I was so exciting after reading the blurb for this book, loving the plot. The story was good, but it unfortunately just fell a little short for me.

Andie and Jack are a play on the second chance romance and enemies to lovers tropes, with the addition of being coworkers.

I loved that this book was about the book industry. Reading about the publishing/publicity side was so fun.

Bianca wrote about Andie's grief extremely well and it added so much emotion to this book.

My only problem is I needed more resolution to their problem. Andie spent most of the book just being mean and not at all professional, with little growth on her end.

One can never go wrong when picking up a Biana Gillam book, so I knew I was in for a great read - but even I was blown away by how good this was! Unputdownable and lovely are the two words I would use to describe this!. Fantastic and utterly addictive would also suffice :) Either way, you are in for a treat!

Andie and Jacks relationship is everything I look for in books like these, and this one especially hit the spot. The part about grief was so relatable, and so was Andie with her unique personality. I absolutely am so grateful that I received this ARC and I will absolutely recommend this to other rom-com readers.

3.5 ⭐️

At its core this is a story about grief and lasting love. The relationship was sweet, the moments of grief - especially grief you haven’t processed - were so real, and the banter was fun. I found andie to be pretty selfish but that just made her more real.

I think at points this was a little too long. And I felt the flash back to the big fall out happened a little too late in the story. But overall my complaints are mild compared to how much I enjoyed the love story.

I struggled with this one. I think some of the writing is really strong, but unfortunately this is not a book I would recommend to most people.

My first issue is with the FMC. Her experience of grief is really a central theme in this book and I believe that is beautifully explored. She has a huge problem with the MMC which is not explained until the very end of the book (more on that in a second). She also does not appear to have many friends and for some reason can’t predict an extremely obvious plot point from the book.

The MMC has very very little personality besides being handsome, good at public speaking and having a poor relationship with his father.

My last big issue is with the overall structure of the book. The first third literally just flits between different book tour events (first we went here and then we went there and then we went there). But my largest issue is that the flash back chapters were at the very end and were very short. I would have preferred more hints about the incident and the relationship with flashbacks throughout.

I also don’t recommend this book to someone seeking something spicy. The few sex scenes are not particularly descriptive. It’s almost like they are halfway done. This book is underdeveloped and reads like a mediocre kindle unlimited novel.

Thanks to Penguin for the ARC.

I love a good enemies to lovers office romance so this book seemed like a perfect fit!

Andie and Jack formally knew one another but had a falling out five years ago. Jack is an author and Andie is tasked as his publicist on his European book tour.

The traveling aspect was super fun and I loved all the events. The chemistry between the two was undeniable.

I was a little frustrated it took so long to find out what happened between them and I felt a lot of backstory originally was left out. It came together nicely but wasn't my favorite.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

I'd definitely like read more from this author as I did enjoy it! I'd give it 3.8 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this eARC! This exes/enemies to lovers that the novel covers topics like grief. The main MFC lost her father and is still struggling with the loss when her university ex and enemy becomes her new author on her publicity list. I am all about an exes/enemies to lovers trope, but I felt frustrated halfway through the book and still did not know the incident that caused the rift between the two. It was hard to stand behind the MFC's attitude and sometimes plain rudeness to the MMC when you had no idea what the problem was. I felt bad for the MMC.

I did enjoy the traveling aspect of the novel, as well as the humor. However, the novel was not my favorite due to the lack of understanding of the riff and how the MFC sometimes acted. I wish there were a POV from the MMC, not just the FMC.

Again, thank you, NetGalley and Bianca, for letting me read this! I look forward to Bianca's next novel.

"Bad Publicity" is a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance that skillfully blends workplace drama with a European adventure. Set in the competitive world of book publishing, this novel offers readers a perfect escape with its witty banter, simmering tension, and picturesque settings.

The protagonist, Andie, is a relatable character whose determination to succeed in her dream job is immediately tested by the appearance of her nemesis, Jack Carlson. Their shared history and unresolved conflicts provide a solid foundation for the story's central tension. The author deftly navigates the power dynamics between them, creating a compelling push-and-pull that keeps readers invested.

Jack Carlson emerges as a complex love interest, with layers that are gradually peeled back throughout the narrative. The slow reveal of his character adds depth to the romance and challenges readers' initial perceptions.

