Score: 5/5 Bookmarks

Steam Rating: 🍆🍆/5

Thank you to Gallery Books for gifting me a review copy of Shipped by Angie Hockman which comes out on January 19, 2021.

It’s been a while since I picked up a romance and was immediately hooked the way I was with this book. It is described as the Un-Honeymooners meets The Hating Game and I’d say that is dead on. It is laugh-out-loud hilarious and will have you sighing, snort-laughing, and cringing in equal measure.

Henley Evans works for an adventure cruise-line (based out of Seattle….holla) and is up for a promotion. Unfortunately so is her work nemesis Graeme Crawford-Collins. The two have never met because Graeme works remotely, but that hasn’t stopped them from forming an intense rivalry from afar.

They both get sent on a cruise to the Galapagos in a competition to each come up with a killer marketing plan for the region. What could possibly go wrong? Only Henley puking all over the place right as she meets Graeme for the first time, an amorous Russian, an epic lip-sync battle, a well-meaning but troublesome sister, and an unfortunate kayaking adventure. So you know…totally smooth sailing (pun intended).

The tension build-up between the two main characters is hot, but there is low-ish steam simply because they keep getting interrupted! I was 100% here for their awesome banter too, I love me some sassy dialogue.

I also loved that the happy-ever-after wasn’t just about getting the guy, it was really well-rounded. While some members of our book-club thought the ending was a little too tidy I really enjoyed it.

I read this one with the @LoveARCtually book club and we had a final chat with the author, which was hilarious! We really wanted to know if Henley’s sister Walsh would get her own book, and while she told us she doesn’t have plans to write one, she then outlined a whole story she had in her head that sounded amazing…so fingers crossed!

I know it’s early but I’m already certain this will make my top romance list for 2021, you’re definitely going to want to check it out!

Synopsis:

Between taking night classes for her MBA and her demanding day job at a cruise line, marketing manager Henley Evans barely has time for herself, let alone family, friends, or dating. But when she’s shortlisted for the promotion of her dreams, all her sacrifices finally seem worth it.

The only problem? Graeme Crawford-Collins, the remote social media manager and the bane of her existence, is also up for the position. Although they’ve never met in person, their epic email battles are the stuff of office legend.

Their boss tasks each of them with drafting a proposal on how to boost bookings in the Galápagos—best proposal wins the promotion. There’s just one catch: they have to go on a company cruise to the Galápagos Islands...together. But when the two meet on the ship, Henley is shocked to discover that the real Graeme is nothing like she imagined. As they explore the Islands together, she soon finds the line between loathing and liking thinner than a postcard.

With her career dreams in her sights and a growing attraction to the competition, Henley begins questioning her life choices. Because what’s the point of working all the time if you never actually live?