I enjoyed Callum & Junipers slow burn passion. I don’t know if it was my multi-tasking today, but it did take me a minute to really get into it. Once that distraction passes though, I fell full in. The forbidden nature of their feelings made them burn all the brighter. That hint of family drama always hiding in the back waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak. The way he carried a torch for her, the way he waited for the right time and stood by her as a friend while he waited. This was everything. I love a good pining. Love at first sight only to find out she’s your brother’s girl! Is there anything more painful than that. Their story is told with a lot of banter (which is exactly my love language) hate to love (when it’s never really been hate) is exactly the recipe for perfect pining. I love Juniper’s character, her low esteem makes you just want to wrap her up and cuddle her close. She needed a man who was confident enough to devote his whole self to her and that’s exactly what Callum does.

Narrated by Russ Bain & Rebecca McClay. They did a fabulous job with the accents. Nothing beats escaping to Scotland with some great Scottish brogues. I really enjoyed their renditions of Callum & Juniper.

*I would rate this 3.5 if we had half stars, but I rounded up because I did enjoy it in the end.

While I know Elliot is an amazing author (the first in this series was AMAZING) I struggled with this audio. Maybe it would've been better read with eyeballs but I just couldn't connect with the story and the narrators. The back and forth between the two main characters was almost to much at times and the ex boyfriend trope didn't really land well for me this time. I will still recommend giving this book a try- especially if you like other Elliot Fletcher books! Maybe just pick up the paperback?

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review :)

Thank you NetGalley, HarperAudio, and Avon and Harper Voyager for both the ARC and ALC

Story 4 ⭐️
Narration 4 1/2 ⭐️

This was such a fun read, and my first by this author. The banter between Juniper and Callum was perfect, and some of the best black cat/golden retriever trope I’ve read in a while. Their chemistry felt so natural, and the growth of their relationship realistic, and I loved how they let each other see things they didn’t share with others. And the yearning, you have to love a man who has yearned for her for years, and is determined to prove she’s worth everything. The writing was well done, funny, yet emotional. One of my favorite things is when after a couple gets together the snarky banter stays, because why should you lose the spark that ignited everything in the first place.

Russ Bain and Rebecca McClay were amazing narrators and managed to capture the passion, humor, heartbreak, and yearning so well that it gripped you. And the accents, who doesn’t love a Scottish accent

4.5/5 ⭐️ 3 🌶️
Goodreads review posted on: 07/07/2025

Juniper and Callum’s story was hilariously entertaining while also being incredibly sweet at the same time. Shakespeare was the best side character, keeping Callum and Juniper involved while being the sweetest cat ever. Juniper was previously engaged to Allister Macabe but is currently falling for Callum Macabe, Allister’s brother. Callum is fighting the emotions that Juniper invokes and Juniper is doing the same. While this is happening, there are many different familial elements for both Callum and Juniper that keep the reader engaged in the story.

The writing (and audio) were great and helped add an extra edge to the story. The audio was definitely engaging during the spicier scenes🌶️😉 and I was totally fangirling over Callum’s back and forth teasing and flirting with Juniper. Overall 4.5/5 stars and thank you NetGalley for both the ebook and audiobook ARC/ALCs!

This was hot, and I love the chemistry between Callum and Juniper.
It took a while for me to be pulled into the audio, but once it hit I was hooked. I loved the side characters. They added such a fun dynamic, and I looking forward to the other books in this series. 💕

I love Juniper’s black cat energy. She’s feisty, and hilarious. I loved how this book explored her wounds from past relationships, and how she worked on herself.

Callum was a smitten, obsessed man. When he admitted he had been in love with her for years, I nearly fainted. He secretly works behind the scenes making her life easy. I am obsessed with this man. 🤭

Tropes
Ex Fiancé’s Brother
He falls first
Hook up
Opposites Attract
Golden Retriever/ Black Cat
Age Gap
Small Scottish Town
DUAL POV

🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

“Are you in love with my best friend”
“Yes”
“How Long?”
“Years” 🥹

Whisky Business is cute, but Scotch on the Rocks is where it's at. The way I felt for Juniper so much: being a total badass on the outside, but hiding feelings of inadequacy and abandonement inside. And don't even get me started on Callum and his golden retriever energy and how he's so down bad for her, but is also dealing with holding a lot together for his family. I swooned. A lot.

I loved the audiobook narrators! Malcolm's accent in book one was very strong, but Juniper and Callum's in this book were perfect.

