Shipped is a really adorable office romance with a solid enemies to lovers vibe- and lots of bonuses. Our heroine has to learn how to cope with a really bad boss, a really tough promotion opportunity, and of course a coworker who is everything she hates- until she meets him and realizes she was all wrong about him.

I think overall this was a great story with a really strong focus on bigger issues than just the romance (office challenges to women's autonomy and power, ecology issues in the Galapagos) but sometimes those themes undermined the central romance which really needed to be the key to the plot. I'll allow it, but the waters definitely get a little muddy towards the end. On the other hand, big props to the hero for being right there to lend a hand when it became about more than just the love and about the job.

This was more closed door than I anticipated, so for some that's a bonus- in my case I was hoping for more. But a solid fun romance anyways, and I can see the Hating Game references here for sure! Four cute stars, plus a half for a great kid sister who needs a little helping hand along the way. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for this unbiased review.

I read a lot of romance and women's fiction, and the thing that bugs me most is how shallowly the majority of characters are developed--such as that the protagonist has a heart of gold, the antagonists are pure evil, every supporting character is just a combination of stereotypes like sassy minority, horny grandma, intimidating boss, etc. And not to give away too much here, but the characters in this book genuinely progress in surprising directions, or were simply misunderstood by our narrator, whose ambition and focus makes her see the world on her terms. 

I also really liked the environmental elements about the Galapagos islands. The author even includes some additional information in an appendix.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This cute romantic comedy has been compared to a few other books, but honestly, I think it stands on its own! If enemies to lovers and workplace romance are your thing, then you need to pick this one up!⁣
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Henley and Graeme work for the same cruise and are competing for the same promotion. They end up on the same cruise to do some market research for their presentations and that’s where the fun really begins. ⁣
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In addition to Henley and Graeme’s relationship, I enjoyed the addition of Henley’s relationship with her sister and her two female friends at work. I had some major girl power vibes from them! I also thought the twist at the end of the story was excellent and could totally have seen that happening somewhere. A great addition to the story!⁣
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I thought Graeme was going to be unlikeable in the beginning because of how Henley talked about him, but I was wrong. I ended up loving Graeme just like Henley did! He was thoughtful and sweet with Henley. She slowly warmed to him and in the process, ended up learning a few things about herself. Loved that as well!⁣
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I absolutely adored this! It's so cute and enjoyable. The pacing was fabulous - I actually read this in an evening because I just needed to see what was going to happen with our characters. The writing was hilarious, and I'll admit, I did snort in amusement several times throughout the book. The setting was just so lovely. The cruise itself felt realistic, and I really loved that they were in the Galapagos. We get to have some fun tropical moments like snorkeling and kayaking (both are activities I love, so I was all for this).

The romance was SO GOOD. We get excellent banter between our characters, and I rooted for them so much. Henley is a hard worker at both her job and the extra classes she's taking. I can definitely respect how she wants to be good at what she does and still question whether she's on the right career path. Graeme is super sweet, smart, and funny. We also have some great side characters! I initially didn't care for Henley's sister, but I definitely came around to liking her by the end of the book. Some of the other cruise members provided HILARIOUS moments too!

There were some heavier themes here as well, and I really like the exploration of these. There are topics like sexism in the workplace, abusive relationships, and death of a family member. I thought that these were all handled well. I also really liked the overall message of conservation!

I would absolutely recommend this book!

My video review can be seen on my channel (around minutes 20:59-24:12 of this video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3igP7ejhqw

If you love the Unhoneymooners then you’ll love shipped!!! It’s a super fun summery story! The banter was amazing & the sexual tension is off the charts. All it’s missing is steam!

This was such a fun read! Fast-paced and full of flirtatious and witty banter, this book was a welcome escape. Angie Hockman makes it easy to visualize the Galapagos and what it would be like to cruise there. Only critique I have is related to the names of some of the characters. For instance, the main character is Henley and her sister  is.... Walsh.

What a fun to read. Very entertaining and loved every bit of it. Thank you publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Such a fun read! I loved that each character had something deeper happening in their lives, showing that most people are much more than first impressions. Graeme is wonderful! He is understanding, funny, sexy, and vulnerable. Although I think the way his name is spelled is silly and unnecessary. 
I enjoyed learning about the Galapagos, they sound breathtaking and are not on my bucket list vacation spots. Enjoying the island descriptions while taking in the romance of Graeme and Henley was an amazing combination!

