I have never been on the cruise and this was a great book about the life of the worker on the cruise. Of course you work but you also meet friends for life I think. You live on board with someone for 9 months and share not only your work, but your bedroom and so much more while living on board. It must be a great experience. If I was brave enough, maybe I would apply for it.

I loved descriptions of the places that they have visited since it felt like I was visiting them as well. I saw Nice and Venice myself but it was nice to visit them again, through someone else’s eyes. Specially since it has been some time since I was there.

If you are not a fan of travelling but you are a fan of romance, you will have enough of that as well. I found romance really great and inviting. It wasn’t thrown in your face but it was subtle and really grown up. It also is growing gradually which I totally enjoy reading in books. What is better than a romance that grows slowly and makes a perfect relationship?

This book is perfect to read at any point in your life. Yes, at any point and at any place. Who says that mid-thirties women/people can’t have fun??? Yes, they can! So, grab yourself this book and enjoy it.

The Holiday Cruise was the perfect read at the perfect time for me. I don't often stray away from crime fiction and thrillers but when I do I really enjoy the change of pace. This book was no different I was totally absorbed and I loved it.

Hannah has had a rough time, her husband has left her for another woman and her life has unravelled. She has let her life and her business fall by the wayside and she fancies a change and to reinvent herself. What better way then to take a job on cruise ship. It gets her away from the villagers gossiping and feeling sorry for her and allows her space to find her own way.

Hannah meets lots of new friends and gets to experience a new place every day, the weight of what has happened to her starting to lift off of her shoulders. One rule that is bestowed upon the staff is no fraternising with the guests and Hannah has no intention of breaking the rules, that is until a handsome stranger arrives on board.

This book is full of fun and excitement the characters are great and the story flowed really well. I quite fancy going on a cruise myself now.

I only have one question for the author, when is the sequel coming out?

Thoroughly entertaining and highly enjoyable.

3.5

Hannahs husband is leaving her for another woman and drowned in her sorrow, she is neglecting her business. Then a new chance is coming up and she is starting in a spa on a cruise ship.

The story was very entertaining, although thr cruise itself felt a bit jumpy in the beginning. I liked reading about Hannah making new friends, travelling beautiful places and of course meeting Ben. The development of the love story felt very realistic. They are slowly getting to know each other, explore places and spend time together, until they start to realise that there is more between them.

"The Holiday Cruise" is an entertaining story about starting new and finding your new self.

If ever a book is a great holiday read, this has to be it. As the cruise ship sails through the Caribbean and Mediterranean, you can't help but want to escape with it. As the boat moves on, Hannah and Ben set about moving their lives on too and looking for second chances. I found Hannah's relationship with her sister most interesting, as she rebelled against being mothered and you have to wait to see if Hannah can come to terms with what her family mean to her.

There is humour to be found in the crew and guests who you meet on the ship and in fact, the descriptions of the cruise ship, and the ports visited, have a credible and realistic feel. You can empathise with Hannah and the people she meets and I found her developing sense of independence to be totally believeable. This is a warm and feelgood read which makes for an enjoyable escape.

In short: A sparkling holiday escape.

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

Hannah’s husband leaves her for another woman after ten years in marriage. The misfortune doesn’t stop there she is unhappy for too long. So long that she loses her business too, two employees desert to the competing company. Although Hannah determines to get the business back it is hard. Her sister wants to help but Hannah doesn’t think that she wants to accept it. Attempting to be independent and to find herself again Hannah applies to the job on a cruise ship. Will she find what she wants? Read this book to find out.

I fell for this book immediately from the first page it was an easy page-turner. I liked how fast things went on, and like emotions even maybe unpleasant in the first place but I felt like I was there with Hannah and shared all her feelings. Then when she decided to go I was jumping from happiness and also was concerned as she was, how it would be, would she succeed every possible question crossed through my mind.

Those Mediterranean places described in this book drove all the thoughts and desires for cruises which were slept deep down in me. I have never been on a cruise ever. Hannah took me with her everywhere she went.

