3.5-4 range

I really enjoyed the setting of this book. The trip to the Galapagos was a cute brainchild that touched on conservation efforts and leaving a better world for our kids. I really liked that.
I also loved the growth in relationship between Henley and her sister, and I’m glad that the trip gave them that bonding that they needed.
What I didn’t like was small, but also kind of essential to the book. I didn’t like Graeme. I know he was on an arc for growth, but I just couldn’t get invested in him enough to care.
Overall, this was a good read, but it did take me a good amount of time to get through it. Nothing kept me glued to the page, and my 1-2 day turnaround on a book turned into weeks for this one.

Shipped is the debut adult contemporary romance from Angie Hockman, centering around two rival coworkers Henley and Graeme who are constantly at odds or in competition even though they’ve never actually met in person. Their boss sends them on a cruise to the Galápagos Islands to gather intel for a marketing proposal they need to make to secure the promotion that they are both shortlisted for, and sparks fly between the pair when they finally meet in person. But will the competition for a shiny new job title end up preventing them from finding a happily ever after? While it took a while for me to be hooked by this novel, Shipped ended up being a really fun read! There were so many appealing elements that made up the heart of this tale: the cruise and travel bits (which had me immediately texting my family book club about needing to add the Galápagos Islands to our group bucket list), the sweet romance that blossoms between Henley and Graeme as they get to know each other better, the secondary relationships (including Henley’s relationships with her sister and her coworkers), and the workplace drama. Shipped is very much an entertaining novel that will allow you to escape the real world while you’re reading it, and it’s definitely worth the read!

Well, this book was everything I wanted it to be, and more. When you say that it's similar to The Hating Game and Unhoneymooners, that's a lot to live up to and this book managed to live up well. It was hard not to root for these characters and I fell jus tin love with Graeme as Henley did. This book pulls you in to all the emotions and takes you along for the ride.

Bonus points for having a fabulous setting that lets us travel through the book when we can't travel in real life.

▪︎What a fun enemies to lover trope! I love me a good rom-com. It's said to be compared to The Unhoneymooners meets The Hating Game. Two books that are still on my tbr! Graeme and Henley have a slow burn romance and their witty banter was hysterical!

What I enjoyed most is the author's ability to make me feel as if I truly was on an island cruise and the Galapagos Islands sounds soo refreshing right now! Something I LOVED so much. Transporting me on a vaca after being couped up due to the pandemic..and it didn't cost me a dime! What a rare treat. 👙🏝😍

At times Shipped felt a little far-fetched and I was left wanting more from the story but It didn't take away from my feelings about it as a whole once I finished the story!

Thank you netgalley and gallery books for this explosively exciting arc in exchange for my honest review!

✨Grab your copy of Shipped tomorrow!!✨

Yes, yes, yes this was literally one of the cutest and funniest romantic comedies that I’ve read. The blurb of this book says it is a mix between The Unhoneymooners and The Hating Game, while I haven’t read The Hating Game yes, I can confirm this is just as funny and cute as The Unhoneymooners. I loved the plot of this book, the enemies to lovers, and the characters. It was really everything that I look for in a romance.

Henley and Graeme work together at the same cruise ship company. They have only ever met through skype because Graeme works from home states away. Henley does not like Graeme in the least and they are really just archenemies at work. It just so happens they are both up for the same promotion at work, to get the promotion they both have to go on a work cruise and write up how to bring in more revenue to the company. It’s Henley’s worst nightmare, but she wants the promotion so she will do anything.

Let’s first talk about the witty banter between Henley and Graeme. It was everything, I mean just from the first couple of chapters I was straight up laughing because they were so cute and funny. Once they meet for the first time on the cruise, their banter gets even better. If a book can make me laugh out loud, I would say it’s a pretty great book. The slow burn enemies to lovers trope was amazing, and paired with their dry sense of humor I just couldn’t get enough.

While this focuses on Henley and Graeme, I really did like and enjoy the side characters. At first, I really did not like Henley’s sister, but by the end she had completely grown on me as did all the characters. I really enjoyed the plot of this book and Henley’s personality. Not to mention I think we could all us a hot, kind, and caring Graeme in our lives. I really hope this book takes off and becomes the next big thing because it is definitely worthy of awards.

