Thank you so much to Avon for an early copy of this book! 🥹

Work in Progress was my first read of 2025 and I think it was a great start because this book is a little more women's fiction + literary fiction and this book contains a great tale of adventure, personal growth, learning to accept what's going on in life, going with the unexpected, etc. It has a lot of beautiful sentiments and it's demonstrated in a beautiful (and sometimes comedic) way! When Alice (FMC) goes on a 3 week UK tour and ends up on a women-only literary tour with, lets just say, an older crowd, AND her grumpy and rude Scottish tour guide/bus driver! 👀. I love all of the side characters in this book (the older women who also attend the tour) because there is a multitude of personalities and some characters act as plot movers, comedic breaks, wisdom givers, and so much more! I really just enjoyed this book for the themes and wisdom, and of course, the sizzling enemies to lovers tension helps too! 😂

4.5⭐️s Such a good book loaded with banter. There are some amazing one liners in here. Alice and Robby are *chefs kiss*. I’m also a sucker for meddling older ladies. Tropes you will find are miscommunication, forced proximity, romantic gestures, and so much more.

Alice has lost the life she thought was perfect. Her fiancé dumped her, and she’s about to make a very spontaneous move. She always wanted to travel to where all the places with so much literary history. So to a 3 week tour of the UK, she goes. Too bad it’s not starting off to be the glorious experience she thought. Her luggage is more than a lost cause with everything that happens to it. Alice expects to make friends her own age; and bond over their love of the literature and places they will tour. Well, she does form bonds with the other ladies. Oh, and the tour guide is insufferable. But also has a very handsome appeal in that mischievous grin.

You will not want to miss this one coming January 14th! Thank you to @netgalley @katmackenziewrites and @avonbooks for the advanced reader copy. #workinprogress #katmackenziewrites #netgalley #romancebooks #advancedreadercopy #arcreader #bookstagram #avon

I was unfortunately very turned off by the main character's attitude in the first chunk of the book, and it remained that unbearable for most of the story. I didn't believe that the two main characters would be so rude to each other for so long as virtual strangers

Alice has been in a rut for far too long. She is a Type A planner through and through. On a whim she decides to book a bus tour in Scotland and meets a rival she never saw coming. Will their banter best her or will she succumb to his pretty blue eyes and kilt?

I found it hard to like Alice at first. Even though I completely understood her personality, I still had a hard time accepting her rude behavior towards Robbie. Once the romance began though I was hooked. Also Scotland is a beautiful place and I had fun going through those landmarks as well as the fun "Bridget Jones" type shenanigans that went on.

Alice needs a reason to get out of bed in the morning after her life was completely flipped upside down. So after 6 months of wallowing, she decides to follow her impulses and book a 3 week literary bus tour to shake things up. Of course, she didn’t expect her luggage to get destroyed, the bus to be full of blue haired old bitties or to butt heads with the hot Scottish tour guide, much less fall for him.

From the first chapter I was drawn into Alice’s story and was invested in her character. I wanted to defend her, fight for her and trade quips with her. Had this been a story about two besties on a bus tour, we would have been sharing a bench seat and Kat Mackenzie made me feel like I almost was. I thoroughly loved reading about the detailed landscapes, enjoying the history and, like Alice, learning life lessons from the colorful and entertaining ladies on the bus. I had moments where I truly laughed out loud and others where I was wanting to find my own Scottish hottie to climb. The romantic action was behind closed doors though it made this story all the sweeter as you could focus on Alice’s journey. I loved that the story felt balanced not rushed but still offering a full sense of all the characters. If you’re looking for warm, witty and laugh out loud romance, this is it. This story was a true pleasure to read and I look forward to reading more from Kat Mackenzie and adding a copy of Work in Profress to my bookshelf
Thanks to Avon Books, Harper Voyager US and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. The thoughts and opinions in this review are completely my own

WORK IN PROGRESS is the novel that reminds you of all your favorite British-based rom-com movies of years past- (Leap Year, Made of Honor, P.S. I Love You, The Holiday, etc). Full of banter, comedy, and, of course, a sexy man in a kilt.

Right before turning 30, Alice lost her job and fiancé. After months spent moping around her apartment, she decides to throw caution to the wind and book herself an adventure- A literary book tour through the UK. Why not take the leap because life couldn’t get any worse, right? Wrong.

