This was an enjoyable and easy read, although has some heavier themes of ageing, grief and losing a parent.

It’s well-written and engaging - and yet I couldn’t get fully wrapped up with the characters. There was a build-up to a reveal about why the main female character (Andie) disliked the lead male (Jack) so much, and I would like to have seen more time spent on that. Instead, there’s a long wait to discover what happened years previously - and when the big reveal happens, the plot has a few fundamental holes in it.

I did like the book tour element, and the simmering romance, but the pivotal bit of the plotline is flawed. It focuses on a particular university, which is the one I went to… and the descriptions of how it’s run, and of the buildings and university itself are not accurate. That took me out of the story a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed this and felt it had some substance. The lead characters felt like equals and grief and regret were both well handled. I was nervous when it became clear there would be a reveal in the latter part of the novel because often it’s too much of a build up and a bit petty but this worked.

I really loved this book! Some truly beautiful moments and writing about love and loss and grief that really struck me. I enjoyed the way the author built up the story and the reveal at the end of the book regarding what happened between the two main characters was very well done.

This pushes more a 4.5/5 for me as although I loved it, I found Andie really infuriating at the start of the book. I felt as though her attitude towards Jack wasn’t always justifiable (obviously once we learn about her side of the events you do begin to see her differently). I also appreciated the level of growth in her character throughout the book. The last 25% of the book was most definitely my favourite when we begin to see Andie confront her past and I loved that the characters around her (Sara, her mum etc.) were holding her accountable. Jack is a great character and is written very well throughout. I love a slow burn and I do feel as though the story and characters were built up so well by the author and I throughly enjoyed this story.

I also wished there was an epilogue or more to the story - I’m not done with these characters! A great novel and an enjoyable read. Very excited to see what this author writes next.

Bad Publicity is a perfect blend of romance, tension, and European charm. When Andie lands her dream job as a book publicist, she never expects to be stuck on a month-long tour with her ex, Jack Carlson—the man who broke her heart years ago. 😏

As they travel through the most romantic cities in Europe, the sparks between them fly in all the best (and worst) ways. With witty banter, emotional depth, and stunning settings, this enemies-to-lovers story will keep you hooked from start to finish. 📚♥️

If you love a good second-chance romance with plenty of tension and a beautiful European backdrop, this one’s for you!

This book intricately explores themes of deep sadness and regret, capturing the raw emotional weight that these experiences bring. It skillfully delves into the concept of second chances, portraying the characters' journeys as they confront their past and strive for redemption. The narrative combines moments of intense heartache with a hopeful outlook on personal transformation.

The coworker romance is particularly noteworthy. It’s presented with a sense of realism and emotional depth, reflecting how relationships can evolve through shared challenges and growth. This aspect of the story adds a genuine, heartfelt layer to the plot.

The book's ability to weave together pain, hope, and the transformative nature of love left a significant impression on me, making it a memorable and impactful read.

** spoiler alert ** The entirety of the plot was based on miscommunication which fell a little flat for me. I was excited for a second-chance romance, but did not feel a lot of chemistry between Andie and Jack.
Grief was present throughout the novel and I felt this was very well handled. I wish we could have explored Jack's relationship with his dad a little, as this would have fleshed out his character a little more. I felt there was a lot of potential for character development for both Andie and Jack (especially when the reveal of their time in Edinburgh turned out to be a very serious circumstance) that was not worked upon. Saying that, it WAS nice to read a FMC that wasn't entirely perfect and with warring emotions.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Andie and Jack have a past, what kind of past is left unclear until very close to the end. Since what Jack did happened close to Andie's father's terminal illness, Andie cannot forgive Jack. Five years later, Andie has to work as Jack's publicist, which means forced proximity for a book tour.

As much as I like second chance romances, this novel was not for me. I didn't like Andie one bit and there was no chemistry between the two protagonists. To be honest, I only finished this book to find out what Jack had done to Andie to deserve her being so petty, mean and unprofessional.

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This book really surprised me and I loved it. I read it in 2 days because I didn’t want to put it down.

This was a romance combination that I hadn’t read before with a publicist and an author so I really loved that. It was also nice that the book was set in a few different countries. It made me want to (a) be an author and (b) book a flight asap. I also loved the link to Edinburgh, having studied there myself

I thought the reasons behind why Andie hated Jack were actually valid. Usually the main characters don’t like each other over something silly and you think really all this is because of that? But when I read what had happened in the past I completely got it and felt relieved that it was something bigger but not too big that it wasn’t resolvable.

I really adored Andie’s growth throughout the book and I respect the tough decisions she made at the end. It felt like a natural progression and not forced.

Jack was a perfect MMC. I loved his layers and that he came across really confident but was actually quite nervous underneath the facade.

A main highlight for me was Andie reconnecting with her mum again. I thought that was really heartwarming.

Sometimes I thought Andie was a bit too dramatic/self-obsessed but it didn’t detract from the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I will be recommending it. A great read!

