5 stars! I absolutely LOOOVE this series! Callum and Juniper were everything! The banter, romance and spice were perfection! I loved the vulnerability of June. The forbidden aspect of this (ex fiancés brother) was *chefs kiss* Thank you NetGalley and Avon books for the early copy to read and review!

Callum Macabe has been in love with Juniper Ross since the moment he first laid eyes on her. Unfortunately that moment was just before he was properly introduced to her, as his brother Alistair’s girlfriend. A year after Juniper and Alistair break up, Callum seizes a chance to be with her but it feels all wrong. Another six years go by before he finally decides he’s tired of waiting for the woman of his dreams.

While I love the way Elliott Fletcher writes, I didn’t particularly love this book. Something about the way the brother’s ex storyline played out just didn’t sit right with me. It felt a little too cheating adjacent for my tastes, even though it wasn’t ever actually cheating. I think Alistair deserved a lot more honesty from his brother than he got, and because of that I feel more sympathic towards him than I did to Callum.

I did love the way the black cat trope was used, both as it applied to Juniper and her rescue cat Shakespeare. I also really enjoy the Macabe family dynamics and seeing Mal and April from Whisky Business again. The Scottish Highlands remain one of my absolute favorite romance settings. If Alistair or Heather get books, I’ll almost definitely read them.

Scotch on the Rocks is a slow-burn, second-chance romance full of pining, banter, and emotional depth. Callum and Juniper’s chemistry has been simmering since Whisky Business, and this book delivers on all that tension. Their past (she was once engaged to his brother!) could’ve gone off the rails, but it’s handled with surprising maturity. I really enjoyed their grumpy/golden retriever dynamic and the way their backstories added layers to the romance. Plus, the remote Scottish island setting made everything feel even more intimate and atmospheric.

The middle dragged a bit for me, some of the plot felt repetitive, and I wished we got more emotional connection beyond the physical attraction. Still, the humor, heart, and returning characters from book one made this a satisfying read. I’ll definitely be picking up the next book in the series.

Whisky Business was a favorite of mine back when it was first indie-published, and when the series got picked up by a trad publisher, I was so happy for Elliot because her stories are incredible and deserve to be read by a much larger audience. I read Whisky Business before my trip to Skye, and naturally, I read Scotch on the Rocks AFTER my trip to Skye, and having experienced the island, it was so much fun to fall back into this world--and I could picture it even better, more vividly, having driven the roads and seen the sheep and visited the fairy pools.

Juniper Ross, as his brother's ex fiancée, is off limits to Callum McCabe. But his heart doesn't seem to understand that. Having her back on the island is making him feel things, and he just wants to help her, if she'll let him. I love a prickly black cat FMC, and Callum is just a giant, handsome cinnamon roll of a veterinarian. Not perfect, but just maybe perfect for Juniper, even though it's messy. I loved her cat SO MUCH, even though it was an absolute menace. .And the spice? It was spicing. And I'm not talking about the spice in the haggis (although I have tried it). The subtle dom/sub rep? *chefs kiss*

This book made me want to book the next flight out back to Scotland. I've been missing it, but this book took it to the next level.

All the stars. 10/10. No notes.

A fun rom-com with good characters. The cast of characters were great and enjoyed the story. Need to read the rest of the series.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

a guy falls for his brother's ex-fiance. Cullum and Junptier together are trouble in a good way. He loved this woman for a long time and wanted to do everything to take care of her. it was an interesting story, starting off slow but the more those two spent together the love grew.

From start to end, this book was so much fun. I loved Juniper and Callum together. Their banter was everything. I loved how much they could truly see each other. I also loved seeing them grow together individually and as a couple. This book was truly a joy to read, it really was everything I wanted out of it and more. I loved it so much.

I really appreciated how the author approached writing a book about a character falling for his brother’s ex-fiancée. It was acknowledged throughout just how tricky their situation was, but as a reader, you never felt that their relationship was inappropriate, as the former relationship ended years before.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Triggers: child abandonment and adoption, parent with Alzheimer’s, parent death (off page).
Tropes: reverse grump/sunshine, age gap, ex’s brother, forbidden romance.

This is was such an enjoyable read on so many different levels. The way this book scratched my brain was so delicious, I had to take my time because I didn’t want it to end.

I will say, the beginning was a tad slow, but it was so rewarding in the end. The author really took the time to build these characters and their attraction, and omg it made their coming together so much more explosive. The slightly slow pace definitely shouldn’t detour you from this read. It was vital to the connection between the story and the reader and I couldn’t be more thankful.

Right off the bat, I was obsessed with Juniper. Yes, she is the grumpy one in this situation, but she isn’t an a-hole about it. She has a past that is full of pain and trauma and so it was totally understandable why she wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Not only did her personality make sense given her past, but it she was so relatable because of it. I think I connected with Juniper on a way deeper level because I get it. Her reluctance to be loved and give love because of her issues with her parents and ex, it made perfect sense to me. It’s hard to let people love you when everything that has happened to you makes you feel like you are unlovable.

