such a cute read! i enjoyed the book as a whole, but did find the first 15-20% a bit hard to get into. the rest of the book was so perfect and sweet and wholesome, and i had such a fun time reading it! i loved the unique storyline and fell in love with both of the characters. can’t wait to read more from this author in the future! 3.5 stars

The author did a fantastic job of capturing the essence of the setting. They have either spent a lot of time in Scotland, or are an excellent researcher. I have been to a few of the places mentioned in the book and found that their descriptions felt genuine, which then left me able to enjoy the other descriptions with confidence and be fully transported there.

Addie and Logan were charming for the most part. Addie presented as a career-focused, determined young woman with the added complication of a less-than-desirable family life; a mother, dead for 10 years, who had left a gaping hole in her life, and a father, absent through overwhelming grief, who wasn't active in her life by the time of the story. Logan was a gruff, driven, stubborn individual, struggling under the weight of the family business after his brothers decided to pursue other opportunities. Their shared trials served to bring them together and also drive them apart, with elements of enemies-to-lovers and grumpy-meets-sunshine coming to play in fairly stereotypical ways. Their chemistry was cute and believable as the story progressed. The author wrote their more challenging emotions well and made me feel for them both in equal measure.

The end felt a little rushed for my liking and took some of the shine off the story right at the end. So much of the book had been spent watching them discuss their difficulties that it felt a bit quick for everything to be wrapped up so neatly at the end.

I'm really not sure how I feel about this book - it almost feels as if completely split into two separate halves, with my wildly different levels of interest on either side. I was completely gripped in the beginning by the premise of this, and the whole enemies-to-lovers thing that Addie and Logan had going on, but I just didn't fully believe in the build-up to their romance, or much of anything that came after. The switch from hating each other to feeling anything more didn't convince me, and my interest seemed to slowly wane after the beginning of their relationship, when normally it would be at its peak. I didn't find the writing hugely compelling, but it wasn't bad at all! I think the pacing just felt off to me, and the characterisation of the primary and secondary people wasn't at its strongest. I did love the Scottish setting, and all the tours that they went on, but that shouldn't have been the best bit! It just wasn't particularly memorable for me, I'm afraid.

This book made me want to run away to Scotland, it showcased the place in such a great light.

I really liked Addie and Logan and their chemistry and banter was so fun. The slow burn of it was so great and when it ignited it was even better.

My one issue with this book was just the lack of communication. It was frustrating in parts because almost all of the problems could be solved with a single conversation. However it did allow for character growth and the ending did leave me feeling a little bit giddy

When you're Scottish, you always give Scottish set romances a weary eye. Sometimes you wonder if the author has ever read anything about Scotland, never mind researched it or even visited it. However this has been added to my "acceptable list" lol

I loved the enthusiasm for the history and scenery of Scotland. Sadly not all my countrymen look like Logan or even know how to tune a kilt. But the story more than makes up for any wee blips. The story also called to me as I once was a travel agent so all that work dealing with passengers, providers, etc brought back some memories!

Addie has major case of wanderlust brought on by the death of her mum. Logan loves showing off the less well travelled areas of Scotland but the family company is still struggling.

Addie and Logan may be opposites in personality but they have a lot of commonalities, loneliness, family resentments and both are very determined to live life their way. They also hide a soft centre that they don't often let others see.

There are smexy scenes but they are not graphic or particularly spicy. The banter is great and the dialogue almost sounds right in my head (but Scotland has a lot of accents so that can be forgiven) but very few men, especially younger ones will ever call you lass.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alexandra Kiley and Bonnier Books UK for this eARC of Kilt Trip.

Kilt Trip is a sweet romance set in stunning Scotland, with two wonderful main characters.

Addie and Logan compliment each other very well and struggle with their own personal demons.

Both characters are from a travel industry background and the rivals to lovers trope works well.

