In her sparkling debut novel, Bad Publicity, Bianca Gillam delivers a contemporary romance that transcends the typical enemies-to-lovers trope by weaving in profound themes of grief, forgiveness, and healing. Bad Publicity takes readers on an emotionally rich journey across Europe’s most beautiful cities, while delicately unpacking the complex layers of its protagonists’ shared past and individual traumas.
The Story: More Than Just a Rom-Com
When Andie lands her dream job as a senior book publicist in New York, she’s ready to conquer the publishing world. Her excitement quickly transforms into dread when she discovers her biggest author is none other than Jack Carlson—the same Jack who betrayed her trust at university five years ago and whom she hasn’t spoken to since. Now a bestselling author, Jack is not only still infuriatingly attractive but also crucial to her career success.
The central conflict intensifies when Andie learns she must accompany Jack on a month-long European book tour. What follows is a beautifully crafted narrative that alternates between present-day interactions in London, Berlin, Paris, and Dublin, and flashbacks to their university days in Edinburgh where everything fell apart.
As the tour progresses, so does the complexity of their relationship. Gillam expertly peels back the layers of misunderstanding and hurt, revealing that what happened between them was far more nuanced than either character initially understood. Alongside this central storyline runs Andie’s equally compelling journey of confronting her grief over her father’s death and mending her relationship with her mother, who is preparing to remarry.
Character Development: Authentic and Multidimensional
Gillam has crafted protagonists who feel refreshingly real in their imperfections:
Andie is far from the typical rom-com heroine. She’s defensive, sometimes prickly, and has spent years running from her grief rather than processing it. Her journey from using anger as a shield to finally allowing herself to be vulnerable forms the emotional core of the novel.
Jack defies the arrogant-male-lead stereotype. While successful and confident in his career, he carries his own wounds and demonstrates remarkable patience and emotional intelligence throughout the story.
Supporting characters like Sara (Andie’s loyal best friend) and Deborah (Andie’s mother) are fully realized individuals with their own struggles and growth arcs, not merely plot devices to advance the main romance.
What makes these characters particularly compelling is how they evolve. Their growth feels earned rather than contrived, and by the end, we see them not as different people but as more authentic versions of themselves.
Themes: Depth Beyond the Romance
While the romantic tension between Andie and Jack drives the plot, Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam shines brightest in its exploration of deeper themes:
Grief and its many manifestations: Andie’s unprocessed grief over her father’s death affects every aspect of her life, from her career choices to her inability to maintain close relationships.
The protection mechanisms we build: Both protagonists have built walls to protect themselves, which paradoxically keep them from healing.
Communication and misunderstanding: Many of the conflicts in the book stem from assumptions and failures to communicate, reflecting real-life relationship dynamics.
Finding home: The novel thoughtfully explores what “home” means—whether it’s a physical place, a person, or a feeling of belonging within oneself.
Writing Style: Engaging and Emotionally Intelligent
Gillam writes with an assured voice that’s impressive for a debut novelist. Her prose strikes a perfect balance between witty dialogue, introspective moments, and descriptions that transport readers to the European cities that form the backdrop of the story.
Particularly noteworthy is how she handles the dual timeline. The flashbacks to Edinburgh are seamlessly integrated, each one revealing just enough new information to deepen our understanding of the characters’ motivations without disrupting the present-day narrative flow.
The author also demonstrates remarkable emotional intelligence in her writing, especially in scenes dealing with grief. Consider this powerful moment when Andie finally begins to process her loss:
“I miss you, I think, willing the words to reach him. It hurts, still. But I’m learning to lean into it, the dull ache a reminder of the love. To let myself miss him, even in the moments when it feels impossible that he’s gone. Even though it still sometimes feels vast and overwhelming, it’s not something I want to run from anymore.”
Critique: Where the Novel Could Have Been Stronger
While Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam is a strong debut, a few elements could have been further developed:
Professional dynamics: Given the publishing industry setting, the workplace dynamics and ethical considerations of an author-publicist relationship could have been explored more deeply.
Pacing in the middle section: The Berlin and Paris sections, while enjoyable, occasionally felt less consequential to character development than the London and Dublin chapters.
Resolution of secondary conflicts: The resolution between Andie and Sara happens somewhat abruptly compared to the careful development of other relationship arcs.
Comparative Titles: Where Bad Publicity Sits in the Genre
Fans of Emily Henry’s blend of humor and emotional depth (Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation) will find much to love in Gillam’s writing. The book also shares DNA with Mhairi McFarlane’s emotionally complex romances and Beth O’Leary’s character-driven narratives.
What sets Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam apart is its unflinching look at grief alongside the romance. Unlike many contemporary romances where grief is a backstory element, here it’s integral to the protagonist’s journey and handled with remarkable sensitivity.
Final Thoughts: A Promising Debut Worth Your Time
Bad Publicity announces Bianca Gillam as a fresh voice in contemporary romance—one who isn’t afraid to balance lighthearted romantic moments with profound emotional exploration. The novel satisfies as a second-chance romance while offering deeper insights into how we process loss and find our way back to ourselves.
Some of the novel’s greatest strengths include:
The nuanced portrayal of grief and how it shapes our relationships
The well-developed chemistry between Andie and Jack that evolves believably throughout the narrative
The evocative sense of place as the characters move through European cities
The satisfying emotional payoff that feels earned rather than manufactured
For readers seeking a romance with genuine emotional heft and characters who feel like they could walk off the page, Bad Publicity delivers a reading experience that will linger long after the final page.
Reader’s Note: My Bad Publicity Journey
As I turned the final pages of Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam at 2 AM, teary-eyed but smiling, I realized I’d just experienced the particular joy of discovering a debut author with an authentic voice. Having received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest opinion, I found myself doing something I rarely do—immediately messaging friends to put this on their TBR lists. Like Andie reluctantly embarking on her European book tour with Jack, I went into this review assignment with professional curiosity but emerged with something much more valuable: a new auto-buy author whose next book I’m already eagerly anticipating.