Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley
Published by March 4, 2025 on Canary Street Press
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads
SCOT ON THE TRAIL!
Brooke Sinclair’s dream of being a published author derailed when she was expelled from the University of Edinburgh seven years ago. Now a ghostwriter, she sticks to other people’s stories. But when her college mentor, Mhairi McCallister, needs a cowriter for her memoir about Scotland’s most challenging trek, Brooke will do anything for the opportunity—including agreeing to hike the rugged Skye Trail for authenticity’s sake. What she doesn't know is that the nature photographer who’ll join her is Jack Sutherland, the teaching assistant who shattered Brooke’s writing career—and her heart.
Between falling for a student despite university rules and walking away from his family’s tour-guiding business to follow his photography dreams, Jack is desperate to prove he didn’t disappoint everyone for nothing. And he can’t ignore his aunt Mhairi’s final wishes for her memoir. Even if it means acting as guide and storyteller for the one who got away. Even if it means keeping secrets about Mhairi’s health.
As Jack and Brooke head into the solitude of the sweeping Scottish landscape, they’re forced to confront old feelings that haven’t disappeared with time. But can two weeks and eighty miles heal years of unspoken hurt and offer a second chance at the end of the trail?
It had been seven years since her world came apart at the seams, and now, Brooke found her back at the scene of the crime with the man who was an accomplice to derailing her dreams. When they were forced back into each other's orbits, they were forced to face their past as long dormant feelings were reawakened.
I was excited to return to Scotland and the world of the Sutherland brothers. This book focused on the brother who opted out of the family business. At first, I was disappointed because those tours were such a wonderful way for me to "see" Scotland, but Kiley had a different plan for how I would get my travel thrills.
Jack and Brooke were reunited by Jack's aunt Mhairi. They were both working on Mhairi’s book, Jack providing photographs and Brooke writing the biography, and the plan was for them to hike the trail that Mhairi founded on the Isle of Skye. This was such a brilliant way to force these two back together. Like all those major hiking trails you read about, this was a demanding physical journey, and people just seem to bond when they have to rely on each other for survival.
As Jack and Brooke made their way along the trail, there were flash backs which reveal their love story and eventual breakup. I liked flipping back and forth because as their relationship was unraveling in the past, it was growing stronger in the present which I thought worked really well.
It wasn't just about them finding their way back to each other. Their first time around came at a cost, and Brooke had been trying to recover many of the things she lost for years. She had lost Jack, but she had also lost her faith in herself. She had been ghostwriting, using other people's voices to tell stories because she could no longer find her own. Facing Jack and confronting their past was the remedy she had been seeking for years. By seeing him again, she was able to reflect on her past and makes plans for her future.
Overall, I was thrilled to accompany Jack and Brooke on this trek as they conquered the trail and their past while seizing this second chance to get things right. The ending was bittersweet but lovely, and I am eager to see what Kiley has in store for Reid, the youngest Sutherland brother.
Starting Over in Starshine Cove by Debbie Johnson
Published by February 19, 2025 on Storm Publishing
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads
The perfect feel-good read that will have you laughing, crying and everything in between.
Connie Llewelyn is the beating heart of the magical seaside village of Starshine Cove. She runs the local cafe, and is everybody's friend – always on hand with a kind smile, a listening ear and a freshly-baked scone.
Since losing her beloved husband five years ago, she's been busy raising her children, supporting her extended family and staying positive. Now, as her kids fly the nest, she finds herself wondering what her own future might look like.
When a face from the past unexpectedly arrives in Starshine, could meeting Zack again give her a second chance at love? Will Connie be brave enough to take a risk on living life for herself?
From the beloved bestselling author of the Comfort Food Café series, this is a heart-warming tale of second chances, self-discovery and the extraordinary healing power of community. Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Milly Johnson and Heidi Swain.
When Connie crashed into Starshine Cove, she abandoned her flashy life for a quiet one with no regrets. Fast forward 25 years, and she finds her past and present colliding in a deliciously confusing way.
On this return trip to Starshine Cove, we finally got Connie's story. She was an expert meddler in the other books, and now it was her turn to find love again. I really enjoyed getting to know more about her and what brought her to Starshine Cove, but I LOVED seeing Zack and her fall for each other.
First of all, can we have a round of applause for a "mature" romance. That's right. Both characters were empty nesters who was in their mid 50s. I will never stop being a fan of romances that show people finding love at ALL ages. Zach and Connie shared a bit of a past which was an interesting facet of their story that I think allowed their romance to proceed at a good clip, but I also believe their shared experience of being widowers gave them so much insight into each other. There was definitely a spark that rose to a flame between these two, and it was fantastic seeing it grow.
As with all the previous installments in this series, the people of Starshine Cove were a highlight. This little community continues to be warm and welcoming and as the Cove serves as a place of healing to those lucky enough to find their way there. It was great catching up with the previous couples while also seeing new romances bloom.
Overall, this was another feel-good visit to Starshine Cove that left me with a big smile on my face.
*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER
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