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Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year
When a thirty-something American food writer moves to a Scottish village for one year to fulfill her dream of writing a cookbook she finds more than inspiration—she meets a handsome Scotsman she can’t resist in this charming debut romance.
Ruby Spencer is spending one year living in a small cottage in a tiny town in the Scottish Highlands for three reasons: to write a bestselling cookbook, to drink a barrelful of whisky, and to figure out what comes next. It’s hard to know what to expect after an impulse decision based on a map of Scotland in her Manhattan apartment—but she knows it’s high time she had an adventure.
The moment she sets foot in Thistlecross, the verdant scenery, cozy cottages, and struggling local pub steal her heart. Between designing pop-up suppers and conversing with the colorful locals, Ruby starts to see a future that stretches beyond her year of adventure. It doesn’t hurt that Brochan, the ruggedly handsome local handyman, keeps coming around to repair things at her cottage. Though Ruby swore off men, she can’t help fantasizing what a roll in the barley might be like with the bearded Scot.
As Ruby grows closer to Brochan and the tightly held traditions of the charming village, she discovers secret plans to turn her beloved pub into an American chain restaurant. Faced with an impossible choice, Ruby must decide between love, loyalty, and the Highlands way of life.
Ruby Spencer is spending one year living in a small cottage in a tiny town in the Scottish Highlands for three reasons: to write a bestselling cookbook, to drink a barrelful of whisky, and to figure out what comes next. It’s hard to know what to expect after an impulse decision based on a map of Scotland in her Manhattan apartment—but she knows it’s high time she had an adventure.
The moment she sets foot in Thistlecross, the verdant scenery, cozy cottages, and struggling local pub steal her heart. Between designing pop-up suppers and conversing with the colorful locals, Ruby starts to see a future that stretches beyond her year of adventure. It doesn’t hurt that Brochan, the ruggedly handsome local handyman, keeps coming around to repair things at her cottage. Though Ruby swore off men, she can’t help fantasizing what a roll in the barley might be like with the bearded Scot.
As Ruby grows closer to Brochan and the tightly held traditions of the charming village, she discovers secret plans to turn her beloved pub into an American chain restaurant. Faced with an impossible choice, Ruby must decide between love, loyalty, and the Highlands way of life.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 14, 2023
131 people are currently reading
14101 people want to read
About the author
Rochelle Bilow
4 books222 followersRochelle Bilow is a food and romance writer who previously worked as the social media manager at Bon Appétit and Cooking Light magazines. A graduate of The French Culinary Institute, she has also worked as a line cook, a baker, and a wine spokesperson. Her first book, The Call of the Farm, a swoony farming memoir, was published in 2014. Raised in Syracuse, New York, Rochelle now lives in northern Vermont.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 718 reviews
December 26, 2024
$5.59 paperback at Book Outlet
A certain subset of women will love this. I’m not one of them. I never liked romances growing up. It was recently pointed out to me that the genre was pretty white and hetero until very recently. As I’ve explored the genre further and discovered more diversity in it, I’ve enjoyed it more. This is a white American making bad decisions with a white Scot. Real original. Outlander, this isn’t. And I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. I’m over the third act breakup.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
A certain subset of women will love this. I’m not one of them. I never liked romances growing up. It was recently pointed out to me that the genre was pretty white and hetero until very recently. As I’ve explored the genre further and discovered more diversity in it, I’ve enjoyed it more. This is a white American making bad decisions with a white Scot. Real original. Outlander, this isn’t. And I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. I’m over the third act breakup.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
February 11, 2023
Delicious food recipes, fantastic settings as dreamy cottage in a tiny Scottish highlands, a chance to taste barrels of Scotch and charismatic, handsome Scottish man! Isn’t this book definition just like the definition of stairway to heaven! Food critic Ruby Spencer didn’t buy a stairway to heaven but she definitely rented that lovely and also a little dilapidated cottage by changing her scenery from Manhattan and Scotland to get more inspiration for her new book!
Her muse is definitely reserved, sulking, bearded, handy man Brochan stops by to fix things in her place. Both of them carry their own heavy baggages from their past relationships. They eventually become friends and of course when the attraction is palpable, they cannot resist to want more than friendship!
This book was a little slow for my taste, it dragged a lot and there are some repetitive chapters. Ruby also nagged me a lot with her actions that violated Brochan’s trust.
But overall the settings, the recipes , the attraction between Ruby and Brochan were positive strengths of the book I wanted to focus on. I’m rounding up my 3.5 stars to 4 enjoyable, dreamy Scottish and whiskey in the jar dum a doo, dum a da stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Her muse is definitely reserved, sulking, bearded, handy man Brochan stops by to fix things in her place. Both of them carry their own heavy baggages from their past relationships. They eventually become friends and of course when the attraction is palpable, they cannot resist to want more than friendship!
This book was a little slow for my taste, it dragged a lot and there are some repetitive chapters. Ruby also nagged me a lot with her actions that violated Brochan’s trust.
But overall the settings, the recipes , the attraction between Ruby and Brochan were positive strengths of the book I wanted to focus on. I’m rounding up my 3.5 stars to 4 enjoyable, dreamy Scottish and whiskey in the jar dum a doo, dum a da stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
January 23, 2023
✨I just want to get stroked like a cat by a sexy Scotsman 😤✨
What’s the book about? It’s like if Leap Year wasn’t a road trip romance and all Amy Adams wanted to do was cook as well as if Matthew Goode was big and burly and Scottish and also if there was no Adam Scott or engagement tradition but there was spanking so it’s really not Leap Year at all but they’re the same.
I was really here for the entire atmosphere Bilow created. It was cozy, homey, and felt like a dream I never wanted to wake up from. Someone needs to physically restrain me or I’m going to make dramatic life decisions and move to Scotland. I mean my resolve has been pretty weak since 2010 but this was my breaking point.
The third act lost a bit of the plot and was a little chaotic, but I liked how everything was resolved. Overall, the writing was delicious, the scenery was lush, and plot was easy to get lost in. I’ll check out more from Bilow in the future!
While reading this book, I was craving both an egg sandwich and to get stroked like a cat by a sexy Scotsman. Well I just had an egg sandwich for dinner so I’m currently laying in bed like Princess Fiona waiting for my noble steed 🫡
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️*/5
*We got a few open door scenes that were pretty quick but you knew what was happening. Spanking was teased and delivered very mildly.
Thanks to PRHaudio for an ALC. All opinions are honest my own. I really loved the narrator and want to feel like the way hearing a good Scottish brogue makes me feel all day every day.
