A fun romance read that's no without it's danger! Two work enemies are left to fend for themselves in the Scottish highlands with minimal resources and only their animosity to keep them warm. It was good to see Fliss and James's relationship changing and also how they inspired some introspection in each other. I can't say either of these characters were particularly likeable to me, which did put a dampener on it, and I also didn't feel much of the chemistry between them but their character arcs I was rooting for! Amongst the adventure (my personal nightmare) were some home truths that James and Fliss needed, as well as some (un)healthy competition. This was a pretty difficult story for Fliss especially, and I feel perhaps her character deserved more and a different ending - outside of the romance, that is. Though she was done dirty by James, in my opinion. All in all it was a fairly quick read and a fun approach to the enemies to lovers / work rivals trope even if we didn't get to experience as much of Scotland and the beauty of the highlands as I'd expect when that's the main setting. Romance fans are going to enjoy this one but it was slightly off the mark for me.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Work Trip is precisely as it sounds: two coworkers— who hate each other, might I add are sent away on a team-building work trip to Scottland. Their boss dumps them in the wilderness with minimal supplies and no way to communicate with the outside world. What could possibly go wrong?


Felicity and James, known notably as “Fliss” and “Gloatman,” are like water and vinegar—they don’t mix. They both want the same thing: the big promotion. One wants the promotion to better the company, and the other wants the $$$ involved. When tasked with surviving with each other, they learn to get along and learn things about each other. I found both of these characters to be extremely relatable, especially Fliss, an only child trying to navigate her life around her separated parents and her high standards for her own love life.

While the plot is extremely predictable with the whole one-bed trope (or one tent and two sleeping bags situation), I found the story enjoyable and a great palette cleanser after finishing Onyx storm.

Noooo, I want more. I need more of these two. I loved it. I loved this book so much.
I was hooked from the first chapter, where you could just feel the hate and annoyance dripping from the characters. I love me a good enemies to lovers/hate to love and this book more than delivered. The way they were constantly at each others throat and the banter: it was just so entertaining and I did not want to put it down.
The whole camping saga was absolutely hilarious. What could go wrong you wonder? Absolutely everything could and did go wrong and the whole concept was just so much fun to read. And my god, I loved that the book was also angsty (I'm a sucker for angst). Apart from the fact that they were trying to survive a trip through the Scottish Highlands (being city folk and all that), there was a good amount of angst surrounding them as a potential couple.
The book also dealt with more serious issues that shaped the characters, their trauma's/difficulties during their upbringing, which gave an explanation as to why they were who they were, why they behaved the way they did and why they made the choices they did. The overachieving employees who will do everything to be better than the other. It was beautiful the way they helped each other on their way to being a happier person (together as well as individuals).
All in all just an absolute joy to read!
Thank you so much Chloe Ford and Aria/Head of Zeus for the ARC!

This was such a fun and quick read. The banter between Fliss and James was so fun and the way they brought the best and worst out of each other was enjoyable to watch play out. Fliss went such a great journey and I loved reading her stepping into she wanted to be. An overall fun book. Can’t wait to see what Ford writes next.

Fliss has worked her absolute but off in work to get to where she is, while also putting up with James “Gloatman” constantly trying to derail her plans. After being abandoned by their boss in the Scottish highlands, they’re forced to put aside their differences and work together to make it through the next few days and nights with only one tent and minimal supplies.


I could feel the hate towards James but as the story progressed, so did his character and I feel the other side, the softer side to him slowly started to show and he definitely became more likeable. Fliss is a career driven woman but ultimately missing out on other things in life as she puts her career first. This trip showing her that there’s more to life than the office.

The characters had depth and and a good plot. Enjoyed the Scottish highlands setting and felt myself routing for the characters. A really great, feel good read.

A great, fun read which I thoroughly enjoyed reading on a long journey. Loved that it was based in remote areas of Scotland. Both characters and their chemistry worked well

Work Trip was an absolute joy to read. The characters are flawed but brilliant and Ford’s excellent wit and sense of humour definitely comes through the character of Fliss. James was frustrating at first but once you take him out his usual environment into the Scottish Highlands, you start to see him in a different perspective through the eyes of Fliss. I loved the descriptions of the location, you really felt the ruggedness of the Highlands

3.5 stars

Chloe Ford really knows how to write a pacy rom com featuring two warring colleagues dumped in the middle of the Scottish Highlands by their boss to compete for a promotion. I really flew through it.

However what let this book down for me was Fliss being aware of how hot James too early in the story. Given how difficult their relationship was, it gave the game away. This made the tension focused too much on her attraction, instead of focusing on her growth and understanding James's point of view. It felt less romance and more just lust because of forced proximity thanks to their creepy boss wanting them to fuck it out. Also, their boss was toxic and Fliss kept refusing to listen to James about it. Worst still, she had a phone battery and forced him to go on the hike instead of phoning for assistance!

While I'm glad the characters acknowledge how inappropriate their boss was for leaving them with scant supplies that included vodka and a box of condoms, it was unresolved with a 'maybe I'll sue'. What the hell? Give him some consequences! As such I felt it ended a bit too abruptly and needed an epilogue set at least a year in advance to see resolution of their career situation given it was so integral to Fliss and James (for different reasons).

Thanks to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the ARC.

‘Work Trip’ by Chloe Ford is a real gem of a romance that had me hooked from the first page.

What starts as a charming enemies-to-lovers workplace romance quickly evolves into an adventure in the Scottish Highlands. The transition from a typical office setting to camping in the ‘wilderness’ was unexpected but refreshing, bringing a new layer of excitement to the story.

The chemistry between Fliss and James is electric. Their banter is witty, full of humour, and brimming with emotional depth. As work enemies forced to collaborate on a trip, their initial animosity is believable, and as their relationship evolves, the motivations behind their conflict become clear. Tracing them as they work through their differences was a rewarding experience, and the chemistry between them was one of the highlights of the book.

I particularly appreciated how the remote setting of the Scottish highlands added an extra level of intrigue and spice to the story. It forced Fliss and James to not only confront each other but also to reflect on their personal beliefs and motivations, especially in regard to their careers. This added depth to their characters, making their journey toward a romantic resolution feel all the more satisfying.

The story is a delightful escape that offers a perfect balance of humour, romance, and adventure.

Overall, ‘Work Trip’ is a fun, heartwarming rom-com with a dash of spice and plenty of laughs. It’s a fun read that I didn’t want to put down, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a workplace romance with a little bit of adventure and humour thrown in.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

⭐️ 4.5 stars! ⭐️
This book follows Fliss and James, who find themselves abandoned in the Scottish Highlands after their boss ditches them with very little supplies. This book was so good, and I loved how they had to push their differences aside in order to find their way back. The chemistry between the pair was so good, and I loved the adventure that they had (although if my boss left me stranded in the Scottish Highlands with no money, proper food and a tent I would cry). The only reason this didn't get 5 stars is because the ending didn't feel complete, I wanted more. This book would be perfect for fans of The Hating Game!

I really enjoyed this book. Enemies to lovers isn't my favourite troupe but this really worked for me. Great storyline, great characters and very enjoyable. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author

ARC - PUBLICATION DATE 24TH APRIL 2025

4 ☆

『 tropes 』
•rivals-to-lovers
•work place romance
•forced proximity
•team bonding trip
•single pov


『 plot 』
fliss is the head of marketing, and is wanting to become the director of the company, but james derails every idea she has and the idea of ever getting on with him seems absurd. but then she’s forced to take a team bonding trip, and a week with james seems less than ideal but when they’re thrown into the unknown, a unique challenge, in the scottish highlands, that is set up by their boss, they’re forced to work together and find a way out of the situation they’ve found themselves in.

『 my thoughts 』
honestly? i was skeptical at first, the first couple of chapters i just thought this would be the same work romance, rivals to lovers that you always read about but i was proven very wrong, pleasantly so. fliss and james needing to find their way out of the scottish highlands was such a unique spin to a story and made this such a fun read for me.

i didn’t know what to think about the two main characters to begin with, they didn’t seem to have much of a personality, outside of getting off on being petty towards one another but once they were in the highlands?? oh my god! some of the best chemistry between two characters that i’ve ever read! the tension, the will they/wont they, the bickering, the attentiveness, just everything was 10/10. i honestly could feel every single thing and emotion that fliss was going through, my stomach was in knots when hers was, i was blushing when she was, my heart sank when hers did.

i honestly loved it, this book worked so well and i need everyone to go read it once it’s out 🗣️

Thank you Netgalley for a proof in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, I liked the characters, I liked the plot. I liked the enemies to lovers.

