The first book I have read by Zara Stoneley.

This was a fun rom com that I really enjoyed. It took me a little while to get into it however once I got into it I was hooked. I loved all the characters and thought it was quirky and fun.

I really enjoyed this book. As much as I hate covid, it was nice to read a cute office romance set in our post covid reality. We met Alice as they are just heading back to work post pandemic. Alice hates working from home, while Jamie Loves it. Alice and Jamie end up sharing a desk and flirting through post-it notes (how cute). We get to see Alice starting to put her foot down with ex's and family. Which in all honesty we all need to do. It's a slow burn romance and I really liked it!

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this!

I really didn't like this book at all. Had I known that it was set in Covid-times, I would NOT have read this, as it was really triggering. I see that there's a trigger warning on the description now, but it wasn't there when I downloaded the book. The author obviously wrote this a while ago, so it's not her fault that her timeline of events was totally impossible (life was NOT back to totally normal in April 2021), but the book would have been so much better if it did away with the Covid mentions entirely. The description also says it begins with a post-it, but the post-its didn't even show up until about 1/4 of the way through the book. I slogged through it until the (predictable) end, but I didn't enjoy it. The relationship between Alice and Jamie felt SUPER juvenile and cheesy, so I just could not get invested in it at all. Sorry, I can't recommend this book at all.

This book wasn’t for me. It was difficult to get into but around 50% i started to get into it but it quickly fell back to being difficult. The beginning confused me because i kept getting Dave and Jamie mixed up. The post it note messages were super cute but the book was just lacking.

*Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest response*

Good. A charming workplace romance that takes place primarily through post it notes. Interesting characters and concept.

I was a bit disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more than I did because I loved the synopsis of it, but unfortunately it just didn't quite pull it off. Many of the chapters felt like one long stream of consciousness and not in a good way. I was also just a bit confused that the whole hot desking/working from home thing was set up as being SO AWFUL and she wasn't prepared for it at all - had she not just spent months doing it because of lockdown?! It just seemed a bit odd and unrealistic. On a similar note, I didn't feel like including mentions of covid-19 and lockdown a the start really added anything because it was like everything just went back to normal after they went back to working in the office again and covid didn't seem to be a thing any more. No mentions of masks, distancing, anything like that. I feel like if you are going to mention this then it needs to continue throughout.

All in all, could've been a cute story but it just had too many downfalls for me sadly. It was a nice easy, fluffy read though which might be exactly what you are looking for!

Really enjoyed Hot Desk. Set as the UK is recovering from the pandemic it’s a new take on a romcom. Love the characters and how real they were. It felt like it took a little while to get going but once it did I was engrossed.

I received this book via NetGalley and give it my honest opinion.

Now I don't normally give a 'low star' review as,I truly love reading most genre however, this book was really hard to get in to and a very slow read. I thought I may be able to relate to working through the pandemic however it didn't really represent the situation.
I found it difficult to get in to and it did not hold my attention.

When I originally saw the blurb for Hot Desk it sounded really good and kind of reminded me of The Hating Game but with a pandemic twist… This was not remotely close to that.

While there were a few cute moments that I liked between Alice and Jamie, overall I had a really hard time connecting with them and the story itself. This book just wasn’t for me.

From crime to romance, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns provide for an interesting backdrop. In The Hot Desk, Zara Stoneley uses the pandemic as the backdrop of her co-workers with a past history-to-lovers romance.

Sadly this book does not live up to the promise and left me bereft, as I loved the premise and generally like Zara Stonely's books.

Jamie and Alice share a kiss at Reading Festival before Jamie is swept away by the crowd. Its not until a few years later, they both begin their first day at the same company.

The book is begins the first day back at work after a COVID-19 lockdown ends. Alice returns to the office only to discover a cost-cutting exercise has lead their employer to rent half the floorspace with employees share a desk and work from home part-time.

For the anxious Alice, this is her worst nightmare. She's unable to speak her mind to her family, housemates and co-workers, so found working from home a nightmare. The only place she could exert control is over her desk, which has become a de facto 'home' for her treasured trinkets. For Jamie, this is his dream come true as he loved working from home.

The main issue I have with this book is one repeated from her previous books (especially 'The First Date', 'The Dog Sitter' 'Four Christmases and a secret') - repetitious inner monologues by the heroine, partricularly in the first couple of chapters. It's really noticeable when listening to the audiobooks. Most of the chaper could've been cut, with the rest turned into a dialogue. I ended up skimming the first chapter of Alice trying to get to the office in time for the team meeting because I already got the gist - she's anxious and can't say no to her housemates or family.

