This was my first by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Jock and Beatrice were great characters, who grew as the story progressed. The actual story was pretty original, very entertaining and kept my interest.

I fell for Beatrice's romanticised dream of the Mermaid Hotel, almost to the point where I wanted to go lend a hand!

It was lighthearted, warming, and good for my soul, and I'll definitely be looking out for her others.

I had high hopes for this book. I really did but unfortunately I couldn't get into it. I really was thrown off with how long it took to get to the romance part that I forgot what the beginning part was about. There were too much details that I felt the author was hyper-fixiated on that was unnecessary. I really felt like the beginning of the story was starting off pretty great so the rest of the book just threw me off.

📚 PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK REVIEW 📚

Too Busy for Love By Phoebe MacLeod
Publication Date: August 13, 2024
Publisher: Boldwood Books

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
(Rounded Up to 5⭐)

📚MY REVIEW:

Oh my goodness, this book was SO CUTE!! 🥰

Told from the perspective of our female main character, Beatrice, this story was so much more than just a forced proximity rom-com about the unexpected romantic connection between Beatrice and Jock.

Though the first part of the book was all about their connection - created out of a truly unfortunate experience - the majority of the story focused less on the relationship of Beatrice & Jock and more on the hilarious ups-and-downs of Beatrice's career. Don't get me wrong, there was still plenty of the meet-cute love story you want to see. But there was also so much more to the plotline of this book!

The whole cast of supporting characters here were fantastic! Even Beatrice's parents, who are pretty cringey in their concerns about their reputation, added to my enjoyment of the book. Honestly, I kinda wanted to hang out with everyone and be a part of the magic and fun that seemed to be waiting around every corner for Beatrice on her journey to create the life of her dreams.

This book was not what I expected from a rom-com read, and I think that made it even better for me. It was a fast read that entertained me and made me smile -- I even laughed out loud at times. And the ending gave me all the happily-ever-after vibes I was hoping for!

If you're looking for a fun rom-com that's got a little more moxie to it, this book is for you. If you want to read a rom-com with a little less "rom" and a little more "com," I highly recommend you give this one a read.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. Be sure you add this rom-com to your TBR list and get yourself a copy when it's published on August 13th!!

#TooBusyForLove #PhoebeMacLeod #NetGalley #ARC #boldwoodbookclub #boldwoodbookVIP #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #romcomreads #romcoms #booklover #booknerd #bookcommunity

I was 25% into this book and all I could think of was the meme where it goes "We are happy and in love right, we are happy and in love... what is this!!!". This is the first Phoebe MacLeod book that I did not enjoy like where was the romance for a large portion of the book and also the plot did not flow well. Honestly, some of the characters annoyed me and the couple we are routing for don't even seem interesting in pursuing a relationship with one another.

Beatrice is shocked when the hotel where she works is raided by the police and she ends up being released on bail with only Jock, the hotel's chef, for company. When they are released without charge they go their separate ways, trying to get their lives back on track. For Beatrice an opportunity does open up for her and the story goes on from there.
I tend to ignore labels such as romcom as they invariably end up not being one thing or the other and just enjoy the book for what it is. In this case there is less of the romance and more on Beatrice's struggles to make a life for herself as her career has been tarnished by the association with the previous hotel. I did enjoy her journey, with some humorous moments and also some very sad ones along the way, and she comes across as a really lovely person, albeit with a strong work ethic. I was curious on how it would develop, and Jock come back into her life, and thought this was handled very well and I became totally involved in their story. A lighthearted read that you can disappear into and let the rest of the works pass you by.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

This was such a fun read! I liked how the story started and how it turned out. I think the whole reality show scene was a bit random, but it was still fun to read! I really liked the Beatrice as a character! If you want to read something quick with not too much spice, this one is for you!

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this arc!

Overall I liked the story but it really could have been 2-3 separate stories and they weren’t tied together as well as they should have been. But I think the last part of the book was fabulous and wish maybe that had been the plot they focused on for the whole thing. I would definitely read more books by the author as she had good character development just tried too hard to have multiple key storylines.

