I have such mixed feelings on this book. It's a great romance, you're definitely invested in both the leads and know they will be perfect together.

My issue was the inappropriate messaging between co-workers before they showed an interest in each other. Made me uncomfortable about the work environment. Also, the boss character is so inappropriate in the workplace in how he leers at women and touches them inappropriately, yet that is never really addressed.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I enjoyed this book and would definitely love to read more by this author.

4/5 stars

Where do I beginning....
I was hooked the moment I heard this was a mix of The Unhoneymooners and The Hating Game. I couldn't stop smiling THE ENTIRE TIME.

Henley and Graeme are up for the same promotion at work and both want it BAD. Henley is your typical smart, hard-working girl who after years of working at the same company is finally being given the chance to move up the career ladder. Too bad Graeme, the hot social media manager from Michigan, is too. Both are stuck on a cruise heading for the Galapagos to draft proposals for the competition. Maybe it's the weather, or maybe it's Henley finally getting to know the real Graeme, but things on that boat get real steamy, real fast.

There was so much chemistry between Henley and Graeme it was unreal. I truly loved their connection and even when they weren't together, I could really understand Henley's hesitation for jumping straight into anything with him. The side plot with Walsh was EVERYTHING. I liked how the romance wasn't the center of the story the entire time and it added a really nice dynamic between Henley and her sister. I really enjoyed how their relationship was portrayed and how they worked through their issues. Henley and Graeme are two extremely likable characters. It's impossible to not love them straight from the start. They both grew in different ways and even though everything is from Henley's perspective, you could still understand Graeme's motives really well and see his own personal growth.
I didn't really like how fast the romance developed. I was expecting a bit more tension and honestly more anger from Graeme. It's implied that although they have never met, Henley has been in contact with Graeme a lot throughout the year so I assumed she would have a good sense of his character. However, from the first moment she sees him on the cruise, he's this kind, handsome, and passionate man who doesn't match at all Henley's description of him. I understand that she had a lot of pent up anger against him but none of his actions really justified her impression of him. This ended up being the reason it was a bit more of a frenemies-to-lovers book since they really only hate each other in the first few chapters. Towards the end of the book, it felt a bit rushed as well. I get that this is a romantic comedy so a HEA is to be expected, but it kind of felt like the author was trying to finish the book faster and wrapped it all up with a bow. Maybe it's just me being cynical but I didn't expect everything to end up good for everyone you know? However, it was a great ending and it didn't stop me from loving the book.
Although this book was not in my opinion as good as its predecessors, it was still a very fun and enjoyable read. I was so impressed with all of the research the author put into making the trip as detailed as possible. It added so much to the story. If you're looking for something light-hearted, funny, and with a touch of steamy, this is the book for you!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Although working for a cruise line sounds like it wouldn't be work at all, Henley is overworked, overextended, and seemingly overstressed. The stress continues when she finds out that she and her work nemesis, Graeme, are fighting for the same promotion. Even worse, their boss is sticking them on the same cruise to see who comes up with the better marketing strategies. All is fair in love and work, right?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Okay, 5 stars. I could not put this book down. The characters are likeable. I even really enjoyed the characters job field, it was definitely different than the typical fiction occupation. But here's my big question, where the heck do I find my own Graeme?

Thank you Angie Hockman for this ARC! Ohio girls have to stick together 😉
Also thank you NetGalley and Gallery books.

Super cute story, but it has unnecessary language.

Henley is vying for a promotion at work but then learns one of her work-from-home colleagues, Graeme, is up for the same spot.

To decide which one is the best, their boss sends them both on the same cruise to the Galápagos to present the best proposal.

Henley and Graeme only know each other from emails and once-a-week video calls but she doesn't like him because of a misunderstanding. When they meet each other in person, there's a definite chemistry and they struggle with their feelings.

I enjoyed the writing and the story and all the characters. Like I said, it has language.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

WOW WHAT A FUN READ. I loved everything about this book! Henley and Graeme had such a fun connection and relationship that I was rooting for throughout the entire nook. I also love how the romance wasn't the main focus as Henley realized she wanted more for herself than just to have a great job and worked to do better in her relationships with her sister and friends! We love growth!!!! The nature nerd in me also loved everything about the Galapagos cruise and now I need to go on one. Such a great read that any lover of the rom-com genre will love.