Who is ready to add another fantastic romance read to your collection? Get ready for Shipped because I absolutely loved it! And I know you will love it too. 
Shipped is an enemies to lovers trope so you know that it's going to be hella banter yet sexual tension between Henley and Graeme. Henley has always been focused on her work and it comes with no surprise that she is up for promotion but there is someone else in the running, and guess who is it? That's right, her enemy at work Graeme. It may surprise you but they have endless email chains between them that they are often exchanging passive aggressive messages with each other. It's kind of cute because you know that they may feel a type of attraction for each other but they aren't willing to go for it. Little to their surprise when they both have to go on cruise together, and finally meet each other. Ops, did I leave out that they have not meant each other before? 
It's going to be very strange for them when they finally meet each other. But I can't lie that I was dying to read what their interaction will be when they finally meet. Like will they continue on hating each other? Will they ignore each other? what's going to happen? And when they finally meet, I just knew that they will have crazy attraction for each other. Like they cannot deny at all but Henley pulls herself together because she has a goal and it's the promotion for her. But you know what they say about plans, it never goes accordingly. Henley is going to realize that there is more than a promotion especially when she spends more time with Graeme during the cruise.

HJ Top Pick!

In Shipped by Angie Hockman, Henley Evans has slowly but surely been working her way up the corporate ladder at a Seattle travel company, currently as marketing manager. But she has her sights set on a new promotion that was just announced. One that would be a stepping stone to the executive board. All signs point to Henley being the one for the job until she finds out Graeme Crawford-Collins, the social media manager who works remotely from another state, is also in the running. And that just will not do. Especially since he and Henley have a tenuous work relationship already.

Things get even more complicated when Henley and Graeme must take a cruise to the Galapagos islands and each come up with a killer social media campaign to boost tourism. Traveling to such a beautiful location would normally be a dream come true for Henley. But between her rivalry with Graeme, family problems, an MBA that she is slowly plunking her way through, one or two classes at a time, and a mountain of student loan debt, she isn't sure time on a cruise will be well-spent. Once Henley is enjoying the sun, ocean, and activities the cruise provides, though, she's in heaven. Until her arch nemesis Graeme proves to be a totally different guy than she first thought. One Henley could see herself falling for all too easily.

An incredibly charming romantic comedy written with an insightful voice, Shipped by Angie Hockman carefully traversed friendships and love while sweeping her readers away to a magical tropical locale--the Galapagos.

When I saw Shipped was being compared to The Unhoneymooners (Christina Lauren) and The Hating Game (Sally Thorne), I was sold. I just had no idea that I would smile like a loon the entire time I was reading this debut novel by Hockman, or that I would completely and wholeheartedly fall in love with all of the characters. They sure were a motley group of people. But Henley, Graeme, Walsh, and yes, even Nikolai, warmed my heart with their many personal situations they were trying to resolve and the lovely bond they created together.

The tension Hockman created between Graeme and Henley was fun and grew to be oh so delicious. Through a series of misunderstandings and assumptions, they got off on the wrong foot as coworkers. And it carried over into their work trip in the most hilarious of ways. It was nice that even though most of the assumptions made were on Henley's part, she quickly owned up to it, showing a kinder, more humble side than Graeme was used to. Their personalities meshed well, which made their bantering and scenes together richer and full of depth. And when it came to the romantic parts of their relationship? I don't think the word smolder does it justice.

And the trip Henley and Graeme took to the Galapagos? Hockman has been there herself (read the author's note at the end for more about that!) which is absolutely evident in the level of detail and the true sense of wonder readers will have learning about the area and its native wildlife and plants she described. The Galapagos itself was almost like another character in the story. And seeing it through Graeme and Henley's eyes was a blast. Things might have been rocky between them, but the joy they found in exploring the islands and their many adventures together smoothed those rough edges and was enough to give them a fighting chance together.

Shipped was a sweet, chuckle-worthy debut novel by Angie Hockman that took enemies to lovers to a whole new entertaining place. I definitely think she's an author to watch and I simply can't wait to see what she will give us next.