Overall this was a tension filled slow burn romance with two lovely characters, some funny banter filled with warmth.
I have to admit though the 3rd person writing was not my favourite, but this is a personal preference,

Tropes:
Workplace romance
Rivals to lovers
Slow burn

I really tried with this one as I wanted to like it but it just didn’t work for me. I got over half way and just could t make myself continue.

The two main characters were just so frustratingly immature. They had no emotional intelligence. The MMC annoyed me more with his stubborn arrogance that he was right and then I couldn’t fully click with the FMC as she is standoffish, I can get on board with this but it just wasn’t handled well and when paired with the MMC just frustrated me further.

This also turned out to be a much heavier book than I was anticipating. It deals heavily with the FMC grief for her mother (which really triggers my anxiety). I knew this to be part of the story going in but it’s just so big a part it over powered most of the story. There was also a lot of descriptions of Scotland which while nice become a bit repetitive after a while which bogs down the flow of the story.

Ultimately I just couldn’t route for the couple, it mainly seemed to be based of physical attraction. As it has been predictable this far I can see where this is going, with the woman making all the changes to her life despite not knowing him for long no doubt.

It just didn’t have the Rom Com vibes I was hoping for.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A love letter to Scotland, with heavy components of grief and familial relationships, Kilt Trip wasn't exactly the cute fluffy travel romance I was expecting. While Addie and Logan worked well as individual characters, I found I didn't really like them as a couple. I especially liked Logan's obvious love for Scottish lore, but often thought his passion was wasted on the more clinical Addie. The plot itself was also very predictable - not necessarily a bad thing in romance where the ending is already predetermined, however in this case it just made the pacing feel really cumbersome.

Not bad, especially for a debut, but I'll admit I wanted more from the character dynamics.

This charming romantic debut from Alexandra Kiley warmed me from the inside out like a darling cup of tea. I was fully immersed in the setting of sleepy Scottish mountains, wild moors and dark lakes, swept away by the enemies-to-lovers story of Addie and Logan. It was a gorgeous excavation of grief, belonging, love, an archaeological exploration of Addie’s past as she allows herself to love again after the death of her mother. This story was magical and lovely, with just enough sugar and spice - keeping you glued to the pages as well as being completely cosy and comforting. Twinkly twilight scenes of clandestine kisses, shared in dark passageways of Scottish castles. It was deeply emotive and I found myself enchanted by the plot and characters. To be honest, I felt it was maybe a wee bit too long; pacing issues that lost me in the third act (third act breakup 💆😤 remain calm Alice) but all in all, Kilt Trip was easy, readable and a delight!

“An overwhelming sense of rightness enveloped him, arms and hearts looped together like an unbreakable Celtic knot.” 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🪢🥹🧡🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🪵🌲💖♾️🫶🏼 brb crying x

The tension between the two main characters is absolutely stunning! The initial spark that quickly turned to the typical enemies to lovers was great!

Lovely descriptions of Scotland itself and beautiful world building.

Kilt Trip follows the story of Addie Macrae, an American travel consultant, and Logan Sutherland, a Scottish tour guide. The pair meet when Addie is hired to help bring Logan's family tour guiding business "The Heart of the Highlands" from the brink of financial ruin. Logan loves showcasing the hidden gems of Scotland and is resistant to the changes Addie proposes. The two butt heads and Addie can't seem to find any way forward with Logan stonewalling her at every turn. But amongst the fighting, Logan learns that Addie has a personal connection to Scotland through her mother and her Macrae lineage. As Logan tries to convince Addie of the beauty of the less-touristy parts of Scotland, the two connect and the former rivals find love.

I really wanted to love this book - a heartfelt romance set in Scotland, yes please! But unfortunately this fell short. I didn't find the writing very engaging and the romance felt forced and unnatural. Logan dropped the l-bomb very early on and the pair went from rivals to lovers in a very short space of time without any real build up apart from a bit of insta-lust. The plot was generic and very predictable which I usually don't mind in a romance, but there was no real romantic tension between Logan and Addie beyond the physical. I also initially found Logan really annoying, and not in a charming kind of way, he just acted very childish.

