In this funny and entertaining new novel starring the Widows Wine Club’s members Viv, Janet, and Zelda, readers join them on a cruise after Janet’s personal life takes a hit and Viv and Zelda solve it with a cruise on the Queen Mary 2. As they cross the Atlantic and explore the luxuries aboard the ship, they have no idea how this trip changes when recently widowed Primrose Carmichael joins them for dinner on the first night and slowly reveals the similarities between her husband and Janet’s late husband. As the mystery unfolds aboard the ship, readers, Viv, and Zelda must decide which rules they are willing to break to solve this strange puzzle. The characters are absolutely the star of the show, with complex, entertaining and chaotic personalities which readers will find hilarious and well-meaning even as things become more complicated. Their dynamic and loyalty to each other is particularly admirable, and the luxurious and busy setting of a cruise ship adds to the entertainment factor enormously. Readers who loved Julia Jarman’s previous titles in this series and similarly fun and chaotic novels will love this novel for the characters’ relationships with each other and the strange adventures they manage to go on in this hilarious new release.

What a fun romp of a book this is and I enjoyed every moment of following along of the journey of these 'Widows Wine Club', Viv, Janet and Zelda. They made me laugh and they made me want more. I read and read until I finished and I enjoyed it from start to finish.

I love a book that can make you feel good, make you laugh and give you the warm-fuzzies. That is this book and I highly recommend it for a good, fun, enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book'.

As a woman of a certain age, ahem, this book was certainly written for my demographic and older and I was intrigued by the descriptions of the QMII (it made me want to go and have a look around on board myself, to be honest!) but that is kinda where it stopped for me. I had read the previous book in the series and enjoyed it because it is nice to read books I can relate to but this book had so much potential and somehow fell a little short. And I hate to write things like this because I think authors are amazing and I want to give them all the encouragement I can :(

Janet, Viv and Zelda are on a cruise from the UK to the USA and whilst on board, they run into a woman, Primrose, who shares the same surname as Janet. She is also a widow and her husband's name was Mal, which is eerily close to what Janet's husbands name was also. There is a story there and it is up to Viv and Zelda to figure out what the actual heck is going on there!!

Now, the story had good bones but there was way too much filler. I found myself kind of impatiently tapping my Kindle, and hoping things would move a little faster instead of the same things being said in multiple ways over many pages. Sorry, just my opinion.

One of the ladies has a bit of romance happening on board the ship, which was really sweet and I had a chuckle when I read about the behaviour of a dog in harness versus not, which I have witnessed for myself and it is a striking difference. Clever dogs :)

Anyway, this was a nice read but I have to say that I probably wouldn't continue with the series (if there is another book) because this read was a bit too frustrating for me.

3 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

A warm heartwarming, funny story of friends. Loved the setting and the characters. A perfect story for a cold Winter day with a glass of wine or a cup of hot chocolate.

This series is simply outstanding! It is so refreshing to have an older generation of women be the central characters and to show that not only finding new friendships, but living life to the fullest at mature ages is still an absolute possibility! These are the women we all aspire to be! In this installment in the series the ladies take a cruise that brings about transforming events for more than one woman on the ship. Once again showing that secrets and lies that are brought to light can be banished or dealt with, but leaving them to fester in the dark just makes everything worse. I love the story of friendship between the ladies and the adventures that they seem to find them immersed in just add a bit more excitement to their daily lives! I absolutely can't wait to see what the ladies get up to in the next book! As they repeatedly exclaim, "One for all and all for one!" I'm definitely all in!!!

The Muscateers are at it again! This time on the high seas! They're taking a trip on the Queen Mary 2 to New York the week before Christmas to keep Janet's spirits up after the death of her second husband, Alan.

On the first night of the cruise, the trio meets Primrose Charmichael, Strange coincidence, but she's the widow of a man who mysteriously has the same name as Janet's first husband, Malcolm Charmichael. Is it coincidence, was Malcom a bigamist? High seas high jinks are the name of the game as the trio try to find out the truth prior to docking in New York!

This was a light-hearted fun read! Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book, which is available now!

