Thanks to Canary Street Press for the eARC of Scot and Bothered by Alex Kiley. All opinions are my own.

Alex Kiley’s second book is absolutely wonderful and quite different from her first book, Kilt Trip.
While Kilt Trip had me laughing, Scot and Bothered had me in TEARS and my heart was aching. It’s very different tonally, and I think this really helps to showcase Alex’s writing talent.

I really love how Jack and Brooke were forced into a position of having to deal with each other, and address their past, in order to deal with the present, and perhaps see if they have a future together. They have to trust each other, support one another, and comfort individual fears and truths, and also figure out how to say goodbye to a woman who means so much to each of them. Neither is fully living the lives they dreamed of, lives they are scared to dream of even now, and this trip really forces them to reckon with what is holding each of them back.

Alex’s writing is so smooth, descriptive, and she does a wonderful job of taking us through the character arcs. I thought the dual timeline was done exceptionally well, allowing us glimpses into the past to help us understand the present and why Brooke and Jack have, for a lack of a better way of saying it, feeling stuck in their lives.

Mhairi is a gem of a character and so pivotal to the story. If Alex were to ever feel called to write a story about Mhairi when she was younger, I would happily read it!

It is so clear throughout Alex’s two books how much she loves Scotland. I think Scot and Bothered shows us another part of the country, and how it is an incredibly unique, beautiful, and challenging place.

I’m so excited to read more books by Alex!

I've said it before & I'll say it again - Alexandra Kiley is the next Emily Henry!!! Her writing is captivating, her settings are spectacular, and I really feel like this could be the book that changes everything for her! I'm not usually a fan of dual timelines, but this one worked well for me & the pacing was great. I flew through it in less than a day! If there was a famous quote to sum up the main theme of this book, it would be "the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams" (Eleanor Roosevelt). Seeing Brooke and Jack encourage one another to pursue their passions made me reflect and be grateful for the people who do that for me in my own life. Definitely pick this one up this March - you won't want to miss this 5-star gem!

Brooke Sinclair and Jack Sutherland have an immediate attraction to one another when they meet at a friend’s party. Unfortunately, they soon find out that Jack is the TA in one of the classes Brooke is enrolled in at the University of Edinburgh. She is studying to be a writer and Jack is trying to prove he knows what he wants for himself outside of his family’s tour guide business. When their secret is exposed, it ruins their relationship and their dreams. Seven years later, they find themselves working together because Brooke is writing a memoir for Jack’s aunt Mhairi, while he is brought on to take photographs of the Skye trail for the book. It’s an opportunity for the two of them to have a second chance, but Brooke is still angry at Jack for his betrayal and Jack is still unsure of how to go after what he really wants.

Scot and Bothered has everything that I love in a romance book! Brooke and Jack have a complicated past, with feelings of betrayal, regret, misunderstanding, and unconfessed love. They are both great main characters. Brooke is an author, who has spent the most promising years of her career as a ghostwriter, because of a lack of confidence in herself. She is fun and quirky, and I really loved her personality. Jack has spent the past seven years still searching for that big moment with his photography and dealing with feelings that he has been a disappointment to his family. He’s also the perfect, dreamy Scottish MMC, that you want to see in this kind of story (and we get him in a kilt!! 😉).

The story is told in a dual timeline format, which I really enjoyed. Brooke and Jack also have their own POVs throughout the book, and I liked having the story told through both of their voices. The slow burn is SO GOOD…and Kiley brings the slow burn through both timelines. The tension, romance, and spicy parts of the book are done so well, and I never felt like any of the dialogue between Brooke and Jack were cringe-worthy, but something you would expect in a real relationship.

The side story of Brooke and Jack’s relationship with Mhairi is heart-warming, and her part of the story brought tears to my eyes several times. The imagery of Scotland is such a great part of the story, too. I loved all of the descriptions Kiley includes from Brooke and Jack’s time on the trail.