What’s the book about? It’s like if Leap Year wasn’t a road trip romance and all Amy Adams wanted to do was cook as well as if Matthew Goode was big and burly and Scottish and also if there was no Adam Scott or engagement tradition but there was spanking so it’s really not Leap Year at all but they’re the same.
I was really here for the entire atmosphere Bilow created. It was cozy, homey, and felt like a dream I never wanted to wake up from. Someone needs to physically restrain me or I’m going to make dramatic life decisions and move to Scotland. I mean my resolve has been pretty weak since 2010 but this was my breaking point.
The third act lost a bit of the plot and was a little chaotic, but I liked how everything was resolved. Overall, the writing was delicious, the scenery was lush, and plot was easy to get lost in. I’ll check out more from Bilow in the future!
While reading this book, I was craving both an egg sandwich and to get stroked like a cat by a sexy Scotsman. Well I just had an egg sandwich for dinner so I’m currently laying in bed like Princess Fiona waiting for my noble steed 🫡
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️*/5
*We got a few open door scenes that were pretty quick but you knew what was happening. Spanking was teased and delivered very mildly.
Thanks to PRHaudio for an ALC. All opinions are honest my own. I really loved the narrator and want to feel like the way hearing a good Scottish brogue makes me feel all day every day.
January 30, 2023
This fun and flirty work of fiction has a lot going for it!
-sexy, grumpy Scot
-quirky, sunshine heroine
-quaint small town vibes
-slow burn romance
-scenes filled with delectable food and whiskey
-did I mention the sexy, grumpy Scot?
Overall an easy, breezy read that lacked a bit in the rushed conclusion, but enjoyable nonetheless.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
-sexy, grumpy Scot
-quirky, sunshine heroine
-quaint small town vibes
-slow burn romance
-scenes filled with delectable food and whiskey
-did I mention the sexy, grumpy Scot?
Overall an easy, breezy read that lacked a bit in the rushed conclusion, but enjoyable nonetheless.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
April 7, 2023
this was so cute!!!
the vibes were immaculate. imagine: cozy, cottage core, scottish small town, cooking, whisky, a big city girl moving to start over, slowburn, a comfy community of people !!! and add a hot broody man to that. it had a lil bit of everything.
it’s not a book that changed my life and i won’t remember it in the long run but it was fun and flirty and i had a good time.
the vibes were immaculate. imagine: cozy, cottage core, scottish small town, cooking, whisky, a big city girl moving to start over, slowburn, a comfy community of people !!! and add a hot broody man to that. it had a lil bit of everything.
it’s not a book that changed my life and i won’t remember it in the long run but it was fun and flirty and i had a good time.
April 30, 2023
call me a 40 year old suburban wine mom with a fantasy for this, but scottish men are my k r y p t o n i t e
March 4, 2023
I am so annoyed at this book. The more I think about it the more annoyed I get.
Spoilery rant ahead: Ruby was selfish and immature, and I will never get over her choosing to keep the secret she overheard because the stranger came over and made her pinky swear instead of telling her friends and the guy she was falling in love with. She didn’t even tell him once they started dating! She kept telling herself that there was nothing they could do to stop the sell of the pub, but they could’ve used the time to come up with a plan or just have more time to come to terms with it, and that’s not even getting to the part about Brohan’s father being part of the sale so he will be coming back after decades of being gone. All her rationalizations for keeping the secret were dumb and selfish. Not only did she let her friends be in the dark longer about losing the pub and the father coming back, but she also made no plans for herself since the property included the cottage where she was staying. And then she starts defending the sale, without knowing the whole history of what has happened with the pub and the father, because she’s ok with a little gentrifying of this town she just moved to! This isn’t even her town and she already has opinion on what to do with it?? And then on top of this secret, she seeks out the father and starts meddling because she knows best. She decided that Brohan need to reconcile with his father without even discussing it with him. I’m so glad Rohan abandoned her at the airport. I wish he had broken up with her for real and she had left Scotland and that town alone.
I’m particularly angry that a book about someone quitting their job and moving to Scotland failed me so badly.
Spoilery rant ahead: Ruby was selfish and immature, and I will never get over her choosing to keep the secret she overheard because the stranger came over and made her pinky swear instead of telling her friends and the guy she was falling in love with. She didn’t even tell him once they started dating! She kept telling herself that there was nothing they could do to stop the sell of the pub, but they could’ve used the time to come up with a plan or just have more time to come to terms with it, and that’s not even getting to the part about Brohan’s father being part of the sale so he will be coming back after decades of being gone. All her rationalizations for keeping the secret were dumb and selfish. Not only did she let her friends be in the dark longer about losing the pub and the father coming back, but she also made no plans for herself since the property included the cottage where she was staying. And then she starts defending the sale, without knowing the whole history of what has happened with the pub and the father, because she’s ok with a little gentrifying of this town she just moved to! This isn’t even her town and she already has opinion on what to do with it?? And then on top of this secret, she seeks out the father and starts meddling because she knows best. She decided that Brohan need to reconcile with his father without even discussing it with him. I’m so glad Rohan abandoned her at the airport. I wish he had broken up with her for real and she had left Scotland and that town alone.
I’m particularly angry that a book about someone quitting their job and moving to Scotland failed me so badly.
February 2, 2023
This book has wonderful characters that just make you smile. Unique and delightful people make you want to be there and involved in this small town too!
The author dives deep into the descriptive scenery so you are able to see it just like a photograph. Smell the grass, rain, flowers, gardens, and pub. You can almost taste the whisky and all of the food cooking. The sights, sounds, and smells are upfront and personal in your own imagination due to Bilow's intricate development of the scenes.
Following the main characters is like a warm hug. Friendly and delightful for the most part, especially when we meet Brochan and the sparks start to fly. Their budding love is comfortable and sweet.
Ruby Spencer’s Whisky Year offers so much to love about this story. While it is not overly spicy, the romance is perfectly perfect for these two! Plus, the happily ever after is a delight!
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/ruby-spencer...
The author dives deep into the descriptive scenery so you are able to see it just like a photograph. Smell the grass, rain, flowers, gardens, and pub. You can almost taste the whisky and all of the food cooking. The sights, sounds, and smells are upfront and personal in your own imagination due to Bilow's intricate development of the scenes.
Following the main characters is like a warm hug. Friendly and delightful for the most part, especially when we meet Brochan and the sparks start to fly. Their budding love is comfortable and sweet.
Ruby Spencer’s Whisky Year offers so much to love about this story. While it is not overly spicy, the romance is perfectly perfect for these two! Plus, the happily ever after is a delight!
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/ruby-spencer...
February 13, 2023
Quick Stats
Age Rating: 18+
Over All: 2.25 stars
Plot: 1.5/5
Characters: 2/5
Setting: 3.5/5
Writing: 2/5
Special thanks to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.
