Isn't It Romantic?

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Kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley
Published by Canary Street Press on March 5, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

Ready or Scot...

Globetrotter Addie Macrae always follows her wanderlust. As a travel consultant, she jet sets around the world—anywhere but Scotland. But when she’s sent on assignment to help a struggling family-run tour company in the Highlands—and save her own job—Addie packs away her emotional baggage and turns on the professional charm.

Rugged as the land he loves, Logan Sutherland’s greatest joy is sharing the beauty of Scotland’s hidden gems…even if it means a wee bit of red ink on the company’s bottom line. The last thing Logan wants is some American “expert” pushing tourist traps and perpetuating myths about the Loch Ness Monster—especially when Addie never leaves her desk to experience the country for herself.

As they wage an office war, Logan discovers Addie’s secret connection to Scotland: a handful of faded Polaroids of her late mother. Hoping for a truce, he creates a private tour to the places in the pictures to help Addie find closure and appreciate the enchantment in less-traveled destinations, never expecting the off-limits attraction sparking between them. But Addie’s contract is almost up, and magic won’t pay the bills. They can’t afford distractions, but how can Addie do her job if she hasn’t explored all Scotland—and Logan—have to offer?

When Addie was hired as a travel consultant for Heart of the Highlands tour company, she was excited since it would give her an opportunity to retrace her late mother's trip to Scotland. While this may have initially been a way to remember and reconnect with her mother, it became a way for Addie to heal and reconnect with herself.

Scotland is one of those bucket list places for me, and I always jump at the chance to read stories set there. But that was not the only draw with Kilt Trip. I found so many things to love as I smiled, laughed, and swooned my way through this sweet and heartfelt romance.

Scotland definitely had a starring role in this tale. Since a big part of this story was the tour packages from Heart of the Highlands, I was treated to several really amazing trips. I commend Kiley on the vivid descriptions which pulled me out of New Jersey and into the Highlands. I saw the sights and heard the sounds while also learning some interesting historical facts.

Then there was Logan who totally stole my heart. I loved his commitment with trying to help visitors fall in love with his country. A big thing was his aversion to the "tourist trap" type attractions, but I have to say, I think I would be happy to be on his tours any day. His affection for his history and country shined brightly, as did his love for his family and Addie. I adored how he wanted to help Addie with her quest to find all the sites in her mother's pictures while also just wanting to be a part of her personal journey.

I felt so much compassion and empathy for Addie. It may have been ten years since her mother's death, but it had a profound effect on her life. Losing her mother, and in a sense, her father at the same time, forced Addie to keep people at arm's length. She adopted a nomadic lifestyle that she thought she loved until Logan and everyone at Heart began breaking through those barriers.

This was a healing journey for Addie, and I was glad she had so many wonderful people to support her along the way. I adored Logan's family and his co-workers who embraced Addie as one of their own. It was beautiful to see her want to put down roots while also attempting to mend her relationship with her father.

Overall, this book satisfied my wanderlust while touching my heart. It was funny and sweet, and it was an absolute pleasure to be a part of this Kilt Trip.

*ARC PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

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The Takeover by Cara Tanamachi
Published by St. Martin's Griffin on January 30, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

Sometimes, when you ask the universe for your soulmate, you wind up with your hate mate instead.

On Nami's 30th birthday, she’s reminded at every turn that her life isn’t what she planned. She’s always excelled at everything – until now. Her fiancé blew up their engagement. Her pride and joy, the tech company she helped to found, is about to lose funding. And her sister, Sora, is getting married to the man of her dreams, Jack, and instead of being happy for her, as she knows she ought to be, she’s fighting off jealousy.

Frustrated with her life, she makes a wish on a birthday candle to find her soulmate. Instead, the universe delivers her hate mate, Nami’s old high school nemesis, Jae Lee, the most popular kid from high school, who also narrowly beat her out for valedictorian. More than a decade later, Jae is still as effortlessly cool, charming, and stylish as ever, and, to make matters worse, is planning a hostile take-over of her start-up. sharp elbows and even sharper banter as the two go head-to-head to see who’ll win this time. But when their rivalry ignites a different kind of passion, Nami starts to realize that it's not just her company that's in danger of being taken over, but her heart as well.

When Nami made her birthday wish, she never imagined the universe would reunite her with her high school nemesis, Jae. Although she tried to resist his charms, Nami found herself falling for the enemy who came to take her company and ended up taking her heart.

I have a difficult relationship with enemies-to-lovers romances. The good news is that this one fell on the positive side for me. I feel like The Takeover was a success because only Nami saw Jae as the enemy. Jae held more fond memories of Nami. He credited her with challenging him in high school. He was also happy to be back in Nami's orbit as he was growing bored with his job and life, and he knew Nami would inject some excitement into it.

Lucky me that I got to witness their reunion and subsequent meetings because these two were something special together. The banter, the teasing, the pranks -- my face hurt from how much I smiled and laughed. They were so competitive, too! I just knew if someone threw a dare out there, the other would jump on it. They did some crazy stuff to try and best the other, but what was really amazing was the way they worked so well together. It was a beautiful thing watching that hate turn to love because these two belonged to one another.

Adding to my delight was a great group of quirky co-workers and loving families. As much as Jae complained about his family, all their interactions were bursting with affection. I had such a nice time with the Lees. And the office antics were terribly amusing. The chair-napping and the whiteboard debates were some of the highlights. But what I really loved was the family-vibe they had in the office. It was something I would really be thrilled to be part of.

Overall, I had a fantastic time rooting for Nami and the Toggle family as she tried to fight the corporate takeover while allowing the takeover of her heart.

Would you rather visit
tourist traps OR local gems?
Let us know in the comments!