One for the Road: a review by Kayne
It’s so fun to be back for another romcom in beautiful Kinleith, Scotland! This is Alistair and Isla’s story and I think it’s the best of the series! We’ve been hearing snippets in the last two books about Alistair dumping his fiancé – who is now with his brother, Callum – and I couldn’t wait to hear his story!
Alistair is a grumpy doctor who has met his match when lovely Isla and her daughter, Teddy, move into the cottage next door. Alistair has taken over the surgery practice his father left him in his will, but he’s not happy about it. He’s burned out and wants to sell it as soon as possible. The only problem is that the patient feedback scores are low because he is such a grouch! He asks Isla to be his fake girlfriend to improve his image and get his scores up.
Isla is recently divorced and her ex-husband has already moved another woman into their old home! He’s also been bad about paying child support and visiting Teddy. Her ex treats her like she’s a loser and she thinks fake dating Alistair will show her awful ex, she’s happy and doing fine on her own. She’s a baker working at Brown’s Coffee and Cakes and desperately needs to win the prize money at the upcoming Cairns and Crusts pie baking competition. She and Alistair have gotten to know each other while they fake date, and she asks him to be her partner for the contest. Watching them together at the pie contest is THE BEST – their banter is hilarious!
As the story unfolds, we find out more about what they both have been through and overcome (and Teddy too!). It’s also sweet to watch Teddy and Alistair bond over Legos. Both Isla and Alistair have their own goals and I liked how they encourage each other while a slow-burn tension simmers between them. I was dying to find out why he originally left Kinleith and what exactly happened in Glasgow that made him return home.
I enjoyed both Whisky Business and Scotch on the Rocks and there’s lots of humor as we catch up with the MacCabe brothers. I hope we get Heather’s story next. This book is spot on for readers looking for a spicy, small-town, Scottish romcom!
by Kayne Spooner