So. This book… was a book.
The premise was interesting. Woman moves to Scotland to write a cookbook. Meets broody scotsman. Romance and found family and lots of yummy food. Yay!
And that was executed—especially the food descriptions. This book was very wordy when it came to describing the settings and the food. Not necessarily in a bad way, but it was something I noticed.
My main issue is that I was so, so bored. None of the characters had a personality. Ruby didn’t really have any motivations driving her. There was not even a hint of a plot until the 70% mark. The only thing driving the story forward was miscommunication and secret keeping. My gosh did Ruby keep making the stupidest decisions. Like, “oh, this lady I’ve spoken to once before wants me to keep this massive secret from the guy I’m about to start sleeping with? A secret that it makes absolutely no sense to keep, because keeping it would hurt 1. Said guy 2. The woman who opened her house to me and who I love and 3. Me, my livelihood. Well, she called me her friend and I pinky swore, so I can’t betray her confidence!” What the fuck was that. It made zero sense for her to keep that secret.
Every “plot twist” was evident from like, page one. Every single one. And it was annoying to keep having these “mysteries” hinted at when it was so obvious.
The first 30% of the book was honestly…fine. It was boring, the characters were flat, and there was no plot, but it was tolerable. Once we start to get those secrets and hints of plot twists and such it got painfully annoying to read.
At 70% we get a real plot and the pacing finally picks up. The plot we get here is interesting, in theory. If that aspect had been taken and woven into a real driving point for the whole book, I think the book would have been a lot more interesting. However, it really only becomes relevent and actively addressed at the 70% mark, where there’s no time to fully explore it. This leaves it feeling rushed. Not to mention this is also the point at which all the secrets and miscommunication come to a head, taking away from any enjoyment I may have had from the actual plot.
I didn’t enjoy this book. However I don’t think that means no one will. If you’re really into Scotland or food, those aspects of the book might well make up for the slow pace and lacking characters. I think this book has potential to be enjoyable to some, just not me.
Age Rating: 18+
Over All: 2.25 stars
Plot: 1.5/5
Characters: 2/5
Setting: 3.5/5
Writing: 2/5
Special thanks to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.
So. This book… was a book.
The premise was interesting. Woman moves to Scotland to write a cookbook. Meets broody scotsman. Romance and found family and lots of yummy food. Yay!
And that was executed—especially the food descriptions. This book was very wordy when it came to describing the settings and the food. Not necessarily in a bad way, but it was something I noticed.
My main issue is that I was so, so bored. None of the characters had a personality. Ruby didn’t really have any motivations driving her. There was not even a hint of a plot until the 70% mark. The only thing driving the story forward was miscommunication and secret keeping. My gosh did Ruby keep making the stupidest decisions. Like, “oh, this lady I’ve spoken to once before wants me to keep this massive secret from the guy I’m about to start sleeping with? A secret that it makes absolutely no sense to keep, because keeping it would hurt 1. Said guy 2. The woman who opened her house to me and who I love and 3. Me, my livelihood. Well, she called me her friend and I pinky swore, so I can’t betray her confidence!” What the fuck was that. It made zero sense for her to keep that secret.
Every “plot twist” was evident from like, page one. Every single one. And it was annoying to keep having these “mysteries” hinted at when it was so obvious.
The first 30% of the book was honestly…fine. It was boring, the characters were flat, and there was no plot, but it was tolerable. Once we start to get those secrets and hints of plot twists and such it got painfully annoying to read.
At 70% we get a real plot and the pacing finally picks up. The plot we get here is interesting, in theory. If that aspect had been taken and woven into a real driving point for the whole book, I think the book would have been a lot more interesting. However, it really only becomes relevent and actively addressed at the 70% mark, where there’s no time to fully explore it. This leaves it feeling rushed. Not to mention this is also the point at which all the secrets and miscommunication come to a head, taking away from any enjoyment I may have had from the actual plot.
I didn’t enjoy this book. However I don’t think that means no one will. If you’re really into Scotland or food, those aspects of the book might well make up for the slow pace and lacking characters. I think this book has potential to be enjoyable to some, just not me.
March 8, 2023
Feeling like her life is growing stale, Ruby Spencer quits her job and moves to Scotland, renting a cottage sight unseen, for a year. She’s determined to write a cookbook and figure her life out.
Thistlecross is a small town, and the Cosy Hearth Pub has seen better days, certainly busier ones, but it’s charming. Between writing her cookbook, helping out in the pub and getting to know the locals it’s not long before Thistlecross starts to feel like home, wedging a spot into Ruby’s heart. Even more so as she gets to know Brochan, the sexy Scot-slash-handyman in town.
I just loved the setting of Thistlecross, the sound of the charming cottage and the old pub where Ruby is staying. The food she whipped up on her own and with her landlady, Grace, made with fresh eggs, herbs and veggies from the garden she started up sounded delicious and added to the appeal. I enjoyed Ruby and Brochan getting to know and fall hard for each other. Of course, not all was smooth sailing, I was more irritated with Brochan than Ruby, though, but the conflict wasn’t over-the-top and felt true-to-life. The romance was lovely.
I’d definitely recommend Ruby Spencer’s Whisky Year. It was a delightful combination of delicious food, dreamy setting, and a lusty romance!
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
Thistlecross is a small town, and the Cosy Hearth Pub has seen better days, certainly busier ones, but it’s charming. Between writing her cookbook, helping out in the pub and getting to know the locals it’s not long before Thistlecross starts to feel like home, wedging a spot into Ruby’s heart. Even more so as she gets to know Brochan, the sexy Scot-slash-handyman in town.
I just loved the setting of Thistlecross, the sound of the charming cottage and the old pub where Ruby is staying. The food she whipped up on her own and with her landlady, Grace, made with fresh eggs, herbs and veggies from the garden she started up sounded delicious and added to the appeal. I enjoyed Ruby and Brochan getting to know and fall hard for each other. Of course, not all was smooth sailing, I was more irritated with Brochan than Ruby, though, but the conflict wasn’t over-the-top and felt true-to-life. The romance was lovely.
I’d definitely recommend Ruby Spencer’s Whisky Year. It was a delightful combination of delicious food, dreamy setting, and a lusty romance!
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2023
I think this book became so disappointing because I got the wrong idea about it from the beginning.
The first third, nearly, was refreshing in its open communication and scenic description. I empathized with Ruby, and was delighted to find Brochan a bit more complicated and honest than the standard “grumpy mmc” I’d presumed him would be. I appreciated that they were open with each other.