Uplifting, emotional and deliciously readable, Widows Waive the Rules is the enjoyable new novel by Julia Jarman.

Viv, Janet and Zelda have navigated the first year of widowhood together and despite the ups and downs along the way, the future looks bright for all of them – until Janet is dealt another cruel blow. Viv and Zelda think that what their friend needs is a a change of scenery so they book a luxury cruise on the Queen Mary II for New York. On board the beautiful vessel, the three friends are entranced by the floating pleasure palace where their every whim can be indulged. However, it soon transpires that it’s not going to be all fun and games for Viv, Zelda and especially Janet!

Things take a shocking and unexpected turn when they meet fellow widow Primrose Carmichael. Primrose not only has the same surname as Janet, but her husband was also called Mal. Is it mere coincidence? Or something much more sinister? As the similarities between the two women stack up, Viv and Zelda vow to get to the bottom of this mystery. But are they prepared for what they are about to discover?

Will the two friends find the answers they seek? Or should Viv and Zelda have left well enough alone?

Witty and warm-hearted, it’s impossible not to be charmed by Julia Jarman’s writing and the characters she creates. Widows Waive the Rules is a fun and feel-good read peppered with an undertone of mystery and tension that will certainly keep readers turning those pages.

A joy from beginning to end, Julia Jarman’s Widows Waive the Rules is an absolute charmer perfect for Maddie Please and Judy Leigh fans.

This was the first book I read in this series, and it was so fun! It was a nice, light-hearted story, where the three women's lives intertwine, but they also have their separate lives. It was a good read, and I for sure enjoyed the atmosphere these ladies gave and the cruise!

I went into Widows Waive the Rules blind, not realizing it was part of a series, but I had no trouble keeping up. It works just fine as a standalone, though I imagine knowing the backstory would add a little extra something.

The story follows three widowed friends, Janet, Zelda, and Viv.
These three friends decide to take a holiday cruise from England to New York on the Queen Mary 2.

What starts as a relaxing getaway takes an unexpected turn when they meet Primrose, a woman whose life story seems a little too dramatic to be true. Sensing something’s off, the ladies start digging, using everything from old-school detective work to social media sleuthing to figure out what’s really going on.

I really loved the friendship between these women—it felt real, full of love, and fun. They know how to support each other in the best way, and their bond was definitely the heart of the story. There’s also a cute romance when one of them meets a blind man and his guide dog, Billie, which was a lovely touch.

The mystery itself wasn’t the most intense, but the book had plenty of other things to make up for it. Overall, this was a fun, feel-good read about friendship, adventure, and living life to the fullest at any age.

Thank you to NetGalley & Boldwood Books!

This was so much fun to get stuck into! I laughed and smiled from start to end and adored the characters we met along the way.

Janet is at a new low. Viv and Zelda talk her into a cruise to break up the routine. Little did they know what adventures they would have. These are wonderful, irreverent women and they are not going to be pushed around. This was a really great read! These are women I would like to know.

This was a precious novel about friends who are family as they take a cruise together to navigate the waters of life together. Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a copy of this book for an honest review.

A lighthearted mystery set aboard Queen Mary 2 with The Muscateers investigating a possible case of fraud/mistaken identity.

The sub plot with the guide dog was lovely and unusual to be in a novel.

There was a lot of humour in the novel and the friendship group was heartwarming.

My favourite quote:

“More pepper and salt these days, paprika pepper in a good light.” (hair)

This is an easy read book that is great for a vacation. The characters were likable and relatable. The storyline is easy to follow. It doesn’t get into heavy details and drag you into minutiae.

A light read with more than a touch of humour. I believe this book is the third in a series, I haven't read the previous two and think this story does stand alone. Set on a cruise ship, QM2, sailing across the Atlantic to New York just before Christmas. There was quite alot about general cruising life and lost me completely as the three friends Janet, Zelda and Viv travel between decks. Cruising has never appealed to me and this book certainly hasn't changed my mind. Mainly lovely characters with a villain in the mix in the form of controlling Isabelle. Entertaining and easy read.

