Andie can't wait for her first day in her dream job - at least until she sees the name of the author at the top of her list is Jack Carlson, who ruined her life at university and who she is now expected to accompany on a book tour across Europe.

Set against a backdrop of European cities and brilliant bookshops, Andie and Jack will have to form a truce and find a way to work together, or risk destroying their professional reputations.

This romance novel was really fun to read. Andie's relationships with her best friend and mother were just as important as any romantic entanglement with Jack and it was nice to see her growth over the course of the novel.

This story was beautifully written for grief and different kinds of grief you can come across but I feel it lacked the romance and tension to be expected from this kind of story - trope wise. If this had stayed a book on grief and working through that painful experience it would’ve been great and emotional but to add in the ex point and not work the romance angle for half the book, didn’t make sense to me. Especially because they had the forced proximity down pat but the tension and will they won’t they didn’t come with it.

It's a second chance romance and I do feel it moves quite slowly. It took a while before we know what he did and it made me try reading it in a faster pace. I think it's also because this book doesn't only explore romantic relationship but also other type of relationships - familial, friendship, etc.

Also as someone with interest in publishing industry, any story set in the publishing world is something I would read! Overall, the book pleasantly surprised me as I was expecting a light romance but there are more substace and emotion than I thought.

A 4.5 read for me :)

The setup for Bad Publicity is perfect—forced proximity, unresolved history, and a simmering tension between a writer and her publicist. Andi, our narrator and lead, is a compelling protagonist: strong-willed, ambitious, and deeply human in her flaws. Her past looms over her, shaping her decisions in ways that feel all too real (because who hasn’t let old wounds dictate new choices?).

Jack, on the other hand, is endearing from the start—sweet, caring, and genuinely remorseful for the “big awful” that tore them apart in university. He’s a character you want to root for, but unfortunately, we don’t get enough of his perspective to fully connect with his side of the story. The emotional weight leans so heavily on Andi’s turmoil that it feels like we’re missing some of the chemistry that could make their romance feel more balanced. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic is there, but the love part could have been given more room to breathe.

That said, Bad Publicity delivers where it counts: the pacing is steady, the tension is chef’s kiss, and when the heartbreak hits, it hurts. Despite wanting more from the romance, I still thoroughly enjoyed the ride. If you’re looking for a slow-burn with plenty of angst and a heroine who feels real in her struggles, this one is worth picking up.

My initial expectations for Bad Publicity were those of a light hearted romantic comedy. However, the narrative presented a profound exploration of grief and regret, demonstrating their pervasive influence across all aspects of life. This was not a superficial plot element, but rather an integral component of the story's structure.

While romantic elements were present, they were not the central focus. The narrative offered a nuanced portrayal of diverse relationships—friendships, familial bonds, and romantic entanglements— contributing to a sense of authenticity.

As an individual with a fascination with the publishing industry, I found the book's depiction of this world particularly engaging.

The pacing of the narrative was notably uneven, alternating between fast paced plot progression and extended periods of slow burn. This variability in tempo may not appeal to all readers; however, I found the overall experience to be satisfying.

Bad Publicity deviated significantly from my initial expectations - it delivered a more substantial and emotional narrative than anticipated. Those seeking a novel with depth may find this book rewarding. Readers should be prepared for a narrative that navigates complex emotional themes.

Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing Plc and NetGalley for this ARC!

This is so much more than a second chance romance. Andi is dealing with a lot, but everything seems to be overshadowed by the death of her father. She is not handling any of it well, but she insists that she is fine. When she finds out she must do a European tour with an author she hates most in the world, it is the final straw. I loved all the bookshop settings and beautiful locations. This is a very emotional book and although the romance is lovely, it felt like a secondary plotline to Andi finding her feet again after losing her dad. She is quite abrasive and whiny at the beginning, but by the end I was definitely cheering her on.

I liked this but was a little slow for me and I didn't feel the chemistry as much with the main couple

Andie's new start is as the publicist for her ex Jack. These two have lots of feelings for each other but for Andie a lot of it is tangled up in the grief she feels at losing her dad. At times she can be brutally sarcastic to Jack but mostly she does a great job even if she doesn't feel like she is. It takes a lot for these two to get their happy ever after but that's what makes this book so good. I even bought the paperback because I liked it so much.

Second chance romance

But we don’t know why we hate the guy until 80%! I ending up spending the whole book wondering what he did and it took a lot of the enjoyment out for me.

I did find the romance a bit weak and flat but this could be due to my desire to know what Jack did.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy for an honest review.

I think the premise of this book is a really great one, I loved the concept of a publicist and author who have a past turn from enemies to lovers and this was an enjoyable read/concept.

However I did have to dnf this because I really could not put up with the FMC in this book. Her dislike for the MMC was honestly so off putting to me that I just could not carry on reading. She is so mean to him in that she will not even speak more than a few words to him and not even let him speak to her at all over ‘something’ that happened in the past which we don’t even find out until much later on in the book in the third act.

I didn’t like feeling in the dark about ‘what happened’ as I feel like I couldn’t justify her being so mean to him without this knowledge so unfortunately this book just wasn't for me.

Somehow I enjoy romances where the main characters have history. That level of angst and buttled up emotions totally grabs me. I want to find out what happens, how they overcome it. This book was no exception… I started on a Sunday afternoon and didn’t let it go until I finished after midnight…

This story follows Andie and Jack. As one of the biggest opportunities in her career, Andie becomes Jack’s publisher, even when she totally despises him. They have history together from their time studying in Edinburg
and this was to be a journey with weeks of traveling, visiting several cities, going to events together and staying on the same hotels. The long exposure (and we get ALL the scenes on this book), forces them to get to know each other better while they visit some European capitals like Dublin, London, Paris or Berlin.

One of the most enjoyable parts for me was how realistic it felt to bear witness to so many moments of built up: from check in at hotels, to this-taxi-journey-is-being-too-quiet, to we-coincidentally-decided-to-go-for-a-walk-in-Paris-after-a-long-day. They learnt about who they were again in the day to day, and there was even a stop in a favorite bookstore of mine that made me want to go back to those places… All of that said, this story was also quite heavily entangled with grief (I almost wished to see a trigger warning) and on many occasions felt like a healing journey along with the romantic entanglement. All in all, a great slow burn journey of discovery and connection.

Thank you to Bianca Gillam, Bloomsbury and Netgalley an advanced copy of the ebook

I struggled to connect with this as a romance and that element of the story really took a back seat to the overall character development of Andie. I thought it was a really well written exploration of grief and ways to learn to live with that. I liked the arcs that Andie went on with Sara and her mum. As mentioned I struggled with the romance of it, it was frustrating that it didn’t become clear what had actually happened between Jack and Andie until the last quarter of the novel (also I wouldn’t exactly call them exes, so this wasn’t that much of a second chance to me) as it then made any conversations between the two feel rushed. Jack also didn’t feel like a fully fleshed out character, even with that one chapter in his POV.
I loved the writing style and found it to be well paced for the most part which made it overall a good read.

Andie starts her dream job in book publishing, only to find out that her first author is someone she definitely doesn't want to work with let alone spend a month on a book tour with, Jack Carlson. Andie and Jack are not friends but they will have to learn to get along for the sake of their jobs, but how long will it be before all their past feelings come to the surface?

I enjoyed this book, it was a cute enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity book with some complex themes. Andie's struggles with grief and guilt build a complex character which I really enjoyed, however I didn't connect so much to Jack's character for the majority of the book. Overall, I felt there were some things missing to rate this any higher but it was definitelyworth the read.

2 / 5

Andie, a book publicist in NY is stuck touring around Europe with a famous author, Jack, who she has a romantic past with.

I really loved the first 30%, it was fast paced and Andie has a strong voice. But this goes all downhill after - the novel just becomes a huge description of where the tour is taking them which becomes dull very fast. Why am I reading about Andie going to sleep on the plane three times, getting up, collecting her luggage, getting off the plane and into the airport, out of the airport, back on another flight and checking her emails etc.? There’s way too much description like this that serves zilch to the story. I would’ve liked to have more dialogue between Andie and Jack instead to build their chemistry.

Unfortunately I didn’t feel any connection or chemistry between Andie and Jack - I didn’t really care about them either. There's barely any dialogue between them and Andie has a habit of interrupting everyone she comes across. And the dialogue that is present is so dry - it's basically "thank you" and "you're welcome" about a million times.

Jack is a nice character but Andie is unbearable. She’s so annoying and whiny that I wasn’t rooting for her at all. She uses her best friend as her on-call therapist when she just needs to see an actual therapist. Andie constantly asks her friend what to do and then when given advice, she just refuses to listen to it anyway. Andie’s immaturity drove me bonkers. She supposedly keeps feeling guilty about treating her mum like rubbish but then continues to treat her so.

Very close to DNF-ing at 50% where the middle is sagging big time and becoming description-heavy (e.g. she did this and then this and then this). Not for me this time!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book expecting a standard light-hearted romance novel with potentially a bit of cheesiness thrown in for good measure. This book intricately explores themes of deep sadness and regret, capturing the raw emotional weight that these experiences bring. It skillfully delves into the concept of second chances, portraying the characters' journeys as they confront their past and strive for redemption. The narrative combines moments of intense heartache with a hopeful outlook on personal transformation.

The coworker romance is particularly noteworthy. It’s presented with a sense of realism and emotional depth, reflecting how relationships can evolve through shared challenges and growth. This aspect of the story adds a genuine, heartfelt layer to the plot.

The book's ability to weave together pain, hope, and the transformative nature of love left a significant impression on me, making it a memorable and impactful read.

Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam was just a good read. It has forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers, and a second chance romance that left me swooning. This novel is a perfect amount of angst, humour, and emotional, heartwarming moments.

The story focusses on Andie and Jack, our MCs, who are former lovers with a complicated past. They are forced together due to work commitments, which spark numerous emotions for them both, from intense hatred to undeniable attraction.

The author's portrayal of Andie's grief and loss was such a well-written addition to the romance story; it was scattered throughout the book, making it feel authentic.

The sensitive topic is well handled, allowing Andie's pain to shine through while also showcasing her resilience and strength.

This is a nice, easy to read, romance novel, with enough feeling and a bit of humour to get you through!
I enjoyed it, it would be a good beach read, and it kept me interested.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me holding by my breath in parts.
I felt like I understood Andie’s grief more than I expected to.
I have to admit I was expecting Jack’s ‘crime’ to be a lot worse than it was.
Overall I enjoyed this book.

I was after an easy read and this book ticked the box. My only complaint is that I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it as it gained huge momentum towards the end, when everything was explained!
I did think that Jacks background could have been explored more, especially his relationship with his Dad.
I would be interested in reading more from this author.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

3.5 stars rounded up. I liked the writing style here. The plot speeds along nicely and kept me engrossed, and Andie is a complex, well-drawn main character. For me she is just self-aware enough not to be completely unlikeable, and it’s understandable how the one-two punch of events five years previously have affected her actions. However, there were a couple of balance issues that gave me pause. Because this is so much Andie’s book and her journey out of grief, in comparison Jack felt a little two-dimensional. I would have liked more from him, rather than just being told how good-looking and successful he is - which brings me to the second issue. We’re supposed to believe it’s only five years since they were at university together, and in that time Jack in particular has achieved a ridiculous amount. Careerwise they should be older, but that would make less sense for Andie’s grief journey and general emotional maturity… so that aspect just didn’t quite work for me. Nonetheless this is an assured debut that I enjoyed reading.