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.

Honestly if it’s a book set in Scotland I’m probably going to read it. Add in a literary tour? I’m sat.

Alice Cooper has a rockstar name but does not have a rockstar personality. She’s had her whole life planned out and when her fiancé cheats, she discovers that even the best laid plans don’t always work out. So in order to dig herself out of her depression she spontaneously books a literary bus tour of England and Scotland. Only to find upon arrival it wasn’t quite what she planned for. Especially the hot Scot tour guide.

The banter between Alice and Robbie is delightful even though half the time I was like, you’ve to realize this is just Scottish humor and he’s flirting with you. Unfortunately she did not realize this. I loved the Bridget jones references and the lists. The details about the sites, the side stories and the literature. The ending was fantastic.

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the arc.

Slow to start but once I got into it, I inhaled this book. I love the way the octogenarian bus tour attendees are described and the ways that Alice connects with and appreciates them. The slow burn romance was so good too.

i liked the plot setup and the names of the characters- but that’s unfortunately all that i liked about this book. the writing wasn’t my cup of tea - it didn’t flow and made me have to go back multiple times to understand what was going on and i felt no chemistry between the two MCs. I think there was just TOO much detail and not enough plot and depth to the characters. the little tidbits about the country were pretty cool though

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5 Loved it, would read it again

Man, these people REALLY hate each other. I kept thinking that while reading the first third of this book. I didn’t expect literal enemies in a rom-com, but that’s where it starts. It ends somewhere I didn’t expect to be - heart full and happy.

Alice Cooper’s life has imploded. She’s lost everything she thought was important. Cut to an idyllic bus trip throughout the UK with a hot Scottish bus driver and a bunch of octogenarians, and you have a cute story.

What I loved:
The book is called Work in Progress, and Alice's arc is truly that. She takes a long, hard look at herself and what’s important.
Hilarity ensues at every point in this book
The fellow travelers and their stories were adorable
Witty writing and funny dialogue

What I didn’t love:
Perhaps because I am a people-pleaser, I could never imagine myself saying some of the things Alice says because they are stone-cold zingers
Part of me wonders how Robbie took all the verbal abuse
One of the main plot points on why they were not together was based on a misunderstanding that could have been cleared up with one conversation or question.

I didn’t know what to expect, but I loved this book. I ended up rooting for Alice and Robbie to figure out their long-distance relationship. I loved the supporting cast of characters that made me wish I had friends like them and added so much flavor to the story.

ARC received through NetGalley

Thank you to Book Club Girl, Avon Paperback, and NetGalley for an early read in exchange for an honest review – Five Stars.

I devoured this book! American, non-impulsive Alice Cooper impulsively books a 3-week bus tour of the British Isles. A gorgeous, knowledgeable Scot is the tour guide. Add in a group of elderly, sharp-witted women, historic castles, cozy pubs, and an enemies-to-lovers adventure — all wrapped together to create the perfect romance novel. I highly recommend it!

The wisdom of octogenarian, white-haired ladies with sage life advice is an added bonus.

Thanks to Avon for the gifted copy!

This book makes me want to go to Scotland immediately (I mean, really the whole UK). Like I could literally make a list of all the places the bus tour went and go on the best trip ever! This was a laugh-out-loud funny book that also had a swoony romance and lots of growth for our FMC Alice -- it was so well-rounded. There are lots of Bridget Jones references if you're a fan, and lots of other books mentioned that take place across the UK. If you enjoy playful banter, enemies-to-lovers, and meddling old ladies, this one is for you!

A gorgeous read that I struggled to put down. Loved every minute of it. The friendships and stories were lovely. Satisfying ending. Nothing cloying and the romance was actually nice and well written. Perfect read.

Sweet read! A nod to Bridget Jones with a fun group of characters. Really good humor.

Some parts felt a little too summary heavy. The author packs a lot into this book and very character has a side story. It got hard to keep everyone straight. The ending felt rushed too.

Funny and warm with cutting edge snark😄

4.5🌟 stars
I picked this up for the book's setting (a bus tour of Britain), and fell in love with the confrontational relationship between American Alice Cooper and Scottish tour guide Robbie Brodie.

