Such a delight! This is book 2 in the Macabe Brothers series set on the Isle of Skye, It's a standalone, but closely intertwined with 'Whisky Business', so suggest you read that first to have an understanding of the Macabe family dynamic. Callum has been pining for his brother Alistair's -ex for years. They have a bantery snarky thing going on which covers their feelings and the complexity of their situation. Our black cat Juniper is on Skye trying to renovate the Ivy Inn, her family's guest house, and reluctantly, she ends up getting help from Callum. He is the island vet, and 'Community Ken', helping out with animals, and projects around the town, so he's happy to step up and help Juniper. Let's face it, he'll do anything for her, and they build a fragile, and very spicy truce, until her -ex comes back to the Island and it all turns to ***. Juniper is complicated, she was adopted and has abandonment issues to navigate, plus her broken engagement, and she struggles with grief and fitting in.

Callum is navigating his relationships with his siblings and the dementia which is accelerating in his father. He's smug and snide to Juniper, and pining into a puddle internally. He doesn't always make the right choices in the moment - but who does? Once they open up to each other, there's so much potential for these two be to a wonderful team.

Skye itself comes to life, what a gorgeous place it is! I'm surprised author Elliot doesn't live on the island, it's so detailed and vivid. There's a kilt (of course) and plenty of spicy steam - recommended reading!

Thank you very much Elliot Fletcher and Harper Collins for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Elliot Fletcher has done it again! What are you putting in these books?!

Scotch on the Rocks was a perfect holiday read, and somehow managed to mix deep tenderness and profoundly personal themes with high levels of spice and overflowing sexual tension.

I think I grew to love Callum even more than Mal… and I can’t wait to see if Alistair gets his own book too?!

Adore this series and can’t wait for more from Fletcher!

Many thanks to Elliot Fletcher, Harper Collins and NetGalley for the EARC in exchange for my honest review.

There wasn’t necessarily anything wrong with this book, I just didn’t gel with the characters at all. The Skye setting was fairly well done, and, as a Scot, there was nothing obviously wrong with the dialogue although at points it did feel a little off.
The plot is well paced, and I’m sure others would enjoy this but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Scottish backdrop to this novel was perfection! Being a scot myself, I just love to see rom-coms set here. The idyllic and comforting landscape of the Isle of Skye was the best setting!

I adored both of our main characters; as well as every side character! Juniper was such a fantastic and well-rounded character. I loved her cool exterior. She was fiesty and independent, as well as having a soft side that was revealed to Callum as she began to feel safe with him. Callum was a delight. He was so thoughtful and gentle and playful. He matched Juniper's energy so well! The way that man SAW her so completely was absolutely beautiful. Their banter was SO good! The chemistry and burning desire between them was sizzling hot and addictive! The black cat and golden retriever dynamic was executed so well. And the cherry on top to add on all that extra tension was the brothers ex-fiance trope! My god, the yearninggg!

This novel definitely had a bit slower of pacing due to the back and forth between our two main love interests. The slow burn was sloww. But it was so so worth it!

As I received this book as an ARC, I hadn't read the first instalment, 'Whisky Business', yet, but I made sure this could be read as a standalone first. I definitely want to read book one now, though! I really enjoyed the touching and romantic moments and the chemistry between the side characters Mal and April, and I'm excited to go back and see their love story!

Thank you so much to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this!

*I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) for free in exchange for an honest review*

I honestly forgot how much I enjoy Elliot Fletcher’s writing, this book was such a fun, spicy and heartfelt return to the Isle of Skye and the McCabe brothers!

This time we follow eldest brother Callum, who has secretly been in love with his brother Alistair’s ex-fiancee Juniper, since the day they met on a train on the mainland, before he found out that they were an item. A few years later Juniper had a fiery run in with Callum in Glasgow and they so nearly did something they both would have regretted. Juniper’s hurt at being rejected by Callum, after being dumped by Alistair, meant that she had sworn off the McCabe men and doesn’t want anything to do with them. However now they are both back on Skye and forced into spending time together through various friends and family members, it doesn’t take long for their chemistry to spark up again. And what Juniper doesn’t know is that Callum had never stopped thinking about her, and never stopped caring.

There’s so much to love here: hilarious Scottish banter, sizzling chemistry, and deep emotional undercurrents. Callum is sweet, loyal, and quietly protective. Juniper is sharp, sarcastic, and guarded for good reason, shaped by a difficult past in the foster system. Their romance is a slow-burn with real emotional payoff, balanced by laugh-out-loud moments and the comfort of a found family.

If you’re into small-town settings, angsty tension, and romances where emotional wounds get the healing they deserve, this is a great one to pick up - especially for summer!

Sorry I'm in the minority here as I didn't enjoy this book. For me, it started well but I lost interest about a third of the way in. It just seemed to go round in circles with the will-they, won't-they storyline. I couldn't connect with main characters and didn't particularly like them, although Callum seemed to be very pleasing on my minds eye. I didn't like how he called her sweetheart so much, it felt a bit 'ick'! The location was good though.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for this free book in exchange for an honest review!!!

