I will start by saying that I absolutely LOVED this book! I finished it in only two sittings - I feel like this tells you how absorbed I was in Juniper and Callum’s story.
Their banter was top-tier and there were many scenes throughout the book that I laughed out loud or giggled and kicked my feet because, oh boy, do both Callum and Juniper have a mouth on them. They each can give as good as they get which made for some hilarious scenes. And the TENSION?!?! Just so good!!

I also loved how their relationship developed throughout the book - two lonely people finding each other and learning that they are deserving of great love. The way Juniper grows throughout the book made me shed the occasional tear (basically this book made me feel the whole spectrum of emotions) and I just loved how she learned to accept love and acts of service throughout the book. There was also no third-act break-up so that is even more reason to love the book!

We also got to see so many cute glimpses of April and Mal which hopefully means we will get more glimpses of Juniper and Callum in book 3 because I am not ready to say goodbye to their banter yet. The other side characters were great too, I would read a whole book about Hank and Ada if that was ever an option (or even a novella?). Also shoutout to fluffy Shakespeare, I would have adopted you too.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend the book if you like witty banter, a secret cinnamon roll, kilt-wearing MC, and black cat FMC who gets him on his knees.

Thank you so much to Harper Fiction, Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for letting me review the eARC of one of my most anticipated romance reads of the year!

Amazing, spectacular, give me 15 of them!

Callum has me in a chokehold from chapter 1. The yearning, the time spent waiting and the respect they have for each other really made me route for them.

This book will make you fall in love with Scotland and Skye. And now I want to go to the fairy pools! Anyone want a day trip to Skye with me!?

If you liked whisky business you will love this one. But I don't think you really need to have read whisky business to read this one. Both are amazing!

Read this book for:
💙Small town romance
🥃Brother’s ex-fiance
💙Black Cat x Golden Retriever
🥃Age Gap (9 years)
💙Town vet x Inn manager
🥃Yearning

Synopsis
Juniper Ross has three rules for surviving life on her tiny island:
1. Don’t look at a Macabe brother.
2. Don’t talk to a Macabe brother.
3. Don’t even think about a Macabe brother.

But rules are meant to be broken—especially when Callum Macabe is involved. The town’s golden boy, the local hero, the man who makes her pulse race against her better judgment. There’s just one problem: his brother got there first.

But when you live on a tiny island, avoiding them is impossible. Alistair Macabe was her first love, her almost-forever—until everything fell apart. Now, five years later, her heart shouldn’t race every time Callum walks into a room. He’s off-limits. He’s her ex’s brother. And he’s everything she swore she wouldn’t want again.

Callum has spent years keeping his distance, burying the feelings he never should have had. But Juniper was never meant to be his brother’s, and the way she looks at him now makes him wonder if maybe—just maybe—she feels the same.
But breaking the bro code is one thing. Breaking her heart is another. And some lines, once crossed, can never be redrawn.

My Thoughts
This book is the second book in the Macabe Brothers series. The first book, Whisky Business, was the best surprise of 2024, so I had high expectations for this one. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to them. While Whisky Business was a solid five-star read, Scotch on the Rocks lands at about three stars for me.

The Setup
The book started off strong, and I genuinely enjoyed both characters at first. Callum Macabe is the town’s golden boy—Rockport’s very own "Community Ken." A former soldier, now a local vet, he also cares for his father, who has Alzheimer's, brings his therapy bunny Simon to preschoolers, and helps out wherever needed. In short, he’s the picture of selflessness and small-town charm.

Juniper Ross, on the other hand, has had a difficult past. As an adopted daughter who lost her father, she now helps her adoptive mother, Fiona, run the local inn. With Fiona away on vacation, Juniper takes on some of the inn’s maintenance work, including hiring a plumber to fix the shower in Room 5. Unfortunately, the plumber botches the job entirely, flooding the entire floor instead of repairing the issue. Completely overwhelmed, Juniper has no idea what to do—until Callum steps in and offers his plumbing services.

A Complicated History
But before we dive into that, let’s rewind a little.
Callum and Juniper first met six or seven years ago, on a train platform. He was boarding; she was already seated by the window. Intrigued by the beautiful woman in second class, Callum—who had a first-class ticket—made his way over to flirt with her. Juniper, however, showed zero interest. It wasn’t until they got off the train a mere half-hour later that he found out why: she was dating Alistair Macabe—his younger brother.

Juniper and Alistair's relationship progressed quickly, leading to an engagement. However, after her adoptive father, Alexander, passed away, Alistair ended things. Since that train ride all those years ago, Callum had been yearning for Juniper, constantly imagining ways to make her his. About a year after the broken engagement, they ran into each other in Glasgow, and despite their best efforts, the gravitational pull between them was undeniable.
Fast-forward a few years, and we’re back to Callum offering up his plumbing services. But there’s a catch: he wants to strike a deal—he’ll fix the shower if Juniper agrees to four dates of his choosing. She reluctantly agrees, and so begins a slow-burn romance filled with rising tension, witty banter, and undeniable chemistry.