The widows embark on an exciting holiday adventure aboard the Queen Mary 2, arriving in New York just in time for Christmas. Janet, still grieving the loss of her second husband, is convinced by her friends Zelda and Viv to take the cruise to lift her spirits. Once on board, they encounter Primrose, whose intriguing and suspicious life story pulls the trio into detective mode.

As they unravel the mystery surrounding Primrose, the widows embrace modern technology like social media and IT tools to sleuth their way to the truth. Along the way, themes of corruption, love, and resilience emerge, proving that life—and even romance—can be vibrant at any age. A touching romance develops when one of the widows meets a charming blind man and his guide dog, Billie, adding warmth and depth to the story.

This fun, lighthearted tale centers on friendship, with just enough mystery to keep you hooked and a dash of romance for good measure. I didn’t realize this was part of a series until after I had begun it. That being said, you can read it on its own without any trouble. Although I admit to now needing to go back and find out more about these ladies' other adventures.

I didn’t realise that this book was part of a series, and wonder if I had read the previous ones, whether I would have enjoyed it more? Touching on the grief of losing a loved one and the support of dear friends. Not sure that I liked all the main characters but enjoyed their interactions.

Zelda, Viv and Janet are back, and this time they are taking a trip on Queen Mary 2 from the UK to New York. Zelda has managed to find an affordable repositioning cruise, to convince Viv to share a cabin and for Janet to join them, although she will be travelling in style in a fancy suite.

It wasn't easy to convince Janet that she needed to come on the cruise. She has recently lost her second husband and so, even with her luxury suite, she isn't always in a party mood. That isn't helped when they meet another woman, Primrose Carmichael, who seems to have a lot in common with Janet, including perhaps the same former husband!

Zelda and Viv aren't convinced that Primrose is telling the truth, and that she might be some kind of trickster and so they put on their sleuthing hats and try to find out once and for all what is going on. They are somewhat hampered by intermittent internet outages which makes finding documentary evidence of any kind difficult, a massive storm and more. Zelda is also a little distracted when she hits it off with one of the musicians on the ship, a blind cellist by the name of William and his guide dog, Billie.

This is the third book in the Widows Wine Club series, and for me, this is the best of the series so far. I enjoyed the dynamics between the characters, the setting on the cruise ship, and the quick visit to New York at the end of the book. I also really enjoyed getting to know William and Billie, and the work that they did in spreading the word about the important work of guide dog associations. My reviews for the first two books can be found here and here.

I have done a couple of cruises now. The first was with a friend and our boys, who had just turned 18. The biggest mystery for us was if we could find them on the ship and how much money they could spend on board over the course of 10 days. Those balloon glass cocktails are expensive!

My husband and I are going on our next cruise in a couple of months time. I hope it is a lot less eventful than the one in this book.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.


Rating 4/5

Three friends, Janet, Viv and Zelda who are all widows, decide to go on a cruise the week before Christmas, on the QM2. They found the cruise was only going to New York and decided they would do it. Little did they know what they would discover on the cruise. They had arranged it so they would only have a table for three, but the first night they discovered it was a table for four. Primrose Carmichael, was going to be at their table.
This is the start of an adventure, that intrigues, all the women, are they are trying to solve the mystery, that is now part of their journeys.
I have never been on a cruise, but this was my kind of cruise. Friendship, excitement, and them coming together to figure out what was going on, that I forgot I was on a ship in the middle of the ocean. The adventure continues as they pull into New York, and it was nice seeing the sites of New York.
The author did an amazing job on telling this story, it made me feel like I was right there with them. Sometimes reading is the best way to have an adventure, and this was one of those times.
I received an ARC from Boldwood Books through NetGalley.

I have not read the previous books in this series. Would it have helped me enjoy this story better? I am not sure.
A story about widows heading out on a trip on the Queen Mary. Heading from the UK to New York.
There is mystery and romance throughout the story.
A question to ponder while reading this story…….Is age just a number????
Widows Waive the Rules is a cute story about life after loss. And, the bond of friendship.
I would like to read the books in order so I know more of the backstory to the main characters.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.