Woof hat was rough the fmc narrator was awfully monotone, the story just felt all over the place, the taboo forbidden aspect was what made me want know the end but yikes

4.5⭐️
3🌶️
3🎧

It feels great to be back on the Isle of Skye, this time with Callum and Juniper. Ms Fletcher delivered a delicious medium burn romance teeming with black cat x golden retriever energy. The teasing and banter lit me up and gave the story such amazing depth. It’s a must read for me.

Thank you Harper Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of Scotch on the Rocks. Although my copy was free, my opinions are all my own.

harpy and community ken are my two new favorite scots!! the slow burn tension was so tangible between these two, their banter is second to none. the forbidden aspect of their relationship made the stakes that much higher and how these two grew and matured with each other was glorious! i was so happily surprised at their ability to switch roles inside and out of the bedroom, these two are literally the perfect match. he loved her for so long and while it took her a bit to catch up, her love for him shined through just as much.

rebecca mcclay and russ bain’s narration was ear tingling amazing! their accents absolutely had me down bad- they were of so glorious & their voices exuded the perfect chemistry and banter of these two characters

tropes: ex-fiancées brother, best friends brother, reverse grumpy sunshine, golden retriever x black cat, slow burn, he falls first, hate to love, witty banter
vibes: emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content
Moderate: Dementia, Abandonment
Minor: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Alcohol

I love a simpering, whimpering, down-on-his-knees man who begs.

I knew from the moment I read Whiskey Business I wanted to know all about the Macabe brothers. And I think Callum became my new favorite. I loved watching him absolutely PINE and YEARN for Juniper. These two are absolutely combustible with how smoking hot they are. And the way Callum treats Juniper? Every man, take note. Absolutely loved this book!

This one checked all of the boxes for me. The characters were remarkable, the chemistry was incredible, the drama was intense but but in an incredibly high stakes way. 10/10, no notes.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Juniper has not been having an easy time. Ever since her father suffered a health issue during her engagement party, things have gone down hill from there. Now, single, she is doing her best to keep things together, and when her mom leaves town, leaving Juniper in charge of the hotel, and things seem to go from bad to worse, the only person who can help is Callum. Callum is a Macabe, and definitely off limits. He’s the guy she shouldn’t want – her ex fiance’s brother. But the more he helps her, the more she wants him. And the more they spend time together, the more she realizes there might just be one brother she can rely on.

I don’t know why, but I’ve been seeing this trope (ex’s brother) but I’m all for it. I enjoyed this. The romance was well written – Callum was way too sweet. He falls first, love-at-first-sight kind of thing, and he suffers quietly as he watches as Juniper and his brother break things off and then continues to not make a move because he’s trying to be respectful towards his brother. When things finally happened between them I felt like cheering because it was a long time coming (eight years!). Juniper definitely… needed work. I was annoyed by her a lot and hated the unnecessary drama that she brought to the table. I needed her to be better and she just kept doing the complete opposite. She also had a lot of emotional issues to work through, but once she recognized just how amazing she could be with Callum, it was like all the puzzle pieces finally fell into place. I will definitely have to look into reading the first book as I enjoyed this, not just the story but also the writing (minor spoilers for the couple in that book here in this one – April is her bestie and he’s another of the Macabe brothers).

I will also say, for my audiobook friends -- this was well done. The narrators both do a fantastic job bringing the characters to life (and his slight accent is just perfect for Callum). Definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to Elliot Fletcher, Avon and Harper Voyager, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was fortunate enough to receive both a kindle ARC and Audiobook ARC for this book and both were great! I will always love a Scottish accent so the audiobook was so great. I enjoyed this story much much more than Mal & April’s story and that’s saying something bc I loved them. So many tropes in this book and they are all done so well. Callum has been added to my list of perfect book boyfriends. Their banter and sexual tension is unmatched. I felt the author really dove deep into the FMC’s past and insecurities while also showing her growth. I loved the ending and I’m so excited for the next book— I know the series is the ‘Macabe Bros series’ but Heather better be getting her own book!!!

This was a fun, small town romance in a great setting (Ireland). Juniper the MFC runs an Inn with her mom, Calum, the MMC, is a vet who has been pining for Juniper for a long time. This grumpy/sunshine takes an abnormal but welcome path with Juniper being the Grump and Callum being the sunshine. Most with this trope feature the MMC as the grump. The book also had adorable side characters. Basically, I'd visit the town. I enjoyed the narrators, the accents immerse the reader in the setting. Unfortunately, for me my attention wasn't completely captured, it went in and out along the course of the book with some parts fast and other slow. I never quite felt attached to it.

as soon as the audio opened up to Callum's deep Scottish tenor, I was hooked. I loved both narrators, who kept the beauty of the book at the forefront of their narration.

this slow burn, grumpy/sunshine forbidden romance was set in a sweet Scottish small town. the plot was simple and easy to follow, and had enough depth an angsty yearning to keep me interested, even though at times the middle seemed to drag on.

I listened to this as an ALC, provided by NetGalley and Harper Audio in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book. I like a grumpy/sunshine troupe and this one did not disappoint. The side characters in his family really added to the book.

I think I have a new favorite Macabe brother! This was such a fun read and I really enjoyed the narrators! Our grumpy fmc, Juniper, meets her match in the mmc Callum’s optimistic persistence.

For Callum, it was love at first sight when he was the gorgeous woman on the train while on his way to meet his brother’s girlfriend. He never expected to show up and be greeted by the very same woman standing at his brother’s side. Years go by and Juniper, after experiencing heartbreak and a failed engagement, has rules in place to keep her heart safe: don’t look, don’t talk, don’t even think about a Macabe brother! Unfortunately for her, the universe had different plans because the inn she is running is having major issues and Callum might just be the man to fix them.