Where It Fell Apart
For the first 75–80% of the book, I was completely invested. The dynamic between Callum and Juniper was engaging, the romantic tension kept me hooked, and I thoroughly enjoyed their interactions. However, things took a sharp turn for me around the time of Callum’s jealous outburst at the Whisky Celebration.

At that point, Callum’s deep-seated yearning started feeling less romantic and more obsessive. What once felt like an intense, long-standing attraction suddenly read as borderline unhealthy, giving me huge red flag vibes. His fixation on Juniper no longer seemed sweet—it became overbearing.

Additionally, the sudden shift in Juniper’s character threw me off. One moment, she maintained emotional distance, and the next, she was suddenly calling Fiona "Mom" after a significant revelation. The emotional weight of that moment should have been built up more gradually, but instead, it felt jarring and out of place.

Final Thoughts
If I were rating just the first three-quarters of the book, it would have been an easy five-star read. But the dramatic shift toward the end really dampened my enjoyment, bringing my final rating down to three stars.
That said, I’m still looking forward to the third book in the Macabe Brothers series, which will focus on Alistair. And deep down, I really hope we get a Macabe Sister book for Heather—because she deserves an HEA too!

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a straight women I should probably be swooning over Callum but Juniper Ross, Damn girl ❤️‍🔥

This book gave me all the feels 🥹🥰 🌶️,
Funny, romantic, spicy and emotional too.
Amazing writing, great storyline with enjoyable characters and beautiful settling

I loved Whisky Business and can’t believe I’ve got to wait a whole year for book 3

Callum & Juniper 🖤
I ADORED this book! I've only recently read the first book in this series and I was super excited to read the 2nd so I was ecstatic when I found out I had been chosen to receive an ARC.
I absolutely loved both Callum & Juniper, the banter between them was just hilarious, I flat out snorted more than once reading this 😂 it's definitely a slow burn but soo worth it when it's gets to the spice. Also can't forget to mention Shakespeare 'the demon cat'. I have one of those myself so I could totally relate to what Juniper was going through!
I loved that the book was reverse grumpy /sunshine!
There were a few times I had tears in my eyes especially with what Callum was going through with his dad being diagnosed with Alzheimer's and with him trying to help his mum cope with it, without bringing his siblings into it as he didn't want them to be heartbroken. The story just felt so real. I also felt for Juniper and what she must have felt like growing up in the care system. It was just heartbreaking.
I'm so happy they got the happily ever after they both deserved!
I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to receive and ARC for this. Thank you!

#HarperCollinsUK #NetGalley #ScotchontheRocks

Oh how i adored this book! Having read and enjoyed Whiskey Business last summer, I was anticipating i'd enjoy this one too (Whiskey Business I read sat literally in the Scottish Highlands so I was nervous this would't have the same spark (boy was I wrong)) but Elliot really blew this one out the park!

I loved our FMC and MMC, Juniper and Callum, who were both so beautifully written, with excellent character and story development, I loved the pace of the story and every page had me wanting to read the next one. This book also felt like it had some excellent growth for Elliot as a writer, with a real expansion of the characters, stories and world we read about in the first book, i'm already itching to go back.

Callum is a guy on his KNEES and Juniper is calling all the shots was a fantastic dynamic, with class A yearning, brilliant sarcasm, humour and banter (and really excellent spice without it being too much... not sure visiting the fairy pools will ever be the same ...). Outside of this great characters this is also a fantastic love letter to Scotland and all it's beauty, like Elliot I'm not from there but it holds a little piece of my heart and reading this was a pleasure.

100% recommend this story too all romance loves!

Thank you to the Author Elliot Fletcher, Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for this ARC.

ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS 🙂‍↔️🔥🔥🔥.
Coming back to the MaCabe brothers DID NOT DISAPPOINT!! This book has one of my favourite tropes, black cat & golden retriever engergy.
Elliot fletcher knows how to strike the perfect balance of spice & deeply moving moments. Handling big themes in a relatable and tender way.
Callum carries the world on his shoulders as older brother and my heart was aching while he supported his dad, recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
JUNE, JUNIPER! YOU’RE MY GIRL AND YOU ALSO DESERVE THE WORLD. YOU DESERVED THAT YEARNING.
I CANT wait for my physical copy to arrive and for the next book!!!!

Juniper is my favourite kind of FMC: snarky but she’s got a heart of gold. I can totally understand why she’s so defensive given what she’s been through after being abandoned by her birth mother when she was only a baby, going through the foster care system until she was adopted aged 8 and then losing her adoptive father so tragically.

