Scot and Bothered

I listened to Scot and Bothered on a whim without even reading Kilt Trip first and OMGGGGGG you guys, this book is SO good. You cannot read it and tell them this author isn’t an expert at her craft. The writing, the romance, the character development — it’s all executed flawlessly. Chef’s kiss. Perfection. ✨BIG thank you to Harlequin Audio for the free audiobook!The best part of this book is Jack and Brooke’s relationship. If you’ve ever read a review where someone said the chemistry was off the charts, this is what they meant. Rom com writers should study these two. Readers, prepare to kick your feet with giddy delight.Read for:❤️‍🩹 Second chance romance🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Atmospheric setting (Scotland!)🤗Forced proximity📘 Books about writers💫 Well-developed characters on a journey🎧 Dual narrators for dual POVs is always a good idea. Jack’s POV is performed by an actual Scot! Angus King nails the Scottish accent, of course, but more impressively, his American accent is flawless (no cringey fake American voice here). Brooke’s POV is performed by Savannah Davies — I can’t find much about her online, so I’m wondering if it’s a pseudonym. Either way, she delivers a fabulous performance. Definitely a great one to pick up on audio!

Very cute second chance romance but the writing style was very wordy. Very little dialogue and a lot of description. Took some adjusting to this style but still enjoyed the book.

Scot and Bothered is a slow-burn, second-chance romance mostly set on the idyllic Isle of Skye in Scotland. The novel switches between past and present, as well as from the point of view of Brooke and Jack. The two of them met in college, fell in love, then life fell apart. Fate has brought them together again to work on a very special project, the memoir of Mhairi McCallister – Brooke's mentor and Jack’s Aunt.I read Alexandra Kiley's first novel, Kilt Trip, and actually had the chance to meet her at my local book club. I was very excited to hear that she was writing another book in the same world, with the same characters. This book is more of a prologue than a sequel, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.Kiley has a beautiful way of weaving grief and love together. She identifies multiple levels and types of love through both her books, which adds a depth to her stories, unique to the romance genre. With Brooke and Jack, they experience friendship, lust, and deep love. With Brooke and Mhairi, the reader sees the love and trust between mentor and mentee, teacher and student. We see through Jack's parents and brothers, unconditional love along with growing pains. Love is layered, making it a fuller story. Kiley makes the characters feel like real people who are over in Edinburgh right now.I am not a huge romance book reader because of the tropes, but Kiley's romance hits differently. Yes it unfolds slower than some, but because of this, the love blooming between characters feels more genuine and more sweet. The romance and tension between Jack and Brooke feels authentic and realistic. To me, the pacing makes me more invested, and has more pay off than instant gratification.If you want pure smut, this is not your book. If you want to curl up and mentally travel overseas to the rolling hills of Scotland, confront lost dreams, fall in love with yourself and an old flame, and maybe see an adorable Highland Coo… then this should be your next read! I will always recommend her works to others because her words have an emotional depth, honesty, and self-awareness I don't find often enough.

I liked "Scot and Bothered" more than "The Kilt Trip" but it still didn't quite work for me. Brooke and Jack were together when she was a college senior and him a TA in one of her classes (though not her TA). When the university learns of their relationship, Brooke's whole life and career trajectory are sent off the rails. She ends up a ghost writer versus an author under her own name, scared to pursue her dreams. Brooke and Jack reconnect on a project she is co-writing, hiking a Scottish trail together so she can 'experience' it and he can take photos. And of course, love is also back in the picture.The hike and the Scottish countryside are the true stars of "Scot and Bothered." Jack and Brooke suffer in comparison. There is chemistry there, but her relative quickness in forgiving him is incongruous when compared to the years she spent blaming him. He has apparently never stopped loving her but has also never sought her out to apologize, despite having a direct line to her through his aunt? I also didn't quite understand how Brooke could be so angry at Jack and yet so loving of Mhairi, considering all of the circumstances. And when we finally get to the culmination of the past timeline, we also learn that apparently all Jack and Brooke would have needed to do was disclose their relationship earlier on? So......why did they not just do that? (I mean, I get it, there would be no book, but still.)Anyway, as I said, the main couple does have chemistry and the writing isn't terrible. There were just a number of plot holes that pulled me out of the story. 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.I liked "Scot and Bothered" more than "The Kilt Trip" but it still didn't quite work for me. Brooke and Jack were together when she was a college senior and him a TA in one of her classes (though not her TA). When the university learns of their relationship, Brooke's whole life and career trajectory are sent off the rails. She ends up a ghost writer versus an author under her own name, scared to pursue her dreams. Brooke and Jack reconnect on a project she is co-writing, hiking a Scottish trail together so she can 'experience' it and he can take photos. And of course, love is also back in the picture.The hike and the Scottish countryside are the true stars of "Scot and Bothered." Jack and Brooke suffer in comparison. There is chemistry there, but her relative quickness in forgiving him is incongruous when compared to the years she spent blaming him. He has apparently never stopped loving her but has also never sought her out to apologize, despite having a direct line to her through his aunt? I also didn't quite understand how Brooke could be so angry at Jack and yet so loving of Mhairi, considering all of the circumstances. And when we finally get to the culmination of the past timeline, we also learn that apparently all Jack and Brooke would have needed to do was disclose their relationship earlier on? So......why did they not just do that? (I mean, I get it, there would be no book, but still.)Anyway, as I said, the main couple does have chemistry and the writing isn't terrible. There were just a number of plot holes that pulled me out of the story. 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley is a cozy, emotional second-chance romance set in the stunning Scottish Highlands. Brooke, a ghostwriter trying to find her own voice, ends up on a hiking trip to co-write a memoir—only to discover her travel partner is Jack, the guy who broke her heart (and got her kicked out of school) years ago.Told in both past and present timelines, the book slowly unpacks their messy history while throwing them back together in close quarters. There’s a lot of longing, unresolved feelings, and beautiful scenery along the way.It’s a thoughtful, slow-burn story about healing, forgiveness, and figuring out who you are. Some parts move a little slow, but the emotional payoff and the swoony setting make it worth it—perfect for fans of introspective love stories with gorgeous vibes.