But then the pointless secret keeping started, and it was clearly Ruby choosing to self sabotage the relationship under the guise of some sort of psuedo-corporate feminism, but it was incredibly irritating to read. She elevates a woman she’s met twice over Grace (who is housing and technically employing her for visa reasons, and who has been nothing but kind and generous) and Brochan (who has restored parts of her rented cottage, helped her build a garden, and had countless chats with her). After two conversations. Two. As if she owes this stranger (that both of her good friends seem to have reservations about) more than the people keeping a roof over her head and showing her love at every turn????
No.
I was glad to see that Anne was more than a static villain, but Ruby’s double standards, lies, and toxicity became so vexing and irritating that I grew to deeply dislike most of this book. There are also so many points where the narrative seems to be crowing, “LOOK. SHE ISN’T LIKE MOST GIRLS/AMERICANS. SHE LIKES REAL WHISKY.”
Then, when I found out Brochan had lied as well, I sort of just felt done.
This book also includes multiple female friendships that are gossipy and super close and seem to only exist to prop up the FMC, and are also unlike any actual close friendship I’ve ever shared with another woman, but that’s more of a genre-wide problem. (Romance writers—can we make these friendships less plastic, please??) One of these is forged after two conversations, and it felt so uncomfortable and fake to me. It takes way longer to get to know someone, in my experience. Idk.
Ruby THINKS she’s a feminist, but she treats her fellow women friends like sparkly bracelet charms that she can clip on and off/enjoy when it’s convenient for her. No one calls her on this behavior, either.
Maybe Anne and Ruby had a neurospicy resonance moment over the wine list, since it seems to be a shared special interest of theirs. But Ruby also seemed to not ACTUALLY care about Anne as anything more than a concept. She rarely checked on her. It was a distant sort of “oh, I hope the beleaguered woman mayor of this small town is okay” caring.
Grace was a stronger point, though I think she was also extremely generous and patient with Ruby.
Ruby also completely disrespects Brochan’s agency when it comes to his relationship with his dad, and I found that plotline pretty disappointing. The story introduced serious, heavy elements like parental abandonment and alcoholism for angst, and then made Ruby’s meddling with a “let’s just get them all in the same room to eat a cozy meal” approach the magic solution. Reconciliation should have been more complicated. The conclusion there did not feel true.
The descriptions of food were cool. I think you can see the author’s roots in food writing through the passages on various dishes and cooking.
Imho, I’d have enjoyed this novel a lot more had it ended with Ruby going to seek some professional help for her past trauma, while moving forward with cookbook plans with Grace. :/ I don’t know if Ruby was ready to be in a relationship like that. Her lies weren’t a result of a lack of career direction. They were her struggling to allow herself to trust Brochan’s judgment or establish intimacy with him. It’s extremely telling that she’s 100% honest with Brochan’s estranged dad before she ever is with him.
I don’t think there’s ever a time where she offers him the same insight into her history that she demanded he share with her.
(And imho, she should’ve eventually spoken to Brochan more directly about his attitude towards Anne, which was occasionally very toxic. She cared enough to keep a secret directly relating to Brochan and Grace’s lives and livelihoods, but not enough to speak up in Anne’s defense?)
Ultimately, it felt like a lot of irrational choices were made by numerous members of the cast to move the plot forward, rather than because those were the true choices they would’ve made.
The first third, nearly, was refreshing in its open communication and scenic description. I empathized with Ruby, and was delighted to find Brochan a bit more complicated and honest than the standard “grumpy mmc” I’d presumed him would be. I appreciated that they were open with each other.
But then the pointless secret keeping started, and it was clearly Ruby choosing to self sabotage the relationship under the guise of some sort of psuedo-corporate feminism, but it was incredibly irritating to read. She elevates a woman she’s met twice over Grace (who is housing and technically employing her for visa reasons, and who has been nothing but kind and generous) and Brochan (who has restored parts of her rented cottage, helped her build a garden, and had countless chats with her). After two conversations. Two. As if she owes this stranger (that both of her good friends seem to have reservations about) more than the people keeping a roof over her head and showing her love at every turn????
No.
I was glad to see that Anne was more than a static villain, but Ruby’s double standards, lies, and toxicity became so vexing and irritating that I grew to deeply dislike most of this book. There are also so many points where the narrative seems to be crowing, “LOOK. SHE ISN’T LIKE MOST GIRLS/AMERICANS. SHE LIKES REAL WHISKY.”
Then, when I found out Brochan had lied as well, I sort of just felt done.
This book also includes multiple female friendships that are gossipy and super close and seem to only exist to prop up the FMC, and are also unlike any actual close friendship I’ve ever shared with another woman, but that’s more of a genre-wide problem. (Romance writers—can we make these friendships less plastic, please??) One of these is forged after two conversations, and it felt so uncomfortable and fake to me. It takes way longer to get to know someone, in my experience. Idk.
Ruby THINKS she’s a feminist, but she treats her fellow women friends like sparkly bracelet charms that she can clip on and off/enjoy when it’s convenient for her. No one calls her on this behavior, either.
Maybe Anne and Ruby had a neurospicy resonance moment over the wine list, since it seems to be a shared special interest of theirs. But Ruby also seemed to not ACTUALLY care about Anne as anything more than a concept. She rarely checked on her. It was a distant sort of “oh, I hope the beleaguered woman mayor of this small town is okay” caring.
Grace was a stronger point, though I think she was also extremely generous and patient with Ruby.
Ruby also completely disrespects Brochan’s agency when it comes to his relationship with his dad, and I found that plotline pretty disappointing. The story introduced serious, heavy elements like parental abandonment and alcoholism for angst, and then made Ruby’s meddling with a “let’s just get them all in the same room to eat a cozy meal” approach the magic solution. Reconciliation should have been more complicated. The conclusion there did not feel true.
The descriptions of food were cool. I think you can see the author’s roots in food writing through the passages on various dishes and cooking.
Imho, I’d have enjoyed this novel a lot more had it ended with Ruby going to seek some professional help for her past trauma, while moving forward with cookbook plans with Grace. :/ I don’t know if Ruby was ready to be in a relationship like that. Her lies weren’t a result of a lack of career direction. They were her struggling to allow herself to trust Brochan’s judgment or establish intimacy with him. It’s extremely telling that she’s 100% honest with Brochan’s estranged dad before she ever is with him.
I don’t think there’s ever a time where she offers him the same insight into her history that she demanded he share with her.
(And imho, she should’ve eventually spoken to Brochan more directly about his attitude towards Anne, which was occasionally very toxic. She cared enough to keep a secret directly relating to Brochan and Grace’s lives and livelihoods, but not enough to speak up in Anne’s defense?)
Ultimately, it felt like a lot of irrational choices were made by numerous members of the cast to move the plot forward, rather than because those were the true choices they would’ve made.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2023
Cover for this book was sweet, and that's only good about it. My mood while reading this was constant boredom.
