I really enjoyed this one! It ticked all the boxes - light-hearted, easy to read, office and enemies to lovers romance. What more could you want?

I was in a slump when I picked this up, hoping it would do the trick to dig me out. I really enjoyed this one! It ticked all the boxes - light-hearted, easy to read, office and enemies to lovers romance. What more could you want? er. And the throwbacks to my own black eyeliner-fueled emo days were just perfect,

Long story short, it's entertaining, it's well-written, it's a little bit spicy... it's a 4/5 from me! this one was right up my street.

A really fresh setting, a strong protagonist and lots of laughs, What Happens on Vacation is an ideal holiday read, although a little slow to get into at first. Worth persevering!

Jagger Villain? Come on. And how many extra letters can you keep fitting in words that don't need them? This was not what I was expecting at all, unfortunately.

I enjoyed Jo Watson’s previous novels, but I had trouble finishing this new story, mostly because I struggled to like the protagonist, Margaret. I found her irritating, judgemental, and unnecessary mean towards the love interest, Jagger, who was what I liked most in the story. He was charming, witty, and very very patient with Margaret. Even though I think that the novel was a bit too long and slow-paced, it featured some of my favorite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, grumpy vs sunshine, and forced proximity. I will keep reading Jo Watson’s novels, but this one is definitely not one of my favorite!

Loved this! Oh boy - this was a reeeeaall enemies to lovers story, on Margaret’s end anyway! Man, did she hate Jagger at the start 😂 But, as is said in the book, there is a fine line between love and hate, which quickly blurs when these two are on holiday. I loved both main characters and their journeys towards ending up together. This kind of reminded me of The Hating Game, which is one of my fave books. It was VERY funny! I enjoyed Jagger constantly winding Margaret up 😂 Also A grade epilogue - so lovely 🥰.

So many good things:

- enemies to lovers
- opposites attract
- holiday beach setting
- workplace rivals/romance
- forced proximity
- only one bed
- curvy FMC
- moving on after divorce
- pretty spicy

A great read. Margaret and Jagger are office enemies, or so she thinks. When they draw at a quiz and end up on holiday together will this be what was needed for her to see him in a new light?

Probably the only book I've read that is set in Zanzibar and the visuals were so pretty. I could really imagine my self there and I really wanted to be on a beach while reading this. Margaret and Jagger made me laugh and cry but I have to give props to the side characters too. They were so entertaining and just took the book to another level. This book is for all the Hating Game and The Unhoneymooners fans.

Thank you to @headlineeternal and NetGalley for a copy of the eARC.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Headline Eternal Books.

What Happens on Vacation is fun and happy read perfect for summer reading. We follow Margaret, who is a journalist, and takes her career very seriously. When she is forced to share a desk with a pola-opposite journalist - Jagger, who doesn't write about anything Margaret could take seriously. When a competition is up for grabs to win a holiday to Zanzibar, Margaret has her eye on the prize and high hopes of winning... When Margaret and Jagger have a night of passion they soon wish to forget and then find their parents romantically involved, the story really gets fun! This was a perfect beach binge-worthy read for anyone who wants some fun in the sun!

What Happens On Vacation by @jowatsonwrites
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely love an enemies to lovers romance - and a workplace one i love even more. And this one hasn't disappointed.
Margaret is a straight-laced journalist who hates her desk partner, laid back, easy-going Jagger who writes about his escapades. She's doesn't believe he's in the same calibre as her hard-hitting journalism. With her writing about government corruption and him regaling tales of his threesomes and rating set toys. He's the star of the office, and everyone loves him.

When they both win a company holiday, they're forced together for a week in paradise. Margaret can't think of anything worse.
Everything about him she hates - or does she??

The chemistry between Margaret and Jagger is intense from the beginning (even if Margaret doesn't see it).
I like that there is mental health representation with Margaret's anxiety.
I found there banter to be really humours, and the way they got to know each other was really cute.
I absolutely love her mom. The character is written perfectly 🥰 she's so funny.