“The Requiescence was too big to dock in Kotor’s port, so I caught a tender to the shore. I’d managed to get a seat up on top in the open air and was rewarded by wonderful views of the fortress on the approach. As we neared the harbor we sailed past the super yachts that shimmered and glittered in the cobalt water…

As I shuffled through with the crowds, I caught sight of the winged lion of St Mark’s…”

You see, I was thrilled by those descriptions like that above. I picked up this one because it is the nearest place to me; we used to be one country in the eighties. It was all Yugoslavia which doesn’t exist anymore. Oh, come on, I am getting nostalgic!

This book is one of those books which you read it and want more.

I have to admit when I heard the blurb for this I was excited to review as it sounded very different to anything I’d read- a cruise ship sounds like a great place to get away from your troubles! I also loved that her job would be in a spa so we could sample some of the more decadent things, as opposed to her struggling to survive (sometimes when you’re up for a bit of holiday escapism, you want the works!). I’ll admit I didn’t always get on with this book, for me it was a case of picking it up and putting it down a fair bit more than I’d have liked and I think it was Hannah’s character that did it, we just didn’t click. There was also some repetition of words and editing issues that the pernickety side of me would’t let go of, but I doubt this would be a problem for most.

The cast around Hannah pulled me in, as did the settings, not only on board but also when they visited the places they stopped at and I got to experience all the different countries. The group dynamic of the people that worked on the ship was well done, and I crossed my fingers for them all. I adored the ending, which was very satisfying. I have to add that the me from ten years ago would have devoured and ingested this book in one go, it really ticks all the boxes for a light enjoyable read and one that is great for, not just holiday escapism, but for any time of the year escapism. Thanks so much to Rachel’s Random Resources for the book in return for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

5☆ A Warm Feel Good Must Read!

The Holiday Cruise is a fabulous feel good story about starting over, finding oneself, making friends, romance and destinations.

Hannah's cheating Husband has walked out and left her.
After a rough time she dusts herself off and takes herself back to work.
Hannah owns The Hollywood Hut a thriving beauty salon. However when she gets to work she discovers her staff have left her, to work at a rival salon (Glam Shack) and it appears so have all her customers.

So after a chance encounter with a client and an awkward meeting with her ex hubby and his bit of stuff, Hannah decides to take the ball by the horn and embark on a journey of a lifetime aboard a cruise ship!
Working in the Salon.

The characters are engaging, relatable, quirky, fun, and they became friends.
The plot was perfect. It flowed along perfectly.
I actually want to board the cruise ship too the Salon sounds simply luxurious.

I haven't had a holiday in a very very long time so as soon as I see books that feature holiday destinations I jump right in.
But with The Holiday Cruise not only did I feel part of the team, I also connected with the characters. My heart truly went out to Hannah, she was incredibly brave and kick ass to plunge into the unknown. I know for a fact I couldn't of done it!

There was plenty of humour, drama, a sprinkle of romance, overall a warm feel good read that I will definitely be reading again. It's on my Must Read list.

I highly recommend this adorable book!
The perfect anytime read.
But for me it's the perfect pick me up read, when I want to whisk off somewhere, but still snuggle up with a nice steamy coffee!

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

The Holiday Cruise was lovely Chick Lit, holiday romance about Hanna who found her youth and true meaning of life after finding about her husband’s betrayal. The book was about self-discovery, living life freely and fully, getting over the betrayal and finding love at least expected time and place.

This was my first book by Victoria Cooke and I quite like the way she wrote it. Book was first person narrative. Hanna’s POV added more dramatic effect to the book and instantly drew me onto her story.

Things were pretty demoralizing for Hannah with husband leaving her for pretty young lady, a decade old business going down with no staff and no customers, pitiful eyes of villagers and more over losing the house. By little push and support of her sister, she found a new direction and freedom of life, leaving behind village and pain of separation. A job aboard Holiday Cruise.

Characters-
At first Hannah was a bit childish and sulky, not acting according to her age which up to some extent was understandable what with all happened to her. But the opportunity came at just right time and we get to see Hannah that can’t be seen if she have stayed in village.

