"Younger meets Writers and Lovers in this rollicking, sparkling, and funny novel that spans decades and generations of a family in the publishing industry.

In the post-pandemic publishing industry, two rival editors are forced to share a "hot desk" on different days of the week, much to their chagrin. Having never set eyes on each other, Rebecca Blume and Ben Heath begin leaving passive-aggressive Post-it notes on the pot of their shared cactus. But when revered literary legend Edward David Adams (known as "the Lion") dies, leaving his estate up for grabs, their banter escalates as both work feverishly to land this career-making opportunity. Their fierce rivalry ultimately forces each to decide how far they'll go to get ahead, what role they want to play in the Lion's legacy, and what they mean to each other.

As their battle for the estate gets more heated, Rebecca learns of a connection between her mother, Jane, and the Lion. The story travels back four decades earlier to when Jane arrives in Manhattan and meets Rose, soon her best friend. Jane and Rose are two strong, talented young women trying to make their mark in the publishing world at a time when art, the written word, and creative expression were at their height. But one fateful day during the April blizzard of 1982 will change the course of Jane's life, and of their friendship, forever..."

What I really want to know is who brought the cactus into this relationship.

Hot Desk has a cool premise. Two competing editors who share custody of their desk on opposite days. A ‘prized’ manuscript to try to publish posthumously. And more.
I enjoy books about books and the publishing world - the good & the bad of it; however, this novel did not make the grade for me. I felt like there was too much going on and that none of the characters had enough depth. I wanted to know more about Rebecca and her mom, or Rebecca and Gabe, or Jane and Rose, but instead we just get glimpses of each these characters, not enough for me to feel connected or to root for them. A lot of the action happened off page. It just didn’t hit for me.
Thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Simon & Schuster for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This novel takes its time, weaving a dual-timeline narrative that pairs slow-burn workplace tension with poignant family secrets. While the pace occasionally drags, the quirky desk rivalry and layered relationships offer enough charm to keep going. The historical flashbacks add emotional weight, deepening the stakes with themes of legacy, ambition, and lost friendship. Ultimately, it’s an okay read: not gripping, but worth the journey if you're patient.

**Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books and Laura Dickerman for an eARC of Hot Desk.

Rebecca and Ben now have to share a desk. The publishing industry is back post covid, but saving money by having a hybrid schedule and desk shares. Neither one seems to be able to keep the desk clean for their desk mate, so the two are not friends even before meeting. Add a famous authors death and both fighting for the rights to re-publish his works and the tension is high. Will they be able to find a common ground?

When @kristywharvey mentioned loving this book, I needed to pick it up asap! This book has a lot more meat to it than this synopsis portrays, but it’s hard to give a good synopsis without giving too much away! This is not really a rom com, it has some pieces of that, but overall it had much heavier themes as well. We go back and forth in time between Rebecca and Ben in present day, and Rebecca’s mom in the past, and I loved how her mom’s timeline added to the story overall. I adored the main characters, the side characters, and the chef’s kiss of an ending! If you are like me and feeling burnt out on rom coms, and need a heavier book but with a hint of love, you need to read this book!

Thank you to @gallerybooks for my gifted copy of this book!

HOT DESK reads like it would make for a great screen adaptation, with flashbacks to a previous era, family dramas, some romance and plenty of ambition. Trigger warning required but otherwise a book that is sure to be enjoyed by fans of the writing world!

3.5⭐️ This was a tough one for me. I loved the premise and overall I thought it was a fun read, but I felt like there was just too much going on.

This book had two main storylines. First, Rebecca and Ben share a “Hot Desk”, both occupying it on different workdays. The narration goes back and forth between their two points of view. Both work for competing publishing companies who are both pursuing the works of a famous, recently deceased author, known as “the Lion”. All of this contributes to tension between the two, who have not even met face to face. In this storyline, I felt like the tension between Rebecca and Ben could have been a bit more developed. They seemed to despise each other pretty early on for reasons that seemed unreasonable. I also would have liked to see more correspondence between the two, leading up to them finally meeting in person.

For the second storyline, chapters are sprinkled in from point of view of Rebecca’s mother, where we learn about her past connection to the Lion and his widow. I really liked this part of the story and how they connected to Rebecca and Ben’s pursuit of the Lion’s estate. However, there were a lot of moments where I felt like too much was happening that distracted from the story as a whole.

If you’re looking for something fresh and fun, with a workplace vibe, this book would be perfect for you!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an advanced copy of this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

First, thank you to NetGalley for my ARC of this book!

Unfortunately, I think this was a “wrong place, wrong time” book for me. It didn’t grab me the way I was hoping. I liked the way the stories intertwined but I almost wish Rose and Jane’s story was the “main” story — I think the whole thing could have been about them and it would have been wonderful. Rebecca and Ben’s story also could have been its own separate book and it would have been fine. Together, it felt a bit like each story was lacking something. I think I wanted more spark. Either way, it’s an interesting concept and touches on a lot of important topics. I just think I wasn’t in the right headspace for this one.

Hot desk is a fun novel with a few interesting surprises. The ending fell a little flat as the two enemies turned to lovers VERY fast, but it was still a fun and super witty read, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I liked the overall message and theme of this book. I liked the past tense better than the present tense chapters. The early ‘80s section felt more organic and engaging. This is fun and breezy novel about the publishing industry. I felt like the book dragged in certain parts, but overall, I thought Hot Desk kept me entertained. A well written novel from an exciting new author.

This was a very contemporary, easy read that didn’t leave a huge impression. The premise was fun and had potential, but the story stayed pretty surface-level. The characters were fine, the romance was fine—nothing really stood out, but nothing was bad either. It felt like a book you read on a plane or a weekend when you don’t want anything too heavy.

If you’re in the mood for something light and modern with a workplace twist, this might do the trick. Just don’t expect anything super deep or emotionally layered.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Engaging and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where bookish women's fic is popular.

Set in shifting world of post-2020 publishing, Hot Desk offers a smart, entertaining look at two rival editors forced into awkward proximity. Rebecca Blume and Ben Heath work at rival publishing houses that now share a building. Thanks to alternating in-office schedules, they occupy the same desk, "hot desk," but on different days of the week.

Rebecca, a seasoned editor has not made the transition easily and finds her office partner that she has never met annoying at best. She is more invested in promoting her best friend's new project than working with her current authors. Work becomes a little bit more exciting when she is tagged to meet with the widow of the literary legend Edward David Adams, (known as "the Lion." ). She learns that the request is related somehow to her mother, but no other details are shared.

Meanwhile, Ben, new to the industry and still starry eyed with excitement sees the Lion as a hero. Through a chance encounter with Adams’ rebellious stepson, Ben is also invited to check out the papers left behind by the literary superstar.

What unfolds is part rivalry, part romantic comedy, but in a way that is never trite nor boring.
Hot Desk is a clever, heartfelt read with just enough bite and plenty of publishing references for all the readers out there!

#GalleryBooks #HotDesk #LauraDickerman #PublishingFiction #OfficeRomance #IndustryRivalry

A predictable romantic comedy. I found the desk-sharing dispute a bit contrived and Rebecca’s passive aggressive texting about it annoyed me—it was hard to sympathize with her. I liked the 1980s flashbacks better than the main storyline. Atticus’s character was like a caricature, and I couldn’t really keep track of the other minor characters.

I just finished reading this book. The plot was absolutely fantastic! It was quite the page turner, and I could not put the book down once I began reading it. I can't wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

Hot Desk by Laura Dickerman was assigned for review through Library Journal. The review will be published in an upcoming issue.

I really loved this book, I really liked the triple POV and all the side characters and I love anything about the writing/publishing industry. The first couple chapters were a little dense and hard to get into (especially because of all the side characters) but then it really started to flow and get good around the 33% mark.

My only issue is with the marketing/descriptions of this book - it is not a rom-com. It is neither a romance nor a comedy and definitely not a combo of the two. I liked the romance side plot, but it really is a side plot. I think framing this book as literary fiction or women’s lit will really help it find its readers.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for a copy of this book eARC!

DNF @ 32%

This book, while well written, was pulling at too many threads, making the reading experience confusing…. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be paying the most attention to or what the point of the story even was. In the first 32%, there are many things happening but happening mundanely. We have:
* FMC being a disgruntled employee due to desk sharing (which, IMO, is unrealistically blown out of proportion…. does anyone *actually* care that much?)
* workplace competition between FMC and MMC to win over rights to publish a deceased author’s works
* FMC and MMC subtle fights via post it notes — is this supposed to be a workplace rivals to lovers?
* FMC attempting to help her best friend become famous for dinner parties….
* an alternate timeline of the FMC’s mother and her time in the publishing industry

I’m sure that it would have all been woven together eventually, but I can’t say I saw it coming together in a satisfying way. I really enjoyed the author’s writing, even though at times I felt it to be a lot of telling and no showing. I would pick up another book by this author, but this one wasn’t for me.

From the blurb, this story should have had more interactions between the two characters sharing a desk. By 30% in, they had only exchanged one post it note. I was really disappointed in the way the blurb made this book sound vs. what it actually was.

They were rivals, but it didn't seem like either of them cared much about what they were competing for.

There was also a separate timeline with two additional characters that I don't recall the blurb mentioning.

Also, this was written in 3rd person - which is almost an immediate DNF, but I stuck it out. Almost wish I hadn't.