Enemies to lovers is my absolutely favorite troupe.. so, it’s not hard for anyone to guess that I loved this book!
It does remind me a lot of The Hating Game and The Unhoneymooners, but it’s definitely it’s own book!
The angst, quirky comments, and steam make this a must read for all romcom lovers out there!

I’m stuck between a 3/4 star rating. There’s a lot of this book that reminds me of a few newer contemporary romance books. (The unhoneymooners in particular) It’s not entirely a new idea... if I take it for face value, it’s a cute story with minimal romance & no steam at all. Graeme & Henley make a good couple I just wish there relationship could’ve of been something more than the last few chapters of the book. All in all a cute read that kept me intrigued.

What a fun read! Shipped by Angie Hockman is the perfect book to bring a little sunshine into your life! Working in marketing for a cruise company, Henley is finally up for a promotion. But so is her nemesis. Their boss decides to send them both on a cruise so they can come back with their very best proposals. What will it be like to be on a cruise with your nemesis....who is also a complete hottie?!

I am in disbelief that this is a debut. This was so well done! From the characters to the writing to the pace and everything in between was so wonderful! It’s a great little escape from reality. I was quite skeptical when I heard this compared to The Unhoneymooners and The Hating Game, because those were so fantastic and can be a little hard to live up to. But, that comparison is quite accurate for what Shipped was. It’s a workplace enemies to lovers but set on a cruise ship in the Galapagos Islands.

Henley is a workaholic, super career driven but not really happy. She has been fighting with her coworker, Graeme (a remote employee), ever since he started. She doesn’t know much about Graeme but really hates him. They find out they’re both up for the same job promotion and are being sent on the company cruise ship to figure out how to market the Galapagos Islands digitally. Their first meet does not go particularly well, but Graeme is not what Henley expected at all. Graeme was such a special character. He was a true nice guy that had had a tough set back recently. I do wish we would have gotten Graeme’s POV but it was all from Henley’s POV. The setting in the Galapagos was very detailed and descriptive and made you feel like you were there. The pace was perfect. I didn’t want to put the book down at all. This was a great debut and I’m so looking forward to Angie Hockman’s future books!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a pretty fun read...even if it was a bit predictable at times. The characters had great banter and I found myself chuckling a few times. The flow and pace were great! I enjoyed the slight twist in the conflict. If you are a fan for Christina Lauren you will surely like this one!

This truly is the cross between The Unhoneymooners and The Hating Game. Henley and Graeme are competing for the same promotion at work and are forced to go on a cruise to the Galapagos together as market research. They both have to work through some personal things, including Henley’s huge grudge against Graeme. The Galapagos is a fun and unique setting to read about. An enjoyable enemies to lovers romance for anyone looking to take a tropical vacation right now!

Henley Evans is gunning for a promotion to director of digital marketing at her cruise ship company. Her competition is Graeme Crawford-Collins, the social media manager who is the bane of her working existence. He looks hot in his photo but works remotely so they've never officially met. Henley is irritated by his one-word emails and was shocked when he took the credit for one of her greatest work achievements.

Since neither employee has been on one of Seaquest's cruises, they are required to take a vacation and come back with their marketing ideas for the adventure. Henley brings her younger sister Walsh on the journey to provide a Gen Z perspective and plans to one-up Graeme with her "secret weapon." They try to sabotage each other and sometimes self-implode on their journey.

As the beauty of nature inspires Henley, she comes up with a brilliant idea to shift Seaquest's focus to ecotourism. But as her feelings for Graeme flourish, she is torn between her ambition and her heart.

Recommended for romance readers. Fans of women's fiction and sustainability may also find something to enjoy in this novel.

Shipped by Angie Hockman is the perfect debut novel! I adored this story! This was not only an entertaining romantic comedy of the enemies to lovers trope but also a story about a strong independent woman battling corporate misogyny. There is also a sweet storyline of sisterhood and the importance of friends and family. Overall the story is touching and fun but it carries enough depth to it, addressing more sensitive topics, that it never felt one dimensional or superficial. 

