If you liked Flatshare you’ll love this too! It doesn’t quite reach the same level, but the theme is somewhat the same and it’s definitely entertaining.
I’m still not sure if the T/W for post-covid situations is ironic or not, but strangely it did bother me a little! It’s weird to have it so close to reality but at the same time we’re not quite there yet.
But hey, if you want to fantasize about that very near future, you love office romance situations as well as an enemies to lovers trope, this might be the book for you.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Hot Desk by Zara Stoneley is a fun, lighthearted read. When Alice Dixon was in her first year of university, she and a bunch of friends attended the Reading Festival. There was this one magical moment in the crowd where she bumped into a gorgeous guy she’d never seen before, they kissed, and it was fireworks, but then the crowd surged, they got separated, and he was gone. Fast forward to her first day of work at her current job, and there’s this guy who looks familiar, but it couldn’t be him could it? Alice is pretty sure Jamie Lowe was that guy, but if he was, he doesn’t remember her, and in any case, she’s got a boyfriend. Several years later, Alice is single. With Covid19 playing havoc on the economy, their employer decides to downsize its office space, and desks in the office will be shared, each person being in the office for 2.5 days and then working from home the rest of the time. A friendship develops between them through emails and post-it notes, and it becomes the highlight of Alice’s workday to see what Jamie has left for her.
I enjoyed reading this book very much with a couple of caveats; first, the book treats the pandemic as a short term thing that is over, and everything is back to normal when obviously it is not, and secondly, when they finally confess their feelings to each other and kiss, boom the book is over and I as a reader was left saying wait what about? Steam Level: Light. Publishing Date: August 31, 2021. #HotDesk #ZaraStoneley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter #NetGalley #ContemporaryRomance #ContemporaryRomanceReader #RomanceReader #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer

This book sounded like it would be something I would enjoy but unfortunately it wasn’t. First off I just couldn’t stand the main character and on top of that I just got so bored.

Actual rating 3.5⭐️

Zara Stoneley’s latest novel is bang up to date with protagonist Alice returning to the office after months of working from home following the easing of Covid restrictions. Thankfully the dreaded C word isn’t dropped too often! If you fall into the category of employees whose work/home space has become one and the same then I’m guessing you’ll have some sympathy for this young woman who is more than delighted to resume her daily commute. Alice has a big chip on her shoulder when it comes to personal space, sharing and her attachment to her possessions. Her life is overcrowded with people and chaos, having lived with three sisters and now house sharing with four relative strangers. All she craves is a happy quiet place where her belongings are safe from thieving hands and people stop overstepping the mark. Is it too much to expect that sister Sophie won’t keep stealing her clothes without permission or that a hungry housemate won’t slyly nick her last slice of pizza she’s been saving in the fridge?? Weirdly this clutter bug’s favourite space is her desk at the We Got Designs office, surrounded by Rodney the spider plant and Mabel, the blue footed booby, a place where she feels completely comfortable and most productive. So it’s hardly surprising when her bosses introduce hot-desking that poor Alice goes into a mini meltdown. The thought of splitting her working hours between the office and home is bad enough but to learn she’s sharing her desk with the hot guy, Jamie Lowe, who teases Alice mercilessly is tantamount to disaster. What will happen to her treasured clutter now that she has to unwillingly share the only space that truly belongs to her?

Part humorous, cute and definitely romantic this is a novel to cuddle up with on a day when your batteries need recharging and your spirits are in need of a boost. Zara Stoneley offers up the usual mixed bag of characters most of whom are friendly and charming if not a little bit quirky. There’s Alice’s work colleague and friend Lou, Dragon-Lady, the fearsome office boss, Alice’s large, welcoming but boisterous and noisy family and her odd assortment of housemates, one of whom is always wearing wellies and eating bacon sandwiches! Then there’s ex boyfriend Dave who can’t seem to take no for an answer but if Alice can stand firm and kick him into touch maybe she’ll realise there’s someone far more suitable just waiting to be noticed.

