This was billed as The Hating Game x The Unhoneymooners and I absolutely agree. It's those two storylines meshed together. Because the story was already known to me I was looking forward to complex characters.

That didn't quite happen for me. Henley was judgmental and uptight at the start. I assumed so she can have a large growth arc, but that arc never really took off. The fact that she felt a woman "had it all together" because she lived in a house with a yard instead of an apartment and that her sister at 24 was a failure for not having a full-time job was really hard to connect with for me.

Graeme was also a bit flat as a character for me, he oscillated between swaggering confidence and shy politeness too much. I couldn't get to like him enough before he did something that was "out of character".

I liked the complexity of the side characters most of all, though the villain was a bit on the nose, the rest of the supporting cast was very solid.

Overall the conversation about gender roles in the execute workplace and men taking credit for the work of women, mixed with the eco-travel and conservation efforts in Galapagos, with a dash of a conversation on domestic violence all felt a bit much for a book with such a playful title and cover.

I applaud any author in their debut effort, so amazing job Angie Hockman, but this one was not for me. It lacked the cute and light escape I was craving.

ARC generously provided by NetGalley for my honest review. (Thank you #NetGalley).

A quirky story. Graeme and Henley are coworkers in a combative relationship. It is a cute story as these two people who had never officially met had formed a preconceived idea about each other. There are are some funny incidents as they encounter some funny escapades. It comes to a sweet ending as they find common ground with each other.

Shipped is a debut novel that is a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. It tells the story of two coworkers, Henley and Graeme, who are competing for a promotion within the cruise line they work for. Henley has had to work with Graeme since he joined their company a year ago, and she can't stand him. She knows that she can't count on him to complete the tasks she gives him. When she tries to take control of the situation, he just pushes back more, resulting in very frustrating email battles between the two. Their boss is sending them on a cruise, after which they will have to pitch an idea to him based on their experiences. Henley has never met Graeme in person before, since he works from home in another state and she is dreading having to spend so much time with him. Once they are on the cruise, Henley quickly realizes that Graeme may not be the jerk she thought he was.

Graeme, oh Graeme! He is one of the main reasons why I really liked this novel. Graeme is smart, clever, and considerate. When he is comfortable enough to open up, he is eloquent in explaining how he feels and what he wants, and I am here for it! But he is also annoyingly clever at times, doing those things that get under Henley's skin that would drive me mad. There were so many moments while reading when I thought "Oh my gosh, that's something my husband would do!".

Angie Hockman does an incredible job of providing much-needed imagery in this novel. I felt like I was on that cruise, in the Galapagos. I really liked her writing style, subtly adding a level of humor that perfectly balanced the story. There were so many little nuggets of clever language that had me laughing at loud.

I liked that I learned about the Galapagos from this book. It's a topic that I don't know much about, and I appreciated the notes at the end of the book about the Galapagos and conservation efforts.

If you're looking for a feel-good romance that makes you grin and laugh, pick this book up!

I’m not so sure that Angie Hockman’s ’Shipped’ is really a love child of Sally Thorne’s “The Hating Game” and Christina Lauren’s “The Unhoneymooners” as it’s touted to be, but the blurb is an appealing one. An adventure in the Galapagos with a rival colleague? Sign me up, literally.

“Shipped” started out as a 5-star read and held there for a while, as I was heartily entertained by the cruise and what Graeme and Henley would find themselves in as they went round the Galapagos. I understood Henley’s focus on her career at the expense of people around her, her wariness in wanting to pursue something noteworthy for herself, her unwilling attraction to Graeme when he was supposed to be public enemy number 1.

But things started to unravel somewhat from there, beginning from the tone-deaf inclusion of a flighty sister who behaved more like a flouncy teenage who thankfully improved a lot later on. The constant push-pull between Graeme and Henley was expected, but the longer it wore on, the more it simply looked like Henley opted to put herself first over everything—including stepping on Graeme when it suited her, then offering a lame sort of conciliatory note before almost expecting Graeme to step up the rest of the way as her irksome insecurities ended up getting her off easy for it.

As single-minded as Henley was, I found it increasingly irksome that the focus seemed to be more on her trying to get everything for herself, without putting much room for Graeme and their so-called relationship that she never really fought for enough in the end.

Their steamy scenes—which would have gone a way to help solidify their feelings—were also abruptly cut off as just things were getting up to speed with several cock-blocking moves, as though Hockman decided to skid to a stop at the front of the bedroom door to slam it shut at the last minute.

As eager as I was with “Shipped” when it first started, I wished the story had taken a different turn that involved a bit more compromise and more reciprocal emotional investment towards the end…it would have certainly worked out for me a lot better.

Rating: 2.5

Maybe if this was a movie instead of a book, I might like it more. These kinds of books are very hit or miss for me. The main thing that made this one a miss, was the set-up. The first 20ish percent was a chore to get through. The main character was a pushover at her job and never speaks up when she should and that's just a cliche that's hard for me to put up with. If all I had to do was sit through a half-hour of that in a movie, then it might be easier to put up with. If that's something that doesn't bother you, you might enjoy this book more than I did. I also really didn't see the appeal of the love interest, other than he was, supposedly, attractive. The plot was entertaining though.

