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

DNF
Callum just gave me the ick. The way he acted in the beginning was ... not for me.
And don’t even get me started on his nickname for Juniper, I just couldn't do it.

I enjoyed this book just as much as I enjoyed the first book in the series! They are classic contemporary romances set in a small town in Scotland and I really enjoyed the shift in culture in these books as well as the romance storyline! I love an edgy FMC especially with a golden retriever MMC so this book was right up my alley. I would recommend reading this series and I am genuinely looking forward to the next book.

Scotch on the Rocks by Elliot Fletcher had me wishing I could drop everything and just hop on plane to Scotland. The story follows Callum who is and has been in love with Juniper. There's just one problem, though: she's his brother's ex-fiancé. And Juniper knows Callum is off limits, but the annoyingly good looking small-town hero has her reconsidering all the rules she swore never to break. Y'all the waterfall scene sill has me blushing!

Spicy: 3 peppers

**Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC**


Callum is down bad for our black cat girl Juniper. The way this book started was perfect and it led to the perfect slow burn. The flirting was perfect and Juniper was finally seen.

There’s so much tension in this book and it’s so well done. You can tell how much Callum and Juniper want each other, but one of them is very reluctant to admit it. Loved seeing the growth between the two main characters.

This book hooked me. it was spicier than the title/art led me to believe and I am okay with this. I did not read the first book but didn't really feel left out of the plot. I do want to go back and catch up on some things because I like the characters and want to hear their story.

The FMC and MMC really pulled me through this because I was invested from the jump. Some things did feel disjointed and I'm hoping it's just the ARC but I did have to scroll back a few times for weird book physics things like "when did he move to his knees", "wasn't her leg just..." overall it was fine but I was gaslighting myself at some point over their positioning.

I was a little iffy on the big proclamation and how it came about but I'm going to just chalk it up to how this couple functions. Factually, I was super entertained and breezed through this story.

Thank you so much to the author Avon/Harper Voyager and Netgalley for this ARC. I attest that I am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

probably needed a hug, fell in love with Callum & Juniper instead 🥹💗

I don’t know what it says about me that I could probably recite this book from beginning to end atp, but there’s just something /so hot/ about Callum Macabe willingly (read: eagerly) spending 300+ pages on his hands and knees, yearning for his brother’s ex-fiancé 🙂↕️

I genuinely do /not/ know how to move on from this book (prepare to be sick of me!!) bc the banter, the pining, the deep softness of it all!! It’s just 😙👌

Not to mention the fact that the golden retriever mmc x black cat fmc is arguably the best (!!) couple combo, and I think there was something even more special about the dynamic it created with Callum and Juniper in this book!! Juniper desperately needed someone loyal and steady to show her that not everyone will leave, while Callum needed someone strong to offer him the space to be soft and unburdened for once 🥺🫶🏻

I’m just gonna leave it at that (for now 🤪), bc I don’t want to spoil anything, but if you only take one rec from me this year, pls let it be this one!! (and bonus: if you read Whisky Business, Mal & April are sooooooo fun in this one 🤭)

rating: 5/5 ⭐️’s
release date: june 5th ☀️

thank you sm to avon for providing me with an arc in exchange for a review 🫶🏻 giving y’all a giant virtual smooch on the forehead for this one!

⭐️
🔥🔥🔥

Quick Breakdown

He Falls First & HARD
Ex Fiancé’s Brother
Age Gap - 8 Years
Small Town
Set in Scotland
Black Cat x Golden Retriever
No 3rd Act Breakup
Slow Burn
Dual POV
Open Door - Moderate

After falling head over heels for Whisky Business, I blindly dove right into book two, Scotch on the Rocks after shamelessly begging for an ARC. It was 1000% worth it. This book bewitched me, body & soul, right from the first line of the book.

The tropes here are 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗳’𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘀. He falls first is one of my favorite tropes of all time & this one goes straight to the top of the list. Callum is GONE, on this knees for Juniper from the very first page & I ate it up. How patient he is for her. Their playful banter as Juniper slowly fell just as hard for Callum. The nicknames 🫠 PERFECTION.

