✨✨✨ NetGalley ALC ✨✨✨

Tropes:
Remote island in Scotland
He yearns for her
Age gap
Black cat x golden retriever
Ex fiancé’s soon

3⭐️
3🌶️

🎧 Narrators:

4.25/5⭐️ 2/5🌶️ 1/5😢

This was such a fun and hilarious read—I absolutely adored the black cat/golden retriever energy both main characters brought to the story. Their banter together was some of the best I’ve read in a long time! While I spent so much of this book laughing, I also appreciate how the author broached more difficult topics such as caring for a parent with dementia and child abandonment.

Considering the FMC’s ex-fiancé was the MMC’s younger brother, but I thought she did a pretty good job of balancing the nuances of past feelings/emotions and family dynamics that could have made this book really awkward and uncomfortable.

tropes & themes:
→ black cat 🐈‍⬛ x golden retriever 🐕
→ ex-fiancé’s brother 💍
→ loathe to lovers 😈
→ incredible banter 🤭
→ age gap (F30x M39) ↔️
→ superrrrr slow burn 🔥

(one of) my favorite quotes:
“I think I might like you, Macabe.”
“Need a sick bag?”
“And just like that, I’m cured.”
“No takebacks, sweetheart. You. Like. Me.”

The audiobook had great narration with the most wonderful Scottish accents that transported me right into the book’s idyllic small town. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for an ALC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

*round of applause* this one was sassier, sexier, and possibly even better than Whisky Business! I loved Juniper and Cal's messy love story. It had pining, second chances, ex boyfriend's brother, off-limits/taboo romance and more! I loved this book and cant wait for the next story in the series!

I was immediately hooked in the first chapter of the book when Callum met Juniper I loved that he fostered a connection with her by letting her truly see him through his acts of love and choosing her. It also helped their relationship and for her to realize he was not solely trying to take her to bed regardless if he is the most sexiest bachelor in town. This book also shows how love is patient due to Callum willingness to wait so many years did the perfect opportunity to claim her as his own. I also love how they are both vulnerable with each other. Overall it was a good read.

I read the ebook a few months ago, and how incredibly lucky am I to get to experience this gem all over again with ACCENTS. Obsessed is an understatement!! Thank you thank you thank you Harper audio and Net Galley for ARC audio.

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!!

I couldn't wait to read this ARC after absolutely loving Whisky Business last year. I am happy to report that I was not disappointed and Elliot Fletcher has earned her spot as a new auto-read author for me. For my preferences, she sparks the perfect balance of humor, emotional depth, and spice.

This book had me hooked and ready from the prologues alone. Callum has been in love with Juniper since he met her, right before she was introduced to him as his brother's girlfriend. EIGHT YEARS LATER we get to see them navigate their proximity, semi-hostile banter, and simmering attraction. The whole book had me engrossed - it has fantastic banter, a charming, idyllic setting in a small village of Scotland, so much pining, and plenty of heat. Plus, there is an undercurrent of emotion and a bit of messiness that makes for a heartachingly wonderful time. I cannot recommend this book/series enough for anyone who loves romance.

The audiobook narrators were really great as well. The accents really added to the enjoyment and feeling immersed in the Scottish setting. Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for an ALC to read and review.

Absolute PERFECTION!
I absolutely loved Juniper and Callum.

From the second Callum saw Juniper, he was obsessed with her. When he discovered she was his brother’s girlfriend…. Well his pining for her didn’t end.

Now years later, and Juniper is now single, Callum is taking his shot. Juniper is trying to stick to her rules when it comes to the Macabe brothers, but Callum might just wear her down.

It was such a treat to see these two fall so hard. Juniper is the black cat to Callum’s golden retriever, and between all the humor and sarcasm that went between these two was a lot of love.

I can’t wait to get my hands on the physical copy when this is published in the US!

I had a really hard time following this book. I'm not sure if it was the narrator or the story. This one was not for me.

Book 2 was definitely more drama and family issues. Love triangles are always interesting. In life I do love accents but in audiobooks I sometimes find it a little harder to listen to. I slowed the book down and ended up enjoying it. Aging parents is also a hard subject but added so much to the feel of the book.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HarperAudio for an advance listening copy of #ScotchOnTheRocks. Off limits romance between a man and his brother's ex. Four stars.

5 stars 🍑🥃💥

Another winner from Elliot Fletcher! The Macabe Brothers is slowly becoming one of my favorite series. This book starts with a BANG and doesn’t let up. It’s forbidden, flirty, filthy (in the best way), and full of feels.

