Reviews - Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year

Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year by Rochelle Bilow

410 reviews for:

Ruby Spencer is a lucky girl, living my dream! I have been obsessed with Scotland well before Outlander. I went there decades ago as a teenager and fell in love with the country. I like what the author writes about how Outlander has sort of ruined Scotland because everyone who flocks there isn't going to experience Scotland that way, and that people will miss out on so many good things about Scotland because of it.

Lately I've been getting books with really well-written men. Brochan is one of those men. It's all the things he loves about Ruby, It's the kind of man he is, what he stands for, how he treats other people. And it doesn't help that he was good looking, either.

This book ticks off all the right boxes: Scotland, food, romance, a good story. I look forward to reading more books by this author. You should read this one, too!

Thanks, NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are mine and freely expressed.

rich_reading's review against another edition

2.0

lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

infogdss29's review

3.0

An American food writer rents a cottage in Scotland, sight unseen, to spend the next year writing a cookbook, trying all the whisky, and maybe finding a hot Scotman. In exchange for room and board, Ruby puts in some hours at the adjacent pub, which conveniently has the kitchen her cottage lacks. The pub has some good whiskey and a friendly vibe, if a little quiet… and then a local guy shows up as the handyman at proprietor Grace’s request, to make a few minor repairs to the flophouse, as the cottage is affectionately known, and Ruby is smitten. She sends all the right vibes to Brochnan, but he does not seem to be picking up what she’s laying down until well into the novel. The relationship was drawn out way too much for my liking.

Ruby only ended up in charming Thistlecross because it’s where her dart landed, but she soon feels part of the community, and ends up overhearing something she shouldn’t have from the mayor, a childhood friend of Brochnan. As their relationship deepens, she wonders if she should tell him what she knows about the future of the pub and cottage, especially after he confides about his trust issues with women… but chooses not to. I may or may not have been grimacing in disappointment at the character’s actions.

The writing is solid and attention to detail is excellent. The food and drink descriptions are good but not enough to make this a culinary read, a little disappointing, since the cookbook idea is a major plot point. Ruby’s first pitch is rejected, and she eventually hits on a winning idea (but WHY not focus on the family style suppers she hosts???). This missed opportunity, dishonesty and slow pacing was like sip of not-aged-enough whisky: yes, complex, smokey, peaty, but a little too much wincing as it goes down rough.

The cover art perfectly depicts a scene where Roo convinces Broo to take a selfie on one of their adventures–well done.

I received an advance reader’s review copy of #RubySpencer’sWhiskyYear from #NetGalley.