I loved this second chance romance along the Skye trail in Scotland reunites lovers after seven years. Brooke and Jack first meet in college and although the sparks immediately fly at a Halloween party meet-cute, their romance is forbidden when they discover he is a TA and she is a student. A horrible falling out leads to a derailment of their career paths.

After years as a ghostwriter, Brooke is finally trying to fulfill her dream of publishing a book with her name on it if she can endure the week long trek of the Skye trail. The only problem? Her long lost love is the hired photographer that will accompany her. The trail is full of fun tropes involving one tent, one shared bunk bed, overcoming the fear of traversing the Bad Step together, and relearning all of the reasons they fell each other in the first place.

This story was incredibly romantic. It’s is a stand alone, but does involve cameos of Jack’s brother Logan and his love Addie (from Kiley’s first novel Kilt Trip). The depiction of the trail and all of its beauty made me want to book a trip to Skye asap. It was fun to follow along with each of the characters internal conflict of following their dreams or taking the safe path, in both professions and in love.

“Take a chance on yourself. Trust that the thing you love will take you where you need to be.”

This book was so beautiful and emotional. I loved the second-chance romance so much. It has dual POVs and dual timelines, which turned out to be fantastic. I really liked that we got to experience their first meeting, what happened afterward, and how they felt about it all. The chemistry between both characters is so steamy, and you can tell their bond is stronger than ever. I knew this was going to be a 5-star book because I absolutely loved Kilt Trip.
The pacing was done well, and the character development was perfect for this book.
B's story was really relatable, and I can definitely understand the feeling of wanting more in life and trying to chase your dreams before they are gone. Jack's story was so sad, and I really felt for him during this book. His family wanting so much from him but also him not wanting the same things they wanted was pretty relatable.
The amount of crying I cried during this book was ridiculous, but I would definitely re-read this book so many times.

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review,

This book is a lovely second chance romance with very likeable characters.
The setting is Scotland, and it makes you want to go buy a ticket tomorrow.

Can definitely recommend this one, and will be keeping an eye out for future books from this author!

This was an emotional second-chance story that had a lot of heartache and longing. I wanted more depth into the characters and in their past relationship, but I really enjoyed the “now” timeline and the journey they went through together. The setting in Scotland was fantastic and I would read many more books like this, it was lovely. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to read and review.

4 ⭐️

Thank you so much to Harlequin Trade Publishing & Netgalley for the gifted eARC!

This book was beautiful! I love the second chance romance trope, and I thought that the dual timeline was a nice addition to it! I really enjoyed getting to read about the start of Brooke and Jack's relationship, and then getting to see how they found each other again.

The descriptions of Scotland were so detailed and I loved it! This book made me feel like I was really there.

I loved the relationship between Brooke and Jack, and their individual relationships with Mhairi were so sweet.

I definitely recommend this book and i'll be checking out more from Alexandra!

tropes:
💗 second chance romance
✨ dual timeline
⛺️ one tent

3.5 ⭐️
Thank you so much HTP, Canary Street Press, the author, and Netgalley for letting me read this advance copy of Scot and Bothered!
This book was such a wonderful journey. Both Jack and Brooke are struggling to live their dreams. Him as a successful photographer and her as a published author. Jacks’s aunt is also Brooke’s mentor and has them both go on the Skye trail to help Brooke get a better sense of the trail for Mhairi’s book she is ghostwriting. Problem is they broke up years ago and she has vowed to never speak to him again.
My favorite part of this book was the journeys they both went on. Jack forging his own path away from his family being a photographer, and Brooke fighting to find her own voice as an author. Mhairi was such a good character and I loved how she pushed our couple together and all the wonderful advice she gave to both of them.
I think I wanted more in the now timeline than in the then timeline and wanted some more chapters of their adventures and self discovery during the trail.
The vibes were immaculate and I enjoyed Alexandra Kiley’s writing so much. One tent trope is now one of my new favorites 🥰
Definitely recommend if you are looking for a fun, romantic, Scottish adventure with a lot of heart!

I received an ARC of Scot and Bothered from NetGalley. Reading this story felt like receiving a warm hug. I enjoyed the back and forth between Jack and Brooke’s perspectives. I think the varying perspectives shows that often times both individuals have good intentions but it gets lost in translation sometimes. I also enjoyed the varying theme of growth as each character matured and found their own path. The theme of grief was hinted throughout as well and done very well. A must read for 2025!

So beautiful! I felt like I was there on the crazy hikes, watching the beautiful sunrise, the Milky Way, swimming in freezing cold water….
The second chance romance was lovely even though I usually really dislike that trope. But it was the scenery the emotional depth, amd Aunt Mhairi that really stole the show for me.