Loved this book! What a great read. Perfect for a summer read by the poolside! Eagerly anticipating more books from this author!

If you love a slow burn, enemies/work colleagues to lovers, holiday romance... This has all that and so much more!

Margaret and Jagger have been sharing a desk at work for the past six months and when the annual company quiz is coming up, it seems Jagger is going to put an end to Margaret's winning streak. The prize for winning.. A fancy holiday for two!

Jagger and Margaret both ends up winning the quiz and what follows is a while load of trouble, coincidences and room swapping!

I really enjoyed the build up of this story and the time taken to establish characters and relationships. Margaret was an interesting character having obviously experienced recent loss and heartache.
Jagger falls victim of being misunderstood due to many factors but I have to say, throughout he was my favourite character. The layers added later in the book only made me like him more.

Ideal summer read ☀

👱‍♀️Plus size MC
🏝️ tropical getaway
👀 forced proximity including one bed
💻 workplace enemies to lovers

Looking at the list above what is there not to love about this book. It has everything which makes it a great summer read. This book includes lots of laughs, moments where I am even hiding behind my hands at everything that is happening.

I love that Margaret does step out of her comfort zone and push herself and being around Jagger definitely helps her, especially after the few years that she has had. I love that she isn’t a typical damsel in distress which makes her quite relatable as well as loving that she is plus size as I’m a curvy girl myself.

This book was busy from the start but had me chuckling away from the start to the end. I really enjoyed this book and the characters. I could feel the chemistry oozing out the book and felt many times I wanted to jump in and shake Margaret but only time will tell.

The mother daughter relationship was beautiful and I was right there for that part of the book.

REVIEW
⚠️Mention of cancer, death, cheating, anxiety, grief⚠️
When Margaret's archnemesis Jagger Villain comes joint first with her in the annual office quiz, they have to share the prize. Suddenly, the holiday in Zanzibar doesn't seem quite as attractive. Bu Margaret wants to treat her widowed mother. So what if Jagger will likely bring his flavour of the month? She doesn't have to talk to him! Except Jagger and his guest have other ideas.
This was a fun beach read. I really loved Jagger. He was just SO adorable. I also love stories where the man falls first, and that was obviously the case here. He was just so smitten, and I really loved the little hints along the way. I really liked Margaret, even though she was quite possibly THE most oblivious woman to ever walk the earth, at least when it came to Jagger and her assumptions. What I particularly empathised with was her reservations and her vulnerabilities in the face of finding love again. I also loved both Margaret and Jagger's quick wit - the banter was perfect.
The descriptions about Zanzibar and its history were beautifully observed.
There were some wonderful supporting characters: Anke (Margaret's mum) and Lesego, Margaret's work colleague were both wise and hilarious. But my favourite was Leighton, the 80s pop star who was also amusing and gave excellent advice. The subplot surrounding Anke was really sweet (no spoilers), but my favourite parts always involved Jagger and Margaret alone together. And the ending? Utter perfection.
Another wonderful book from one of my favourite authors.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️.5
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥
Emotional Rating: 😂🙈😂💔😢💓🥰😉😂💓🙈🥰😉💓😥💔💓🥰🤦🏻‍♀️🥰😍😂🥰💓😢💔👏🏻💓🥰💔👏🏻💓🥰

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review. What Happens On Vacation is out now in the UK*

Fun-loving, feel-good read.

Margaret is a journalist - and a serious one at that. For the last few months she has been forced to share a desk with Jagger, who writes about 'stuff' - and not exactly serious stuff either. With the office quiz coming up and luxury holiday for two in Zanzibar up for grabs, Margaret is quietly confident of winning it and taking her mother with her for a much needed break for both of them. However, she's never played against her nemesis before . . .

