Thank you, Harper Audio and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion. Right from the start, I was not vibing with this book. I wasn't a fan of the narrators. The story wasn't grabbing my attention. I do like the cover of the book though.

I freaking adored this! Juniper was such a relatable mess in the best way, and watching her try (and fail) to stick to her “no Macabe brothers” rule had me entertained. Callum? Swoon. The perfect mix of protective, grounded, and totally off-limits. Their chemistry felt so real, and I loved how the story balanced heat, heart, and humor. The audiobook narration brought the characters (and that dreamy Scottish setting!) to life in the best way. Such a cozy, addictive listen! 🍂🥃💙

I think if you enjoyed book 1, then you’ll also enjoy this book. I found both sort of mid so I don’t think I’ll continue in the series.

A LOT seems to happen in Chapter One. It was a lot from the gambit. Yes, it built everything up, but so much happened that once it hit Chapter Two, I was like – oh, just Chapter 2? Aren’t we 5 chapters in?
After that though, the story is easier to follow. Is it predictable? Yes. Is it still fun? Oh yeah. There’s a lot of fun banter between the FMC and MMC is a good time. The plot moves forward well and doesn’t stall. You will continue to get frustrated with the MMC, as he just continues to mess with the FMC instead of showing her that he still yearns for her. However, you will adore him because he is such a sweet family guy. The only other issue I have with the book is the whole “falling for your brother’s ex” thing. It feels a bit outside of the MMC’s personality, as he is such a family guy.
The narrators are amazing for this. The MMC is the perfect mix of sweet and sultry. The FMC is sassy, which the narrator is great at balancing between her more emotional moments.

I stayed up until 3 AM so I could keep listening to this. The story was so cute and the narrators did a fantastic job!

This one is really fun! Definitely read it if you love the “he falls first” trope. There’s the black cat / golden retriever characters we all love, with some pretty witty banter! I loved the setting of this — probably the best backdrop. It’s a spicier read but it doesn’t take away from the storytelling. There’s also an age gap in this book which was not glaring at you. This story is sexy and sweet!

Audio was lovely as the actors had accents and worked really hard at changing them depending on the characters talking. I love that the dual POV had different voices — it really makes the story come alive!

Overall I liked it but I felt the concept got a bit repetitive and the focus was on physical attraction (lust) over deeper emotions. It was still really enjoyable though!

Thank you SO much to Harper Audio and NetGalley for the advance audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Juniper Ross has 3 very simple rules;

Don’t look at a Macabe brother. Don’t talk to a Macabe brother. Don’t even think about a Macabe brother..

It's practically impossible to follow her own rules when her best friend is in love with a Macabe brother and June used to be engaged to another, but he is not the Macabe brother who currently occupies her thoughts. Callum is the small-town hottie who also is so kind to everyone but Juniper - she nicknames in Community Ken. They butt heads every time they run into each other to the point he nicknames her "Harpy". But, there is something akin to lust simmering underneath the outward antagonism?

Little does June know that Callum first fell hard for Juniper when they met on a train - not long before she was introduced to him as his brother's new girlfriend. Both of these characters had great back story - Callum is a retired Army vet and now a veterinarian who is helping his mother cope with his father's worsening Alzheimer's disease. June is dealing with abandonment issues having grown up in foster care until she was adopted at age 7, but also lost her adoptive father and then her fiancé broke off their engagement.

Repairs at the inn she is managing while her adoptive mum takes a well-deserved break go awry and she reluctantly accepts Callum's help in fixing it.

This story has so much heart and the narrators do a great job of portraying the serious emotions as well as the funny parts. I didn't want this book to end! I hope there will be more in the series. Now, I am going to go back and read the first one.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the audiobook ARC - I truly enjoyed it!

If “bickering as a love language” gets you going, then you will love the dynamic between Juniper and Callum. Unrequited love stories always rank high for me and Scotch on the Rocks definitely has pining from afar in spades. Ever since Callum McCabe saw Juniper Ross on a train, he’s been smitten with her. The only problem? She’s his brother’s girlfriend. The story jumps to the present where both Juniper and Callum are now single and have the Anne Shirley/Gilbert Blythe routine down pat. He loves to push her buttons, poke at her, and do anything to get her attention to slide to him. It’s both annoying and amusing, but because it’s Callum, it’s also done with swagger that’s hard to resist.

I loved all of the interactions between Callum and Juniper. He persuades her to go on four dates with him, showing Juniper the Isle of Skye as payment for helping her with major plumbing issues at her family’s inn. What he’s actually doing is wooing her; Callum is a man that pays attention. He places an order for coconut milk, even though he doesn’t like it, just so there’s a big enough shipment for Juniper to have some for her coffee. He has silently orchestrated things so that Juniper’s life is easier without her ever knowing it was him. This is a man who also says what he wants and never pretends to be okay with anything less. So much that it does get him into a bit of trouble with his brother (and Juniper) later when he makes a rash decision. I’m knocking my rating down slightly because of this scene—it felt slightly manipulative even if the characters discuss it immediately after.