Alice is almost a slapstick Lucy Ricardo with the situations she ends up in starting from the very first pages of the story. She identifies Robbie as her nemesis right off and the sparks fly. Smirks, eye rolls, cutting retorts all pepper this enemies to lovers romance. But it's more, with a lot of life at the crossroads soul searching and a coterie of senior women (and a dog!) who lend humor and warmth. It was a real delight to accompany them on their three week tour of Britain.

The intimate bits don't really fall into the steamy side of romance; they are quite dreamy, though, and suited my inclination for less mechanics, more feelings, please. And I liked that Alice and Robbie had heart to heart talks discussing troubles in their past and ambitions for the future. The chemistry was strong, but it came with some real communication once the heights of their battles were put behind them. And the fact that their lives were based in different countries was not just written off or magically solved, adding realism to their situation. Cute ending too!

Kat Mackenzie came up with a really entertaining story, here, and I would definitely read more of her work.

Thanks to publishers Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley, for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared on 1/5/24 on Goodreads, Waterstones, Bookbub, and to Barnes & Noble. To be shared on kobo and Google Play when published.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC of this book. I've read a lot of Scottish escapist romance and, frankly, most of it is like poorly written fanfic. So I picked up Work in Progress without too high of hopes, even though I liked the synopsis. I was really pleasantly surprised with this one. It took me a moment to get into because Alice, the main character, was so negative at first and pretty dislikable. It was the other characters and the banter with the 'hot Scot' tour director that kept me going. There is a lot of humor throughout the book, but it was pretty critical to keep me reading at first.

The story might have felt overwritten were it not for the fact that Alice was on a literary history tour of the UK. The language and descriptions were more reminiscent of the Bröntes and Austen and Scott's Waverley novels which was completely fitting and definitely put me in the mind space of what Alice was feeling (and being swept away by) at these stunning locations. Being both a bibliophile and an anglophile, the story felt authentic to me. There were enough of the 'hot Scot' moments to feed the hoards of Jamie Fraser groupies while also plenty of thoughtful and thought provoking moments that added more depth. I also appreciated the fact that Alice was mature enough to know she had been through some crap but had to get herself right before embarking on her true romantic adventure.

After losing her fiancé and her job, Alice makes a spontaneous decision to take a tour of the UK's most famous literary places. After a harrowing trip, she almost turns around and gives up when she meets the obnoxious tour guide and realizes all the other women on the tour are 70 and above. But with nothing to go back to, she gives in and joins the tour which ends up being the catalyst she needs to embolden herself and move forward. It doesn't hurt that the guide is a handsome Scotsman who enjoys the barbwire banter and can give as well as he receives.

4.5 ⭐
.25 🌶️
Tropes/themes: hate to love, road trip, starting over, fade to black, Scottish romance
Single POV 3rd person
Wow. Just wow. This book was SO good. I got so caught up in the story I didn’t take many notes, and definitely stayed up way past my bedtime several nights to read this.
Sarcasm is my love language and this book is my soulmate. I also really enjoy the snarky names she comes up with for Robbie. This story is so well written and you can just feel the tension between Alice and Robbie. I felt like I was on the trip with them.
My only complaint is the miscommunication trope, but that’s a “it’s not you it’s me”. I feel like I’ve read so many books with this trope and it’s getting old. This one just seemed a little too unrealistic.

I was excited to dive into Work in Progress by Kat Mackenzie because I loved the idea of a literary tour throughout the UK while a woman gets back to discovering herself and what she wants out of life. This book had me laughing out loud; the humor was excellent.

Alice, our FMC, needs a fresh start. After losing her job and breaking up with her cheating fiancé, she impulsively books a three-week literary bus tour across the UK. Her goal? Adventure, growth, and definitely no British men. But when she arrives, nothing is as expected. Instead of trendy travelers, her companions are elderly ladies with big personalities, and her Scottish tour guide is infuriatingly handsome—and determined to get under her skin.

