Ruby has been feeling burnt out and decides to pack everything up and go on a 'whisky year' in Scotland. There she hopes to write her cookbook and get herself back on track. Once in Thistlecross, Scotland, she starts to fall for the town, especially when she meets her landlord and the owner of local pub, Grace. Not long after, she meets Brochan, a good friend of Grace's who starts doing repairs on the cottage after Ruby shows up. Ruby starts to find a bit of her passion for food and cooking by cooking meals for the pub. As time passes, Ruby finds herself starting to fall more and more for Thistlecross, but also Brochan as well.

I think for me the setting was the strongest character. I felt like I knew the town, the mixture people and everything best. I wasn't a huge fan of Ruby. She just came across as flightly and a bit selfish. Which was a bummer, because Brochan was the exact opposite. She also made some really bad choices in how she handled things with Brochan. It made the story fall a little flat.

Thanks for the ARC!

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended

This book was fun, cute and cozy. I liked Ruby’s journey and found the small town to be charming and an idyllic setting for a sweet romance. While the romance beats weren’t my typical I like the relationship between the two main characters and the way simple comforts were made to seem so beautiful— as they so often are. Overall, I recommend this book to any hopeless romantic with a penchant for Scot’s!

Thank you to @netgalley @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @prhaudio for a free download of the audiobook.

A Charming Scottish Romance

A Highland Promise is a heartwarming and romantic tale set in the picturesque Scottish Highlands. Ruby, a city girl, finds herself drawn to the charming small town of Dunvegan and its grumpy yet endearing local handyman, Brochan.

The author skillfully crafts a slow-burn romance that is both sweet and sensual. The chemistry between Ruby and Brochan is palpable, and their interactions are filled with witty banter and heartfelt moments. The idyllic setting of the Scottish Highlands provides a beautiful backdrop for their love story.

While the plot is straightforward, the author's attention to detail and character development make the story engaging. The supporting characters add depth and humor to the narrative.

The audiobook narration by Nikki Massoud is exceptional, bringing the characters and the Scottish setting to life. Her performance enhances the listening experience, making it a delightful way to consume this heartwarming tale.

If you're looking for a cozy and romantic escape, A Highland Promise is a perfect choice.
4 stars

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Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year by Rochelle Bilow is a cozy, heartwarming romance that transports readers to a small village in Scotland. The story follows Ruby Spencer, a writer who takes a break from her life in New York to explore the quaint Scottish town of Thistlecross, where she is immersed in the town's charm, food culture, and a blossoming romance. The novel features a delightful cast of quirky, lovable characters and combines themes of self-discovery with a satisfying slow-burn romance. Fans of books set in picturesque locations with rich cultural and culinary backdrops will find this an enjoyable read​.

I had high hopes for this one but I just could not get into it. The premise was interesting but overall fell flat. A lot of it felt so far-fetched. The idea that she could quit her job and move to Scotland and had a publisher/editor on stand-by for a random cookbook makes no sense. The idea that Ruby would keep a huge secret from her new "found family" because she made a promise to someone she barely knew made no sense. In this case, the 3rd act break-up makes sense and was well deserved (and I hate the 3rd act breakups), it should have just stayed that way.

Ruby's disillusioned with New York City. Her career as a food writer has lived up to expectations, but the dating pool hasn't, and the simple fact of the matter is that she's burned out. On a wild hair, she resigns from her job and moves out of her apartment in favor of renting a rustic cottage in Scotland. She's finally going to write the cookbook she always meant to. With a single POV, this romance is largely about this turning point in Ruby's life. She (literally) gets her hands dirty and slows down, just as she intended.

The love story comes in when nearly every villager alerts Ruby to the presence of a dark, brooding hottie in town who's her exact age. The matchmakers may not be wily, but that doesn't make them unsuccessful. Brochan lives up to the hype, and Ruby ogles his beard while he helps her set up a vegetable garden. It seems Brochan's biggest selling point is his ability to hold down an actual conversation. And anyone who's dated straight men can likely understand why Ruby's impressed, even if it's not exactly the height of romance. In some ways, this initial observation could also go for the overall arc. The romance is mostly just ok without a great spark or wit behind it, but it also manages to be squarely non-toxic, a great and appreciated feat. While not exactly a slow burn in terms of tension, there is a bit of a waiting period upfront. For readers who like spice, don't let the first fade-to-black moment alarm you. The door gets flung open later on (I'm not sure I've seen this approach before, so I was a bit surprised). And when it comes to final act breakup drama, we all know I have some real issues with secret keeping as the cause, though this one at least offers us a vast, comfy gray area. My problem is more that a destructive secret creates the perfect gap for worry about when the other shoe will drop leading up to said final act. Secrets don't stay that way, no matter what characters may wish.

The book does include a greater, non-romantic plot. Not only is Ruby working to find a fulfilling life trajectory, but also her new home is in trouble financially, leading us to a "save the small town and its businesses" plot. I enjoyed that Ruby has these other concerns on her mind that play into her larger growth. Also, the side characters can have true depth and meaning because the story leaves space for them.

