As long as you reckon this isn't a romance per se (it's more chick-lit with a small serving of romance sprinkled in), then get on for the ride and enjoy this one. Loved how easy it was to fall into the prose and just read along - didn't feel like a slog at all. There's also a lot happening with Ella, and again, as long as you remember it's not a romance, then all the exposure to the intricacies of her life and especially the time with Lee don't feel like too much and we need to get on with it. It really builds the whole tale, and we see a lot of Ella in there in a way it wouldn't have been possible if the author had glossed over all that.
Loved to Ella coming into her own, especially on the building site (John turned out entirely adorable - never thought I'd say that when I met him), and then the whole subplot with Deborah had me hooked and I was dying to know what was going on there (the resolution to that one felt a little blipped over, but I can accept it had to happen that way).
Overall, an easy and enjoyable read perfect for time at the beach, the pool, or cozied up at home with a hot drink and a blanket

Exactly the type of book you expect from phoebe macloed. I have been a fan for a while now and her books just keep getting better.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

This was a very quick fast paced read centered around Ella, a project manager, and a whole slew of professional woes (and tons of shady ish happening around her) - definitely a women's fiction novel but I don't know that I would categorize this as a romance. I will say however, for everything that's been dumped on Ella, she wasn't even close to being insufferable. She rolled with it and was extremely realistic and that was quite frankly very refreshing!

We spend the first half (yes half) on her relationship with her coworker Lee, they'd been together for years but with a clause forbidding work place romances, they had to keep it under wraps until he pulls some corporate espionage type b.s. and she's made redundant because of it. Realizing that he has his best interest at heart rather than theirs she takes a job in another area in construction, an industry she knows nothing about.

Now the blurb made it seem like Noah would have a bigger part to play in this story, and I was definitely here for that part of the plot. But we don't even meet him til halfway through the book! It spends another 25% of them just being friends before finally one kiss at like 75/80% and, truly I think the book would have worked better with them just as friends. We don't really see any chemistry and if I hadn't have known better I would have expected the second half to be focused on her reconciling with Lee (which thankfully she did not, he was an ass!!) Overall Noah and Ella's friendship was very intentional and i loved that aspect. After her previous foray into a workplace romance she was guarded but the two had the best of coworkers in their corners to get them on track with the third act break/reconciliation. But the second half was sooooo rushed (plus the addition of another workplace sabatoge plot!) with how everything is buttoned up I wanted more of the romance aspect. All in all a cute one sitting read and we all know I love an English countryside setting 😊

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for my review!

This novel was okay. The characters I couldn't connect with in this genre. I think I need something with more meaning as this felt very materialistic.

Ella goes from having it all to being forced to leave Leeds and move to Ashford for a new job. She was doing great at her prior company and even due for a promotion. She also had a boyfriend, who was a colleague and she had to secretly date due to her company's strict policy of not dating co-workers. Her promotion hinges on winning a big contract, but then it goes to their competitor. Ella's boyfriend, Lee, quits his job and goes to work for the competitor, and the timing is pretty suspicious. When Lee is suspected of sabotaging the presentation and is investigated, HR learns of her relationship with him and is fired and is implicated in his actions. Ella temporarily moves back home and applies for a project management job for a construction site. Not necessarily her area of expertise, but she'll take what she can get at this point. She's got a lot to learn, as well as face prejudice about women being on the site, but the site manager, Noah, provides her with much support and encouragement, really taking her under his wing. The friendship that initially develops between them begins to blossom into something more.
This was a very cute, light-hearted, and entertaining story with strong, likable characters and it was easy to get completely engrossed in the story. An enjoyable story which I am glad to have had the opportunity to read!
I received a complimentary copy from Boldwood Books and Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

i read this book very quickly, I found it an easy read and simple to jog through as it was easy to follow. Ella has some sort of familiarity to her, like shes a friend of a friend you might know. funny, breezy and warmly romantic.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the chance to read this story.