Henley and Graeme are both competitive in nature, when they are put up for the same job the push and pull between the two lead characters is comedic and romantic. One will win the job based on how well they showcase the company's cruise line to the Galapagos. Being pushed together to make sure guests and staff give them glowing reviews enemies quickly become something else.
4.5/5

Shipped was such a blast to read. An absolutely hilarious enemies to lovers book  that took me to The Galápagos Islands via cruise ship. 

On a larger scale Shipped was about beginning anew and second chances. It’s described as The Unhoneymooners (my fave romcom ever) and The Dating Game and in my opinion that is an accurate description. It was engaging, bingeable and really lifted my mood when it’s been so low. Shipped checked off all of my Romcom requirements! I was so invested in Henley’s relationship cheering her on and frantic to finish. 

Thank you for the entire experience @angie_hockman ! I give this all the stars for all the feels and laughter and for the swoony romance in the midst of it all!!!! 


Huge thank you to @netgalley and @gallerybooks for my #gifted digital copy of the book to review.

Thank you so much to Gallery Books and Netgalley for letting me read an e-ARC for Shipped! Not only do I love cruises, but I'm also in marketing for my day job, so I was super into Henley and the summary of this book! I loved this book way more than I was expecting, and since it came out on January 19, I need everyone to read it ASAP!

Shipped 5/5 Stars

Summary from Goodreads:
Between taking night classes for her MBA and her demanding day job at a cruise line, 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.
The only problem? Graeme Crawford-Collins, 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. As they explore the Islands together, she soon finds the line between loathing and liking thinner than a postcard.
With her career dreams in her sights and a growing attraction to the competition, Henley begins questioning her life choices. Because what’s the point of working all the time if you never actually live?

I loved Henley so, so much. She was ambitious and relatable and juggling way too much and she hated her boss but couldn't do anything about it and it seemed like he hated her too and was always belittling her and her work life was more and more annoying, all because of stupid Graeme Crawford-Collins (lol I had to stop myself from typing Graeme Cracker, since that's what Henley calls him when she's the most annoyed with him). She reminds me of myself and of my best friend Bee- always working and trying to get forward in our jobs (and she's especially relatable since we also work in marketing). I hated that she had to fight someone else (Graeme) for the promotion that should have been hers from the get go, but I loved the way in which they went about having them do the whole competition. I thought the Galapagos cruise sounded amazing and I loved how Henley was able to take her sister on the cruise with her (because I really loved Walsh so much) and Henley and Graeme getting close on the cruise was super cute! I also liked how she realized that she needed to take a break and have a real work-life balance, or else life would definitely pass you by and actually implemented that when she got back from the cruise. I also really loved the ending, but I hated how it came about and how ugh gross and slimy certain aspects of things were, but I know that's how the world is (I hope this is vague enough that it doesn't spoil anything, because I think y'all really need to read Shipped and be as outraged as I was while reading it haha). In terms of the plot, it moved super fast- I started and finished this book in one night- that's how much I enjoyed it! Overall, I definitely think you need to pick up Shipped and read it now!

Shipped was such a cute debut. The Galapagos Island setting and funny antics by protagonist Henley are what really made this story! 

Henley is working hard to climb the ladder at the travel company she works at, when who other than her rival, Graeme, is up for the same promotion. Stuck together on a cruise to Galapagos Island, she gets to see there’s way more to this hot guy than she thought.

I loved the banter and chemistry between them and Shipped makes the perfect escape read to dream of vacation days at the beach.

*many thanks to Gallery Books and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of “Shipped” by Angie Hockman. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

I find I really enjoy romance books with a fun travel element. This book took readers to the Galapagos and you could tell the author had been there and loved it. Although you’d never get me on a cruise ship, it was an entertaining setting for the story. 

Henley and Graeme are competing for a promotion and get sent on a Galapagos cruise. Graeme works remotely for the cruise like company and the two finally get to meet in person. But Henley blames Graeme for taking credit for her work and the two have to confront their misunderstandings and attraction to one another. 

Graeme makes some good points about Henley not sticking up for herself. He does come across a little “not all men” at times but he does confront Henley when she’s being unfair towards him.