But, in comes Callum… Callum was perfection. He was so perfect, even Juniper herself would call him, “Community Ken”. As much as I could appreciate him for being handy, a good son, and a veterinarian because of course he is, what really did it for me was the way he was with Juniper. The way he was obsessed with her is enough to make anyone swoon. But not only did he know what he wanted and went after it, it was the way he recognized Juniper’s struggles and actively tried to be everything she needed. This man made sure that she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he loved her and that she was enough. His love for Juniper was undeniable and so powerful, it jumped right off the pages.

The character growth in both MCs was amazing. We see it more in Juniper I think, but Callum definitely has some positive changes as well. With Juniper, she truly blossoms when she is showered with Callum’s love. But don’t get it wrong. I’m not saying she only improved because of a man. I am saying that her finally allowing herself to be loved by him, opened up doors for her to allow others to love her a well. It was truly beautiful to witness her discovering her self worth.

The conflicts in the story made perfect sense. Yes, Juniper’s past was a hurdle, but let’s not forget that Callum is her ex fiancé’s brother. Both of them struggled with their attraction to one another while dancing around the elephant in the room. Callum struggling with loving a woman he shouldn’t want and not wanted to betray his brother was so raw and intense. Plus, what would the rest of his family think?

The spice was scrumptious. It was so refreshing to see the MFC be dominating, but what made it even more delicious was Callum showing a dominant side as well. It was the perfect balance and omg I could just drool. And to be clear, I’m not talking BDSM. It’s just the roles they would take on in the bedroom, it made perfect sense between Juniper being a strong FC and Callum’s totally not toxic masculinity.

The ending was everything I didn’t know I needed. Not only did this leave off on an HEA but the story was wrapped up perfectly. It was so nice to get a little peek into their future together even if we don’t get to experience it firsthand, I can sleep tonight knowing these two fictional characters will go on living happily.

Overall, I enjoyed this book so so much and would not hesitate to read it again.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a romantic story that they can fall deeply in love with. If you are looking characters with so much depth you can’t help but love and relate to them, Juniper and Callum are for you. And I especially recommend to anyone looking for a Scottish romance that doesn’t romanticize the culture itself.

This was such a sweet and playful story! The ex fiancé’s brother aspect was really fun and interesting, and I felt that the dynamics of the characters throughout the book were pretty realistic for the situation. Also plenty of spice is spread throughout the book that complements their relationship as it progresses.

Thank you to Avon for an early copy!

I was intrigued by both these characters after reading the first book and I was pleasantly surprised by their story. The banter was great and I found both characters interesting to read about. They have the reverse grumpy sunshine trope going on and the MMC is DOWN BAD for the FMC which I always love. I felt the age gap and forbidden elements were well done and felt realistic. The setting, like the first book is great…. I mean who doesn’t like reading about a small town in Scotland!

Scotch on the Rocks pulled me in fast. Juniper’s back in town, and Callum—her ex’s brother—is suddenly everywhere. He’s always had a thing for her, and now that they’re finally in the same place again, all that tension they never dealt with is impossible to ignore.

These two have no business being around each other and yet... it’s magnetic. Juniper’s all sharp edges and zero trust, and Callum is steady but knows exactly how to push her buttons. Their banter is fast, the tension is loaded, and when things finally cross the line? Hot!! Like, rewind and reread that scene hot!!!🥵

Also, the setting? Obsessed. The Scottish vibes were strong and the Isle of Skye descriptions had me ready to book a ticket. I’ve been there before, and reading this made me want to go back ASAP. Now I need to grab Whiskey Business (Book 1) before the third book drops because I’m fully in my Macabe brother era.

Thank you @elliotfletcherwrites and @avonbooks for the #gifted ebook ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Man in love with his brother fiancé..what could go wrong?! The man loved her from very first time he saw her. He thought he would never have her. But then she became single...the pining. The longing! Omg!
Slooooow burn at its best!

I’m ABSOLUTELY obsessed with this book! I listened to Whisky Business last year and fell in love with the characters and Elliot Fletcher’s writing. So I was so excited for book two and YALL ANOTHER MACABE BROTHER TO LOVE!!

From chapter one I was locked in. Callum Macabe is absolutely in love with Juniper and his first time seeing her… that scene THAT being the prologue was everything and it set up their story so well!

Callum would do absolutely anything for Juniper and I really loved seeing how much he supported her in your dreams because that is something she struggles with. These two had me swooning! The yearning!! The passion! The tension! Every scene they had together made that connection stronger and tensions higher.

4/5 ⭐️

Juniper and Callum had chemistry that was off the charts! I was obsessed with them and the enemies to lovers/black cat and golden retriever energy. It wasn't as good as the first one in the series. I think some of that had to do with the structure of the book. It was really slow in parts and took awhile to get going.

I love Fletcher's writing though (she knows how to write chemistry like no other) and I'll look forward to reading future books by her!

Thank you to NetGalley, Elliot Fletcher, and Avon and Harper Voyager for my early access to this.