February 23, 2023
I struggled quite a bit with the first half of this one, but it did win me over in the end.
Planning to write a cookbook, ex-food writer Ruby Spencer leaves New York to settle into a cozy stone cottage in Thistlecross, Scotland to get it done. Along with some delicious food descriptions, what a dreamy setting this was!
As she crosses paths with Brochan, the overly handsome and caring handyman, it's a charming setup without a doubt. But, at least initially, the writing was very much telling rather than showing—some moments and conversations explained after the fact, for example. It was difficult to emotionally connect to these characters.
But it improved a lot for me in the second half, like I said. I loved the focus on saving the local pub, reconnecting with family, and whisky distillation. There was even a small twist I somehow didn't see coming! I'd love to try more from this author in the future.
(heat level: open-door, mild details)
Planning to write a cookbook, ex-food writer Ruby Spencer leaves New York to settle into a cozy stone cottage in Thistlecross, Scotland to get it done. Along with some delicious food descriptions, what a dreamy setting this was!
As she crosses paths with Brochan, the overly handsome and caring handyman, it's a charming setup without a doubt. But, at least initially, the writing was very much telling rather than showing—some moments and conversations explained after the fact, for example. It was difficult to emotionally connect to these characters.
But it improved a lot for me in the second half, like I said. I loved the focus on saving the local pub, reconnecting with family, and whisky distillation. There was even a small twist I somehow didn't see coming! I'd love to try more from this author in the future.
(heat level: open-door, mild details)
February 20, 2023
Such a sweet and swoony romance set in Scotland. Ruby packs up her life in Manhattan and moves to a cozy cottage in a charming small town in Scotland. The town is welcoming and quaint. Ruby is immediately charmed by the town and its quirky residence. Brochan the local handyman is grumpy, Scottish, and hot. Ruby and Brochan have an instant spark that they do not act on immediately. I would not classify this as friends to lovers or enemies to lovers, but as two People meeting one another and having a romantic connection. Not certain if that's a trope or not? I found the setting of the story absolutely delightful, made me want to pack my bags and head to Scotland. Ruby and Brochan were both likable characters and I really loved them together. there were a few things these characters kept from one another that drove me crazy and I never completely understood why? Nikki Massoud did an amazing job with the audiobook narration. Her male Scottish accent voice was perfection. I truly think her narration added another layer to this sweet story. If you're in the mood for an adorable romance with a charming setting, this is the book! And just a heads up there is steam. Not a lot, but it is open door.
*** Big thank you to Berkley and PRH Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
*** Big thank you to Berkley and PRH Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
February 14, 2023
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I really enjoyed this book! Ruby Spencer quits her job as a food writer and moves to a small Scottish town to write a cookbook. It doesn’t take too long before she becomes captivated by the small town of Thistlecross not to mention the local handyman, Brochan. Between the romance, the food, the whiskey, and the setting, I found a lot to love in this entertaining story.
I liked Ruby and Brochan together and thought that the chemistry between them was very well done and I appreciated the fact that Ruby and Brochan are in their mid to later thirties. Ruby seemed to fit into the small town right away and I really liked all of the characters in town. My favorite parts of the book were when Ruby and Brochan were alone. They really did just seem like they were meant to be and I was very invested in seeing things work out for them.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Nikki Massoud did a great job with the story. I loved the various voices and accents that she used for the characters. I thought that she did a great job with both the male and female voices and I found her voice to be very pleasant. I loved that the emotion of the story was expressed in her narration. I feel like her narration added to my overall enjoyment of this book.
I would not hesitate to recommend this story to others. I found this to be a wonderful story full of fantastic characters that I found hard to put down. I hope to read more of this talented author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Penguin Random House Audio.
I really enjoyed this book! Ruby Spencer quits her job as a food writer and moves to a small Scottish town to write a cookbook. It doesn’t take too long before she becomes captivated by the small town of Thistlecross not to mention the local handyman, Brochan. Between the romance, the food, the whiskey, and the setting, I found a lot to love in this entertaining story.
I liked Ruby and Brochan together and thought that the chemistry between them was very well done and I appreciated the fact that Ruby and Brochan are in their mid to later thirties. Ruby seemed to fit into the small town right away and I really liked all of the characters in town. My favorite parts of the book were when Ruby and Brochan were alone. They really did just seem like they were meant to be and I was very invested in seeing things work out for them.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Nikki Massoud did a great job with the story. I loved the various voices and accents that she used for the characters. I thought that she did a great job with both the male and female voices and I found her voice to be very pleasant. I loved that the emotion of the story was expressed in her narration. I feel like her narration added to my overall enjoyment of this book.
I would not hesitate to recommend this story to others. I found this to be a wonderful story full of fantastic characters that I found hard to put down. I hope to read more of this talented author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Penguin Random House Audio.
April 5, 2023
I thought this cover was so cute and fun and when I read the blurb I was even more excited for it! The heroine moves to the Scottish Highlands to start over, what a dream right?! 😍
I loved that we have a heroine and hero in their mid to upper 30s in this read, love to see it! Ruby decides she wants a fresh start, she has always wanted to write a cookbook but put those dreams on hold for a different job she got instead. So now she decides to move to Scotland, write that cookbook she always wanted to, and just become the person she always wished she was. She feels like her life has just been stale and she’s ready to become the person she never became in New York! She ends up working in a local pub, living in a cute little cottage, and making friends with the locals right away. She also meets Brochan, the local handyman who has to keep repairing things at her cottage and they hit it off!
The first half of this I really was loving! I love books where heroines take off to the Scottish Highlands to start over. The local charming villagers, the cottage life, the whisky, the Highlands, the brewing friendships and romance! Around the midway point it started to drag for me though and I wasn’t a fan of how slow the plot and romance (it’s there but it’s light) was dragged out.
I received a copy from the publisher (Berkley Romance). All thoughts in this review are my own!
I loved that we have a heroine and hero in their mid to upper 30s in this read, love to see it! Ruby decides she wants a fresh start, she has always wanted to write a cookbook but put those dreams on hold for a different job she got instead. So now she decides to move to Scotland, write that cookbook she always wanted to, and just become the person she always wished she was. She feels like her life has just been stale and she’s ready to become the person she never became in New York! She ends up working in a local pub, living in a cute little cottage, and making friends with the locals right away. She also meets Brochan, the local handyman who has to keep repairing things at her cottage and they hit it off!
The first half of this I really was loving! I love books where heroines take off to the Scottish Highlands to start over. The local charming villagers, the cottage life, the whisky, the Highlands, the brewing friendships and romance! Around the midway point it started to drag for me though and I wasn’t a fan of how slow the plot and romance (it’s there but it’s light) was dragged out.