You’ll enjoy this if you enjoy…
-second chances
-forbidden romance
-strong family ties
-camping/hiking
-poetic language

Note on content-I personally skipped the steamier scenes and didn’t feel like I missed anything critical to the plot

I received an advance reader copy (ARC) of *Scot and Bothered* in exchange for my honest opinion, and I could not put this book down! As someone who loves both Scotland and Colorado, I truly appreciated the author's affection for both settings. The chemistry between Brooke and Jack was as delightful as a hairy coo, and I was rooting for their reconciliation the entire time they were backpacking together. This book was heartfelt, encouraging, and just the right amount of spicy.

Alexandra Kiley has managed to make every character in this charming novel someone I would want to spend time with. I especially loved the relationship between Brooke and Mhairi.

I would also like to express my gratitude to Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for providing the ARC.

A second-chance, forced proximity romance - the MCs do a difficult hiking trail together for work. If you liked People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, you'll like this one too!

The good -
I loved the emotional journey the MCs took to figure out what they wanted in life versus what held them back all these years.

The not so good, for me -
It was a dual past/present narration, and the purpose of the past chapters was to show their initial spark + what caused the breakup. The problem for me was that, the cause of the breakup was pretty clear right at the start, and it was borderline agony waiting for that "past" chapter to come up -- this distracted me from enjoying the actual romance between the characters. To be fair, not everyone will have this problem, it's probably specific to people with anxiety like me?

TWs - terminal illness of a loved one

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I absolutely adored Scot & Bothered! This was such a great interconnected sequel to Kilt Trip, and I enjoyed this one even more.

Brooke is a ghostwriter, having given up her dreams of writing under her own name seven years ago. She’s co-authoring a memoir of her mentor, Mhairi’s life (and her name will be on the front)! But something isn’t quite right with the book, and to find what’s missing, Brooke hikes the week-long Skye trail that her mentor founded.

The catch? The photographer going with her is Jack, Mhairi’s nephew and the reason she never graduated from the University of Edinburgh.

This novel was the perfect Scottish escape, and I think fans of Jessica Joyce’s You, With a View will especially love it. I love a second chance romance, and the dual timeline was done really well. I loved that most of the present-day timeline took place on the trail, and that the less fun parts about camping (storms, bug bites, no showers) were all part of the experience—it transported me right there with Brooke & Jack.

Scot & Bothered is a love letter to writing, creating, and the family that shapes us, both biological and chosen. I highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Harper Collins for the ARC!

This book had me at hiking. It takes place in Scotland. While reading this I felt like I was actually there. This was an adorable second chance romance. I loved the dual timeline. It was nice to see both main characters and their growth as the story went on. Brooke and Jack are both relatable characters, I just wish we would have seen more of Mharai's friendship with Brooke. It was a fun read.

Thanks for the Arc

Scot and Bothered was a cute book. It's a story about Brooke and Jack. The pair have a connection with Jack's aunt, Mhairi, who is also Brooke's professor. The pair end up on a week long backpacking quest, and at the beginning, they are not happy due to their strained relationship.

I was excited to read a book based in Scotland. They're always a hit for me. I was looking for more dialogue to remind me that we were in Scotland. Although Brooke was American, Jack was not. Every now and then, something would remind me of the accent (I read in the accent in my head - anyone else?) but I read with an American accent throughout.

4.5 stars.

Brooke is a successful ghostwriter, and her current project is cowriting a memoir with her mentor and idol. But when she's forced to hike a trail on the Isle of Skye with the man that broke her heart and seemingly her life, she starts to rediscover not only her love for him, but the passion for writing that she forgot. But is she brave enough to choose either of them or continue on the easy road?
This was such a fantastic book. It had so many big feelings, Kiley doesn't do surface level romance, and I love that. The pacing is perfect, I was never bored, I never felt the conflict was too much or too little. There was no boggy middle. I absolutely fell for Jack, especially since I always adore a character with glasses. I loved Brooke's growth. And the description of the scenery, I'm always planning my next trip to Scotland after reading her books. I loved the little throw backs to Kilt Trip, because of course Jack is Logan's brother! So, go read this. And if you haven't read Kilt Trip, first do that and then read this! (You don't have to read Kilt Trip first but, I highly recommend).

I was pleasantly surprised with this book! Brooke goes on a hiking trip with her former first love. I enjoyed all the detailed descriptions of their hike as well as the side characters. The ending got me in all my feels where they share their connections to Jacks aunt.