I do like a book with a happy ending, but I felt like the resolution between Addie and her dad was a little unrealistic and superficial. I would have liked this to be more developed. It went from Addie not even being able to even mention her mum to her dad then voluntarily offering up information about her and the pair bonding over her memory.

I found this book a bit of a slog to get through - the writing style felt a bit forced and some of the similes and metaphors felt a bit jarring. For example: "her heart twitched like an indecisive squirrel darting back and forth in front of oncoming traffic." This took me way longer to read than it should have and I really struggled to get stuck into the uninspiring prose. I feel that the book could have been much shorter.

That being said I loved the Scottish setting. Alexandra Kiley did a good job of making the setting feel very enchanting and magical, although some of the historical facts and stories were a little dry. I also enjoyed the found family element of the book - with Addie embracing Logan's family as her own in lieu of her own emotionally-distant father.

Overall I give the book two stars - I found the setting cute but apart from that I didn't really enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Kilt Trip will be published on 5th May 2024.

A stunning debut novel!

This story centres around Addie and Logan, who are working together to save his family’s tourist business.

The Scottish setting was perfect — the strong imagery, the metaphors, all captured Scotland so beautifully and it felt as if I was right there with them, the scene unfolding so vividly before me. Even if you’ve never been to Scotland before, you sure as hell will feel as if you have after reading this!

Addie and Logan were well developed characters with great depth to them. Addie, flighty and feelings avoidant who just wanted to feel like she belonged somewhere, was painfully relatable. Similarly, Logan, a steadfast and comforting character with so much love to give but worried about his ability to succeed, was equally beautifully written.

The tension between them was off the charts. There’s no doubt that Kiley is a phenomenal writer in that regard - the pacing was good, the romance even better, the banter had me giggling throughout and the chemistry between Logan and Addie was scorching hot.

I loved how much depth the story had to it. The way it dealt with grief and parental loss was delicate but deeply moving. It’s a novel about belonging, about feeling lost and trying to find a place for yourself in the world.

Thank you Bonnier Books Uk for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Before we had kids my husband and I took a trip to Edinburgh and fell in love with the city... So this book was pure joy to read. I could really imagine myself there again .. and a man in a kilt yes please.

When Addie comes to advise Logan tour company how to change for the better, there is a instant draw to each other. There chemistry was so delicious.

This books had leap year vibes which is one of my favourite films.

Do I now want to take a trip around Scotland? Yes yes I do.
This book was exactly what a needed, a feeling good read

Yes there is a third act break up of a kind, but definitely a happy ending.

This book is already out in us but comes out for us Brits 23rd may

I was kindly gifted this book by netgalley but the views are mine...

i spent new year in Edinburgh and when I saw this, i knew i had to read it.
I loved the chemistry between Addie and Logan and the story built up beautifully.
the descriptions of Scotland were so detailed, it made you think you were actually there.

As a Scottish person I knew that I had to read kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley

This book was good it had beautiful descriptions of Scotland which made me feel as I was transported into the story. It was a sweet read and I loved the two main characters, Addie and Logan, you could see the chemistry between them right from the very start.

It was a slow start to the book and it took me a while to read but when reading parts of the book I felt as if my attention was going elsewhere

Overall this was a cute, fun read but I don’t think this book was for me. I recommend it to people who are looking for a light read or interested in all things Scottish !

*Thank you NetGalley and Bonnier Books Uk for providing me this Arc in return for an honest review*

As a Scottish person, I was drawn in to read this book immediately. The settings are described beautifully, and the reader is easily transported into Edinburgh by the writing.
I enjoyed reading our two main characters find and explore each other, in ways they didn't see coming.
Kilt Trip is a fun romantic read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My review for Kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley

DNF at 31%. I might be in a minority here, but this book wasn't for me. The enemies to lovers scenario between FMC and MMC felt fake and far-fetched. The rivalry made little to no sense. MMC's actions came across childish, and the way story jumped from one scene to another reminded me of a cliche Hallmark movie. This book had such great premise but it did not deliver, unfortunately.