Callum & Juniper play the black cat x golden retriever trope in a way that had me addicted. Callum, the flirty little golden retriever meets town golden boy & Juniper, the jaded realist who happened to have adopted the grumpiest black cat. There’s even some delightful light power play that I really quite enjoyed 😉

Elliot knocked it out of the park with the taboo-esque ex fiancé’s brother trope. Between the pining & the 6 year gap between brothers, Callum & Juniper felt right & inevitable.

I could wax poetic or mindlessly ramble for hours about how I love this book. Thank you @avonbooks for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Scotch on the Rocks releases July 8th. Add it to your TBR now!

BIG FAN of this one! I didn't realize it was a second book in a series, so I do need to back track a little, but overall you're okay if you go in blind. There is so much banter and a bit og a slow burn. I really liked the black cat fmc / golden retirever mmc dynamic.

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I absolutely ate this story up. I hadn’t read the first book in the series, so I am absolutely going back to read it- if it is as good as this book! The banter was great and the characters were very relatable! Who doesn’t love a good whimpering for her Scottish man?!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Loved book 1 in this series and I wass so excited to jump into book 2. It was a great enemies-to-lovers, ex's sibling romance. I loved the banter between the MCs. I had lots of good angsty feels over their love story. Book 2 did not disappoint. Love the little world that Elliot Fletcher has created. Can't wait to get the audiobook when it comes out to enjoy those Scottish brogues.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 and I’m stoked to say that it lived up to all of my hopes!

Juniper is the definition of black cat energy (although her pet cat is even grumpier than her to hilarious ends) and Callum is the epitome of down bad. If you thought that Malcolm from Whiskey Business was the king do yearning be prepared because he had nothing on this story. Years of pent up emotions and tension and a man with a protective streak a mile wide? Yes please. Gimme 14 of em.

The tension between these two? The banter? The back and forth and slow burn!? It was impossible to put down and I can’t recommend it enough.


Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collin’s for this advanced copy of Scotch on the Rocks.

Overall: 4 out of 5 Stars

Scotch on the Rocks tells the story of Callum, brother to Mal from the first book, and his love of Juniper, their other brother’s ex.
Brothers Ex isn’t my favorite trope, but it can be done well, and I think this book toes the line. It’s a hard line when the brother will eventually be a main character in the series. But I think Elliot Fletcher handles it well by giving Juniper’s past depth and understanding as to why she was so hurt by her ex, without ruining the ex for future storyline.

I really enjoyed the banter of this book. Callum and Juniper are vicious to each other in great ways. My only critique is the instant love. It makes for great sappy moments for Callum confessing, but we never really get why Callum fell for June so instantly. Especially since she had been Heather’s friend since they were kids? Why did he instantly fall for her later? Besides that I really liked the book and give it a solid 4 stars.

AMAZING!!
In this enticing Scottish romance, opposites collide with undeniable chemistry between Juniper Ross and the captivating Callum Macabe. Juniper, steadfast in her rules to avoid the Macabe brothers, finds herself irresistibly drawn to Callum, despite the forbidden allure. As sparks fly and tensions rise, their interactions become increasingly frequent, blurring the lines between attraction and restraint. With Juniper navigating the complexities of past relationships and lingering desires, Callum emerges as a charming and persistent presence in her life. Set against the backdrop of a small-town romance, this story explores the thrill of breaking the rules and the magnetic pull of unexpected love.

4 stars!⭐️ Thanks Harper Voyager & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I used to have a pathological fear of Scottish romances due to the overuse of the word lass, but I dinna ken what I was thinking (see what I did there). Not only was this book adorable, but the yearning and banter was top notch too. I do think the pacing felt a little off — the last 40% did plateau, and I think Callum and Juniper’s character arcs moved too fast near the end. But otherwise can’t wait to read the rest of these silly Scottish whisky books