However the biggest part that made this book an almost DNF for me was the revelation involving Jamie before limping towards a rushed resolution. I thought it was an unfuriating and unncessary trope that bordered on a deux ex machina to push the characters apart before their inevitable reunitification. I saw the clue earlier and really hoped it wasn't going to go there but sadly it did. I ended up skimming the revelation and fall out. Its a lazy trope seen in lots of cheesier American romance novels that I detest.

Given this book is set in our COVID-19 pandemic world, it was such a missed opportunity. I realise some people are still traumatised by it (as I write this review I am in lockdown #6), but if you're going to use the pandemic as the backdrop then commit to it. For instance why not weave in things like mask wearing and distancing? Given how the pandemic has kept couples apart, it could've been used to great effect here.

I am still a fan of Zara Stoneley and will read her next novel with an open mind, however for this book I was so disappointed I had to cancel my pre-order.

Thank you One More Chapter/Harper Collins and Netgalley.

A gorgeous tale of second chances, Hot Desk has a bit of everything. I initially described it as The Hating Game meets The Flat Share, but it's both of those and neither. Alice is part of a big family, full of loud characters and with a spoiled youngest sister with who she's grown up sharing everything with. She lives in a house share where no one seems to respect her boundaries, and her things go missing all the time. Work, and in particular, her desk were her sanctuary. So when she's finally allowed to return to the office after Covid Lockdowns? She's ecstatic. Finally, she's going to have her one safe space back. Only to be told she's now got to desk share with her (seemingly) arch-nemesis, Jamie.

I was once Alice in many ways. I lived in the smallest room in a shared house. My desk at work was my mini sanctuary. And I experienced the stress of hot-desking. So I could empathise with her plight right from the start. Saying that she is a little rambling at first, and there's quite a bit of repetition in the opening couple of chapters. That said, as I read an uncorrected manuscript proof, I'm willing to overlook that, as I'm sure it will be tightened up in the final edit.

But back to the romance. this is where things really worked for me. I loved the post-it flirting. And I really loved the whole festival storyline. The inevitable conflict was well handled and didn't just feel shoe-horned in, As such, that was where I really felt for these characters. I think what I liked most was the way Alice was able to have that epiphany about boundaries, while simultaneously breaking down her own towards Jamie.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review*

I will leave the same review on Amazon UK on publishing day

I thoroughly enjoyed this! Felt like all the main characters were so fleshed out and especially loved the family aspect to it as well. Wasn’t super keen on the ‘twist’ (?) but besides that I stormed through this book.

Unfortunately, this one was not it. From the beginning I really had trouble getting into the story. I found Alice’s inner monologue to be annoying, and he said “oh my god” or “omg” one more time I was close to DNFing this book.

Once we were introduced to Jamie, I felt maybe things would pick up, but I was sorely mistaken. Maybe I went into this book with misled expectations, but this hardly felt like a romcom or even women’s fiction. I don’t know what genre to call it.

The slow burn was too slow for the lack of a relationship that we were actually given, and it felt way more focused on Alice’s relationship with her flat mates and sister Sophie than her relationship with Jamie. It felt like it wasn’t properly thought out, and all around I was underwhelmed.

Jamie was so selfish and I didn’t find his reasoning believable. He didn’t want to ruin their Reading kiss in case it was a one off? I liked the idea of a desk share and the note writing, but it just didn’t feel like it was executed in a compelling way. It all just kind of... fell flat for me.

This was adorable. Strongly reminiscent of The Flatshare with a touch of The Hating Game and the emotional gut-punch of One Day in December to finish it off. It hit all of the right notes for me. This is the first book of any genre that I've read that tackles COVID, although perhaps the timing is a little fanciful since the book seems to come from the perspective of COVID being over and everything being back to normal. I liked the hot desk concept since that's real life and a lot of us are dealing with similar situations at the moment. Alice and Jamie's right place wrong time romance just kills me in the best way, and I'm always a sucker for the "we desperately want to be together but life is in the way" scenario. Knocked off a star for lack of smut (sorry not sorry) and the ending. It felt abrupt, and like there should be have been some kind of epilogue or something that gets a little more into the HEA.

I had a hard time getting into this book. It was slow at times and didn’t keep my interest. I really wanted to like it, but it just wasn’t for me. Covid being part of the story was also strange for me. I read to escape the real world and didn’t get that with this book.

