Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I adored this book. I know it is early to tell, but I think this book may be one of my favorite romance novels of 2025. I seriously couldn't get enough of this book. I can forsee this book being super popular in 2025. I would especially recommend this book to fans of Outlander and Bridget Jones Diary in particular. I enjoyed this book so much, I would probably considering reading it again -- and I don't do that with every book.

If you enjoy audiobooks, the audiobook version of this book is set to be narrated by Angela Dawe, who I highly enjoy from her narration of the Finlay Donovan mystery series by Elle Cosimano. So it will be interesting to hear her narrate a romance novel, especially one with English accents.


Thank you again to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I highly recommend this book to anyone who adores romance novels!

There were parts that I liked, some hijinks that I enjoyed, but overall I didn’t fully fall for this romance.

I loved the chemistry between the characters once it hit a midway point but up until then I didn’t like how the animosity played. Robbie was supposed to be charming and smirky but instead he came across as unprofessional asshole.

Alice’s character, on the other hand, felt entirely relatable and real. Her journey was what kept me invested in the story. And I did eventually enjoy the snarky, petty, ultimately sweet interplay between her and Robbie. But it took a while.

As for the secondary characters, it was a mishmash of stereotyped “older” women, some that weren’t even really old. A couple stood out but the majority I had trouble differentiating during their appearances. Then the sit-down heart to hearts with each woman was too heavy handed for my liking. It didn’t feel organic at all.

I understand why the end played out the way it did, but it still felt slightly ridiculous. I think by that point I had enjoyed the good parts and was just ready to wrap it all up quickly and directly. So, it was okay, but not making any of my notable lists.

A note: The Bridget Jones chapter header references meant nothing to me and were given no clarification. So, I guess, if you’re not a Helen Fielding fan you’re just meant to be in the dark. It needed a little throwaway comment or something to bring full readership into it.

This was a cute read but it felt a little too cutesy and flowery at times. The main character, Alice, has just gone through a brutal breakup and drunkenly decides to purchase a non-refundable ticket for a three week bus tour of the UK. What could go wrong, right?

Traveling around the UK with a bunch of old ladies certainly made for scenes that were overdone in their "picturesqueness", cliche old lady charm, and just general stereotyping-- it was often too on the nose. For example, of course she learns all this valuable elderly wisdom when she least expects because she thought the trip was going to be for young women. Some of the ladies were very caricature-y (Berrta the intense, bird-watching obsessed German lady, a 96-year old sweet woman with a dog named Percy, a retired and argumentative lesbian couple, Helena the posh "English rose", etc.). That said, there were many funny moments with all the unique ladies and the bonding that the unlikely mix go through is really touching by the end.

I also enjoyed learning little tidbits about UK landmarks and sites (especially the Scottish ones!) but since the book revolves around the bus tour, the constant mini history lessons at each stop became repetitive and dragged on at times.

The one guy on the trip is the bus driver and tour leader, Robbie--a classic handsomely rugged Scotsman. He and Alice immediately get off to a rocky start and exchange flat-out insults and proclamations of hatred on many occasions - it was really funny and their banter was top-notch. They are constantly at each other's throats in the pettiest but most hilarious ways. Their romance is what really won me over in this book. Alice is a free-spirited trainwreck, an always falling upon misfortune and trouble type of gal who simultaneously resists others' help, while Robbie is a steadfast, levelheaded foil to her character. But don't get me wrong, he is also quite sassy!

Ultimately, this book takes readers through Alice's journey to self-healing and self discovery, guided along by the quirky charm of the ladies and the magnetism between her and Robbie. It was overly quaint at times and chock full of little historical tidbits (and not to mention the dreaded and very present miscommunication trope), so it didn't fully deliver for me, but it is an undoubtedly heartwarming story that I think many romance readers will enjoy.

Thank you so much to Avon, Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this ARC! 📚

I really loved this one! Woman finds herself alone, unemployed, and unsatisfied and takes a spur of the moment trip that will change her life. A literary bus ride through the UK? Yes, please! When she discovers all the other tour members are centenarians, the bus is less than modern, and the driver enjoys messing with her, will she find a way to enjoy herself? 😉 Reader, she will! Releases January 14, 2025.

DNF at 40%. Gave me Hallmark-y, fish-out-of-water vibes. For someone who has been planning and dreaming of visiting the UK for two decades, she never really seemed to look into the reality of a visit? Trying to plug in things wrong, complaining about outdated plumbing, etc. What really pushed me over the edge was a classic “overheard part of a conversation and assumed the worst” that happens in chapter 17 and, per my kindle search, doesn’t get addressed until chapter 33. I do not have that much patience for passive aggression.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC!

I can't believe how much I was laughing and then finding endearing moments throughout this story. I loved the travel aspect of a group tour in Europe, and escaping your life to get a fresh start. Mackenzie did that justice! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Beautiful cover and a very entertaining book.

Work In Progress perfectly blends a romance with self discovery. Alice's journey is one of the best I've read. Alice and Robbie's chemistry is amazing and so is their banter.

The premise of the story is such a fun twist. I love that it takes place during a bus tour and the scenery descriptions add so much.

I wish Alice was a more likeable character from the beginning (she grows on you as the story goes on and her character develops) but it's her story and I wanted more from her in the beginning.

This take on enemies to lovers just isn't for me. I had to DNF 1/3 of the way through because both protagonists were simply too immature and petulant for my taste. I didn't like them enough to be invested in seeing their growth from the 1.5 dimensions they started with. I'm not a fan of eventually falling for someone who's just an antagonistic asshole for the hell of it (this works both ways, btw).

This author has potential and I'm sure there's an audience that this is more well suited for. It's simply not for me.

[NetGalley was kind enough to provide me with an ARC for this title.]

I loved the premise of Work in Progress. I think the cover is absolutely stunning. I liked the idea of a woman reclaiming her life after a messy breakup and job loss. I loved the tie ins between famous literature and this book. It could be fun to create a reading list from the references. I absolutely adored the senior citizen cast of characters and the explorations of their backstories and the reflection on living life even at an advanced age. I also really appreciated the reflection on how to make travel more accessible for those who may have a harder time.

Unfortunately, I was not a huge fan of either of the main characters and the way each chapter started. I really struggled with how Robbie was portrayed when we first saw him. I understand he comes into the story when he's really concerned about one of his tour guests, but it just didn't feel like a good excuse for his rude behavior and it set a poor tone for him in my mind. Additionally, while Alice sees great growth over the course of the book, in the middle there I just wanted her to have a little more self respect. She came across more like a moony teenager and not a 30 year old woman. Finally, I thought the Bridget Jones style lists at the start of each chapter were a little superfluous. It felt like they may have been a holdover from an earlier version of the book that maybe made more comparisons to that store.

In the end, I think the premise of the book is cute and I didn't dislike it. I think people who would hold less of a grudge towards Robbie might like it even more and I think it easily has a market. It's a light rom-com with some good representation and some fun nods to literature and history. I would absolutely read a second book by Ms. Mackenzie because I think there's a lot of potential in her writing.

Thank you to Avon & Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the chance to read this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

4.5 stars
Outstanding debut novel. So much more than a romance! I loved the growth of the characters and the friendships that were created among the group of women travelers. There were a lot of side characters yet it was easy to keep track of who's who. The settings felt like you were there. The chemistry between Alice and Robbie jumped off the page. Only two reasons why this doesn't get 5 stars from me: the grudge Alice held against Robbie at the beginning, and the misconception regarding Isla, both seemed to go on way too long. Otherwise, I loved the writing style, and many parts were hilariously laugh out loud funny. I had to put the book down for a few minutes to catch my breath at the part with the spotted dick - that in itself was funny enough, but I had no idea what it was, and when I looked i up, one of the first things that came up on google was: What is spotted dick and why in the world would anyone call it that? Well, that just set me off laughing again before I even read the answer. I also really enjoyed the Bridget Jones tally at the beginning of each chapter. Looking forward to Kat Mackenzie's next book.

Readers wanting romance and travel will find a lot to enjoy here. Alice starts off as a bit of a hot mess and the story is filled with humorous mishaps.

This story was sweet, fun, and absolutely hilarious! From a disaster meetings to being forced to spend time together, our two main characters are true enemies to lovers. I loved the entire cast of characters and the adventure we got to go on! I actually learned alot, too!

