Shipped

October 26, 2020
A healthy dose of competition powers Hockman’s laugh-out-loud debut about love on the high seas. Twenty-eight-year-old Seattleite Henley Evans’s life is consumed by her job as marketing manager for an adventure cruise line, with a little time set aside for helping out her hot-mess sister, Walsh, and hating on her Michigan-based coworker, Graeme Crawford-Collins, whom she’s disliked ever since he took credit for one of her ideas. Now Henley and the irritating, attractive Graeme are up for the same promotion and their boss sends them on the company’s cruise to the Galápagos islands; whoever comes back with the best marketing proposal based on their experience will win the job. On board, they contend with watchful crew, overly amorous suitors, and familial drama while engaging in the timeless enemies-to-lovers dance of misunderstandings, false conclusions, and flirtatious verbal sparring. Meanwhile, Henley’s marketing brainstorming efforts lead her and the novel alike to a powerful environmentalist message. With flawed but lovable characters and exotic locales, this quirky, thoughtful love story will whisk readers away. Agent: Jessica Watterson, Sandra Dijkstra Literary.

November 1, 2020

DEBUT Henley Rose Evans has ambitious dreams and a work ethic that does not quit. Except there is one pesky thorn in her side, coworker Graeme Crawford-Collins, whom she thinks she can tolerate until he becomes her competition for a big promotion. Setting sail for the Gal�pagos Islands, she isn't prepared for the sizzle of attraction growing between them, and learning Graeme is not who she thought he was, Henley has to figure out how to land her dream job while resisting the appeal of her deliciously sexy rival. Newcomer Hockman creates a paradise in the sunny and distinct Gal�pagos setting, educating readers on the wildlife of the islands and the conservation efforts that become a powerful part of the story. Readers will live vicariously through her characters' fun excursions and appreciate the gradual intensity of the romance. VERDICT For fans of Helen Hoang and Sophie Kinsella, this charming romp at sea will make readers wish to stay with the characters well after the story's end.--Morgan Lockard, Campbell Cty. P.L., KY

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2020
Two marketing whizzes battle for the same promotion while on a cruise to the Gal�pagos Islands in this beachy romantic comedy. All of Henley Evans' hard work is about to pay off. After balancing her workload as marketing manager at a cruise line while earning her MBA at night, Henley knows she deserves the coveted promotion being offered by her company. Unfortunately, she's not the only candidate being considered. Charming Graeme Crawford-Collins works for the same cruise line, handling all its social media marketing remotely. He and Henley have never met face to face, but they've traded many antagonistic and terse e-mails. He's gunning for the same promotion as Henley, and while they're both great options, there can only be one promoted employee. To test their mettle, Graeme and Henley must submit proposals on how to increase cruise bookings to the Gal�pagos, and what better way to do that than to experience the cruise themselves? Close quarters, high seas, and dreamy destinations provide the backdrop for this battle of the sexes in a common contemporary-romance plotline. Does this book do anything to separate itself from many others of the same ilk? Not really, but it's a solid entry in the workplace enemies-to-lovers canon. Henley and Graeme's rivalry is overstated, though Henley's doggedness will feel familiar to any woman who's dealt with subtle (or even outright) sexism when vying for career advancement. Like a tropical cocktail: a little overcomplicated but goes down easy.

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