Fun, life-affirming and hugely enjoyable, Caroline James’ The Cruise is a wonderful tale about seizing the day, friendship and letting your hair down – regardless of the number of candles on your birthday cake!

Anne, Jane and Kath are sixty-three years of age and they’ve had their fair share of heartache, anguish and disappointment. The three friends have spent decades of their lives putting everyone else first and themselves last and now that they are in their sixties, they have all made a momentous decision: to stop feeling guilty and start doing something for themselves. So throwing all caution and tradition to the wind, this year they will swap disappointing Christmas specials on television and turkey dinners for a luxury two-week cruise around the Caribbean.

The Diamond Star is a breath-taking ocean liner that will take the three friends on an unforgettable adventure on the high seas that will give them all a new lease of life. The time has come for Anne, Jane and Kath to grab life with both hands, step out of their comfort zones and have some fun. Will The Diamond Star give them the courage to stop hiding in the shadows, take a leap into the unknown and have some fun? Or will comfort and joy be in short supply aboard this ship this Christmas?

Caroline James writes the most delightful feel-good comic capers sprinkled with warmth, humour and mischief that never fail to please and she has done it again with The Cruise. A terrific read about finding joy, the importance of surrounding yourself with people who will always have your back and wild adventures on the high seas, The Cruise is a funny, warm-hearted and enchanting comedy by Caroline James you are going to love.

That was cutie!

Friends decide to go on the cruise! They are middle-aged (let's diplomatic call the people over 60) and they want to do something totally different than usual! And I respect that!

So beautiful story about the friendship and relations. About some value in life, having different experiences and knowledge, different beliefs but still can communicate with each other and he of hand if needed. I truly respect the way how Caroline portrayed the characters - they full of life, vibrant, having a lot to say and believing that elders is not so frightening as people believe.

Im reading that and looking at my grannies - one of them loves gardening and is truly happy as a plant mama and the second one loves opera and spend almost every evening around the culture, that how she always dreamt of. I would like to see our grandparents this way - not as an obstacle, but as a someone who is the smartest cookie in the room.

This was such a fun story. At first I was worried that it might be a little cheesy or that I might not be able to relate to the characters at all, but I was actually pleasantly surprised. It was really well written, with a sweet ending. I absolutely loved the descriptions of all the places the Diamond Star Christmas Caribbean Cruise stopped at. It made me long to go on a Caribbean Cruise too. It felt like the perfect escape story.

Anne, Jane and Kath - three school friends now in their sixties - decide to go on the cruise together. Each lady is on her own journey throughout the story and it was great to see them all become new versions of themselves. I liked Jane and Kath best because I felt I was able to connect with them both better. And of course, the kind, handsome Selwyn didn’t hurt either. Bridgette and the Captain were great secondary characters. I hated sleazy Dicky throughout the story, but it turned out he was on his own journey too.

I am so glad I read this book and would definitely recommend it. It was the perfect book to finish the month on.

I adore women's fiction and i have a passion for cruises so this book was right up my street. this is a fun, quirky and emotional read with a decent helping of cruise ship life thrown in for good measure. one id definitely reccomend.

I adored this book. I want to read a million more books about the characters! This book made me feel all the feels and the setting was just stunning. 5 big stars!!

If you have ever wondered what Christmas is in the tropics or wondered what goes on a cruise ship then you should read this.

The Cruise follows the story of three women, who decided to throw caution to the wind, on a cruise. Each woman has come on board with both physical and emotional baggage.

It is an emotional read and you will be transported to The Diamond Star as you mingle with other passengers and hear their stories.
4.5⭐️

It was fun reading about the shenanigans of the passengers- from friends to benefits, gigolos, and husband hunters there is a story for everyone.

The opening chapter was funny. It was sarcasm and payback at its best. The following chapters were engaging and I loved how the author painted the scenery vividly.

If you love women’s fiction then you will enjoy this. I received an advanced copy via Netgalley and the review is mine and voluntary.

This was a delightful read and I had a rollicking good time with these three friends and their new adventures.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Funny and entertaining with a heart-warming story at its centre. An great option for a sunny day of reading by the pool, or on a cruise!

Loved this book. Such a fun read and found it so brilliantly funny. Would 100% reccomend because it's a brilliant summer read

3 old friends in their early 60's decide on a luxury 2 week Christmas cruise to the Caribbean. The pace is gentle, like the cruising life as they all find something to help them into the next stages of their lives.

I couldn't get into this book. I lost interest after a few pages I reached 3% before I was done. DNF



********************************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley********************

A great fun read, pure escapism!
I enjoyed Caroline James’s writing style and it was very easy reading .
Three friends all in their sixties decide to take a cruise to the Caribbean for Christmas and this is their story.This book has a fantastic cast of secondary characters- loved it and would recommend
Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and Caroline James for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

Having read her prior release, The Spa Break, I knew I was in for a treat. The author gives us something you don't see a lot of...older characters taking the lead, and having the time of their lives...and makes it something that crosses generations. It's relateable whether you're 19 or 99 and the antics they get up to are priceless at any age!