Elliot Fletcher knows how to write chemistry and once these two finally cross the line of sexual tension, it’s crazy hot. They vibe off innuendo and Callum knows how to use his Sweetheart and Harpy nicknames to make Juniper weak in the knees. Callum falls first and falls harder and never, not for one moment denies it. If timing is truly everything, then the time from when these two meet to when they’re actually able to be together has only added to the experience of finally having what’s been withheld from you for so long. I’ve really enjoyed the different personalities of the Macabe brothers and am excited to see how Alistair will get his HEA. I really enjoyed both of the narrators, especially the male narrator who was great with emotion. I felt like their chemistry on page translated through their voices. I received an early copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.


Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5️⃣
Steam: 🪭🪭🪭
Narration: 🎤🎤🎤

For Callum Macabe falling in love with Juniper Ross was the worst possible thing that could happen to him. Meeting her 7 months a 12 days AFTER his younger brother so he resigned himself to flirting and taunting from a far, only the way a big brother can, because she had unknowingly stolen his heart. After Junioer and his brother’s relationship ended Callum and June share a night of almost passion but his rejection left her hating him. Unfortunately for him, he still just as in love with her as he was from the very first moment he saw her all those years ago. Fortunately for him, now they’re neighbors, and the HOTEL she runs is in need of serious repairs and he’s just the man to help.

Filled with banter, flirting, forced proximity these Holden retriever, black cat opposites attract in the second book from Elliot Fletcher in the Macabe Brothers series. This was another book with personal connections for me with Junioer being adopted and Callums father being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

The narrating by Russ Bain; Rebecca McClay was delightful! Beautiful authentic Scottish accents that made the story that much better.

First, I wanna thank NetGalley and author Elliott Fletcher
For this arc !

This follows the Macabe Brothers! We get the story of Callum and Juniper! If you’re looking for enemies to lovers kind of romance book this is it truly it the banter in this book was hilarious. If you want to hear a Scottish accent that will melt your heart get the audio and read the book. It was phenomenal.!!

Juniper was engaged to Callum’s brother that is correct, however she was off-limits and she needed to be off-limits. She comes back in town and let’s just say the only one to help her and her family is Callum and well I’m sure that’s going to stir up some feelings wouldn’t you say?

As you read the book, there is many events and things that take place, but what I truly did like about the book was for me. There was banter for me. There was laughter for me. There was moments where I understood. We’re both characters were coming from if you’re looking for a new book to try out, I’d give this book a chance. Thank you once again to Net Galley for this chance on this ARC !

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for the alc!

The details: Callum has been pining after his brother’s girl friend since before he knew she was his, but a breakup puts them in each others orbit and looks like Callum’s chance to finally get the girl. Juniper finds herself drawn to the hot hometown sweetheart that just so happens to catch her eye but when things don’t go according to Juniper’s plan, she starts to resent the man. As life changes, and they both find themselves back living in their hometown will the timing finally be right, or was the last rejection too much to repair what they could have had?


Review:
I really enjoyed this one. I feel like it’s probably a 4 or 4.25. The banter between them was fun and I liked the forbidden aspect of it being her ex’s older brother. I love a good grumpy/sunshine, especially when the woman is the grumpy of the two and it made me wanna go to Scotland. I really liked Callum‘s character and the way he continued to pursue Juniper. That man was down bad for that girl and the yearning was delicious. I really liked how their dates were him taking her to places where they lived so that she could experience more of her town for the bed and breakfast/inn, but I wish there had been more excursions so that I could plan a whole trip to Scotland just based on this book.

Overall, I would recommend it if you like romance with spice. About 3-4 open door scenes.

Audio review:
The audio is done very well. There are two different narrators for the point of view of Callum (Russ Bain) and Juniper (Rebecca McClay), and they all have Irish accents except for one character and it was a good time. Both Russ and Rebecca did an excellent differentiating between different characters in the audio. Really enjoyed it.

Thanks again for the publisher for the ALC!

No matter how she tries, and how many rules she tries to implement, she's toast. Juniper does not want to fall for a Macabe brother, so she's made rules... plenty of them. But none of them seem to stick.

The wonderful back and forth between Juniper and Callum is smoking hot, even when they are actively avoiding each other. Elliot Fletcher nailed this right on the head and was able to make me yearn for more.

Russ Bain and Rebecca McClay did an amazing job voicing these two characters and the others that are in the book. They helped to bring spice to life.

I'd like to thank the publisher HarperAudio and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful book. Thank you.

I felt so invested in these characters right from the start. The backstory of Juniper being Callum's brothers ex fiance added another layer and complication to their relationship that I think lead to plenty of genuine conversation between them, and between Callum and his brother.

