This is a second chance romance about Jack and Brooke who meet at university and reconnect years later via their shared connection to his aunt, which is her old professor. They spend two weeks together hiking in Scotland and their love is rekindled.

This book really wasn’t my cup of tea. I think I would have been more emotionally attached to the story without the “then” parts of them at uni, it just seems to slow the story down for me.

This was another DNF for me. I gave it 10 chapters to lure me in and take me to a place. it did not.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this cute romance. It's the second book in a series and I've read the first one - Kilt Trip. It was fun to see the connection to the characters in that first book. The main characters here have a second chance at romance, with hiking and family drama all wrapped up in it. This was a lighthearted read, and my favorite thing about it was reminiscing about the Isle of Skye and traveling in the highlands.

Scot and Bothered is a solid second-chance romance that offers an entertaining journey through the Scottish landscape. The book explores the rekindling of old feelings between Jack and Brooke, set against a sweeping backdrop that adds depth to their story.
While the characters are wonderfully real and relatable, the novel is a typical romance theme. The dual timeline approach keeps the narrative interesting, providing insights into the characters' past and present.
The novel shows promise, with moments of genuine tension and emotional connection. It's a grounded romance that will appeal to fans of the genre, offering a satisfying read without being groundbreaking. If you're looking for a light, entertaining romance with a Scottish setting, this book is worth picking up!

A sweet second chance romance set in the Scottish Highlands with a focus on both characters learning to take chances and follow their dreams...

I'll be honest, as a queer person, I often struggle with 'forbidden love' het romance novels where the forbidden aspect is just.... a lack of professionalism ? Feels very contrived to me. I mean, in this particular case, a romance between a student and one of her classes' TA that fell apart because they experienced consequences from said relationship does make me chuckle a little. Just talk about your feelings and wait 15 weeks yk? But, I will say, even though it is far from my personal favourite trope, this was a relatively well executed version of it. The miscommunications resulting from said relationship being discovered felt realistic, as did the rebuilding of the trust between them. I feel like the dual timeline and dual POV also worked well for this story and was well balanced.

I do think the novel suffers a little from being so short and from the fact that so much of it is spent with only the two main characters on the hiking trail. It makes the world feel a little flat when side characters, aside from Brooke's mentor and Jack's aunt Mhairi, don't get the opportunity to get properly fleshed out.

All of that being said, while the love story was more sweet than overwhelmingly romantic, the true star of the novel is the trail and the immersive descriptions of Skye and the Scottish landscape. Makes you want to pack a bag and go, though I know I need very little convincing. I do wish Edinburgh as a city had received the same treatment. As someone who lived there and fell in love with it, I wish it had been described with the same passion.

Overall a cute story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

This is the second book I’ve read by Alexandra Kiley! I have to say I really enjoyed it, I adore a second chance romance. Jack and Brooke met while in university in Edinburgh. A whirlwind romance that ended in betrayal due to a conflict of Brooke being a student and Jack being one of her teacher’s assistant. It’s been seven years since they last seen each other, now they are stuck together on a hiking trip around Skye for a memoir that Brooke is cowriting for. Jack is the nephew of the author and just so happens to be the new photographer for the memoir.
The chemistry is so good between them! I enjoyed the close proximity trope aspect, it always makes the second chance romance so much sweeter. I’m not usually one to enjoy a past/present timeline, but I found it very enjoyable. Also, I absolutely love Scotland and I really enjoyed reading all the scenery of Skye, it’s one of my bucket list places.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for my honest review and opinions.

3.5 rounded down. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Let's be honest: I requested this book because the title made me laugh and truly I always want to giggle with a romance book. "Scot and Bothered" is a second-chance romance following Jack and Brook through two different eras of their lives, the first during their initial love affair during college and the second, which follows them in the present as they hike the infamous "Skye Trail" now as they have to work together to write the memoir of Jack's aunt who is also Brooks writing partner and idol.

So many aspects of this novel were really great. The setting was incredibly vivid, especially as Jack describes the trail that he so clearly loves. I also loved to watching the characters grow as individuals and learn to cohabitate as they went on this journey. They also so clearly love Mhairi it makes readers love her, too.

I do think that the romance fell a little flat on this one. The initial college timeline had a lot of chemistry and yearning, but it just did not feel fully realized in the present. This book is so short and I think could have benefitted from a little more meat within the present chapters dedicated to filling out their relationship.

Overall, this was cute and sweet, but nothing to write home about.

This book follows writer and photographer, Brooke and Jack. The pair share a past and are forced to work together after years apart. They set out to hike the Skye Trail in an effort to help their mentor complete her memoir. I enjoyed the Scotland adventure aspect of this book. It was such a beautiful setting and very much had me ready to book a flight. Overall, this was a cute book with a sweet second chance romance.

“𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘰𝘰."

ᴛʀᴏᴘᴇꜱ:
💕 Second Chance
✨ Forced Proximity
🫶🏼 Dual POV
⛺️ One Tent
📷 Grumpy Cinnamon Roll MMC
🕰️ Now & Then Timeline

Thank you to Alexandra Kiley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for the review copy of 𝙎𝙘𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙!