2.5⭐️

I thought this book started out good but then I started to dislike Callum and he just gave me the ick 😭 I liked the idea of it and I really liked Juniper as I saw part of myself in her but a few parts of the story were lacking for me

This? This is how you write sparkling banter and excruciatingly delicious sexual tension. Right from the outset Callum and Juniper have an undeniable connection, although it quickly becomes clear that it’s an entirely different kind of connection from the one that Callum had in mind. Years later that has developed into full walls-up defence (her) and full-on yearning (him), and I thoroughly enjoyed how they slowly connect with each other, the exploration of their characters and motivations and insecurities, and the interplay of emotion and humour and spice. All of that is set against a glorious Scottish backdrop with an interesting supporting cast, and comes together into something that will make you giggle, fan yourself, and absolutely root for Callum and Juniper in their journey to a strong and perfect conclusion.

This is my first book by Elliot.

The scenery Elliot wrote makes me want to explore more of Scotland and I definitely want some of the dates that Callum and Juniper had minus the mess on one date (IYKUK)

Juniper was written so beautifully and she pulled on my heart strings so much, the way she's kept everyone at arms length but I also loved her independence and the fact she didn't change for other people.

Callum is a golden retriever, and he definitely lives up to that always helping others and trying to take on so many responsibilities.

The back and forth, the banter and the tension between Callum and Juniper was hot!

Juniper needs to be loved, and Callum needs someone to lean on. They really are the perfect match!

There are some delicate topics within the book, and Elliot wrote them beautifully.

I can't wait for the next book!

I absolutely fell in love with April and Mal in Whisky Business, so I was thrilled when the Macabe Brothers series got picked up by a traditional publisher. There’s a special kind of magic in this world—April’s writing effortlessly blends heart, humor, and atmosphere, with characters and a setting that feel both vivid and deeply comforting.

Scotch on the Rocks, the second book in the series, brings us Juniper and Callum, whose dynamic is just as engaging. Their banter sparkles, and I particularly loved the “black cat x golden retriever” energy between them—it’s a trope I adore, and it was done so well here. Watching them slowly let their guards down and open up to each other was incredibly satisfying.

That said, while I enjoyed the emotional beats and overall arc of the story, the pacing felt a bit uneven for me at times. Some moments lingered a bit too long, while others I wished had more space to breathe. Still, the heart of the story and the charm of the characters made it a worthy follow-up, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the series goes next.

3.75 stars rounded up

Scotch on the Rocks follows Callum Macabe, who has been in love with Juniper Ross since he first laid eyes on her. Unfortunately, his brother got there first. Now, five years since Juniper and Alistair’s breakup, Callum and Juniper find themselves spending a lot more time together…

Just like with Whisky Business, the Scottish small town setting was so cute and fun. I loved learning about Scottish culture, and we got to see more of the Isle of Skye in this book. It was also great to see April and Mal from Whisky Business again!

I’m a sucker for the black cat x golden retriever trope, and I really enjoyed the dynamic between Callum and Juniper. They had such great chemistry, tension and banter, and the spicy scenes were well written. The characters had good depth, and I loved seeing Juniper’s guard gradually come down as the story progressed. Although I did find Callum’s infatuation with Juniper quite sweet, it did sometimes verge on obsessive. Because it takes a while for Juniper to open up and for them to form an emotional connection, it made Callum’s pining for her seem a little extreme. I think some flashback chapters would have helped to add some depth.

Although the brother’s ex trope provided the conflict for the story, I didn’t like the way that Callum’s obsession with Juniper clouded his judgement and love for his brother. I wish that Callum would have gone about telling his brother about his relationship with Juniper in a different way that showed a little more compassion, especially as Alistair was also heartbroken by his and Juniper’s breakup.

This book explored some heavier themes, such as caring for a relative with Alzheimer’s, and dealing with abandonment issues. These topics were handled thoughtfully, but I do feel like these issues and other aspects of the characters lives seemed to disappear once they got together, and only popped up again when it was relevant to the plot.

Although I did have a few issues with this book, I did have a great time reading it. The story had great pacing and had enough of a plot that I wasn’t bored at any point. The ending wrapped everything up nicely, and I’m really excited to read Alistair’s book next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Scotch on the Rocks is a charming return to the Isle of Skye and everything I adored about Whiskey Business. This time, we follow Juniper—an independent, emotionally avoidant, black-cat-energy heroine (relatable!)—who’s quietly managing a refurbishment at the local inn she helps run. Her next-door neighbor? None other than a Macabe brother: Callum, a golden retriever of a man, vet by profession, endlessly capable, and hopelessly devoted to her.

This book delivers all the best elements of small-town romance: sizzling slow burn, delicious tension, heartfelt moments, and some serious spice. The opening scene hooked me immediately, and the rest of the story absolutely delivers on that promise. The village is vivid and brimming with personality—I found myself just as invested in the side characters and their gossip as I was in Juniper and Callum’s relationship. Shakespeare the cat? An unexpected star.

The chemistry between Juniper and Callum is magnetic. Their banter, nicknames, and long-standing emotional tension kept me grinning and blushing. And it was such a treat to see April and Mal again—Mal continues to be comedy gold.

