Scot and Bothered tells the complicated story of Brooke and Jack through a dual timeline of “then” and “now”. A forbidden TA/student relationship between the two of them causes consequences for them both, but they reconnect years later to write and photograph Jack’s aunt (Brooke’s mentor)’s memoir. With feelings unresolved and emotions at an all time high, they navigate this second chance.

I enjoyed how this story captured the rugged nature and beauty of Scotland. I was interested in how the story between the two would unfold. Personally, I would have loved a bit more chemistry between our lovebirds (both then and now) and a deeper dive behind the emotions of their past. It also would have been nice to get a bit more backstory of Brooke and her life in the US, but the book was enjoyable nonetheless.

A huge thank you to HTP Hive, Canary Street Press and NetGalley for the ALC copy of Scot and Bothered for my honest thoughts! Grab your copy now!

Thank you to Canary Street Press and Harlequin Audio for the gifted copies of Scot and Bothered!

I listened to this on a whim without even reading Kilt Trip first and OMGGGGGG you guys, this book is SO good. You cannot read this book and tell them this author isn’t an expert at her craft. The writing, the romance, the character development — it’s all executed flawlessly. Chef’s kiss. Perfection.

Set mostly on the Isle of Skye during a hiking trip, Scot and Bothered is highly atmospheric and will make you feel like you’re in Scotland! The scenery is so vividly described that it engages all five senses, completely immersing you in the setting. The author also uses dual timelines to set the scene, alternating between present day and eight (I think) years ago, when the characters first met and fell in love. I don’t usually enjoy books set in college, but this one nails the balance between then and now, giving us just enough history to establish their past without making it feel like a “college romance.”

But the best part of this book is Jack and Brooke’s relationship. If you’ve ever read a review where someone said the chemistry was off the charts, this is what they meant. It’s not about steam, it’s about how perfect they are for each other. Their love feels fated in a way that’s rooted in deep emotional connection, not just lust. From their forbidden romance in college where they try (and fail) to stay away from each other, to their present day reunion, still grappling with the hurt from years ago, every part of their journey felt real. Rom com writers should study these two. Readers, prepare to kick your feet with giddy delight.

Read for:
Second chance romance
Atmospheric setting (Scotland!)
Books about writers
Forced proximity
Well-developed characters on a journey

Audio: Dual narrators for dual POVs is always a good idea. Jack’s POV is performed by an actual Scot! Angus King nails the Scottish accent, of course, but more impressively, his American accent is flawless (no cringey fake American voice here). Brooke’s POV is performed by Savannah Davies — I can’t find much about her online, so I’m wondering if it’s a pseudonym. Either way, she delivers a fabulous performance. Definitely a great one to pick up on audio!

Thank you Harlequin Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Summary: Forced to hike Scotland’s rugged Skye Trail together, a ghostwriter and the man who broke her heart must confront their past and rediscover love in *Scot and Bothered*.

My review: Scot and Bothered delivers a heartfelt contemporary romance set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Scottish Highlands. With vivid descriptions that bring the setting to life, the story is packed with beloved romance tropes—strangers to lovers to enemies to lovers, insta-love, forbidden romance, second chances, and forced proximity—all wrapped in the undeniable pull of "it's always been you." The dual timeline adds depth, allowing readers to witness Brooke and Jack’s love in its purest form before heartbreak and then follow their journey toward forgiveness and rekindled love. Filled with emotion, scenic beauty, and the promise of true love, this story is a journey worth taking. I absolutely loved it!

Fiction / Romance - Romantic Comedy / Romance - Contemporary / Family Life

Scot and Bothered is scheduled for publication on March 4th, by Harlequin Audio.

A second-chance romance between an American writer and a Scottish photographer as they hike the Isle of Skye.

What’s to love...
- Second chance romance
- Scotland setting (hiking the Isle of Skye)
- dual timeline
- only one tent
- slow burn
- themes of grief & self-discovery
- bookish book (writer FMC)
- detailed atmosphere and descriptions of the landscape

What I didn't love…
- I am personally not a fan of dual timeline so that was a negative for me - but I know lots of ppl enjoy it!
- Also not a huge fan of overly descriptive travel scenery so that was a miss for me - but again, I know some ppl enjoy it!
- overall I felt like it lacked tension and banter, the whole book just felt “fine” - certainly not a bad book but not one I'll be itching to reread soon.

Thank you NetGalley and HTP Books for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ALC of this novel!

3.75/5 ⭐️

I’m glad I was browsing NetGalley, otherwise I probably wouldn’t haven’t known about this book! It’s a cute and also emotional story of second chances and writing (literally and figuratively)your legacy. Also it takes place in Scotland , one of the most beautiful countries!

For the audio: The narrators were great and the pacing was good.

