A tender, heartwarming, laugh-out-loud rom-com that explores a woman's journey of self-discovery a la Bridget Jones Diary.

Alice Cooper (The irony of her name is not lost upon her) is a planner. She likes to make lists. She has everything figured out when it comes to how her life is going to play out. Until one day, when life veers off book from what she's written down and she finds herself without a job and fiancé in one fell swoop. Alice books a literary bus trip across the UK on an emotional downward spiral in the hopes of proving to herself that she can check off something impressive on her 'to-do before 30' list. Alice arrives at the airport after 36 hours of delayed travel, lost luggage, an empty stomach and she's going to be late for the tour! Her 'indestructible' suitcase is finally delivered to her, hanging on only by some tape (much like her sanity) and one wonky wheel. How could her day get any worse? Enter Robbie. From the moment they meet, tensions rise. As Alice approaches the tour bus meeting point, she discovers that the tour guide is none other than the same Robbie from the airport. And to make matters worse, she discovers that her companions on the bus trip are all much older women and not the 30 somethings that she had envisioned she would form lifelong bonds with throughout the duration of the tour. Three weeks with Robbie and a group of older women may not be what Alice had in mind, but it just might be exactly what she needs to discover what she's made of and what she wants out of life.

Specific details that I absolutely loved: I love that each chapter starts off with a score-sheet or a list. It's like a mini table of contents for each chapter, providing you a hint of what you're about to get into.
Additionally, I absolutely cackled every time Alice called Robbie something other than his name- some standouts included Voldemort and Mussolini. This is my kind of humor. The whip-smart banter between the characters is tasteful, realistic, and quite funny. The tertiary characters are hilarious and lovable and added so much depth to the plot and to Alice's growth as a person. They weren't just there to serve as comedic relief; they were also integral to the story (S/O to Helen the English rose). The slow burn of these enemies to lovers was so satisfying and executed perfectly.

Do you need to read this? ABSOLUTELY. I will be picking this book up again to reread from time to time. This is a story of a woman who learns how to grab life with both hands and stop waiting for life to happen to her. I cannot wait to buy a physical copy once it's published to add to my bookshelf! Congratulations to Kat Mackenzie for writing an impressive and memorable debut. Can't wait to read what you write next <3

This book read easily and had great potential, but man that main heroine was hard. I really struggled with so much extra description on top of her horrible attitude. I liked him, for the most part and loved the other vacationers. But this one just didn't land.

This was a sweet, cozy romance that was perfect to settle in and read during the winter months. Alice and Robbie had great chemistry, and I enjoyed the second-chance romance feel. Not to mention, one can't go wrong with a literary bus tour of the Scottish Highlands! Scotland is one of my favorite romance settings.

3.5 Stars

There's nothing I love more than a cozy romance to sweep you away during the cold winter months and this story did just that. I loved the English and Scottish scenery and the interesting tidbits sprinkled along the way.

The chemistry and tension between Alice and Robbie was top notch and I lived for their banter. If you're looking for a sweet romance about self discovery, healing, and a second chance at love, with just a pinch of spice, you won't want to miss Work in Progress.

Alice Cooper (yes, that’s her name) was cheated on by her fiance and fired from her job so she books a last minute trip across the pond and takes literary bus tour through the UK. With the help of some old biddies and the handsome Scottish tour guide, Alice learns to live a little and get through her premature midlife crisis. I think the bones of this were good but it lacked depth and was a little too long. But I do love anything with a road-trip through the countryside and the zingers between Alice and Robbie were great.

