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.

This book follows Andie who works as a publicist she lives in New York and is asked to go on a book tour with an author who she happens to hate. Jack is an author who is forced to go on a book tour with Andie both are experiencing grieve of a parent. This book explores life after grief. The book was definitely a slow burn enemies to lovers. A very good debut book.

Where to begin! This really wasn't the book for me and it took a real nosedive just after the 70% mark, and there was no recovering. It started off well, and I was interested to see where the book was going and what happened between these characters years before they're reunion we're seeing here. I wasn't particularly drawn to the characters, but I thought Andie's grief was explored well and it felt very authentic how her emotions were changing and overwhelming her at different stages.

What I found really uncomfortable was the way Andie and Jack's relationship progresses on the tour. In the sense that it doesn't really progress at all but suddenly they're in bed together with this big unknown thing they haven't discussed still looming over them and absolutely no chemistry and minimal development in their emotional connection from where they were at the beginning of the book to this point. I had to skip the scene, as it felt so wrong for these two and out of place in their journey it made me baulk. It is also completely unclear what their relationship was in the past - had they known each other well? For a day? Were they dating? In a relationship? Not a clue! There's no basis for them in the past or present.

Now, I also don't enjoy it when a defining moment from a couples' past is teased slowly through the book and that's purely personal preference, I know it's big in second chance romances and will appeal to people. However, when we finally get to the reveal of what this dire event was from Jack and Andie's past. it's after we're over 70% of the way through the book. And OH BOY. Yikes. This was a really heavy reveal and if this book ever had a hope of being a rom-com (I'm not sure where the "com" part ever came in) then it ended here. Not only did it really damage my view of both characters in how they acted, but I refuse to believe that with what happened in the past, these two would have ended up in bed together again ever, but definitely not without clearing the air at all first. I don't think I've ever been so appalled at a plot line.

So, I clearly had a lot of feelings about this book and I guess one thing I can say is I did finish it, but maybe I was partly just in shock. I mean, I'm still reeling. Will I ever recover?

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

“How stupid I’ve been, thinking I was blocked off from the rest of the world by some unseen force, but it was a wall I built myself”

Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam focuses on Andie, who has just landed her dream job as senior book publicist. Her first day on the job quickly descends into a nightmare as she realises who her biggest author is. Jack Carlson, the same Jack Carlosn who broke her heart, betrayed her in the worst way imaginable, and who five years ago, Andie swore to never see or speak to again. Now forced to go on tour over Europe for a month, Andie must put her history with Jack aside, because she knows she can not mess this tour up. But is there any way Andie can leave the past behind her to make sure this tour succeeds?

I went into this book expecting it to be an enemies to lovers rom com, but instead what I got was a book that focuses on grief, loss and the impact on those who are left behind. It wasn’t what I was expecting, however it offers a very raw and honest look at the way grief can alter a person's perspective of time, people and events. Andie handles her grief in a way that is very familiar if not very destructive. She is aware of this but seems unable to stop herself, which at first I could really understand and get behind. It became apparent very quickly that she treats her best friend like a therapist, until she says something she disagrees with.

I had a bit of a love hate relationship with Andie. There were multiple times when I wanted to shake some sense into her. She seemed a bit set on treating her best friend like a therapist, her mum like a child and Jack like a monster. While I understand that she is very clearly struggling with her grief, I think there were definitely times when it was like she was being mean for the sake of it.

While I liked Jack, seeing him through Andies eyes for the whole book, by the end of it, he seemed a little two dimensional. He doesn’t seem to have any kind of fire in him, and it’s a shame, because the times when he actually shines is when he is being very expressive with how he feels. I just wish there was a little more to him, but I can understand that we don’t really get to see him through his own eyes bar one chapter.

The best character in this book is Andie’s mum. I wanted to protect her so much, and I think she deserved a lot better and I was so happy for her at the end. Andie is very aware that she hasn’t been the best daughter, but she’s so wrapped up in her own grief she doesn’t stop to think about her mum too long which is heartbreaking. The scene in the restaurant where Andie snaps at her, and she’s sitting there wringing her hands apologising, conjured up such a mental image for me that I had to stop for a moment because it made me feel so incredibly sad. She deserves nothing but the best in life and by the end of the book I think she finds that.

The plot was nothing like I was expecting. I thought it was going to be almost like an all out war, with them both trying to sabotage each other, but the romance aspect seemed to mostly take a back seat. I really linked the subtle way you see the way Andie changes by how she acts and reacts to those around her. You can see it in the way she sees Jack and it's subtle, but it’s there. I wish the reveal of what happened between Andie and JAck had been revealed sooner, so they could have worked through it. I’m not a fan of the miscommunication trope and it seemed like that was the main cause of their issues. I’m not saying what Jack did was okay, but Andie was so blinded by how she was feeling that she didn’t really give him a chance to explain. (I also want nothing but the worst things in life for Robbie, that guy can suffer). It seemed very quick, this is what happened, this is the brief fallout from us realizing that we’re both in the wrong, and now it's the last chapter and six months have passed. I am also really not a fan of time jumps after important moments, and that felt very jarring and a little rushed. I think their ending could have been better if they had taken time to actually work through their issues.

There is some really beautiful writing in this book that I want to highlight, some of my favourites are: ‘The warmth of shared understanding is like a soft jumper.’
‘But the world is calling-the world without my dad. I can’t stay here forever.’
‘I miss him terribly. And he’s never coming back.’

I enjoyed this book, and I would definitely recommend it, I’m just not sure I would label it as a romance