Henley knows she is good at her job. Between that and taking classes toward her MBA it’s basically her entire life. So when she is offered a chance at her dream promotion, she knows it’s as good as hers. Until she finds out that her arch nemesis Graeme is also getting the opportunity. Their boss decides that the director of marketing for the cruise line probably should have been on one of the cruises, so just her luck, looks like Henley will be spending a week at sea with Graeme.

I tend to have some trouble with the enemies to lovers troupe. It often feels unrealistic and there is just so much bad communication. I’m happy to say that was NOT the case with this book. I flew through this one and loved every second. I thought the situations with Henley and Graeme were incredibly realistic and of course we had to throw in a misogynistic asshole of a boss who naturally loved Graeme, and told Henley all of her ideas were terrible. The ending I certainly did not see coming, but damn was it the best way to end this book! I highly recommend this one if you are looking for a great rom com!

Rom Com at its finest.

Henley is torn between all the things in her life. School, work, friends, sister, love life. When a promotion at work comes up, she makes this her mission. Enter Graeme Collins, the current media manager she's only had contact with via email, if can call short, to the point answers emails!

Her boss sends her and Graeme on a cruise to the Galapagos Islands with the intent there will be a promotion at the end of it, but for who? Henley and Graeme were in competition the whole trip until something changed! Feelings erupted but Henley was hesitant. She had a prior relationship with someone she worked with and it didn't end well.

Both Graeme and Henley found out their boss was stealing Henley's ideas after Graeme was awarded the promotion and a plan was put in place. Their boss was fired, they both got promotions and fell in love!

Henley Evans is the epitome of a hardworking, do it all gal! She is a marketing manager at a cruise line company, taking MBA classes, being her sister’s keeper, and gunning for the promotion of her dreams. When she finds out that her boss wants her to experience one of their cruises and create a proposal for a new marketing strategy, she just knows she will knock it out of the park. It isn’t until she finds out that her annoying, credit stealing coworker, Graeme, is also gunning for the same promotion AND has to attend the same cruise that her blood starts to boil. What will happen on this cruise? Who will win the promotion? Will Graeme turn out to be the awful human she has made him out to be?

This book is one of my favorite tropes! Coworker/office romance with enemies to lovers! If you loved The Hating Game and The Unhoneymooners, you’ll really enjoy this one.

Henley is an awesome, powerhouse lady that just makes me want to work my ass off and be the best!!!! She’s a rockstar.

Graeme (Graham is misunderstood and WONDERFUL. Ugh, I loved him. He got a liiiiittle cheesy at the end, but he was hot hot hot.
(My only annoyance was how his name was spelled….)

This also has a great “women in the workplace” plot about what it’s like to work for a greedy, untalented man. I enjoyed it!

This is based in Seattle/Galapagos. I loved the history and real life information about the Galapagos.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I am excited for it to be released! I give it 4 stars!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy of Shipped in exchange for my honest review!

This is being billed as "The Unhoneymooners meets The Hating Game" which is probably how I would describe it. Except pulling both of those tropes into one book sort of decreased the overall effect. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed reading this book. I laughed, I was irritated (for the character not at), and I swooned. But I wish there was a little more "Hating Game" because things sort of evened out a little quicker than I would have liked. I really enjoyed the cruise setting and the stops on the Galapagos Islands. Such a fun book to read!

***Advanced copy obtained by Gallery Books via Netgalley***

Angie Hockman's novel Shipped is a humorous romance novel that is great to read for a getaway to a warmer climate. This is the first novel I read by Angie Hockman and I enjoyed the book greatly. I would recommend this novel for when you need to get away in a story.

I received a free advanced copy from Netgalley for an honest review.
#Netgalley

This trope is my favorite!! Enemies to lovers always seems the most interesting to me! The tension building between the main characters turns on a dime from hate to lust to love. This books satisfies!

Henley Evans is in a rut. Between taking night classes and working a demanding day job for a cruise line, she barely has time for anything else. But then a dream opportunity comes along at work that she would die to get.

Throwing this cruise off course? Henley has competition. Also up for the position is a co-worker named Graeme Crawford-Collins (and yes, I had to write his whole name out because I love it). Technically Graeme works remotely so they’ve never formally met, but any interactions Henley has had with Graeme only leaves her seeing him as pompous and dismissive, and yet- still the MAN to beat.

To make the competition “fair”, Henley’s obnoxious boss insists both of them take a cruise themselves in order to best understand what they’re promoting. In all honesty, taking a free cruise for work doesn’t sound like a hardship in the slightest, but the pressure to succeed makes for less than smooth sailing.

Along for the ride is Henley’s kid sister Walsh who is also lost at sea, both literally and figuratively. There’s awkward scenarios a plenty on the cruise, but also a surprising amount of serious information about the importance of supporting Galapagos and its wildlife. Oh and there’s love. Love, as The Love Boat once boasted- that’s both exciting AND new.

So pack your bags and climb aboard because Shipped is a well rounded trip worth taking!