The European book tour serves as an excellent backdrop for the unfolding drama, offering both glamorous locales and opportunities for forced proximity - a trope that romance readers will undoubtedly appreciate. The author's descriptions of various European cities add richness to the story without overwhelming the central plot.

While the premise of reuniting with a former antagonist in a professional setting isn't entirely novel, the author injects fresh energy into the trope through sharp dialogue and well-paced character development. The balance between Andie's professional ambitions and her personal growth is particularly well-handled.

However, some readers might find the initial setup a bit contrived, and the resolution of certain conflicts may seem too convenient. Additionally, the focus on the romance occasionally overshadows the intriguing aspects of the publishing industry that could have been explored more deeply.

Overall, "Bad Publicity" is an engaging romantic comedy that successfully combines workplace drama with a second-chance romance. It's an ideal read for those who enjoy their love stories with a dash of professional ambition and a generous helping of European charm.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bianca Gillam, and Penguin Books for the e-book ARC of Bad Publicity.

4.25⭐️

To start, this book had me hooked right away because it was:
a. Set in NYC
b. Centered around two main characters in the book industry
c. Filled with scenes set in Europe

Bad Publicity is a wonderful debut novel from Bianca Gillam, and I can’t wait to read more of her work in the future. The characters felt real and had enough depth to make them complex, yet their backstories didn’t overwhelm the lighthearted romcom/beach read vibe.

I also loved the slight element of mystery around how Andie and Jack were connected. I have to say, I didn’t see their university fallout coming, so props to Bianca for adding some nice suspense and tension throughout the first 80% of the book!

Two exes are forced to work side by side during a European book tour. What could go wrong?

I enjoyed this book. It is not your typical second chance, enemies to lovers story in that we don’t actually find out exactly what happened in the past until almost the end of the book, so it is mostly speculation until that point. The banter between the two protagonists is wonderful and hilarious at times. If you are a fan of a slow burn, this book makes it last the perfect amount.

The topic of grief is also a big part of this book, and I felt like it was handled well. The author does a great job of capturing those unexpected moments when the sadness and anger seem to come out of nowhere.

Overall, this book was an enjoyable, easy, and fairly light read. I really loved the main characters even if I thought some of the side characters were less than my favorite.

This book was one where the two main characters have a history and for whatever reason had a falling out and you spend the whole book trying to figure out if the reason they are no longer friends/together is a valid reason or not, but let me tell you the way I was NOT expecting the reasoning behind the disagreement and also felt like both sides had valid reasons to feel and act the way they had been is rare in books like this. Usually, it feels like something trivial that should have been gotten over a long time ago or isn't serious enough that they probably shouldn’t get over it lol. Jack was such a cinnamon roll, and I was obsessed with him from the beginning! I loved seeing Andie open up to herself but also the people around her and be able to overcome and grow from grief and trauma from her past. I also EAT UP a workplace romance.

“I reach the last chapter. My breath catches in my throat as I tear through it, desperate to get to the end before the shop closes. The feeling of turning the final page is like emerging from being underwater, taking a first breath—the world feels new again. Tears roll down my face as I close the book, pooling in my collarbone. For the little boy who used to sit in this chair, alone. For the Jack who only ever wanted to apologize, to make things right.”

I enjoyed this story so much! The attraction and romance was the star of the show yet more human emotions, like grief, trust, and forgiveness were evident. I felt this was a "grown up" romance between two adults who had their own issues to address before the expected conclusion.

I read it so fast!

*thank you Netgalley & the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

one thing I noticed throughout the book is how rude the fmc is to the mmc?! I didn’t really like her attitude and I didn’t feel connected to her character.

overall I feel like the plot was a bit boring and repetitive but there was some moments where I was invested in the story.

An easy romance read. However, I couldn’t get behind the FMC. Between her being rude to Jack and the only information we get is “an incident happened” wasn’t enough for me to also hate him. The reveal felt too late and I think there could have been more impact if we had heard her side of the story early on and then his side later. I wish there were more scenes of her saving the day while on the tour, like the radio scene. Overall, there was a lot of drama around not communicating and emotional intelligence which was frustrating to read.

Thank you for the opportunity of reviewing the arc!