Jen was overly protective sister who exactly felt like mother to Hanna. I liked the way things got clear and better between them by the end and the way Jen let Hanna go out of her wings and let her live life she dreamt of. Ben was charming and lovely companion one would want on Holiday trip. He won everyone’s heart at the end of the book. I liked him but I liked Hanna more.

Side characters of the book were uplifting and supportive. They were very important in book and Hanna’s life. They all gave something to learn to Hanna that she lacked in herself and I was glad to see Hanna taking all of it positively. I loved all the friends she made on ship, specifically Pete who was like big brother to her.

What I liked-
Life on cruise brought lot of changes in Hannah. New people, new friends, new places influenced her in lot of ways. One need to get out of the comfort zone to grow up and develop which was so appropriate in Hanna’s case. She grew up in true meaning. She started becoming happy, proactive, confident woman. She started appreciating Jen and all she did for her, she realized she was not truly happy with Daniel and how he made everything about himself and lead her life, and how village has become claustrophobic for her. The new Hanna on the ship was courageous, reckless, strong, leadings her own life, turning into smart grown up woman was surprising and delightful to read. I totally appreciate her decision later in the book regarding her plan.

All these was very encouraging and inspiring that give boost to readers like it did to Ben. The way she found love was interesting, the way they told their story I could feel connection between them instantly. I was happy it was not love at first sight. Author kept reasonable gap to develop proper feeling both for Hanna and Ben which felt natural and realistic.

I loved the way all the exotic destinations of the cruise were narrated and it was fun to read crew and Hanna’s experience at all those places. I like that author didn’t overly described things about the travel and adventure. Everything was perfectly blended keeping Hanna’s life on focus.

Climax was bit predictable and I thought I know how the book will end but author kept reader confused and unsure of the end. I loved the way things worked out in the end. It was wonderful feel good book that one would love to take on holiday.

Overall, it was light-hearted, entertaining, sweet romantic holiday read that readers of this genre will definitely enjoy.

My Rating:

4.5

Favorite Quotes:

Her tight dress showcased an impressively pert chest that looked too large for her small frame. She looked like she came from a Mattel factory. What a weak, shallow f* bastard he was. He could have at least been original… I could practically feel the frump grow around my body – each dimple of cellulite popped, my thighs started to bloat and swell, and the heavy sagginess of my breasts wore my chest down.

We’d both been cast aside like Primark hoodies at a marathon.

She was all blonde hair, and legs and boobs, so unless she’s left Daniel, I can’t see him giving that up. You know, I think in the end that’s what angered me the most. The fact that I – his loyal, caring wife with more than one brain cell and a business – wasn’t enough, that he was so shallow he thought Barbie was worth destroying everything we had for. We can all get a boob job and bleach our hair, you know!

I’m completely lost. That’s why I ended up here in the bar. It’s a default setting for blokes – we sit in a bar and await our rescue like damsels in distress.

‘I could ask Margaret, one of my new dinner table companions. She’s just arrived with her husband, Arthur, but she was giving me the eye all evening.’ He smirked. ‘Oh, was she now? So this Margaret, is she serious competition?’ ‘In all honesty, it depends on the lighting. She’s ninety-three but can pull off a black sequinned top like no other woman I’ve met.’

I can’t keep away. He’s like a neodymium magnet.

You’re going to be the most miserable traveller ever… How can you sit in such a beautiful city with a face like that? Your travel pictures are going to frighten small children.


My Review:


This lively and engaging tale was written from the first person POV of Hannah, an initially pathetic and tear-sodden woman who was so devastated by her husband’s betrayal and abandonment that she nearly allowed herself to fall to ruin. When her husband suddenly left her for his new Barbie doll simulation, Hannah crumbled and desperately begged him to stay then “spent a good six weeks wallowing in chocolate and alcohol.” Well, if you were going to wallow, that would be the way to do it, although I would also need to add in my two favorite handymen/therapists who can make virtually anything better - Ben and Jerry. Her business failed in her irresponsible absence and she was in danger of losing her home if she didn’t get pull her head out of her nether region when happenchance leads her to seek employment with an international cruise line. Brilliant. I wish I had thought of that in my misspent party-girl days!