I loved getting to spend time with another McCabe brother. The opening chapters sucked me in and the chemistry between the characters was so good.

𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 by @elliotfletcherwrites

ALC releases July 8 2025 (tomorrow!)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the second book in the interconnected standalone series following the Macabe brothers.

I absolutely loved Whisky Business because it was just so funny, so I couldn’t wait to jump into Scotch on the Rocks! I didn’t find it quite as funny (I really think it was just Aprils personality in the first book that won me over) but it was still a great entertaining read with banter, will they won’t they, and family drama.

The narration was dual POV with Scottish accents and they did an amazing job 👏🏼

Vibes
🐕 Golden retriever/ black cat
🤏🏻 Age gap
💘 Brothers ex-fiance/ forbidden love

The spice was spicin’ the yearn was yearnin’ 🌶️😍
… CRAWL TO ME. The end.

Thank you @harperaudio for the ALC! #netgalley

Thanks to NetGalley for an AAC. Such a fun cute read. I recently read book one and was excited to get into Callums book. Juniper was engaged to Callums brother and now years later is falling for Callum. Really enjoyed the story. The narrators weren’t my favorite but I still liked the audiobook.

callum was the definition of down bad and i adoreddddd the way he fell for juniper.

he saw her first but he didn’t get her first. his brother did. after juniper’s failed engagement, she’s back on the isle of skye running an inn and she has an important rule: don’t speak to or even look at a mcabe brother. but when she needs help, callum is always there just popping up. but he’s her ex’s brother and it really wouldn’t be a good idea.

the tension between these two jumped off the pages. callum was so perfect and the way he was always there for juniper and caring for her got me so giddy. i loved juniper’s black cat energy so much. these two are soulmates and you can’t convince me otherwise!!

🎧 the audio was sooooo good!! the scottish accents and voice acting had me completely locked in and i listened and read this in one sitting because i could not part from them!!

thank you so much avon books and Harper audio for the gifted copies!!! this book was my favorite of june and I can’t wait for book 3.

what to expect
⟢ ex’s brother
⟢ black cat x golden retriever
⟢ small town
⟢ forbidden love

I wasn't sure going into this one how I would feel about the whole "brother's ex fiancé" aspect but honestly, Elliot Fletcher pulled it off spectacularly. I love the other tensions in the stories with his family, with her past, all of it really. I am the biggest fan of this male lead, a man who loves her wholly with all of her sharp edges and claws.
Looking forward to reading more by Elliot Fletcher.

Thank you to Harper Audio for the advance listening copy of Scotch on the Rocks by Elliot Fletcher, the second standalone romance in her Macabe Brothers series. While I typically read books in order, I dove into this one first — and I’m so glad I did! Each book can stand alone, but recurring characters and shared settings make me excited to revisit the first and look forward to the third.
This story follows Juniper Ross and Callum Macabe, who first crossed paths years ago on a train to Glasgow. Sparks flew — until Callum learned she was dating his younger brother, Alistair. Fast forward several years and a broken engagement later, fate throws Juniper and Callum together again in their home village on the Isle of Skye. Juniper is determined to steer clear of all things Macabe, but when a home renovation disaster strikes, Callum becomes her unexpected savior. As they reconnect through breathtaking island adventures, old wounds begin to heal and new possibilities take root.
I adored this audiobook. The dual POV was so well executed, and the narration — complete with rich, authentic Scottish accents — added so much to the experience. Callum is the ultimate golden retriever MMC: fiercely loyal, quietly thoughtful, and deeply rooted in his love for family and home. Juniper is prickly at first, but her emotional growth, especially with her family, made her journey powerful and relatable.
The setting is a character of its own. Fletcher’s love for the Isle of Skye shines through, and listening transported me right back to when I visited over 20 years ago. The storytelling is warm, atmospheric, and full of emotional depth with a healthy dose of charm.
If you enjoy black cat/golden retriever dynamics, second chances, or enemies-to-lovers tropes, this one is for you. And if you love audiobooks, don’t miss this one — the narration truly elevates the story. I’m already queuing up Whiskey Business and counting down to the third brother’s story!

After absolutely loving Whiskey Business, the first book in this series, I went into Elliot Fletcher's Scotch on the Rocks with incredibly high hopes. Perhaps my fondness for Mal and April's story in the previous installment skewed my expectations, but I'm genuinely sad to report that this one just didn't work for me.