I loved how close they all were, and the initial showdown at the reunion certainly proves that point from the word GO. Can't say I've been to any reunions, but I can imagine being faced with those you didn't really hang with them on a whole new level while everyone is trying to one up each other...no thank you...or perhaps YES PLEASE with a group of friends such as these. They are there for each other through thick and thin, and that's not to say they don't tell it like it is because they most certainly do, they've just been around the block before so they aren't thrown off their game nearly as often. Each one of these ladies goes through a transformation in some way, the most notable, perhaps, being Jane. I really felt her come into her own, and by doing so, she opened herself up for bigger, better, life enriching experiences, and connections. Kath may be the one faring the worst health wise, but she's not out of the game just yet, and aims to prove as much. She doesn't gain as much tangibly as the others, but there is something to be said for peace of mind and taking the reins on one's own life. Anne was the one I worried about the most, seeing as Dicky set his sights on her , but she had a good head on her shoulders and true friends he could rely on...what more could you ask for? We'd be remiss if we didn't mention Selwyn when he has a bigger purpose for his journey too, and plays such a big part in all their stories, albeit for the better. He was quite the character, but in a charming way, and his easygoing, self confident vibes certainly have a transforming effect on those that surround.

All in all, it was a trip in the right direction with a course set for life, love, and friendship...all things that they achieved in spades! Though it wasn't all smooth sailing, by book's end everything is set to rights, and a few characters may just surprise you with their 180s. A great pick for Women's Fiction fans, and those who could use the reminder that the only one that can stop us from truly living is ourselves.

I have been a long time fan of Caroline James' stories. The Cruise was no different.
A story of 3 friends swapping the traditional Christmas turkey and cold weather for a cruise together on The Diamond Star.
The way the 3 friends were was heartwarming. They have been friends for so long and still supported and loved each other. What a great way for them to celebrate Christmas and their friendship.

The cruise is filled with a mixture of characters, escapades and plot worthy happenings.

A really enjoyable read about older women who can enjoy life to the fullest and still cause scandal along the way.

I really enjoyed this book! When I first started reading it I wasn't sure about the plus size representation and actually some of the early scenes with Jane didn't sit right at all but I did love how she developed through the book. This was an easy read and perfect holiday read, even if it did also make me cry! Full review will be on my YouTube channel: Books and Bargains

In Caroline James’s fabulous new novel, The Cruise, Jane, Kath, and Anne are three single women in their sixties who decide to ditch the winter weather in the UK and go on a Caribbean cruise for singles over fifty.

While I am not single (I’ve been married forever), I fit the over-fifty demographic, and I really appreciated this fun, feisty, sometimes flirtatious story. Fifty may not quite be the new thirty, but contemporary fifty- and sixty-year-olds are definitely healthier, more energetic, and ‘feel’ younger than they did when our grandparents were that age. It was so refreshing to read a story that really understands that, that I was hooked just from the concept.

More than that, though, I loved the premise. Cruise ships are the perfect microcosms of society, and time aboard one is like living in a heightened reality for a week or two. (Having come off a cruise in March, I’m still wistful for morning coffee on my balcony and free mimosas at brunch.)

I liked that the author gave each of these women her own story, though Jane’s arc was the most dramatic, and I appreciated that she was able to truly find herself on her voyage. I also liked the way the friendship between all three women was depicted. Too often women in novels are catty to each other. These women tease each other but are also supportive, which is how the best friendships should be.

The male characters aboard ship are vivid and interesting as well. Setwyn, traveling with his deceased wife’s ashes (and leaving them in the various ports he visits) had such a poignant story. I’d read a whole novel just about him. And Dicky, the ultimate lounge lizard-type cruise entertainer was deliciously smarmy.

Despite being set at Christmas, this novel is the perfect beach read. (After all, it’s always summer in the Caribbean!) It’s substantive enough to be satisfying, and light enough to zip through in a weekend. Great read!

Goes well with: any rum-based cocktail that comes with a paper umbrella.

This was a good light hearted, easy read which I needed after my last read.

I loved the fact that the three main characters (Anne, Kath and Jane) are independent single women all in different situations but all determined to have a good time on their cruise.

They meet some interesting fellow cruisers too!

The author’s sense of humour shines through this story as you follow the three friends, Anne, Jane and Kath on their holiday of a lifetime. The cruise has ample scope for humour through the many characters you meet on board and the places that are visited. Being on holiday gives the three women the chance to step away from their lives at home and to go searching for some fun and new experiences.

Friendship is the glue that binds the women together and keeps them grounded. It is clear that they just want each other to be happy. You find out some surprising secrets that at least one of them is hiding. Of the three , it seems that Jane changes the most as she gains confidence and loses her self consciousness. With some laugh out loud moments and lively characters, this proves to be a light hearted read and ideal for an escapist holiday read.

In short: fun and frolics on this Caribbean journey

Such a fun read with lots going on and an ending that didn't disappoint. I will definitely read more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

Friends in their 60's take a cruise together and all are at different stages in their life.

While interesting and entertaining I founds some of the drama didn't hit right with me. Thanks for the opportunity to read this book.