Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review! I have been a fan of Sariah Wilson for a while, so I was thrilled to get this book.

This was a slow-burn, forced proximity romance. Based on the cover we know this story takes place on a yacht (we all know how small those cabins are and you can't get much closer than that). Lucky and Hunter tried to respect the boundaries of their professional roles, but that chemistry just couldn't be ignored. This story was so cute and it swept me away into a gorgeous setting and a dream trip. Sariah Wilson's descriptions make you feel like you are there with them.

I have never even realized I needed to go on a Super yacht until now…. Now it’s my new goal! I loved this adorable novel! This author makes kissing scenes read like a masterpiece every single time. I really enjoy her meaningful and charming scenes between even the side characters! I enjoyed how the main characters’ relationship gets stronger because of who they are, not just how hot they are! The characters were so endearing!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own!

A sweet friends to lovers read!! Lucky has a dream of owning her own bakery. To achieve her dream, and have enough money to do it, she takes a job on a private yacht as chief stewardess. This forced proximity romance has cutie Hunter, the new deckhand, and bunkmate.

Sariah has an amazing way of making you fall in love with her characters, as their friendship and love for each other grows.

Another outstanding and amazing read!

While working as a yacht stewardess to fund her bakery dream, Lucky encounters deckhand Hunter. Their attraction tempts them to violate the ship’s “no fraternization” rule. As their romance grows, Lucky is forced to choose between career ambition and love.

This is a fun, slow-burn romance. The plot focuses almost entirely on Lucky and Hunter struggling to resist the strong chemistry between them. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Falling Overboard's Below Deck vibes drenched in the Mediterranean sunshine will have you dreaming of summer!
With elements of forbidden romance and forced proximity as well as a treasure trove of nautical puns, Hunter and Lucky's battle of wits and hearts is the perfect beach read.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One of my favorite aspects of this: Mental health rep here! 🎉

I liked this sweet romance. We get slow burn, forced proximity, and a yacht setting which I loved. If you like no spice this is for you. I mean there is some kissing but not like the typical open door spicy romance (which I personally love lol)

There were moments in the beginning of this where I worried it would get way too repetitive and while there WERE times I thought "okay, no fraternizing among the crew we get it, you have said that" it did calm down after a few chapters. Also, the first, idk, quarter or third of this, Lucky is all in her head like 'oh he's so cute but there's no way he likes me like that'. Girl, open your eyes lmao. Once they actually talk that also stopped being an annoyance.

The mental health of the main characters plays a big part in this story which I loved. The MMC has ADHD and our FMC shares her struggles with anxiety and catastrophizing based on what she's gone through in her life. These two are understanding towards each other and never judge, even when Hunter first meets Lucky in a less than ideal situation. It really added depth to their conversations and as their relationship builds their support for each other is completely swoon worthy!

Lucky and Georgia's friendship was fun. The storyline with Emilie adds depth to this. There's a "twist" involving Hunter which was not really a surprise, but it added that 3rd act tension/ drama factor. All of these added to the overall enjoyment of this story.

DNF at 15%.

Not vibing with the writing style. All the stereotypes are also driving me nuts. The FMC has to be a dark-haired doormat who is jealous of her blonde friends that are moving in on the guy she's interested in.

There's also so much lusting from the get-go. I have to call it with Sariah Wilson's stories. It's been hit or miss but mostly misses recently.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75★

A cute and unique forbidden romance between a newly appointed chief stewardess and a new deckhand as they work on the same super yacht. He's flirty but respectful, while she is all about the rules. I loved their dynamic.

I enjoyed the book's overall premise. I always love a good forced-proximity trope. The two main characters had good chemistry, and I loved the gradual buildup of tension and yearning between them. Lots of good stolen touches and glances. The only thing I didn't like was the side characters. They were a bit immature and childish to the point it got annoying to read. Other than that, it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another fantastic RomCom from Sariah Wilson!

I love Sariah Wilson’s RomComs - even though they’re closed door/clean (yeah, I know they serve a purpose that way, but I like a little steam! They’re kissing only)…

Falling Overboard was definitely like a season of the show “Below Decks,” which I’ve personally never watched, but everyone I know does so I’ve heard about all of the antics and shenanigans of the yachty crews. This book was full of it, and now really makes me want to watch the series.

I totally fell for Lucky and Hunter, their forbidden (only so far as the crew was told the new owners didn’t want them fraternizing) relationship, their secrets, their sad backstories, and the hijinx of the entire staff and terrible guests.

Oh, and the ship life / nautical puns! As a big cruiser myself, how I adored these!!

This was a brilliant story, with Wilson’s usual beautiful writing. I highly recommend it, especially if you’re a fan of hers, and a fan of cruise/boat romances. So well done!

Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for the advance copy. This is my honest feedback.

Falling Overboard by Sariah Wilson
Promoted to Chief steward on the private yacht is more than Lucky Salerno expected after only being aboard the ship for a few months. But the job is hers and she is now responsible for all the staff and the work they do. She needs to make sure everything is perfect for the guests that come aboard each week. The only change with new owners is that there be no hookups among the crew. Lucky is fine with that. She has a three year plan to make enough money to open a bakery and she’s not going to let anyone get in the way of that goal. But she has to help her sisters too when they call.
Hunter Smith is a new deckhand and Lucky’s new roommate. Lucky and Hunter are fine being platonic friends and end up watching Broadway musical movies in their downtime and growing closer. They know the rules but they are getting harder to follow as affection grows into romance.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook. The narration is performed by Eric London and Summer Morton. Both did a wonderful job with their POV and multiple voices. I listened at a speed above 1.5 to more closely match my reading and local conversation. I enjoyed the audiobook in particular for the sarcasm and secondary characters that were unique.

