A wonderfully fun and emotional debut novel, I found this story a joy to read. Henley and Graeme have great chemistry, plus there are other characters Henley has special connections with. She could sometimes be a way too career/goal oriented, but she’s overall a very likable character.

The first four or so chapters of this story felt a bit slow for me. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like them. They are actually important to the story. It’s just that once Graeme and Henley are face to face this story took off. So the juxtaposition was noticeable. That is to say, if you’re wondering what the fuss is about this book when you first start out, hang in there. You’ll see.

For some reason, I couldn’t quite figure out how the author was going to get me to like Graeme. Before he comes on the scene and he’s known to Henley only through phone and email conversations, there are a few things he does that range from annoying to downright dreadful. I fell in love with him almost instantly once the story moves to the ship, but still had one hang up that I wasn’t sure I could get over with him. Rest assured, I did. And it even made sense to the storyline. I always appreciate when a story thread is resolved in a way where the reader can tell the author cared about the outcome and wasn’t just trying to wrap up the loose ends.

There are a lot of entertaining characters on this cruise who brought more color to the story. Instead of having the main players experience this trip in a bubble, we got to see things through a few different sets of eyes in a way. It brought some comic relief and depth to the story.

I have to say, I also appreciated the sisterhood in this story. Henley is not being treated fairly from the very beginning of this book and her girlfriends band around her and boost her up. Saying too much about these parts of the story may be spoiler-ish, so I’m not going to dig into it all. But seeing Henley find allies in unexpected places, as well is with those she knew would always have her back, gave me all sorts of Wonder Woman/Girl Power vibes and I was loving it!

Was this story perfect? No. There were a few timeline issues I had (when don’t I, though?) and there were parts I felt the pacing was a bit off. Was it a laudable debut? Heck yes! I’m definitely looking forward to watching this author’s career unfold. Good writers always grow the more they write. Which means there is much to anticipate from Angie Hockman.

I just really loved this book! It provided a great romance with an even more awesome cast of side characters. Is there going to be some spin offs, if so I am here for it! Not only does this book give me a romance with one of my favorite tropes, enemies to lovers, but it also delves into serious issues and does it really well.

So when this book releases on January 19th I cannot recommend enough that you pick it up.

As always thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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This book was marketed as The Hating Game meets The Unhoneymooners and it was just that! I finished this book in one sitting. I loved the banter between the two main characters. It was cheesy, but in the right way.

Fun rom com with a very welcome travelogue!

Pitched as The Hating Game + the Unhoneymooners, this book is about two colleagues competing fo the same job. Graeme and Henley haven't met, as she works for a Seattle-based cruise company and he works remotely. But based on his terse responses to her emails, she's decided she hates him.

When the two are sent on a Galapagos cruise together for work, Haley tries to fight her attraction to the very attractive Graeme.

I've always wanted to go to the Galapagos, and since I'm going nowhere lately (!) it was fun to get the virtual travel. Henley and Graeme were cute, and while there were a fair amount of issues in here (conservation, male-female work dynamics, sister relationships, grief, abusive relationships) most of them were well-incorporated. It all felt a little earnest and sweet than steamy, and some things wrapped up conveniently neatly, but in 2021 that's not a bad thing in my book. Fun and feel-good for sure!

3.5. Since this was marketed as The Unhoneymooners meets The Hating Game (two of my favorite romances from the last few years), I jumped on the chance to request it. I appreciated the extent to which Hockman went into the ecosystems of the Galapagos--it's kind of refreshing to see that fleshed out--but the actual romance and chemistry fell flat for me.

I was glad to see Hockman address sexism and abuse in the workplace, and it was fun to see her work team come together to support her, I felt like she did that at the expense of developing Graeme and Henley's relationship. The romance feels secondary and two-dimensional--there's not much indication of exactly why Henley's hatred is so vehement at the beginning (she barely knows the guy) or how their feelings for one another developed. I also think that introducing Henley's sister Walsh into the story was distracting and didn't add much (though I don't really like flaky characters, so that may be more of a personal preference).

What fun little rom com from a new to me author. It was delight and very fun to read.

Henley and Graeme are coworkers who are up for the same promotion in their cruise company but they are also arch enemies. They are sent on a cruise to work on their ideas to win the promotions. While on the cruise Henley finds out that she may have mistaken Graeme from the beginning and Graeme finds out he may be falling for Henley. Could she possibly feel the same? But what about the promotion?

I enjoy rom coms like this one. I loved the extra characters we meet along the way as well. Her sister Walsh may be a favorite. I enjoyed my cruise through the Galapagos islands with the whole crew of this story. My only complaints about the book were I felt a few things were a bit rushed and really came out of nowhere. I won't go into great detail but the issue with Walsh was quite a shock when it came to light. I didn't see that comping. Henley's boss and his issues, also out of nowhere. The problem with them flying out of nowhere is they are REALLY BIG problems and I the reader wasn't prepared at all. And this was the only reason this was rounded from 4.5 stars down to 4 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author for the copy to read and review.