I received a copy from the publisher (Berkley Romance). All thoughts in this review are my own!
March 17, 2023
I really am trying to be less judgemental of books but this one... So many things.
1) Ruby had never been to Scotland before...ever and yet you want me to believe she understands everyone in town with their thick north Scottish accents and their local dialect with no problem at all? One of my friends is from northern Scotland, we've been friends for over a decade now and we talk at least once a week and I still don't understand half the things he says.
2)... She moves to Scotland to write a cookbook... absolutely fantastic but ummm she doesn't really seem focused on that at all. It is a very very minor subplot to a plot where really nothing is going on.
3) she and Anne have 2 very short conversations and suddenly they are besties and ruby feels more loyal to her than to Brochan or Grace? Seriously? Ruby is a terrible friend and person.
4) You can tell this was written by an American author. she uses the word "blether" every other page and then some wild out there Scottish phrase but otherwise the Scottish locals all sound very American.
5) You want me to believe that a small Scottish town abandoned their local pub for a fancy hotel restaurant? The pub is the town social center this is not a realistic story line at all.
Okay I think that is all...for now.
1) Ruby had never been to Scotland before...ever and yet you want me to believe she understands everyone in town with their thick north Scottish accents and their local dialect with no problem at all? One of my friends is from northern Scotland, we've been friends for over a decade now and we talk at least once a week and I still don't understand half the things he says.
2)... She moves to Scotland to write a cookbook... absolutely fantastic but ummm she doesn't really seem focused on that at all. It is a very very minor subplot to a plot where really nothing is going on.
3) she and Anne have 2 very short conversations and suddenly they are besties and ruby feels more loyal to her than to Brochan or Grace? Seriously? Ruby is a terrible friend and person.
4) You can tell this was written by an American author. she uses the word "blether" every other page and then some wild out there Scottish phrase but otherwise the Scottish locals all sound very American.
5) You want me to believe that a small Scottish town abandoned their local pub for a fancy hotel restaurant? The pub is the town social center this is not a realistic story line at all.
Okay I think that is all...for now.
April 27, 2023
BOring! YAWNing! Sloppy! LAZY!
June 9, 2023
wow, this was a rough read
March 2, 2023
As an avid romance reader, I absolutely love discovering my newest favorite trope, and apparently foodie romance is my latest obsession. There's just something so comforting about the homey food descriptions and mouthwatering meals that makes my heart so happy.
Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year was such a great grumpy/sunshine foodie romance set in the Scottish highlands, and although I can't say that I'm a whisky connoisseur, I definitely found myself craving it afterwards.
I loved the adventurous spirit of both Ruby and love interest Brochan, and the tender moments sprinkled throughout the story too. It looks like I need to plan a trip to Scotland in my near future!
*many thanks to Berkley Romance and netgalley for the gifted copy for review
Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year was such a great grumpy/sunshine foodie romance set in the Scottish highlands, and although I can't say that I'm a whisky connoisseur, I definitely found myself craving it afterwards.
I loved the adventurous spirit of both Ruby and love interest Brochan, and the tender moments sprinkled throughout the story too. It looks like I need to plan a trip to Scotland in my near future!
*many thanks to Berkley Romance and netgalley for the gifted copy for review
May 15, 2023
So fun!!!
May 25, 2023
2.5 stars.
This was part of the February box for the Happily Ever After Romance Subscription Book Box, and just to be clear, this doesn't affect my overall opinion of the subscription box and I encourage all of you to support an indie book store. But obviously, when you get a subscription box, there's bound to be a book or two you won't enjoy as much as others. C'est la vie, I guess.
The thing is, I feel like this was written for a specific subset of women, and I am definitely not part of it, which is kind of my problem with a lot of contemporary romance out there. There's really nothing wrong with that, but I'm not in the category of "women in their mid-thirties who like Outlander and would like nothing more than to move in a small Scotland town Hallmark-style and meet a hot Scottish guy". At least, not yet. This is a very self-indulgent book, with lots of descriptions (which I noticed because of how wordy they were), and again, there's really nothing wrong with that, but there are things here and there that stop me from rounding it up to 3 stars and just leave it as "it just wasn't for me".
The problem lies with the FMC, and to quote Jennifer Cruisie (special thanks to Jacob Profitt for talking about it in one of his reviews), she has what you call a "negative motivation", which means basically that her entire conflict is based on her not wanting to do something. Obviously I'm not saying it's an impossible thing to do in a story (many a Greek tragedy is based on that), but you have to be careful with that kind of thing since that could easily lead the reader to just want to shake the character to get over themselves and just do the darn thing (why hello, Alina Starkov).
Basically, what little plot there is (because at least 60% of the book is just Vibin' in Scotland) hinges entirely on the FMC befriending the female mayor of the town and learning from her that the restaurant where she's working and staying at is going to get bought by some tacky American guy. Given that won't fly with the MMC and his aunt, who owns the place, and that the town desperately needs the money from said tacky American guy, the mayor basically has the FMC pinky swear to not tell the MMC and his aunt about it. So basically, the FMC keeps her mouth shut about it, despite the aunt being nothing but kind to her and the sale meaning she'll have to find another home, despite her starting to hook up with the MMC who is also nothing but welcoming and helpful to her, because she pinky swore to a lady she literally spoke to once before that reveal, because... girlboss code, I guess. And also, whenever she *does* hesitate, she basically goes: "Oh, but I pinky swore! I can't possibly betray my bestie like that!" Like, what are you, 9? How are you a 35-year-old woman with an adult job???
What also didn't help is that I didn't care much about the romance - not to mention that the MMC also has a negative motivation of his own, namely that he refuses to talk about his ex, which, fine, I can buy that happening, but said ex HAPPENS TO BE THE MAYOR. And honestly, you're not going to make me believe that the FMC will stay in that small town for months on end and never find out through gossip that the MMC and the mayor were seriously dating at some point. People in small towns talk, like A LOT. So that meant that overall, I had no patience for the third act conflict, that also got resolved in a whiff, but I'll admit that I was skimming through the book from the 30% point onwards.
So yeah, as I said, not for me, and despite all my annoyances, I *do* think this will appeal to certain people and if it's up your alley, I do recommend checking it out.
This was part of the February box for the Happily Ever After Romance Subscription Book Box, and just to be clear, this doesn't affect my overall opinion of the subscription box and I encourage all of you to support an indie book store. But obviously, when you get a subscription box, there's bound to be a book or two you won't enjoy as much as others. C'est la vie, I guess.