I greatly appreciated the painstaking investigation and the extreme hardship the author must have gone through while researching this book. The ocean passages, cruise ship encounters, European touring, foreign dining and exploratory travel experiences had to have been most grueling – smirk. I truly did enjoy reading the pleasantly appealing and lushly detailed travel and cruising experiences as I felt as if I was there encountering them with her. The writing was well-paced and wryly amusing while also observantly insightful, emotive, and at times heart-squeezing. The plethora of diverse characters was interesting and endearing although there were many times I wanted to give Hannah a good hard pinch. I smirked my way through Hannah’s initial and exciting foray into loosening up and making new friends with her much younger cruise ship co-workers with a night of Jäger-bomb fueled lubricant which resulted in vague memories of partying like a twenty-year-old, drinking shots off a man’s stomach, an attempt at pole dancing, and the cheek burning walk of shame from a fellow crewmate’s cabin the morning after.

The cruise ship experience was ultimately an excellent diversion and confidence building training ground as the humdrum Hannah transformed from a caterpillar to a butterfly while she succeeded in previously unimagined experiences and formed new friendships, scuba dived, enjoyed exploring foreign cities leisurely and independently, hiked, learned self-defense, gained a healthy body through healthier eating and exercise, and fell into a sweet and supportive and excitingly forbidden ship-board romance with a mouth-wateringly handsome passenger. Oh, the thrill of forbidden kisses. And score, I have a new addition to my Brit Vocab list with the interesting entry of “Phwoar,” which apparently should be enthusiastically pronounced as fwaw, and according to Mr. Google is British slang for expressing sexual attraction, which sounds so much better to me than the alternative Brit saying of “you pulled.” Am I right? ~ snort!

This book has the perfect recipe for a light romantic read. It has a compelling heroine, a dastardly man doing the dirty, a great relationship between sisters, a suitably difficult dilemma for the heroine to deal with, new friends, a potential new romance and fabulous exotic locations beautifully described along the way. Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir for several hundred pages before turning out the perfect beach (or any other time for that matter) read. (Can you tell I am writing this just after watching Bake Off?)

We start the book with our heroine, Hannah, at the lowest of low points in her life. Her husband has left her for the other woman and, in the course of mourning her marriage, she has let her business go to the point of no return. It looks like she is out of options until she is given the idea of applying to work on a cruise ship, and a chink of light appears. Encouraged by her stalwart sister, she decides to go for it and the rest of the book follows her experiences on the ship.

Oh how much I enjoyed this book. I felt all the highs and lows with Hannah along the way. I really wanted to punch Daniel in the face for what he did to Hannah, and I’m really not a violent person, which just goes to show how quickly I was sympathising with Hannah. I loved her sister galloping to her side, it reminded me of how much my sisters support me in times of need, and the ladies in the village backing her up as they shun her wayward ex and his floozy. Victoria had me on side from the very beginning and I was desperate for Hannah to take the chance on the cruise.

Once she got on board, I was fascinated by the insight into working behind the scenes on the cruise ship and all the new friends she makes on board. The visits to the ports were fabulous – armchair-travelling at its best which is one of my favourite things to do in books, especially now the evenings are getting longer and darker and I am missing the summer sunshine.

The thing I enjoyed most about this book was that Hannah and her personal growth and development was the focus o the book, rather than her finding a new romance. There is a romantic aspect to the book, but it is not the central theme. This is a book about a woman overcoming personal challenges to find out who she is and what she wants out of life, with or without a man, and that is more interesting and compelling to me than a woman jumping from one relationship straight into another because she can’t be alone. Women are tougher than that!

This is a fabulous, light and delightful read, the perfect contemporary read. Grab yourself a slice for a sweet treat.

Thank you to HQ Digital for my copy of this book via Netgalley and to Rachel for letting me take part in this tour. I have had this book on my TBR pile for a while so when Rachel emailed me about this tour it was the perfect opportunity to bump it up.