Thank you, Bloomsbury & NetGalley, for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

As a fan of bookish books and the second chance trope, I really enjoyed the story. Having New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dublin and Edinburgh in one book, I felt like I was travelling with the characters (also, my favourite bookshop in Dublin, Hodges Figgis, was mentioned!). Most of the time, Andie was so mean to Jack (in a funny way) that it made me wonder what had happened between the two in the past. I liked the awkward moments between them, but I couldn't relate to Andie hating Jack – I mean come on, he remembered her favourite flavour of crisps, speaks French AND reads dragon books!😍
As the story progressed, there was an insight into what happened between them and why Andie was so hurt. The conflict made sense, but it upset me that there were no consequences for Robbie. I would've liked a more empowering narrative. Andie had a realistic character development and I liked that she didn't change into a completely new person overnight but took time for herself to figure things out. Still, the last chapters broke my heart and the ending felt too rushed. I would've liked to see more of Andie's growth and her friendship with Sara (who, by the way, is a great no-nonsense friend). I'm not a huge fan of open endings (that's just personal preference), so a bonus chapter to see how Andie and Jack were doing a few months/a year later would've been nice.

This was an enjoyable easy read with some heavy topics that were handled well. However, I feel like the characters lacked development and chemistry. There’s so much potential with this plot to show huge character growth for both the FMC and MMC, but it really lacked this. I’d like to have seen less detail about some of the book tour logistics and more time dedicated to building their chemistry and showing character growth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in return for an honest review

This book follows Andie on her latest work trip as a book publicist, she is a career loving girlie until she arrives at the trip only to found the man who ruined her university experience- Jack. The story follows both characters as they navigate this difficult relationship a whilst travelling through Europe on Jack’s month long book tour.

I want to start by saying that my favourite part of this book was the exploration of grief- it was so well done and so well weaved into the story without feeling jarring or out of place. There were so many elements of the story that I highlighted as it was like they came from (a more articulate version) of my own brain. As a fellow member of the ‘dead dad club’ this book made me feel seen and I thought it was done so well.

I didn’t actually love the two MC’s in this book and their relationship, I just didn’t really buy into the whole ‘enemies’ thing and found it to be a little bit erm, pathetic? I think the falling out made sense as it was almost linked to the grief Andie was going through but for it to ripple out to this point just felt a little bit far fetched for me. I think because I didn’t fully buy into them not getting on it prevented me feeling invested in their relationship pulling through. I didn’t really feel any of the tension (either of hate or of love) and instead felt like I was told about it which then impacted me feeling elated as the story went on.

Overall this book was really enjoyable, the past elements being weaved through worked really well and as mentioned the exploration of grief was beautiful and real. I’d recommend this book if you are looking for something light hearted but with splashes of depth

I was drawn to Bad Publicity by the colourful cover and the intriguing premise. Although light and fun in places, there was more of a serious undercurrent within the plot, which I wasn't expecting. If you enjoy a slightly more grown-up rom-com, I think you'd enjoy this title by Bianca Gillam.

I love an enemies to lovers trope and the premise for this really caught my attention as I also work in publishing and enjoy a bit of drama (and drama between a publicist and author, sign me up)!

This book surprised me. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite emotional and deal with serious issues, like grief and guilt but I think that’s what makes the book stand out from other similar romance books.

It started off really fast paced and then became really slow moving, but I persevered and I’m glad I did. A 3.5 star from me.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital arc.

I found this an easy light-hearted read and enjoyed the story, however I don't think it stood out to me compared with other titles in this genre

Pick up this gorgeous hug of a book and get transported to your happy place… wraps itself round you like a cosy blanket. It has warmth, charm, laugh-out-loud moments and a wistful nostalgia. I absolutely loved it.

I really liked the idea and concept of this book. It touches on some sad topics, such as grief, which I have to say was handled and written incredibly well. It drew me to the characters. I felt there wasn’t enough character development, and the character development that there was, didn’t portray our protagonists in the best of lights. Overall, I did enjoy it and I did finish the book.

This is a romance with a good backstory and has a great enemies to lovers feel to it. I was very invested and found it hard to put the book down. Their chemistry and banter was fab, and had me hooked from the start. It is a fairly slow burn, which is something I love.

3 stars - a fun concept but struggled to connect with the main character

Bad Publicity has all the makings of a great book, and the plot seems like the perfect set up for a romance. The depiction of grief and how it affects us was handled in a sensitive and empathetic manner, and reflected the realities of how it impacts your life. The pacing was good and it moved quickly enough to keep my interest throughout, though some scenes could have been developed a bit further.

What held me back from rating this book higher was the lack of connection with the main character, particularly in the first half of the book. While some of her actions and choices were tied to her grief, she also came across as quite a selfish friend to Sara, and often put her own problems above anyone else's. While there's nothing wrong with an unlikeable main character, it has to be done carefully for the reader to still connect with them and this aspect let the book down for me.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a sweet romance that dealt with some really difficult topics in a sensitive and well rounded way. At times I found parts of the plot slightly repetitive and felt that perhaps there was a bit much going on in terms of character complications, but on the whole it tied together well and I really loved the characters’ journeys both as a couple and as individuals. By the end I found myself completely invested and thoroughly heart-warmed! Well worth a read!