Ruby Spencer is a lucky girl, living my dream! I have been obsessed with Scotland well before Outlander. I went there decades ago as a teenager and fell in love with the country. I like what the author writes about how Outlander has sort of ruined Scotland because everyone who flocks there isn't going to experience Scotland that way, and that people will miss out on so many good things about Scotland because of it.

Lately I've been getting books with really well-written men. Brochan is one of those men. It's all the things he loves about Ruby, It's the kind of man he is, what he stands for, how he treats other people. And it doesn't help that he was good looking, either.

This book ticks off all the right boxes: Scotland, food, romance, a good story. I look forward to reading more books by this author. You should read this one, too!

Thanks, NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are mine and freely expressed.

Ruby Spencer has quit her job and bought a one way ticket to Scotland. After a string of bad break ups and realizing her job wasn’t as fulfilling as she once thought, what does she have to lose?
This was a pretty standard romance novel. A few lines made me make this face 🤨 (she tastes like Mayonnaise? He bit the flesh between her armpit and boob? Why?) but overall who doesn’t want to read about a woman flying to Scotland and living the dream.

I really enjoyed this book. The Scottish setting was perfect, and it did wonders for the atmosphere of the book. The story was solid, and Brochan was to die for. I found this to be a great romance, and can heartily recommend it!

This book was cute and fun. I enjoyed the setting a lot and getting to know all of the different characters was a lot of fun! I felt like I went in with my expectations a little higher than I should have and was a little let down. The book felt so fast paced and I felt like some dialogue could’ve been added to make it less confusing. It was overall a good book and a quick read.

Ruby has been going through the motions of life without really living it. After a moment of clarity, she picks up her small life in NYC and moves to Scotland for a year with the hope to write the cookbook she’s always wanted to. In the quaint & charming small town of Thistlecross, Ruby finds not only a handsome Scot, but a sense of self, purpose & a home she’s always been looking for.

I adored this book & I think it’s partly because I was in the right headspace to appreciate it. The concept alone, taking a gap year as an adult, spoke to me. Then, it read so soft & dreamy with these detailed descriptions of Scotland & elaborate food dishes. Sometimes, in books I end up wanting to skip over scenes with lots of descriptive detail, but that wasn’t the case here. I wanted to read it slowly, to properly savor every last bit.

This had that perfect mix of romance & women’s fiction. I was left satisfied all around. I loved how Ruby took to moving to a new country / small town in stride, especially how comfortable she was on her own. It highlighted to me isolating living in NYC can be. Watching her create friendships & roots warmed my heart to no end.

Ruby & Brochan worked so well together. First & foremost, I will always be here for a sexy bearded Scotsman. The pacing from strangers to friends to lovers, no shock here, really worked for me. They had great chemistry & I easily found myself rooting for them.

Short synopsis: Ruby Spencer quits life in New York to go to a small town in Scotland to write a cookbook.

My thoughts: Can I just quit everything and go to Scotland? Pictures look so amazing, definitely a place I’d love to visit!

I liked Ruby as a character, she had a lot of self learning to do and I think the small town in Scotland was the perfect backdrop! The romance didn’t feel forced, or rushed which I adored!

Brochan was so sweet and gentle, and I loved the getaway he planned for Ruby to see the best parts of his country.

The audio on this was very well done, the narrator did an amazing Scottish accent.

Read if you live:
* Small town romance
* Found family
* Scottish food
* Escaping life
* Finding oneself

Thank you to PRH Audio and Berkley for a copy of this book! Pub date was Feb 14, 2023 so this is out now!

Feeling like her life is growing stale, Ruby Spencer quits her job and moves to Scotland, renting a cottage sight unseen, for a year. She’s determined to write a cookbook and figure her life out.

Thistlecross is a small town, and the Cosy Hearth Pub has seen better days, certainly busier ones, but it’s charming. Between writing her cookbook, helping out in the pub and getting to know the locals it’s not long before Thistlecross starts to feel like home, wedging a spot into Ruby’s heart. Even more so as she gets to know Brochan, the sexy Scot-slash-handyman in town.

I just loved the setting of Thistlecross, the sound of the charming cottage and the old pub where Ruby is staying. The food she whipped up on her own and with her landlady, Grace, made with fresh eggs, herbs and veggies from the garden she started up sounded delicious and added to the appeal. I enjoyed Ruby and Brochan getting to know and fall hard for each other. Of course, not all was smooth sailing, I was more irritated with Brochan than Ruby, though, but the conflict wasn’t over-the-top and felt true-to-life. The romance was lovely.