The sunshine to Juniper’s grumpy, Callum is a great MMC. He’s a vet with a therapy bunny and he’s secretly been in love with Juniper forever. Even though he’s already exhausted with his veterinary practice and helping take care of his dad, he still offers to help Juniper fix the plumbing at her family’s hotel and show her the tourist sights of the Isle of Skye as well.

Juniper and Callum are one of those couples that you just know, despite all the obstacles, they’re meant to be together. Their chemistry is Off. The. Charts. They probably would’ve been sooner if they hadn’t met for the first time when Juniper was already dating Callum’s brother, Alistair.

Elliot Fletcher was a new-to-me author before this but I loved reading about the Macabes and the gorgeous descriptions of the Isle of Skye and I’m really excited to catch up with April & Mal’s story in Whisky Business (The Macabe Brothers #1).

Callum Macabe is the town vet and golden boy who’s been in love with his brothers girlfriend since he laid eyes on her, 7 months and 12 days too late to make her his.

Since breaking up with Allistair Macabe, Juniper “June” Ross has stayed in their hometown on the Isle of Skye, working at her adoptive mother’s hotel. When Callum offers to help fix a plumbing issue at the hotel for free, they enter into a forced proximity, fake dating masterpiece.

I loved this book. It was cute and cosy, but also hilarious and spicy. June and Callum’s chemistry and banter was off the charts. I’m a real sucker for a Scottish and small town romance and this nailed both of them.
This definitely veered heavily on the flirty romance side of the story, which I loved (but worth knowing going in to it).

I thought there would be more to how June and Allistair broke up given how secretive she was about it, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story at all.

I did not read Whiskey Business, but I will definitely be going back to read it as well as the future books in this series! We got a really good taste of the other Macabe siblings, and I can’t wait to read more about them!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I am obsessed 😍

Everything about this book was perfect! I’ve been wanting to know more about Callum and he is just an absolute sweetheart! I loved the depth of his character, his desire to help everyone around him and not feeling as though he can take a break.
I adored the dynamics of his relationship with Juniper and how patient he was with her. He really knew exactly what she needed and it was perfection.

Juniper has my heart 💖 Her resilience and her drive were everything. I know the impact your early childhood can have and I though Elliot did such a beautiful job of portraying how these things leave a mark and how even when you know things logically your heart doesn’t always catch up quite as quick. She deserves the world and more 💕

The romance was 🔥 The slow slow burn had me kicking my feet and giggling! Their little adventures together were so cute and I loved how we really got to see their foundation and how they complement each other.
I could honestly talk about this book for days, there’s so much depth and love throughout.
The wait for the next book is going to kill me 😂

4/5 ⭐️ after reading and loving whisky business I was so excited to get an ARC of scotch on the road and read it in 1 day!!!

This is another great story in the Macabe brothers series. Love the banter between Juniper and Callum, and the exciting slow burn build up.
Perfect balance of funny, sweet and sexy.

Can’t wait for the next instalment in the series!!!!

When I received the email saying I could read an e-arc of Scotch on the Rocks because I enjoyed Whisky Business, I was absolutely thrilled. And let me tell you, it wasn’t just that I liked Whisky Business—I loved every moment of it. I honestly couldn't wait to dive into Juniper and Callum’s story.

First off, Scotch on the Rocks hits on so many of my favorite tropes: reverse grumpy/sunshine, black cat/golden retriever dynamics, the brother’s ex, hate-to-love, and more. So, I was pretty sure this second book in the Macabe series was going to be a hit for me.

What I didn’t expect, though, was how much I would love this book! I adored Mal and April's story, but I wasn’t sure if the other books could compare, yet I think I actually loved Scotch on the Rocks even more! The banter and the dynamic between Juniper and Callum were incredible, and I enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve throughout the book. I loved how completely Callum was devoted to June, and let’s not even get started on the yearning—Callum was absolutely amazing!

The chemistry between the characters was fantastic, and the spice made it even better. Often, the heat between characters can feel lackluster compared to their banter, but Elliot Fletcher really delivered, and the spice was on point.

But Scotch on the Rocks wasn’t just another steamy romance. Like Whisky Business, it tackles serious topics such as Alzheimer’s disease, caregiving, adoption, and abandonment issues. I feel like Elliot Fletcher handles these themes with such grace and makes them feel so relatable, seamlessly integrating them into the characters’ lives and stories.

If this TED talk of mine doesn’t prove how much I adored this book, I don’t know what will!