Elliot Fletcher, ma’am… HOW DO YOU KEEP GETTING BETTER?! Whisky Business was already a fave, but Scotch on the Rocks? That was an upgrade with a capital UGH CALLUM PLEASE.

First of all, can we talk about the audiobook? If you’re even thinking about reading this, just do yourself a favor and listen to it instead. The Scottish accents? The low growls during the dirty talk? Yeah… let’s just say my earbuds are now blushing and I’ll never recover. This ALC was perfection and I want to thank NetGalley, Elliot Fletcher, and HarperAudio for this masterpiece. 🎧🔥

Let me set the scene...
Juniper Ross: prickly, traumatized, black cat energy in combat boots (I love when SHE is the grump)
Callum Macabe: cinnamon roll golden retriever with dominant tendencies, veterinarian, and oh yeah, her ex fiancé’s older brother 😬

Age gap? Yep.
Forbidden romance? Absolutely.
One of them is DOWN BAD? Oh, Callum is face first in the mud.

➳❦ “He looked at me like I held every answer he ever needed.”
Me: 🫠 dead. finished. gone.

Reverse grumpy/sunshine! She’s snarky and sharp; he’s sunshine with a side of dominance 😍

He falls first and he falls hard. This man is suffering from a terminal case of unrequited yearning

Their chemistry is so palpable, and the tension is mouthwatering. The spice is super SPICY. 🌶️ (Edging, teasing, delicious filth in Scottish brogue? SIGN ME UP.)

The Dual POV was fantastic and thank god for that, because listening to Callum spiral over Juniper was everything.

There is trauma, healing, and growth. You get emotional weight alongside the laughs and spice; this isn’t just fluff (though the fluff is elite).

The setting is gorgeously laid out. Once again, the Isle of Skye is practically a character. The inn renovation, the small town feel, and that cozy B&B backdrop? I want to move in.

The pacing dipped a tiny bit after the explosive opening (pun fully intended), but it quickly righted itself. Honestly, I was just greedy for more angst and tension after that STUNNING intro scene.

Spicy scene seekers, take note:
Chapters Glasgow Three Years Later, 18, 23, 29, 34, 35, 37 are where things get... vocal. 🫣 Adjust your volume accordingly. (Trust me.) 🎧💦

Highlights that made me unwell:
“Why does he have to look at me like I’m the only girl on the damn island?”
“Four dates. Four chances. That’s all I’m asking.” Sir, stop it, I’m weak.

The moment Juniper lets her walls down and finally sees Callum? I was sobbing, actually.

That spicy scene on the... well, no spoilers. But you’ll know. 😳🥵

If you love:
Forbidden pining (I was in love with my brother’s fiancée and never got over it)
Black cat x golden retriever dynamics
Grumpy/sunshine role reversal
Slow burn that turns into a BLAZING INFERNO
Dirty talk with a Scottish accent
Emotional, character driven arcs with real depth
...then you need this in your life. 🥃💘

This series just keeps delivering, and I will not shut up about it until everyone I know has read it. Please, Ms. Fletcher, give us Allistair’s book next!

📚🌶️🍂🎧🍑💥
Highly recommend. 10/10, would let Callum renovate my inn and my life.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elliot Fletcher, and HarperAudio for the ALC of this book.

The title and cover immediately caught my attention, and I was excited to dive into this audiobook. It kicked off with a fast-paced, steamy, and intense start that definitely pulled me in.

Unfortunately, I ended up DNF-ing at 33%. The banter began to feel forced, and I found myself getting frustrated with the characters rather than enjoying their interactions.

On a positive note, the male narrator was a standout—his accent and delivery added a lot of charm and dimension to the main character, making him even more compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for providing this advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Scotch on the Rocks by Elliot Fletcher with narration performed by Russ Bain and Rebecca McClay is an enemies-to-lovers Scottish romance. I really struggled to connect to this book and unfortunately was a DNF at 20%. It felt like the story kept jumping around and I found myself easily distracted while listening. I really wanted to love this book based on the premise, but unfortunately it was a miss for me. Thank you to Netgalley, HarperAudio, and the author for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say I was very hesitant to rate this 4 stars. While listening to this it felt like a 2 maybe 3 star at best but after thinking about it for a bit, I’m convinced this is purely because I could not stand the female narrator. She got extremely on my nerves with the way she spoke and I think that very much affected my experience while reading. The book and overall story itself was actually very fun and entertaining. It just took me a bit to get through because I had no motivation to keep listening because of how much I did not like the female narrator. The male narrator wasn’t too bad but just overall it wasn’t nice to listen to.

