Alexandra Kiley's sweet, spicy rom-com debut, Kilt Trip, takes readers to the castles and crags of Scotland, as travel consultant Addie Macrae clashes with a handsome Scotsman over the future of his family's tour company and their complicated feelings for one another.
An expert in revitalizing failing businesses, Addie arrives in Edinburgh toting her trusty suitcase, Frank, and a few faded Polaroids from her parents' honeymoon. She's ready to help the Sutherland family revamp their "hidden gem" tours to be more profitable, but Logan, the owner's son, stonewalls her at every turn. Sparks fly as their travel philosophies clash and their mutual attraction grows. Eventually, Addie admits to Logan that she's on a quest to find the locations where those Polaroids were taken. She's hoping to not only ace this work assignment but to also find some connection to her deceased mom, Heather.
Kiley packs her narrative with charming Scottish details--clan tartans, baked potatoes, and Edinburgh's annual Torchlight Procession. Her characters revel in witty banter (and office-prank wars), but they're also dealing with deep hurt: Addie's grieving both her mother and her distant connection to her dad, while Logan wrestles with his fears for the business and his hurt over his brothers striking out on their own. Eventually, they'll have to decide: Could this romance last for the long haul, or was it just a Highland fling?
For fans of sweetness and slow-burn romances, Kiley's debut goes down well with tea and shortbread--or a dram of Scotch whiskey. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams