I dove headfirst into this book - you’ve got to a love a workplace romance that takes you across the Scottish wilderness!

Both main characters challenged the other wonderfully, with scathing sarcasm, searching questions and a series of unfortunate mishaps as they’re forced to co-operate to make it back to civilisation.

The premise was fantastic, and I’d love to see this turned into a Netflix/Prime film so we could all giggle as hate turns to reluctant teammates, and proximity has all sorts of novel feels fighting their way to the surface.

The only thing that stops me 5-star-ing this is the very abrupt ending. I would have liked just a little more storytelling after the 3rd act “incident” to really give that happy ending the justice it deserves.

Overall, though, a great, standout read.

This was a fun and witty read and after finishing Onyx Storm, it was just what I was looking for!

At first I was a bit ‘surely not’ because the situation Fliss and James found themselves in was just crazy!
Imagine you and your work nemesis travel to Scotland for what you believe is a work team building event. Only to discover your boss has arranged for you to be abandoned in the highlands, in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but a pack filled with protein bars, a bottle of vodka and condoms with the directive to work together to make your way back - can you imagine?!

I found both James and Fliss likeable characters, considering they both can’t stand each other, the tension is there from the beginning. Fliss was so determined, driven and relatable in many ways to many I’m sure, while James brought out the best and worst in her and their banter was brilliant!

This quote me giggle and pretty much sums up the banter for me;
“We’ve been abandoned in the Scottish Highlands, with one tent, two sleeping bags, some empty bottles and a few protein bars, twenty-something condoms and a bottle of lube?”
‘And one hundred and eighty tampons.’ James adds helpfully”

😂

•Workplace rivals
•Forced proximity
•Enemies to lovers
•Scottish highlands setting

This gave me The Hating Game vibes with an adventure plot thrown in for good measure 👏🏼

Thank you for my arc of this book 🫶🏼

Would recommend for a fun, light hearted, easy rom com with lots of banter and chemistry.

#arc #bookreview #bookworm

A great summer read. Full of romance and laughter. I read this in one day as I enjoyed it so much. Cozy and entertaining. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Work Trip
by Chloe Ford

At first, I found it challenging to fully connect with the story and its characters, but I’m glad I persisted. Despite knowing the familiar beats of a workplace enemies-to-lovers trope, this narrative offers a refreshing twist. The sharp wit and playful banter between Fliss and James crackle with tension, captivating me. Their back-and-forth exchanges are filled with humour and a hint of underlying attraction that kept me eagerly turning the pages. Additionally, the richly described Scottish Highlands serve as a stunning backdrop, with their mist-covered mountains and lush green landscapes, enhancing the emotional stakes of their journey. Overall, this book is a delightful, quick read that transported me to another world.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to both the Publisher and the Author for generously providing me with a complimentary audio Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel through NetGalley. This review is my sincere, unbiased reflection of the book, shaped solely by my own thoughts and experiences.

A fun enemies-to-friends, forced proximity romantic comedy with the appealing and unusual setting of the Scottish Highlands throwing up all the challenges a pair of townies could face. The author obviously had a whale of a time writing it.

Fliss and James are work place rivals, but will being sent on a work retreat together bring them closer or push them further apart. A fun read.

This book was a total surprise to me. I read it without thinking much into it, no expectations and to my surprise, it was a delight to read!

I've seen other comments of people saying it has The Hating Game vibes and I couldn't agree more (and I love that book as well). It's like you mix that and Survivor in the middle of the Scottish Highlands. 

In this story we’ve got Fliss (super smart, kinda snarky) and James (annoying but hot coworker energy) who are competing for the same promotion. They’re rivals at work, constantly bickering, and suddenly they’re stuck on a team building trip in the middle of nowhere with only one tent, and barely any supplies.

The banter and chemistry were off the charts. I loved how they both had to let their guard down and actually talk about real stuff like their dreams and fears and get to bond and connect. It was cute, chaotic, and all of the good ingredients were all wrapped up in one: workplace rivalry, enemies to lovers, forced proximity... YES!

If you’re into slow-burn romances with witty enemies who accidentally fall for each other while pretending they hate each other, Work Trip is a whole vibe. I was laughing, blushing, and totally rooting for them the entire time. Can’t wait to see what Chloe Ford writes next! 

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have to say this was enjoyable read!

I love when my home country is featured in books and the descriptions of the Scottish Highlands were brilliant.

I really do enjoy the enemies to lovers trope and this one had a solid plot running alongside just the romance- both main characters being in the running for a promotion in the same company!

Parts of it for me personally were a little far fetched- hence the drop in stars but overall this was a good easy lighthearted read, perfect for those spring/ summer days.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this e-book copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book, it’s funny, sad and leaves you smiling. Two people Fliss and James work at the same office, but are poles apart. Fliss works hard and wants the promotion of director, James is a high flyer who loves himself. When they get abandoned together after the boss thought it would show leadership skills, they try and work together to find a way back to the hotel. The plot was brilliant, did get a few looks laughing at it though. It’s an easy read that you will devour in one sitting. A 5 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

This book hooked me almost immediately. Despite having a full-time job and an evening program, I read it in just three days. The book kept me engaged until the late hours. I loved the plot and the connection to the main character, who is also a workaholic. The constantly insecure thoughts are described carefully, hitting the most relevant points and (maybe) relatable for many girls.

The story starts with a forced work trip where the main characters are abandoned by their boss with only two backpacks full of random items. The characters had many arguments at the beginning of the book, but during the trip, they get to know each other better, and feelings start to develop with the much-needed spice. The book made me laugh a lot while reading, and even the last sentence will stay with me for a long time!

The pace of the book is perfect—not too slow and not too fast. The chemistry between the characters is fun to read, and the development is spot on.

4.5 stars
I loved this one and actually ended up reading it in one sitting! I could not put it down and enjoyed every minute of it. I was hooked from the very beginning and was absolutely here for the enemies to lovers romance! I loved the premise, I mean, could you imagine your boss just leaving you and a colleague, one you don't get along with, in the middle of the Scottish Highlands?! Yes, the views would be lovely, but I think I would have cried within the first hour.

I quickly found myself adoring these characters, especially Fliss, who is so determined and driven. She's an incredibly relatable and realistic character that I feel a lot of people would connect to. James was a fantastic character who really brought out the best and worst in Fliss! The banter and flirting between the two was perfect!

This was such a fun and joyful read that I absolutely recommend if you are looking for a light-hearted romance set in Scotland! I can't wait for whatever Chloe Ford writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A true enemies-to-lovers gem that had me laughing and tearing up—sometimes all on the same page! The fast-paced plot kept me hooked, and I really enjoyed diving into the characters' backstories. Fliss and James are a perfect opposites-attract pair—yes, James is your classic cocky salesman, but somehow, he still wins you over.

Their chaotic adventure through the rugged Scottish Highlands is packed with hilarious and heartfelt moments—from nearly drowning, to battling the infamous Highland midges. The banter, the near disasters, and the forced proximity? Pure rom-com gold.

What really stood out for me is that the romance never felt too twee or overdone. I usually find this trope a bit much, but here, it was perfectly balanced. Watching their relationship shift from bickering to something deeper was surprisingly sweet and believable.

The only character I couldn’t warm to was Michael—every scene with him made me irrationally annoyed (which, to be fair, probably means he was written well!).

5 Stars – Laugh-out-loud, heartwarming, and impossible to put down!

Thanks to NetGalley and Aries & Aria for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely loved this wild, romantic ride through the Highlands!