The tour isn’t anything like she expected- instead of people her age, it’s an ELDERLY, all-female tour in a rickety old bus. To make matters worse- it’s driven by one very annoying, very hunky, Scotsman. (Of course it is.)

But as the days of the tour move forward, Alice learns that maybe this set of very different women have words of wisdom, from their own lives of love and loss, that could help Alice navigate her own future.

While this book is marketed as a contemporary romance, it does have women’s fiction tones to help carry it along. Honestly, some of the interactions between Alice and the ladies were some of my favorite scenes.

The book was filled with beautiful descriptions (although maybe a little TOO much at times) of all the ladies’ travels. It made me feel as though I was right there, taking it all in and a part of the tour myself (which I totally wish I could be).

The best part of the book though comes from none other than the earlier mentioned very annoying- very hunky, Scotsman- aka- Robbie Brodie, who not only drives the bus- but he also owns the tour company (and sings!). This steady, funny, charming, rough-and-tumble man is just what all the good book boyfriends are made of. His brogue accent and Scottish sayings were written well and so easy to hear throughout the story. I thought the connection between him and Alice was developed, believable, and extremely sweet (with some nice closed-door spice levels).

Overall, I did have a slower time getting started into this one, but the pacing picked up as the relationship between the MCs began to take off and it became less about the tour (and all Alice’s bad luck) and more about the people she was traveling with on her journey of self-discovery.

This is one of those books that would be perfect to make into a Hallmark or Netflix movie! With beautiful scenery, wonderful quotes, witty characters, sweet romance, and of course- an epic grand gesture finale!

4.5 Stars – Rounded up because Robbie saved the day (like any good leading man should).

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Five stars and cheers for, 'Work in Progress' for exceeding my expectations from the summary given. I thought ok an American escapes ger life in the US and goes to Europe and falls for the handsome foreigner. I've seen those before and not always done well.

This plot was excellent though and kept me laughing and rooting for the MCs to finally get together. I highly recommend giving the book a go.

Alice is near 30, her cheating ex has left her right before their anticipated wedding and she's list her job. She decides to run away from her miserable life and go on a trip across the UK that she's always wanted to go on.

When she gets to England she meets her tour bus operator and clashes with him right away. Hr gets on her last nerve. She also didn't expect her tourmates to be all women in their 70s and above.

As she goes on an adventure of a lifetime with some hilarious pitfalls, she learns about life and love from the women.

She also begins to fall for Robbie, the handsome Scottish tour guide who she csny help bickering with even if sometimes he warms her heart. She assumes he's off limits as she thinks he has a girlfriend. She pulls back from ant romantic gesture that happens

Will Alice and Robbie get over their misunderstandings and grudges? Will they finally sct on their attraction? You should definitely read the book to find out.

Work in Progress by Kat Mackenzie is the perfect blend of heart, humor, and romance, set against the picturesque backdrop of the UK. Alice, the protagonist, is a relatable and endearing character who is caught in the aftermath of a personal meltdown—losing both her job and her fiancé. With her 30th birthday looming and feeling like her life is in chaos, Alice decides to take the plunge and book an impromptu literary bus tour across the UK. What she thinks will be an empowering, soul-searching adventure turns out to be anything but.

Mackenzie’s writing is both witty and warm, effortlessly bringing readers into Alice’s world. Alice’s list of goals—crawling out of her pajamas, getting over her cheating ex, and trying to find a fresh start—adds a fun, relatable structure to the story. Her attempts to stick to her plan (particularly her vow to not kiss any British men) create the perfect comedic tension when she meets the infuriatingly handsome Scottish tour guide, who becomes both a source of frustration and, eventually, undeniable attraction.

The real charm of Work in Progress lies in the interactions between Alice and the lively group of elderly women on the tour. These octogenarians are full of life, warmth, and wisdom, providing Alice with a fresh perspective on aging, love, and second chances. The book club discussions, the bonding over shared experiences, and the hilarious antics of the ladies add depth and sweetness to the narrative, making the story feel like more than just a romance. It’s about finding oneself, rebuilding confidence, and discovering that life can still hold new and unexpected joys, no matter your age.

Of course, the romance between Alice and the tour guide, James, is the driving force of the plot. James is the perfect mix of charming and exasperating, and his cheeky grin and playful nature keep the tension between him and Alice delightful to watch. Their banter is full of sparks, and even as Alice fights her growing attraction to him, it’s clear to the reader that they’re a perfect match. What makes their romance especially satisfying is how it mirrors Alice’s own journey—learning to let go of control, embrace imperfection, and trust in the possibility of happiness.