This is marketed as "The Unhoneymooners meets The Hating Game". It certainly has that office romance/paradise getaway vibe. Unfortunately, it also fell a little flat. I appreciated the secondary characters and tackling the topics of sexism in the workplace and abusive relationships, but I didn't fall for either Henley or Graeme. I was really enjoying it in the beginning, but the more I read, the less I liked it. There were honest and great moments though, despite it being too cheesy. This book felt very trope-y and the end felt like an entirely different story with different sets of conflicts than the first 50%. I still enjoyed some of the banters though. If you're looking for a summer read or something that isn't too heavy on the steam, I think you'll like this tons better than I did.

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the earc! Shipped comes out on January 19th!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free early copy of this one.

This was such a cute story from the first page I was totally engaged and wanted to see what would happen next. Henley Evans is a young professional working for a cruise line and just wanting to move up the career ladder. When her and her chauvinist coworker are up for the same promotion, they must go on a cruise together and come up with a marketing plan to be judged to see who gets the promotion.

There wasn’t a dull moment and I enjoyed the characters and the setting. Highly recommend.

Shipped was such a fun and good read! I love when rom coms also shed lights on real life issue, so Shipped delivered on that! It also has such a wonderful main and supporting cast (crossing my fingers that I may be reunited with them again).

For a full spoiler-free review, check our blog out (Www.acourtofbooksandbrews.com). Also, run, don't walk to the shelves on January 19th when Shipped releases!

As usuals, many thanks to netgalley and gallery books for providing me with an earc in exchange for an honest review!

3.5. I enjoyed the story of Henley and Graeme. I liked the different social media posts that really bought their marketing strategies to life, also really made want to book an island vacation. It also gave perspective to their different personalities and added humor to the story. I think there was some unnecessary drama between Henley and her sister. Overall it was a fun escape read.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Shipped from @NetGalley and @gallerybooks. Shipped will be out next Tuesday on 01/19/2021 - I highly recommend preordering it!

Henley is a workaholic who is getting her MBA at night - her main goal in life is to get her dream promotion at the adventure cruise line company she works for. Her problem? Graham Cracker-Collins. I’m sorry I meant Graeme Crawford-Collins. Graeme is the social media director that works remotely who also wants the promotion. Henley and Graeme’s boss decides to send them both on a cruise to the Galapagos Island with instructions to come back with a final presentation that will wow him in order to win the promotion. The problem? Henley hates Graeme. Or does she?

I really, really enjoyed this. I felt like I could relate to Henley in a lot of ways, and Graeme was the kind of book boyfriend you can fall in love with. This is rated PG, so it’s sweet instead of steamy. The cover is adorable - swipe to see it in color. There is also some “meat” to this - Henley’s boss is a real piece of work and I loved learning more about the Galápagos Islands! Highly recommend!

Need a vacation? This is the perfect escape read! Henley, driven and type A, is determined to get promoted to digital marketing director at her company, a cruise line. But unfortunately her workplace nemesis, Graeme, is up for the same promotion. Their boss tasks them each to come up with a brilliant marketing proposal, and to help them better understand the company, he sends them on a cruise around the Galápagos Islands. Together.

But as much as Henley wants to hate Graeme, she soon realizes that he’s not such a bad guy and she might have misjudged him—plus, she can’t help her growing attraction to him. This enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy is full of banter and sexual tension, strong female friendships and sisterhood. I thoroughly enjoyed it! To me, this novel straddled the line between women’s fiction and romance, since much of the story centers on Henley’s character growth and emotional journey. Because it’s light on steam with fade-to-black sex scenes, it’s a perfect choice for readers who prefer a less explicit romcom. This is out January 19 and I predict it’s going to be a hit!

Thanks @gallerybooks and @netgalley for the digital copy in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed this!! A fun enemies-to-lovers & office romance, that centers around a trip to the Galapagos! Honestly... this book has made me now want to travel there someday! The banter between the main characters, Henley and Graeme, was great (though I did feel the "hate" was really one-sided) and there were definitely times I was laughing out loud while reading. The development of their relationship was sweet and heart-warming, and their chemistry was great!! I really have a soft spot for Graeme. There were also some awesome side characters (looking at you Nikolai) that really added to the story. And while I wish there had been a little bit more romance at times, I did like how the underlying storyline addressed sexism in the workplace. Overall, this was a really fun and fast-paced romance set in a really wonderful setting!

This was such a great story! I enjoyed reading Henley's journey and how she overcomes many obstacles to stand up for what she believes in. This book made me want to be a part of the cruise and be in the Galápagos. I felt like I was experiencing all of the wonders of this magical place. Graeme and Henley were so cute together. And I love all of how supportive her friends and sister, Walsh, were. I really liked this and can't wait to read future books from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

This was adorable!! I've seen it compared to the Unhoneymooners and The Hating Game, and although I haven't read The Hating Game, it definitely reminded me of the Unhoneymooners! I loved the Unhoneymooners, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Blurb
After devoting herself fully to her job for years, Henley is ecstatic to finally be considered for a promotion. Problem is, her rival, Graeme is also being considered. Despite having never met, their hate for each other is well known around the office. Both tasked with drafting a marketing plan, and sent on the same cruise to the Galapagos Islands, soon, their lives collide.