★★★★☆
Work in Progress (Kat Mackenzie - releasing 01.14.2025)
e-ARC Review - DEBUT

✧ Read with me ✧ Instagram ✧| @haileydianereads

A massive thank you to NetGalley, Avon/HarperCollins publishers & Kat Mackenzie (debuting her first novel) for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest book review! 🥰🙌

“We cannot captain our hearts. Quite the contrary is true, I’d say.” ❤️‍💯

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy…
All things UK
British Literature
Travel adventures
Enemies-to-Lovers Trope
Heavy Banter

I love when a debut author hits it out of the park! Kat Mackenzie is one to watch. As a self-proclaimed Britophile, this book was such an immersive read. I’ll get to all the good stuff below, but trust me when I say, I felt like I was on that three-week long literature tour and now I’m dying to find one to book for myself. Mackenzie is a talented writer and her bookish knowledge shines in this story. Don’t judge this book by its beautiful cover. This novel is much more than kilts and castles. This is a tale of stepping into the wreckage of one’s life and deciding that not all of our plans happen as we expect, but, through the growing pain, we really discover a life beyond what we imagine.

RATING SYSTEM: I rate my books by 5 literary element groupings: plot and pacing, characters and development, setting and world building, dialogue and writing style. See below for a full review:

📖Plot and Pacing
I knew I was going to love this book from the beginning when absolutely everything in Alice’s, our FMC, life is falling apart. Alice is really going through it and at the beginning of the book, readers don’t really know how bad things have been for her. Queue one disaster after the next and here we find our MMC, Robbie, adding to the growing heap of trouble. To be fair, neither character was really getting to see the other in their best form. Welcome to day-to-day reality for many of us. The pacing felt natural. When I began reading this book, I was a bit worried since the majority of the book takes place over three weeks and the days are descriptive due to the plot itself. However, I was so engaged with the characters and the ongoing quips that even the most itinerary-packed days felt manageable. Honestly, I want this itinerary for future trips to the UK - long days and all! From start to finish, I never found myself bored by this book.

🧞‍♀️Characters and Development
This book is heavily focused on Alice, a thirty year old, and her unexpected female friendship with women all 65 and older. While romance is definitely a driving plot in this book, readers should expect to walk away from this read with a deep appreciation for the wisdom that others bring to our lives. Alice’s development throughout the book focuses on picking up the pieces to her life. Pieces that she had organized and really worked towards. Personally, this type A personality is similar to my own, so I get the need for organizing life achievements into boxes and constantly measuring my own “success” in life. As she experiences this tour of the UK with these women from different backgrounds, you can really see her start to take stock of her own decisions to the challenges that face her back home (and they are many). I want to make sure I mention that I would HAPPILY befriend all of the women on this tour of the UK. Berrta, pack an extra set of binoculars for me! Read more about my love for Helena in the BONUS section of my review.

🌇Setting and World Building
I will NEVER turn down a trip, even a fictional one, to the UK. Say what you will about tropical beaches, but nothing beats the UK countryside for me. As someone who has been to multiple locations mentioned in the book, I can attest to the fact that Mackenzie does a first-class job describing the locations to readers. If you’ve never been to the UK, you’ll have a good sense of things after reading this novel. I’m headed to Scotland in four months and this book has me ready to pack my bags TODAY!

🗣️Dialogue
I’ve said it before, and I will say it again, good romance novels need quality banter for me to really enjoy them. Thank my husband for this requirement. After 12 years together, I don’t feel the chemistry between characters without some really strong driving dialogue. I love that Robbie does not back down with Alice. Does he fear her? Maybe - a little. However, Mackenzie did not stop there. The dialogue between all of the characters had me cackling OUT LOUD. Dear Flossie and Doris were just the right amount of “too much.” Not only were the conversations engaging, but Mackenzie managed to give all nine characters real depth from dialogue alone.

📝Writing Style
Mackenzie writes in a past tense narrative style that really feels full-circle by the end of the book. For a novel that focuses on the wisdom of women and the adventures that life can bring, I feel like Mackenzie wanted Alice to have her own moment of wisdom by sharing the story with the reader. Since this is Mackenzie’s debut novel, I’m excited to see what comes next for her and her writing styles in upcoming novels. The added “lessons”, “reading list” and running “Bridget Jones talley” were a fun addition to the main story.

