Kelsey is a woman on a mission of saving money to fund her and her mother’s goal of a cottage on the beach by working nonstop on a cruise ship. Ari is a very rich man posing as a tourist on Kelsey’s cruise ship to uncover why one of his ships is losing money. Kelsey knows she shouldn’t indulge in a relationship with a passenger, so she thinks she’s safe when she allows a one night stand. Except that one night stand turns into a fling and then too good to be true is just that. Overall a good read. The spicy scenes are quite spicy and typical of a fling experience. The writing style leaves a little to be desired, but it doesn’t ruin the story. I would have liked to see a bit more romance worked into the ending.

This was a miss for me. It’s a really short and fast-paced read, but not my style.

The meet-cute: Kelsey is a bartender on a cruise ship owned by the Callisthenes family. Ari Callisthenes is under cover as a regular passenger to observe what’s not going right on this particular cruise. Kelsey serves him a drink while he’s fighting off a migraine on day 1, complete with a little cocktail umbrella. From there, the two continue to run into each other until the chemistry is too hard to deny.

The romance aspect of it was fine, this IS a case of instalove, but it’s actually the last 15% of the book where the romance got better for me. Do Ari and Kelsey have believable chemistry? Yes. Did the relationship developing make sense? Honestly, not really to me.

I think part of it was the “denial” of the relationship and also Kelsey’s lack of concern for losing her job. Yes, she mentions it a few times…and then just goes and does it anyway.

The writing gets reallllly repetitive at times, and also some phrasing got so cringe I had to almost skip past it.
Also please, writers I’m begging you. If you’re going to have phrases in another language that are dialogue and important to your characters, it would be so helpful if you added footnotes or something within the story that translates it.

I don’t expect every romance to blow my mind or my heart away, but I also know I don’t enjoy reading the words “pelvic floor” when reading a spicy scene. I also don’t want to find myself thinking of j*zz floating around the pool after a particularly descriptive pool scene. I think others might enjoy this book, it’s just not for me.

I really enjoyed this book despite being a bit apprehensive about the title/cover initially and thinking it might not have much for substance to go with it. Actually the characters had depth and nuance, the story dealt really thoughtfully with themes of grief and loss. The premise was quite fun too and allowed for movement through a lot of different and interesting locations. I’ll definitely be checking out more from the author.

🚨 My first ARC review 🚨

3.75 star review

I want to thank Amy Andrews and NetGalley for this opportunity.

Spoiler free review!

I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read, funny, spicy, and all around very enjoyable. It had me hooked from the very first chapter.

Right off the bat, our author does an amazing job and shows the chemistry between the two main characters. Although it's quick, you can feel how genuine it is. Their spark was brought in so naturally.

A positive take for me was immediately being thankful for the description of the main female character. Amy Andrews describes Kelsey as curvy but doesn't stop there. She goes above and beyond to crush stereotypical ideas of the perfect curvy woman and instead mentions her cellulite and non-flat belly. I felt more connected and comfortable relating to this character.

Lastly, I was able to feel the love and care the author poured into the book. The descriptions were beautiful, and even something as simple as a paper unbrella felt like so much more.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone seeking a quick happily ever after romance story.

Thankyou #amyandrews and #netgalleycanada for the privilege of being an arc reader! It was my first time and I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity.

Great short read. I love a billionaire romance. Thanks for the advance reader copy. A one sitting read.

The book was okay. The FL felt like a second love instead of the main love interest because there was so much emphasis on the ML having known love before and insisting that his wife was his true love. That made the whole thing kinda less ingenuous. I so wanted the leads to stop cribbing about their past loves and follies and just concentrate on each other but they both were just too stuck in the past and bitter. Overall this book was good because the ML and FL were good people, there were some real issues that were talked about which were good so I cant say it was bad read. Just could have been less angsty on the past true love thing. That icked me out alot. That's a type of bitterness that's hard to let go of.