Again silly me did not realize this book was part of a series when I requested the alc and although there were things mentioned that I’m assuming happened in previous books, I do think this is fine to be read as a stand-alone. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on information or backstory and I was still able to connect to the characters which also makes the story better. I might go back and read the previous books though because I was very entertained and I really did like the writing style and the banter between the characters. I kind of felt like I was reading an Elle Kennedy book and if you know me, you know how much I love Elle Kennedy.

Overall I absolutely recommend but I’d definitely say either read it on a kindle or kobo, or get a physical copy because the barristers just weren’t it!

I really didn’t connect to this book and had a lot of trouble getting into it. I found myself easily distracted while listening to it, but I never felt lost even if I zoned out. I didn’t feel that much took place over the course of the book. However, I was into it enough to finish the book. I rate it a solid 3. Thank you to Netgalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet (sort-of?) second-chance romance, set in a small Scottish village (yes, that means our narrators' accents are fantastic) between our main character Juniper, and her ex-fiance's older brother Callum.

Our leads have the most fun rivalry/back-and-forth gentle bullying, and I loved watching their relationship evolve over time. Speaking of time, I really appreciated the time jumps between their initial interactions post-Juniper's breakup, and present-day. This made the romance feel way more believable and realistic, given their shared history. Had June and Callum gotten together immediately it may have given the reader a bad taste, but after years of separation, the development of their relationship feels far more natural.

Juniper and Callum were wonderfully well-rounded characters, who had their own struggles, personalities and hobbies outside of the romance, and June's goal of starting renovations (and begrudgingly having to seek out Callum's help) on her family's inn made a charming backdrop for the story.

This audiobook was narrated in dual style (male narrator read Callum's chapters and female narrator read June's chapters), and Russ Bain and Rebecca McClay did a beautiful job bringing the characters to life!

Overall, I absolutely enjoyed it, and I will definitely have to go back and check out book 1 of the Macabe brothers!

Another wonderful book but Elliot Fletcher.
The amazing banter between Juniper and Callum had me laughing and kicking my feet more than once!
While brother’s ex isn’t my typical go to for tropes, it was handled in a way that didn’t detract too much from the overall story.
The chemistry between Callum and Juniper was 🥵 there was so much push and pull. And when it finally went down, it was well worth the wait.


Thank you to HarperAudio Adult, NetGalley and Elliot Fletcher for an ALC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Okay stop it. This was soooo good!

I loved these characters and their stories. Very relatable internal struggles of not being worthy of love, feeling the need to take care of everyone around you and struggling with the ability to believe in love and accept it when it is given freely and truly.

The tension and banter were 10/10, the plot and personal growth were great and the spice… SPICED! I adored the nicknames and the slow burn along with a bit of taboo of this one. Highly recommend!

Audiobook: the Scottish narrators were absolute top notch, it was a great listen!

This is the second book in a Scottish romance series, and I loved it! Now I really want to listen to the first book before the third one comes out.

The female character was previously engaged to the male lead’s brother, and now she comes together with the male lead in such a natural and destined way. The story is deep, emotional, and fun, with plenty of swoony moments.

If you love heartfelt Scottish romances full of charm and destiny, this series is definitely worth exploring.

I could not resist this cover! I mean, look at it! I’m swooning just from that, and then add in it’s an opposites attract where it’s a small town hero her in Scotland! Juniper is determined to stay away from the Macabe brothers—one is in love with her best friend, one is her ex-fiancé, and the last is Callum Macabe, hard to resist and he just keeps popping up everywhere, enough to make Juniper rethink her rules of staying away. This is an interconnected standalone, and it does definitely stand on its own, but I do wish I read book 1 first just to know the history of these characters a little better, because there is a lot going on. That being said, I loved Callum and Juniper. Callum has been in love with Juniper for years and has kept his distance because of her history with his brother, but he can’t stay away. He’s gentle and kind and does so much for those he loves, I just loved him, and I loved how Juniper saw through his facade of everything being okay. Juniper too is ambitious and brave and she is just so resilient. I love her moments of vulnerability. The chemistry, the banter, the romance, they were all so good and I just really cared about these characters. I wanted them to be happy and the tension throughout was just absolutely perfect! It’s spicy, it’s funny, it’s heartfelt, the characters have great growth, and I loved the accents of the narrators! Very fun read, but I think I’d recommend starting with book 1 (which I will definitely be reading!), and I’ll definitely be picking up book 3 when that comes out next year too!