❉BONUS❉: Emotional Connection
Although not a specific criteria for my book ratings, I’m always hoping for an emotional connection to the book. Kat Mackenzie DELIVERED for me with her story of intergenerational friendships. For those who know me personally, one of my absolute dearest friends was 40+ years older than me. At times, I fought back tears as I felt a true connection to Helena and her friendship with Alice. I found myself wanting to hug Helena myself and hear her call me “petal.”

😤The Flaws
The only real flaws I had with this book were word choices for the FMC. Alice is an American who has never traveled abroad. However, she has quite an extensive international vocabulary. Honestly, I think that this stems from Mackenzie herself being an American who has lived in the UK for the last 10 years and attended both the University of Edinburgh and the University of Oxford. At the beginning, there was definitely more slang peppered into the thirty-year-old’s vocabulary, but as the book progressed, I found that she had quite the expanded vernacular. Readers could chalk this up to Alice attending Yale or her grandmother being British, but some of the idioms and phrases were definitely an interesting choice for an American who has never been abroad. Overall, it didn’t impact the story too much for me.
The only other item of note is that Robbie seems to have zero flaws. Seriously, the man is perfect. I needed a little more for Robbie to feel real to me. However, since the story wasn’t solely focused on their romance, it wasn’t a deal breaker for me. Hopefully, Mackenzie’s future novels showcase the shortcomings of more characters.

Gratitude, always.
- H.

I am so glad I was approved for an ARC of Work in Progress by Kat Mackenzie. I didn't realize just how much I needed a story like this, but it was the perfect feel good, novel.

The witty, snarky, and often hilarious banter between Robbie and Alice was perfect and the relationships Alice made along the way were, to quote the story, "a balm to my burns."

I will definitely be recommending this to others and can't wait to read more by Kat Mackenzie.

<b> “Tell me what hurts.”
“It’s my ankle. And my pride.”
“Oh, hush now. Let’s not pretend you have any pride left to wound.”</b>

Gah dang, I’m a sucker for some flirty back and forth and this one was <i>jam packed</i> with it!

Alice’s life turmoil had me in my feelings, and the life advice from the ladies was everything. The story as a whole was very cutesy, a bit too cutesy in some parts but I think the back and forth between Alice and Robbie won me over completely. Alice’s inner dialogue was a bit much in the first few chapters, but the frequency and content tempered by a few chapters in. I didn’t really appreciate the Bridget Jones counter until chapter 12, but to be fair I’m just not a Bridget Jones enjoyer so that was more personal preference.

Overall this is a 3.5-3.75 read for me. While I enjoyed the hell outta this, I don’t know how often I would revisit it. Would definitely recommend, especially if you are going through big life changes and need some of the lovely ladies in this book to give you nuggets of life advice.

<b>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review! </b>

Kat Mackenzie's "Work In Progress" is a whirlwind tour of adventure, reinvention, friendship, and romance. I was so taken by the authenticity of Alice's emotional and physical responses to the challenges she faces on what should be a relaxing holiday.

Alice is devastatingly relatable. She is a meticulous planner and hopeful for life changes, yet she also is susceptible to epic meltdowns and virulent temper swings when challenged by a certain bus driver, tour guide Scot. Her development from entitled passive passenger princess to an active participant in her reinvention was perfection.

Robbie is as snarky as he is swoonworthy. Beloved tour bus "Rosie" may be powered by pertol, but her driver is seemingly fueled by vollied insults and heated arguments with Alice. Miles of forced proximity later, he'll witness the strength of her vulnerability and take a chance at being his authentic self for her too.

The slow burn romance is so beautifully paced. The loathing period of their relationship is a knock-down-drag-out drag fight to one-up each other. Really though, they just need an outlet for all their frustrations with the chaos of life and they find in each other a partner than can handle them at their worst. Loved to see the gradual epiphanies that the hate they felt was outrageously misplaced.

Aside from the romance, Alice also falls in love with herself with the assistance of the gaggle of granny travel companions. They offer confirmation that life has no fixed timeline, but you have to have the daring to go do it. She can't expect lists to fix her life, its the work and experiences and people along the way that will shape her.