Shipped
336 pages
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*thank you @gallerybooks & @netgalley for a copy in exchange for a review*

Marketing manager Henley Evans barely has time for herself, let alone family, friends, or dating. But when she’s shortlisted for the promotion of her dreams, all her sacrifices finally seem worth it. Graeme, the remote social media manager and the bane of her existence, is also up for the position. Although they’ve never met in person, their epic email battles are the stuff of office legend. Their boss tasks each of them with drafting a proposal on how to boost bookings in the Galápagos—best proposal wins the promotion. There’s just one catch: they have to go on a company cruise to the Galápagos Islands...together. But when the two meet on the ship, Henley is shocked to discover that the real Graeme is nothing like she imagined.

SO. I started this book before bed, hoping to finish a chapter or two, and finish the rest the next day. Fast forward until 2 a.m., and I finished the whole book. I could not stop reading, it was so addicting!

Henley and Graeme were wonderfully written characters—but I did get annoyed at Henley a couple times, when she chose work over life, but that was her journey—and they both went through so much development. I also loved having Henley’s sister along for the trip.

I didn’t travel much in 2020, but after reading this book I felt like I did! I also found myself rooting for the characters in ways I hadn’t before, hurting, being happy, and nervous for them!

This book was described as a mix of The Hating Game and The Unhoneymooners, two of my all time favorite rom coms, so I was a little nervous reading this, and it did not disappoint. Shipped has joined the list of my favorite rom coms! Highly recommend this!

Shipped is out Jan. 19, 2021

Shipped by Angie Hockman was super cute! It was exactly what I needed right now - a light, funny rom com with a blissful dose of escapism! *Calgon take me away!*

In this classic enemies-to-lovers romance, young and ambitious Henley Evans is the Marketing Manager for a cruise line. She's put in so much hard work the past few years and thinks it will pay off when she learns of a Director of Digital Marketing position at her grasp. This would be a promotion for her and would be a huge accomplishment for her career. She soon finds out that she's been shortlisted for the position and will be competing against another person - her arch-nemesis, Graeme Crawford-Collins, who is the company's Social Media Manager.

Their boss tasks them to draft a proposal on how to increase bookings in the Galapagos - whoever comes up with the winning proposal will get the promotion. There's also a catch - they will have to go on a two-week company cruise to the Galapagos Islands together!

Henley is not shy about showing her disdain for Graeme and continues to do so while they're on the cruise. Hi-jinks ensues as they are both gunning for the promotion but Henley slowly realizes that she might have misjudged Graeme - maybe he's not so bad after all?

The book is really funny - lots of witty banter and bickering (sometimes seemed cheesy and juvenile at times - to the point where you want to roll your eyes), but it's all in good fun. The book could use a little more steam - if you're looking for a light, clean rom com, then this is the book for you. The Galapagos Islands sound downright magical! It's now officially on my bucket list.

Rating: 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5).

Thank you, NetGalley, Gallery Books and Angie Hockman for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I pick up a book with an enemies to lovers trope I really want them to hate each other because I always feel like when the two characters finally do get together they set the world on fire with all that pent up frustration. So happy to report that this definitely had the hate part down pat, at least on Henley’s side, she really cannot stand Graeme. Their emails and sniping back and forth was super entertaining and the tropical setting was a fabulous added bonus for me.

I loved the focus of a strong woman trying to succeed in the workplace and the exploration of the struggle it can be solely because Henley is female. She was a complex and interesting character and Graeme was as well and he was also pretty swoon worthy. There was quite a bit of back and forth conflict between the two but nothing too heavy. I do want to point out one aspect that caught me off guard, there was some domestic abuse discussed and in the middle of this charming and otherwise fun story was just something I wasn’t expecting, so heads up if that’s a trigger for you. Overall a really fun and enjoyable read for me!

Shipped is about two coworkers meeting for the first time on an exotic Galapagos cruise. Even though this story was quite predictable, it was cute and romantic. I'm glad the protagonist was able to grow throughout the novel. I would recommend to friends and family.

As soon as I saw it compared to the Unhoneymooners, I knew I had to read this book! While I have not read The Hating Game just yet I will say it gives me Unhoneymooner vibes and I’m so here for it. I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. It has all the things I want on my rom-com checklist and more. Henley and Graeme are competing for the same promotion. They are sent on a cruise to the Galapagos (jealous) and whoever has the best proposal will win the promotion! Henley hates Graeme but she soon learns that first impressions aren’t always correct. This romance went into deeper topics of loss and what women experience in the workplace. I was rooting for Henley and loved to see her character grow. Highly recommend this one and it will have you wanting to book a cruise asap!

