was not expecting this book to make me cry, but damn it did that too.

All the forehead kisses and ear strokes for Ms. Fletcher!!

Thank you Net Galley for eARC!

Scotch on the Rocks was an enjoyable read. I loved Callum and felt sorry for him, having loving his brother’s girl from a far for years. He was right by not sleeping with Juniper when they ran into each other after her break up with Alistair. Juniper was using him as revenge but for some reason got her feeling hurt when he stopped it. Juniper was meh for me as the FMC. Her attitude was annoying at times. I get that she was adopted and she has some abandonment issues. She had been with her adopted parents since she was seven, you would think she could call them mom and dad. There were times when the writing felt off, like I missed a scene or something. Overall, I would recommend for a nice summer read. 4 stars!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 🌶️🌶️🌶️
This year is full of surprises, this one in the form of me absolutely loving a black cat x golden retriever book!! For whatever reason, I’ve wrestled with this trope for a long time and this story has happily made me a convert.

Where I thoroughly enjoyed Whisky Business, I absolutely devoured Scotch on the Rocks. This was my first time reading an ex fiancé’s brother storyline and DANG the bar is impossibly high.

Let’s start with Scottish small town Skye’s golden boy, “Community Ken,” Callum. Despite the full knowledge of his dad’s rapidly declining health and the unquenchable thirst he has for the one woman he can’t have, we find a resilient and empathetic mmc. I genuinely think he would crawl over hot lava for our FMC; this whole book he’s essentially on his knees for her!! He just gives off the vibe of one smirk and glance into his blue eyes would have you swooning for years to come.

It’s no wonder our sweet black cat FMC Juniper keeps her walls so high!! Despite a cold exterior, she’s a character layered with complexities and a backstory that had me physically clutching the ache in my chest. Honestly as opposite as they seem, these two felt like two sides of the same coin- both use their emotions as shields to protect their loved ones as much as their own hearts.

The spice?? Damn. Easily 🌶️🌶️🌶️. Banter as foreplay. She’s in charge AND ties him up. And ever the gentleman, she always comes first. (Always a favorite microtrope for me)

The environment was described beautifully and leaves me with an itch to break out my passport. Overall I am giddy with this read and eagerly awaiting (hopefully) the last two Macabe siblings’ stories!!

My forever thanks to Avon, Harper Voyager and Elliot Fletcher for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for providing an ARC of Scotch On The Rocks!

I didn’t love this one as much as whisky business but it’s hard to create perfection once so twice seems impossible. Callum and Juniper’s dynamic was a very big tone shift from April and Mal. I liked Callum and juniper separately and together as a couple but they still didn’t feel 100% believable? Right? Not sure, something felt just slightly off. <spoiler>My favorite thing about romances is seeing both characters fall in love but this one starts with Callum instantly (pretty much) in love with Juniper and that was a bit of a bummer. I feel like we should have gotten more of juniper’s background, we know she was in foster care but I think it would have been better to hear about more of her memories and experiences in foster care. We mostly saw how her experiences affected her relationships but didn’t actually get to see what happened which could provide more understanding. I loved juniper’s stubborn independent streak and her snarkyness. Her insistence on walling off her heart after Alastair was understandable and I loved how hard Callum tried to climb those defenses. Callum was tougher to connect because again we got glimpses but not full experiences of his past. He was in the military and he mentions seeing terrible things but if he and juniper are really together I think he should have explained some of those experiences. They both stayed very surface level with their pasts before they met. Their shared history was known and sort of made sense (though again I would have liked to see more about juniper and Alastair’s relationship and specifically a flashback to the breakup to see how that happened) but it feels like Callum did too good of a job burying his feelings for juniper in the past resulting in a bit of a disjointed reveal. (Though the revelation that he has been doing things for juniper on the DL for just about forever was adorable). Callum and Juniper also didn’t show up for each other that much in this book. The scene where her cat gets out but then Callum is called away to help with his dad just felt odd, and highlighted the pacing of the story being off. There was a bit of a slow burn because Callum knew juniper would always see herself as unworthy of love and wanted to make sure she knew it was real before they had sex but then the events of the book didn’t really help push them together or highlight the struggle to stay away. Callum inserted himself into junipers business by helping with the inn but juniper rarely tried to help Callum, she mentioned someone needed to care for him but she didn’t really help with Callum’s dad. Granted we knew that Callum was always doing things for juniper and that juniper had distanced herself from romance but when she starts to let Callum in, it felt like she should have done more to support Callum particularly when it came to his father. My favorite parts of this were where Mal and April were incorporated. Poor Mal was holding on for dear life and hated to see juniper coming hahahah</spoiler> after writing this review I think I just want this book to be longer, I’m signing up for 500 page romance hahaha!! I will definitely read the rest of this series because Elliot fletcher has a gift!

