DNF @22%

I feel quite terrible DNFing this, however we are 22% into this book and it's just a constant stream of Alice's internal consciousness. I think we have had one conversation with Jamie (the love interest), which was constantly interrupted with Alice's internal thoughts, leaving the dialogue very stilted and difficult to follow. This was also how the only two other conversations took place.

So far the premise is still being set up and the majority of the first 20% has been spent inside Alice's head to let us know how sacred her own personal desk space is to her. A lot of the same points were repeated over and over again, which just left me bored (I GET IT, she's always had to share with her sisters). Very rarely any dialogue, or just input from a source that wasn't Alice, to break things up. As a result I found this book to be too difficult to get into and will not be progressing any further.

**Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are subjective but my own.**

I really enjoyed this book. It was humorous how the author developed the relationship between the two main characters. It’s refreshing to see a lot of humour and not just sappy romance. Alice was so insecure I could associate with her, trying to have some freedom but too scared of hurting other peoples feelings to stand up for herself. Her family was a riot and I can understand being scared to invite somebody there for a barbecue. Overall the book was easy to read and I didn’t want to put it down. Romances are always predictable but this one was fun. Thanks to One More Chapter, Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the chance to read this book first.

This is a fun read with the adventures of a shared hot desk. Teasing, silliness, and chemistry. Some reviewers didn't like the post-Pandemic perspective, while this didn't bother me. The story is light, and a laugh, but something I didn't take too seriously. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. It sounded like a fun read but it really didn’t hold my attention. I struggled to finish it and found myself skimming over parts because I just couldn’t relate to the characters or situations.

An intriguing new romance set in current times and dealing with current issues makes this story all that much more real and hits on a lot of the feelings that many of us have felt during the recent current events in our worlds. Yet this funny, serious and a gamut of other emotions plot leaves you feeling wonderfully hopeful about the future. I enjoyed this romantic take on owning your space and sharing that space with others. I'm definitely intrigued to read other books from this author!

It might have been my mindset when I read this book, but I couldn’t get into the plot of dealing with COVID and shared workspaces. I feel like I couldn’t relate to the character and what she was going through. She was a bit exhausting and not a strong character. Also, here were a couple of questionable jokes which were a little off putting (right out of the gate – “Effing Covid-19 killed off 3 of my clients, any of yours go tits up?”. Too soon for me.

I want to thank NetGalley, Zara Stoneley and HarperCollins UK for the e-ARC of this graphic novel. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

This was such great story!!! I wasn't sure I wanted to read where COVID was actually an issue but this story was fun and presented in such a way that all of us could understand. I love the British humor and the idea of the "hot desk." The characters were so complex and I enjoyed getting deeper into their personalities and issues as the book progressed. I highly recommend this fun read. It will make laugh, it will make you think, but most of all it will bring you joy.

This was a cute office romance about second chances. Even though it was set in a post-corona world, it used the lens of looking on the bright side of life to muddle through. I appreciated that it wasn’t all sad and the characters learned to adapt and grow. Super cute and will recommend.

Not a book I would recommend I’m afraid I really did try to like it and I stayed until the bitter end but it just didn’t go anywhere. In fact it came to the end and I really thought it could have carried on.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand I enjoyed the characters and thought Alice was funny... but on the other hand, I'm not sure I was ready to read a book that took place post-COVID. Alice is returning to work, returning to life after COVID and realizing that she needs to make some changes. She's endearing and her relationship with Jamie is sweet, but not anything that made this a "must read" for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, One More Chapter for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I had a very hard time getting into this book. I was so excited for a cute romance, especially when it was compared to The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary. It certainly sounded similar with the "falling in love through notes" trope, but it didn't really work for me here. Our main character, Alice, spends the first half of the book worrying about her belongings and her though processes are very repetitive and anxious and, unfortunately, annoying.

Adding to that, the romance didn't make a lot of sense to me either. They had an inta-love vibe that was too cloying and sweet. I was hoping for tension, and teasing, and snark which the blurb of the book seems to hint at. I think this story really needed more build up of the romance itself, it fell really flat and I couldn't suspend my belief to even think they should like each other all that much, let alone be in love other than being attracted to one another.

All of the characters in the book came across very flat. Every single one sounded very childish without anything to balance that out and redeem them. There was also no real description of any of them except for things like "gorgeous" and "beautiful" etc. to help me get an idea of what anyone (or anything else either) looked like.

The pacing was bit weird for me, as well, and I often didn't know when Alice had changed location, when time had passed, or when she was speaking to someone new. I also didn't love what the conflict was, sometimes I think books should have CWs for even normal things...

Unfortunately, this book was not for me, I think it just needs some more time and editing though!

I would recommend it to people who enjoy cinnamon roll love interests, insta-love trope, and office romances!

