I DNF’d this book, I’m sorry! It was so slow and felt like a chore to read. I loved the concept of what the book is about based on the back cover, but it didn’t land for me. I kept putting the book down to go do other things.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I wanted to love this so much, but I have to cut my losses and DNF about halfway through, or I fear I may never read another romance in my life. I thought this would be a win for sure.

The meetcute was fine, but then it took a turn for the worse. This is everything I hate about enemies-to-lovers. They were so mean and rude, and I don't think any healthy adult would be able to fall in love with someone who treated them like this, or whom they treated like this. But these two aren't either healthy or self-aware. This is the beginning of a toxic relationship, and it's rough to read. I didn't connect to either of them, and I didn't care if they ended up together - tbh, I hoped they didn't.

This was one of those books that I really liked but didn’t love. I like the way this book made me feel, and I especially liked the reminder it gave me of my grandfather, who had a great love for Scotland - so much so that the beach house he owned was named after a Scottish town. I think it’s so special that I was able to have that connection, because I know that it wasn’t just the setting of this book but the way the setting was shared that I was able to make that connection. I thought the writing about Scotland was beautiful, and even though I have never been there, I was able to feel how special of a place it is. I liked Addie’s character a lot. It’s so easy to relate to someone that is always running from their problems instead of facing them, and even though the comparison stopped there for me, I enjoyed her development into someone that was able to confront her past so that she no longer needed to run away. I found Logan a bit too broody and insta-lovey for me to really enjoy him as much as I should have. And I’m sorry but I kept using a Shrek voice in my head for him because it’s as close as my brain could come to a Scottish accent. I loved his relationship with his brothers and am glad that they folded Addie in so seamlessly. I do think she and Logan were a good match, even though he seemed to fall for her too quickly. Outside of the brother relationships and the relationship between Addie and Logan, I felt like some relationships weren’t explained in enough detail. I found myself a little confused about some relationships because I missed the connection between people and didn’t feel like looking back to see how people knew each other. Sometimes there were enough clues, but other times I just decided that it didn’t matter enough to the overall story, so I let it go. It all worked out in the end though, and I’m really glad I read this book!

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Kilt Trip is a fun rom-com set in Scotland. We follow Logan, a Scottish tour guide struggling to save the family business, and Addie, a travel consultant hired by Logan's father to do the same. The two are initially rivals, but eventually find common ground at work and with each other.

This was a sweet romance that was overall well handled. I thought that the strongest parts of the book were when we got to read about Addie's connection to her mother, as well as the descriptions of Scotland. The author clearly knows Edinburgh very well, and it shows. Though I'm not usually a fan of third act breakups, I thought that this one was handled well. I do wish that there had been more scenes with the minor characters- they were charming, but we were told a lot more about them than we were shown. There were minor pacing and plot continuity issues, but overall I had a good time with this one.

3.5/5, rounding up to a 4

I connected to Addie in her journey to overcome her grief over losing a parent, but this book felt like it was lacking something in the overall plot. I felt like it took a while for me to get into the book, meaning it took me over a week to read it when I normally finish books within the same day or the next day. I liked some of the dynamic between Addie and Logan, but again I felt that something was missing. Overall a decent read, but I felt like it could’ve been so much more. I did enjoy the Scottish slang, the use of “lass” and the glimpses of history throughout the book!

This is an ode to a travel lover’s heart! Addie and Logan are such sweet and deep characters, and I loved their journey to find love. I really would have loved this better in first person, but it truly was so well written, and an amazing debut!

The talk of Scotland and its scenery was lovely and made me miss it and want to plan a trip back. Everything else was extremely boring and tedious. I felt no connection and finally gave up my slog at 44%. Thanks to NetGalley for the arc. Not for me, but I know others loved it 🤷🏽‍♀️

THE KILT TRIP – Alexandra Kiley
Canary Street Press
ISBN: 978-1-335-00929-6
March 5, 2024
Contemporary Romance

Edinburgh, Scotland – Present Day

Addie Macrae works for a travel company that helps overhaul struggling travel agencies. She is sent to Edinburgh to help another company and while she usually enjoys her trips, this one is personal. Her late mother is from the area and Addie has pictures of her mom at several sites. She wants to go there and see what her mother saw. On Addie’s first night in Edinburgh, she runs into a Scottish man in a kilt in a bar. The two flirt back and forth but he is not why she came here. The next morning when she shows up at the travel office, she learns that her kilted charmer is part owner of the business—and Logan Sutherland is not happy to have an interloper telling them how to run their travel company.