The thing is, I feel like this was written for a specific subset of women, and I am definitely not part of it, which is kind of my problem with a lot of contemporary romance out there. There's really nothing wrong with that, but I'm not in the category of "women in their mid-thirties who like Outlander and would like nothing more than to move in a small Scotland town Hallmark-style and meet a hot Scottish guy". At least, not yet. This is a very self-indulgent book, with lots of descriptions (which I noticed because of how wordy they were), and again, there's really nothing wrong with that, but there are things here and there that stop me from rounding it up to 3 stars and just leave it as "it just wasn't for me".
The problem lies with the FMC, and to quote Jennifer Cruisie (special thanks to Jacob Profitt for talking about it in one of his reviews), she has what you call a "negative motivation", which means basically that her entire conflict is based on her not wanting to do something. Obviously I'm not saying it's an impossible thing to do in a story (many a Greek tragedy is based on that), but you have to be careful with that kind of thing since that could easily lead the reader to just want to shake the character to get over themselves and just do the darn thing (why hello, Alina Starkov).
Basically, what little plot there is (because at least 60% of the book is just Vibin' in Scotland) hinges entirely on the FMC befriending the female mayor of the town and learning from her that the restaurant where she's working and staying at is going to get bought by some tacky American guy. Given that won't fly with the MMC and his aunt, who owns the place, and that the town desperately needs the money from said tacky American guy, the mayor basically has the FMC pinky swear to not tell the MMC and his aunt about it. So basically, the FMC keeps her mouth shut about it, despite the aunt being nothing but kind to her and the sale meaning she'll have to find another home, despite her starting to hook up with the MMC who is also nothing but welcoming and helpful to her, because she pinky swore to a lady she literally spoke to once before that reveal, because... girlboss code, I guess. And also, whenever she *does* hesitate, she basically goes: "Oh, but I pinky swore! I can't possibly betray my bestie like that!" Like, what are you, 9? How are you a 35-year-old woman with an adult job???
What also didn't help is that I didn't care much about the romance - not to mention that the MMC also has a negative motivation of his own, namely that he refuses to talk about his ex, which, fine, I can buy that happening, but said ex HAPPENS TO BE THE MAYOR. And honestly, you're not going to make me believe that the FMC will stay in that small town for months on end and never find out through gossip that the MMC and the mayor were seriously dating at some point. People in small towns talk, like A LOT. So that meant that overall, I had no patience for the third act conflict, that also got resolved in a whiff, but I'll admit that I was skimming through the book from the 30% point onwards.
So yeah, as I said, not for me, and despite all my annoyances, I *do* think this will appeal to certain people and if it's up your alley, I do recommend checking it out.
April 3, 2023
2.5/5 stars
this book indulges the feminine urge to impulsively move to the scottish highlands and find a sexy bearded man to drink whisky with all day.
too bad it was severely disappointing.
I was enjoying this in the first half (even while having to suspend disbelief for most of it). I liked ruby’s task to write a cookbook and the atmosphere was great. I even liked all of the side characters.
but ultimately I did not believe in the romance. it happened very quickly; and although that’s not a dealbreaker, there wasn’t much to keep me invested in it. I really hated how ruby meddled in the love interest’s trauma with his father while constantly assuming what was best for him/his feelings.
there was also a secret kept/lying plot point that I did not like at all. suffice to say: our heroine makes very bad decisions and had misplaced opinions.
definitely don’t recommend this one. NEXT
this book indulges the feminine urge to impulsively move to the scottish highlands and find a sexy bearded man to drink whisky with all day.
too bad it was severely disappointing.
I was enjoying this in the first half (even while having to suspend disbelief for most of it). I liked ruby’s task to write a cookbook and the atmosphere was great. I even liked all of the side characters.
but ultimately I did not believe in the romance. it happened very quickly; and although that’s not a dealbreaker, there wasn’t much to keep me invested in it. I really hated how ruby meddled in the love interest’s trauma with his father while constantly assuming what was best for him/his feelings.
there was also a secret kept/lying plot point that I did not like at all. suffice to say: our heroine makes very bad decisions and had misplaced opinions.
definitely don’t recommend this one. NEXT
February 15, 2023
Thank you @berkleyromance @prhaudio for a copy of this romance set in beautiful Scotland. Ruby moves to a small town in Scotland to write a cookbook and ends up meeting Brochan, a grumpy handy do it all handyman. I love the slow burn between the two and the banter between them. The story was charming with the small town vibe and the narrator did an amazing job making you feel like are in Scotland. Overall, a fun read.
June 13, 2023
i did not like this book. i don’t want to be mean but ….
February 15, 2023
✨ ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ ✨
Thank you #berkleypartner @berkleyromance for the gifted widget / eARC and @libby.app for access to the audiobook. #BerkleyIG
#penguinrandomhousepartner
𝗥𝘂𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘆 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿
𝗕𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘄
𝟯𝟲𝟴 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀
𝗣𝘂𝗯: 𝟮/𝟭𝟰/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯
🔥𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 @buzzfeedbooks 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘛𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘖𝘶𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘐𝘯 2023, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 @𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦'𝘴 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘧 2023
📖 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯: Ruby leaves behind her busy Manhattan life to escape to a small village in Scotland to fulfill her dream of writing a cookbook. While there, she meets a sexy, charismatic Scottish handyman named Brochan, who is handy with more than just his tools. 😉
ROMANCE READERS!!! Stop what you're doing and add this to your list IMMEDIATELY! It has EVERYTHING I'm looking for in a romance novel: a high stakes subplot, an adorably charming heroine, delicious food, a swoony, broody Scotsman, a charming small-town setting, a cozy atmosphere to get lost in, so much culture, the perfect amount of spice 🌶️, and one of my faves: the moving-away-to-live-in-a-cottage trope (is that a trope?).
The audiobook narrator is an absolute rock star! 🙌🏼 Imagine the talent it takes to perform multiple accents flawlessly. Nikki Massoud knocked it out of the park.
Highly recommend in either format.💗 Came out yesterday so snag your copy today!
Thank you #berkleypartner @berkleyromance for the gifted widget / eARC and @libby.app for access to the audiobook. #BerkleyIG
#penguinrandomhousepartner
𝗥𝘂𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘆 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿
𝗕𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘄
𝟯𝟲𝟴 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀
𝗣𝘂𝗯: 𝟮/𝟭𝟰/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯
🔥𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 @buzzfeedbooks 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘛𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘖𝘶𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘐𝘯 2023, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 @𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦'𝘴 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘧 2023
📖 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯: Ruby leaves behind her busy Manhattan life to escape to a small village in Scotland to fulfill her dream of writing a cookbook. While there, she meets a sexy, charismatic Scottish handyman named Brochan, who is handy with more than just his tools. 😉
ROMANCE READERS!!! Stop what you're doing and add this to your list IMMEDIATELY! It has EVERYTHING I'm looking for in a romance novel: a high stakes subplot, an adorably charming heroine, delicious food, a swoony, broody Scotsman, a charming small-town setting, a cozy atmosphere to get lost in, so much culture, the perfect amount of spice 🌶️, and one of my faves: the moving-away-to-live-in-a-cottage trope (is that a trope?).