I’d definitely recommend Ruby Spencer’s Whisky Year. It was a delightful combination of delicious food, dreamy setting, and a lusty romance!

“Ruby Spencer hadn’t come to Scotland to fall in love. Absolutely, positively not.”

Ruby Spencer is spending one year living in a small cottage in a tiny town in the Scottish Highlands for three reasons: to write a bestselling cookbook, to drink a barrelful of whisky, and to figure out what comes next. 

The moment she sets foot in Thistlecross, the cozy cottages and struggling local pub steal her heart. Very quickly Ruby starts to see a future that stretches beyond her year of adventure. It doesn’t hurt that Brochan, the ruggedly handsome local handyman, keeps coming around to repair things at her cottage.
 
As Ruby grows closer to Brochan and the tightly held traditions of the village, she discovers secret plans to turn her beloved pub into an American chain restaurant. Faced with an impossible choice, Ruby must decide between love, loyalty, and the Highlands way of life.

“If family can become strangers, then tourists can become family.”

So Brochan is my new book boyfriend. There I’ve said it. What an absolute doll of a man. Reading this makes me want to take my own impromptu trip to Scotland. The village of Thistlecross sounds dreamy and like the perfect small town way of life. Add in some familial drama and some hot and heavy rolls in the barley and you have yourself one entertaining story!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so much fun! Perfect for a Valentine read. I seriously recommend having snacks on hand while reading. It made me very hungry. It also made me want to run away to Scotland and visit small towns and talk to cows and chickens(more than normal?).

Not only were the characters so lovable in this story but the setting was wonderfully described, the food was drool worthy, the spice was present but not over the top if you aren't in to that kind of thing, and the plot was on point. I thoroughly enjoyed it and stayed up too late reading for a couple nights.

Basically- Ruby quit her job as a food writer and decided to write a cookbook and move to Scotland for a year, handyman shows up to fix her cottage and the rest is in the book.

Thank you to @berkleypub @berkleyromance @letstalkbookspromo for the opportunity to read this one before publication!

I loved the atmospheric setting of this novel. Ruby goes to Scotland to start over, and in the process she finds a home that she never wants to leave. The main character is working on writing a cookbook, but soon she discovers that she also enjoys preparing her recipes and feeding those she loves in the small, charming Scottish town. The grumpy sunshine trope works well here, as the main male character is quite a grumpy hermit, until he meets our sweet heroine Ruby.

A slightly Outlander inspired contemporary romance? Sign me up! I absolutely loved Ruby, her story, and the town of Thistlecross. A writer looking for inspiration in her late 30s, only to find love for herself, a community, and the love of her life - only the best romance tropes! A little bit of steam, a lot of good food, and a dash of friendship, and Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year has definitely earned a spot on my favorites list. I thought the characters had depth, their stories were well thought out, and I loved what an important role the community and small town played throughout the novel as well.

As an avid romance reader, I absolutely love discovering my newest favorite trope, and apparently foodie romance is my latest obsession. There's just something so comforting about the homey food descriptions and mouthwatering meals that makes my heart so happy.

Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year was such a great grumpy/sunshine foodie romance set in the Scottish highlands, and although I can't say that I'm a whisky connoisseur, I definitely found myself craving it afterwards.

I loved the adventurous spirit of both Ruby and love interest Brochan, and the tender moments sprinkled throughout the story too. It looks like I need to plan a trip to Scotland in my near future!

*many thanks to Berkley Romance and netgalley for the gifted copy for review

I think this book might have one of my favorite covers of all time. I saw it and knew I needed to read it. And this book is charming! It’s warm, low stakes, and set in a gorgeous place. I found it to be a little forgettable but it was an enjoyable ride while I was reading it. Mostly, I read it during a really busy time in my life and it lacked that “I can’t put this down” factor I really need with books at the moment. I thought the writing was delightful, the characters fun and unique, but overall I just didn’t love this book.

Synopsis:

“Ruby Spencer is spending one year living in a small cottage in a tiny town in the Scottish Highlands for three reasons: to write a bestselling cookbook, to drink a barrelful of whisky, and to figure out what comes next. It’s hard to know what to expect after an impulse decision based on a map of Scotland in her Manhattan apartment—but she knows it’s high time she had an adventure.The moment she sets foot in Thistlecross, the verdant scenery, cozy cottages, and struggling local pub steal her heart. Between designing pop-up suppers and conversing with the colorful locals, Ruby starts to see a future that stretches beyond her year of adventure. It doesn’t hurt that Brochan, the ruggedly handsome local handyman, keeps coming around to repair things at her cottage. Though Ruby swore off men, she can’t help fantasizing what a roll in the barley might be like with the bearded Scot.As Ruby grows closer to Brochan and the tightly held traditions of the charming village, she discovers secret plans to turn her beloved pub into an American chain restaurant. Faced with an impossible choice, Ruby must decide between love, loyalty, and the Highlands way of life.” —The StoryGraph

What I Liked:

The Setting—I’m a sucker for the Scottish countryside. I visited once when I was in college and have always wanted to go back and stay in one of the charming inns.