This is a light and easy read that had me chuckling (and snorting) out loud in some places. The comebacks and sarcasm from the main character, Ella, were highly amusing.
It did feel like it took a good chunk of the book to get to the main focus of Ella's new career. Though the story leading up to it wasn't wasted and was important in the scheme of things.
Overall, it was a great book that I would happily recommend. Especially for relaxing holiday reading.

I really enjoyed this book and it came to me at the right time. I was after a read that wasn’t too complex and was a nice one to dip in and out of: MacLeod gets this balance just right. In fact, I enjoyed it so much, that my only criticism was that I wanted the book to be longer!

Ella’s move from Leeds to Ashford is not one necessarily of choice. Her employment situation dramatically changes when her secret work boyfriend switches jobs to work with a competitor and she is implicated in some dodgy dealings. Despite protesting her innocence, Ella is forced to find a new job and doesn’t think twice about ditching her boyfriend either, realising he wasn’t as great as he made out to be.

However, Ella’s new job is on a building site, something she has little knowledge or experience of. I loved MacLeod’s portrayal of this working environment and particularly enjoyed seeing John’s character – I think he could have done with more page time! Being a Project Manager for a building site seems littered with delays and disasters and I enjoyed seeing Ella turn her hands to this massive task, getting not only the construction back on track, but winning over the builders as well.

There is romance in the story but I don’t think it dominated. Instead, I was far more interested in the working aspect of the plot and especially enjoyed watching how Ella dealt with the suspicious delays to resources being delivered. I think it is here that the writer could have developed the novel further as I wanted to watch the strong protagonist clash with unyielding personalities in the construction business, seeing her succeed even more in her new role.

I liked this book because it felt original and was entertaining. I enjoyed the balance between the building site and the theme of romance, not thinking it was too gushy or dense with building jargon. The characters were all likeable and I even was entertained by the less innocent characters. A great holiday read.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Love at First Site by Phoebe MacLeod is one of my favorites from this author. I love a good workplace romance and of course the drama! I love a strong female lead who steps out of her comfort zone and finds happiness with herself and with someone else. This is a cute, funny, contemporary romcom set in England.

This was a lovely read! And the best I’ve read by Phoebe MacLeod. I was gripped by the workplace and relationship drama throughout, and found the romance plot so endearing 🥰 A sweet 7/10 epilogue as well.

What to expect:

- workplace romance
- relationship drama
- women in construction
- not a closed door romance, but light spice

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC!
It didn't take long for me to fall in love with Ella and find myself invested in her journey and watching her find a new career path. This was a very sweet and entertaining read!

Through a series of unfortunate events Ella finds herself working in a new industry, in a place she's never been before. Thankfully she befriends her co-worker Noah, and she finds herself falling in love with more than just the construction industry and Kent.

I really enjoyed this for many reasons, but the main two being witnessing a female main character display fierce independence and perseverance, and this unique setting for a romance that I have not often read about!

My husband is a project manager in construction, and I rarely understand what he does- but now I feel like I have a better idea of it!

Really enjoyed this book and I loved the main characters and the men on the building site. definitely a humorous read and I would definitely recommend if your looking for a light romantic comedy

I live Phoebe Macleod’s books, she writes enjoyable womens fiction with relatable heroines and storylines that are engaging, this book is no exception

This was such an easy, enjoyable read. Another great written by the brilliant Phoebe Macleod, The characters are brilliantly written and relatable. I was rooting for Ella from the very start. Phoebe has her own unique writing style full of humour and laughter. If you like second-chance romance then this is the perfect summer read to escape into.

This story is right up my alley. My husband is a home designer and a builder and Ms. McLeod does a great job explaining the precise and organized way to order building supplies on a schedule that most likely will have to change due to wrong orders, no deliveries, etc. Enter a desperate project manager who knows little about building materials, but is stubborn enough and determined enough to deal with all the mysterious setbacks caused by a corrupt woman with a nefarious agenda.