I love romance books that make the relationship natural in the story, while also bringing a great plot, and Kiley does a great job with this in Scot and Bothered. If you love romance reads with off-limit relationships, forced proximity/one tent/one bed, second chances, and a Scottish backdrop, then I would highly recommend Scot and Bothered.

Overall, Scot and Bothered is a compelling read that beautifully captures the essence of first loves and second chances. It’s a testament to Kiley’s talent for crafting immersive, emotionally rich romances that linger in the reader’s mind long after the final page.

Another hit novel from Alexandra Kiley! Starting with the setting… I felt like I was in Scotland which is exactly what I wanted. I want to move there now ASAP. I loved the dual POV in this book as well as the dual timelines. I felt like I really got to know both Jack and Brooke and was rooting for them the whole time!

- Second chance romance
- Slow burn
- Scotland setting
- Author MCs

Brooke Sinclair and Jack Sutherland’s whirlwind college romance ended abruptly (why, exactly, is not revealed until the end). Now thrust together seven years later to hike the Skye Trail as a writer-photographer pair, they’re forced to come to terms with each other and their pasts.

-Scottish scenery
-Slow burn
-Second chance romance
-Insta-love
-Only one tent

Scot and Bothered was a sweet and fun read! The incredible setting and information about the Isle of Skye were a highlight. I did stumble a bit with the second chance romance trope- it’s not my
favorite and I don’t find it completely believable that two people who had a short college romance could fall back into step together many years later. Beyond that, though, Scot and Bothered was well-written and captivating!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest feedback!

Beautiful imagery, fun characters, and a sweet story. Scot and Bothered is the second Alexandra Kiley book I've read, and though I admittedly liked Kilt Trip more I think that it was more because of preferred tropes than anything else. Scot and Bothered is a cute read I am excited to have in store.

This book was a bit of a slow burn for me, but once I got far enough into it I could not put it down!!! I absolutely adore Brooke and Jack and their relationship certainly kept me on my toes. No two characters were more deserving of a second chance than these two and Alexandra Kiley absolutely knocked it out of the park with this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press for the arc!

I really struggled to connect with Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley. While the imagery of Brooke and Jack's journey on the trail was beautifully detailed, I found myself losing interest in the story. Despite being a second-chance romance, the relationship felt rushed, and I couldn’t fully invest in their journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for providing me an eARC for review.

Scot and Bothered is a friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers story and might just be my favorite second chance romance that I've ever read. If I could give it more than five stars, I would!

The writing is beautiful without being overly flowery and the story weaves together effortlessly. We get dual POV's (which I love) with the story unfolding both in the past and the present. Jack and Brooke are so well fleshed out that I feel like I know them on a personal level. Their longing and pain and happiness became mine over the course of their story.

One of the things I love about Scot and Bothered, as well as Kilt Trip, is that in addition to the characters' love story, it feels like a love story to Scotland. The setting acts as a supporting character and Kiley manages to capture the spirit of the Highlands and the love it creates in people perfectly.

I loved every single thing about Scot and Bothered and hope we get a third Sutherland brother book!

*Potential Spoiler / Trigger Warning Below*
.
This story features the terminal illness of a loved one so please be aware and guard your heart if needed. I read Scot and Bothered as an ARC and the TWs weren't listed so I was unaware. However, this plot point was handled beautifully, and I don't say that flippantly as I recently lost my dad.

Jack and Brooke’s journey is both a physical and emotional one. As they travel the Skye Trail, they navigate self doubt, past hurts, and fear of failing. Scot and Bothered may seem like a cute second chance romance. In reality , it is a story about reclaiming who you authentically are and setting your feet on the life path of chasing your dream.

Publication Date: March 4, 2025

#ScotandBothered
#AlexandriaKiley
#SecondChances
#NetGalley

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

This story had a compelling premise - a second-chance romance set against the breathtaking backdrop of Scotland’s Skye Trail - but ultimately, it didn’t fully deliver for me.