This book was a cup-of-hot-chocolate kind of read. It actually gave me a similar experience to watching 'The Holiday' for the first time. A really lovely and lighthearted read from Alexandra Kiley! Kilt Trip really is a love letter to Scotland, and I found myself absolutely reminiscing on all the memorable time that I have spent in this magical country too. Addie and Logan were such lovable characters - and their story made for real heartwarming reading. I found the alternating perspectives interesting - and definitely found myself smiling as I read. I loved the enemies to lovers and found family tropes, and really couldn't put it down. Now to book a trip back to Scotland!

A special thank you to Bonnier Books UK | Zaffre, Alexandra Kiley & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my review.

4.5🌟

Who knew a man in a kilt could be so hot??!! I think I’ve found my new fixation.

‘Kilt Trip’ is a beautiful story about grief and forgiveness and ultimately finding a home; feeling like you belong somewhere. And can’t we all relate to that on some level?

I’m firstly going to comment on the beautiful descriptions we got in this book. The picturesque setting of Scotland were described so vividly in a way like I was right there along side Logan and Addie walking through the halls of each Castle. This book is also steeped in wondrous Scottish history. It was as if I was in a history lesson but not the boring kind, the kind where I’m intrigued to learn more. I can say for certain that this book has cemented the fact that I need to visit Scotland to visit the hidden treasures of the country.

Another thing I enjoyed was the side characters and sense of found family. It was so heartwarming to see how Logan’s family and friends welcomed Addie instantly and opened their arms to her into their family, immediately becoming a member of the Sutherland Clan.

Addie is a travel consultant whose focus is mainly on work and is afraid to open her heart to let someone in. Logan is taking over his family’s business—a tour guiding company—and turns his nose up at any sign of change. What they both share is a sense of loneliness and they both hold pent-up resentment toward family members—Addie with her dad for neglect her after the passing of her mother, and Logan with his brothers for leaving him to keep the company afloat on his own.

What I love about these characters is the strength each of them hold, yet they’re honestly both just so compassionate. Neither of them want to let down the people they hold dear. They both struggle with putting their own interest and wants first, and the journey they go on together of finding the strength to put forward their ideas is so lovely.

The chemistry and banter between Addie and Logan was just so entertaining to read. The rivals-to-lovers dynamic within a workplace setting created a tension filled space, making it quite satisfying when they eventually come together.

The thing i most appreciated is the author’s exploration of grief. The way they wrote about it didn’t define loss as just one thing, but as a complex thing that can be dealt with in different ways depending on the person. It was a heartbreakingly beautiful portrayal of how Addie loses her mother, yet also her father to his own grief. Addies grieves both parents and Kiley does this in a gentle and tender way.

Addie struggles with the death of her mother even after so many year have passed. She is proof that grief isn’t something that ever really fully goes away; it’s something you have to learn to live with. For Addie, being in Scotland was a contrast reminder of her mother, yet it was also the place she found the most connect to her and was able to find a home within in and let go of her grief, especially with the help of Logan.

I absolutely adored how he helped her—by tailoring tours to search for the places her mother had visited in the Polaroids—was so tender and loving. I love Logan for his ability to allow Addie to move forward in her own time. He didn’t push her, he waited for her to come to him. Their dynamic was so caring and patient, it allowed both of them room to grow.

Also, I loved when Addie growth extended into her career too. She finally was able to realise what she wanted professionally! That travelling the world was great but it wasn’t giving her what she needed most. A home. Addie put forward her ideas for the company, no longer afraid of disappointing her boss, but finally following what she believed clients wanted.

