Rarely do I read romance only books. Pepper Basham is one of my favorite authors in this genre. This book was uplifting and witty. Graem and Katie were delightful main characters. It was a fun read from start to finish. The narrator gave an outstanding performance. Loved the lilt of the Scottish accents. Beautiful, light faith content. Looking forward to more by this author. Highly recommend if you enjoy clean romances.

I was blessed with an ARC, and the opinions expressed are my own.

I was so sad, because I thought I would love this book, but sadly it wasn't for me. A DNF at 50 percent.

This was a really cute romance set in Scotland! I loved visiting the Scottish countryside with Katie and literally falling for Graeme. I loved the regency vibes with the regency experience they were doing even though it was set in the present times. And I thought that both of the main characters were grounded and well developed. I was surprised by this being a clean romance especially considering the title, but I still had a really good time with it.

Delightful:
What a fun and fabulous book! I loved how the author made you really feel like you were in Scotland with the descriptions and brogue. I must admit that at first I was afraid that it was going to be too ridiculous, however I ended up really enjoying all of the crazy situations and witty comments. It didn’t come across as contrived but rather flowed well and kept me entertained and delighted throughout.
I loved Graeme and Katie as individuals as well as a couple. I enjoyed seeing their personal growth and was so happy that they got their HEA together.
This was my first book by this author and I certainly hope that it won't be my last. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Thank you for allowing me the chance to read this book.

A lovely fun sweet read, really enjoyed it.

Shared a release day post on my bookstagram page.

3/5 ⭐️s
🫑 - kissing only

*I will preface this by saying I made the mistake of requesting this ARC without looking into the details of this book well enough. My bad.

LOVES:
- The chaos Katie seems to attract is endearing. Goodness, how many near-death experiences can she have??
- All of the Scotland details are very well written, I feel like I’m there. The accent is written out in a way that makes me hear it in my head, but doesn’t go so far as to confuse me about what’s being said.
- I loved how Graeme and his entire family see through to who she really is. She needed some unconditional love and it was sweet that it wasn’t just the MMC who gave that to her, but his entire family and the community.
- Lachlan was the cutest kid and so wise beyond his years. One of my favorite characters 🥰
- The way grief was embedded in this story, just woven through every character’s life, was poignant. Especially, the contrast between how different characters dealt with that grief.
- The ending is very sweet.

CRITIQUES:
- The clothing snafu really starts to piss me off. Somehow she is being shamed for not being able to wear the appropriate clothing… the fvck.
- I’m good with any religious representation (*again, my bad for not realizing it was a Christian romance), but it seemed like all of a sudden, the characters were thinking about God all over the place. It didn’t feel organic.
- There was SO much individual reflection that it felt like the main characters didn’t spend enough real, meaningful time together.

The writing was good and the characters were plenty lovable, but for some reason I slogged through this one. I just couldn’t get fully invested in this story and didn’t really feel like picking it up and reading. 🤷‍♀️ That’s probably a me problem, but nevertheless, it wasn’t as enjoyable to read as I would like.

Overall, this was entertaining, and I very much enjoyed many and varied references to Scottish folklore and mythology and the connection between the highlands and the Blue Ridge/Appalachian region of North Carolina. Grumpy Scottish carpenter (and maybe laird?) Graeme meets Sunshine Scottish-American travel writer Katie in a comedy of mishaps straight out of…well, a romance novel. Very much a romcom with laugh out loud moments, but also deals with grief and some of the many forms that it can take.

That said, I feel like the book description has the potential to be misleading to a potential reader. I know that Thomas Nelson is a Christian imprint. That said, nothing in the description would imply that this is a faith focused or driven romance. For a reader who does not understand what the Thomas Nelson imprint is, I believe that they could be disappointed and or feel like they were misled based on the book description alone.

Again, I understand that this is being published by a Christian imprint, but I also feel that it could reach a wider audience if faith and religion were less woven into the story, especially given that in spite of their presence, I don’t feel that they have an impact on the plot, only on the characterization.