Part rom-com, part travelog, "Work In Progress" is hilarious as it is charming story of reinvention and acceptance. Alice didn't so much change herself, but devoted herself to accepting new possibilities into her life. I loved reading her journey.

Highly recommend "Work In Progress" to readers who love Bridget Jones's Diary and Austenland. Very timely too of you are seeking a story featuring feminine rage. Alice is a force and I love her for it all.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins | Avon Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really really enjoyed this and will keep rereading it in the future. I found the language to be a bit too flowery or borderline cutesy at times before returning to prosaic but for the most part, it was well written. I never really enjoy the poor communication trope so that was a personal irk of mine, and I did crave either a bit more to read at the beginning or the end but I understand the timeline and that things can be better left unsaid. Overall, maybe I just wish it was longer so there was more to read!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ | four stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

In Work in Progress, Alice Cooper drunkenly decides to book to a ladies-only, three-week-long literary tour through the UK to flee her trainwreck of a life in Washington, D.C.

This is such a sweet read. The structure, which is Bridget Jones-esque, is fun and set up each chapter really well. I loved the banter and tension between Alice and Robbie, the MMC and tour guide/bus driver. Both Alice and Robbie were written excelllently and felt like actual three dimensional people, instead of two dimensional tropes. I enjoyed seeing their growth - individually and together - and giggling at the comedy of errors that follows them both across the UK.

Most of all, I loved that although this is a romance novel, the author places immense focus and importance on the relationships between the women. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to learn more about each of them and see how they were embraced by each other, quirks and all.

Kat Mackenzie’s *Work in Progress* is a delightfully witty and utterly charming rom-com that proves life’s best adventures rarely go as planned. Packed with laugh-out-loud moments, a warm and lively cast of characters, and a romance that will have you swooning, this novel is the perfect escape for anyone who loves a fresh start, a quirky journey, and an irresistible Scottish accent.

Alice, the queen of careful planning and color-coded lists, finds herself at rock bottom after losing her job and fiancé in the same spectacularly bad moment. With her 30th birthday approaching and a desperate need for reinvention, she impulsively books herself on a literary bus tour across the UK. She envisions trendy companions, chic accommodations, and a transformational journey. What she gets is something else entirely: a creaky bus full of feisty grandmas and a tour guide who seems to take great joy in pushing every one of her buttons.

Mackenzie’s protagonist is hilariously relatable, navigating her unexpected circumstances with a mix of exasperation, awkward charm, and endearing vulnerability. Alice’s initial skepticism of the group and her no-kissing-any-Brits rule sets the stage for plenty of comedic mishaps, heartfelt moments, and delightful surprises. The elderly tour group, with their sharp wit and unapologetic zest for life, steals every scene they’re in, reminding Alice—and readers—that it’s never too late to embrace the unexpected.

And then there’s the tour guide. Oh, the tour guide. Mackenzie knows how to write chemistry that practically sparks off the page. The relationship between Alice and the infuriatingly handsome—and mischievously charming—Scottish driver evolves from playful antagonism to something deeper, with enough tension and banter to keep you glued to their every interaction. His devilish grin and her resistance make for a classic slow-burn romance that’s as satisfying as it is fun.

What sets *Work in Progress* apart is its perfect balance of humor, heart, and personal growth. Alice’s journey isn’t just about castles and quaint pubs (though those are wonderfully described and might have you Googling flights to Scotland); it’s about finding herself amid the chaos and learning to let go of her rigid expectations. Her transformation feels authentic and inspiring, with plenty of laughs and heartfelt realizations along the way.

Mackenzie’s writing is breezy and engaging, with vivid descriptions that bring the UK countryside and its literary landmarks to life. The pacing keeps you turning pages, with just the right mix of adventure, character development, and romantic tension. The camaraderie of the tour group is a highlight, offering moments of humor, wisdom, and unexpected connection that make the story as heartwarming as it is hilarious.