Brooke Sinclair, an American ghostwriter, has been living in Scotland for years despite being expelled from the University of Edinburgh due to an inappropriate relationship with her teaching assistant, Jack Sutherland. When her former mentor, Mhairi, offers Brooke a chance to co-write her memoir about hiking the rugged Skye Trail, Brooke jumps at the opportunity. What she doesn’t expect is that Jack will also be joining the hike as a guide and photographer, forcing them to confront their unresolved past.

While the book explores themes of redemption, forgiveness, and chasing your dreams, much of the story is weighed down by the characters’ lack of effective communication. Brooke and Jack seemed stuck in a cycle of rehashing old grievances without truly addressing them. Although they encouraged each other to take risks and pursue their goals, their interactions often felt frustrating rather than romantic. Their chemistry felt inconsistent, and I struggled to believe in their long-term compatibility.

Some plot holes also distracted from the story. For instance, Brooke’s ability to remain in Scotland after losing her student visa stretched believability. The logistics of transitioning from a revoked visa to legal residency in the UK are not addressed, and simply being a ghostwriter would not meet the strict requirements. This lack of realism made it harder to fully engage with her story.

That said, the vivid descriptions of Scotland’s landscape were a highlight. The sweeping views, rugged terrain, and immersive details of the Skye Trail added a sense of adventure and introspection that kept me reading. The subplot involving Mhairi’s health and her personal legacy added emotional depth and provided some of the book’s most compelling moments.

Overall, Scot on the Trail is a mixed experience. While the scenic setting and intriguing premise shine, the romance itself falls a bit flat, and some inconsistencies in the plot make it less convincing. If you enjoy second-chance romances with stunning settings and don’t mind overlooking a few details, this could still be an enjoyable read.

Scot on the Trail is available for preorder at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Target, and Books-a-Million! It will be released in stores on March 4, 2025!

I was blown away by this book. I read Kilt Trip by the author, which was a (mostly) lighthearted, sweet romcom, so I expected this to be the same. What I was not prepared for was such a beautifully written second-chance romance filled with yearning, angst, grief, regret, and hope - told with a dual timeline and dual POV with Brooke and Jack, the main characters.

I deeply appreciated the way Brooke was written and found her to be very relatable. I could get past the miscommunication in the past timeline, because I found Brooke's reaction believablefor a university-aged student who felt as though her life's purpose was snatched from her.

I also loved the Skye Trail in all its harsh and gorgeous glory becomes a character throughout this story. I desperately wanted to visit before, and my urgency to get there has now doubled.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for the chance to read this ARC.

I read Alexandra Kiley's first book, Kilt Trip, and loved it, so I was hoping for more of the light-hearted RomCom traipsing through Scotland vibe. This wasn't quite it. There's a lot more angst in this book because it's told from a Then and Now perspective, and the Then is rife with issues. Brooke and Jack met when they were at the same university. Jack was a Ta and best friends and roommates with Brooke's TA. They are both well aware that it's against guidelines for them to get together. They are adults when they decided to get together, and they go against what Jack's best friend asks him to do, which is to wait until another semester when there isn't a conflict of interest. Lots of words of betrayal are thrown about, but honestly, I don't get why either of them felt betrayed. They knew what they were doing was complicated, and they got burned by it. Also, as someone who has studied in Scotland, I had a hard time getting over the fact that Brooke just stayed in Scotland after losing her student visa. That's really hard if not impossible to do, especially as a ghost writer. The Now sections of the book are a bit better, but honestly, there's very little Com to this book. They pine for each other, they help each other camp and all, but it's like this book is missing all the fun parts of a Romance. (And I also find it unbelievable that on a famous walking trail there could be a town that sells zero tents.)

Maybe the descriptions of scenic Scotland and a little steaminess will be enough for you.