Beyond the romance, the book sensitively explores deeper themes like family illness, hyper-independence, creative burnout, and unresolved family tension. It strikes a perfect balance between cozy, swoony escapism and real emotional depth.

Having loved Whisky Business I had set expectations for this one and they were not met. I still enjoyed it, because I think the author knows how to write good characters with great dynamics.

This isn't the vampire diaries...

Dating brothers ... I mean it happens, but it very rarely happens where everything turns out all hunky dory. I think I would have liked to have had Alister's story first so we could see him move on before having to deal with his brother and his ex fiancé together.

I am not saying that Callum and Juniper shouldn't be together because love is love, but they should have told him. And because I was hung up on this, I feel it may be clouding my feelings on my final thoughts of the book.

Over all though I was entertained and would recommend it to those who like this genre with a little bit

HOLY SCOTTISH MEN

Did I read a book that is just out of this world freaking good? Yes, yes I did. I read book one, Whisky Business last year which is the first book in the Macabe Brothers series and felt, there were no notes it was that good. I WAS WRONG. This book is dare I say it even better, and I loved Malcolm and April so much but, Juniper Ross and Callum Macabe are EVERYTHING.

The book has the best banter I have read in a long while, and I am HERE for all the banter in my romance books, especially when it is a grumpy x sunshine, he falls first (and HARD) Brothers ex-fiancé, and Juniper is basically having none of it. The chemistry between the two is out of this world and I loved every second of their interactions together. Elliott Fletcher has definitely done something extremely right with this book and I could definitely say that this is a new favourite, and one I will reread again and again, for the laughs, the banter, the pining, the characters and the small town vibes.

This is not only just a romcom either, there are strong themes as well particularly around Juniper and her growth as a person. I honestly felt like I was part of the book and was part of the family. There are strong themes so I would recommend checking out the trigger warnings, but this book was a firm hit and now favourite of mine.

3.75⭐️

I really enjoyed being back in Kinleith with the Macabes et al

The Macabe brothers are moorish and I can’t wait until we get Alistairs story 🤞🏼

The chemistry between Juniper and Cal was *chefs kiss* they were meant to be, even if they took the long way round. I found the trope a little difficult to get on board with at times though, there seemed to be a lot of unfinished business.

I loved that April and Mal were so present in this book, it really added to the small town vibes and was great that the whole family were so present.

I appreciated the representation of Dementia, I did feel at times, it overpowered the book a little and didn’t need to be quite so present. But the actual representation of dementia was done very well.

I thought Cals pining was really sweet. This is a *slow* burn so be prepared for a wait, well worth it though they’re just so sweet once they stop insulting each other 🤪

I completely and utterly adored this.

The brother's ex-girlfriend trope is one I rarely read, and I was so impressed here. So much yearning and longing, and all the TENSION.

There were so many interrupted sexy times, frustrating in the best way. This is such a slow burn, as they didn't actually go all the way until quite late on.

Juniper was delightfully grumpy, hiding a soft and sensitive interior, and Callum was such a sweetheart, with the dirtiest mouth.

I never thought I'd find fitting a new toilet hot, then he gave her a forehead kiss!!!!! Honestly, all the little moments were incredible, there were also multiple emotional and vulnerable conversations, which I loved a lot.

The small town setting was also absolutely perfect, and the side characters were incredibly charming.

I'm so impressed with this series so far, and impatiently waiting for the new book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy of this e-arc!

I devoured this book. I read it in one sitting and could not put it down. At first I wasn’t obsessed but the more it progressed the more I fell in love with the book as a whole.

Both main characters had an edge about them that was slowly broken down over time.

I already cannot wait to read Elliot’s next book. I will read anything she writes and love it everytime!

A solid 4.5 stars from me!!

Yeah, ok, maybe I forgot how good a book by Elliot Fletcher can be, but Scotch On The Rocks brought it back to my mind in an istant! I am obsessed with this book! The sizzling tension between Callum and Juniper is everything! Their electric banter, their playful love-to-spite-you moments, their charged back and forth, their insane chemistry, their intense foreplay, their agony, their desire to be together against all odds, their shameless flirting, their lust... it all will live rent free in my mind forever!
I am telling you... find a moment to read this book, preferably one when you won't be interrupted, because it's impossible to put it down! I mean, the first 50% of this book basically is intense foreplay that delightfully edges readers. And when the burn starts burning, it is just as intense and readers are very well rewarded.
Scotch On The Rocks truly is the perfect romcom that will make you smile, giggle, blush, fan yourself, and believe in love.
Definitely my favorite book of the Macabe Brothers series so far.
Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year.

Thank you for gifting me this ARC. Unfortunately, I really didn't like this book. This was mostly because of the writing style, and the fact that I cringed while reading the first few pages already. I just didn't connect with the characters at all.

What a ride! This book was unexpected in the best way. It had suspense, emotional depth, and a romance that felt both tense and meaningful. I wasn’t sure where the story would go, and I loved that — the twists kept it exciting. The characters were layered, not always easy to like, but very compelling. There was a moody vibe that I really enjoyed, and the writing style just pulled me along the whole way. A great mix of drama, danger, and emotion.