As soon as I saw this described as a mix between The Hating Game and The Unhoneymooners, I knew I had to have it. It definitely lives up to the comparison! This is swoony and will make you laugh out loud. What more could you want from a romance?! The stunning cover is just the cherry on top. 4 glowing stars!

I picked this book up expecting a romance, and while that expectation was definitely met, it was so much more than that.

A story of drive, passion, and finding oneself, this book manages to incorporate not only the love story but a story about chasing one’s dreams no matter what gets in their way.

The Unhoneymooners meets The Hating Game in this sweet and quirky office romance that will have your heart melting.

Hard worker and go-getter, Henley is up for a big job promotion that could mean a step up the corporate ladder. But when her boss suggests she gain research for her proposal by debarking on one of the company’s cruises with her charming and devastatingly handsome coworker (aka her rival), she finds out that maybe there’s more to people than what’s on the surface.

This book was downright ADORABLE. The flirty banter and chemistry were off the charts. I also loved the Galapagos setting. I found it very fascinating, and it definitely had my wanderlust in full swing.

This was such a fun read with a lot of heart. I could definitely see this as a sweet rom-com film, and I am here for it!

4.5/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Enemies to lovers can be such a great trope when done right. Whats it they say- there's a thin line between love and "hate?!" And that can make for a seriously fun book when done right. Angie Hockman did it right in Shipped, a story of two co-workers who have never met (one works remotely) but are forced to work together daily. What is more relatable than a miscommunication because all your communication happens via text or email. And what if that was your first impression?!

This is exactly what happens with our hero (Graeme) and heroine (Henley). Their relationship is best described as antagonistic. I will say their actions and opinions are understandable and not overly dramatic. This book is really a fun vacation- something we all need after being stuck at home for 9 months (travel to the Galapagos!) and after winter has started (okay not for me- I'm in LA- but for some already sick of the snow and cold).

Shipped is a fun read that shows what happens when co-workers who hate each other are up for the same promotion and forced to take a trip together in order to come up with their own marketing ideas for their travel business. The funniest thing with this book. I started off being really exasperated with the heroine. I was very concerned she was going to be a doormat. And I had strong, not good, feelings about the hero (mostly because the story was written from the heroine's POV), and I was tempted to just put the book down and say it was not for me. But when I thought about it- I thought maybe this is actually me being invested in the heroine and going through the emotions a lot of women have when in a male dominated industry. Although, the book is generally fun and light- there are some issues that definitely ring true. One is climate change/eco-tourism and the idea people need to be responsible travelers. And the other is how women are treated in the workforce. Both are done in a way where it isn't the main focus of the story- but mentioned enough it gives the reader something to think about.

In the end, I fell in love with these two- how could you not after finally hearing Graeme's story and his thoughts on Henley. And yeah, maybe their HEA was a bit predictable- but when I pick up a fun read like this- I don't mind that. I especially love when karma rings true- and that is all I'll say about that. Shipped was a nice vacation from what has been a long week finishing up school with my kids and getting ready for the holidays. I will definitely pick up another book by this author.

Thank you so much to @angie_hockman and @gallerybooks for my gifted copy of Shipped! This fun enemies to lovers romantic comedy is released on January 19th!

Y'all: this book has been compared to The Hating Game and The Unhoneymooners, and it is such a happy marriage of both of those books. Henley and Graeme are coworkers, who are up for the same promotion, that get sent on a work trip to the Galapagos Islands (they work for a cruise line). Their task is to draft a proposal of how to increase bookings to the Galapagos Islands, and the winner gets the promotion. However, once they are on the ship, Henley realizes that Graeme is nothing like what he seems - and that he’s even better than she thought. This makes Henley begin to question a variety of life choices...and I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I’ll stop there.

If you want something to escape into during the cold months of January, this is it. Much of the book is set on a cruise ship, and the descriptions of the activities are so vivid. You start to feel like you are in the Islands and on the ship, or in the cruise line’s offices in Seattle. The Galapagos Islands are definitely on my bucket list. But now, the characters...oh my! Both Henley and Graeme are deeper than they appear and have more to them than meets the eye, and it is delightful to learn more about them as the plot unravels.

There are several other things I loved about this book, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers in the book. When you’re done, make sure to read Hockman’s letter, and you’ll understand the other big reason why I loved this book. If you’ve read it and want to discuss, please send me a DM. I enjoyed the ending and definitely have some opinions about how everything wrapped up.

Make sure to check this book out on January 19th!

4.5 stars! This was super fun. The description of “for fans of The Hating Game and The Unhoneymooners” drew me in, and that was the perfect description. Definitely one I’ll want to revisit later!

Henley is an intense woman with the goal of being a director for the company. But she is set in competition with Graeme for the new position of digital marking director. They are each to submit a proposal to increase the Galapagos numbers by the end of the cruise.
The details about the Galapagos is absolutely stunning. Makes one want to visit. Henley learns you shouldn't judge a person by what you imagine in your mind. You need to meet, work and play with them. On top of all Henley's problems her sister, Walsh, shows up needing sisterly help.
A great cruise ship read.

What a cute, enjoyable read. I sailed through this with my bookclub! The characters kept us laughing and gave us much to discuss.