Give this book a shot if you love
- second chance romance
- books about creative jobs (writing, photography)
- hiking
- Scotland
- HEAs

Thank you so much, Netgalley and Harlequin Romance for the ebook and audio ARC of Scot and Bothered! My favorite thing about this book was the setting. I felt like I was transported to Scotland and loved hearing about each adventure. I loved the aspect of forbidden love and then the enemies to lovers in the later timeline. The one bed trope being one tent was great as well!

Overall, a fun quick read! The audiobook is dual narration, not duet. But it had a male narrator with a Scottish accent which was great!

Thank you to Netgalley and #harlequinaudio for an advance listening copy of this book. I loved it. 5 stars.

This was a really sweet story of love, choices, and second chances. It was easy to fall in love with the two main characters, Brooke and Jack. Through their current journey and their backstory, you come to feel like you really know them and the emotions are palpable. And it definitely doesn’t hurt that the male narrator has a deep, sexy Scottish accent!

It’s a great romance novel. Definitely 4 stars. Thanks NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advance copy in exchange for my honest reviews.

3.75 stars
I liked this one, but I liked Kilt Trip better (which I gave 4 stars).
This one revolves around Jack (Logan's brother from Kilt Trip) and Brooke. 7 years ago, they had been in a student/professor relationship which totally blew up. Now Brooke, a ghost writer, is working on Jack's aunt Mhairi's memoir. To capture one of the sections, Brooke is going on an 8 day hike with a photographer. But the original photographer gets injured, and Jack steps in as the new photographer.
I liked Brooke. She was passionate about helping Mhairi and doing the best she could for this memoir, but you could also tell that she wasn't fulfilled being a ghost writer. That if she wrote something as herself, it would be amazing. Jack has always known that. He has just become a photographer after deciding not to be a part of his family's touring company which is what they all thought he would do. He has never forgotten Brooke and it's obvious he wants a second chance with her.
This story is told in both Brooke and Jack's POVs, as well as in a now and then double timeline. So we have the end result of whatever happened between them, and then we have the lead up to what actually happened. I enjoyed the "now" part better, I liked the hiking storyline better and it was more exciting. What happened to break them up in the past made a lot of sense, but the third act breakup didn't. The ending was well done though.
There were 2 audiobook narrators, one for Brooke and one for Jack. They were both great. The male narrator had a great Scottish accent that was easy to understand. Sometimes with accents, I need to slow down the audiobook, but this one I didn't. The female was great too, they both did accents for the dialogue - the female did a Scottish accent for Jack and the male did an American accent for Brooke.
This was a really fun, quick Scottish adventure romance book!

I mean come on, can you really go wrong with a Scottish accent? Like, sign me up forever. This story is so much fun, so adventurous, so sexy, and so enjoyable. The narrators were superb and made an already fantastic story that much better. Brooke and Jack were such a sizzling couple, i loved their chemistry and how much they lifted each other up. Their individual creative pursuits were so complimentary and their connection was palpable. Kiley became an instant read author for me right away. Highly recommend!

3.5 stars, 1 spice

I like this one a little bit more than Kilt Trip (It didn’t click before starting that this was the next in that series), I did love the aesthetic, but overall felt it lacked with the characters.

Even though this is a second chance romance, I felt like both their original romance and the second chance were insta love. With that, I felt like I was missing information on each of them as individuals (in both the past and present). I felt like I knew more about the people they met on the trail than the actual main characters. Rather than spending time getting to know them as people then vs. now, I felt we spent the whole time dancing around the big break up moment.

I did love all the imagery around Scotland. Mentioning all the different areas on the Isle of Skye really makes me want to visit there. I just know it has to be even more stunning in person.

I also appreciated the depth and love that was developed for Mhairi. I love seeing her character being one that lived a full life, with a huge impact on others, that leaves an amazing legacy that is not based around having her own kids. I did feel emotions for her in the end.

Also, for being the second in a series of interconnected standalones it also feels a bit repetitive to have another story with them just traveling around Scotland, and having a theme of grief.?

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and Canary Street Press for the audio and ebook advanced copies.

Audiobook specific - I did really appreciate that this was a duel narration. I do with that instead of ' then' and 'now' we were given dates, or a long pause to really show the change in time period. While listening there were multiple times where I missed the chapter switch over and couldn't tell what time we were in

I picked up this book because I enjoyed Kiley's last book and turns out it's a ton of things I'm a sucker for -- mc who is a writer and trying to write, mc who is a photographer, taking a 100% bucket list trip through part of Scotland, duel narration and multiple timelines. It was an interesting story in that it felt lighthearted but the content wasn't -- I'd love to elaborate but no spoilers. The story was built on turmoil and while there was a lot of fun and romance-y, there's also a lot of the story that's showing where the MCs started and unraveling how they got to where they are.
The backdrop is lovely, the language captures it all, the imagery is great. It was an enjoyable read.