I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy, but I’m also eagerly anticipating the audiobook because I need Callum’s voice and accent in my ears. Thank you so much to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

When I received the email saying that I could read an e-arc of Scotch on the Rocks because I enjoyed Whisky Business, I was over the moon. Because I didn’t simply enjoy Whisky Business : I loved every seconds of it. And I honestly could not wait to read Juniper and Callum’s story.
First of all, Scotch on the Rocks had a few of my favorite tropes : reverse grumpy/sunshine, black cat and golden retriever energy, the brother’s ex, hate to love relationship, etc. So I was almost certain that I would enjoy this second Macabe book.
However, what I did not see coming is how much I loved this book! I loved Mal and April’s story and I didn’t know if the other books would be as good, but I think I loved Scotch on the Rocks even more ! I loved the banter and Juniper and Callum’s dynamic and even the exchange of dynamic throughout the book. I loved how so in love and devoted Callum was to June. Don’t even get me started on the yearning ! That man was absolutely amazing!
I also loved that the amazing chemistry between these characters was made even better by the spice. By that I mean that sometimes the spice does not really live up to the banter and chemistry the characters have before hand. But Elliot Fletcher did not disappoint and the spice was top notch in my opinion.
But Scotch on the Rocks was not a simple sexy romance : just as for Whisky Business, this book deals with serious topics such as Alzheimer’s disease, care taking, but also adoption and abandonment issues. I feel like Elliot Fletcher always deals with such topics with grace and in a honestly relatable way, while having a real place in the book and in these characters’s story.
So if this TED talk is not a prof I adored this book so much I don’t know what will!
Also I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy but also the audiobook because I need Callum’s voice and accent in my ears. Thank you so much to the publisher for the chance to read this book !

Scotch on the Rocks by Elliot Fletcher is spicy, small-town romance that takes place on a beautiful wee Scottish island where the weather is temperamental, the Highland cows are skittish, and historic sights are frequently defiled by sexy veterinarians and the local innkeeper.

I'm a huge fan of an interconnected small-town romance. I adored how every character's story was interwoven into a tapestry of friendship, family and, inevitably, scandal. I especially love a rom-com set in Scotland and this one couldn't be more Scottish if it tried; there's a punch up at a ceilidh hosted at the local whisky distillery - what's more Scottish than that?!

Juniper, our tattooed seemingly frosty FMC, was a delight to read and Callum, despite his terrible taste in cookies, was just the sarcastic softie she needed to break down her walls and help her realise that's she's worthy of being loved. I became really protective of Juniper throughout; she's a complicated character and I appreciated the amount of thought that was put into her story.

The spice was incredibly well written, the banter was on point and I genuinely laughed out loud several times. Our final Macabe is a bit of an enigma and I'm looking forward to reading from his perspective in the next book, even though I thought he was a bit of an arse in this one.

I have never requested, downloaded and read a book faster than this one! Whisky Business was one of my favourite books of last summer and so of course I immediately preordered book 2 which is due for release in June. When I saw that Scotch of the Rocks was available to request on NetGalley I didn’t hesitate to request it, and within about 5 minutes my request was approved and I had it downloaded.

Scotch of the Rocks follows the eldest Macabe brother, Callum, as he spends the best part of a decade pining for his brother’s ex-fiance, Juniper Ross. Beautiful and guarded, Juniper has three rules when it comes to the Macabe brothers, which when it comes to Callum she breaks more regularly than she likes.

When Juniper is left in charge of her parent's inn, she takes it upon herself to start making some upgrades. The only problem, she hired the Isle of Skye’s ageing and half-blind plumber who within minutes had flooded half her inn. Desperate to fix the damage before her mum returns from her holiday, Juniper is forced to accept the help of self-proclaimed handyman and nemesis, Callum.

But Callum has a secret, he’s been in love with Juniper Ross since the moment he set eyes on her. The only problem was back then, she was with his younger brother. After their rather messy break up Callum has done everything he can to stay in Juniper’s periphery but after a steamy near miss in Glasgow that left Juniper feeling embarrassed and rejected she seems to hate the very sight of him.

Juniper finds her self slowly lowering her defences around Callum, but can she truly trust someone who seems to torment her whenever he can?

The tough on the outside Juniper is easily my favourite character. She’s built up a wall agaisnt the world around her which given her history and her childhood makes perfect sense. Callum is equally charming, the way he yearns for Juniper and will clearly do anything to make sure she’s happy had me sighing happily.

This book will make you laugh, cry and do happy little squeals. I love a Scottish setting and these books make me desperately want to visit the Isle of Skye, everything just sounds so magical.

If you haven't read the first one then I beg you to please go and grab a copy and preorder the second immediately for its release in June!

I dare anyone that reads this not to give it five stars from the prologues alone. If you liked April and Mal, you're going TO LOVE Juniper and Callum. The tension. The build up. The spice. Perfect.

This book was stunning! The pining and the tension and the chemistry was just chefs kiss! The black cat energy is so much fun and i loved it so much. The man being in touch with his feelings and his emotions was so refreshing and just added so much to the story. honestly this was definitely one of my favorite books i have read this year and Elliot Fletcher has become a new auto buy author for me! i cant wait for everyone to read this gorgeous book so i can gush about it to more people!