This is the book you need to read if you need to bring some laughter and happiness into your day. Alice lives by her lists. I so relate to that. When her life implodes, she decides to throw caution to the wind and makes an impulsive decision. What she didn’t do was read the fine print. What could go wrong? Um, everything and it is pretty darn funny. I enjoyed this from start to finish and all along the way I was rooting for her. It is smart, witty and filled with lots of snarky banter. A t times some of her tour-mates are a bit too campy, but still funny. Quick easy read that ultimately leads to Alice finding herself and her happiness.

A romance mixed with coming-of-age story, this novel follows Alice Cooper, an American adrift from the life she'd planned. With a well-rounded cast of supporting characters and a moody Scotsman love interest, the book charts their tour through the UK along with Alice's growth. It was an enjoyable read, with some truly funny banter, and I look forward to more from this author.

Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for early access to Work in Progress in exchange for my honest opinion. The book is available now. Unfortunately, I didn’t love this book, but I think it just wasn’t the right time for me to read this one and I tried to force it. Big takeaway - read what makes you happy! I’ll tell you what SHOULD have made me happy, because this book had a lot of positives going for it.
In Work in Progress, the MC is about to turn 30 and recently went through a rough breakup, while also leaving the job she had loved. On a whim, Alice books a last minute women-only three week UK tour focused on literary sites, as she’s always wanted to travel but her relationship previously held her back. Of course there are problems from the get-go, including issues with her flight and her suitcase getting smashed, and when she arrives, Alice realizes the other participants are decades older than she is. The tour is led by a cute guy, however, even if he comes across as a jerk from their first meeting.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the sites around the UK, and I enjoyed the way Alice got to know both the tour director and the other participants, but for some reason it took me forever to finish. Maybe it was just too cutesy? Alice’s character compares herself to Bridget Jones, and I am not a fan of Bridget Jones’ Diary, either, so maybe that could also be to blame for my dislike. I’m still sharing this, though, because I think these are me-specific issues, and I have read other rave reviews. So don’t only take my opinion on this one, and maybe it would work for you.

Work in Progress is a debut romance novel about Alice who is approaching her 30th birthday and feeling lost. After her losing both her job and her boyfriend, Alice decides to book a last minute trip on a literary tour to figure out what is next. When she arrives, Alice finds two unexpected things: a tour group composed solely of older ladies and a maddening, yet handsome Scottish tour guide.

I am unabashedly a lover of feel-good stories in any form. So it is no surprise that I love books that feel like a warm hug. And I was happy to find Work in Progress is just that, although things start off on the wrong foot for Alice.

While she initially scoffs at joining a tour group of elderly ladies, they embrace Alice and help guide her on her journey back to confidence. This was one of my favorite aspects of the novel. As someone who grew up spending more time with my elderly neighbors than kids my own age, I reveled in a story that put life’s bumps and curves into perspective through some sage advise from wise older women.

For a debut author, Kat Mackenzie did an excellent job developing distinct characters. As I mentioned, I loved the older ladies in this book. It was easy to do so when they each had clear, unique personalities (and were supportive and sweet). And Robbie is as sweet as can be. While Alice is definitely a bit of a grumpy character, she really grew as a person over the course of the book. I do think Alice may rub some people the wrong way initially.

I must applaud Mackenzie for writing dialogue and prose that actually made me laugh out loud, which is no small feat. The witty, stinging banter in the first portion of the book is fantastic and fun. I just wish that the sizzle of the banter continued throughout the novel. In addition, I found the elaborate descriptions of locations to be too long. I rarely skim when I read, but I had to do so for my eyes not to glaze over reading about the Scottish countryside. It also felt very out of place when the rest of the novel was not written as descriptively.

I must also point out that among the many literary references sprinkled through Work in Progress are HP references. There was absolutely no need for these and automatically drops the star rating for me. Moreover, the plot does hinge on the miscommunication trope. Although it is not used in a completely unreasonable manner, I was still screaming at the Alice to just speak to Robbie like a grown adult. Finally, I think that the lists were a bit over done and did not add to the narrative.

Overall, Work in Progress is a strong debut novel but not without a few faults. I recommend it if you love a sweet male protagonist, revel in found family, or are planning a U.K. literary adventure.

Alice is having a terrible day. Her direct flight to Scotland turned into a 30 hour ordeal, her luggage has fallen apart, some rude man cut in front of her at the luggage counter, and if she can't find a ride, she's going to miss the literal bus. This all-woman bus tour around the UK is supposed to rejuvenate her and help her climb out of the depression hole she has been in on the ladder of sisterhood. But when she finally finds the bus, she discovers that her new sisters are all over 65, and that rude guy from the airport? He's the driver.

