Thank you to Netgalley for this arc. This takes place in New York, And gets her dream job. She's the senior book publicist. On her first day she realizes her biggest author is her rival from college. She has seen or spoken to Jack in 5 years and in order to keep her job, nothing can go wrong. He is super successful and still as hot as she remembers. This was a great rom com, slow burn, and enemies to lover romance. It's worth the read.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Books or this e-arc
First off, loved the premise of two ex's having to go on a book tour together after years apart after one really bad situation (which we don't know anything about) Right off the bat from Andie our FMC you see how strong her reaction is to Jack and you know something went down. I didn't love how Andie would always shut Jack down when he wanted to explain himself she was really harsh and sometimes over board in her responses like she was kicking a puppy constantly. Then they make a truce for the sake of her job, his book and the tour and then of course they sleep together which throws everything off. So, of course this is the perfect time for a flashback to find out what really went down between them and how bad Jack deserved to be treated. Not only to find out they weren't even a couple and he did one of the worst things I have ever seen in the misguided way of protecting her. I at first glance didn't think Andie should have been so harsh, but when I got to this part of the book you bet I was agreeing with every decision she had made and every mean comment she gave to Jack because I don't care what misguided way he was trying to help her what he did was horrible. However, this was five years before and people change s0 I am happy she chose herself in the end and decided she needed to figure herself out an don't let Jack or what he did rule her life. For her and him to find there way back to each other in the end was a bit bittersweet. So all in all, loved the premise, the execution wasn't bad, but not sure I loved the two characters together.

This was hard to read but I pushed through it. I didn’t like the main character at all, and hated the use of “OK” which almost made me DNF the book, but alas I finished it. Please please please change the writing to be “okay” instead of “OK” to make it at least mildly bearable.

This book opens with our FMC, Andie, starting a new job as a literary publicist and getting the shock of her life when she realizes the new author she will be shepherding through a tour is an old flame, Jack. This seemingly simple, fun, star-crossed romance turns into more - a young woman's tale of how she finally begins to cope with the overwhelming amount of trauma in her life.

Readers know something bad happened 5 years ago that made Andie leave her university in Edinburgh, and Andie's best friend Sara agrees that Jack is indeed a villain in whatever happened, so we go along for the tale, knowing that eventually all will be revealed. What winds up happening is the revelation that Andie is really not ok - she's stuck emotionally on all the emotions from whatever happened at uni plus the sudden death of her father soon after. Andie has not coped well at all in the 5 years since - she doesn't talk to her mother at all about her father, avoids most relations, and has basically stagnated emotionally even while focusing on her career mostly it seems to avoid dealing with whatever happened back at uni.

There's wonderful descriptions and scenes of independent bookstores and signings across major cities as a background to Andie and Jack gravitating towards each other again. When they finally do come together, it's not an instant happily ever after - Jack calls Andie on her refusal to discuss the past, and Andie is forced to work through the trauma of her past to come to a happier ending for herself first.

I'd recommend this book to someone interested in the world of independent bookstores and signings, since the author gives a lot of color to how different events and stores can be, and also to someone who is having a hard time working through grief who might benefit from seeing one version of how someone finds her way to a new normal.

Thank you to Penguin Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam is a sparkling enemies-to-lovers romcom set in the high-stakes world of publishing. The story follows Andie, a newly hired senior book publicist, who discovers her biggest client is none other than Jack Carlson—the man who turned her university life upside down. Forced to work together on a month-long European book tour, Andie and Jack navigate romantic destinations, unresolved tensions, and undeniable chemistry. This novel promises humor, heartfelt moments, and a slow-burn romance that fans of Emily Henry and Tessa Bailey will adore. With its witty banter and emotional depth, it’s a delightful read for anyone who loves a mix of professional drama and second-chance romance. Perfect for curling up with on a cozy evening!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Books for the ARC!

I am such a sucker for characters set in the publishing world! I enjoyed following Andie and Jack on their tumultuous book tour while trying to piece together what shared history they were trying to overcome. Andie’s character was a relatable, emotional mess and I liked seeing the way she finally chose to dig in and work on herself instead of immediately riding off into the sunset with her rescuer. The journey through her grief was palpable and seeing a character find their way through something like that is one of my favorite pieces of a story. The romance portion was sweet and simple but not world-altering, which was a bit disappointing. Overall, it was a quick and easy read that had a solid grief journey but not a very memorable romance.

Andie is finally starting the job she has always wanted only to learn that she is going to be working with the last man on earth she would choose to spend time with let alone help promote his new book. She needs to put past hurts far enough aside to be professional but she has been burying way too much emotional baggage lately and the strain is starting to show. Relationships, grief, forgiveness, and moving on all swirled into a second chance romance with a super patient and understanding hero.