Can Henley beat rival Graeme for her dream promotion at work, or will falling in love derail everything? A great combo of a sweet and poignant love story and a woman discovering who she really is/wants to be. Loved the backdrop of the cruise around the Galápagos Islands and the addition of conservation into the book. I did struggle a little with the reality of the main relationship developing the way it did - the backstory just didn’t always completely fit for me. The ending was also a little too grandiose for me. But it’s a quick and fun read I think many will enjoy. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for my ARC of this novel - all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book and read it quickly. It was more a cute romance rather than a steamy read. I enjoyed that the author didn't make the enemies to lovers theme drag on too long and that the banter was lighthearted.

I would definitely consider this book YA. Not my favorite type of romance, slightly cheesy, but enjoyable nonetheless!

What could be more romantic than a cruise to Galapagos? Throw in two co-workers battling for a promotion and romance could be the last thing on their minds. I found myself smiling and laughing out loud many times while reading this book. “Shipped” is a witty, humorous, well written getaway from everyday life.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read an early copy of this new novel. Shipped is a cute hate to love romance about two co-workers who have communication problems. It was a basic story of two people learning to communicate properly and to find themselves. It was not my favorite story but it was sweet. If you are looking for a quick light romantic read this is a book for you.

My last read of the year becoming a new favorite?? More likely than you'd think!

I was up until 2am devouring this story. I couldn't stop reading with the effortless and snappy dialogue and pacing, the powerful female friendships, the SOFT BOI romance. It was like watching a movie while staring at dead trees covered in the letters of the alphabet.

SHIPPED is the only adult romance that is compared to The Hating Game that I actually agree with. SHIPPED is the office enemies to lovers with feminism and environmentalism that everyone needs on their Kindles and bookshelves. Add in the vibes of The Man music video and the ridiculously vivid descriptions of the Galapagos and you have the formula for a flawless adult romance-- and a debut no less!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-arc of this amazing release. All opinions are my own.

I had SO much fun reading Shipped by Angie Hockman!

Henley Evans and Graeme Crawford-Collins both work in the marketing department at a major cruise line. When they both get nominated for the same promotion, they’re tasked with creating the best proposal to boost cruise sales. Henley and Graeme are sworn enemies and now they’ll be on company cruise together, competing for the same job.

The enemies to lovers trope was executed so well in this story. The banter, the sassiness, and the competition had me smiling the entire time I was reading this book. I also loved that Henley was so career driven and stood behind her ideas. I also really liked Graeme’s character and his backstory. This was a great feel good romance!

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: 1/19/2021

It's so like Sally Thorne's The Hating Game, but sometimes it does go a little too alike,. Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It's funny and sexy and perfectly witty. The couple have such good chemistry that it shows good writing. Great book.

This was a cute read, perfect for summer as it takes place on the Galápagos island. I did enjoy the romance but didn't love it and honestly I wanted more of it. I did love that Henley was very ambitious in her career and works hard and it shows.
Overall it was cute but I didn't love it.

I really enjoyed this book. The blurb says it's a combination of The Hating Game and The Unhoneymooners, and that is VERY accurate. You get the vacation vibes mixed with the animosity and tension of workplace enemies. I couldn't relate to Henley that much, but I still liked her. Walsh and her storyline, I felt, were unnecessary additions to this story. Initially, I was going to give this book 4.5 stars, but I bumped it down half a star for the last 10% of the book, which was extremely cheesy. For some reason all the dialogue and the events just came across as cliche, and I was kind of disappointed by that. Overall, I enjoyed my reading experience, and I really loved Graeme and the unique setting.

Witty banter?
Fabulous writing?
Incredible tension?
Enemies-to-lovers?
Tropical destination?
Confident, competent female MC?

YUP. Shipped checks ALL the boxes for the BEST kind of rom-com out there. I still can’t believe this is a DEBUT from Angie Hockman. I’m not one to name favorites, but this book soared into my top 5 rom-com reads in 2020 after I devoured it in 24 hours with the ladies of @lovearctually. It’s funny, sexy, and will take you on an epic adventure to the Galapagos Islands. The writing flows effortlessly, never a lull or dull moment.

Henley Evans is balancing a budding career in promotions for a Seattle-based cruise line while pursuing her MBA. She’s been rage-emailing with Graeme, her remote-based social media manager for months when she finds out he’ll be her competitor for a giant promotion.

The challenge: spend two weeks on a cruise to the Galápagos together. The best proposal on how to boost bookings wins the promotion.

This book is so much more than a romance read. Besides the SIZZLING chemistry, it has family drama, work drama, and relationship drama without being “extra.” It strikes such a great balance overall and everything is woven together so well.

Seeing how Henley’s relationship with her (seemingly) immature younger sister Walsh evolves is a great subplot in the book.

I also love Henley’s colleagues and friends. Seeing how supportive (most!) of them were and seeing how they really rooted for each other’s success was refreshing.

Finally, if you aren’t sold on ANY AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, Angie Hockman has really shone a light on eco-tourism and its importance. Don’t skip the author’s note to find out how you can support some of the causes near and dear to her. She graciously chatted with us via Zoom recently and she’s just as funny and endearing as her writing comes across!

You can TAKE A CHANCE( ←-- oh, I failed to mention the epic Abba lip-sync battle? Well, there’s that too… ) on Shipped when it releases January 19th. Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this title.