I was provided the ARC of this book by the author and publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

A fun fast read proving falling in love can happen on a boat. Ari and Kelsey are attracted to each other from the beginning yet, Ari has a secret and Kelsey is feeling guilty for breaking the rules on the ship. The romance was good while I would have liked a little more intrigue in their story. Still a good book and can’t wait to read the next one.

Love this author. She is an auto read for me! Great plot, good spice levels and really strong characters. Loved that it was set on a cruise ship! Amazing!

Loved reading the fantastic and awesome romance story. Even though Ari is undercover on the cruise ship, he can't help himself being drawn to an employee, Kelsey. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting romance story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

This story follows Ari, a billionaire who is undercover investigating problems on a cruise ship owned by his family’s company, and Kelsey, an employee on the ship. Kelsey says she has never gotten with a passenger before but then her and Ari hit it off quite quickly. Ari hasn’t been with anyone since his wife passed 3 years earlier, and hasn’t been interested in anyone since.

This was a bit shorter than I expected and I would’ve liked to have longer to get to know Ari and Kelsey and for their relationship to develop, particularly towards the end after the cruise has finished. There was a fair bit of angst, lying, and anger about the lying (blowing it out of proportion in my opinion), and a lot of focus at the end was spent on this rather than their relationship once they had gotten back together. Once they do rekindle, it very quickly progresses to months in the future and them getting married.

Overall it was a short and sweet story, but I would’ve enjoyed reading more about their relationship, particularly in the months between them rekindling and getting married. I have some outstanding questions (eg how does Ari propose? Do they move in together? What happens with Kelsey’s mum and the house? What happens with the cruise ship after Ari’s investigation?). The epilogue also being from Theo (Ari’s brother)’s perspective threw me off a bit as I wanted more of Ari and Kelsey but I can see it setting up Theo and Kelsey’s best friend for the next book.

My heart is still doing cartwheels, and I don’t even want it to stop.

Amy Andrews has this uncanny ability to make me feel like I'm right there, tangled in the forbidden tension between Kelsey and Ari. From the moment these two characters collided, quite literally in their electric chemistry—I couldn’t put the book down.

Kelsey was fire and spark, a woman who’s been through so much yet still stands strong, even when life keeps handing her curveballs. And then there’s Ari…mysterious, magnetic, and layered in a way that makes you want to peel back every guarded part of him, slowly and carefully.

What I loved most was how alive they felt to me. Their connection wasn’t just physical (though, phew, some of those scenes burned right off the pages). There was something raw and aching in the way they came together, how their guarded exteriors cracked just enough to let the other in. It wasn’t rushed or forced, it felt as if they couldn’t help but be drawn to each other, no matter how much they probably shouldn’t have.

But can we talk about the tension? Oh my goodness, the tension. Every glance, every brush of fingers, every stolen moment felt like a secret I wasn’t supposed to know, and I loved being in on it. It made me giddy, it made me blush, and it made my heart squeeze in that delicious way that only forbidden love can.

At its core, this book was about taking risks, emotional, personal, and even reckless ones. It hit me right in the feels because, deep down, isn’t that what love is all about? Kelsey and Ari reminded me that love doesn’t always come wrapped in convenience or caution. Sometimes it’s messy, inconvenient, and stormy, but it also feels like lightning in your veins. And that’s what kept me turning each page, completely invested.

I won’t spoil a single thing, but I will say this: when I finished the book, I had to sit there for a while, hugging it to my chest. I couldn’t say goodbye to the characters just yet…they felt like friends who had just poured their hearts out to me. If you’re someone who likes your love stories with equal parts heat, heart, and just enough rule-breaking to keep things exciting, this one is an absolute must-read.

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: Billionaire romance, cocktail waitress fmc, secret identity, forbidden romance, boss/employee, opposite attract

I just couldn’t get into this book. From the beginning, I felt like it was following a formulaic plot, and as I continued, it just felt like a cheap novel. After the first sex scene, I had to stop. It was so poorly written that I literally facepalmed. I couldn’t take it seriously, and I found myself cringing from secondhand embarrassment.

The author seemed to throw around a lot of metaphorical, "wise" writing, but it failed to evoke any real emotion. It felt like telling rather than showing, and I couldn’t connect with the story at all.

