thank you netgalley and head of zeus for the audiobook, i loved it! the narrator did such a great job and i could even listen to it 2.5x and it was perfect. the narrator really brought the story to life!

work trip is a standalone romance following Fliss, who works in marketing and is gunning for the director promotion. she’s always worked hard and done what was expected of her and more. so when even though an upcoming team building work trip fills her with dread, she goes anyway. the reason she’s dreading the trip is because of her work rival, James, who works in sales. he’s always pushing back her ideas and trying to one up her, and she can’t stand him.
when they arrive in the Scottish Highlands, they find out that the work trip is only for them two and their boss has abandoned them in the middle of nowhere with one tent, two sleeping bags, and a few protein bar.
their task is to put their differences aside and find a way home.

i loved this so much. the writing was so fun and witty and i loved that it was not just focused on the romance but had an underlying message of knowing your worth in a work setting and not staying in a job you’re not valued as you are

i loved Fliss and James so much, they’re both such a relatable character. the way they taught each other that there’s more to life than just work because Fliss was basically in it for the recognition and James was in it for the money and they both helped each other grow🥹🤏🏻
also i loved her finally standing up for herself and James being so proud😭

the romance was so cute and watching them both slowly lower their guards and let each other in was just so sweet. i loved how they started understanding each other as the book progressed🥹

the ending just felt a bit rushed but other than that i loved everything else!!

I really loved this! Already loved the whole concept, super forced proximity, only one tent, workplace rivals - sign me up!
I enjoyed the way everything unfolded, how there was so much more drama than I was expecting, and I really liked the eventual tension between the two and the spice and romance!
The only thing that stopped it being a 5 star for me was that I found Fliss just a bit insufferable?! I genuinely try and not take into how I personally feel about main characters into account, because even in real life, you’re just not going to click with and like everybody! But, especially in the first couple of chapters, it just made me cringe the way she presented and talked about herself, and then how did she not know James was so obviously getting that promotion?? I kinda hate myself for criticising a female character but it’s very rare for me and I really liked this book otherwise!
And the narration was really good!

This was a fun and quick read! It's a typical enemies to lovers, where Fliss and James start out as mortal enemies and always butt heads in their corporate jobs. Suddenly, they're left in the Scottish Highlands by their boss, who forces them to spend time together and work out their differences. It's similar to other romance books I've read, however, I would recommend it if you're looking for an easy to read romance.

There are so many things that worked in the book's favour. James and Fliss made entertaining, funny, and multi-dimensional protagonists. The backdrop of London to the Scottish Highlands was soothing. The backstories of their respective families were deeply realistic. Their workplace feuds and skirmishes were believable. The professional ambitions and motivations were perfectly aligned with the overall character sketches.

I know the trope is called forced proximity, but just how <b>forced</b> is acceptable? The main trigger event was my only qualm. Their boss getting fed up with their rivalry and forcing them to spend time together — these are two ADULTS!
You know what? They should sue their boss. How did he expect abandoning his star colleagues in the middle of the Scottish Highlands, with a badly curated backpack, to be a good team-building exercise? The whole thing bordered on unprofessional and a workplace hazard. Endangerment of life. Flouting of several workplace laws.

Thankfully for their harebrained boss, hanging out with Fliss and James was great as they navigated a whirlpool of events and emotions.
This book is a masterclass in well-rounded characters, and in how the execution of a simple premise can elevate it to a gem.

The inner monologues, conversations, banter, repartee, quips and wisecracks between the characters, their epiphanies, and their reflections on their actions were very realistic but thoroughly enjoyable.

When the MMC says, "Promise me you'll never settle for less," you have got to melt.
Overall, a fun and breezy read. Audiobook format does wonders for the characters. Perfect for when you want an escape.

Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus Audiobooks for the Advanced Listeners Copy.

I hadn’t heard of Nate Ortiz. From how this book started, i was interested in his personal story, and looking forward to this book. It’s interesting and Nate seems approachable and knowledgeable. The audiobook is easy to listen to and I felt like I learned things, but some parts were repetitive.

3 stars

Thanks to Nate Ortiz and Audible Audio for my audiobook in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

When the constant bickering between the head of marketing and the head of sales drives everyone else in the office mad, Felicity and James are abandoned in the Scottish highlands on a so-called 'team building exercise’. Despise the countless breaches of HR laws, James and Fliss embrace their challenge equipped with 180 tampons, a box of condoms and only one tent.

This light-hearted read provided humour and romantic tension without straying into the territory of cringiness. This was rather predictable but that made it a great palette cleanser read. Perhaps the best thing this book brought to the table was it’s British feel. References from the Scottish midges to the extortionate pricing of Pret A Manger made for an authentic and relatable read. I loved the narrator’s performance and would seek her out in future.

This was a very promising debut and I will certainly be picking up Chloe Ford’s next release.

I was looking forward to this story after reading the blurb. Sadly it was a bit disappointing. Overall the story was ok, but was just lacking something. It felt slow to get started but did pick up towards the end. The ending was too abrupt, and it would have benefited from an epilogue.

Absolutely in love with this fun rom com debut from Chloe Ford. I snorted, I laughed and I cheered for both Fliss and James to first get back to the civilisation in the Highlands, then to realise they do like each other. The witty banter and unexpected love made a delicious backdrop for this twist on a forced proximity trope. One tent and 'the last person in the world' were both high stakes that just stoked the fire under Fliss and James further. I adored the very firm hate between the two at the start of the book, which had then showed both of them quite soon how prejudiced they had been against each other.

Writing, pacing, humour and crackling chemistry were all *chef's kisses*. Outstanding!

The narrator was amazing, feel like she had really brought out Fliss' personality.