The audiobook narrator is an absolute rock star! 🙌🏼 Imagine the talent it takes to perform multiple accents flawlessly. Nikki Massoud knocked it out of the park.
Highly recommend in either format.💗 Came out yesterday so snag your copy today!
February 11, 2023
This book worked sooo well for me. The plot had me interested since the beginning because I love stories about city girls moving to small towns, and this had a foodie element that made me love it even more.
I could feel the cozy vibes coming from Thistlecross. If I was Ruby, I would feel right at home there as well. I’m a big city girl, but I think you can’t not fall in love with a beautiful town and its people when they make you feel like you’ve always belonged there, and even more if you find love. Brochan was so kind! I thought he was gonna be a big grump, but he’s actually very kind to Ruby since the beginning. I also loved Ruby. I had a big soft spot for her since the beginning. I would love to be her friend.
Something else I enjoyed in this book was that it got messy. Brochan and Ruby are flawed characters (my favorite kind) and their relationship started with a rocky foundation. Honestly, by the time the secrets started spilling, I felt like eating popcorn. I loved this drama because I could feel none of them wantedn to hurt the other but they just didn’t know how not to hurt each other either. It was so fun seeing them navigate that, and I loved how everything worked out.
This was a good debut, but I think it had a bit more of potential so I could have loved it more. Nonetheless, I really had a great time and loved Ruby, Brochan and the folks of Thistlecross. I hope Anne gets a book. I loved her!
TW: Death of a parent
ARC provided by PRH International and Edelweiss. Opinions are my own!
I could feel the cozy vibes coming from Thistlecross. If I was Ruby, I would feel right at home there as well. I’m a big city girl, but I think you can’t not fall in love with a beautiful town and its people when they make you feel like you’ve always belonged there, and even more if you find love. Brochan was so kind! I thought he was gonna be a big grump, but he’s actually very kind to Ruby since the beginning. I also loved Ruby. I had a big soft spot for her since the beginning. I would love to be her friend.
Something else I enjoyed in this book was that it got messy. Brochan and Ruby are flawed characters (my favorite kind) and their relationship started with a rocky foundation. Honestly, by the time the secrets started spilling, I felt like eating popcorn. I loved this drama because I could feel none of them wantedn to hurt the other but they just didn’t know how not to hurt each other either. It was so fun seeing them navigate that, and I loved how everything worked out.
This was a good debut, but I think it had a bit more of potential so I could have loved it more. Nonetheless, I really had a great time and loved Ruby, Brochan and the folks of Thistlecross. I hope Anne gets a book. I loved her!
TW: Death of a parent
ARC provided by PRH International and Edelweiss. Opinions are my own!
April 10, 2023
1.5/2 stars
I finally finished this last night and... go ahead and ask me what this book was about... I dare you. The answer is besides being constantly angry at Ruby and her dumb decisions, I don't remember the plot of this because I was bored. And that's a bad thing since it hasn't been 24hrs since I finished this so... there you go.
I finally finished this last night and... go ahead and ask me what this book was about... I dare you. The answer is besides being constantly angry at Ruby and her dumb decisions, I don't remember the plot of this because I was bored. And that's a bad thing since it hasn't been 24hrs since I finished this so... there you go.
June 17, 2023
Blah. I found this so boring. I don’t actually remember too much for it and I should have actually DNF but I didn’t. I did judge this book by the cover and thought it would be a cute and fun romance, but was sadly disappointed. I didn’t feel their romance and found the pacing slow.
February 1, 2023
Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year by Rochelle Bilow is a romantic comedy about a woman who leaves New York City and travels to a small Scottish village to write a cookbook.
Story Recap:
Ruby Spencer left her job in New York City to move to Scotland for a year and write a cookbook. She randomly decides to move to the small village of Thistlecross to spend her year writing a cookbook, drinking a barrel of whiskey, and figuring out what she wants to do with her life.
She meets, Brochan, the village handyman and they are attracted to each other right away. And when Ruby discovers that the charming village pub going to be sold to a developer with the intent of turning the pub into a Scottish-themed American-style chain restaurant.
My Thoughts:
First of all, the setting is gorgeous, and the author's descriptions of Thistlecross and the surrounding area are spectacular. If you never wanted to visit Scotland before, you will after reading Ruby Spencer’s Whiskey Year. I also enjoyed all the whiskey references and although I am not an expert on Scotch Whiskey, I know enough about it to know the author had done her research.
Ruby and Brochan are such a cute couple. They had a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance that allowed them to get to know each other before things got romantic. Brochan was grumpy, but with a big heart. Ruby was optimistic and mostly happy to be in Scotland once they got together, they had good chemistry that was built upon their friendship.
I can’t end this review without talking about the side characters. Thistlecross is a sweet village filled with interesting and quirky characters that add a lot of charm to the story.
Recommendation:
I highly recommend Ruby Spencer’s Whiskey Year to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year by Rochelle Bilow is a romantic comedy about a woman who leaves New York City and travels to a small Scottish village to write a cookbook.
Story Recap:
Ruby Spencer left her job in New York City to move to Scotland for a year and write a cookbook. She randomly decides to move to the small village of Thistlecross to spend her year writing a cookbook, drinking a barrel of whiskey, and figuring out what she wants to do with her life.
She meets, Brochan, the village handyman and they are attracted to each other right away. And when Ruby discovers that the charming village pub going to be sold to a developer with the intent of turning the pub into a Scottish-themed American-style chain restaurant.
My Thoughts:
First of all, the setting is gorgeous, and the author's descriptions of Thistlecross and the surrounding area are spectacular. If you never wanted to visit Scotland before, you will after reading Ruby Spencer’s Whiskey Year. I also enjoyed all the whiskey references and although I am not an expert on Scotch Whiskey, I know enough about it to know the author had done her research.
Ruby and Brochan are such a cute couple. They had a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance that allowed them to get to know each other before things got romantic. Brochan was grumpy, but with a big heart. Ruby was optimistic and mostly happy to be in Scotland once they got together, they had good chemistry that was built upon their friendship.
I can’t end this review without talking about the side characters. Thistlecross is a sweet village filled with interesting and quirky characters that add a lot of charm to the story.
Recommendation:
I highly recommend Ruby Spencer’s Whiskey Year to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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