In some ways Jack was too patient and understanding. I am not sure why he stuck around through it all I just knew I was glad he did. I would have liked to see his own issues get more of their due as well. Andy wasn’t always in the right, or kind, or capable of thinking of anyone other than herself. And yet, I hurt for and wanted to see her heal and find security and happiness. I fretted over her relationships even as I wanted to tell her some hard truths myself. That kind of emotional investment in such an often unlikable character is special.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Bad Publicity. I enjoyed traveling with our main characters through various cities, and following along on their publishing journey. I think the grief was pretty heavy, and was relieved when female main character realized how poorly she was executing her professional role, because that was starting to bug me a bit. For the build up throughout the book about what Jack did in the past, I was disappointed in what that actually was, or at least Jack's role in it. I still found this to be a very enjoyable read, and read it in just a couple days! Thanks for the ARC.

I understand that people process grief differently, but this book is marketed as a rom-com—so where’s the comedy? The romance? The CHEMISTRY?? None of it exists. Instead, we’re stuck with an insufferable main character who spends seventy percent of the book obsessing over her grief and a so-called “catastrophic” event in Edinburgh… only for it to—spoiler alert—turn out not as catastrophic as the definition of the word would lead you to believe. Just your stereotypical dose of overblown male assholery and poor communication skills (and even that just goes against the character’s job who herself says “My job in book publicity, which meant communicating with journalists on a daily basis”)—how original. And the ”romantic trip to Europe” promised in the blurb? Don’t expect it to be a saving grace. Nope. It could just as well be Detroit for all the lifeless, cliché details we get. As for Jack, the love interest, is utterly spineless and bland. In fact, the entire cast lacks depth, personality, or any remotely likable qualities.
So, no romance, no vivid travel experiences, and just grief rolling around in endless, repetitive cycles—like dirty laundry stuck in a washing machine. Even the setup, featuring an author and his publicist, is just another bait-and-switch to lure readers in. Who doesn’t love a bookish, internationally set romance? I mean, the book cover is super cute, isn’t it? Too bad Bianca Gillam had all the right ingredients for a swoon-worthy rom-com—and still butchered the recipe. Finishing this required a lot of skimming on my part.

Such a beautiful story, devoured it in a day! I absolutely love foul mouthed Andy and enjoyed watching her character transform from beginning to end. The ending was perfect, so glad she finally allowed Jack in fully.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

As a lifelong reader, I eat up stories about authors and characters in the publishing industry, and Bad Publicity is no exception. I read this in five hours, and I enjoyed just about every minute of it.

I’ve been reading a lot of books centered on grief recently, and I think Bianca Gillam does a good job depicting how sorrow in loss can stunt a person’s emotions when they don’t want to feel them. I resonated a lot with Andie in her struggles to allow herself to feel the loss of her dad, truly and fully.

While I would consider this book a slow burn, I wish we had gotten more tension between Andie and Jack; it felt as if there were only a couple chapters’ worth of building before they came together, despite it not happening until the final third of the book. But I did eat this book up, regardless, and hope to read more of BG’s books in the coming years.

3.25⭐️
Bad Publicity follows Andie and Jack, a publicist and an author who are “enemies” with a mysterious complicated history, as they are, reluctantly, forced to work together and go on Jack’s book tour. Through the events of the book, we watch as Andie wrestles with many difficult situations and emotions, with the main one being grief. While this book is marketed as a rom-com, that is not really the vibe it was giving off. It has some romance, but it has deep emotional aspects/emotional weight at the heart of the book. It is a story of love, loss, heartbreak, grief, family, and friendship. It was overall an enjoyable read, but there were a few slow parts, some repetitive parts, and I felt it took too long before we actually learned why Andie “hates” Jack. I also felt the ending was a little lacking after how drawn out everything was to get to that point. Thank you to author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

I went in to this book knowing absolutely nothing about it, and I loved every minute of it. Be aware, however, that it’s not simply a light romcom. Andie is still very much struggling with grief and events from five years ago, and it completely informs every single decision she makes. And yeah, she’s really struggling. I’d really categorize this book as women’s fic, considering the emotional journey, but Jack is also so very yummy. Thanks to Penguin Books for the ARC.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC of Bad Publicity.

Our story jumps right in to our main character, Angie, snagging her dream job as a senior book publicist, yay! However, she finds out very quickly that the author she'll be working with the most right off the bat is Jack Carlson - a man she was romantically involved with during her time at university and who she ended things with after he "betrayed" her. Jack has a month-long book tour to go on abroad in Europe and while Andie does not want to work with him, this is her dream job and she does not want to lose this opportunity because of him.