Addie and Logan end up at loggerheads over each other’s vision for the company. But he agrees to take her around the countryside to see the sights. She mentions to him that she is trying to recreate her mother’s photos, so Logan helps her find the locations. Their resentment toward each other soon evaporates—and a mutual attraction develops. But Addie’s time in Scotland will soon end, so can there be a future for them?

It's an emotional trip for Addie in THE KILT TRIP as she struggles with the memories of her mother and seeing her father move on. Her parents spent their honeymoon in Scotland and all Addie has left of her mom are pictures from their trip. She eventually tells Logan about her mom and the pictures that she wants to recreate with her camera, and he agrees to help her. Why not since he’s familiar with the area? They soon grow closer, as do their feelings for each other. He wants her to see the area in his eyes and his vision for the travel tours. She starts to enjoy herself and being around Logan. Things had started rocky between them but now all is well. But both know that she will soon leave to return to Boston—unless he can convince her to stay.

THE KILT TRIP is a cute and engaging tale of a woman experiencing Scotland through the eyes of a kilted knight in shining armor. Logan understands that the company needs a refreshment, but he believes that he knows what the people want. Can he convince Addie about the best way to see Scotland? Their attraction builds slowly in this tale, mostly because there is animosity between them at first. But that soon melts the more they are around each other. Other characters, mostly Logan’s family and coworkers, provide some entertaining scenes and dialogue. But at the center of THE KILT TRIP is the building romance between Addie and Logan.

It’s a dream come true for Addie to visit Scotland even as it brings up memories of her mother. But in THE KILT TRIP, she may end up finding the perfect man for herself. Don’t miss this sizzling tale.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

This book pulled at my heart strings and had me tearing up. A beautiful country, coming to terms with grief, personal discovery and a sexy scottaman in a kilt what more could you want??

𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 : 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗽 𝗯𝘆 @akileybooks
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Release Date: 5th March 2024

𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙘𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 ! 𝙄𝙛 𝙎𝙘𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩 , 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙬!

This was such a sweet, slow burning, and soft hearted romance. Addie and Logan are the perfect MCs that are just meant for each other. Addie has been around the world, running between airports while still feeling empty with the loss of her mother. She ends up in Scotland on a work trip, which also happens to be her mother’s homeland. Logan is the passionate tour guide and the client whose travel business she is here to reform. They have clashing perspectives - business minded vs emotional value oriented.

𝙇𝙤𝙜𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝘼𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚, 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙮, (𝙝𝙞𝙢?) 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧..

I loved their initial meet cute and banter. It’s filled with great chemistry, forced proximity travelling together, and also spice (workplace shenanigans)! Special mention to the utterly hot Logan in a kilt! 🔥

Alongside the romantic journey, it is also a healing journey for Addie where she recovers from her mother’s loss while revisiting her memories and quite literally finds herself at home. Logan’s support and warmth helps so much! For travel lovers, there’s enough Scottish history references and landmarks for you to make your next itinerary! 🙌

I am thankful to @netgalley @htpbooks @akileybooks for providing me the ARC in return for my honest review!

There is so much happening in this book, and it is all written so beautifully! Traveling around Scotland; overcoming grief; learning to give and receive both love and forgiveness; discovering what home means; and so much more. Instant attraction, angst, slow burn, and spice. This book really had it all, including perfectly flawed characters. As a huge fan of all things Scotland, Logan will be living rent-free in my thoughts for a very long time.

I love how he gave Addie space to deal with her grief and fears while silently supporting her through it all. He is sweet, funny, sexy, steadfast, loyal, and loves with his whole heart. Addie is a bit of a mess, but smart and stronger than she gives herself credit for. She's been through a lot and it holds her back. Several times through the story, I wanted to reach into the pages and shake some sense into her, but I never lost faith in her. It just took a little love and a lot of grace from the right person to help her see she deserved better than she allowed for herself.

I loved the trips through Scotland's countryside and sites. Kiley's descriptive and poetic writing transported me there and it was so easy to get lost in it.

Kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley is a wonderful novel that will make you want to hop a flight to Scotland! Abbie is a world traveler who is assigned to help a family run tour business whose profits are declining. Logan is running his family's tour business, but isn't sure how to turn it around. When the two meet, sparks fly, but they can't do anything about it, they have a business to save. A fun and enjoyable, "will they, won't they" dynamic which keeps the reader engaged. Loved it! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

DNF'd at 16%

i REALLY wanted to like this and i tried so hard to stick it through to see if it would peak my interest but it really feels like a chore to get through. this concept is really cute but not for me! i just think i don't like romance that's mixed so much with like business you know? i don't know, it's just not for me and i really don't want to force myself to read this and come to resent it

this is definitely something i'd listen to the audiobook of! but physically reading it is challenging and so i'll have to dnf it right now

i don't rate dnfs usually but since this is for netgalley, i'll give it a 3 bc the concept is good, i just can't get into it!

thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

As someone that fell in love with Edinburgh just this past year, the setting for this story was perfect. I loved knowing all the places that were mentioned throughout the book. Addie and Logan were great MCs. Their chemistry from the start was fantastic. Reading through their ups and downs was entertaining and touching. Highly recommend reading this one if your looking for a good romance with characters that have depth.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

I was so happy to be able to get an ARC of this because I'm of Scottish descent myself, and I loved every bit of Scotland in this book. The character development was a little on the weaker side but overall the story was pretty cute.

What a fantastic debut novel! I loved Addie and Logan and I loved to see their romance progress. This was so cute, charming and Scotland?! Love.

Kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley is a romance debut and the story of Addie and Logan.
 
Logan is born and raised in Edinburgh, and he absolutely loves his home and shares all the hidden gems through tours. However, the family-run tour company is struggling. Logan is a true Scot and ever since Outlander, I’m completely obsessed with everything Scotland and he is the epitome of it.
 
Addie is a travel consultant and globetrotter, and her home is the world. She is an expert in the traveling business and therefore tries to help Logan’s family business. She is such a vibrant person who explores a personal connection in Edinburgh and that added an emotional layer to the story that I really liked.
 
Addie and Logan have a hate-to-love situation going on and at first, they aren’t fond of each other. But that slowly changes, and they start working together beautifully. I really loved how this story and romance progressed. Addie and Logan are such a cute couple and that in combination with the Scotland vibes was amazing.
 
Overall, Kilt Trip is such a great debut romance, and you should totally check it out. 4 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

This was a really cute read! It had a fun plot and I really enjoyed the characters. I really enjoyed Addie and Logan's relationship. I love reading books about places I've never been. They always make me want to take a trip to the location and this was no exception, I'd love to see Scotland one day after reading this!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

✅ will make you start looking into flights to Edinburgh
✅ Addie (a travel consultant) + Logan (a tour guide) at odds with each other
✅ Dual POV
✅ SWOONY. So much yearning!!!!!
🌶️: you have to wait for it, but A+ payoff

Addie Macrae, a seasoned travel consultant, heads to the enchanting Scottish Highlands to revive a struggling family-owned tour company. Amidst breathtaking landscapes and hidden treasures, Addie finds herself entangled with Logan Sutherland, a passionate and rugged tour guide. As they clash over professional strategies, a deeper connection is forged through Addie's exploration of her ancestral ties, guided by Logan's unwavering charm. Together Addie and Logan navigate love, loss, and the pursuit of adventure amidst the rolling hills and ancient castles.

"Kilt Trip" offers readers a vivid and immersive journey through the picturesque landscapes of Scotland, with Edinburgh portrayed as a rich and historically accurate setting. Alexandra Kiley's meticulous research shines through, creating an atmosphere that feels authentic and lived-in. However, while the travel aspects and setting are beautifully detailed, the characters fall short of leaving a lasting impression. The protagonists lack depth and fail to evoke a strong connection and the trope of a “career woman falling for a charming man with an accent” feels somewhat clichéd and Hallmark-y. Despite the delightful side characters, the central relationship between Addie and Logan fails to fully captivate. The novel's pacing also struggles, with a slow and lengthy narrative that may leave readers feeling tempted to skim through. Overall, while "Kilt Trip" excels in its atmospheric depiction of Scotland, it falls short in delivering compelling character dynamics and pacing, making it a somewhat underwhelming read for those seeking a deeper and more engaging romance.