This book was phenomenal!!! This book!!!!! June and Callum are the best duo. They fight their tension then eventually give in. The book is paced well and the story moves along perfectly. Bonus: no third act breakup!!! He wants her first and she has no idea. The tropes in this book did not disappoint. I cannot wait to continue the series!!!

This was such a charming read and my first experience with this author! I loved the cozy small-town setting, the Scottish MMC (seriously, who can resist?), and the brother’s ex-fiancée trope. The story kicks off with a compelling past timeline where the MMC meets the FMC, completely unaware that she’s engaged to his brother. There’s an undeniable spark between them, but circumstances force them to keep their distance. Jump to the present, and she’s no longer with his brother—but now, these two have a bit of a love-hate dynamic that makes for some great tension.

The banter and push-pull between them kept me entertained, and I really enjoyed the grumpy-sunshine dynamic. While this is definitely a contemporary romance with plenty of fun moments, it also weaves in some deeper emotional threads, including a storyline involving a parent with Alzheimer’s and elements of adoption. The romance itself is a mix of angsty, sweet, and undeniably steamy. It’s a slow burn, but once the heat kicks in, it definitely delivers—especially with some unexpectedly spicy elements.

The book starts off incredibly strong, but I did feel like the pacing slowed down in the middle, and at times, there was a lot happening that made it feel a bit cluttered. Still, overall, it was an enjoyable read! Big thanks to Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute read and my first by the author. I enjoyed the small town vibes, Scottish mmc, and the brother's ex-fiancée trope. It starts off really strong in the past with the mmc meeting the fmc and not knowing that she is his brother's fiancée. There is a spark between them, but nothing happens because of the predicament. Fast forward to the present, and the fmc is no longer with the mmcs brother, and they kinda dislike each other.

I loved the back-and-forth banter and arguments, and the grumpy sunshine vibes that the book had. This is more contemporary romance because even though it's a fun read, and there are emotional aspects like a parent of an mc with alzheimer's and some adoption aspects. The romance was angsty, sweet, and steamy. It was a slow burn, but when the steam gets going, it really heats up with some kinky aspects. The book did slow down after the strong start, and I felt like there was so much going on in the book, which was distracting, but overall a good read. Thanks to Avon for this arc for an honest review.

this is just not working for me 😫 after multiple attempts, i’m dnf’ing at 30%. they are so MEAN to each other. in particular, the way the mmc treats the fmc after what he did in the past only to always jokingly brush it off??? if a guy EVER did that to me irl it’s on sight. this is probably meant to be enemies to lovers but their taking it too seriously for a contemporary romance 🧍🏻‍♀️

I really enjoyed the first book of the series and was excited to see it continue with characters I met the first book. I absolutely adored the Scottish setting and I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of these types of books. While this book was largely fluffy, it still had some depth that I appreciated, especially in the character development. The only reason I knocked off a star in the rating was because of how each of the MCs kept referencing the FMC’s former relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book!

I was very happy to be back on the isle of Skye! I liked both of the main characters in this book. I thought they were a good fit for each other. I could have gone without the family drama but I get why it was there lol

5/5⭐️

I was so excited to have the opportunity to read this ARC! I loved Whiskey Business so much, and I couldn’t wait to be re-immersed into the Isle of Skye.

Callum and Juniper had me HOOKED from beginning to end. I love the golden retriever/black cat trope and Elliot Fletcher wrote these characters so beautifully. I loved Callum (maybe even a little more than Mal) and their chemistry and banter was just 😫

I fell in love with Elliot Fletcher’s writing with Whiskey Business and she 👏🏻 did 👏🏻 not 👏🏻 disappoint with her second book in this series. Definitely one of my favorite reads of this year, I honestly cannot rave enough on how much I love this series!

I can’t wait for this to come out in June so I can grab my physical copy 😍 I recommend Whiskey Business to everyone and anyone I know who reads and I’ll definitely be adding this book to my recommendations!

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!