This was such a fun little ride. Alice Cooper decides to impulsively set off on a tour of Scotland after a nasty breakup (and her ex-fiance's rebound). Along the way she encounters Robbie, the tour guide that she can't stand but also can't escape. It was so much fun seeing Robbie and Alice's love story develop as they became friends and then more. Alice's discovery of herself with the help of the women she's on the tour with was most enjoyable. This one hit hard as I just turned 30 and felt like I really related to Alice.

It was a little silly but that just made for a fun, enjoyable read.

Thank you to Avon for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I feel like it would be fitting to start my review with a British-ism, so here it goes: this book was not my cup of tea.
I've lived in Edinburgh and traveled around Scotland a bunch, and I absolutely loved the travel bits of the book, but I absolutely could not get over how much I hated the dislike-to-love romantic plot of the book. It gave me oodles of second-hand embarassment, to the point where I could only read a couple of chapters at a time before cringing and needing to put it down. Now, I'm sure this is someone's cup of tea! But maybe this was like a hibiscus, and I definitely prefer an earl grey.
I cannot emphasize enough how much the author clearly loves Scotland and the UK, and you could definitely feel that through her writing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this eARC!

Work in Progress is a fun, romantic, and mildly steamy adventure in love. I enjoyed Kat Mackenzie's writing, and the illustration she managed to do of the beautiful setting.

I did not finish this book. I wasn’t able to connect with any of the main characters and was therefore not drawn into the story enough.

This was a charming read, though it leaned a bit too heavily into overly sweet and whimsical territory. Alice, fresh off a messy breakup, impulsively books a non-refundable three-week bus tour around the UK, where she's surprised to find herself surrounded by quirky, stereotypical elderly ladies. While the characterizations could feel exaggerated, the humor and heartfelt moments of connection made the group dynamics enjoyable, and Alice’s budding romance with the gruff Scottish tour leader Robbie brought a lot of fun and warmth. Although the historical facts at each stop occasionally bogged down the pacing, the scenic UK backdrop—especially in Scotland—added charm to the journey. Overall it was a fine read

I loved every second of this story line. Alice and Robbie are such a fun pair. The ladies also added an element that made the story so much more enjoyable to read. I loved reading a little bit of UK history through the book tour. I loved that Robbie referred to Alice as Alice Cooper (her full name), and how he would always push her buttons.

Honestly if you want humorous book that keeps you on your toes, I highly recommend this. Kate did a phenomenal job at writing this and made me feel like I was on the book tour as well.

Thank you HarperCollins Publishers, NetGalley, and Kat Mackenzie for the ARC of this book! This was such a funny book to read, and I appreciated the fact that it was so much more than a romance novel! It was funny, there was friendship, and there were amazing scenes of travel and funny mishaps along the way!

After it seems her life and plans are ruined, Alice decides that it is finally time to start living her dreams and putting herself out there. She signs up for a literary-themed bus trip across the UK as a way to get outside of her comfort zone, but as soon as she gets there, she realizes that this is not what she signed up for. This tour appears to be only for old ladies, and Alice does not want any part in this. Additionally, the tour guide, Robbie, is a classic Scottish male character, a bit of a caricature at times, but is the thorne in Alice’s side.

Their tour provides us with hilarious moments, beautiful scenes of the countryside of the UK, and so many wonderful scenes of friendship and camaraderie. Despite the fact that Alice did not want to go on the “old lady trip”, she finds wonderful companions and amazing stories in each and every one of them. I also loved to see Alice and Robbie’s relationship grow, but I found their lack of communication towards the end infuriating. While this seems to be a common theme in many books, it just didn’t seem to fit with the themes of growing and changing that the book had been focusing on this whole time.

This book was a little overly cute at times, but it was such a funny read that I would recommend it to any fan of fiction, including those who are not romance fans! I think the best part was seeing the development of female friendships, especially cross-generational friendships. This was a very unique book, and I thought it was such a silly read!

This is an amazing example of opposites attract! They had such a fun and banter filled love story! The older women on the tour gives such a fun little extra interest to the story! A fun romance for sure!

A rom-com about Alice who needs a new start so she ends up going on a literary bus tour that goes throught the UK and their is a group of ladies who are seniors but we also have a Scottish driver that is attractive. Want to find out more then make sure to pick up this captivating read. This was written so well and I loved all of the characters in it. I loved that it took place in the UK. Overall, I highly enjoyed this one and would recommend it to any reader who loves romance. Thank you to Avon Books for the paperback read and to NetGalley and Avon for the ebook in exchange of my honest review of Work in Progress by Kat Mackenzie.

I enjoyed this book, but sometimes it felt too cute. The story is about Alice, who buys a non-refundable ticket for a three-week bus tour around the UK after a terrible breakup. She buys the ticket when she is a bit drunk, which was a funny start to the story.

The bus is full of older women, which surprised Alice because she thought more young people would be on the trip. The ladies are interesting but sometimes their characters feel too simple - there's a bird-watching German lady, a sweet old woman with her dog, and others. I liked how they all became friends during the journey, even though they are so different.

The book describes many famous places in the UK, and I learned some interesting facts about them. The Scottish places were my favorites! But sometimes there was too much history information that made the story slow.

Robbie is the only man on the tour - he's the Scottish bus driver and guide. He and Alice hate each other at first, and they argue all the time with clever insults. Their arguments are really funny to read! Alice is chaotic and always finding trouble, while Robbie is organized and calm. They are very different but perfect for each other. Their love story was the best part of the book for me.