#arc
#netgalley
#scotandbothered

Not only do we get the full story of Jack and Brooke meeting and falling the first time with the "then" part of this story but we also get to see them find their way back to each other with the "now" part of this story. Brooke has always wanted to be an author but is currently a ghostwriter. Brooke is helping her mentor/friend, Mhairi McCallister, write her memoir about Scotland’s most challenging trek/hike. Brooke agrees to do the hike herself so she can better understand the journey and emotion that Mhairi wants to get across in her memoir. She decides she will join the photographer on the hike so they are not alone, not knowing that Jack is the photographer. Jack is the man that shattered not only her writing career but her heart seven years ago. Their hike is filled with a few challenges and tons of angst and pining on both their parts. I loved the progression of how they went from strangers to friends to lovers and then to sorta enemies to hike partners to lovers. We get the good, the bad, and the not so great parts of both of them and I loved it all. The narration for the audiobook really brought it to life in such a great way. and yes, the audiobook has a Scottish accent! I can't recommend this one enough and im definitely looking forward to more Alexandra Kiley books in the future.

Read is you like:
-Scottish setting
-Then/Now timeline
-Forbidden (then)
-Second chance (now)
-College shenanigans
-Lots of pining and yearning and angst
-Only one tent
-Open door but not explicit

Thank you to both Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC in advance for an honest review.

Brooke is working as a ghostwriter in Scotland after she was expelled from university. When her draft of her mentor's memoir that she is co-writing comes back with a less than enthusiastic reception, she decides to travel to the Isle of Skye to do the trail that her mentor created. She will be joined by the photographer for the book, her mentor's nephew and the reason she was expelled from university. Throughout the trail, the two are drawn back together like magnets, but can their attraction and mutual feelings overcome the past?

This is a fun romance. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to romance readers. It is not my favorite of all time but I think it deserves a solid four stars. I would read more by this author.

It was well narrated. The Scottish accent doesn't hurt. I recommend it as an audio.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

**⭐⭐⭐½**

*Scot and Bothered* by Alexandria Kiley is a fun, engaging second chance romance with a strong heroine and a swoon-worthy Scottish hero. The banter is great, and the romance is sweet, but the pacing drags at times, and the plot feels a bit too busy. The chemistry is solid, though the spice level is around **2 stars**—just enough to add some heat but not overly steamy. Overall, an enjoyable read for second chance romance fans, even if it doesn’t fully stand out.

Reread 3/5 in audiobook.

A decent second chance romance that festers over 7 years when the MMC wrecks the FMCs career over something he thought was right to do.

Brooke and Jack had it hot in Edinburgh University until it all fell apart. Now, years later, Brooke is back in Jacks orbit to record Mhairi, Jacks aunts life. Jack is repentant, still in love, and their trail hike is a chance for him to win her back.

The book goes back and forth between then and now, so we get the backstory.

I thought Brooke was just an emotional wreck. She's happy to blame everyone else and quick to make decisions. Honestly, I don't think she deserved Jack. The romance build-up the second time was realistic, though. It's the same but not as before, so we see that growth.

Narration was good. The accents and tones were done well by both narrators.

Overall, a solid 3*

#netgalley #ScotandBothered

Thank you so much Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this one!
I was lucky enough to be able to read it last year as an ARC and I have to say the audiobook made me love this story even more! The Scottish accents are to die for!! Amazing narration done by Angus King, WOW! I also enjoyed Savannah Davies' voice!

He nearly didn't think this was anything new or unique. A fine read/listen but overall just pretty average for me.

4.5 stars! A thoroughly enjoyable second chance romance told in dual timelines-- On one timeline we follow Brooke and Jack's budding relationship when Brooke is a student and Jack is a grad student/TA (aka a forbidden romance!) at the University of Edinburgh -- we see their romance grow and eventually the reasons it ended back then. On another timeline we follow Brooke and Jack as they are unexpectedly forced to work together on a project that requires them to hike through the Scottish wilderness on the Skye Trail, and navigate through years of built up emotions.

The Scottish wilderness shines brightly as the backdrop for the current day timeline. Fans of second chance romance, forced proximity, and forbidden romance will all enjoy this. Both of our main characters have depth and backstory that makes you want to root for their relationship.

The audio is perfect if you love a dual narrator or want the delightful Scottish accents!

While I don’t love then/now format, this book did it really well! I was chomping at the bit to understand what had happened to Brooke and Jack. But honestly, this format made the resolution that much sweeter. And getting to watch them fall in love again was SO SWEET.

Brooke and Jack wanted to be together again so badly but Brooke was hurt and Jack wasn’t sure. Through forced proximity while they hike the Skye Trail, we get to see stolen glances, quiet confessions on whispers, and barely-there touches. I loved how Jack made Brooke pursue what she really wanted and didn’t just follow her because he loved her.

There was an underlying plot of a pretty heavy topic so be sure to check the trigger warnings. But it was handled is a really well and I might have shed a little tear.