I struggled to connect with the main couple in this one. Their will-they, won't-they dynamic felt like it went in circles, and I found myself wishing for more forward momentum in their journey. I kept waiting for that spark, that moment where I'd truly root for them, but it just never quite landed. Ultimately, I just didn't have as much fun with their story as I did with the previous book, which felt so effortless and charming.

This installment fell pretty flat. I've been trying to figure out why, but it's hard to put my finger on it. Maybe the stakes didn't feel high enough, or the character motivations weren't fully landing for me.

On the audiobook front, I did appreciate the dual narration, and the accents were a definite highlight. So, while it wasn't my cup of... well, scotch, I don't want to totally put others off! If you're into quick reads, love a good Scottish backdrop, and are all about those second-chance romance vibes, you might still enjoy Scotch on the Rocks. But for me, it just didn't reach the amazing heights of the first book.

Thank you to Harper Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to review the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

the yearning.. THE. YEAR. ING. OMG. there is something about elliot fletcher;s writing that makes me feel like i am in scotland with her characters. callum and juniper's story was such a fun read.

First off thank you so much for this ALC.
I will start by stating that I didn’t enjoy the narrator’s as much as I’d hoped. The male narrator voice wasn’t distinct enough to differentiate between characters. The female narrator was a little better. Although they did fit the main character perfectly. So overall on this one I while I was captivated by the story and characters the narration was a bit slow for me. I’ll rate 3.5 on the audio aspect.
Now the story itself is a masterpiece. The Author has really improved from Whiskey Business. I enjoyed the banter between Juniper and Callum. The back and forth timeline was flowed seamlessly. The author did an amazing job in describing the scenery making me feel like I was there in Scotland on the winding roads and seeing the wild landscape. I love how well she wroth the characters healing journey from their trauma. Both different backstories with trauma but both needing healing and closure. The plot was great, a little slow after the Big Bang in the beginning but well paced. The character development was really interesting to me as it felt so different than a the average cookie-cutter paste type which I loved. I can not wait for the next installment in this series these brothers just keep getting better and better in every story! Overall this is a 5 star for me.

I absolutely adored this book. It was a bit slow in the beginning for me but it picked up and I was hooked. I don’t realize this was second in a series so I need to go back and read the first one. The narrators were lovely with their accents. This was very much a will they won’t they story and honestly I wasn’t sure how it was going to end! The story of someone feeling like people didn’t love her enough and a man who loved her enough for both of them.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The narrators really helped to get into the Scottish setting. It was easily understandable. The story was really nice and easy to get into. Juniper and Callum both went through a lot of progression which was enjoyable. I’ll definitely read the next book !

Loved the dual narration and excellent story. The accents seemed authentic and really added to the storyline. A really fun read full of angst and romance. Can’t wait to read more.

Taylor song: Untouchable

“But you’re untouchable, burning brighter than the sun, and now that you’re close I feel like coming undone”

4.5/5⭐️

Wow! What a great follow up to Whisky Business. The banter! The chemistry! The pining! All top notch as expected from Elliot Fletcher. I felt like the pacing was great, and the touch-and-go aspect of their relationship, something I usually lose patience with in a book, makes perfect sense and worked really well.

Juniper had a fantastic personal character arc, and I loved watching her grow throughout the book.

I did enjoy the audiobook, but I could very clearly tell that some of the lines were re-recorded, as the audio didn’t match up. Other than that, I loved the narrators voices and thought they complemented the characters quite well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!

🎧 Review
⭐️ 3
🌶️ 1.5

I think this is one of those situations where maybe reading the book would’ve been better for me, than the audio. I just wasn’t feeling it.
June (FMC) just seemed extra grumpy and repetitive. She wasn’t over her ex (MMCs brother) there were way too many times where June would compare the brothers or just talk about her ex constantly.
I’m usually okay with the whole brothers ex girlfriend trope, but that because the ex is usually an AHole 😂 the way the ex ended things with June wasn’t cool, but it wasn’t like omg he’s evil, yes go sleep with his brother now lol
There was a lot to unpack in this book. June was in foster care, then there was trauma surrounding that and her bio parents.
Callum (MMC) was dealing with his dad’s Alzheimer’s.
Nothing really felt resolved in the end either.
I enjoyed the first book Whisky Business but this one just wasn’t for me and I don’t think I’ll be reading the 3rd either since it’s about Alister