The story takes place mostly on an adventure cruise to the Galapagos islands. The author does a fantastic job transporting the reader to this magical place! Clearly having done her own research, Hockman describes the islands, plant life and animals with so much color that you can't help but ache to visit. Be sure to read the author's note at the end to fully appreciate why this takes place in the Galapagos. 

As a romance the love story is a believable slow burn with realistic tension and chemistry. Both Henley and Graeme, the protagonists, are well developed characters with great backstories and a lot of personality. The dialogue is witty, sarcastic and sweet. Henley's sister is equally developed and plays a role that adds a lot to the comic relief. Many of the interactions between characters are written so realistically that I could see myself having similar conversations with loved ones and friends or coworkers. 

This is really such a great book! It is described as "The Unhoneymooners meets The Hating Game"... I haven't read either but now I definitely will! 

Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books and Angie Hockman for a copy of this book for review!

What an incredible book!

I read this ridiculously quickly, needing to know how things worked out for Henley in both her professional and love lives. I loved that both these aspects were at the forefront of the novel - as a young woman it's nice to see love and work coexisting, rather than the trope of women sacrificing it all for love. Henley's relationship with her sister, Walsh, was also beautiful to see. Sibling relationships as an adult can be hard, and that's definitely explored in this book, but the love that the sisters have for each other was genuinely heartwarming. I loved seeing ALL of Henley's relationships grow - with Graeme, with Henley, with her colleagues in Seattle and the people she meets on the cruise. I really felt like in reading this book I watched a romance bloom but also Henley grow as a character, which I loved. By the end of the book I was rooting SO hard for her and wanting her to succeed at everything.

This book was the perfect balance of tropey and original. It's an enemies-to-lovers story (which actually isn't always my favorite trope), but it still felt very unique. The setting, the backstory and the characters were all so well developed that it didn't feel like I was just reading any other enemies-to-lovers book.

The setting of this book was perfect. As an environmental studies student I deeply appreciated Angie Hockman's descriptions of the Galapagos, and her inclusion of some of the threats to the ecosystem's survival. It's rare that a novel (especially one that isn't explicitly educational) does such a good job of covering these types of topics. Hockman brought the Galapagos to life and made me feel like I was there rather than my cold, wintery home.

I'm super excited to see what Hockman publishes next! This was a superb debut.

*I received an ARC from Gallery Books and NetGallery in exchange for my honest review*

Shipped was the last book I gave a hug to after reading it. WOW! As soon as I saw the premise was like The Unhoneymooners, I was sold. It’s that plus angsty office romance thrown in with a tropical location. We have a strong female lead and even more strong supporting female characters throughout. The names threw me the entire book (Henley and Graeme) but other than that - chef’s kiss.

Henley and Graeme are coworkers who are both up for the same promotion at their luxury cruise company. Their boss sends them to the Galapagos on an under performing cruise both to become familiar with the line but also to come up with a marketing strategy to help sell more cabins.

The level of workplace angst was perfect. I always get nervous reading books with that premise because sometimes it gets to be too much, but not here. Graeme gets moved to book boyfriend status after reading this gem. Even in competition, he was such a good guy and supportive of Henley. I don’t want to ruin any of the plot so I’ll just saw that the last portion of the book was absolutely amazing and had me audibly cheering and saying “YAS” during it. Yay to my first five star read of 2021.

I love escapism. Take a beautiful setting (the Galapagos Islands on a cruise), add in an enemies to lovers romance, and some sibling drama - and you've got a winning combination.

This one was exactly what I needed to get away from the insanity that is my life right now. I love a good enemies to lovers trope and this one definitely delivers. I also loved the additional storyline of the workplace drama that unfolds as well. Henley and Graeme were both great characters and I really enjoyed their backstories and was able to connect with them. This one was closed-door so of course I wanted more steam, but it was still a really good romance! I give this one 4.25 stars.

She needs to take a chill pill. Or eat a cheeseburger.

Graeme sounds like a nice person, actually.

Well. that made an impression!

Creepy bird.

He was just trying to be helpful.

Yoga on the beach sounds fun.

Avery is a twat.

Poor Nikolai.

Good for you, Walsh.

Honey. you don't want to work for this jerk.

Son of a cracker...

Best sister ever.