I also truly enjoyed the small town setting, and all of the side characters at the Inn and in town. The characters felt well developed, and although the romance takes center stage of the story, both main characters had other things going on behind the scenes (family drama, work issues, sick family members), that rounded them out and helped the story feel real.

I have to go back and read the first one now!

Thank you very much to Harper Collins and the author, Elliot Fletcher, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Such an enjoyable read! This booked hooked me right away and kept me hooked the entire time. I love romance books set in Scotland and this was so fun to follow callum and juniper falling in love.

Callum has been down catastrophically bad for Juniper since the moment he met her on a train over a decade ago… right before realizing she was his brother’s girlfriend. Oops. 🫣

Fast forward: she’s now newly single, emotionally bruised, and trying to dodge the entire family. But Callum? He’s never stopped loving her. Ever. He’s a walking, talking Scottish masterclass in quiet devotion. 🥲💔

Juniper's original, magnetic, emotionally scarred but strong—and Callum is a man on a mission. A slow-burn, soft-hearted, ride-or-die mission. He’s loved her in silence, and now he’s loving her out loud.. 🥃🔥

This book has scope. There’s grief, family complexity, a breathtaking Scottish backdrop, and a love that simmers over time like a well-aged scotch. The narration? Perfection—I was fully transported.

I received an ALC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
---

SPICE: 3🌶
RATING: 4 ⭐️

This was a solid book. My only complaint was that the female narrator spoke in a monotonous voice. The male narrator was great though!

Backstory: Callum had been away in the army for a few years and was going home to meet his brother's fiancée. He takes a train from Glasgow and meets a woman, Juniper, and instantly fell in love with her. It turns out that Juniper was engaged to his brother, Alistair.

Present day: Juniper and Alistair broke up five years ago and Juniper still has not gotten over the rejection. She and Callum currently work in the same village and even live next to each other. They pretend to hate each other by lobbing insults at each other, but Callum has never stopped loving her. When Juniper's bed and breakfast requires an emergency plumber, the two start spending more time together. In exchange for fixing the disaster at the inn, Juniper agrees to go out with Callum for a set number of dates. Once she is able to let down her walls, she sees that Callum is devoted to her and will not leave her.

I wish that we found out what happened to Alistair to bring him back to Kinleith.

🎧🎧🎧🎧/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
📆 Pub Date Jul 08 2025
♥️ Her Ex’s brother
♥️ Opposites attract
♥️ Age gap
A perfect little Scottish book filled with spice. I fully enjoyed the audible experience, especially the narrator's skillful accents. Russ Bain was a Scottish dream to listen to and fully brought his character to life. However, I found the choice of Rebecca McClay's voice to be a miscast. Juniper’s character is supposed to be a young rebel, whereas Rebecca’s voice sounds too mature and lacked the rebellious edge. In spite of this, the yearning and infatuation Callum had for Juniper was captivating to listen to.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ALC version of this book!
3.5 stars rounded up⭐️

Since this was an audiobook let’s start with the narrators… the male narrator was perfection. Perfect casting and his voice was godlike. The female narrator left much to be desired.

I enjoyed the story, but the whole “push and pull” of it was annoying. I did really enjoy their banter. There were quite a few laugh out loud moments.

He’s a golden retriever who is loved by everyone and she is a black cat and a little feisty (in a good way and for good reason tbh). Their story is super cute and they worked hard to get to where they ended up 🥰🥰

This is for sure a must read/listen!

Well, I thought this book would be slam dunk for me. Love books set in Scotland, love second chance romances. Love black cat/golden retriever dynamics. But unfortunately, I just found I had a hard time connecting to the characters. I’m not quite sure what it was. It started out strong, but I think the story slowly lost my interest from there, and I had a hard time maintaining my attention to the story.

Audiobook notes: LOVED Russ Bain. Perfect voice for the role, and I thought he performed his chapters beautifully. I enjoyed the female narrator for the most part, but maybe her voice was a bit too monotone? Her performance just lacked that certain something that might have held my attention more.

Is this one of the hottest contemporary romances in the game right now? Yes.

Does the audiobook make it even hotter? Aye, lasses. Yes it does.

Here’s the thing. Audiobooks are my preferred format, but even as an audio-lover, there is one specific subgenre of book that is always, across-the-board, every time better on audio (no matter how good the book already is). And that is a Contemporary Romance Set in Scotland (particularly as a US-based reader).

Sure, I can attempt to imagine Callum with a Scottish accent from the words on the page and phrasing, but when I tell you this narration is on another level: trust me. I knew it would be good because the audiobook of Whiskey Business was incredible, but Callum and Juniper are in a league of their own.

10/10 narration and casting. If you love contemporary romance, you simply must read Scotch on the Rocks - and you simply must read it in audiobook form.