True to its title I feel this book has been badly publicised i.e. massively overhyped - I have seen this everywhere and it is still MONTHs until its release date.
This book is a slow burn that could have been concluded in a lot less pages. It is what I would class as an easy read that you would maybe take on holiday and read on the beach while sunbathing.

I am stuck between 2-3 stars because I do feel this has an audience, I am just not it.

I LOVED THIS BOOK.

📚 Forced Proximity
🐉 Enemies to Lovers
📚 Slow Burn
🐉 Second Chance

Bad Publicity is a beautiful story thay follows Andie, who just landed her dream job as a senior publicist, and Jack, her client who also happens to be her ex...
Andie is tasked with promoting Jack's latest fiction book on a month long tour around some of the most romantic places in Europe. Can she handle this trip with the man who broke her heart?

This is written so beautifully. I fell for these characters so quickly and adored their story. The elements of grief and loss are navigated in such a realistic way and truly show the struggles a family can have when they lose someone suddenly. Andie and Sara also have such a sweet friendship that suffers the true-to-life bumps of new relationships.

Highly highly highly recommend. I had to force myself to put it down to go to work!

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

I LOVED this book SO much.

I didn’t know what I was getting myself into but I loved every single second. Forced proximity of two people who have a LOT of history, the sexual tension was off the charts.

It is a wild journey of discovery for Andie, and Jack is a brilliant male love interest. He does beg, and it was brilliant.

It’s hilarious - laugh out loud funny - it is also heartwarming and witty.

Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Tessa Bailey.

A great debut! A cute and enjoyable read but also delves into deeper emotions and subjects such as grief. The characters are great, the plot is exciting and I really enjoyed reading it.

Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam is an average rom-com read. Throughout the book we are "dangled the carrot" of the two main characters having an eventful history together in Edinburgh however no details are given for too long. This makes it difficult to root for the heroine and she simply comes across as mean and unprofessional. Had the back story been given a earlier in the story with the miscommunication being dealt with later I feel this would have made for a much better story.
It's an easy read and if it was included in my prime or unlimited reads I'd recommend it but I wouldn't suggest it as a novel for my readers.

Jack and Andie have a very complicated and upsetting past and I wish it was explained a little earlier in the novel as it was hard to root for Andie when she is being horrible and rude to Jack. It all becomes clear in the end though.
I enjoyed this novel but I felt the pacing and storytelling was slightly jumbled and unusual. Definitely an enjoyable and it tackles grief beautifully.

*"Bad Publicity" by Bianca Gillam is a sharp and engaging novel that dives into the chaotic world of public relations, fame, and scandal. Gillam’s witty and fast-paced storytelling brings readers into the high-stakes world of image management, where one wrong move can lead to disastrous consequences. The protagonist’s journey through the murky waters of PR is filled with humor, tension, and surprising twists, making it a captivating read. With its strong characters and clever insights into the price of fame, *Bad Publicity* offers both entertainment and a thought-provoking take on media and celebrity culture.*

⭐️2.75

I loved the sound Bad Publicity from the blurb and the cover is attractive, but the main character was so frustrating for me.

I did enjoy reading about the MC’s job as a publicist, working at a publishing house but she was unprofessional most of the time. I’m 34 and I just couldn’t get on with the decisions made.

The carrot was dangled early on of the reasons behind the whole situation, but we didn’t find out what until very very late on. The whole book therefore ended up being all miscommunication where no one talks to each other.

Not one for me sorry. If the miscommunication trope is your thing, this one is for you!

This was such a fun read!
I ate this book up in a day (no lie)
This is a prime example of miscommunication which had me screaming at Jack & Andie a little bit.
But I LOVED the enemies to lovers trope (one of my faves).
This is perfect if you want a fun easy read with lots of cutsey romantic bits.
Loved it!

Andie has finally landed her dream job, being senior publicist, and is ready to conquer the publishing world.
When she finds out that she'll have to take care of and organize a month-long tour of the most romantic places for the great author Jack Carlson, it will be really hard for her not to screw things up.
Just as Jack did during their college days.
Not least because messing things up would be tantamount to losing her job, and she absolutely must avoid that.

Right from the title, Bad publicity, I would have expected a self-respecting enemies-to-lovers. But the whole story, also aided by the little development, I found it rather flat and uninvolving.
The enemies to lovers I was hoping to read about is actually not there, and the chemistry between the main characters is almost absent.
I was a bit disappointed; the premise wasn't bad.