4.5 stars. This book is hilarious! I laughed so much. I loved this enemies to lovers travel romance. Alice is completely out of her element on a geriatric tour bus with a hottie host. There are so many things that can go wrong when you travel to another country. So many nuances. Who knew they could all be so disastrous and funny? Robbie is dreamy and perfectly matched for Alice. Spoilers ahead. What I didn't like was the ending. The very end was good but the part when Alice goes back home was a major downer. It really bumped this down from a 5-star read for me. Still, definitely recommend this. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

I received a free copy of, Work In Progress, by Kat Mackenzie, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Alice is in a rut, she decides to book a literary bus tour across Britain. Alice is quite a character, I found her to be a bit like Bridget Jones,. This was a nice read.

You are about to go on a journey with Alice Cooper. Recovering from a cheating fiancée, Alice books a 3 week literary bus tour of Women Only to visit favorite writing spots of English and Scottish authors. What awaits her is a fantastic humorous, warm-hearted novel . Work in Progress offers the reader a bit of everything. Friendship, Love, Smiles and a beautifully fun book that tests all the types of relationships that one could encounter between this charming engaging group she is about to meet.. This is a must read to put a smile on your face, and even learn a bit of literary history. I loved it!

Top 10 fave book of the year. I knew I was going to love it as soon as I saw “road trip”. But then! it’s in Scotland AND we have a group of Octogenarian hilarious women as the co-passengers?! It was the perfect combination of sweet emotional and clutch-my-chest hilarious.

Combine that, with the competitive roasting between the 2 main characters and quite literally this book had the perfect recipe. Alice and Robbie have a disaster meet cute and they hateeeee each other. Their teasing hate filled banter is life giving.

This book felt like a warm hug and a love letter to “you’re never too old to change”.

Read if you like:
🔥Hot caretaking scene
💃KILTS!
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Scotland/England
👵Your grandma
☝️Single POV
📋Lists (but make them petty)
🙊Banter to the nth degree
🐶Pesky animal sidekick
✈️International travel disasters

Such a fun book! I loved the banter and tension between the characters, and the tour companions were great!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
😂🤣😂
Do you ever watch a cringey movie and feel second hand embarrassment? Well I read this book and felt second hand anger for Alice in the beginning part of this book! That anger quickly faded as Alice embarked on a journey of finding herself as she opened up to new friendships, experiences, and love.

Lists made - lots
Snarky comments - so many
Emotions felt - all of them
Characters - diverse
Laugh out loud moments - a handful!
Lessons learned - 44

I wish I could read this one all over again!

This book is everything you want and more in a rom com! Make sure to add this to your TBR! You will be missing out if you don’t pick this one up!

Publish Date: January 14th

This book is the perfect little rom-com with some heart and sentimental moments.

Alice's life is falling apart at the seams. She lost her job, her fiancé (good riddance), and her sense of self. She spontaneously books a trip to Scotland to join on a literary bus tour through the UK. From the moment her plane lands, nothing goes to plan. Things only get worse when she realizes that not only is she the youngest woman on the trip but that the tour guide a surly brutish Scotsman named Robbie. Stuck with nowhere else to go she decides to go on the trip and hopefully make the best of it. What Alice doesn't know though; is this trip can be the one thing she needs to find herself again.

The chemistry between Alice and Robbie was toe-curling good! Their witty banter and the romantic tension could be felt through the pages. You sometimes just wanted to bang their heads together so they could just realize each other! I also loved the relationships that Alice formed with each lady on the bus. Each one gave Alice a piece of advice or some sage wisdom, some without even knowing it. It really is a romance but also about the relationships that women can create with each other and support.

I would highly recommend this book!

This book was such a blast! Alice is a total planner, but her careful life goes off the rails when she loses her job and fiancé all at once. With her dreaded 30th birthday around the corner, she makes her first truly wild decision—booking a three-week literary tour in the UK. But instead of the cool, adventurous women she was expecting, she ends up with a crew of sweet but quirky grandmas on a clunky old bus. To top it off, the tour guide has this infuriating grin that makes her want to scream…and somehow laugh at the same time.

Honestly, I had so much fun reading this! I’m a sucker for the “enemies to lovers” vibe, and this book delivered with hilarious banter and some serious “will-they-won’t-they” tension. It’s wild to think this is a debut because it’s so well done! The whole journey had me laughing out loud and cheering for Alice as she found herself along the way.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon books for this gifted copy!