I’ve never spent a summer on a yacht, nor can I imagine the amount of physical labor or customer service required for such a job but it was fun to live vicariously through the story of such a summer.
Flirty and romantic.

I was gifted a copy of this from NetGalley. I purchased both an ebook and an audiobook copy.

Such a good read. I love Sariah Wilson books. The setting was perfect and different than most romances. The characters were great. The pace was on point.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was absolutely fantastic in every aspect imaginable! I went into this book knowing that it was a boat romance but knew nothing further. Lately, I have been obsessed with watching Below Deck Sailing Yacht and let me tell you, there was no better timing for me to read this book than now! The female main character Lucky in this book and her love interest had me smiling from ear to ear from the very beginning and I kept making real life connections to the TV show the further the book progressed! This book definitely was an emotional roller coaster from friendship endeavors to dealing with the loss of family members. Falling Overboard has definitely made it into the top 5 books of 2025 for me so far as of the day of release! I will never stop shouting about this book from the rooftops because of how real this romance felt to me and it brought back memories of visiting Rome and eating the pizza and pasta from there. The imagery was so good that I felt like I could taste the food as she was describing it. I will be going back and reading all of this author's previous works thanks to this book introducing me to her writing!

The story was fun and lighthearted and I had a good time reading it.
This was a wonderfully written romantic comedy.
I absolutely loved these characters and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A sweet, funny and heartwarming read!

Lucky and Hunter’s story was a fun read.

It’s a great slow burn/forced proximity read with plenty of humour and wit. I enjoyed the fact the story was set on a super yacht and the two leads were forbidden to be together and had to fight their chemistry.

There’s also a well handled mental health rep and I love seeing that in romance.

Falling Overboard is a dual POV contemporary romance about Lucky and Hunter that takes place on a super yacht (think Below Deck). Lucky is an unexpected chief stew who struggles with standing up for herself. Hunter is a new deckhand with a secret who is searching for some redemption. These two end up being bunkmates (hello, forced proximity). What happens when the new boat owners institute a "don't screw the crew" rule?

Falling Overboard would be an easy read for fans of Below Deck, who understand how yachts are run. Many of the situations will feel very familiar. The conflict was not surprising, and I guessed it rather early on, but I don't think it was meant to be that shocking. I would have liked to see more from the other crew members, especially since one in particular ends up being so involved in the conflict. Do keep in mind that this book is fairly low spice. If this matters to you, you might want to look elsewhere.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review!

Lucky Salerno’s dream is to own a bakery, but to achieve this goal, she takes on the job of chief stewardess on a superyacht cruising the Mediterranean. It is meant to be strictly professional until she meets Hunter Smith, the new deckhand sharing her cabin. Likewise for Hunter; he is captivated by Lucky. As they get to know each other, a secret romance buds at sea, and Lucky has to choose whether to follow her career dream or to pursue her love for Hunter.
Set against many great backdrops, the forbidden romance had plenty of tension as they fought their attraction in an attempt to keep their jobs. While the couple share a room, this is a clean romance. A fairly predictable romance, I would have liked to have delved more into their past to gain a greater sense of what led them to whether they were.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Falling Overboard by Sariah Wilson was so much fun. Lucky has just been promoted to chief stewardess on a yacht, and with this promotion, she should finally be able to finally open the bakery she's dreamt of. Unfortunately, just as a handsome man joins the crew, the new owners institute a non-fraternization policy. To make things even harder, they have to share a room. The side characters scheme, drink, and carouse. The banter banters. The tension sizzles, The steam steams. The third act break up is only temporary, and the happy ending delivers. I have come to the realization that I could never work on a yacht, but I like reading books set on them.

Thank you to Montlake for my e-ARC.

Falling Overboard is a fun, swoony workplace romance set on a luxury yacht cruising the Mediterranean. Lucky Salerno is focused on saving money to open her dream bakery, and the yacht’s strict no-fraternization rule isn’t a problem—until she’s assigned to share a cabin with the charming and mysterious Hunter Smith. Their chemistry is undeniable, making it hard to resist breaking the rules.
I enjoyed the unique setting and the dual POV, which gave insight into both Lucky and Hunter’s thoughts. The romance was sweet and full of tension, though at times, it felt more about physical attraction than deeper emotional connection. Some plot points, like Lucky’s struggle with authority, were frustrating, but overall, it was an entertaining read. The audiobook narration was also great! Fans of forbidden romance and close-proximity tropes will definitely enjoy this charming love story.

Sariah is absolutely the queen of wit and banter. I cannot help myself from laughing at loud at her writing, and I am NOT that type!!! She consistently writes books that keep me interested, engaged, and surprised, not to mention happy. This book delivers in traditional Wilson fashion....it is delightful, romantic, real, and escapist. I just wish she would keep it a bit more pc. Otherwise it is another perfect hit, I loved everything about it!!

This novel was an absolute delight, sweeping me away into a beautifully described European setting filled with charm and passion. The Italian references added such a rich and authentic atmosphere, making me feel like I was strolling through cobblestone streets, savoring the scent of fresh espresso and citrus blossoms.

The romance itself was pure magic! The forced proximity kept the tension deliciously high, with every glance and unspoken word charged with emotion. And the forbidden love element? Utterly captivating! The stakes were real, making every stolen moment feel even more precious.

What made this story shine was how well the author balanced sweetness with depth. The chemistry between the characters felt so natural, and their emotional journey was both heartwarming and heart-wrenching in the best way. If you love clean romances with swoon-worthy tension, a stunning European backdrop, and a love that feels truly meant to be, this is the perfect book for you!