The premise had potential, and I had a few minor issues with the setting details (like the tipping system on cruise ships, which didn’t match my own experiences), but what ultimately ruined it for me was the heroine’s personality and behavior. Kelsey’s actions didn’t resonate with me. She was deeply affected by a past event, yet it didn’t feel believable that she’d act the way she did with Ari, especially after everything he did for her. Her behavior was frustrating, and I found it hard to sympathize with her.

Ari was the only character I liked, and I genuinely hoped he would overcome his grief. But Kelsey’s attitude made it impossible for me to enjoy their relationship, and the plot just didn’t deliver. Sadly, this one didn’t work for me, though I know it has its fans.

I'm giving it 1 ⭐.

There was so much potential for this book but I feel like it fell a bit flat. The plot was interesting, the characters had depth, but there wasn't enough time to explore the emotional connection. The story went from insta-lust straight to love, which fine I can get past that, but Kelsey and Ari only have 1 to 2 conversations that weren't surface level. I liked the idea of Ari's investigation, but it felt like those pages could've been better spent forming their connection instead of talking about health code violations and sexual harassment. Maybe it's just me but I don't want to be thinking about digestive distress sandwiched between two smutty scenes.

Thank you NetGalley for an early copy.

3rd Person POV
Dual POV
Fast Paced
Steamy
OTT Romance

How do I explain this book? I'm honestly not sure. There was a lot happening all at once and yet not much going on either.

My favorite part of the entire thing revolved around Ari finding out what was wrong with the ship. It wasn't the romance itself that did me in.

Don't get me wrong -- there are some romantic moments. But overall, the characters don't work for me. That's not to say others won't really love this story.

Ari and Kelsey have a very fast insta-lust relationship. When things eventually go south (because of some secrets), they have to figure out how to be without one another. The story shows the lead up until the TAB and then the resolution after. It's not super long, as I said, however you do get an HEA with a tease for the brother's story.

The spice is on page, however some of it was a bit stilted. I'm not sure if it's a language thing (this is British Eng) or cultural differences that left me confused at times.

<spoiler> There is a major plot line of the MMC being a widower. I did not see this in the trigger warnings and it might be difficult for some. Just a heads up. </spoiler>

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood books for the early ARC.

Entertaining take on the undercover boss and exemplary employee - he has his baggage, she has her story and goals, and the cruise ship has issues he needs to identify. Enough plot to keep things going and plenty of spice from early on.

If it has spice, I want to read it and lately I have become a big fan of billionaire romances. Andrews take on this trope was a good one. I liked the characters and the banter throughout the story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I was hoping for more adventure from the cruise part of the story. I love cruising and think that the ship and excursions would add a lot of appeal for some people. I liked the ending. Air went great lengths to show Kelsey and the people around her how much he loves her and was willing to wait for her.

This was a VERY quick read: I finished it in less than 24 hours.

Definitely spicy, which started off good, but as the story went on, there was honestly too MUCH spice and not enough STORY. It left me unconvinced there was enough for a HEA, and I felt as though the characters were in extreme lust, not love.

2.5 stars, rounded down for poor execution

•𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.•

Cocktail waitress Kelsey falls for her passenger Ari on the cruise. Ari is secretly the owner of the cruise liner....

A sexy and steamy romance. Love Kelsey and Ari. Great chemistry. Lots of swoony romance too.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

I truly enjoyed this book! Usually, forced proximity and secret identity plots can feel overdone, with scenarios requiring a lot of suspension of disbelief to keep the story going. However, the author handled it masterfully in this case.

It’s almost an insta-love, but I’d describe it more as an insta-attraction. The setting on a ship was incredibly fun and, for me, quite refreshing. I really liked it.

Spoiler Alert: What I appreciated most was that Kelsey didn’t find out about Ari’s identity through someone else—he told her himself. Just for that, chef’s kiss! The third-act breakup was necessary and well-executed. That said, I missed having an epilogue that delved more into the couple’s future. Did they stay in Australia? Move to Greece? Go somewhere else?

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.