Hi! I’m here to talk about a romance book that put me in such a summer mood when the weather started to get colder. **And as always, the work to support the Black community is not done, whether there is media coverage for it or not, so here is the link to click in order to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can, and thank you to StarlahReads for compiling these resources. You can also visit the description of this video by booktuber Jess Owens, which has links to several additional resources about global events.**
As I’ve begun to really refine my reading and figure out what kind of books I’m interested in picking up, I’ve wanted to explore the romance genre and see what there is to offer. Especially with the way 2020 went, there’s nothing wrong with picking up a book knowing you’re guaranteed a happy ending. So when I saw the book Shipped on NetGalley, a debut romance novel set (at least in part) on a cruise ship around the Galapagos Islands, I thought I’d give it a try. I became really invested in Henley and Graeme’s story, and even though they were competing for the same job I wanted them both to suceed. Does that make sense? I hope it does.
Henley Evans, marketing manager for Seaquest Adventures Cruise Line, barely has time for herself, let alone family, friends, or dates between work and night classes for her MBA. When she hears she’s up for a promotion to become the company’s new director of digital marketing, which comes with a rather nice pay raise (perfect to help pay off those student loans), she finally feels like all her hard work is finally being recognized. That is until she hears she’s not the only one on the boss’s radar. Enter Graeme Crawford-Collins, the remote social media manager and the one coworker that Henley always seems to butt heads with (she has her reasons). The two of them are sent on a cruise to the Galapagos Islands with the task of drafting a proposal to boost bookings. Henley wants more than anything to succeed, but when Graeme turns out not to be the big-bad she thought him to be, she starts to question everything she’s ever known.
This book was pitched as The Unhoneymooners meets The Hating Game, and while I’ve only read the former, I know enough about the latter to confirm those are the exact vibes I got from this book. Henley has her reasons for hating Graeme, dating back to his first few weeks on the job, and the two do nothing but take jabs at each other through emails and messages. But when the two meet in person for the first time, and Henley starts to realize her first impression may not have been correct, she starts to doubt herself. She learns that her misconceptions for years have painted him as this enemy at the company, a force to be overtaken, but clearly that just isn’t the case. Additionally, while exploring the islands Henley sees Graeme putting together amazing ideas to boost sales through social media clicks, as her mind is void of any creativity. I loved the dynamic between the two as the story progresses, as they both have a lot of learn about themselves and about each other, but as time goes on they find it better to come to those realizations together instead of apart. Henley is a strong and capable character, but she comes to learn that even those who seem to have it all together need to ask for help sometimes. It’s not a sign of weakness, and it will only make them stronger as a team in the end. This romance is pretty low on the steam, but I don’t think that hurt the book in any way (at least for me) as the escalating attraction between Henley and Graeme is clear and evident. I also liked how this book doesn’t end on the cruise. It isn’t just “a honeymoon trip with a happily ever after” (while there is absolutely nothing wrong with stories that use that arc). We got to see the aftermath of the trip, and maybe (just maybe) we find out that the true conflict for Henley isn’t with Graeme at all.
I also appreciated that while the romance was adorable, it also tackled several important topics in a fair way. Toxic masculinity, misogyny, and unfair treatment in the workplace are all issues that Henley and her female coworkers deal with at the office on a daily basis. Graeme is still reeling from grief after the loss of his mother, and is finally getting back to doing the things he loved before he became a care taker. While Henley’s sister joins her on the cruise ship, she tries to hide messages from a “former” boyfriend, and when Henley finally gets her to reveal the truths about their relationship, all signs point to it being abusive. Henley is heartbroken that she was so focused on school and work to realize her sister was trying to reach out for help, and vows to do better in the future. Conversations between characters that included these topics were treated without bias and overall made the story have a message of hope. I am especially glad misogyny in the workplace was addressed and corrected when brought to the attention of supervision, as far too often we see victims of the situation not being believed, which can cause a hostile work environment. I am very glad to say this book ends with a happily ever after that even Henley didn’t expect at first, but it’s what she deserves.
I think this will be the perfect book to sit down to read in the middle of winter, to give you all the summer vibes that will make you wish for warmer weather. The vivid imagery and the extensive research made me imagine I was on that cruise along with Henley, Graeme, and the other passengers. Shipped is set to release on January 19th, 2021 (which is when this post goes live), so please join me in wishing it a happy book birthday, and consider picking up a copy (from your local indie or best available retailer) to celebrate if you’re at all interested. I hope romance readers love this one as much as I did, and I’m looking forward to checking out what Angie Hockman has in store for the future. **Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Gallery Books, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Places to find the Shipped:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Angie Hockman’s site
Simon & Schuester
Thoughts About Things 