Mackenzie does a great job of making the setting feel alive—from the quirky bus to the cozy British pubs and historic castles that dot the tour. The atmosphere is richly described, and readers will feel as though they’re on this adventure alongside Alice and the tour group. The pace of the story is lively, with just the right amount of humor and emotional depth to keep things balanced.

If there’s any downside to the novel, it might be that some of the plot points feel a bit predictable, particularly around the romance. But the journey itself—both literal and emotional—is what truly makes Work in Progress stand out. It’s not just about Alice finding love; it’s about rediscovering her strength and learning that sometimes, the best things happen when you throw your lists and expectations out the window.

In conclusion, Work in Progress is a delightful rom-com that will have readers laughing, swooning, and reflecting on their own personal journeys. With its heartwarming characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and tender romance, it’s a book that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance and anyone in need of a good escape. Alice’s adventure will inspire readers to embrace the unexpected and remind them that it’s never too late to start over.

This book was so much fun! An awesome book centered rom com!
I felt like I was right along with them on the bus tour, I loved all the historical facts that were being told, and the books that they read were so much fun to follow along with. I think I would have a grand time if I were on this tour in real life.

Thank you NetGalley, Kat Mackenzie, and Avon publishing for allowing me this eversion in exchange for my honest opinion.

{Book Review} Work in Progress by Kat Mackenzie

This book screamed my name from the description. Girl running away from problems after a hard season. Literary themed travel tour. In the UK. Scottish hero. Uh, hello, yes please. Thank you @avonbooks for the review copy!

WORK IN PROGRESS by Kat Mackenzie was a fantastic blend of quirky foibles and real emotion. It was a little over the top to start but given the circumstances, it didn’t bother me. The travel through the UK and some of my favorite cities in the world was amazing. I immediately wanted to book a plane ticket back and could imagine so much of where Robbie took Alice and his elderly tour group around.

The addition of the tour group being all elderly ladies was chef’s kiss. Their stories, ornery moment, and stories from life brought a lot of levity to the story and I loved it. I highlighted ao many quotes about life and love. If you’ve been to the UK or always wanted to go, this book will transport you immediately. I loved this in all its chaos and misunderstanding and moments of clarity. This is such a fun read but also had great moments of growth and emotion.

**𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘** 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝑲𝒂𝒕 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒏𝒛𝒊𝒆

Release Date: January 14, 2025

4.5⭐️2.5🌶

This book is so heartwarming and real! It was exactly what I needed this week to lift my spirits! I have to thank Kat Mackenzie for making me want to go on a bus tour of Scotland....right now! This book was so magical and whimsical with its adorable little bus full of adorable older ladies. This book gave me all the wanderlust for a country that I've always longed to see. I think I'm going to have to move Scotland up on my bucket list!

Alice is nearing 30 and has just lost her job and her fiancé. What better time to travel to Scotland? She books a super affordable last minute flight to Edinburgh and signs up for a Literary Bus Tour of Scotland (specifically for female tourists). Except go off the rails, starting with her flight to Edinburgh. At the end of the harrowing 36 hour flight, she meets a man at the baggage claim counter that will do nothing but get in her way, who later turns out to be the one and only tour guide for her 3 week long trip.

Alice slowly warms to the bus full of older ladies, and the handsome tour guide also starts to grow on her. From sharing her story with a group of experience women, she realizes that no ones life is perfect and many things happen for the better. While her ex was very good on paper, she comes to realize that she didn't have any real passion with him. But she may have found real passion with the Scottish, worldly tour guide.

I ate this book up, and left no crumbs!


Themes/Tropes:
🍁Rom Com
🍁Contemporary Romance
🍁Traveling to find yourself
🍁Scotland
🍁Trip of your dreams
🍁Enemies-to-lovers
🍁Finding your passion

TW:
✨Cheating
✨Loss (past)

This was just what I needed going into the new year! This book is cozy and cute with the perfect amount of witty banter and tension between the main characters. I loved how the author brought in the wisdom and storied past of each of the older women on the tour. I loved them nearly as much as the main characters. You'll be booking a trip to Scotland and searching for Kat Mackenzie's next book once you finish this book!