I didn't care for this one. I was bored for most of it and the romance wasn't doing it for me. We get it, she's big and clumsy. To be fair, I didn't realize this was considered Christian when I requested it.

I got this as an ebook ARC and was enjoying it, but life was too busy, so when it released, I grabbed the audiobook to finish and oh my word is it a treat! Absolutely love the narration and hearing the Scottish accents just added to the whole appeal. This story is funny, heartwarming, immersive, and just all around lovely. It made me swoon for the love story and the descriptions of Scotland!

TW: Past Loss of Siblings

I love Pepper Basham’s writing and was so excited to get a copy of this one to read early! I loved the characters, the quirky setting, the beautiful descriptions of Scotland, and so much more! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Travel writer Katie Cambell gets the writing assignment of a lifetime in an all in Edwardian Highland vacation experience in Scotland. Amidst the glittering and a bit uncomfortable lifestyle, Katie meets Graeme, a local Scot. This is their story, an absolutely delightful slow burn, enemies to lovers, grumpy-sunshine RomCom that readers will be completely charmed by. The exciting characters, the Scottish setting, and a story of faith to overcome past traumas coming together will cause readers to want to linger a little bit longer with this beloved story.

Title: Some Like It Scot
By: Pepper Basham
Pub. Day: April 8, 2025

Genre:
Fiction, Women’s, RomCom, Christian,

Trigger Warnings:
Loss, Cancer, Sabotage

Memorable Quotes:
“Sometimes home is a place. Sometimes home is a person. Sometimes it’s both.”

“No matter where you run or how fast or far, you’ll never outrun your own heart.”

Summary/Review:
Katie Campbell, aka Miss Adventures, has gained her fame by her misadventures traveling around the world. She enjoys discovery and exploring, as she’s never really had a place to call home. She’s a graceful mess, who has a towering frame, and a big soul of kindness. Graeme is a hot scot who can’t take his eyes on her.

The author has created a clean rom com filled with humor and sprinkled with Christianity. I started reading this narrative, and found myself immersed in the storyline, so I then received a copy of the audiobook, and to my immense surprise, the story was even better. Both narrators were engaging, and hearing the Scottish accents helped me connect with Katie. I highly recommend this lighthearted and witty narrative. It hooked me with humor and held me with heart. I can't wait to read more novels by Pepper Basham!

Thank you to Pepper Basham, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am voluntarily leaving my review.

#SomeLikeItScot
#PepperBasham
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#ThomasNelson
#NetGalley

This was such a fun romantic comedy set in beautiful Scotland. I have always wanted to visit Scotland, and the descriptions of the landscapes in this story had me longing to join the story. Pepper Basham created a story that was both fun and heart-rending. The chemistry between the protagonists was steamy, yet it was a clean romance. That first kiss was swoon-worthy!!! I enjoyed listening to the audio version because it brought the Scottish brogue to life.

This is a review of the audiobook.

Pepper Basham has a wonderful sense of humor and it shines thru in Some Like it Scot. Parts of this novel were laugh out loud funny! I loved the telling of the story switchs back and forth between Graeme and Katie. Hearing the events from both of their perspectives just adds so much to the storyline. What’s not to love when teaming up Grumpy and Ms. Sunshine never mind some really exotic characters thrown in the mix.

Both Grame and Katie have pasts to deal with and questions about the future. Some Like it Scot was not only entertaining but thought provoking. And yet, this really was a fairly light read. For those who enjoy contemporary fiction that is funny and sometimes a little quirky, Some Like it Scot will be a hit. I received a copy from NetGalley. All opinons expressed are my own.

Where is home? For travel-writer Katie Campbell, who has struggled with familial relationships and putting down roots, home is a concept that doesn’t exist. For Scotsman Graeme MacKerrow, who has spent the past several years doing nothing but putting down roots, the small country town of Mull is, and always will be, home. Thrown together in a hilarious and cheesy mix up during an Edwardian Experience in Graeme’s ancestral home, Katie must learn to be loved and accepted while Graeme must learn to let go of his past so that they can both move forward in life and love.