Shipped is such a fun book - PERFECT for a vacation read! Henley works for a cruise company and is up for a promotion. Her boss sends her and her competitor, Graeme, on a cruise to the Galapagos Islands to get a feel for cruise life. Henley absolutely hates Graeme because of a previous incident. She wants nothing to do with him on the cruise. Graeme, on the other hand, seems fascinated by Henley. The story moves forward, taking the reader through the beauty and culture of the Islands, and proceeds in a fun, somewhat predictable manner. The ending of the book is sweet and satisfying. I enjoyed reading Shipped, but I did find that it got a little long, and I was able to skim a little.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

Shipped was a fun, rompy, witty, romantic comedy! I laughed out loud many times at the antics the character finds herself in. The tropical setting was fabulous and exquisitely described, feeling a bit like a get away. The romance portion was heartfelt and lovely. The book moved along at a nice pace and was a fun, refreshing, lighter read! It got a bit over-the-top at times but overall I enjoyed it. My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a cute escapist read that I would recommend as a light fun read.

The story follows our protagonist Henley who is up for a promotion at SeaQuest Adventure Cruises against her loathed coworker Graeme. Their boss sends them on one of the company's cruises and tasks them each with coming up with a digital marketing campaign. The better proposal will win the job.

I enjoyed Henley and Graeme together. Unlike some other rom-com novels I have read, I thought their dynamic was completely believable and their reactions to one another in light of being up for the same promotion were realistic. I also really appreciated the author's note after the novel on ways to preserve the ecosystem in the Galapagos Islands.

Normally I find I love the banter-y beginnings of hate-to-love romance books and the book loses steam for me once the couple gets together, but here I didn't find that to be the case. I would like to personally thank the author for staying far, far away from the dreaded miscommunication trope that often rears its ugly head once the couple gets together. Also, there was no fallout for Graeme and Henley once they decided to give their relationship a go. I find that a dramatic break up in romance novels after the couple has gotten together is just tedious and sours the relationship the characters have built (and that the reader is obviously rooting for) throughout the story.

My very minor complaints: A tiny bit of the dialogue felt forced or unrealistic. Also, not that its a problem but I'm starting to notice this trend of an LGBT side couple in, like, every romance novel and it has begun to feel like an archetype thrown in for easy diversity and inclusion points. Not every books needs that, particularly when it feels repetitive or overworked in the genre.

First book I completed in December, and I’m not entirely mad about it. It was a fun romance, a hate to love romance specifically (one of my favorite tropes) with some traveling, family drama, work drama, basically a little bit of everything. And I enjoyed it! It was a quick and breezy read. The writing style was easy, had a nice flow to it. There were times that certain lines got repeated a lot and I’m not sure why it bothered me, but it did. Every time Graeme’s eyes would narrow (when he was happy?), Henley would always be gnashing her teeth, it was just bits and pieces of things that kept appearing. Anyways, I don’t think it’s the best romance I’ve ever read though (my go to genre is not romance, so take this review with a grain of salt), but it was still a solid read.

Now, I’m a big character reader, and these characters, I just didn’t care about any of them? They weren’t bad characters or anything, but I wanted to feel invested, I wanted to root for Henley, and I just couldn’t find that connection. I think my favorite character of the bunch was Graeme because I genuinely thought he was a nice, standup guy and there were many moments where it felt like Henley was pulling at loose strings to remain mad at him. I understood in the beginning why she was, classic miscommunication, but after that I was just like really? I did appreciate the sister dyanmic between Henley and Walsh, that was probably the most realistic relationship in the book.

What gave this book the extra half star, since I was teetering between 3 and 4 stars was the ending! I really enjoyed the ending. I thought some badass moves were made, lots of take charge women stepped up to the plate and got their voices heard and I just loved seeing that play out.