It was a really enjoyable read and a really enjoyable adventure, I liked Gloatman's backstory - I liked how they fit together - the only reason I didn't give it full stars is because I wanted to hear more about them take down Michael! But it was brilliant nonetheless! I'd totally read more Chloe Ford.

I was in the mood for something light and fun, and Work Trip delivered exactly that. This was my first time reading Chloe Ford, maybe it'd a debu, not sure —and it was an enjoyable ride.

Fliss and James are workplace rivals—she’s the head of marketing, he’s the head of sales for a company that organises musical events. Their departments are constantly at odds, and so are they. Their boss seems to like to pit them against each other. Fliss sees James as a smarmy salesperson with too much charm for his own good, while James thinks Fliss is uptight and highly strung. Naturally, they end up on a gruelling work trip together. Naturally, tensions escalate. Naturally, they end up fancying the pants off each other.

I Liked:

✅ Refreshing character descriptions – Neither Fliss nor James are traffic-stopping hot. They actually see themselves as average-looking, which is a nice change from the impossibly attractive leads in most romcoms. That made their chemistry even cuter—watching them see each other as stunning despite their own self-perceived “averageness” was both romantic and realistic.

✅ A fun, easy read – It’s entertaining, fast-paced, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Exactly what I wanted.

✅ A little spice – Not too much, but enough to keep things interesting.

If you’re after something light, enemies-to-lovers with workplace rivalry, and just a hint of spice, this is a solid pick. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s fun and enjoyable, which is all I needed. Three stars—I liked it!

📖 ARC provided by NetGalley. All opinions are my own

When marketing boss Fliss and sales boss James are left to fend for themselves in the Scottish highlands, their big boss hopes it will see them learn how to get along. Whilst uncovering a backpack of things left for them to work with, it becomes evident that their boss also feels they should get together. As the days go on, can the two stick to their guns or will they give in eventually and prove the boss right?

I do love a good workplace enemies to lovers romance. This one delivered right from the start with the angst between our two characters evident from the office. Witty banter, laugh out loud scenarios and likable characters all add to this fantastic story. Look no further guys! There is a new romcom author in the house! Chloe Ford's debut was so fun that I'm already hanging out for her next book, due out later this year.

Work Trip is a fun and relaxing rom com, in the vein of The Hating Game and The Proposal.

Following the tried and true roles of workplace enemies to lovers and forced proximity, Ford adds a dash of despair by dropping our mc’s in the wild Scottish highlands. I really enjoyed Fliss and James’ chemistry, and their witty banter. Their initial conflict felt justified as we learnt more about their motivations and personal history.

The remote setting added an extra level of interest and spice. I particularly enjoyed the way that pulling them out of the workplace made them examine their personal drivers and beliefs about professionals success, which were really relatable.

Thank you Aria & Aries for an early copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

A wonderful feel good book where some employees go on a work trip with a difference- definitely never known of a team busting activity like this!

This is a perfect book for light reading and not having to wade through a weighty tomb!
It’s boy meets girl, they hate each other, then they get to know one another, but do they have the courage to take a chance on a relationship?
There’s raunchy stuff, outdoorsy stuff, plus the will they or won’t they deliberation.
This book came at a very good time for me as it’s not pretentious, just good old fashioned romance.

Enemies to Lovers and forced proximity done so well! Highly recommend this book. The bickering between Fliss and James had me laughing out loud.

3.5 Stars

Abandoned in the Scottish Highland with nothing but some protein bars, your work enemy and a single tent! A great romance debut from Chloe Ford. It's witty, sweet, sexy and a little bit ridiculous which is just how I like my romcoms. I loved the main characters, both flawed and driven, but not to the degree that made them annoying. The writing was excellent, the dialogue on point and the humour is really well done. Witty banter and tantalising chemistry weaved throughout the book, and the spice level was just right. This is an author that I will be adding to my most read list.