Focusing on Older Characters—So many romances and Rom Coms focus on characters in their twenties. It was refreshing to read about someone closer to 40 and how valid it is that people are still finding their way and their way to love during this season of life.

What Didn’t Work:

Pacing—Nothing grabbed me and made me want to keep reading. Maybe it was a little too sweet and easy for my tastes.

Stakes—Along the same lines, I didn’t detect any urgency and reason for Ruby to be there. I kept getting lost and having to ask, “but what are we working towards?!”

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 3/5

Content Warnings:

via The StoryGraph

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual content, Abandonment; Minor: Death of parent, Alcoholism, Infidelity

Okay, reading this book was a rocky ride. Thankfully, the last 40 percent of the book was really enjoyable, so I ended up having mixed feelings about the storyline. Nevertheless, it was a good read.

The setting of Thistlecross was absolutely charming! I loved the author's descriptions of the beautiful town. Small town always warms my heart, and RSWY was no different. I loved how Ruby and Brochan's relationship developed throughout the book. That being said, I wanted them to have better communication among themselves. Miscommunication doesn't generally bother me, but when two people deliberately keep vital info from the other person in a way that harms their relationship, I kind of start disliking their dynamic. You'll know what I mean when you read the book, hehe. The book is also really heavy on description ~ so I kept losing interest multiple times during the first half. The plot was a bit slow and dragged a bit for my taste. But I liked how the author wrapped things up in the end.

3.25/5 ✨ Thanks to Berkley Romance for the e-ARC in exchange of an honest review!

3.5
The premise of this book had me so excited. I loved the setting, loved the recipes, and of course, fell for the cover and title. Did someone say whiskey? For me though, it was the writing that fell flat. I just didn't connect with the style.

Enjoyed this but didn’t love it. Sometimes these cartoon covers are hit or miss for me. Overall okay

At thirty-five Ruby Spencer packs up her NYC life as a food writer and moves to a teeny tiny town called Thistlecross in the Scottish Highlands. Her free spirit parents believe in her adventure and her best friend applauds her independence and bravery. But once she lands in the cozy little cottage she will call home for the next year, her confidence along with her luggage seems to be missing. Luckily her agreement to help out with cooking at the local pub is an excellent way to meet the eccentric characters that fill the town and most importantly the sexy bearded handyman who is charged with fixing up her accommodations. As their friendship grows Ruby’s once closed heart is open for the very first time in a long while. The walls she built after each and every ridiculous break up slowly come down and Brochan and Ruby can’t keep their hands off each other. But as her place in the community starts to become more than just a fantasy her initial cookbook proposal is rejected and the town is about to experience disaster. Feeling at home for the first time Ruby struggles to find a way to save her career, her love life and the town in one fell swoop. This absolutely delicious romance is a quick, completely entertaining read filled with food, friendship and the notion that there is a big world out there and Mr. Right may be there waiting.

This was such a sweet love story which was unexpected for her as Ruby was just trying to get a change and a slower pace. She didn't have any luck with dating so to find someone sure far from home was a surprise.
Enjoyed the atmosphere and the family history.
The failing Scottish pub and the chain trying to take over. Love how the town and the family who owned prior banded together to help each other. It's never too late to ask for second chances.

Thank you berkleyromance and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

This book was so beautiful! The characters, the setting, the FOOD. It was all so delightful. I felt transported to my favorite corner of the world, and I didn’t want to leave.

Read if you love:
- the Scottish Highlands
- grumpy x sunshine trope
- slow burn romance
- small town romance
- lovable, quirky side characters

I can’t wait to see what Rochelle Bilow has next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

I love books and media that focus on taking the city girl out of her city life to hoof it in the country. In this case, rural Scotland. However, I felt that this book kind of missed the mark on the charm and appeal of those tales.

This book wasn't bad, per se, but it also wasn't great. It was very middle of the road. I enjoyed how the story was intertwined with awesome food descriptions, to the point where I was so hungry reading. But the characters and the plot were very bland and not really engaging.

If you're into a really easy read with very little substance (other than the aforementioned food), and you like a grumpt Scotsman, then this book is likely for you. I just needed a bit more.