Brooke's life is not exactly where she hoped she would be. She dropped out of the University of Edinburgh without graduating (she missed the cap and gown - I hope no one tells her Edinburgh grads have monastic robes instead), instead of writing her own books, she's ghostwriting for others, and her love life is non-existent. So when she and her ex, Jack, have to hike together on the Isle of Skye, it's the last place she wants to be....and wants even less to deal with the chemistry still between them

As an Edinburgh grad, this book was right up my alley - obviously with the exception of one dig at Philly sports fans in the book (go birds!). I love the trope of American girls meeting Scottish highland farmers as much as anyone, but Scotland is a thoroughly modern place. I really enjoyed the Jack, our male main character, is a photographer and professor, showing a diverse perspective of what Scotland is today. It was nice to see a book that showed both the beauty of Skye, and how frustrating the midges can be! A pivotal scene is set in the train station at Edinburgh, which is an incredibly beautiful and thoughtful spot...but not one that shows up in a lot of romance novels written by Americans.

I also really enjoyed how the main characters bonded over art. Brooke is a writer and Jack is a photographer; one of the questions the book asks is how we can use art to show people the places we love. This book was not only a great read, but made me want to buy a photograph of my old university to hang on my wall - which I judge as a great success.

One note is that the book does contain a relationship between the TA and student. This is a trope I tend to be skeptical of, but I really appreciated that the book acknowledged that there can be power imbalances

Would recommend to anyone who enjoyed Lana Ferguson's Loch and Key or Outlander, but wants to get to know another side of Scotland

I didn’t know i loved second chance romances until i read this arc!! The story of Brooke Sinclair and Jack Sutherland on a long trek through Scotland was well paced and packed with intense chemistry and suspense. This was such a feel good read, and the ending was particularly emotional and satisfying. I hope everyone gets a chance to read this when it’s published on March 4th!!

Brooke has been stuck ever since she was expelled from college. Rather than continuing to pursue her dreams, she's taken to ghost writing. Now she's working with her old mentor, Mhairi, on her memoirs and has agreed to hike the Skye Trai to make the book feel more authentic. There's just one catch. Mhairi’s nephew Jack is taking pictures for the book and going along on the hike with Brooke. He's the man who got her expelled seven years ago and broke her heart in the process. All she has to do is not fall for him again.

Read if you like:
-Dual Timeline
-Second Chance Romance (Now)
-Forbidden Romance (Then)
-Forced Proximity/Only one Tent
-He make her feel Safe/Calms her in a panic attack
-Slow Burn
-Finding Inspiration & Courage

Alexandra Kiley has done it again! I loved Kilt Trip but Scot and Bothered might be my new favorite from her. It is seriously so good. The dual timeline worked so well for this story. The looks at the past followed the pacing/progression of present storyline, complementing it rather than distracting or derailing it. And the emotions were so good. I was crying real tears by the end. Alexnadra really ripped my heart out in the third act. I loved that Brooke and Jack were flawed but fell for each other anyway. They complemented each other so well.

Highly recommend this one!

This was everything a second chance should be!! The angst, the heart shattering recounting of the heartbreak that broke Jack & Brooke apart the first time and how they come back together. I loved everything in this; the realistic emotions that are so deep the reader has no choice but to FEEL everything. I loved seeing how their shared relationship anchored them together, while still shining light on the anchor of their love from the past. A strong plot, beautifully done writing that wraps you up in the characters from the start have created a highly recommend read for 2025 that will break you, just to wrap you back up by the end.

I’m a simp for the Scottish scenery, food, vibes, etc in this book. Then I became obsessed with Brooke and Jack’s relationship. The pair survive Isle of Skye and its seagulls. I know personally they are RUTHLESS with chips… Featuring an adorable twist on some tropes.

I really enjoyed the overall storyline of this book and that it was set in Scotland. Often though I found myself feeling like it was moving a bit slow. Mhairi's character and liveliness was wonderful! The character development was spot on. I felt connected to each one.