My favourite aspect of this novel is the flirty banter that goes on between Jamie and Alice via post it notes randomly left on their joint working space. It automatically reminds me of the way Tiff and Leon’s relationship develops in Beth O’Leary’s The Flatshare, the only difference being Jamie and Alice aren’t total strangers. Whilst it’s not an original way to conduct a blossoming friendship/romance I loved these messages that reveal so much about the kind of character Jamie is beneath all the office tomfoolery. I think I looked forward to each one with as much excitement and expectation as Alice does. These cute moments bring a smile to your face and a twinkle to your eye as Jamie’s messages to Alice become the highlight of her working day, steadily changing her impression of her work colleague who she’s strangely happy to share her desk space and her biscuits with and possibly more else besides!

As far as characters go I really wanted to like Alice more as she has a huge heart but I got tired of the way she lets herself be treated as a doormat. She’s a lovely, warm and kind individual but she’s too much of a pushover! She needs to set some boundaries and regain some control over her life especially in terms of her ex Dave, sister Sophie and her housemates. As events progress naturally Alice undergoes her “metamorphosis” moment, a necessary aspect to this type of novel. Forget any future romance for the minute; this novel is just as concerned with some much needed personal growth and transformation as it is with igniting any flames of passion. Despite this uplifting aspect, the effect is ruined by the repetitive nature of Alice’s inner thoughts over her lack of personal space and her difficulties with sharing. Part of me switched off from caring how she would eventually resolve these issues as she becomes frustrating, boring and exhausting to listen to. Change the record love! Admittedly the results of Alice’s new found assertiveness are quite funny and heartwarming and had there had been less of her internal turmoil concerning everyone’s lack of respect for her much sought after privacy then this might have earned 4⭐️ from me.

Instead Jamie is the one who steals your heart with his easy charm, his witty, flirty messages, his caring, sharing attitude and above all his understanding of Alice’s hang ups. Basically he “gets” her in a way no one else does and that’s special and worth grabbing hold of! I’d be happy to share a desk with him any day of the week! Although he isn’t without his own life complications Jamie is definitely one of the good ones. I sincerely believed no matter how big the stumbling blocks are that prevent his friendship with Alice developing further this guy would always try and do the right thing.

If there’s a moral to be found in this romantic tale then it’s as follows; learn to let go of all the extraneous stuff and the hangers on that clutter your life (as both have sell by dates!) appreciate the things and the people that really do matter and learn how to say NO!! There are some lovely aspects to this book which make it worth persevering with. It’s just a shame Alice’s repetitive thoughts spoiled the brighter, positive more sparkling moments. Towards the end the scenes become a little cheesy and it does get a bit too mushy for my liking. However Jamie and Alice make a sweet couple and I’d like to think Rodney the spider plant is still going strong! This is an easy read but one I’m likely to have forgotten about within a few days.

My thanks as always to the publisher OMC and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

I do not think that I am the target audience for this novel. It reminded me of Ronnie Corbett when he started to tell a story and then got side tracked and started talking about something else.. I was not a fan of Mr Corbett's style of storytelling, too random!
However, after saying that 'Hot Desk' was a fun short story of post it notes and office management. Quirky but not my style.

Thank you to Netgalley, One More Chapter and Zara Stoneley for a gifted copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t too far into this one before I knew it was going to be such a cute love story. It carries a similar feel to the enemies-to-lovers trope, but has a bit of a twist!!!! A stolen kiss, post it notes, and desk sharing has this pair giving me all the feels and sitting on the edge of my chair excited about what’s to come!!!

I do love that this story referenced the pandemic and actually discusses people working from home and how some may feel about their workplace choosing to go that route (or at least partially) going forward. The issues and concerns, as well as emotions, surrounding that topic are very real and make me consider the grass on the other side of the fence from my own reality.

I love seeing Alice’s character grow and witness her attempts to make changes in her life and set boundaries with those around her. Along with this come all sorts of realizations on her part, and make her question why she didn’t make these changes sooner.

Filled with lessons, love, and toe curling cuteness, I would recommend this one if you enjoy a cute, slow paced love story!!!!!

I sadly could not finish this book, it was not for me. I could only read 30% of this before I completely lost interest

This was a very fun and quirky office romance. Personally I could say that I’ve enjoyed it.
Alice and Jamie share a desk as their company uses a hot desk system. They leave post it notes for each other. Their relationship was so sweet. Overall, this is a cute and light book that is perfect for a gloomy evening.