Easy read, enjoyed it and was easy enough to follow.. thank you for the advance read Net galley and it was worth the read, not sure if I’m the perfect demo but I think others will love

Easy read, enjoyed it and was easy enough to follow.. thank you for the advance read Net galley and it was worh a read! Wasn’t my fave from Phoebe.

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.
Too Busy for Love was a fun and easy read! I was immediately drawn into the story and loved Phoebe's writing style. The book starts off really strong but then loses momentum for me. The romantic comedy feel turns more into a self-discovery journey for Beatrice about halfway through the book. I would classify this novel as contemporary-fiction rather than a romance.
I still ready enjoyed the plot and the writing style. I will read more books by Phoebe in the future for sure!

I think that if this was marketed more as a contemporary fiction or just general fiction it would make a bit more sense rather than a romcom. I guess the title does kind of point in that direction and there was some romance, but it was such a small part of the plot that I just kept waiting for romance and it didn't really meet my expectations. I think that the story was great and that not every story should revolve around romance and I think this did a good job at that but I do think I was left wanting only because I went into this thinking it was a romance when it was not.

Beatrice enjoys a perfect life managing a posh boutique hotel in upscale London, excelling due to her perfectionist nature. Her world crumbles when the hotel is raided, and she is arrested as a potential accomplice in a prostitution ring operating out of her workplace. Awaiting the investigation's outcome, Beatrice is released on bail and spends time with the hotel's chef, Jock. Together, they explore London, and romantic sparks fly, prompting Beatrice to envision a new future.

After being exonerated, Beatrice and Jock part ways to pursue new careers. As Beatrice builds her new life, she repeatedly reflects on her whirlwind week with Jock and questions whether life should be more than just work. Will their paths cross again, or is life too busy for love?

The book starts strong, hinting at a future for Beatrice and Jock, but loses momentum when they separate. The story then focuses more on Beatrice's self-discovery than their romance. Despite fond memories, neither character takes action to reconnect, making the narrative frustrating and dull after the first quarter. Beatrice’s relationships with other characters are interesting, but the story feels disconnected from its beginning, slowing the pace.

The novel shifts from romance to personal growth, with an anticlimactic reunion. While Phoebe's writing is vivid, the promising start fizzles into a less engaging narrative, focusing on Beatrice's relationships and personal journey rather than developing the initial romantic plot. Their reunion feels forced and unrealistic, given their lack of meaningful connection, leading to a disappointing conclusion.

I was actually left disappointed by this one! I expected and wanted so much more from Jock and Beatrice! It started off slow, then I could see a flicker of hope, and it disappeared right alongside Jock! The remainder of the book I keep hoping Jock would reappear, and it just made the book feel like it dragged along. Then Jock came back, and the cute romance should have been back on, but we spent so much time on the hotel stuff that it just ended with little reconnection, leaving me feeling disconnected.

I don't know why it's advertised as romance considering the romance is just a subplot throughout the book. This reads as more of a woman's fiction.

Beatrice's a hotel manager and she got arrested when the hotel owner was arrested for prostitution. While waiting for the investigation results, she spent time with the hotel's chef, Jock. We follow her journey through it all as she navigated her life after that one mishap.

The first few chapters, we follow both main characters together as they did tourist-y spots together and lowkey fell in love but they went on their separate ways. Beatrice got a job working in a reality show and then she wanted to help bring a abandoned hotel back to life.

It was a roller coaster plot as we jump from one story to another that the reality show was a filler in-between the plot, and although we saw how Beatrice was resilient and brave, it was just amazing to see her growth throughout the story.

It would've worked if it's a dual POV since we might see some yearning from Jock too, but overall it just didn't work as a romance fiction.

I rarely rate an ARC a two or three, but man this was a pain to read, that I audibly sighed in relief at the end before i see the epilogue and had to endure yet another pages due to it. I almost dnf it a lot of times.