This was a charming jaunt around the UK with a bus full of quirky old ladies and a couple of young'ns who can't decide if they like or hate each other. I enjoyed the tour around the UK and thought we got enough detail without it feeling like a travel journal. I thought the Bridget Jones stuff felt a little dated, especially for the age of the character, but it was ultimately a tiny detail. The banter between Alice and Robbie is pretty good, but the spice in this book is low, it's basically closed door.

Overall I enjoyed this read and would pick up another book by Kat Mackenzie.

This book was such a really cute read. The headings of the short chapters were so insanely hilarious and just really add to the reading. I enjoy the fact that there were so many tidbits of actual UK landmarks and sites. The banter between the main character, Alice, and the bus driver/tour driver, Robbie was so well done and just incredible. There was a lot of miscommunication which drives me insane and really was what missed the mark for me. Otherwise this is just a really cute and fun read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Literary bus tour across Britain. Rom-com and and annoying hot Scottish hunk that the main character hates to love? These choices will always be a win for me!

This is a sweet and captivating romance. Alice and Robbie have the opposite of a meet cute but even as enemies, they are adorable together. Even their angry banter is delightfully engaging, Plus, there is always an undercurrent of attraction between them even when they allegedly can't stand each other. The hating is always more on Alice's part anyway. Even when she allegedly hates him Robbie seems to be charmed and amused by her.

Robbie is such a great guy, manly but kind. He is so caring and helpful to the elderly woman on his tour and Alice too even when she is difficult. He is always a gentleman. When his mother shows up, it is clear that his warm and loving relationship with her has positively influenced his attitude and behavior toward other women.

Alice and the women on the bus come to care for each other as well. It is touching how their relationships develop. They are like a busload of grandmothers to her who help her in different ways, and she in turn helps them too. They all become like family to each other even the women who don't seem as friendly at first.

The book is also a bit of a travelogue. It is descriptive enough about the famous places the women visit on their tour. Yet, it is not so overly descriptive as to get bogged down in the details of the setting and lose sight of the story. Whether you love good enemies to lovers stories, you are a fan of found family and/or you want to learn a little about some of the sights of the UK, this book is a great choice.

I desperately needed an easy book to get lost into, to go away from the gloomy weather and my anxious life.
This one was perfect for it.
The moment I started to read, I got transported into a different country, was surrounded with new friends, learnt their stories. I could almost hear the surrounding and smell their food and see people on the streets.
With this book, I saw two main characters hating each other and fall in love, slowly. Both of them were so perfect for each other. I also got a reminder that it's never too late to start over- it's exactly where I am right now to be honest. The old ladies characters were perfect addition. They reminded me so much of my aunt and grandma.
I am usually not a fan of longer descriptions in the books, but with this one, I didn't mind. Short chapters helped a lot.
This book would be a perfect movie, too! It felt like a one.
Dear Kat, thank you for a great escape. Can't wait to read more.

Thank you to the author and net gallery for being able to read this book.

I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. I didn’t think that this book was bad, but I found myself having a hard time getting into the characters.

I too would like to go on a literary bus tour of the UK with a gaggle of old ladies and fall in love with the Scottish tour guide.

3.5 stars

This was a solid debut and a solid romcom! I think authors often struggle with balancing the humor and the romance and I think Kat MacKenzie gets it just right.

I also loved that she very naturally interspersed the novel with actual tidbits of information about the places they were visiting, it heightened my desire to travel back to the UK!

But, my absolute favorite part was our gaggle of old ladies. The camaraderie was so much fun to read and I love every single character. 💗

Also, while the banter was fun, I do think it could be over the top sometimes. To the point of it being less banter and more just plain annoying. 😅

The romance wasn’t too steamy, but I would say it’s kind of cracked door? Not quite open, not quite closed but easy to skim or skip over if that’s not your thing.

Overall, I laughed and had a great time and look forward to seeing what else MacKenzie will write!

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Rounding up to 4 but really a 3.5 for me.

I love the description of all the destinations and sites throughout the book.

The FMC and MMC were mostly unbearable for the first 20% of the book. As we get to know Robbie better, he becomes incredibly likeable. We get to see Alice really grow as a person. The stories from all of the ladies on the tour are highlights of book.

After the initial "woe is me" of the FMC, the banter felt very Lorelei Gilmore (Gilmore Girls) which I enjoyed.

Overall, a lot of hilarious moments.

