From the characters to the storyline, this was a very enjoyable read! The humor, stress, situations, and feelings all blend together to make this a single mom an entertaining romance book. Rachel Out of Office by Christina Hovland was a great ex-husband’s brother/meddling mother-in-law read! 4.5 stars!

RACHEL, OUT OF OFFICE - CHRISTINA HOVLAND 3/5 ⭐️

Managing a growing business and raising twin boys, Rachel tries to do it all. Juggling her boys, her flaky ex-husband and his handful of a mother, two new puppies (not by choice, and an ex-brother-in-law that keeps looking better and better, Rachel is at wits end. Which is why when she is invited to go on a trip with her ex-in-law’s, she finally agrees in hopes that the boys will have some fun on the lake, and she will have the chance to catch up with her demanding clients. Only, things don’t go as planned when she starts to fall for Travis, who is totally off limits.

The book is told from the perspectives of both Rachel and Travis. While Rachel offers a more practical view of the trip, Travis gives a fun twist with more comedic insights. Travis and Rachel learn that in order to test out this new crush, they have significant obstacles lying ahead of them.

Although this was definitely a sweet and funny read, I think this book would be more suitable for someone who is a mom, or really even women in their 30s or 40s. Sometimes Rachel’s struggle didn’t really connect with me, as she talks quite a bit about motherhood. However, I did enjoy when Travis was narrating the story- it was fun to see the trip through someone a bit more immature.

RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 25

Thank you very much to Christina Hovland, Entangled Publishing & NetGalley for an ARC!

This was such a great read! It is funny and light while still exploring the dynamics of life. I am not single nor am I a mom, yet I still connected with this book and the characters. I recommend to anyone needing a little book pick me up!

"I'm comfortable. I'm a place you can relax. And you're a place I can be serious. Don't take that away."

Rachel, Out of Office is my first Christina Hovland novel, and it did not disappoint. It has all the elements I love in any romantic comedy book - witty, funny characters, closely knit family ties, steamy romance, and great story-telling from start to finish. With the amusing blurb and adorable cover, it definitely screams an amazing rom-com already.

One of my favorite underrated romance trope is the single parent trope. This novel totally nailed that trope to the T with workaholic single mom Rachel juggling to taking care of her twin boys, their dogs, and maintain a social life. Rachel was just a joy of a character because she embodied a lot of dilemmas and sacrifices mothers make in order to maintain a home and take care of her family. She also just screams a perfectionist Pinterest mom which made her even more endearing. The twins were also such a pleasure to read as they wrecked havoc and chaos together, and with their dogs. On the other hand, Travis is the perfect uncle and gentleman to them, and you can't help but swoon and fall in love with him, especially with how he took care of everyone despite their prejudices against him. Rachel and Travis' relationship was just full of fluff and steam, and I enjoyed it slowly develop within the pages.

Family is a big theme in this novel, and while it was dysfunctional, they all made adjustments to take care and respect one another. The book definitely nailed its goal on exploring the different sides of every family's relationship, and how to overcome each other's differences. The amount of love and care in this story just made it even more fluffy and sweet - even though I wanted to hurt Evelyn so badly at some point lol.

Over-all, this book is a great and highly amusing read. I definitely recommend this to anyone (not just to single moms) if you are looking for something light and funny to pass the time.

A terrific romantic comedy. While I would be happier without intimate details, the vomit, slime and other other stuff was fine. Twin boys, I cannot imagine how challenging that would be for any parent, and especially for a single one. Interesting friends, family dynamics and occupations.

I was so engaged with Rachel and Travis throughout the entire book! The storyline was well written and the characters were so well defined that I was totally enthralled until the very end!

Thank you NetGalley, Christina Hovland and Entangled Publishing, LLC for the ARC of Rachel, Out of Office. This is my personal review.
This is a book that many women will relate to with raising kids alone, busy with her job, family love and family issues, friends who are there for her and all this Rachel wants to do it herself.
It was a book that I started and before I knew it several hours were gone and the last page was there!
The quotes at the beginning of each chapter were great!

This book was one of those rare books where I battled with myself while reading it: I wanted to slow down and properly savor it, but at the same time, I couldn’t read it fast enough and was completely immersed in the story. I found myself smiling throughout much of the book, and even perhaps squealing a bit at Rachel and Travis’ first kiss.

This was really a perfect romance- just enough hesitation and reserve from Rachel to make it believable. I also loved the elements of parenthood, co-parenting, and crazy in-law dramatics. It made this so much more than just a romance. There were side plots that didn’t play into the love story, which gave this book depth and layers that other romances don’t always have.

I highly recommend this book, even if romance is generally not your cup of tea- I feel like this book could change a person’s entire perspective of the romance genre!

3.5/5

Rachel, Out Of Office by Christina Hovland took a bit to sink it’s teeth into me, but when I was hooked, I was REALLY hooked. Which is an interesting comparison to the relationship of Travis and Rachel. It was slow to start but when it started, there was no holding back.

Rachel is a single mom to twin 8 year old boys. On top of that she is runs her own business while trying to maintain some sort of balance in her life. The boys father, Gavin, is in the picture… but he’s also not. He comes and goes as he pleases, following around his new fiancé like a puppy dog. Speaking of puppy dogs, he surprises the twins with 2 puppies for their birthday (of all offenses he commits throughout the novel this enraged me the most!).

There has been a long brewing flirtation between Rachel and Gavin’s brother Travis. Yes, complicated is an understatement. When Gavin cancels on his family’s summer vacation, Rachel finds herself taking the boys in his place. Despite both of their guard’s being up, their romance takes off and so does the drama and fun in Rachel, Out of Office.

Few takeaways from this book, the “Romance” aspect in it was refreshing. The bedroom scenes were absolutely adult in nature, but it was just that, two consenting adults stumbling into newfound territory. Also, the reader may not want to like Travis but just like Rachel, you can’t help it. He brings out the best in her and brings balance into her life. The drama in this novel doesn’t come from the two main characters but everyone else around them.

But will Travis and Gavin work it out? Will their family dynamic survive? Does Rachel still have a place in the family? Definitely check out Rachel, Out of Office to find out!

The writing - ⭐⭐⭐
The story - ⭐⭐⭐
Overall - ⭐⭐⭐

This is some feel good, semi steamy, light hearted romance. Honest with the post pregnancy body issues (mega plus points for that) and an honestly distressing depiction of a single mum trying to do it all and burning out. Thankfully the (not so) bad boy ex brother in law drops on the scene and starts gently showing Rachel that sometimes supermums need to put themselves first, and to accept a bit of help.

Fave Quote - 'You know you're a good mom when you sacrifice your vibrator batteries for your kids toy.'

Fave Moment - There's a moment when the twin boys start fighting with one another and 'This, this right here? This is why twins were hard on a single mom. Sometimes you needed two full adults - or more - to deal with the conflict.' as I have twin boys myself I can concur that this is accurate, and not just for single mums. Parenting twins is incredibly difficult, and it's not the same as other siblings, finally having the family swoop in and actually HELP Rachel was a relief.

LOVED! Such a fun and entertaining read, I loved the fun family relationships and getting to know all the characters from the girl/mom gang to Rachel's ex's family . This is the first book I'm reading by this author and I seriously cannot wait to read more!

Reading RomCom/ChickLit books I don't typically read too many books about moms/mom with kids, this one was AMAZING! Such a great believable contemporary romance.

ALSO... the quotes at the beginning of the chapters were also HILARIOUS! What a fun touch from the author.

Thank you to Christina, Entangled Publishing, NetGalley, and Grey’s Promotions for the opportunity to receive this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I’m already a big fan of Christina’s style of writing, she’s got this romantic comedy stuff down pat! Rachel, Out of Office is no different. I love Rachel and Travis! As a high strung mom with OCD and a tendency to lose my $h!t if EVERYTHING isn’t perfect, Rachel resonated deep inside my soul. I’m guilty of micromanaging my whole world within an inch of its life, so Rachel is such a relatable character. Travis is oh so yummy! In the beginning he had that devil may care, floating through life stereotype that made him seem so flighty (no pun intended). I was pleasantly surprised to see he had this deep emotional side, he really wanted what was best for Rachel. Pair that with his abs, drawl, smirk and love for his nephews... and you’ve got yourself your next book boyfriend! I loved their chemistry, they were so fun to watch fall for each other. I really wasn’t Team Evelyn or Team Gavin/Dakota, but they mostly made up for their actions by the end of the book. This was such a fun read with far less angst than I assumed there was going to be. Very sweet with some very nice sizzle, an amazing family, two cute boys, and some very fun laugh out loud moments. I’m curious to see if we see more from some of the secondary characters, I fell in love with all of them as well. Great job Christina, I couldn’t put it down!

Loved this book! As a mom of two young boys myself, I laughed out loud at some of the similarities between my life and Rachel’s life. Some of the mom quotes at the beginning of each chapter were so funny and truthful, it’s like I could have written them myself. I loved how the story wasn’t just a romance, but it showed the main character of Rachel who is truly trying to be the best mom she can be. I completely relate with Rachel’s struggle of trying be a mom but also still have a romantic and personal life. Rachel is a realistic character who has some flaws, and I totally related. I will definitely read other books by this author!

Overall I enjoyed this story. Travis had the patience of a saint when it came to Rachel. And while Gavin had his flaws, it was nice to see an ex who wasn't 100% villain. For me this was more of a story about a woman learning to put herself first and that it wouldn't be the end of the world if she set some boundaries and accepted help. The book also showed the importance of having a support network. I wish the author had placed Rachel's realization about why she really distanced herself from Travis slightly earlier in the story because eight years is a long time to 'dislike' someone and then seemingly have an about-face. Just my opinion though.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Rachel has way too much on her plate! She's a single mom of twins, managing their schedules, and her own online company with entirely too demanding clients. And toss in a nosey ex-mom-in-law and new puppies for the boys. She makes you love her spunk and tenacity, but want to tell her to back up and take the help that's being offered. She agrees to go on the 2 month family vacation with her ex-husband's family, without him. He's in Boston getting ready for his next marriage - he doesn't seem to be in the picture much, but by the end you understand his thoughts and don't hate him lol On this vacation, she gives into feelings she's had for her ex-brother-in-law, which is a little unplausible but it works out. A lot of laugh out loud moments and margaritas - you can't hate a book with those! Be sure to check out the mom quotes at the chapter beginnings!

Funny romantic comedy!

Rachel Gibson was the single mom of twins thought she could so it all especially being available all hours of the days being a virtual assistant. Rachel knew she wasn’t super mom but when her ex-husband cancelled out on taking the kids on the Frank family vacation to be with his fiancé in Boston for her work. Rachel was persuaded to go along giving her a chance to see Travis Frank, her former brother-in-law.

Rachel knew her former mother-in-law would like her to get back with her ex-husband, but that relationship has passed. Rachel would rather get together with Travis who was being an awesome uncle to her twins, but he was a better date if everyone would leave them alone to figure it out.

I can totally relate to Rachel and I loved the quotes at the beginning of each chapter making me laugh because they are so true!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this book; I really enjoyed it.

I could really relate to Rachel, the heroine in this book: perfectionist, not able to set boundaries with no clue that she's even doing it. The supporting characters were also great --- most of them started out despicable but generally turned out to be okay. There were some moments that literally made me laugh out loud (can you imagine dealing with your ex-mother-in-law's imaginary cat??). The twin boys, their energy, and the mischief they got into were endearing. The romance was a slow burn, with a satisfying ending. I hope there are additional books to tell the stories of the supporting characters.

Rachel Out of the Office follows single mom, Rachel, who is trying to do it all. She loves her twin boys and is just barely holding her life together. Rachel has some very preconceived ideas about her ex-brother-in-law Travis there is a slow burn happening as she sees him in a new light. This was an enjoyable read, I like how Rachel and Travis balance each other out and the quotes at the beginning of each chapter are a great addition.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review. All spelling and grammar errors in this review are totally my own.

Seriously profound, heartwarmingly funny. Rachel, Out of Office puts the heart on notice. From heartbreaking to hilarious, Hovland gives emotions a reason to stand up and cheer. It's only fitting that as Rachel find herself she stole my heart. With wit and emotion, Hovland uplifts the soul.

Funny as heck. Rachel reminds me of every overachieving single mom. She is dedicated to her children, her friends and her job. Travis is her hot former brother-in-law who revs her engines. There are some very hilarious moments as she tries to hold it all together and not tear her hair out. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter are genius. Her friend Molly is an added bonus as is Evelyn. I truly enjoyed this story from start to finish.