Although it's obvious from the beginning where this is going, it's a joyful read. Great characters, amazing locations and a very entertaining storyline. I loved all Margaret's little foibles - well, we all have them, don't we? A perfect summer read and even better if you're on holiday. Happy to recommend this one and give it 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbaised review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

This book just wasn't for me. It took so long to get into and about a quarter of the book was just for creating the background.

I also didn't particularly like the main character, Margaret was just really judgemental to me and I struggled to learn to like her. Although, I did love seeing a main female protagonist who was on the curvier side.

This book will definitely be for somebody, just wasn't for me.

👩‍💻Office enemies
🏖️Vacation in Zanzibar
🛌Just one bed

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
Margaret is a prim and pretty straight laced journalist working on one of the oldest newspapers in South Africa. After most of the staff have been retrenched, her office nemesis Jagger Villain was hired to created click bait articles and get online engagement. As if sharing an office and a desk isn’t bad enough, when it’s the annual quiz night and Margaret isn’t the usual winner of the overseas trip, the sparks fly even higher.

𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
I want to shout it from the rooftops that at last, I have read a contemporary romance set in South Africa 🇿🇦 , written by a South African 🇿🇦 author. With authentic, diverse and supportive friends… hallelujah! Jo Watson just gets all the extra points for knocking this genre out the park! I love how the local content and context is used in the story and doesn’t try to be something it’s not. I really appreciated how the story has a smidge of “Hating Game” energy, but it’s also well blended with some heartwarming moments, dealing with grief and strong interpersonal relationships between friends and family. It’s sweet, funny and thoughtful of the world we live in. ❤️

Having not read a Jo Watson book before What Happens on Vacation was a great introduction to her writing and has left me adding her back catalogue to my wish list. This is one of those perfect summer reads that you can enjoy by the pool, or indeed in the garden on a sunny day.

What Happens on Vacation is the story of Margaret and Jagger, two journalists who are forced to share a workspace at their online newspaper. Billed as enemies to lovers Margaret had very much taken against Jagger, and yet from the start it’s clear the feeling isn’t mutual. So when the pair end up sharing the staff quiz prize of a holiday to Zanzibar, Margaret has no idea how she’ll put up with Jagger. Yet soon enough she begins to wonder if actually Jagger does have some decent qualities and that maybe if she gives him a chance that the holiday from hell could turn to a vacation of her dreams…

There is a lot to enjoy in What Happens on Vacation including:
🏝️ a wonderful tropical location. I’ve never ‘visited’ Zanzibar in a book and found the setting fascinating. Watson’s exploration of the intra-African slave trade was very interesting
🌞 forced proximity, with everyone’s favourite only one bed
🏝️ strong chemistry between or MCs with a very satisfying slow burn enemies (one sided) to lovers
🌞 a poignant undercurrent theme of life and love after and in the face of grief
🏝️ a strong FMC who goes on her own journey and comes out all the better for it, having been, dare I say, unfairly judgemental and mean at the start
🌞 our FMC and her mum are also plus sized and proud
🏝️ a very charming MMC who brings a lot of fun to the story
🌞 the most brilliant side character in Margaret’s best friend, aging pop star Leighton

Overall this is a really lovely sun soaked summer read that I’d definitely recommend.

what i liked: I did like how it talked about slavery becuase i felt that it is important to still talk about the effects of it because its effects are still quite present in modern society. I liked how it talked about Magaret's aims for her carreer becuase it's always good to see women suceeding. I also liked to see how she apologised for her prejudice and took accountabiility therefore developing as a person

how it could be improved: I didn't really like the character of Margaret at the start of the book because I felt she was judgy, prejudiced and quite rude. While it is relaisitic, I didn't like reading about it. I also felt that her mother was weird because she was kinda obsessed with sex and disrespectful to Margaret at times. I felt that while Jagger was a fun person and could loosen up Margaret, he kinda pushed too much sometimes and disrepected like her boundaries.

Such a unique book, I loved the plot, and oh my god the characters were so amazing!! I definitely will be recommending it!!