This book had me GIDDY. I’m always a fan of enemies to lovers, ESPECIALLY when forced proximity is a factor. Fliss was an anxious girlie who I felt a great deal of relatability to, and James was a cocky so-and-so with a hidden caring side. The chemistry between the pair was palpable from the get go, and they were both hilarious when sparring with each other.
~
Obviously, the book was an HR nightmare, and it was a little cliched, but I had so much fun reading it. I sped through the book, reading it in only a couple of days and unwilling to put it down. I was sat giggling away at the book, then mentally screaming at the characters to just ~say what they were thinking~.
~
This was a lovely little romcom (it kind of gave Leap Year vibes which I was OBSESSED with), but it also explored the importance of not letting your job be the only thing in your life. It was a romance, but it was also a reminder to allow yourself to laugh and to live.
~
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

If I’m being honest, I’m not a big romance reader but this one sparked my interest!

I liked the storyline and found it was something different. However, the jump from enemies to lovers felt really quick and there were a few bits that felt a bit far fetched.

I do think that romance readers would love this book and I’ll definitely be recommending to them!

Thanks for the early copy!
This was a fun read and a classic enemies to lovers / workplace romance. I liked the setting and their adventures in Scotland, rather than being stuck in office mode, we got to see the real them.
In the early part of the adventure there were quite a few moments that felt unbelievable to me - the river scene. And unfortunately that did take me out of the story on more than one occasion. I liked the twist at the end, although I’m not sure if the MMC really made up for that in my eyes.
A fun read nonetheless.

When I first started this book I was really enjoying the writing and thought the banter with the two characters was really funny! 🩷

However, as I got further in, I found myself a bit more bored. The plot was a bit odd and I didn’t really feel much for the romance? 🤷🏼‍♀️

It was still a cute easy read (around 300 pages), but definitely didn’t blow me away! 💫

Fliss and James are arch enemies. They work as Head of Marketing and Head of Sales respectively and are both seeking a director role. They are at constant loggerheads and when the company owner suggests a team building trip it fills them both with dread. As they’re dropped off in the Scottish highlands, things slowly go from bad to worse as they enter a unique situation where they’re cut off from the outside world forcing them to work together. The tension in this book is palpable and you are drawn in to see how the plot unfolds. It’s a pleasant romcom full of chemistry and humour. Thank you to NetGalley, Aria and Aries for the chance to review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
Office romance meets travel chaos in this funny, flirty rom-com. Chloe Ford delivers witty banter, satisfying tension, and a smart critique of corporate life wrapped in a genuinely engaging love story. It’s breezy and fun with moments of real heart—perfect escapist reading.

This is a really fun, well-paced debut novel. Work colleagues Fliss and James genuinely do not get on, so when they’re stuck in each other’s company in the Scottish Highlands, just one tent and all, sparks are bound to fly. Only… what kind of sparks? The snippy banter feels very realistic as they gradually move beyond the confines of their office relationship and start to discover more about each other’s backgrounds and motivations. The scenic Scottish backdrop is also really well depicted, with plenty of both dramatic and humorous moments (I particularly enjoyed the bemusement at some of the rucksack contents). The whole plot completely drew me in, and without giving away any spoilers it would have been nice to have an epilogue, because while the ending worked and I get why it finished where it did, some indication of how everything panned out would have been satisfying. Still, that’s a really minor quibble (and maybe just me?), and I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for more from this author.

A fun romance read that's no without it's danger! Two work enemies are left to fend for themselves in the Scottish highlands with minimal resources and only their animosity to keep them warm. It was good to see Fliss and James's relationship changing and also how they inspired some introspection in each other. I can't say either of these characters were particularly likeable to me, which did put a dampener on it, and I also didn't feel much of the chemistry between them but their character arcs I was rooting for! Amongst the adventure (my personal nightmare) were some home truths that James and Fliss needed, as well as some (un)healthy competition. This was a pretty difficult story for Fliss especially, and I feel perhaps her character deserved more and a different ending - outside of the romance, that is. Though she was done dirty by James, in my opinion. All in all it was a fairly quick read and a fun approach to the enemies to lovers / work rivals trope even if we didn't get to experience as much of Scotland and the beauty of the highlands as I'd expect when that's the main setting. Romance fans are going to enjoy this one but it was slightly off the mark for me.

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