The book has funny moments and some touching parts too. It's a good read for holiday time, even if some things are a bit predictable.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

I loved this one so much! The cover was adorable and every single character found a place in my heart. I absolutely adored Alice Cooper and every single person she met on her UK bus tour. The chemistry (romantic and friendship) was off the charts and so well written. Now on to look up every other book Kat Mackenzie has written right now!

Alice always lived her life in an orderly manner, with lists and limits and her dreams on hold to keep a job she didn't really like and a man who seemed good on paper. When she loses both the man and the job, she does the first impulsive thing she's ever done and heads on a UK literary tour. Except the tour isn't with young, adventurous women who will inspire her, it's with a bunch of fluffy-haired octogenarians. And the tour guide happens to be a devilishly handsome Scottish driver who makes her blood boil from the moment they first meet. But who better to help Alice find her way than women who have already done it? Who says octogenarians can't be inspiring? And why can't she let the handsome driver make her blood boil for more pleasurable reasons?

It's a fun, if slightly, predictable plot that puts the spotlight on the ways that Alice learns to let things go and embrace the positives in her life. There is excellent banter from memorable characters that pull you into the story in charmingly relatable ways. It's not just the main characters that get the chance to shine, every single one of the older ladies also brings something to the story.

Alice and Robbie clash adorably, with their fights lacking any true malice even in their most antagonistic moments. You know they're perfect for each other, and so do they as soon as they stop trying to pretend otherwise. I loved the many ways that Mackenzie allows them to explore who they are as a couple and apart even when, and perhaps because of, the limited time they actually spend together. It shows that they really did think things through and are in it for the long haul.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the wonderful read!

3.5 stars for this funny, sweet book. Alice and Robbie and the tour group ladies were all great characters, and I loved reading bits and pieces about the scenery and the places they visited. However, a few things bothered me about the story: first, the author never addressed why Robbie was so rude to Alice in the first scene of the book - based on his behavior and attitude throughout the rest of the book, it seems very uncharacteristic. Second, as much as I enjoyed the story, it didn't really pull me in - I wasn't dying to pick it up again each day to continue. Somehow some stronger emotion was missing to make me feel invested in the characters and the outcome.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

From the first chapter, I was cracking up—jajajajaj! So much laughing and giggling. But beyond the humor, this book carries some deep life lessons.

One of the biggest takeaways? No matter how much you plan, nothing is ever certain. I loved how Alice gets to be completely honest, voicing her self-doubts to strangers who genuinely listen. It felt so liberating—more people should do that.

It’s a slow burn, but it feels real. The romance is just one part of the journey; at its core, this is a story about self-discovery—learning to be happy on your own and embracing the unexpected. That’s something I’ve come to understand myself over the years. One lesson that really stuck with me: No one should be responsible for your happiness but you.

And the setting? A road trip through England and Scotland filled with beautiful historical sites and traditions. This book isn’t just about love—it’s about adventure, growth, and finding yourself along the way.

I absolutely loved it!

The only reason I’m giving it 4 ⭐️ is because I personally prefer romantic comedies that focus more on the couple. But this was still an amazing book!

Ahh I absolutely loved the banter between these two. I’ve read three or four books set at least partially in Edinburgh this year and I think this one is my favorite so far.

I loved the tour group ladies and wish I could keep them in my pocket for a good laugh on my worst days.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

3.5/5 stars

This was a cozy, slightly chaotic little journey—and while the pacing dragged a bit for me at times, the side characters totally made it worth the ride. The cast of older women on the bus tour were an absolute highlight: fun, sharp, and full of heart. I would've happily read a book just about them sipping tea, gossiping, and causing gentle mayhem across the UK.

The premise is super cute—heartbroken woman books a spontaneous, literary-themed bus tour, expecting wanderlust and maybe a touch of Eat, Pray, Love energy... but instead finds herself surrounded by retirees and one very infuriating (and charming) tour guide. It leans into rom-com tropes with a bit of enemies-to-lovers banter, and while I didn’t totally connect with Alice or the romance, I appreciated her growth and the quiet moments of self-discovery.

It’s slow at times, but if you’re in the mood for something light, quirky, and full of charming chaos—with a side of bookish vibes and found family—you’ll probably enjoy the ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an advance copy of this book.

A cute and fun rom-com that doesn't skimp on enemies-to-lovers...so promising! I really enjoyed the way this story kicked off, and I loved the sassy older ladies who joined our FMC on her journey.

Definitely recommend!

This book was so fun! I will always read a Scottish romance. It was heartwarming and light and hilarious, everything I love in a good rom com. I loved, loved, loved all the elderly ladies and their stories and life lessons. 10/10 read!!!

This book started off really strong for me—the first 50% was funny, charming, and thoroughly engaging. I especially loved the older ladies Alice ends up on a bus tour with—the humor was top-notch! However, once the couple realized their feelings, the story took a turn with a frustrating miscommunication trope (an overheard phone call). I saw where the author was going with it, but it felt like it dragged. After that, some parts became repetitive, and I found myself ready for the book to wrap up. The audiobook was 12 hours long, which felt about three hours too long for a rom-com, in my opinion. That said, this was still a cute and pleasant read. I debated between a 3- or 4-star rating, but ultimately, the charm and humor pushed it to 4 stars.