Out of Office: A BRAND NEW rom-com of unexpected love, secrets and second chances from Phoebe MacLeod for 2026

The BRAND NEW laugh-out-loud, romantic read from the author of TOP TEN bestseller The Fixer-Upper, Phoebe MacLeod 💖 Perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Sarah Adams and Abby Jimenez!Athena’s rule is men are unreliable, untrustworthy, and best admired from a safe distance.

And with her career to focus on, it's a rule she’s perfectly happy sticking to – much to her mother’s dismay.

Until work sends her to Cape Town, and she meets charming, thoughtful, and dangerously attentive. Suddenly, Athena’s long-held decree feels… negotiable.

But Nathan’s past may not be as spotless as it seems, and Athena starts to wonder if her instincts were right all along. The problem is, by the time the warning signs appear, she’s already falling for him.

Should Athena risk her carefully curated world for love – or will her heart pay the price?

Praise for Phoebe

‘The perfect book.’ Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘This book fundamentally changed me and now I need to read every romcom I can get my claws on! I giggled, I almost threw my book, I kicked my little feet, and I finished it basically in one sitting … what more could you ask for?’ Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘MacLeod weaves a tale of unexpected love, second chances, and the magic of warm summer days.’ Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Phoebe Macleod writes easy to ready, sweet but not shallow books. She has a lovely writing style and she’s the sort of author that I feel safe with, that I know I’m probably going to love pretty much anything she writes - one of the finish-a-book-and-buy-one-straight-after-on-kindle kinda vibes!‘ Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘I love when a book can make me LOL in real life the whole time. This was such a fun rom-com and a safe one for people who like books without all the spice.’ Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘This is a delightfully sweet and charming romantic comedy with a grumpy/sunshine trope (one of my favorites!)’ Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘It's a very light, feelgood read and certainly put a smile on my face.’ Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘A cute rom-com that focuses on friendship and different types of relationships, not just romance. I loved it, the characters are messy and complex as in real life.’ Goodreads review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️