Overall, I liked this book. I'm not sure if I would label it as a rom-com, but it's definitely a romance with themes of grief woven into it. The pacing was a little off - I didn't love how we don't find out what Jack's "betrayal" is until very close to the end of the book. I understand that it's probably because Andie then decides to go her own way so she can focus on herself and her relationship with her mom (as well as Sara) but still felt way too late, especially considering how the story ends not too long after that. Generally, the ending was too abrupt for me - I would've loved to see what Andie and Jack got up to together after reuniting and Andie realizing she loves him and wants to be with him. Even if it's just a short peek into their life, I think it'd be a nicer way to wrap up the story.

I don't mind that the romance took a step back for Andie's journey with her grief. I thought it was beautiful but again, considering the clipped ending, this book seems to be more about Andie and her life, rather than a story about Andie and her life INCLUDING Jack. Andie's father is such a big part of the story but there's no mention of him in the book blurb at all. There's a lot going on but I feel it needs to be more comprehensive.

Bad Publicity would probably be a book I'd personally buy, read, and then take to a book swap.

I absolutely loved this book. I went in expecting a typical rom-com, but it was so much more. A story of loss, grief, friendship, and love. Plus, I always love when the MMC is an author/writer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

A must-read for romance lovers. Engaging writing and unforgettable characters. A perfect blend of angst, humor, and heart warming moments that is sure to leave a lasting impact.

Rating: 3.5
Bad Publicity sets up a classic romance premise—two people with a complicated past forced to work together—but takes its time getting off the ground. While the story has its strengths, particularly in its emotional depth, it also struggles with pacing, redundancy, and a lack of clarity in character backstory.

The book starts abruptly, throwing us into the central conflict before giving us enough background to understand why it’s a conflict in the first place. Andie, the protagonist, lands her dream job as a publicist but is immediately dismayed when assigned to Jack—her college ex. But why is this such a catastrophe? We aren’t given much information early on. Was it a bad breakup? Did he betray her trust? Did their relationship implode due to ambition? The weight of their history is hinted at but not fully explained until much later, which makes it hard to invest in their tension from the start.

The writing style is simple, which makes for an easy read, but at times it feels like the author is mimicking lines from other romance novels without quite hitting the mark. For example, “I swallow the sound of frustration that moved up my throat.” What does that even mean? Moments like these pull you out of the story rather than immersing you in it.

Andie’s best friend is a highlight—supportive, understanding, and someone you want to root for. Unfortunately, Andie doesn’t quite return the favor. She seems more focused on venting about her own issues than genuinely being there for her friends. Her dynamic with Sara, in particular, feels one-sided; Sara hesitates to open up because Andie is too wrapped up in her own drama to really listen.

The book’s pacing is a mixed bag. The chapters are short, which helps create a fast reading experience, but the story itself feels rushed. Scenes jump quickly, and Andie’s entire world seems to revolve around Jack—running into him, thinking about him, talking about him—without much else happening in her life. It becomes repetitive, making some sections feel like they’re spinning in circles rather than moving forward.

However, things do improve as the book progresses. The inevitable “only one hotel room” trope makes its appearance (of course), and Jack starts to emerge as a genuinely sweet and thoughtful character. He respects Andie’s boundaries, distances himself from other women once he realizes she’s watching, and even gets adorably jealous when she talks to other men. The tension is fun, and by this point, you’re fully rooting for them to figure things out.

Interestingly, beneath the romance, Bad Publicity is also a book about grief. Some readers have noted that it feels like the author wanted to write a novel about grief but was pushed to make it a romance instead. While that may be true, it doesn’t feel like a weakness. Grief is an unavoidable part of life, and it adds emotional depth to the story. If anything, it makes the book more meaningful.

In the end, despite its flaws—rushed storytelling, vague backstory, and a protagonist who sometimes falls short as a friend—the book still manages to be an enjoyable read. You’ll find yourself engaged, eager to see how Jack and Andie’s relationship unfolds, and ultimately satisfied by the journey. If you’re in the mood for a romance with a touch of emotional weight, Bad Publicity is worth the ride.

The story was solid, but the lead female character was a bit annoying. I like that she came around at the end and realized what she was doing to people, but it was hard to watch her go on this journey. The way the flashback was handled was weird, too. The male lead gets one chapter from his POV in a flashback. It was a little jarring as a reader to switch back and forth for a single chapter. Otherwise, the story is enjoyable. Travelling through Europe with the characters is fun. The romance is kind of believable. Library patrons should enjoy this title.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Books for inviting me to read Bad Publicity. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.

I gotta be honest... I was bored.

There was a lack of chemistry between Andie and Jack. You don't find out why Andie treats Jack the way she does until way later on in the story. I feel like if we knew sooner, or had an idea of what, then maybe I'd feel differently about her character and them as a pairing. I kind of wanted the story to end. The pacing is slow, the build-up and the characters were not well-executed, and the romance wasn't satisfying.

I'm sorry but Bad Publicity is a huge miss with me.
If you're still curious, I would request it at your local library.

2 stars