***A love letter to the dualities of human experience.***

This book was not what I anticipated and I mean that in the very best of ways. As someone who enjoys a good love story and as a former aspiring publicist, this book caught my eye as an “easy read” and I couldn’t be happier to have been proven wrong. I laughed and cried and contemplated throughout this short but bittersweet journey through the dualities of human relationships, ranging from friendship to familial to romantic, including the complex spectrum of experience that comes with those relationships: love and loss, hurt and forgiveness, grief and growth, and all the nuances in between. As someone who likes my characters imperfect with room to grow throughout their journey, Jack and Andie were delightfully “human” and I found myself rooting for them throughout. I can’t wait to read more books by Bianca going forward.

This was a cute read, everything you want in a romcom.

Andie is excited to land her dream job as a senior book publicist in New York. Her dream quickly becomes her worst nightmare, finding out her first assignment is working with Jack Carlson. He happens to be the man who broke her heart in college, they haven’t crossed paths in 5 years. Jack is a highly successful author, Andie still finds him agonizingly attractive. The two have to spend an entire month together, in some of the most romantic spots in Europe. Can they keep it professional? Or will old feelings resurface?

I really enjoyed this read, I love a good second chance and enemies to lovers. Add in the European adventure, it’s the perfect cherry on top 🥰

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC!

Bianca Gillam's debut novel is beautiful for its exploration of grief, trauma, love, loss, and friendship. Andi navigates her first high profile P.R. campaign and finds herself in an internal battle when she places herself in close proximity to Jack, a past lover, who she knew from her university days. They adventure to London, Paris, Dublin and Edinburgh’s for Jack's p.r. campaign for his first fiction novel. It's a slow burn reveal of the full history of Andi and Jack's enemies to lovers story. The reason for their past fall out, revealed 20 chapters in, is something unexpected and an issue that young people contend with today. The last 40% of the book is stronger than the beginning and it’s worth the wait.

Thank you NetGalley for the Advanced Read Copy.

Bad Publicity introduces us to Andie and Jack, who are thrown together to work on a book tour but have a contentious history that neither mentions to their boss or agent. Throughout the book we are left wondering what happened in the past and the big reveal comes at pretty much the very end. The book is from Andie's perspective except for a chapter that's is from Jack's view. We understand her fears and anxieties and learn more about her journey with grief, guilt and regret.

I had expected this book to be a light read but there were some complicated themes that made it more serious and I found myself wondering more about Andie. It seemed she was prone to panic attacks and was dealing with depression and anxiety. While it wasn't named directly, the descriptions of her feelings felt a bit odd to me. I especially wasn't fond of her relationship with Sara (her bff) and how dependent she was on Sara to fix all her problems.

If you've recently experienced a loss you may want to skip if you're not up to reading about deep and undealt with grief. Overall the book is a quick read and leaves you feeling warm.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin for the ARC!

My review is also posted on GoodReads on 8/25/24

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review

To start off, Andie was so easy to dislike. She kept losing her cool on Jack, getting frazzled beyond repair, and would disassociate and zone out to where she missed literally everything (and at one point throw coffee on someone!) I wanted to understand her and think that Jack deserved this behavior but she didn’t tell us what the heck he did to deserve it until 70% of the way through the book! It got to the point where it felt like she was beating a dead horse and I didn’t even feel like Jack was actually a bad guy at all. I have notes where I wrote that Andie deserved what was happening in present time because she was being such an idiot.

To go on with her not telling us her real issue until 70% through the book, she seemed like she was such a horrible friend and daughter. Had we found out a lot sooner I wouldn’t have had such a dislike towards Andie and I could’ve gotten through the book easier with more understanding towards her. Even still, she wasn’t that great of a friend. Sara deserved better. And as for being a daughter? Her mom deserved a heck of a lot better! I liked that we got to see what grief really, truly can be. But to the extent that Andie was not even actually listening to her mom and had to keep shutting her down and couldn’t even remember to simply text her when the plane landed…. Come on Andie.

In the end Andie becomes a better friend and a better daughter. Things are resolved with Jack and I’m glad she finally got closure on it. Andie was also able to heal a little from her grief. But the tone didn’t feel like a rom com (I never once laughed or found the storyline romantic) or an enemies to lovers at all like I had hoped. I think the story would have made a bit more sense had we gotten the flashback chapter with the reveal of what happened sooner on, just so we could have more insight into the valid feelings Andie was having.

2/5 stars. I wasn’t super enthused by this book. I loved the setting but the romance wasn’t compelling to me. Everything was super predictable and I didn’t really love the fmc’s best friend. I feel very middle ground about it.