2.5 but I'll round up to three. Hot Desk was okay, I didn't love it. I found the characters a bit hard to like. I found Alice to be a bit of a moaner (I get where she was coming from to an extent but it became a bit annoying after a while) and Sophie was a bit self absorbed. The Post It exchange between Alice and Jamie was entertaining. I enjoyed that. Overall, Hot Desk is a cute read, it's just not particularly memorable.

I really wanted to fall in love with this book because of the synopsis, but it just didn’t do it for me.

The main character isn’t too likable, her living situation a bit unrealistic, and she seems to ramble constantly. The COVID situation seems a little too real as things are really starting to heat up again where I love.

While I semi-enjoyed the beginning of this book, I didn't really like the ending. Hoping others will enjoy even if it wasn’t the best fit for me.

I honestly gave this book a chance for as long as I could. According to my Kindle I read to 15%, but I just don't want to finish any more of it. The main character is just to unlikable. The writing style is like you're at a coffee shop with her and she is rambling about herself and trying to justify not being the greatest person. She essentially admits ocheating twice and explains it away by saying "Well he was hot". I also really don't like her attitude towards the other women her crush talks to. It had very "women against women" vibes rather than "women against dumb men" which is what the situation should have been. Overall, I'm just disappointed because I thought it sounded like a great story, but I just couldn't relate.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers and the Author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was a sweet, clean contemporary romance set in an office that is trying to adapt to the different ways of working that we had to do in the pandemic. While the pandemic is mentioned only in passing, this is what provides the premise for much of the plot.

I loved the characters, particularly the sweetness of the love interest. I did feel that the plot was sometimes a bit unbelievable, or that certain problems were resolved a little nearly, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and seeing how the romance developed.

In summary, this was a wonderful book to read on a sunny afternoon when you want to follow likeable characters in a setting that many of us are familiar with!

A humorous, light-hearted story about Alice who highly fancies Jamie, a co-worker. They had previously met at a festival, and she is attracted to him, but isn’t happy on realising that they will have to hot desk, sharing her precious work space with him. Alice’s desk is her special space, full of memories and momentos, and she feels invaded.
An escapist story, aimed at a younger age market, there are laughs galore at the antics of Alice’s sister Sophie, borrowing outfits, banter with Lou, a co-worker, and hot, laid-back Jamie. Alice is likeable, warm and friendly and it’s enjoyable reading about the gradually developing relationship between her and Jamie. There is also the threat of Dave, her controlling ex, returning to stir things up.
Although characters are well drawn and you can empathise with them, I feel that the story is drawn out with little plot line, and drags a little. I also feel that swearing in the dialogue is unnecessary and detracts from my enjoyment.
Enjoyable, easy going Summer read.

This was such an entertaining and humorous read. I literally read in one sitting. I love Zara Stonely books, she's fast becoming a favourite author. Her books have the feel good factor with heartwarming romance.
Alice loves her job , her office is the place she escapes to , her desk is home to her keepsake collection and full of her happiest memories. When the work from home / desk share scheme is introduced she finds herself Hot desking with the office hottie and her nemesis Jamie. The two are complete opposites, Alice is messy and a clutterer , while Jamie is tidy and likes order . When they begin corresponding through post it notes left on the desk between each visit a friendship forms .
There are fun and humorous moments aplenty. The romance developing between Alice and Jamie is heartwarming but nothing runs smoothly and there are a few misunderstandings to overcome.
This was an enjoyable read and I thoroughly recommend it.

I struggled a bit with this one. From the description I was looking forward to something Flatshare-esque, and you sort of get that for a bit, but I had a few problems with Hot Desk.

First, the covid references, I'm just not ready to read about covid in things, we've barely through it all yet, I don't know that I need to relive moments of anxiety and what the pandemic has done to fictional characters when I've still not fully understood how it has changed me. Especially when the mentions were not even critical to the plot. That in it of itself is what made me continue to pick up then put down this book. I wanted to like it, I wanted to get through it but every time a random covid reference came up I felt exhausted and then searched for entertainment elsewhere.

Second, I thought Alice was particularly pathetic, and not in a but it's ok because we're about to go on a journey together to watch her transform and she'll soon be likeable kind of way. More just wet blanket, don't really root for her kind of sad. She grew, yes, but I don't know that it was profound enough to get me to look past that she still was somewhat of a doormat in the end. Things kind of worked out for her, but if they hadn't I'm not sure she would've grown all that much.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. I really related to Alice and her difficulties with home working (I am despising it!), and completely fell in love with the adorable post it notes her and Jaimie sent. However, I didn't really like the ending, which is a shame because
I adored the first 75% of the book and the writing is spectacular! I'd definitely still read more books by this author as I feel most people would enjoy the ending, it just wasn't for me.

This book was a little all over the place. I had high hopes because the synopsis sounded so good! But there was just a lot going on and I wasn't as invested in Alice and Jamie as I should have been.