Overall, I would say if you’re looking for a cute and easy hate to love romance, that takes place in a tropical warm location, you’ll enjoy this one!

Characters: 6/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Writing Style: 6/10
Plot: 7/10
Intrigue: 6/10
Logic: 6/10
Enjoyment: 7/10

Rating: 6.4 or 3 stars (rounded to a 3.5 stars)

I am SO BLOWN AWAY with Shipped!! This was absolutely outstanding and a joy to read. The Hating Game and The Unhoneymooners are two of my favorite romance books, and this close mashup between the two was something I never knew I needed in my life ... until now. Shipped is my new obsession. I read this book so so quickly because I just could not put it down. My Kindle was glued to my hands for I simply had to know what was going to happen next. The characters and the plot were so so wonderful, and I'm so excited for others to experience this story and have the BEST TIME like I did!

I want to go to the Galapagos. Immediately. Although, I do feel like I kind of just went. This book was such fun relief from the dreariness of 2020. It transported me from my stale house to a breezy ship. The chemistry and sharp banter between Henley and Graeme kept my eyes glued to the pages. What I'm saying is this book was an ESCAPE. And I loved every moment of it. I want to flip the pages back and read it again for the first time!

I received this ebook ARC from Gallery books on NetGalley and I couldn’t be happier!

Wow! I loved this book! This book is marketed as The Unhoneymooners meets The Hating Game and I thought Shipped was even better!

We follow Henley, a twenty something woman who works for a cruise company, and she is up for a promotion, only thing standing in her way is Graeme. A remote employee who is her competition. They are sent on a cruise to the Galapagos for research for their presentation that will decide who gets the promotion.

This is a classic hate-to-love story and I generally feel luke warm about that trope, but Shipped is different! I even loved the side-characters, (people they meet onboard) they’re like-able and funny! There are some laugh out loud moments and fun adventures! Angie Hockman does a beautiful job making me feel like I was in the Galapagos experiencing the excursions with them!

Everyone go pick this up when it releases January 19th!

5/5⭐️

Henley is a super focused, career driven woman who dreams of rising the ranks to a director position at her cruise company. When her loathed work rival, Graeme (who works remotely), is put up for the same position as her the two are sent on a Galapagos cruise to come up with a proposal for increasing/improving digital media marketing. When the two meet, sparks immediately fly...maybe Graeme isn't as bad as Henley assumed?
This book would be perfect for fans of the workplace, enemies to lovers genre of The Hating Game.

I loved this book. This book claims to be a mix of the Unhoneymooners and The Hating Game and I completely agree with that.

Characters:
I loved Henely and Graeme. I loved the drive and ambition both of them had. Both were very realistic characters, with very realistic backstories and personal issues. I loved how they got to know each other and support each other through their issues. Walsh did get on my nerves at times, but she was a very sweet character. I did feel the other female friendships seemed very "chick-flicky" and a little surface level, but I was able to overlook it.

Relationship:
What I loved the most was how supportive and healthy their professional relationship was. Despite both competing for the same position, once they began to like each other, they were super proud of the other's accomplishments. The relationship between them grew quite organically. The "hate" they felt for each other was pretty surface level and was caused because of a misunderstanding, and they solved that by having healthy communication. Once they got over that, both began to fall for the other. Their relationship wasn't fake or unnecessarily sappy, it was real and very mature.

Plot/Writing:
The adventures the characters were going on were so much fun to read. I felt like I was there with the characters I am so glad that Hockman did not get carried over trying to vividly describe scenes to us. There are so many books in which the author gets carried away with flowery, long descriptions of just the color of the ocean. Hockman was able to take me to the Galapagos and this fictional cruise without me actually having to be there. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments and fun side characters that kept me entertained. There were some scenes where the story was feeling a little dragged out, and I do wish we got to see them back in Seattle a little bit longer than a couple of chapters.

At the end of the book, we get a couple of chapters where a climax suddenly appears and we get a little feminist moment for Henley; however, I wished that was tied better into the rest of the story. I feel like the office plot and the Galapagos plot were two separate things. If we got more climax buildup throughout the story and more the way she gets double-crossed integrated into the story, I would have a much better time and would have been on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how Henely was going to deal with it.