A sweet, fun read. I throughly enjoyed this. With the company operating a hot desk and working from home, Alice and Jamie must share a desk. Sending post it notes and funny emails I loved both Alice and Jamie, their friendship was so sweet. There is a connection between Jamie and Alice and chemistry. A cute, light hearted read.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

A solid rom-com that probably had a little more promise than it delivered. I really appreciated the main character going through organizing her thoughts, tapping into why she was on the needier/helpless side in the beginning with her ex. Becoming more of a minimalist. Fighting for herself and her boundaries. The ex was pretty far-fetched to me. I just wish there was more between Alice and Jamie.. Also, I’m not entirely sure I’m ready to read about Covid at the office yet, but that’s just me.

Hot Desk by Zara Stoneley was a fun little office romance, with the flirting done through a series of sticky notes and messages left for one another. However, it did take me until I was at the 35% mark to get into this book. Even then, I felt it as mediocre... I really didn't connect much with either character and a lot of the plot line seemed repetitive which took away from the cute relationship forming between our main characters. Overall, an okay read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins One More Chapter for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a light hearted, enjoyable read that was easy going. The characters were likeable and I enjoyed the plot. I did feel like some parts dragged slightly with the internal dialogue. I also wasn't sure how I would find a covid-19 plot base but it actually worked quite well and was an alternative storyline based around the workplace!

This book was not for me I actually was unable to finish reading it at about 60%. It just wasn't calling to me anymore

I was attracted to this book because I was ready for something light and funny. It was both of these in places but I didn’t really enjoy reading about the Covid pandemic, since we are still in the midst of it. I did like the relationship between the sisters and you certainly felt like you were accompanying Alice on her daily tubes and bus trips in London.

This is the first book I have read that actually references the pandemic, so I was a bit nervous what it would contain, but any references are relatively brief, which was appreciated as I am quite sick of the c-word.

Alice enjoys her job, and is thrilled when her employer allows herself and her coworkers to return to the office after working remotely for many months. Working from home during the pandemic was no walk in the park - her roommates were constantly barging in, her room is cluttered and she has hardly any space to function, and most importantly, all of her meaningful tchotchkes are laid out on her work desk at the office! Her relief is cut short, however, as her employer decides to make some changes in order to save some cash - she and her coworkers will be 'hot-desking' it, working from home several days a week, and swapping desks with a coworker on the days they come into the office.

This was an enjoyable read, however there was soo much internal babble from Alice, and a lot of random thoughts, tangents and anecdotes stuffed in the middle of conversations. While not wholly unenjoyable, the scattered thoughts of the main character felt a bit too Bridget-Jones-as-a-squirrel and could be confusing at times.

This was a very enjoyable read!
This is the type of story that is funny and makes you feel good... Definitely the perfect summer read!
I love the story behind it and the development of the characters. I also liked how the author featured lockdown without making it depressing or heavy.
The style is fast paced and perfect for this genre.

I will definitely check other book by the author.

Read 25%

I've skimmed several pages and have decided to stop reading. Alice's constant ramblings about her belongings and sharing and how her desk at work is her only untouched by others space is just too much for me.

Thank you for the opportunity to review.

Well, this story is definitely on point. It only lightly touches on the global pandemic though so you can still read it if you are looking for a bit of escapism. In the beginning it did seem to lay it on a bit thick that Alice really loves her desk at work, but I guess the author just wanted us to understand why it was such a big deal to her. The book has a good plot, and isn't totally predictable. I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it. Thank you #netgalley

I actually enjoyed this book a lot and while I think it is more of a 4 than a 5 star read, I found it fun and light and just what I needed on a sunny afternoon in the garden.
In many ways it reminded me of Beth O'Leary's The Flatshare with two people falling in love through post it notes left in a shared space, this time at a hot desk. My only problem was that the comparisons always make me slightly disappointed by the new book and I think this suffers from those comparisons.
Anyway whatever the case, I found Alice such a likable heroine and Jamie is just the sort of love interest you want in this sort of book. I think any romance lovers will adore this book but maybe just try and forget about The Flatshare while you're reading it.

A good storyline giving an insight into work ethics in the present day and the stresses it can cause. I’m sure a lot of people would relate to how the main character feels regarding her home and work space. This just goes to show that it can work but you need to adapt and work at it. It was an enjoyable read, a few ups and downs along the way with a satisfactory ending.