Fans of Pepper Basham won’t be let down by this newest book in her line up. Some Like It Scot is every bit as funny, quirky, and entertaining as each of the books in her Skymar series. Basham deals with some difficult topics in this novel but manages to speak truth and grace through a story even while making her readers laugh. The characters are charming and witty and wont fail to steal your heart. I’ve been practicing my Scottish accent in hopes this book might become part of a series. Perhaps it could be Calum’s turn next?

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The story was fun and lighthearted and I had a good time reading it.
This was a wonderfully written romantic comedy.
I absolutely loved these characters and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A sweet, funny and heartwarming read!

I was so excited to read this, but I couldn’t get into it. The writing is well-done and the premise was interesting. Unfortunately, it just dragged. There was an overabundance of “Scot-speak” that was more distracting than charming, the chemistry was lacking, and the humor just wasn’t all that humorous. It was like everything that happened was contrived and over the top, but nothing important or exciting was actually happening at all. I stopped at just over 38%. I may try to finish it as this is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I’ve heard great things, but as of right now, it’s a DNF for me.

Pepper Basham is such a fantastic writer! This is a charmingly funny and punny rom-com. It has adventure, travel, intensity (actions, results of life, and swoon) . I loved the sweet Scot who was a gentleman, a hero, and a bit gruff. Katie-girl is a sweet loveable character who finally gets some clarity on where and who home is. Highly recommend this book!

“My value wasn’t measured by her behavior. Or my mistakes. It was measured by God’s love. A love I couldn’t out-fail. Ever.”

May I say this quote above made me cry as it is something I need to remember often, when my mind takes me places it doesn’t need to stay. Like Katie, I need to find my ultimate value in God, not what others may have said to me.

Hairy coos, puffins, a few exotic pets, an Edwardian Era adventure, an adorable ten-year-old, an American travel writer in Scotland, and a #hotScot!! Whew!! That’s a lot!! Mix them all up with a touch of faith, dependably but step-by-step guiding the characters through their choices and messes ( this *is* the social media phenomenon known as Miss Adventure for a reason),and we have a wonderfully endearing, humorous story that you will be sorry to close the book on.

Scotland, with its nearly constant (as I read it)mist or rain has never been high on my travel list. But Pepper Basham is so talented, that in Some Like it Scot, she could convince the biggest naysayer that Scotland has a rugged beauty that needs to be seen, smelled, and felt! Not to mention meeting the #hotScot! A totally infuriating, standoffish, confusing, and ultimately, just maybe attractive #hotScot !

With a dysfunctional family in her background, our heroine Katie is desperately searching for a sense of belonging and home. A conversation with her brother highlights this. “What if Scotland is the place you’ve been searching for?…Home, Katie. We’re all trying to find it.…Sometimes it’s a place. Sometimes it’s a person. Sometimes it’s both.”
When Katie finally realizes her sense of home, will she accept it, or will she attempt to run? ( We often recreate the familiar, even to our own hurt!)

Fave character? Obviously, the two main characters are the winners here. But Mirren, with her soul-piercing discernment and unconditional love has got to be a close second!! And the Highlander Coo! ( I must say that Moolatté is disappointed in this representation of her adorable breed!) Could it be, that animals, and people, have inward qualities that cannot be judged by outward appearances? Katie can see this as relates to the #hotScot, but she has difficulty understanding how others see her because of who God made her to be. Will she be free to be herself, or will she forever be trapped trying to conform to ghosts of impossible expectations? This is a hilarious, must-read book!!

I received a copy of the book from JustRead Tours via NetGalley. I also bought my own ecopy. ( But I need the pb- this is one for the keeper shelf!!) No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“Love lingers long.”- Mirren

“Graeme, it’s not about your hold on God. It’s about His hold on you.”- Greer

“When you know you’re loved, it changes everything.”

This book had a cute concept, but I feel like it missed the mark. The dialogue eluded to great banter and funny moments, but I didn't laugh even once. The two characters are too cookie cutter for me, and just not relatable.