This was cute and fun and I really enjoyed the overall story. I didn't really love how the fmc kept talking (in her head) about her ex (the mmc's brother) and also referred to their incredible sex life, I don't know. I guess in real life it would happen, but it definitely made their relationship with each other seem extra messy? I get that it *is* messy (ex boyfriend's older brother and all) but I do wish it had been kind of skated over, because it wasn't it icked me out at points.

Overall great writing, good well-rounded characters, plot moved smoothly and didn't drag, I just didn't love the premise which is really on me.

⭐ (Story) 3
⭐ (Narrator) 5
🌶️ 2
🥵 Spicy Chapters: prologue-ish, 18, 23, 29, 34, 35
📚 Tropes/Themes: ex's brother, bickering, it's always been you, pining, small town, vet MMC, black cat x golden retriever, age gap
👀 Single POV 3rd person
🎙️ Dual narration (Russ Bain & Rebecca McClay)
⏰ Approx 10 hours
💔 Triggers: adoption, dementia, terminal illness, parental death, parental abandonment, toxic parent
🛍️ Available: Now

💬 Scotch on the Rocks is the second book in the Macabe brothers series, and while it's technically a standalone, I think it would be best to read the first one (Whisky Business) before this.

As for my review welllllllll..... This was a let down. I LOVED Whisky Business, it was an easy 5⭐ read and then this one was just not there.

The story itself seemed to take forever, but nothing really happened. And idk I'm pretty ambivalent about forbidden/taboo romances but I just don't think it's that bad for her to be interested in her ex's brother, especially since her ex was the one who ended it YEARS AGO. Maybe if she had been the one to end the relationship? And when you finally find out the reason it ended it seemed like a lot of drama for no real reason.

Along with that the build up to their relationship was just so....weird? Juniper is super immature, which, I do understand why, but again I think because the main drama of "ex-fiances-brother" wasn't that big of a deal, the immaturity fell flat. But it was like they were edging each other IRL and it wasn't sexy.

I'm sure it's just a personal preference but I'm also getting kinda tired of the trope where he gets her off and that's it, he refuses/denies himself enjoyment as well, and that kept happening in this book. Maybe it's because I'm married but I'm sorry fingers and dry humping only get old after a while 😂

I do want to say though, that I'm really happy to see that the author included adoption in the triggers, and made it a point to highlight adoption trauma 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

*~ Most Likely to Make Me Question My Previous Stance On Kilts ~*

Well, I find myself sucked into another series. I did not read the Whisky Business but you best believe it's on my TBR now.
While the beginning premise made me feel a little icky (Juniper previously had a serious relationship with Callum's brother) - but as I got further into this story, there was no denying that these two belonged together. Juniper had a more aloof energy to her that brought out a balance to Callum's sweet and people pleasing demeaner. Their chemistry was off the charts and when the communicated, they did it so well.

Thank you to Net Galley, Avon/Harper Voyager, and Elliot Fletcher for an eARC of this story.

I loved Whiskey Business by Elliot Fletcher and was really excited to read this next entry in the Macabe Brothers series. Callum was a great male main character. He was a gentle soul and had to work to be seen differently by his dad who only appreciated obvious masculinity. I appreciated how much he looked out for everyone. This is classic people pleasing, taking care of everyone else’s needs because you want to be valuable because you don’t think you are enough on your own. In a way, that makes June his inverted twin. She had difficulty accepting that people loved her, because of early years in foster care. As a therapist, I found Fletcher did a great job rooting these backstories; they were psychologically sound and poignant. As was the toll being a caregiver takes on people, especially for those who are dying millimeter by millimeter from dementia.

This book has tropes I normally don’t like (age gap and falling for a boyfriend's family member), but I thought they were well done here. There was an obvious connection between these two characters and it was more than superficial. The banter was great! You could hear the Scottish accents through the page. Loved the tattoos! Loved the bakery scenes! Loved the spice! I definitely recommend this book; no sophomore slump here. Now I’m ready for Alistair’s book! 4 stars. Thanks to Net Galley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was well done. I usually don't enjoy brother's ex type stories but the connection between Callum and Juniper was so potent that you couldn't help wanting them to figure things out. I really enjoyed how this author snuck in real and deep feelings while maintaining an easy to digest rom com writing style. I think this is a book that could take off if it finds its audience. I am not confident our library will purchase it but I will definitely recommend it personally.

Scotch on the Rocks is the second in Scotland-based Elliot Fletcher's Macabe Brothers series, set in the Isle of Skye. Fletcher herself lives in Scotland (in Edinburgh) and does a lovely job of drawing on that experience to realistically portray life in small town Scotland. I did appreciate that she drew on her experiences to make the characters - small town vet Callum and local innkeeper Juniper - feel like they were rooted in their town - my favourite was a nod from Edinburgh alum Callum mocking the University of Aberdeen (as an Edinburgh alum myself? Accurate).

I also really enjoyed that the book is interested in what masculinity looks like in a culture like rural Scotland. Callum and his brothers have a difficult relationship with their father - a man who had strong ideas about who a man should be - and are having to deal with providing care for him. The book was really enjoyable, blending these heavier ideas with the fun romance. I'd recommend for fans of Nora Roberts.