Overall, a great book for fans of The Hating Game and The Unhoneymooners.

- 4 stars -

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Angie Hockman for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Shipped was a delightful enemies/rivals-t0-lovers romance. There were plenty of swoon-worthy and heartwarming scenes and laugh out loud moments, balanced wonderfully with more serious heartfelt parts. This was a perfect pandemic read, providing a getaway to the Galapagos on the page. As someone who has volunteered/worked in conservation, I adored the advocacy and ecological aspects incorporated into the book. The romance developed so wonderfully and at a realistic pace as each character became more fleshed out and their competitive friendship progressed. In addition to the romance, I loved the sibling bond and female friendships that were explored over the course of the story. The ending is incredibly satisfying, both in terms of the romance and for Henley as an individual. This book was the perfect temporary escape, and I can't wait to recommend it to friends! Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC!

The description of Shipped checked so many boxes for what I like to read about, I had such high hopes before I even read the first page. This book blew me away. I laughed, I cried, I understood Henley’s feelings about being overworked and overlooked at work because she’s a woman, and I fully understand now what people mean when they call someone their ‘book boyfriend’ because Graeme is my favourite main male character I’ve read about in a very long time.

I love cruise travel, and it’s not something I’ve seen written into romance books very often. Angie Hockman did an excellent job writing about cruising, and the Galápagos. I also really enjoyed the note written by Angie for the readers at the end of the book; she very clearly did her research and was so informative. I’m very ready to add the Galápagos Islands to my bucket list.

I loved seeing the character growth throughout the book, specifically in Henley, but in Walsh and Graeme as well. The way Henley and her coworkers all came together was incredible to read about, women supporting other women is something I will never get tired of reading about.

I understand why Shipped is compared to The Unhoneymooners and The Hating Game. To me, it combined the best parts of those two books (the incredible location of The Unhoneymooners + the work rivals trope from The Hating Game + the hilarious banter from both).

I cannot recommend Shipped enough. Thank you to Gallery Books & NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!

A lighthearted enemies-to-lovers romance. I enjoyed the work competitors set-up and the fun, tropical setting of the Galápagos Islands.

This was super cute and I could totally see it becoming a Hallmark movie. It was the perfect escape from the stress of this year and I'm glad I gave it a chance.

Shipped is about two co-workers competing for the same promotion. Henley and Graeme work for a unique cruise line and are tasked with coming up with a fresh way to boost the company's Galapagos destination adventure cruise. They go on the cruise together and experience some magical moments snorkeling and hiking as well as learning about the unique ecosystem that exists on the Galapagos. There is some witty banter and humorous situations that occur along the way to their happily ever after.

I really did enjoy this book. I thought the main characters were really cute together and although there was some tension, I did not see this as a downright hate to love story. There were some serious moments and I wished there had been just a little more about Henley and Graeme getting to know each other on a deeper level. The descriptions of the places they visited on the cruise were very interesting. I felt the author did her research and I enjoyed the information as part of the story. All in all, Shipped was a nice, easy romance that read smoothly and had a sweet ending.

My sincere thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read Shipped and give my unbiased opinion on it.

3.5 stars.
I love the enemies-to-lovers trope and I want to travel so bad right now that I couldn’t resist Shipped. Two characters working towards the same promotion and forced to vacation together in the Galapagos Islands? Yes, please.

Henley was stubborn. I understand how it can be difficult as a woman in business, so I empathized with her. But sometimes it felt like she was cutting of her nose to spite her face. She seemed unwilling to see the other perspectives, even when Graeme was so clearly not a “bad guy.”

Graeme was a breath of fresh air. He was sweet, supportive, and vulnerable. While I do feel like the initial “hate” relationship between him and Henley was not very well fleshed out, I enjoyed their interactions. Their romance was very fast paced (with no steamy scenes, I might add) which contributed to the light feeling of Shipped.

Lastly, the friendships between Henley and both her sister and her squad was heartwarming.

Shipped was a light and easy read that made you want to learn more about ecotourism.