*Work in Progress* is a warm, sexy, and laugh-out-loud romp that’s perfect for fans of quirky adventures, unforgettable characters, and swoon-worthy romance. Kat Mackenzie reminds us that the best journeys are the ones that take us off-script, leading to unexpected joys and maybe even a Scottish smile that makes us forget all our carefully laid plans. Five stars and a wholehearted recommendation—this one will leave you grinning long after the final page.

Alice Cooper has her life on track, until suddenly she does not. Her downward spiral is instant, devastating and heartbreaking all at once.

Desperate to climb out of her depression, Alice impulsively signs up for a three week literary bus tour of the UK. Surprisingly, her tour mates are old ladies and the guide is an irritating, yet handsome know-it-all.

Despite her reservations, Alice halfheartedly embarks on the all female tour. Can her broken heart be mended, her self esteem repaired? Alice Cooper’s journey of self discovery and healing is filled with twists and turns, lively characters and unexpected surprises.

A laugh-out-loud, cozy and sweet rom-com that I highly recommend for your enjoyment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this Enemies to Lovers travel romance. I was a bit unsure at first, the ignoring of the heroine's feelings by the male lead really started to bug me. It felt like that scenario when people tell you that someone who is mean to you must like you....why would you ever fall for someone who was like that? He turned into a very nuanced character and I was grateful for that because I was really enjoying the other characters in this fun book. I also fell in love with the ladies on the tour and would love to see another book following some of the characters-maybe the hot nerdy professor who moves to Boston could have his own story?

"Work in Progress" was a very fun and funny story. I enjoyed the banter between Alice and Robbie, as they annoy and irritate each other but over time their feelings change, although misunderstandings and obstacles will interfere. The "old ladies" on the bus tour are an eclectic bunch. It was interesting to learn their back stories and to see how their friendships with each other and with Alice developed. A literary bus tour of England, Scotland and Wales would be very appealing, and I enjoyed reading about authors and locations with which I was a familiar, as well as authors and locations that were new to time or new information about known locations. The story has many humorous moments -- Alice collecting her baggage in Scotland, the plumbing malfunction on the new bus, the breakdown of Rosie (the tour bus), the efforts to figure out the name of the town to which Flossie has gone, the crazy fashion show at the thrift store, etc. The story also has plenty of sweet moments.

LOVED THIS BOOK!! Alice was looking for an escape from her life that hadn't been going quite the way she was expecting, so she boards a tour bus in the UK looking for adventure. When her companions end up being a group of women who are a lot older than she expected and the tour guide, Robbie, seems like he is doing everything he can to make her life difficult, she feels like it's another wrench in her chaotic life. The story is funny, inspiring, and realistic. The characters are genuine and lovable, and they each bring something unique to the story. I loved Alice and Robbie so much. Not only do I want to pack my bags and journey to Scotland, but I feel like this was the exact book I needed to read right now. This is an instant favorite and I will absolutely be re-reading it and recommending it to others!

I absolutely loved this story! I laughed out loud the whole way through. All the characters were well written and the entire trip was descriptive in a way that made me feel like I was there right along with Alice and the ladies. I'll definitely be waiting for more from this author

Huge thanks to Netgalley, Avon, and Kat Mackenzie for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you NetGalley! I liked the premise of this book but unfortunately it wasn't my favorite. I don't think the humor was really my style and I found the female protagonist as very annoying for the first half of the book.

However, there were some wonderful intergenerational moments, lessons, and friendships throughout the book that I really did enjoy. Plus beautiful descriptions of the travels!

Bridget Jones’ life is at a turning point she hopes. After a failed relationship and a job loss a tour of the UK with a focus on historical sites of literary interest from classic to contemporary with a focus on good food seems to fit the bill. And it’s women only! The tour leader is a Scotsman who has picked just the right mix of historical sites and comfort. Over time all come an understanding of what is really important. This is the most enjoyable contemporary romance I have ever read.

Oh this was such a sweet story! I laughed out loud several times. Loved the journey the main character went on, and the romance was fabulous. Will definitely be interested in reading more from this author!