A delightful enemies-to-lovers romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. Alice, the main character, spends her life’s savings on a three-week tour of the UK to escape her shambled life. Along the way, she meets Robbie, and true to the trope, they really hate each other at first. But as the story unfolds, you can’t help but root for their dynamic to change—and when it does, it’s so satisfying.

Told through Alice’s point of view, Robbie comes across as both a jerk and a gentleman, reminded me of Elizabeth Bennet’s initial view of Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. By the end, I was completely won over by Robbie, realizing just how wrong I had been about him—and wanting more of him!

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the vivid descriptions of the places Alice and Robbie visited. The sightseeing, cozy bookshops, peaceful moments with tea, and overall atmosphere left me longing for a trip like this myself. The side characters were another highlight—they were hilarious and brought so much life to the story.

That said, this book isn’t completely clean. There are some spicy scenes and frequent profanity, but if you’re like me, you can skim or skip over the steamier moments. Overall, Work in Progress is an enjoyable romance with humor, heart, and a travel itinerary that will leave you dreaming of your next vacation.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for my ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

It is hard to believe that Work in Progress is Kat Mackenzie’s debut novel!

It is such a good book!

I gave it five stars!

Let’s talk about it.

Work in Progress is a rom-com with just the right amount of spice. Alice has just been through a horrible breakup, her life is totally upside down, and so she makes a rash decision to go on a women’s tour visiting literary highlights in England and Scotland. Robbie is the tour owner and operator, a charmer who’s adored by all of his clients.

What Alice soon discovers is that the trip is not the young ladies’ jaunt through the landmarks of the UK that she envisioned, but rather a journey with a number of senior citizens and a questionable service dog. Robbie is their knowledgeable and helpful Scottish driver, leading the women on the tour with wit and care.

While Alice and Robbie first meet in an unpleasant exchange at the airport, which then festers so much that Alice really cannot stand him, there is a growing attraction between these two young characters. Perhaps it’s no surprise when they have an explosive kiss, but the ride to get there is a fun one.

Work in Progress is a true modern rom-com. I loved how Alice befriends the ladies and learns many life lessons from them. I enjoyed getting to explore all of the different sites and bites with the group as they drove around for their tour. The book is very funny with numerous laugh-out-loud moments.

I look forward to Kat Mackenzie’s future books. I hope she’s got something coming down the road soon.

This was a fast read for me. Overall it was a fun, wisdom parting, heartwarming, and witty book. The banter and wisdom scattered throughout provided for a cozy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Alice is trying to jumpstart her life. After her boyfriend/fiance of 6 years ends things and gives her ring to the girl he cheats with, she is in a downward spiral. She has lost her job and is just lost. She feels like she has no direction and is lost. Since her ex wouldn't travel with her, one night she gets the idea to book a tour. It is an all women tour and she thinks this is just the thing she needs.
Unfortunately, on her way to the UK she runs into one thing after another that threatens to ruin her trip. Not to mention the rude guy who can see that she is having the worst day of her life and doesn't seem to care. She just needs to catch her tour bus and get this trip underway. Of course when she gets to the bus, she sees that the rude guy is none other than her guide and things are about to get interesting. The tour is full of "mature" women and she is pretty sure she can't take anymore.
I loved the way this book was written. It doesn't hurt that I am an enemies to lovers fan who is also someone who wants to do this exact tour. I have dreams about setting off and seeing real life castles just like Alice did. Seeing the countryside and all the fun things from Jane Austen novels. It also helped that there were Bridget Jones references because she is an icon in my mind. The romance was sweet and Robbie was just the cutest ever. The banter was on point and so was the tenderness that he showed to Alice. 4.5 stars.
Thanks to Avon, Netgalley and Kat Mackenzie for an early copy.

This is one of those books that had so, so much promise and just let me down in such an intense way it feels like a crime has been committed. In full disclosure, normally this book would have been a DNF for me by about the 30% mark, however being an ARC and a buddy read, I pushed through, the DMs between my fellow reader and me the only things keeping me afloat amidst this sludge of unhappy prose.

Unfortunately for me, the FMC, Alice, is not just unhappy and hurt, she’s downright mean. From the very beginning, we see her throwing tantrums and getting extremely upset about just about everything that’s happening- something, she originally assures us, is NOT normal for her, but she’s going to say something this time. But it appears this is actually her entire personality? The meaner she got, the happier she seemed to be with herself, and it was quite troubling to see, especially after her inner monologues where she told herself she should be kind and thank the person who just did a whole lot of favors for her, and then immediately changing course and thinking nah, it would be more fun to be mean instead.