I wanna break down why this book isn't to me and falsely advertised in it's title as romantic and comedy/hilarious when in fact it didn't hit any of that with the hope that I can articulate it better than what i feel:
○ i appreciate the author wanting to be plot and character focused on this, but it took away the main plot of it all : Romance. There was nothing romantic on here, yes there were moments but it was overshadowed by side characters and side stories. I understand it was realistically possible since in real life we also rarely get the opportunity for love, but man this was FICTION, this was a Romance Fiction at that and yet, we only get utmost 30% or less of bookscreentime of the couple.gosh i am so frustrated. And the only sweet time thag happened? That first parts in the hotel after the police scenes and before they left it. After that it was all so miserable for me.
○ secondly, the plot it aims- it misfired in all direction thag it felt a whole lot like a joke(and that was not even funny or hilarious part it was meaning to sell. None of this is something i can remotely says it tickled the smiling nerve.) Where are the funny parts???
○ it felt like a series of novellas stitched together haphazardly to create the full book, and like running after word count at that. So many scenes could have been not included. So many scenes scrapped to make way for something more interesting or something to add to the romance. So so frustrating to read a first part thar was so promising only to be let down after they left the Hotel. It all became just a buzz of noisy words.
○ i totally understand the need for some of the characters but spending countless of pages on characters that did not even do justice to their lovestory or even the work/feminism thing happening, it was such a waste.
○lastly. Mygosh I agree with Flor (or whatever her name was) couldn't he have proposed on a better circumstance? Gosh that was so not just anticlimactic but something like oh "hmmm should we put the proposal here, so it can just gone and over with?" I understand the author wants to be faithful to the title, but the lack of surprise and even just simple UPS in the story: FRUSTRATING.

I NEVER GOTTEN THIS FRUSTRATED AND LONGREVIEW IN A BOOK. But it ate hours of my time I was on the edge of breaking down and having a long-ass BOOKSLUMP. Please for the love of god.

A HUGE thank you to the author, Phoebe MacLeod, and the publisher, Boldwood Books, for giving me the chance to read an ARC of this wonderful book and provide my honest opinion about it.

Warm. fuzzy, exciting and very funny. indeed.
This book was everything I've ever needed in my life and didn't know it!
Would be happy to read other books from the author.

A fun, sweet and fluffy rom com. I was hooked at the syart and loved the premise of the plot. But the romance didn’t really do it for me and I felt it really slowed down in the middle and I got bored. But it was easy to fly through and fun if you want a quick and easy read.

The story of Beautrice, the hotel manager, and the hotel’s chef Jock. After their boss gets jailed, they are “forced” to stay together in the employee section of the hotel for a week on house arrest. They explore London together and find out they harbor some feeling for each other. But as life goes on, they separate for work – but always think of each other.

The start of the book focuses on both, and their time together. Which kept me reading. But the majority of the book is Beatrice’s journey alone navigating finding a new job and working endlessly towards the opening of a new hotel. I would loved to see more interactions between the two, so I was keen on reading on to find out how this panned out. The last part of the book was a bit “rushed” I would say. Suddenly it all worked out, almost too fast.

But overall, a good book I don’t regret reading. A couple of spicy scenes.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgalley and the author for the ARC of Too Busy for Love in exchange for an honest and independent review.

I enjoyed this book though it wasn’t wildly romantic, which is what I was expecting. The first portion of the book seems a little odd but once you get past the settings, it becomes more obvious what is going to happen.

As a romance it’s a bit flat, but as a light story it’s engaging and interesting.
Lots going on, many different characters and the settings are evocative and a bit different.

An easy summer read 3.5* rounded up

I have read many Phoebe MacLeod in the past and while they are (like most in this genre) a tad formulaic, I do love to revisit characters past and see that their happy ending has continued on. In this book we are introduced to Beatrice at the lowest point in her life, having been arrested for working in a brothel being very convincingly hidden under the front of an efficiently run hotel for which she is the manager.

We follow Beatrice for the week following her arrest as she is forced to live under curfew with Jock (whose real name is Andrew) the hotel chef with whom she has barely, before now, shared a single word.

Of course, the UST is there, as is much more, but that's sort of what I've come to anticipate from these books, and while the book itself is short, there is no absence of it throughout!

Of course, there is a predictable yet strangely not annoying third-act twist but given the reintroduction of Ella and Noah (who I really did like) from Love at First Site), will the happy ending for Too Busy for Love be Jock and Beatrice's or someone else's?

Overall, not a bad book, I read it in a couple of hours and it's the perfect pick me up after a long day (as it can be easily read in a single sitting, so you get the whole thing in one go).