WORK IN PROGRESS by Kat Mackenzie is a very light, romance novel which features glimpses of a tour around the United Kingdom, complete with a reading list (see below) associated with each of the stops. That alone would be great fun, but readers observe the bickering turned attraction between a recently jilted young American woman named Alice Cooper (who loves lists) and the tour bus driver and organizer, Scotsman Robbie Brodie. Their adventures in castle ruins and local pubs are often funny and somewhat absurd, but that just adds to the escapist appeal of this debut travelogue rom-com. WORK IN PROGRESS received a starred review from Booklist ("Readers will enjoy the abundant gentle humor, intergenerational friendships, and armchair travel—as well as the slow burn of a tasteful romance.") Suggested for fans of Katherine Center and Beth O'Leary. **4.5 stars overall**

READING LIST: Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson; The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown; The Waverly Novels by Sir Walter Scott; Dracula by Bram Stoker; Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte; A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare; The Liar by Stephen Fry; The Adventures of the Second Stain by Arthur Conan Doyle; Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome; Persuasion by Jane Austen; Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books by Paul Collins; Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas; Selected Poems by Robert Burns; Whisky Galore by Compton Mackenzie; To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf; Outlander by Diana Gabaldon; 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith; With numerous references to Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding; And a couple of bonus titles: Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray and Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen.

Work in Progress was a cute read! I loved all of the Bridget Jones references and the relationships with the older women. It was so fun and had a lot of funny moments. Should I book a UK bus tour with a bunch of old ladies?

I would recommend to friends who want a light-hearted and funny read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Work in Progress by Kat Mackenzie is the first book in a while that had me giggling out loud, I realized I had to be careful where and at what time I was reading. The story follows Alice as she decides to go to Scotland after losing both her job and fiance within a short period of time. She goes on an all women, three-week bus tour with stops at literary locations. The women turn out to be elderly, not quite the fun girl group Alice had in mind and to top that off, the tour guide is a Scotsman named Robbie that is incredibly annoying. The bus, which Alice pictured as a luxury ride, was in reality an old, broken down repurposed school bus-type. The debacles in the story begin as soon as Alice lands in the UK, she wasn't even out of the airport before the laughter began.

Another day, another book that makes me dream of traveling across the British Isles. And I really enjoyed the twists this book had to offer! Alice was an entirely relatable character-and I particularly appreciated that the story was truly about her finding happiness-and that doesn’t just mean finding romantic love. Her connection with each of the women on the tour was the highlight for me.

While I did grow to love the relationship between Alice and Robbie, I found the antagonism they had for each other in the beginning to be hard to get over. They were quite awful to each other and it was as hard to get past that so quickly.

Overall I thought this was a beautiful story of finding happiness in unexpected places and people. I enjoyed the rich descriptions of setting, the detailed character building, and the internal conflict resolved on a realistic timeline.

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Format: Kindle
Length: 377 pages
Pub date: January 14 (OUT NOW!!!)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎:
💙uk settings
🚐dislike to love
💙slow burn
🚐forced proximity
💙banter
🚐roadtrips
💙book references
🚐closed door romance
💙found family

Work in Progress is about more than just a romance. It's the inspiring story of one woman's self-discovery and healing after heartbreak. ❤️‍🩹

It reminded me of books like “the last love note” and “float plan”, where you can’t help but root for the main character to navigate their way through the darkness.

I adored the found family dynamic between Alice, Robbie, and the older women. Initially, Alice is hesitant to open up to the group, but once she does, they create deeply meaningful and unbreakable bonds.

If you’re reading this for the romance, you’re gonna be waiting awhile because it is a SLOW BURNNNN. 🔥 I love slow burns because the romance just feels SO much more believable when they start off as friends - or in this case, dislike to friends to lovers.

However, this IS a closed door romance. Although, we get SOME spice, we don’t get everything. BUT…. The LOOKS. The slight TOUCHES. The ANGST. Ahhh so GOOD! 🥵

ALSO, sign me up for a book tour of the UK please and thank you !?! 🙋🏽‍♀️

Lastly, thank you to @netgalley , @avonbooks , @harpervoyagerus + @katmackenziewrites for this arc in exchange for an honest review!! 🫶🏽

Alice Cooper (not that Alice Cooper!) is almost 30 and her carefully planned life has gone off the rails. Her fiancee dumped her, she lost her job, and she's never done anything on her bucket list. So she signs up for a 3 week bus tour through the UK.

The banter between Alice and Robbie builds from frustration and irritation to serious sparks. I loved the Bridget Jones-like tallies, the observations of UK vs US customs and idioms. I especially loved the other ladies on the bus tour and their wonderful chats in tea houses and pubs. Sign me up for one of these tours, please!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this. #WorkinProgress #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this story so much! This story was very funny and well written I was shocked this was the author’s debut novel. I enjoyed seeing Alice grow as a character and her bonds form with the older ladies and Robbie.

I really enjoyed this book. I found the story both something I resonated with on a deeper level but something that was also very light and funny. The writing was very descriptive and I found myself wanting to book myself a trip. I wish the miscommunication trope hadn't been drug out so long, but I enjoyed the experience anyway.