Super enjoyable enemies to lovers romcom. Loved the multiple settings of New York and the book tour, especially the visit to Shakespeare and co. in Paris (if only it was that easy to visit in real life!)

You might not like this book if you dislike miscommunication because Andie is not good at communicating with anyone and it causes her all kinds of problems.

I loved the exploration of grief, I thought it was really well done and the author gave plenty of space for it in a book which predominantly focuses on romantic love.

The only thing I struggled with was Andie's relationship with her friend Sara and her boyfriend James, this part of the book felt a bit rushed and unresolved.

This would be a great cosy autumnal read and I sped through it very quickly.

After reading some other reviews I was a bit hesitant to read this book Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam. But I am surprised how much I enjoyed this. I really enjoyed it.
Andie has been living in New York for five years. She has never got over the death of her father and because of this stays away from her loving mother. She has just got a new job as a senior publicist and can’t wait to start her dream job and work her way up in the big city of New York. So, when she finds out who she will be working with and going on a European book tour with. She is horrified.
Author Jack Carlson who messed her life up 5 years ago when they were both at university. Jack has had a successful career so far as a nonfiction author. But now he is written his first fiction book, and she doesn’t want to mess it up, even though she doesn’t really want anything to do with him. 5 years ago, she told him she did not want to ever see him again.
This is a great read not only about second chances in a romantic sense. But also, about grief of a loved one and learning how to get over it and live again. This had interesting characters but the protagonist I thought was quite annoying and self-centred and only thought that she was the only one with having problems. This had a will, or won’t they get back together scenario that kept me guessing until the end. 4 stars from me.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book, it was what initially drew me to want to read it. I don't think there was anything wrong with the plot or the characters. I just think that nothing really stood out to me, the biggest thing that made it somewhat hard for me to fully invest in this book was the fact that I could not get into the writing style. I don't know what there was but for me, I was not particularly vibing with the writing, it felt a little meh at places. This book is definitely great for those, who just want a simple, easy romance read, it is easy to see why people fall in love with stories like this.

I really enjoyed this book. The author clearly knows her way around a story, it kept me entranced all the way through and wanting to know how the narrative was going to unfold. A great read, definitely one to slip into your suitcase and enjoy on your summer holidays.

This was an enjoyable and easy read, although has some heavier themes of ageing, grief and losing a parent.

It’s well-written and engaging - and yet I couldn’t get fully wrapped up with the characters. There was a build-up to a reveal about why the main female character (Andie) disliked the lead male (Jack) so much, and I would like to have seen more time spent on that. Instead, there’s a long wait to discover what happened years previously - and when the big reveal happens, the plot has a few fundamental holes in it.

I did like the book tour element, and the simmering romance, but the pivotal bit of the plotline is flawed. It focuses on a particular university, which is the one I went to… and the descriptions of how it’s run, and of the buildings and university itself are not accurate. That took me out of the story a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed this and felt it had some substance. The lead characters felt like equals and grief and regret were both well handled. I was nervous when it became clear there would be a reveal in the latter part of the novel because often it’s too much of a build up and a bit petty but this worked.

I really loved this book! Some truly beautiful moments and writing about love and loss and grief that really struck me. I enjoyed the way the author built up the story and the reveal at the end of the book regarding what happened between the two main characters was very well done.

This pushes more a 4.5/5 for me as although I loved it, I found Andie really infuriating at the start of the book. I felt as though her attitude towards Jack wasn’t always justifiable (obviously once we learn about her side of the events you do begin to see her differently). I also appreciated the level of growth in her character throughout the book. The last 25% of the book was most definitely my favourite when we begin to see Andie confront her past and I loved that the characters around her (Sara, her mum etc.) were holding her accountable. Jack is a great character and is written very well throughout. I love a slow burn and I do feel as though the story and characters were built up so well by the author and I throughly enjoyed this story.

I also wished there was an epilogue or more to the story - I’m not done with these characters! A great novel and an enjoyable read. Very excited to see what this author writes next.

Bad Publicity is a perfect blend of romance, tension, and European charm. When Andie lands her dream job as a book publicist, she never expects to be stuck on a month-long tour with her ex, Jack Carlson—the man who broke her heart years ago. 😏

As they travel through the most romantic cities in Europe, the sparks between them fly in all the best (and worst) ways. With witty banter, emotional depth, and stunning settings, this enemies-to-lovers story will keep you hooked from start to finish. 📚♥️

If you love a good second-chance romance with plenty of tension and a beautiful European backdrop, this one’s for you!

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.