Henley is a doormat. She lets her sister, Walsh (Ugh apparently their parents hated their daughters giving them those names) crash her trip. Walsh tries to flirt with Graeme to distract him from his work and Henley just avoids avoids avoids talking to her sister and telling Walsh to knock it off because Henley had feelings for Graeme. There were some jealously scenes that were cringe inducing.

My biggest complaint was with a man on the cruise named Nikolai who is meant to be comic relief sort of. He pops up to flirt with Henley and make Graeme jealous. I found it problematic all the fat shaming directed towards him and his “marshmallow abs.” Having a six pack does not make you a great person and Nikolai could have been turned down by Henley in a nicer way. Plus he ended up coming through for Henley in major ways towards the end. 

There’s a twist ending that was compelling but the romance in this book was mild for my tastes. I liked how the promotion competition was resolved in a way that didn’t have Henley sacrificing her career for a guy.

3/5 stars

This is so boring and I'm not hooked on the voice after 30%. Some books just aren't for everyone, unfortunately. DNF.

I received an e-arc of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

3/5 stars

I was so excited to read this book and get ready to be in the vacation mood from it. However I just wasn't feeling it. As a matter of fact the part I loved most from this book was after the trip happened and they were back to work. I just didn't really feel much between the main characters and it was really a let down in that regards. There were definitely some cute moments between them but it had the misunderstanding trope and it just didn't really hit home for me. 

Now if I was solely basing this book on the last third, it would be 5/5 stars. Up until about the 60% (or even a little later) I was mostly just making slow progress through the book and was pretty uninterested in the story. But that last third or so was fantastic and really didn't see it coming. Honestly I contemplated giving this a higher rating because I did love the ending so much but I just didn't feel like I would be honest if I did as the first part was more of a chore for me to read. 

So the main reason I picked up the book was for what I thought was going to be a cute vacation type romance but what I ended up loving was the friendships and work parts of the story.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Review: After spending most of my time at home the last year, I'm ready for a vacation. Even though I'm still unable to travel, it was nice to visit the Galapagos Islands with Henley and Graeme. If you're also looking for a sweet, fun enemies to lovers romance to escape into, look no further than Shipped.

What I loved about this book:

1. I loved the environmental and conservation aspects of this book. I think it's extremely important to do our part to make sure our natural treasures are around for future generations to enjoy. I loved the author's letter and that she provided information on the islands and where to donate.

2. I really enjoyed Henley and Graeme's characters. Henley was a kind, hardworking, and loyal heroine that you'll instantly like. Graeme is just as swoony as one could hope for in a love interest. He's sweet, smart, and super sexy so you'll be shipping these two from the very beginning. As you read along you get to learn more about their pasts and it's hard not to empathize with these two as they work through their problems. Their chemistry and banter had me instantly addicted this story and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for these two to give into temptation.

3. Honestly, who wouldn't love the spectacular setting of the Galapagos Islands for this entertaining romcom? I absolutely loved all the different places on the islands the author took us and her descriptions made it easy to envision myself right there with the characters. The only problem is I want to visit ASAP, which is unfortunately impossible.

I really enjoyed this spectacular debut and I will definently read whatever Hockman writes next.

I love it. Only thing I knew about the book was it is a hate to lovers story. The coworkers compete for a new position. They work for a cruise company and the boss send them vacation to Galapagos so they can propose a new idea for the company and who has the best idea gets the position. 

I definitely should tell you that it is much more than a romance book. It is some times a tour guide (I googled many animals to see what they looks like), touches the sexism at work place and environment awareness. Taking a cruise vacation has never been on my mind but sure I do wanna see Galapagos. 

What I wanna say is, if you like steamy romance it has that and on the top of that all the other goodness. Check it out!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

Henley Evans has a plan. She’s going to finish her MBA, she’s going to get the promotion at work, and she will be a director by the time she turns 30. Her work in the marketing department at Seaquest Adventures, coming up with campaigns to promote their cruises, has not gone unnoticed. She thought she was the obvious choice for the new director of digital marketing position. 

She was wrong. 

She did make the shortlist, according to her boss, who still acts like it’s 1953 when it comes to acknowledging his female employees. Also on the shortlist is social media manager, Graeme Crawford-Collins, the bane of Henley’s existence. 

Ever since Graeme first came on board, Henley has found him arrogant, inconsiderate, and downright irritating. He answers emails with a single word. HIs texts are snarky. And worst of all, when Henley had cut together a video of monkeys to help advertise how close their cruise guests get to nature, Graeme took credit for it with their boss when the video went viral. She absolutely cannot stand him. Fortunately for Henley, he works remotely, so she doesn’t have to see him in person in Seattle. 