The story follow Hannah Davis. The book begins 6 weeks after her rat bag husband decided to tell her he didnt want to be her husband anymore. In those first few chapters I really wanted to shake Hannah and punch Daniel (the husband). She is in denial and it is so frustrating. She keeps thinking of ways to get him back when she should be moving on. I was very glad when she started to do just that.

I loved hearing about the cruise boat and all the different parts to it. I know a few people who have been on a cruise and one day I would absolutely love to go on one. I loved how close knit and family like the crew became. It reminded me a bit of my first year of uni. I really enjoyed hearing about all the different stops, especially Rome, Venice and Barcelona. I have visited these places and I felt like I was transported back there with Victoria's words.

The first half of the book is about Hannah picking herself back up and putting all the pieces back together after her break up. There were quite a few funnies from this. The second half of the book is about life once she has moved on and is the new and improved Hannah. I really enjoyed these scenes too.

This is the first book I have read by Victoria. I really liked her writing style. It was funny and romantic. This book is a perfect holiday read but it's also perfect for reading at home under a blanket like I did.

I really enjoyed the way this book ended and would really love a sequel to see the next stage of Hannah's life.

If the end of summertime blues are getting you down and you need cheering up, then look no further than Victoria Cooke’s excellent and exotic tale about starting over, fresh starts and new beginnings: The Holiday Cruise. The next best thing to a luxury holiday, this is a book that will make you giggle on many an occasion!

Poor Hannah Davis isn’t having much luck at the moment. You’d think that having to cope with a cheating husband who slept with somebody else after ten years of marriage would be enough, but the Yorkshire lass has got to cope with another major calamity: losing her beauty salon business! What is Hannah going to do now? With no job, no husband and no money, Hannah feels like her world is imploding and even though her dear sister is there to pick up the pieces, Hannah knows that she cannot continue to rely on the kindness of family members. She needs to stand on her own two feet and be an independent woman in charge of her own fate and finances, but with doors continuing to being slammed in her face, will Hannah manage to achieve her objective?

When she impulsively applies for a spa job on a cruise ship, Hannah is flabbergasted when she gets the position. Working on the high seas is a dream come true. What’s not to like about travelling the world, meeting people and seeing sights she’d previously only ever seen on books and television? However there is one tiny fly in the ointment: Hannah is absolutely terrified. She has never done anything on her own in entire life. She has always had somebody else to turn to and rely on, only this time she is on her own and she is petrified. But will this cruise end up being the best thing she has ever done?

As Hannah sets sails far from home for the very first time, will she end up finding the happiness that she has been searching for for her entire life? Or was she better off staying at home?

A thoroughly enjoyable read about courage, trusting yourself and taking a leap of faith, The Holiday Cruise is a terrific read with a wonderful heroine you will root and cheer for, plenty of humour and charm and love and laughter aplenty. Victoria Cooke has written an absorbing and engaging novel you will struggle to put down. Fast-paced, captivating and simply irresistible, The Holiday Cruise is a must-read!

Aaaah this book was just so cute! It was just what I needed to read! However, now it has made me want to go and work on a cruise ship, the luxury of visiting the different cities and sightseeing on your day off, I mean why not, but I have definitely missed the boat on that one (sorry couldn’t resist!)

I adore Hannah, albeit she was a bit immature and needed to grow up at times, but when we meet her, her life is just…well shit. (Sorry mum!) Her husband, Daniel, of 10 years left her because he didn’t love her anymore, wait a second you were on holiday together a few weeks ago! Douche! Hannah wallows in self-pity, ignoring her Salon business and house for 6 weeks to find out that it just went to pot! She doesn’t know what to do with herself, and Daniel is flaunting his new bit of stuff around their small sleepy village, the nerve!

Then an idea is put into her head, go and join a cruise ship, go find yourself and heal from the breakup. Nervous at first, she finds her feet on the ship and makes some friends. One golden rule, no fraternising with the guests!