My only major problem is that I got bored. The humor is cutesy in a way that works for it but not so much for me. I got tired of waiting around for the inevitable romantic blowup and then found the willful miscommunication frustrating. Ruby's slowed-down life became a bit, well, slow. And the solution to the town's ailments was ignored until the bitter end in favor of entrenched mistrust. Here's the thing: if you need a bit of fantasy in your life in the form of a woman hying off to Scotland to find true, spicy love and a vegetable garden, please proceed. If you want to read about delicious meals and whisky notes with a strong man deemed complicated for having a single feeling about a single thing, come on. Just don't expect the most dynamic, swoony romance, too. Thanks to Berkley for my copy to read and review!

Enjoyed the atmospheric setting, the heartwarming romance, and the themes about starting over and giving love a second chance.

"Ruby Spenser’s 'Whiskey Year' offers a simple, slightly steamy, and light read with a picturesque Scottish backdrop. Despite a myriad of tropes scattered throughout the story, the premise unfolds as an enjoyable escape.

With a rating of 3 out of 5 stars, this book is best suited for those seeking an easy beach read to get lost in, appreciating the blend of romance, culinary pursuits, and Highland charm."

I saw romance and Scotland and aspiring cookbook author and was immediately intrigued by this one, but unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations.
Ruby goes to a small town in Scotland to write a cookbook and inexplicably falls into insta love/lust with Brochan. They start calling each other Ru and Bru. Bru has some daddy issues, there’s an underperforming pub she has to save, and also there’s a lot of very cringy dialogue coming from everyone, but especially Ruby. I found her to be extremely unlikable, which is unfortunate because the setting is lovely.

I had extremely high hopes, but this one just fell a little flat. It was extremely predictable. It wss very hard to believe they were in love. Just not my favorite book.

I loved this book! While it featured a lot of traditional tropes found in the genre, I thought it was a really fun read and definitely had me looking forward to traveling back to Scotland!

I was expecting a different type of book when I picked this up, but that's more of my issue than the book's. I love highlander romances, especially contemporary ones, so when I came across Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year, I knew I had to add it to my TBR. But Bilow's fiction debut is more of a contemporary novel with a romance subplot than a "pure" romance novel. This is more so a "coming of age" novel but with a main character in their late 30s which I've never encountered before, which was a bit refreshing to read. Ruby is just looking for her place in the world and has to come to terms with the fact that it may not be what she imagined originally. This novel wasn't bad in any capacity; it just wasn't what I was looking for from it. However, once I shifted my initial expectations, I quite enjoyed my time reading.

Gosh this book was a breath of fresh air and kept me giggling. Ruby's ditsy personality was a little over the top at times, and I think I would have enjoyed her a little more as a character if she had been more grounded. However, the feel of this book was absolute cozy Scottish perfection. I really enjoyed curling up with this book and feeling like another resident of this small town watching the story play out. If you're looking for a quick, cozy read with a little spice and hunky, broody, Scot...this is definitely the book for you.

There was a lot to like about this book. The setting was evocative, the characters were well rounded, and the dialogue was crisp (without the awkward dialect that often comes in books about Scotland). Unfortunately, the plot fell flat for me.

rating 3/5

first of all can we take a minute to apreicate the cover? its so cute and just screams cozy romance. and thats kind of excalty what this book is. it's just a cozy romance set in the scotish highlands about a food critic that needs. a break from hectic Manhattan and ends up in a small town and of course falls for a brooding and grumpy Scot. and while it was cozy, it just didnt wow me. it dragged a little bit in certain areas. it's kind of one of those books that i dont regret reading, but it's def not a new fave.

I don’t know what to say besides saying that we all want to move away and go to Scotland for a new chapter. Like how can I make this happen? I’m seriously questioning. I’m jelly that Ruby could start a new chapter, especially in Scotland.


Besides me getting jelly, Ruby is finally doing something for herself when she moves away and starts a new chapter in Scotland. It’s frightening at first since it’s only her in this new town. But Ruby is determined to start fresh and begin something, anything.


While she begins her new chapter, she comes to realize how much she misses being herself. She always had a plan, even though it never made her happy. She was playing it safe, going through the motions, and never taking chances. Now, she has the time to find out what makes her happy professionally and personally. And it doesn’t hurt that she catches Brochan's eye.


I won’t go into too much of Ruby and Brochan's blooming romance. I want to focus more on Ruby's journey within herself. But I will say that their relationship may start off rocky, but they form closer.

I tried my best to become involved in this story as I'm a sucker for a burly Scottish lad and small cottages. It is a very slow burn story and I just could not become attached to Ruby. She had a great plan, but was lacking details and planning and I couldn't become interested in her plight. I did give it the 100 page read and put the book down out of boredom.

Ugggghhhhh one way ticket to Scotland please!

Thanks to NetGalley / Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for a review.

I felt like Ruby Spencer’s Whisky Year tiptoed too far into women’s fiction territory for my liking and was not the fun Scottish romance I was looking forward to. It seemed like a story of two people (and a town) trying to figure out their lives and their identities. The Scottish setting was picturesque and the side characters were sometimes charming, but the romance was not very compelling and took a backseat to the many other plot points. Would recommend it more for someone looking for a slow-paced cozy women’s fiction read.