It was so much fun experiencing the tension and small-town shenanigans in this opposites attract Scottish romance.

SWOON

At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about Juniper’s history dating Callum’s brother, Alistair, but I quickly realized the tension and longing between Juniper and Callum had a long lived history that was just begging for a happily ever after to call its own.

The journey was bumpy, as Callum strives to take care of his family as the oldest sibling, especially helping his mother with their father’s dementia diagnosis and worsening symptoms. Callum is a vet who’s charming and eager to help anyone who needs it, including his brother’s ex-fiancé Juniper when she needs some help with an emergency plumbing repair at her family owned inn.

As these two spend time together, the teasing and tension between each other for years since her break up with his brother finally come to fruition as they begin to realize there’s more to each other than meets the eye. Seeing each other’s vulnerabilities and getting to know each other in a way no one else has ever provided for them brings them closer and more heartwarmingly understanding of one another than ever before.

So much swoon.
So much tension.

Callum’s pining and June’s reluctance to admit her growing attraction to him makes for a fantastic romance unfolding with tension, swoony not-dates and great conversations that bring the two closer together with each new revelation.

Kind of sad it’s over, might do a reread sooner rather than later. That being said, I’m eager to see more of why Alastair is acting the way he is towards the end of the book and see what’s up with him since he’s been away for so many years.

Many thanks to Avon and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this story. All opinions are my own.

The premise of this one kept me from falling. Which is sad, because I loved Callum from the moment he appeared in book 1.

Basically, Callum fell for a girl on the train on the way to meet his brother's fiancé. Guess who his fiancé was? Juniper and Alastair break up and years later, Callum is still pining. Then he finally breaks down her defenses. I could get behind it more if Juniper didn't quit bringing Alastair up during intimate times. It made the whole thing a bit icky.

Russ Bain and Rebecca McClay narrate the audiobook. They read at different paces, which made it frustrating for me.

I look forward to book 3.

I received an advance audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Scottish accents will be the death of me (and what a way to go!). I am officially in love with Callum, and no man in reality can ever match him because the patience that man had to wait so long for her?!? Impossible.

Also, if a man ever takes me on a date and I fall in cow poop…that is definitely the make or break moment right there.

I loved the development of their relationship! He helped her through her emotional hangups and was so patient with her the entire time, it was so sweet!

I really enjoyed June and Callum's story!  We love a swarthy, sexy Scot who loves animals and his girl 😍 And I was so glad June expressed direct communication and a desire to take control in ALL aspects (IYKYK 👀) To be honest I was a little confused for most of it, thinking that June's ex-fiance had done something really horrid, but it turns out he didn't.  😂 Either way, Fletcher does a wonderful job building genuine emotions and fears in the relationships she writes, and BLESS her for skipping the third-act break-up 😂 

The audio narration was delightful, and of course an accent always adds to the experience.  Both McClay and Baim delivered exceptional performances.  

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins and HarperAudio for this Advanced Reader's Copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

received and ARC copy for this audiobook, thank you to the publisher.

When I am looking for a good audiobook to sink my ears into, I need interesting characters that I actually care about, some drama/story and some “spice” to make it… fun lol

Personal preference, I wasn’t a fan of a FMC of this story. She wasn’t terrible, I just couldn’t find something to truly root for her. What I did love was the MMC of this story. I felt he was more relatable and I was truly rooting for him to have his happy ending.

The story is great, I was wondering how the author was going to spin this these two characters I was happy to go along for the ride.

Thank you, NetGalley for the audiobook 💜

The narrators really brought this story to life especially because of their accents.

the setting was my favorite thing about this book, it's set on a small island in Scotland, the FMC helps her mother run an inn while the MMC is a vet, it was so a fun read with a few darker moments

I loved this! The chemistry between the two main characters was sizzling. I loved how sweet they were even though the relationship was a bit taboo.

I absolutely ate this book up. This was my first experience with this author/series and I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series. I had the audio version and it was a joy to listen to. I feel like i would have enjoyed this as a book but listening to it as a audiobook elevated the whole level of immersion. I thought both narrators did an excellent job.

The book was the perfect balance of being romantic and sexy. I am typically not a nickname kind of gal but the use of the name Harpy... I loved it, especially with the male narrators voice.

I feel like this book excels best is in grounding the characters. They are flawed and each have their own hang ups. Their realistic evolution and banter was top notch. Overall, this was an excellent read for anyone who loves love and enjoys the Scottish level of banter and teasing.

This was so good! I need to go back and read the first book now.
This was my first book by Elliot Fletcher, and I enjoyed it so much. I will certainly be on the lookout for this author from now on.
The MCs, Callum and Juniper, were so good! They are so well developed and relatable.
We also have a sort of opposite of a normal situation.
In this book, Juniper, our FMC, is the grumpy character. She is strong, funny, but kind-hearted. We love a strong female character!
Callum was so caring, witty, and such a go-getter. I loved his sense of humor. I laughed out loud!
The chemistry in this book is so good, and you know I love banter, and this book had so much fun banter.
The book is a quick, easy read, and such a good romance!
Again, the characters are well-developed, lovable, and relatable.
The plot is well structured, and the entire book is fast-paced. I loved that the book was fast-paced.
I read this as a standalone book, as I didn't realize it was the second book in a series
I don't want to give away much because I think this is a perfect summer romance and book for your summer TBR!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon Books, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
Happy Reading!