As the group journeys from castles to cozy pubs, Alice starts to see things differently. The ladies are lively, the book discussions are hilarious, and that charming tour guide might not be so bad after all. Could this be the adventure she didn’t know she needed?

I was looking forward to some spicy scenes in this book, but it wasn't there. I felt like the steam was so great leading up to the act, but then the door closed on the actual spice, leaving me wanting more.

If you're looking for a funny, closed-door romcom, check this out. Thank you, NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager, for the e-ARC!

The plot really enticed me, and there was definitely a lot of banter, great characters, and a lovely setting. However, the male and female romantic characters' early interactions were drawn out and a little too exaggerated for my liking. Really had a tough time getting into it.

This one was funny and sweet and cozy. I really enjoyed watching Alice’s progression through the book. Seeing her develop a bond with the other women on her tour, and using their advice to reassess her plans. The banter between Alice and Robbie is funny and ridiculous at times. But their tension is obviously a precursor to more. I think my favorite part of this book was seeing the camaraderie between all the women on the trip. They were octogenarians, but they will all spunky and fun.

This is just a fun one and I had a great time reading.

Thx Avon for the early copy.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a fun plot!! I would love to experience this. The characters had great chemistry too.

Alice was absolutely relatable! I am a lover of lists and carefully plan my life like Alice. When her life pans out nothing like she had planned for, she embarks on a three-week bus tour of the UK. She had hoped to find girlhood and herself on this trip, but it is nothing like she had planned. I absolutely loved the cast of loving elderly ladies. They added so much joy into my reading. The destinations featured in the book has me wanting to go on a bus tour of the UK myself. This was a perfect balance of romance and comedy. I saw a lot of myself in Ailce as I approach 30 (I am a spry 28 right now). I look forward to more works by this author! Thank you to the author, and publisher for a free ARC. All opinions in this review are my own.

Instagram post will be live on 13Jan25.

As a protagonist, Alice is… a lot. Some may not enjoy her childish outbursts and obsession with having a life plan, but I did. Add in a dreamy Scottish love interest, a million sightseeing stops, and gaggle of elderly ladies, and this was an incredibly enjoyable read.

📖 read this one if you want to go on a vacay!

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Work in Progress has re-activated my desire to go on a tour of Great Britain 🏰 🇬🇧 🍺.

Alice Cooper puts her supposed mess of a life on pause to go on a bus tour, not realizing until she gets there that (1) she is the youngest tourer by far &, (2) the hottie jerk Scot who royally made her mad at the airport is the tour leader.

The chemistry between Alice & Robbie is zesty, & their romance arc is fun, satisfying, & bittersweet to watch bc Alice is only visiting. But this is at least partially a romance, thank goodness, & that ending really packs the sweetness.

With that being said, this is also women’s fiction, with emphasis on Alice’s considerable growth as she wanders historic literary sites. Alice can come across as judgmental, & this is something that she is sometimes aware of, sometimes not. The journey that she goes on wakes her up, shaking loose some of her ideas about life & introducing her to the wondrous stories we carry around, & her journey to love is not straightforward, but it is there.

In the end, this book feels like Casey McQuiston’s The Pairing for me—the romance is there & it’s flawed but good, but I’m mainly reading for the gorgeous European adventure.

4.25 ⭐️, out 01/14.

Please see a list of CWs collected by a trusted reviewer.

[ID: Jess holds the ebook in front of a meadow of orange & pink flowers.]

I had so much fun reading Kat Mackenzie’s debut, WORK IN PROGRESS!

“A warm, sexy, laugh-out-loud rom-com about a woman who, desperate for a fresh start, books a literary bus tour across the UK that consists of a lively group of elderly ladies plus one infuriatingly handsome Scottish driver.”

This book had all the things I love! A genuine enemies-to-lovers storyline with biting banter and so much tension, hilarious side characters, a gorgeous setting, and a sexy Scottish man! I loved all of the literary facts we got as Alice and Robbje explored the UK! Their transition from hatred to respect to love felt so earned, and I can’t wait to see what Kat comes up with next!