But then her boss asks if she’d ever been on one of Seaquest’s cruises. When she confesses that she hadn’t, he insists that both Henley and Graeme go on a cruise before he makes a final decision on who gets the director job. The only one that works with Henley’s busy school schedule is the one to the Galapagos Islands, and Graeme says that’s the one that works for him too. Now, she’ll not only have to come up with a killer idea for her presentation for the promotion, she’ll have to do that on the same cruise with her arch-nemesis. 

Only when she gets to the boat and meets him in person, Graeme’s good looking. Really good looking. And he’s charming the others on the ship. And he’s nice to Henley. And when she finally explains why she hates him so much—that he’d taken the credit for her work on the video—he explains that his old phone would cut out all the time and he didn’t know what had been going on in the meeting when he’d said “thank you” to the boss’s compliment. 

The more Henley finds out about Graeme, the more she likes him. And the more she realizes that he’s even more qualified than she is for the promotion. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to give up. She is more determined than ever to come up with an idea her boss can’t say no to. 

But there is another complication. Henley is finding a growing attraction to Graeme. He’s always there, whether it’s dinner on the ship or snorkeling for beginners or a 3-hour hike with iguanas and tropical birds. And he is handsome. Henley finds herself drawn to him, staring at him in his wetsuit and watching as he charms the older ladies on the cruise and making video after video that just keep getting social media attention. He is the competition. He is a distraction. And he might just be the thing her life has been missing. 

Shipped is the latest romance from Angie Hockman. It’s an engaging story of work-life balance and fun fireworks between coworkers. And it’s on a boat, which is so adorable. 

I loved Shipped. It’s so readable, with relatable characters and lots of delightful sea creatures. The competition for the promotion added a great tension to the budding relationship, and the cruise was a magical setting for a rom com. Shipped is as fun as they come. Grab yourself a copy, make yourself a cocktail, and enjoy your trip to the Galapagos Islands. You will be very happy you made the trip! 

Egalleys for Shipped were provided by Gallery Books through Netgalley, with many thanks.

Happy Pub Day! Thanks to @gallerybooks and @netgalley for my review copy. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I adored this book. From the synopsis I felt like it was a book of enjoy but I fell in love with it within the first few chapters.
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-enemies to lovers
-co-workers who have only seen each other through videos and through phone calls and emails are battling for the same promotion
-Cruise ship shenanigans and descriptions of the Galápagos Islands
-Slow burn/ tension/closed door romance
-the book was said to be a mix of The Unhoneymooners & The Hating Game and I’d have to agree. BUT this one is still very fun and different.
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Workaholic Henley works full time and is in school and is trying to make her way to the top at work. Graeme works from home for the same company. Their boss sends them on a company cruise ship to the Galapagos Islands so that they are able to get the full experience and be able to come up with a new marketing plan. The best one gets the coveted promotion.
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I loved the interactions the characters both had with each other. From the funny emails to when they finally meet face to face and then after. They bump heads but Graeme was still very sweet and funny and I ADORED him. I wish we had been able to have his POV for at least a few chapters. I loved the descriptions of the animals on the Galápagos Islands and found myself googling them. I also loved how it touched on how women are not treated the same as men in the work environment and held to different standards at times. Their boss was a huge jerk and I think it was great that double standards was something talked about. I 100% recommend this book!

I could not put down Shipped! It was a wonderful hate to love romance. I really enjoyed the light easy read. Just what I needed. This would be the perfect beach read. I needed an escape and it was perfect. Read it in one sitting. 
Trust me you will love it. The comparison to Unhoneymooners meets The Hating Game is spot on.

This book is so enjoyable and fun! I had a great time reading it and I really loved Henley and Graeme as a couple, including their banter. The ending was great and there were several moments throughout that I really appreciated/loved reading about (especially the Lip Sync scene), but I did have a few issues with parts of the beginning. I wasn't connecting with the story as much as I wanted to from the start, and some of the dialogue felt a bit too awkward/casual/cheesy for me. Once I got about halfway, I started to really enjoy it though, so I am really glad I read it. With all that being said, I could see this book potentially becoming a really good rom-com movie that will hopefully happen sometime in the future because that is definitely something I would be interested in seeing on the big screen!