While Addie learns to get a new lease on life, Logan learns to believe in his ability to take over his family business. He’s so afraid to disappoint others that he doesn’t allow himself to take the company in the direct that he wants. But with Addies help and support from others he’s finally able to take the leap.

The epilogue here was just so sweet and perfect. Honestly because they’re perfect I loved them.

Thank you to netgalley and Alexandra Kiley for an arc of ‘Kilt Trip’ in exchange for an honest review.

—————-

tropes:
- travel consultant x tour guide
- kilt-wearing tour guide
- set in scottland
- insta-lust
- slow burn
- he falls first
- rivals-to-lovers
- workplace romance
- found family
- 3rd act breakup
- steeped in scottish history

content warnings:
- deals with grief / forgiveness
- death of a parent (past tense-off page)
- estranged parent

—————
Quotes:

- [ ] "She irked him to no end, but he couldn’t deny sparring with her gave him a heady rush.”
- [ ] “She brought a lot of chaos into his life, but also a lot of light. He’d feel her absence long after she’s gone.”
- [ ] “He wanted to know everything about Addie’s watchful green eyes, the stories she didn’t share tonight; and what her lips would taste like.”
- [ ] “He was undeniably drawn to the parts of her she kept hidden.”
- [ ] “It scared her how easily he comforted her, how she handed over pieces of herself without meaning to.”
- [ ] “He’s forgotten how small she was. She was always such a formidable opponent.”
- [ ] “But the quiet side of her that revealed her heart so carefully called to him in a way he had no choice but to answer.”
- [ ] “His heart recognised something in her. A reminder to see the world with fresh eyes. She made him feel adventurous.”
- [ ] “He was the sunset over a lake, mountains scraping the sky, uncharted territory, and endless expanse of wonder.”
- [ ] “Her rib cage was no longer any protection, her skin too thin, her heart trying to burst out to meet his. Logan always broke through her defenses.”
- [ ] “He didn’t want to lose her. Not now, not ever.”
- [ ] “He wanted to take all her lonely memories and replace them with his loud family.”
- [ ] "she will captivate your imagination, make you want to uncover the depths of her past. You'll fall in love with not just her beauty but also her heart."
- [ ] “while he loved kissing her in dark corners, all he really wanted was to hold her hand in the light.”
- [ ] “I can’t bear the thought of being without you.”
- [ ] “In the dreamy aftermath, she curled into him. Locked together; their breathing synched. Their heartbeats did, too.”
- [ ] “arms and hearts looper together like an unbreakable Celtic knot.”
- [ ] “He could take on anything with her by his side.”
- [ ] “You push me to take risks. Take a chance on me, Addie. I’m a good bet.”
- [ ] “You brought my heart back to life.”
- [ ] “I will always want to explore new places, but I want to come home when I’m done. And for me, that’s not out in the moor or anywhere else she went. It’s with you.”
- [ ] “After a life of wandering, she was finally home.”
- [ ] “Go explore the far reach of the earth. I hope to join you. But when you’re done, come home to me, lass.”
- [ ] “Look at me like you’ll love me your whole life through.”

*ARC review thanks to Netgalley and the publisher*

As someone who spent a few weeks last summer in Scotland and loved it, I couldn’t not read this book. It’s a gorgeous love letter to Scotland, with Logan working to convince Addie and the reader of the magic of his country. Through visits and stories, she’ll reconnect with her family history and learn to put down roots in a place that speaks to her heart. I enjoyed that part of the book very much, it’s an ode to finding where you belong, as well as to Scotland itself. The romance part of the story takes a bit of time to build, so at the beginning it felt a bit lacking. However it did build up well in the second half and all in this was a lovely book, so it’s a 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4) read for me and a renewed obsession for going back to Scotland.

**
“My life stopped when my mom died. And it restarted somewhere on the banks of Loch Ness. It might have even started that time you stepped back to reveal the skyline in the gloaming, and I recognized that feeling of in-between. You brought my heart back to life.”
**