I know anyone who picks this book up isn't looking for anything other than a swoon-worthy romance. And this is exactly what this book provides! All of us readers are fools for enemies-to-lovers, and I'm no exception. I picked this up purely because of that fact, and I don't regret it at all! Graeme and Henley had the funniest interactions, and I loved their slow transition from enemies to friends. Their relationship felt natural, and I would gladly read another 100 pages of just them together.

Another thing I loved about this was the tropical location! It was the perfect backdrop for the story, and was so fun to read about. Graeme and Henley's snorkeling, hiking, and kayaking adventures put me in the mood to do some exploring. I love books with tropical settings, so I loved this!

If you're in the mood for a light and fluffy summer read, this is for you! It was the perfect blend of romance and adventure, and I loved every bit of it!

Thanks to Netgalley and Angie Hockman for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

Advance copy received through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Shipped was an enjoyable romance read in the enemies to lovers trope. I'm usually wary of that set up since the characters often come off as verbally abusive and sabotaging to each other, especially in the workplace, but I think there was just enough drama in Shipped to make it believable but not so much that I couldn't stand the characters. The book grew on me as I continued to read and I loved learning more about the Galapagos island and conservation efforts. Travel goals! I think there were some chances to develop characters and their story lines more (would love to see a sequel for Walsh), but overall this was a solid romance read that wasn't solid stereotypes throughout. Not too steamy (read as no weird names for body parts), not too annoying character wise , and had a bigger message than girl gets boy. I'll definitely read more by this author!

This was fun. It felt a lot like a rom-com-complete with physical comedy. It’s a no-sex-on-page story if that bothers you or makes you more interested.

Henley is a workaholic who often sacrifices personal relationships for work. She has a rivalry-type relationship with Graeme. They end up competing for a promotion.

The bulk of the story takes place on a cruise ship. Graeme and Henley work for a cruise line so part of their competition is that they must experience a cruise to the Galapagos. It was a really good setting-both on the ship and on the excursions. Ms. Hockman does a great job of weaving in conversation lessons without feeling like you’re being lectured.

The romance was cute. Graeme and Henley are very clearly attracted to each other. They also have a lot of those bickering conversations which I typically like. I do like them together and was on board, but it wasn’t a particularly deep relationship.

The characters were also a little shallow. While I liked the story, I’m not sure I really know the characters. I enjoyed my team with this and would recommend it, but I also think I’ll forget most of this in just a few days.

Shipped was one of those books where I really enjoyed a lot about the book, but the main character just wasn’t quite likable enough.
Shipped is an office enemies to lovers book, much like another book I hold near and dear to my heart. Shipped is mostly set on, you guessed it, a ship—a cruise, to be exact, where Henley and Graeme meet in person for the first time. Henley hates Graeme even before she meets him, which is why I didn’t love her. Her snap judgment of Graeme without knowing him at all. I also didn’t like that she seems to take out her, very warranted, frustrations about her boss on Graeme instead of laying blame where it truly belongs.
The story’s cruise aspect was interesting, and I liked that the two of them, out of their element, helped them get to know each other out of their element. I also really did not like Henley’s sister Walsh. She’s not a terrible character, but I just didn’t think she served much of a purpose.
All in all, this was a decent enemies to lovers romantic comedy, but there are better ones out there.

Henley has been working her butt of for years so when she finds out she’s being considered for a promotion, she’s willing to do whatever it takes. She discovers she is competing for the promotion with Graeme, the remote social media manager she can’t stand. They will be going on a cruise to the Galapagos together to experience what the cruise company has to offer and come up with their best marketing proposal. But when Henley meets Graeme, he isn’t at all what she expected and she starts to find herself attracted to the enemy.

First of all, I love a strong female lead in a romance and Henley is the type of woman I admire. Some of the power moves she makes were amazing and without giving anything away, that ending was everything. Her character was so much more than a love interest and I am here for it. Really, one of the best female leads I’ve read in a while. The enemies to lovers romance was also done well. The romance aspect of this story was fun, the characters had good chemistry and banter. This was a fun read and I highly recommend it to all of my romcom fans out there!

Read if you like enemies to friends romances (when I saw that this book was described as being for fans of The Unhoneymooners or The Hating Game, I knew it was for me!).

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Shipped will be released on January 19.

The main character of this chick lit novel, Henley, is a workaholic at a company that specializes in small cruises. She has never met her co-worker Graeme face to face, but when they are both set on a cruise to the Galápagos Islands as part of a competition for promotion, their enmity (pretty much all on her side) of course eventually turns to attraction. It took a little while to get going and definitely dragged out the turn to the obvious romance too long, but it was a cute book and the Galapagos setting was definitely different and interesting and I enjoyed the end. 3.5 stars.