Hannah grows in this story from the immature little woman (she is my age!) needing to grow up, to a feisty woman knowing what she wants and backpacking off around the world, with her new determination and happiness. I loved seeing where she started her journey and where she ended. It was a journey of self-discovery and healing I had my heart in my throat when we first meet him, as Hannah working in the spa of the cruise ship and she is told that she has a client, a man on his honeymoon, well I was nervous because I thought maybe, just maybe was this Daniel?

Despite, the gruelling hours on the ship, they know how to let their hair down, make some sparkly new friendships and escape from life. I think this is something I would have loved to do. I know it would not be all glamour and glitz but the author sounds like she knows what she is talking about, and it was quite refreshing that it was the from the point of view from the crew and not the guests, the rules and regulations they have to stick to! But alas, instead I will be happy just to go on a cruise! It just seems quite sad and emotional when it comes to an end.

I loved the adventure, and please Ms Cooke, could you write a sequel, I want to know what happens next! I feel that with this story there is still so much to it, more from Hannah, more I need to know! Please!! Seriously! What will it take for another book!!! I didn’t want this to end, and I am gutted at how quickly it took me to read this and devour the pages. It is such an easy fun read and it flows so well. Even when you are screaming at the book or biting the back of your hand in excitement. It was just beautiful. Thank you! <3

This is a lovely rom-com; good characters, nice story and several fabulous locations!

Hannah has been in a state of denial ever since her husband of ten years announced he was leaving. Attempting to pull herself together six weeks on, Hannah discovers that her business has all but folded and life in a small village is too insular. She needs to get away and with her beauty skills, a job on a cruise ship would solve a lot of her problems. In her thirties, Hannah has always had her parents, her sister, her husband to lean on - can she really find the courage to do something just for her?

This is a tale of self-discovery .. and more. For anyone with wanderlust, this book will have you straight online to book tickets to find another life. The locations are absolutely fabulous, and the author makes the very best of each of them. Hannah is making memories on her travels - but will that be enough? Can she return home after this freedom or will she commit to another contract?

This really is a truly lovely read; bit by bit, we get to know Hannah better and although work fills a lot of her time, she does manage to make friends among the other crew members and there's even a hint of romance. Whether she can ever trust again is a whole other story. An enjoyable read, and it certainly sells a life on board. One to enjoy whilst lying soaking up the sun by the pool! My only criticism is a few errors - words missing or repeated, but I wouldn't penalise the author for these as it's hardly her fault.

My thanks to HQ Digital for my copy via NetGalley, and to Rachel's Random Resources for including me in this Book Birthday Blitz. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

Hannah Davis thought she had the perfect life and marriage until her husband, Daniel, tells her he is leaving and has fallen in love with someone else. To top it all off, Hannah is about to lose her beauty salon because she took six weeks off trying to recover from her husband’s news. All of her salon clients have run off to a competing salon leaving Hannah with an empty business and even emptier wallet. Being stuck in a small village where everyone knows everyone’s business is not helping matters either. Everywhere she turns she sees Daniel with his new girlfriend which makes her pending divorce seem even more final. When a chance encounter with a nail client leads Hannah on a new path, it has the capacity to change her life for the better. Hannah has always wanted to go on a cruise, so what better way is there than to take a job on a cruise line working in their spa. Will Hannah be able to take her life back and become a new better version of herself?

Hannah is really down on her luck. Imagine being married and out of the blue your husband says he is leaving. Hannah is completely devastated and unable to cope with her husband leaving. She drinks too much and feels sorry for herself. Yet, she holds out hope that maybe Daniel will come back to her. I really felt bad for Hannah. I could see how much she loves Daniel and the life they had together. She never knew there were any problems with their marriage and Daniel certainly didn’t try to work things out. He just up and left leaving her to pick up the pieces and stand on her own. Now, she is about to lose her house and once that happens there will be nothing left for her in the village she calls home. So, taking this job on a cruise ship is a really good thing for hannah. Here she gets to be herself, learn how to love herself, and finally let go of the marriage she thought she could save. Hannah meets new friends and really starts to grow as a person. I loved seeing all of the changes as Hannah starts to come into her own and grow as a person. Hannah also meets a man and there is a budding romance on the horizon which I found to be really sweet and endearing.