While I think I could have loved this book with a different FMC, as the male lead, Robbie, and the old lady companions on the bus tour were charming enough, I just could not buy that any of them had any interest in being Alice’s friend- or lover, for that matter. These women took Alice under their wing, doted upon her, told her their stories, and taught her all these lessons, and I honestly could not figure out why. She never seemed to grow except off-page, where we would hear about her gradual changes in mood and perspective, but we never given the actual opportunity to see these things happening.

Ridiculous bad luck followed her through the entire book, starting with unfortunate and veering off into downright absurd and unbelievable- and certain plot points became important only when it suited the narrative, then slunk back into darkness until they were needed again. I kept going back and forth between pages, wondering if I had missed things that suddenly made absolutely no sense. Did we EVER find out why she lost her job 6 months before this trip?? We may never know.

The lack of communication was extremely frustrating, and there were a few points where Alice simply REFUSED to ask questions, clarify anything, or talk about any of the feelings she was having, because it felt so much easier to just get mad about whatever she thought was going on instead. Even in the third act, as the last few chapters unfolded, I had to go back and re-read a few different sections, sure I had missed that very pivotal and vital conversation that apparently never took place.

I really am sad that this one didn’t work for me, but it really was a flat and frustrating story that I ultimately cannot recommend.

If this romcom debut doesn't make you want to book a flight to Scotland I don't know what will!! I absolutely loved this Scottish literary bus tour romance between American, Alice Cooper, fresh off a breakup and looking for some adventure, and the grumpy, snarky Scotsman, Robbie who is leading the three week tour with an all female group of elderly lady passengers.

This was FUNNY, full of great banter, heartwarming intergenerational friendships, LOTs of great Scottish sightseeing side stops, Bridget Jones' Diary vibes, anxiety rep (Alice) and was also excellent on audio narrated by Angela Dawe.

There was some miscommunication involved but Robbie was secretly such a swoony, sweet book boyfriend I fell hard for him myself. Highly recommended for fans of books like Two for the road by Chantel Guertin or Kilt trip by Alexandra Kiley.

Huge thanks to the author and publisher for sending me a physical ARC and NetGalley and HarperAudio for an ALC copy. I switched between the print and audiobook and enjoyed both.

Steam level: fade to black/closed door

This one is really special. The enemies-to-lovers on a roadtrip across the UK is top-notch, but set among the group of elderly ladies, it really couldn’t get any better. I was laughing out loud on every other page, and it was still one of the most heart warming books I’ve read in a long while.

The cultural and literary references were right up my alley, especially everything with The Moth.
I wished for a little more toward the end, maybe a little more of an angsty goodbye or some more insight into the intimacy they develop, but for folks that like neat endings and fade-to-black, I highly recommend!

Loved it! 4.5 stars. Thank you for the early access!

Alice just got her heart broken and lost her job so she drunkenly signs up for a three week bus tour through England and Scotland. Maybe, just maybe connecting with her roots will help her find herself again.

She arrives only to find the tour is for the geriatric set and the tour guide is the rude guy from the airport. And after an unending series of misfortunate events, Alice is miserable.

I’m gonna stop there. I would have DNFed save for the fact that it was a buddy read and Cammie and I really worked some stuff out in our DMs.

This book did not work for me at all. Let me count the ways:
•Alice is the meanest, most immature romantic leads I’ve ever read. I tried to empathize with her initially but within two chapters, she’s off the rails and I wanted to…give her a stern talking to.
•The amount of unfortunate events that befall her go from kinda funny to kinda sad to absolutely unbelievable.
•The enemies to lovers lasts for more than 65% of the book NO THANK YOU. Honestly, Robbie grew on me and I was hoping he’d meet someone else. It made zero sense that he fell in love with her.
•And while we’re at it, the reverse meet cute between Robbie and Alice resulted in such a wild amount of disdain as to be infuriating - take a nap and get past your jet lag then try to be a decent human you wee bawbag.
•The pacing is slow, only made to feel slower by the fact that there’s no one to root for.
•The crucial misunderstanding just as they are about to get together is honestly dumb and feels cruel.

What did I like?
•The old ladies are mostly a hoot.
•The scenic tour through Scotland and England was well described.

I cannot recommend this one.