Such a joy. Can't wait for Chloe Ford's next book!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the audiobook.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Head of Zeus for allowing me early access to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really fun and enjoyable romance book, I had a great time listening. The author did an incredible job of creating multi-faceted characters. There were moments where I felt really empathetic towards the MCs plight and other times where I just felt frustrated with her for her snap misjudgements of others!
The narrator, Grace Calder, did such an incredible job of voicing both these characters. It's amazing to think one person narrated all characters within this audio book. Grace was amazing at creating different tones for individual characters and voicing different personalities for each of them.
This is the first contemporary romance I have listened to (or read) in a very long time and it made me fall in love with the genre again.
I have a wonderful time listening and I can't wait to dive headfirst back into romance.

"Work Trip" by Chloe Ford is a delightful and engaging read! Ford masterfully blends humor and relatable workplace dynamics, making for a truly enjoyable experience. The characters are well-developed and the plot keeps you turning the pages. It's a perfect escape that manages to be both lighthearted and surprisingly insightful about office culture. Highly recommended!

This was such a fun and entertaining romcom! I listened to this one in under a day as I found it quite addictive and loved our two main characters, even if Fliss could be annoying at times! The chemistry and banter was great, and I also loved the Scottish setting. But mostly, I’m obsessed with the ‘I’m sorry if the middle of my sentence interrupted the beginning of yours’ line and will be using it abundantly from now on!

Overall a great debut, and I enjoyed the audio narration too.

A classic workplace rom-com. Perfect for fans of forced proximity and enemies to lovers tropes.

Fliss, Head of Marketing and James, Head of Sales, are rival colleagues and both vying for promotion. Sent on a team building trip to the Scottish Highlands, they find themselves abandoned alone together with one tent, no phone signal, a map and £50.

With sizzling chemistry and plenty of banter, Work Trip is the perfect romantic comedy.

Being a bit predictable I didn't give it the full 5*, but still worthy of a strong 4*.

Grace Calder did a fantastic narration enhancing the characters distinctive personalities and wit.

Thank you to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for providing the advanced audio ARC.

Work trip.

Thank you to Zeus Audiobooks for this advanced audio copy. This has not affected my review of Work Trip.

Whilst Work Trip is not an original storyline (with it being the classic enemies to lovers in a workplace), it was a fun listen. This is very similar to other reads such as The Spanish Love Deception and The Hating Game. The banter between James & Fliss was enjoyable to listen to and I must admit, I did like them as a couple. The classic forced proximity trope was good though - I must admit, I am a complete sucker for that!

I liked the fact it was based in the Scottish highlands - this was very descriptive and enjoyable.

However, this was not a 5* listen - it just felt very predictable and felt their relationship did not come completely naturally. I saw a review saying it was a British Hating Game and it is completely true. Also, not a completely realistic expectation of the workplace (but is any romance book meant to be realistic?!) also Fliss just seemed very meh as a character, and for some reason not totally lovable!

I really liked Chloe's narration - I found her to be very expressive whilst soothing to listen to. She told the story very well.

Thank you to netgalley galley for allowing me to review this book.

I listened to this addictive book in one day, I have not enjoyed a romance in a long time! This book was brilliant.

Based on two co workers who didn't get on to then fall in love after a planned work trip from their boss.

This book was cute, and the camping trip was funny. I was smiling at their dysfunctional relationship. I desperately wanted more though and didn't want the book to end.

Will definitely be looking out for more titles from this author.

This is my first book from this author, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would definitely look for more of her books.
When James and Fliss are abandoned in the Scottish countryside during a 'team building' exercise, Fliss is furious. She hates James, who she argued with constantly at work. With just a tent and a few provisions, they have no choice but to work as a team to try and make their way back to civilization.
A fun read, with lots of ups and downs along the way.

THEY ONLY HAVE ONE TENT!!!! This is all you need to know to pick up this book or audiobook!

However, if you want to know more…

I LOVED the snappy banter between the main characters and the wittiness of it. The book is full of toe curling chemistry between Fliss and James who are workplace nemesis, and the twist of emotions and the growth the two need to go through to achieve their goals and achieve life itself.

Favourite Quote: “You are perfect! You deserve to come undone multiple times, every time! Promise me you’ll never settle for less?”

Spicy Level - 🌶️🌶️

I really enjoyed this book and kept wanted to keep on listening to the story. I laughed out loud in a good few parts and the narration was done really well. Looking forward to more from this author. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this audio book

I really enjoyed this! The story was great and had me invested and the narrators really brought the charaters to life

THE ERA OF BRITISH ROMANCES HAS REVIVED MEEEE!!!
We swear in a way that Americans don’t and I’ve been craving that in my books.
This is the sweetest book, Fliss is a hard working, people pleasing, high functioning anxiety SWEETIE PIE. She works in marketing and James in sales is her arc nemesis.
The audiobook was fantastic!
So when they find themselves stranded in Scotland, they have to camp and learn how to survive.
I love a work place romance and for all the reasons why I love work trip! Wittty back and forth, tension, confusion and final acceptance.
I can’t wait to read what Chloe writes next x

Work Trip is everything I want from a rom-com: easy, lighthearted, fun. It’s got all the elements you’d expect from the workplace enemies / rivals to lovers trope, with the added bonus of forced proximity and one bed / tent. I read romance books for the escapism and relaxation they provide, so predictability is a good thing for me.
I had a feeling Grace Calder’s native accent was Scottish before Googling, as some inflections and pronunciations felt a little off for a completely natural London / Southern read, but it’s generally a decent read. I especially enjoyed the Scottish accents!
I would’ve liked a little more differentiation between the dialogue of the main characters, as it was sometimes hard to distinguish between dialogue and narration, but it got easier as the book progressed, since the cast of characters slightly reduced.