I unfortunately found this one difficult to read. The storyline and premise is interesting, however I did not connect with the characters.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book follows Jack, Logan’s brother, and his ex girlfriend Brooke. This book can be read as a standalone. This book is like an advertisement for Scotland- it made me really want to go there and see the beautiful country. This book switches timelines from present day back to the start, progression, and ending of their relationship. I think the growth and maturity that each experienced in the years between seeing each other was essential in their second chance. And you can’t help but love Mhairi.

It was difficult for me to start this book, but once I immersed myself I enjoyed it!

-Dual POV
-Dual Timeline
-second chance
-forced proximity
-forbidden relationship

I enjoyed that this story was unique! She pursues him, they both lost their futures, but come together at the end for the very person who had a hand in ending their collegiate careers. I don’t typically like dual timelines, I like just having one story. I wish that there wasn’t so much “before it happened”, and not saying what “it” was until over halfway through the book. There was too much repeating of that to me. But I like that there was hiking, and an adventure in this book. Makes me want to take a trip to Scotland even more! The scenery is a beautifully set! Over all, good book! Loved that they came together for a memoir of one of their favorite people, and that it bonded them again.

Scot and Bothered was a fun and adventurous second chance romance! I enjoyed Kilt Trip, but the history between Brooke and Jack and the adventure of the trail kept me intrigued through this entire book. After reading Kilt Trip, this book helped me to understand Jack better and some of his attitude from Kilt Trip.
This book is a dual timeline and goes between their relationship in college and the present.

Jack and Brooke meet at Edinburgh University where Brooke is a senior undergraduate student and Jack is a grad student. They almost instantly fall for each other and begin dating in secret because Jack is a TA in a class Brooke is taking(not her TA though). The alternate timeline allows you to know that something happened at University that changed the trajectory of Brooke's life and ended their relationship.

In the present, Brooke is a co writer for Jack's Aunt Mhairi's memoir. In order to find a better voice for her memoir, Brooke decides to hike the Skye Trail that Mhairi founded. Unknown to her, Jack is the photographer for the memoir and it joining her. On the trail they found themselves drawn back to each other and learning more about Mhairi and themselves.

I really enjoyed the journeys in this book! Both the personal journey's of Brooke and Jack and the journey on the trail itself. Such a great story about dreams and really living!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommend to readers who enjoy an inspirational second chance romance and a Scottish setting!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the premise and liked the growth we saw from writer to ghostwriter to branching out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

This novel isn’t my usual fare as its closed door, but I still rather enjoyed it anyway.
I loved the reference to the holiday as one of my favorite films and found the characters quite lovable.

Thank you so much to Alexandra Kiley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for the eARC of this book. I absolutely love Kiley as a writer and this did not disappoint. Like i've said before second chance romances aren't my favorite but Kiley hit this one out of the park. It's also a closed door romance so it each their own. It's also an enemies to lovers which is a favorite trope of mine!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

“Collect stories, capture details, live presently through the feelings and experiences you encounter. Build your well of adventures and failures.”

The moment Jack was described as having “Jude-Law-in-The-Holiday-glasses” I knew I was done for. This was a delightful second chance romance full of adventure, unrequited love, and healing. I seldom like sequels better than the first (Kilt Trip) but Scot and Bothered delivered.

🩷 Second chance romance
💘 Enemies to lovers
🚪 Closed door romance
📅 Alternating timelines

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I do have to admit, this book was a bit slow to drag me in but once I was in I couldn’t put the book down! Brooke and Jack’s then and now relationship kept me guessing and wanting to know more! Seeing their journey between the “then and now” made the ending even more special. And when the one bed (well in this case one tent) trope is done well you know you are in for angst! The main characters definitely deserved a second chance and a guaranteed HEA! I devoured this book in a day!

I love a second-chance romance and this one didn't disappoint. Brooke, an American ghost writer, and Jack, a Scottish photographer, find themselves thrown together for a book project seven years after a break that deeply impacted both their lives. While the romance between Brooke and Jack takes center stage, I enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Mhairi and how she influenced everyone around her.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of such a perfectly sweet and steamy book.

✅ Brooke, American, ghostwriter & Jack, Scottish, photographer
✅ second chances; dual timeline
✅ set in the same Universe (and same family) as Kilt Trip
✅ travel adventure (they’re camping across Skye)
🌶️: not really

Like Kilt trip, this will make you want to plan a trip to Scotland.

This was so tender??? Not necessarily surprisingly, but also, kind of surprisingly given the title.

There is so much earnestness and compassion and love. The relationship between Mhairi and Brooke alone had me on the verge of tears from the very beginning. Mhairi clearly saw Brooke as a kindred spirit immediately, and the two fit so well into each others lives even without Jack.

And Jack, you sweet summer child. You well-meaning idiot. You precious baby. His genuine care for Brooke in their separation was so sweet and heartbreaking. He respected her space even when it devastated him, and wanted to be in her life in any way she’d allow it. Even if it wounded him.