I wished it had a bit more steam and romance in it, but it was definitely fun to read.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this and give my honest opinions.

Thank you Netgalley's Public Catalog for the opportunity to read Shipped by Angie Hockman!

This book was sweet, cute, flirty yet covered some real life challenges that women face in the workplace. I would definitely recommend this book to fellow readers!

Thank you NetGalley and Galleybooks for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. Shipped comes out January 19th!

Henley is a career driven graduate student who works for a small cruise line company. She has little time for family, friends and dating. When the opportunity for a promotion comes up it appears all the late nights were worth it. Until she finds out her arch nemesis Graeme is up for the same promotion. Their boss asks them to draft a proposal to boost sales in one of their cruise lines. The pair must go on the same cruise, together. As they spend time together the way Henley feels about Graeme begin to change. It seems that maybe he isn’t who she thought he was.

What did I like:
1. I absolutely adored all of the characters. They are authentic, real and relatable. I love Henley’s drive to be successful and the dynamic between her friends and sister. I loved Graeme’s sensitive side and how he was also driven but didn’t want to take credit for things he didn’t do. The side characters were even well developed and added value to the story.
2. The relationship between Henley and Graeme’s was slow to develop. Their banter was super cute and I loved how they found the best in each other. When the story ended I found myself wanting to continue watching their relationship develop.
3. I loved the authors note at the end and how she was inspired to write this story. I can tell she is passionate about her story and characters. The story is well researched too and it was easy to see that she put all of her energy and soul into this book and it does not disappoint. I can’t wait to read more stories from Angie Hockman.

What I didn’t like:
1. The story isn’t super heavy on the romance and steam. This isn’t really an issue for me but I could see it being a problem for some.
2. The story is marketed as an enemy to lovers romance but there wasn’t much in the way of the characters being enemies. There were some elements yes, but not like in other novels that I’ve read.
3. Henley’s sister Walsh added a lot of value to the story. That being said, I didn’t see any value to adding in the very tiny section about Walsh’s boyfriend.

Overall, this story is great and I highly recommend!

I have a confession to make: I am a The Hating Game fanatic (I know, join the club). So when I read this book was marketing itself as being like The Hating Game, I quickly and warily added it to my TBR. Excitedly. But warily. So that should give you an idea of how I don’t take claims as to being like my Queen lightly. But if done right? It had the potential to be so so good. And while, yes, this didn’t live up to that expectation fully, I still really enjoyed this book.

While there are many parallels to The Hating Game, at least at first, this book also carved out a name for itself. For one, this book was as much about the romance between Henley and Graeme as it was about Henley’s career and personal growth.

In the first half, we got so much witty banter and “oooh you wanna kiss me so bad” moments between Henley and Graeme. My heart was siiiinging at the witty banter. I actually had to laugh out loud. The use of metaphors in this book were truly Big Brained and downright hilarious, and you can bet I added some to my repertoire. I will say I was a little disappointed that they made less of an appearance as the book went on, though. Which leads to the second part of the book.

As the book went on, it got more serious. We got more Women’s Fiction than Romance. Henley starts to question what it is she really wants and really starts to blossom as a character. She takes a stand for herself and mends her relationship with her sister. And subsequently, the romance with Graeme took a back burner. Of which, I was a little disappointed. This is all purely a personal preference, but I prefer romance books that are more romance-centric. So that is where I took a point off my rating. Don’t get me wrong, I teared up and felt proud of Henley for fighting for herself and growing, I just wish I had more cute romance moments alongside. Where did the quick-witted and sharp-tongued Henley go in the second half? Where did the cute banter between Henley and Graeme go after the got together? I wished I could have seen more of it.

While I don’t think this book touches The Hating Game (#Queen), I definitely think this will be a big hit. I just advise if you are a big THG enthusiast like myself, you go into this book with a fresh set of eyes, and don’t expect it go exactly like THG. You will be disappointed if you do. Instead try to enjoy the book for what it is; a really solid read about self-discovery (with some romance!).

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review

Shipped is a fast paced, easy, enjoyable read. A cross between chick lit, contemporary fiction and a modern romance. Typical girl meets boy, girl thinks she hates hot, girl and boy forced to spend time together, girl and boy are soulmates. While the plot is predictable and there are no real twists and turns, Shipped is a fun read. Set in the Galápagos Islands, what a great backdrop for the story. Graeme and Henley are very well developed like able characters as are Nikolai and Walsh and the other supporting characters. This contemporary story is set on the backdrop of a small cruise ship—it all comes together to make for a great story. Angie Hockman has written a winning story with a perfect combination of fun, romance, travel and family. I recommend adding Shipped to your TBR list for 2021.

Shipped was promoted as a a cross between The Hating Game and The Unhoneymooners, which are two of my favorite romances. The comparisons do apply! The tropical setting was fun, and the banter between Henley and Graeme was entertaining. There were some moments of comic relief toward the middle that I found awkward, and I thought there were a few too many subplots, but I absolutely loved the ending!

This romance does address some heavier topics, including workplace discrimination, the death of a parent, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and environmental conservation.