The story is told from Ella's point of view about a down-on-her-luck project manager at a software company who is thrown under the bus by her boyfriend and colleague. Having no luck finding a job near her current home she has to take what she can get as a project manager at a building site several hours away. The cute site foreman is kind and helpful, but she needs to prove herself as a lone female in a male-dominated field. In addition, her pay is much less than her previous job, the office is an unorganized mess, her new digs are called the "caravan of shit", and her new boss, Deborah, is called The Evil Bitch Queen (and rightly so). Can Ella get this site up and running smoothly, or will she fail and have to go live with her parents?

Ella is not one to back down on a challenge and boy, is this job a clusterfuck. I was glad she finally dumped her narcissistic ex-boyfriend after he treated her so despicably and may I add that I think that part of the book could have been shorter. It picked up after she started her new job working with Noah, the funny and supportive site foreman, and John, the bombastic and loveable team leader, who has a convoluted way of nicknaming his colleagues.

The way Ella deals with everything is commendable as she grows and becomes an exceptional leader. And, it's understandable Ella is a little skittish acting on an attraction with Noah considering that was a no-no in her previous job, but Noah is one of the good guys who treats her as an equal and gives her a chance. Ella is due to have a happy ever after and Noah is a perfect fit.

The best part of all was when Deborah and Ella's ex, Lee, got what they deserved. Karma, baby!

Despite the book dragging a little bit at the beginning, I am delighted to recommend this romantic comedy filled with fun British idioms and compelling characters.

Thank you to Ms. MacLeod for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

Ella and Noah are such likeable characters within this story, it is such a cute and feel good a book, Phoebe Macleod has done an amazing job are writing this book and I truly Recommend reading this as mood booster

This was a great romance story.

I laughed out loud frequently - the authors writing was spot on!

Ella and Noah were the perfect main characters and the side characters also played great substantial roles!

Highly recommended!

Phoebe Macleod’s Love at First Site is a delightful romantic comedy about stepping out of your comfort zone, taking a leap of faith and finding happiness that will touch your heart and make you giggle.

Ella thinks that she’s hit the jackpot. She has everything she has always wanted: a great job, a gorgeous flat and a man she loves with all of her heart. The only fly in the ointment is that they have to keep their relationship secret due to their employer’s strict no-dating policy. When Lee announces that he’s got a job with a rival firm, Ella thinks that finally she can shout about their relationship from the rooftops – until her life unravels and she finds herself unemployed and living in a flat she cannot afford with a man who is nowhere near as perfect as she thought him to be. What is Ella going to do now?

Getting an unexpected job offer seems like the answer to all of her prayers – until she realises that it’s on a building site and miles from her home. Still, beggars cannot be choosers and Ella bites the bullet and decides to take this opportunity. However, working on a construction site quickly proves to be more challenging than she initially thought. Not one to give up without a fight, Ella decides to show her doubters just what she is capable of and prove all the naysayers wrong.

Will she be able to make a go of her new career and her fresh start? Will she at long last get the life she has always wanted? And could foreman Noah become more than just a good friend to Ella?

Phoebe Macleod writes fun and feel-good romantic comedies that never fail to hit the spot and she’s done it again with Love at First Site. Hilarious, heartwarming and charming, this lovely read has a heroine you will root for, characters you will adore and a tender and touching love story that will leave you with a massive grin on your face.

A gorgeous romantic comedy you will struggle to put down, Love at First Site is another must-read by Phoebe Macleod.

A fun easy read from Phoebe, love her books
Ella has lost her job as her boyfriend decided up to go for a job with a rival company and basically threw her under a bus, so she lost hers as they worked for the same company, as they kept their relationship secret because it was frowned upon in the workplace it made it look even worse. When he shows no remorse what so ever she finally realises just how selfish he is and leaves him so she is now homeless as well as jobless
Having to find a job and somewhere to live quickly she applies for a job she sees which is a long way away as a Project manager on a building site but comes with accommodation. Not expecting to get the job she is surprised when she is offered it but the surprise soon turns to shock when she sees her office and even worse the accommodation.
Luckily she meets Noah who is a builder on the site and her helps her find her feet. Will the job, her accommodation and life take a turn for the better ?