This brought up so many feelings for me.
As an American who went to school in Scotland, I loved being there. Even had a few romances. However, the one who got away for me is definitely the country itself. The beauty of Scotland is so hard to describe. One minute you’re in a lush forest almost dripping with dew that you can taste in the air and the next you’re in a desolate alien terrain with nothing but rocks blew and clouds above.
But as for most of the book, I felt let down.
The best parts were on the trail and interactions with hikers.

But as for the mains and the romance? I just didn’t love either character and feel like they wouldn’t last long term.
Brooke was essentially forced to leave Uni for having an inappropriate relationship with Jack, a TA.
I was confused at her still living in Scotland as an American. I know how hard it is to get a resident visa, it would have been damn near impossible for her to go from a revoked student visa (after having to leave school) to being allowed to just live in the UK. You cannot just decide to live there, there are countless and expensive hoops, ones she wouldn’t make it through. Simply being a ghost writer does not cut it to get a visa.
Ignoring that plot hole, a lot of this book tried focused on finding clarity, redemption and forgiveness, but to me it felt like people figuring out how to communicate. A great deal what the two mains pushing each other to go after their dreams, no matter the risks.
Yes, communication with writing and pictures, getting their perspectives across but also just talking to each other seemed rough. The mains seem to severely struggle with communication and what they want/need.
Frankly, they were both adults in Uni, both made the choice to be together despite the very reasonable rules and you can’t blame others for that.
Brooke spent the last 7 years being childish and mad at Jack, when she perused him more than he did her. Even when they are on the trail they struggle to talk.
Plus they both recently had STD tests, so how much did they miss each other????

Miscommunication is just the most annoying trope to me, so maybe I’m biased. I just don’t think it’s unreasonable to hold off dating for the last few months of a year and not ruin your lives or limit your future.
So, it was hard for me to feel for these two characters.

To me, I think I would have liked to see the mains, communicate, really take responsibility for the choices they made, get closure and find love with others on the trail or even just happiness alone.

[Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion]

Brooke Sinclair dreamed of writing her own stories one day, but as a ghostwriter, she's stuck in the background. When her mentor, Mhairi McCallister, offers her the opportunity to co-write her memoir, Brooke is all in. The story is missing something, though, so Brooke agrees to hike Skye Trail, which was founded by Mhairi, only to realize she'll be traveling with Jack Sutherland - Mhairi's nephew and Brooke's former love who she hasn't seen since their breakup seven years ago.

This book's use of a dual timeline is amazing! The transitions are seamless and we get to see Brooke and Jack fall in love in the past while dealing with heartbreak and tension in the present. Their chemistry is still there, but the betrayal and hurt run deep. It's so easy to sympathize with Jack who feels torn between his family's plans for him and his own dreams. And who hasn't felt like Brooke - working hard towards something you want, only to get knocked down and feel lost.
This book has such a strong cast of characters and I wish we had more time with all of them (the way my heart broke for Mhairi).

The Scottish setting feels so real with each reference. Every time I read one of Kiley's books, I start checking flights to Scotland. Kiley just knows how to write about love and loss in a way that hits home. This is a story about self-belief and second chances - such a wonderful read.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for this ARC.

Have you ever read a book that spoke so clearly to your heart that you had to slow down and savor every words of it? For me, this is that book.

This book has so many elements that pulled on my heart strings in the best ways possible: second chance, forbidden love, found family, slow burn, and a beautiful setting.

I loved the way the story unfolded with a compelling dual timeline and an adventure to bring the characters back together. I wish I could go on this journey with Jack and Brooke for the first time all over again. I will definitely be rereading it very soon.

I can't wait to read more of Alexandra Kiley's work!

I LOVED this book. Everything about it was great. The scenery descriptions made me want to visit  Scotland ASAP.
It was full of emotion and felt real.
I can't wait to read more by this author!

I was so excited to receive an ARC of Scot and Bothered! Alexandra Kiley takes us back to Scotland for this beautifully written second-chance romance, and I loved every bit of it. The story follows Brooke and Jack, who had a complicated romance as students and now find themselves working together years later on a memoir project in the beautiful Scottish Highlands (one of my favorite places I've been so it has a special place in my heart!). The setting is so vivid, I honestly wanted to pack pack my bags and hike those trails!

The dual timeline gives us a deep look at their relationship, exploring both the past tension and present-day rekindling. Brooke’s growth really adds layers to the story. Alexandra Kiley captures love, loss, and rediscovery in a way that feels raw and real, making this second-chance romance both heartfelt and refreshing. If you enjoy scenic settings and complex, layered romances, I'm sure you will love this book! :)

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC :)