In Jo Platt’s ‘Working It Out’, architect Edie learns the hard way that all is not what it seems after her ‘work wife’ Ruby departs and a new architect - Cameron joins the firm.

This book explores how lies and trusting the wrong person in the workplace can lead to not only misunderstandings but potential damage for the recipient. It’s clear to the reader that Edie is trusting the wrong people and should not be poisoned by others. Platt slowly builds the tension here as you wait to see when Edie will discover the truth.

Luckily Platt breaks up the growing workplace tension with Edie’s homelife, having moved in with her cousin Giles. Their relationship was a joy to read (along with the neighbourhood characters they encounter.

If you like your romances to be slow burn, and another take on ones pride and prejudice (to steal a Jane Austen title), this book is worth adding to your reading list.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was clever and held my interest. I wanted to find out how things would turn out. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

After reading a few chapter I lost interest in this book. DNF



*************************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley.****************************

This book was like January this year, felt as if it had 74 days, soooo long. It was an average, mediocre read, with average characters and average plot. Sure, it had its funny moments, some more funny, some less but altogether I kept reading for the sake of it. I wasn't invested in the characters, the thing with Ruby was OBVIOUS right from the beginning. The plot wasn't moving forward, I had a feeling I'm turning in circles and, well, I am still not sure what the author wanted us to take from this book in the end.
The best characters were probably Giles and, especially, Kerry and her little son, giving us a bit of fresh air there and some fun and brilliant one - liners, so that's something. The romance aspect is also not too well exectued in my opinion. Well, it wasn't there at all, until it was - in the last few chapters, when Edie started to behave a bit too obsessive.
It was not a bad book, maybe I've been expecting too much from it? Not sure. It was simply not what I was expecting and hoping for.

I loved this book! This is a book that is out of my comfort zone, and not something I would usually read, but the blurb sounded intriguing. I ended up getting so engrossed in this book, I just wanted to keep reading, and I read it in just a couple of sessions.
I immediately connected with Edie, and really felt for her over her friends lying and betrayal. The book was romantic, but not overly 'lovey-dovey' and just felt so real. I felt like I was reading a diary entry from Edie, and it could have been non-fiction rather than fiction.

As I say, I cannot put my finger on why I loved this book so much, as it's not usually the type of book I would rave about, but I think it was just my connection to Edie.
Really recommend this book - loved my experience with reading it!

This is a first time read for me by this author and I enjoyed it. This is a lovely story about personal growth and becoming a stronger person by learning from your mistakes instead of letting them bring you down, and trusting your own opinions and instincts. Edie works with a small group and when her best friend Ruby leaves, she doesn't necessarily like the new guy, Cameron. Not because she has any issue with him, but she let's Ruby's issues with him initially affect her own views. As the story progresses, they are faced with misunderstandings and miscommunications and must work through those before they can reach a happy resolution. I enjoyed seeing both of these characters grow and evolve. The story had a good balance of seriousness and humor and lightheartedness, and the dialogue between the characters was witty and entertaining. Overall, this was an enjoyable and entertaining book and I am glad to have had the opportunity to read it.

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

An enjoyable read, but don’t expect an romcom. There is some romance, but it is very, very slow burn. This is about adapting to a new life/situation with lots of misinformation, manipulation and miscommunication and how it can have a ripple effect in your life. The storyline and twist(s) area bit predictable, but there where some very funny moments and the characters were interesting.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

Edie is an architect and works in a close , small team. That is until Ruby, her friend, leaves and another architect, Cameron, joins the team. Ruby has had a problem with Cameron, which colours the feelings Edie has for him. Feels a bit like school .... you would have thought that an adult women was capable of making her own mind up about some one. This was, though, the only criticism I had about this book, after he misunderstandings were sorted out, it did get better. It was at times quite funny.
All in all a light and entertaining read , mostly about friendships . I liked the characters and although the storyline was fairly predictable it was OK..
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4506743766?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

A really enjoyable read. For those who work we all have issues from time to time and always think it’s just you! Would like to read more from this author. Well done.

Thank to NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I gotta say, I wasn't that hooked with this book. The romance bit is barely present in it. You get just a small amount basically almost at the end. And even then, there's not really much build up so I never ended up fangirling over them.
The writing wasn't it for me either. It felt too much at times, kind of over the top.
Overall, it wasn't a bad read it just wasn't what I had hoped.

I really liked this. I actually went in blind, with no expectations and no clear idea on what this book was about. There are so many things I liked about it that I don't even know where to begin.

The book tells the story of Edie, a 35 year old architect that's having a hard time at work: her friend is leaving for another job and she's left to deal with a new co-worker that doesn't seem to be the person he pretends to be. This is a character driven narrative, there's not much of a plot, but I actually loved this particular aspect.

Here's the thing, 50% of the book is actually kind of based on miscommunication and misinformation, which I normally dislike. But the writing was so good, that I easily overlooked that part. The writing is so clever and funny, the dialogue quite entertaining.

I absolutely loved the office dynamics. Every single character in that particular setting was brilliantly crafted. Edie's relationship with Luke is particularly adorable, I couldn't stop smiling and laughing at their banter.
Actually, I think Edie is such a lovely person and that reflects on all her relationships, including the ones she forms with her new neighbors. She's so incredibly close to her step-cousin, Giles, you can easily see how beautiful their connection is based on their interactions. There were many instances when I laughed out loud at their word exchange.

There is a bit of romance in this book, but it's definitely not a major part of it. I loved how it played out in the end, it's really really slow burn and very subtle, but I was absolutely thrilled with how it ended. However, the main focus of the story is Edie's journey, trying to juggle the effects of manipulation, mistrust, betrayal and adapting to a new life.

I'm debating between 3 and 4 stars. I'm leaning towards 3.5 stars, I think.

Edie's an architect who has focused more on her career lately but then her friend Ruby take another job. Before she leave, Ruby tells Edie that Cameron, the new hire, has harassed her. That's a big charge to throw and Edie takes it seriously, Cameron doesn't do much to help himself. They discover. slowly, that there's been a communication problem and, in classic style, slowly warm to one another. Edie doesn't make the best decisions and she's wobbly about a number of things but eventually sorts it all out. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a bit trope-y but ;;;;;

Much of Edie's life is crumbling around her but she's always been able to find solace in her work as an architect. That is until her friend and colleague Ruby, just before she leaves the company, tells Edie about the chauvinist womaniser in the office that is Cameron. Ruby has allegations against him that would surely paint him as a terrible person so why is it that everyone else seems to idolise him?

When Edie moves in with her cousin Giles, becoming assimilated into avenue life, and a best-forgotten ex gets in touch, she finds herself learning more about Cameron and learning that not everyone is as nice as her.

To describe this book as a romance is to set unrealistic expectations. The romance, whilst an element of the story, is not the focus, nor does it feature for most of the book. As such, anyone reading this looking for the relationship aspects to progress will be disappointed.

What it does, it does well, but it doesn't do romance.

The whole story feels uncomfortable (a good thing- the subject matter is unsettling) as, although I didn't care for the characters (whether they're okay etcetera), I did care about their actions. I cared about the consequences on each of them and was intrigued to see how they would each react or respond. Similar to a few other books I've read, I'd describe this as one that's 'more interesting to think about'. It presents these scenarios clearly and welcomes you to mull over them: considerations of women's power and abuse of that power and the implications this can have on those around them- all very interesting and topically relevant. However, I found I did this at a different pace from the book.

My issue here was that, as with many in the genre, there's a problem that has to be rectified for the couple to get together. Yet, the problem in this feels like such an obstacle to overcome. The first 40-ish% left a strange taste in my mouth as I was sure there were only one of two ways to fix the problem, neither of which felt good: either the man would be forgiven or the woman was mistaken/wrong. Ultimately, the problem was remedied well, with tact and respect, but it created such a distance between the main characters that it was unsurprising that they couldn't get to the romantic dynamic until the epilogue. Speaking of which, the epilogue was pretty good; it's written cleverly and provides a satisfying conclusion to Edie's story.

The humour in here is fab and feels very British; it's self-deprecating, sarcastic and blunt. This is seen well in the supporting characters, especially Giles and Kerry. The repartee Edie has with them is a highlight for the whole book and I found myself regularly laughing at their exchanges. Nonetheless, while the humour is good, it's exclusive to these side characters. As such, from an enjoyment viewpoint, Edie is bleak. Much of the story is her struggling and coming to terms with new circumstances, with just light moments of relief. Again, this is fine as a story but not when it's described as and compared to fluffier, more light-hearted contemporary romances.

I did appreciate that while Edie and Cameron are described as attractive people, they are not gushed over making that part of their relationship feel 'normal' as they seem like 'real' people.

Just a few (very!) minor bothers:
Edie is regularly talking about working but seems to get very little done at work.
The repeated phrase of saluting someone with a glass/cup/beer.

(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)

A lot of confusion and "huh" in my head for this book, should have napped instead after my workout.

『• • • PLOT• • •』
Edie went to work for consolation as her love life crumbled around her. After her close friend and colleague Ruby resigned, her days in the office turn worse with the appearance of new guy, Cameron. Who is always grumpy, sarcastic and antisocial. But is he really who she thinks he is?

Edie's professional and personal lives get all messy when a long-forgotten ex decides to reconnect. What will she do now to get out of this mess?

『• • • THOUGHTS• • •』

I was bored, from the start to the end. The plot wasn't moving and the main characters weren't growing. There was tooooooo much focus (I can't emphasise this) on other characters and events. It felt like the main characters were actually just paid actors who blended well in the crowd. I tried to find any reason to like it, even a simple one but I couldn't. Edie was a grown woman who should be in full control of herself and Cameron is a grown man who' should know better than assuming. This book is big on the miscommunication trope, that I got really sick of. There was no buildup and there was no room to guess what was going to happen because it was obvious. The plot felt typical and the delivery of the book was just not it for me. It was draggy and unnecessary. I just kept on reading because I thought there would be something different or something good but really there wasn't. It is not my intention to be negative but I really can't say anything about this book.

Actually I just realised at the end of the book, Edie is spelt not with a double d. That's how much I skimmed through the book.

This book tells the story of a work place Romance
With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book in exchange for this honest review

I really wanted to like this book but all I was left with was confusion.

This is more like a workplace drama between Edie and Cameron. Edie has recently come out of a relationship and finds solace at work. Cameron is the new guy at the work, who is good looking and a womanizer. The story is told mainly from the perspectives of Edie as a first person.

I wasn't into the story much that I almost DNF the book. But I simply finished the book off and didn't really find any funny parts. It was just a simple, OK romance books to me.

Worth only 2.5 stars

Many thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

I thought this would be better. However, I was disappointed. The story started out slow and continues to be so. The characters were bland and underdeveloped.

Thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Things are definitely not what they seem at first glance in a Bristol architects‘ practice. Behind the facade of the apparently harmonious three women plus three men work environment there are hidden secrets which eventually threaten to sunder the team for good…Well drawn characters plus a twisty but believable plot peppered with humorous situations make this a very enjoyable read indeed. I was allowed to read an ARC through netgalley in return for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for providing this ARC

Reading the synopsis for this book, I thought I was signing up for an office romance story, but this book didn't quite get the mark. To be honest, the book was very character driven, less about the plot, and there was a ton of miscommunication to the point of it being unbelievable. And the romance part didn't even factor in until the end.

Calling this a romantic comedy seems a bit of a misnomer. It's definitely more women's fiction, less romance, even if there was a romance element. Regardless, I wasn't really invested in this book like I wanted to be. It was a meh read for me.