Her desk was sort of her safe space. Alice always has had to share but her desk was her own until.....Back from work from home, she finds that now she must share with Jaime. it's annoying to her on many levels and she kinda goes on too much about it. However, as fans of this genre know, her past with Jaime included a misunderstanding and now they're going to find one another much more appealing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's not deep and it's a bit trope-y but it's entertaining.

I received an ARC copy of Hot Desk in exchange for an honest review, this does not affect my opinion of the book.
Zara Stoneley's book is founded on an interesting romance idea that I was intrigued to read about. It's definitely calculated to appeal to lovers of Sally Thorne's "The Hating Game", which I adored, and is a variation on the enemies to lovers trope.
Post-Covid, Alice's office is downsizing, and the employees are having to hot desk. She is forced to hot desk with her hottie nemesis Jamie... flirtation and romance are the result. All so far, so good, and I really, really wanted to like this story, so much more than I did.
So why didn't I? Why couldn't I? I think it was because there was so much navel gazing and introspection, without anything happening, chiefly. So much internal conversation, so little action. To give you just one example. The first two chapters consist almost entirely of Alice trying to get to work. Now, I can imagine a story where this could be brilliantly rendered-all the obstacles that get in her way as our plucky heroine struggles to get to a career-or-the-dole-queue meeting. No. She sits on the bus watching people walking faster than the bus is moving with a "why does it always rain on me" attitude. All I could think was, if the job's that important, get off and run. Then she gets to the office and she doesn't have her entry pass, blames her sister. Then blames the receptionist. I think this was all supposed to be witty, but all I could feel was irritated.
Having said all this, I can see that people with different tastes in heroine agency levels from mine would like this book, especially if they are Bridget Jones fans, or fans of office romances.

This wasn't for me. Hot Desk is a clean slow burn romance with little delivery. The beginning was especially challenging to get through, though did improved as the story progressed.

Alice is extremely excited about returning to work after working from home during Covid. Her desk is her happy place and full of items that bring creativity and memories. That is until, due to decline profits, her company decide to implement a desk sharing policy.

I didn't mind the fact it was set during the Covid pandemic. This was seemingly forgotten about at 25% of the way of the book so had little impact. Alice's excitement about returning to work came across as unrealistic in the circumstances. Many people in the same situation experienced great deals of anxiety and stress, though none of this trepidation was portrayed in the slightest.

The main character's internal monologues are the worst sections of the book. They are poorly structured and rambling, lasting far too long each time. The structure was very choppy and I found it distracting reading Alice's internal thoughts during actual conversations. It was difficult following what was happening internally and externally. It was challenging to work out who was saying what.

I wasn't a fan of the conflict in the romance and thought it was dealt with clumsily. One moment there are endless issues and the next everything is wonderful. I also didn't believe the romance as the back story was explained rather than shown. There wasn't any chemistry between the two characters.

I have given the book two stars as there was improvements as the book progressed. For me though it was too little too late. I didn't like Alice even though I know I am meant to. I found her dull and droning with questionable morals.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review *

This is what I'd call the average rom-com. I enjoyed it while I was reading it, and it's something that I think most people (who like rim-coms at least) will enjoy but it's not very rememberable.

The pros:
1) Alice's character - her character was fun to read about and she had an amazing character arc which I really enjoyed.
2) The romance was sweet and I did like it. I wouldn't say it's my favourite but it did have moments I really enjoyed.

The cons:
1) There were moments where I was bored - as sweet as the romance was and as much as I liked Alice, I did get bored by some of her inner monologues because they felt so repetitive.

2) This is been the case a lot recently but THIS ISN'T AN ENEMIES TO LOVERS book. The blurb literally says "Until she found out she’s going to share it with the most annoying guy in the office....With no option but to try it and see, will their relationship turn into open warfare or will it ever progress beyond a post-it note? (Note: This is from the Netgalley description so probably subject to change.)

This suggests a hate to love situation, right? Yeah, not the case. I feel like saying what the situation is might be a bit of a spoiler though so all I'll say is if the girl has a crush on the "annoying guy" in the first chapter - not an enemies to lovers book.

3) The ending - I wish we got an epilogue or something.

Overall, I liked it. Not the best or worst rom-com I've ever read and I enjoyed myself for the most part.

I really enjoyed this book; it was funny, real, had some tension which kept me reading & there was a happy ending which I always love. I would definitely recommend this book.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*