When I first saw the title of this book I was like “OMG I have to have it!” I love cruising and all things having to do with a cruise. Seeing all of the sights, meeting new people, going to different locations has all been so fascinating to me. I am so glad Victoria Cooke really took the time to immerse me into the story and to actually make me feel as if I was there right along Hannah on the cruise ship enjoying the sites and all of the new people she meets and the friendships she makes.

The Holiday Cruise by Victoria Cooke is a feel good heartwarming story that I wished would never end. I simply LOVED Hannah and I am so glad she learned how to grow as a person and she quickly became one of my favorite characters ever. This truly is a great summer read.

Fun! Fun! Fun!

Wow! This book was quite the unexpected gem! This was a book all about discovering who you really are.... A book filled with fabulous characters, strong friendships, and a blooming romance... and the best part it was all set on a cruise ship, that took me on a virtual cruise to places I probably will never go... The entire time I kept thinking about one of my favorite childhood television shows “The Love Boat“ I kept expecting Isaac or Gopher or Doc to pop up any minute.... anybody else watch the show? It was exciting and new! Come on board they’re expecting you??? Ring any bells, anyone... anyone....

Hannah loses her husband, her business, and her home in about a weeks time... fortunately her sister is there to help her pick up the pieces, but Hannah needs to reallydiscover who she is and assert her independence for the very first time in her life... prompted by a chance encounter Hannah decides to apply to work in the spa on a cruise ship... The thought of Christmas in the Caribbean and summer in the Mediterranean sounds simply irresistible.... but after she gets the job reality and fear set in, how will she be able to survive all on her own?

I thoroughly enjoyed the depiction of life working on a cruise ship... i’d venture to guess the close quarters and the amount of time you spend with others leads to fast forming strong friendships... I loved reading about Hannah and her friends and would have loved to spend a day or two with them... also loved all the visits into all the Ports, I felt as though I got to go on a cruise from my couch.... I have been on a couple of cruises and thoroughly enjoyed them but never in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean rather the Atlantic and the Pacific....

The character growth in Hannah was so wonderful to watch and it made the second half of this book so much better.... had this book started off with a romance I think it would have detracted from a lot, especially Hannah’s character... it’s nice to see a woman rediscover herself on her own before a man enters the picture... having said that though, I would really enjoy a sequel to this book!

A wonderful story filled with fun, friendship, love, self discovery, beautiful sights, and did I mention fun? Absolutely recommend if you enjoy books that allow you to escape from reality when you pick them up....

*** many thanks to HQ Digital for my copy of this book ***

This is the first book I'm reading of Victoria and it was the perfect book for the end of Summer. I really want to travel more in the future and I would love to go on a Cruise so this was great, because it gave me that little taste of traveling, even though it's only in the books pages.

Hannah was such a relatable character and I would love to have a sister whom I have the kind of character Hannah has with her big sister. But... I only have a younger brother that I love very much. Nevertheless, that bit of sisterly love and connection was awesome and made the characters sound real to me.

Working on a Cruise most bring some challenges, so it was great to follow Hannah new path in working on a cruise. And the pace of the story helped us stay glued to the book and understand the live Hannah now has.

It was a fun book that made me dream about going on this kind of adventure and just enjoy sunbathing. I totally recommend this book to everyone that wants a bit of sunshine and fun times in their cold autumn/winter days.

It is not always we get to read a book set on a cruise ship and for me, this is the second one this year. Beautician Hannah Davis is faced with a great crisis when her husband leaves her for a much younger woman. She mops around the house for weeks, neglecting her beauty salon and her backstabbing rival took this opportunity to grab her clients. So husbandless and penniless she applies for the job on a cruise ship, doing something she was not allowed to do during her marriage.
Being guaranteed a happy ending, I was not too worried about Hannah's plight. Instead, I was constantly imagining the startled look of her ex, when she comes back with her gorgeous new boyfriend. So it was just a question of who and how. And Victoria Cooke produces a beautifully crafted tale of forbidden love while the ship continues its impassive voyage. I would have very much loved to read that particular scene of my fantasy (I know I am being petty here), but the author, being a bit more matured refused to showcase her heroine flaunting her new found fortune. Sigh!!!
But the thing that constantly put me on the edge was Hannah's treatment of her elder sister, Jen. Having lost their parents at a young age, Jen was compelled to fill the huge gap for her little sister. Being an elder sister myself, I know how hard it can be. Yes, I agree that Jen should have concentrated on her own life once Hannah has acquired the ability to manage her affairs. Still, that won't balance out the way Hannah takes her elder sister for granted. Obviously, she should be leading her life the way she wanted, but there is no harm in caring for the sentiments of her beloved sister who was eagerly awaiting her return home. What can we say? No one is perfect even if they are the central characters of a novel.
I wish there were a sequel featuring Jen because it is quite clear that her life is anything but happy even with a wealthy husband. She reminds me of the words of my best friend who reminds me often that our happiness should not be dependent on someone else. Right as always!

We meet Hannah at her lowest ebb, devastated and broken after her husband of 10 years has left her for a younger model. Understandably heartbroken she has spent weeks wallowing and her once thriving business has gone to the wall. Unable to see how she can jump start her business now that her clients have been lured away by the competition and unable to afford to stay in her much-loved home she has some serious decisions to make.

A chance meeting with a one-off client though changes the course of her life when it’s suggested she apply to work on a cruise ship. Initially, Hannah brushes the idea off as ludicrous, but with nothing tying her down and the constant threat of bumping into her ex she bites the bullet and applies to work in the on-board spa. Despite having reservations right up until departure, Hannah eventually makes it on-board and buckles down to face the challenges that lay ahead head on. But will this time away from her home village help her get over her heartbreak and forget about her ex?

I adored this book from start to finish! Having had a very similar experience with my first husband I can completely relate to Hannah’s situation. I spent the first part of the book cheering her on to apply for the cruise, willing her to be braver than I was and the rest of the book living vicariously through her experiences.
Despite being a chick-lit, romance story the focus of the story is firmly on Hannah’s transition from a broken shell of a person to the head-strong, independent woman who emerges as her journey progresses. It’s a story of discovery as she finds herself and for the first time realises what it is she really wants from her life. I always love stories with a strong female protagonist and this certainly fits the bill.

I really enjoyed the fact that I have visited several of the cities mentioned in the book and Victoria has done a wonderful job of describing them in perfect detail allowing me to feel transported right back to my own travels. I particularly enjoyed her spontaneous visit to Magaluf!

The Holiday Cruise is a fabulously compulsive read peppered with humous and emotional moments that left me desperate to keep reading even when it was way past my bedtime! I highly recommend this book, it would make an ideal beach read, however would be equally enjoyable during the dark Winter month’s whilst dreaming of you next Summer holiday! My only niggle is that I’m desperate to find out what happened next as I felt it ended far too soon leaving me wanting me – in a good way!

This book makes for lovely holiday reading. The opening is quite brutal though, as we find Hannah just recovering from what’s pretty much a total breakdown after her husband of many years suddenly leaves her. She’s neglected her business for too long to save it so things look very bleak. Her stalwart of a sister, Jen, is there for her and helps her start to find her feet her again.
An expected nail-mending job introduces Hannah to the idea of working in a cruise ship, which Jen encourages her to do. So Hannah courageously decides to take this career leap, and with her we travel to many locations, deal with frustrations and tribulations, and possible heartache.
Hannah is a great character. She’s fun and feisty, but flawed in that, as her sister says, it’s a crisis if she misses her favourite TV soap. In this novel she faces a real crisis, and while it floors her to start with, she does cope, and with humour and fortitude. You can’t help but like and admire her.
The author has a lively sense of fun too, and creates some great people, places and happenings to entertain us. She gives both sides of the coin when it comes to the cruise ship – it’s not all excitement and glamour, in fact, there’s a lot more drudgery and rule-following.
This is an easy and enjoyable read, light but not without sharp comment here and there, and a super book to slip in your suitcase.