I barely managed to finish this only out of respect for the author. This one did not hit the mark for me. I’ve watched below deck series like every other person under 40 has so it was hard with the discrepancies happening in the book. For example chief stew fmc was insecure and a pushover. She would have never been chief stew. Then a person tipped 10,000 dollars each to the crew. Come on. I had to rewind it to make sure that’s what was said. Some parts like the googley eye soliloquies from fmc about mmc seems so bland, pick me that I wondered if she used chat gpt.

Like every woman in the world, Lucky’s dream is to open up a bakery. She’s saving up money for her dream job by working on a superyacht in the Mediterranean. And she’s NOT looking for love. A new deckhand, Hunter is her new bunkmate. Classic forced proximity and reality tv show drama!

This is a fun audiobook for the warmer weather! Makes me want to go to the Mediterranean. Read this if you love forced proximity, insta love, workplace romance. Thanks to Montlake, Net Galley, and Sariah Wilson for the ARC. Pub date 3/18/25

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

I like being transported across the world to the Mediterranean, to spend some time on the yacht it felt like a mini getaway. This was a fun story of forbidden romance with the forced proximity. It felt like a trip to the college dorms but at sea. Lots of different personalities forced to work and live together while having a set of rules they secretly break.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Lucky just got promoted to Chief Steward on the luxury yacht she works on. This means a pay increase and a chance at opening her bakery earlier than planned. The only issue is the new owners of the yacht implemented a new no fraternization rule along the staff. Now that she’s in a leadership role she will have to uphold the rules. Which shouldn’t really be a problem she isn’t attracted to any of the other staff. Then a new deckhand names Hunter joins the crew. He’s gorgeous and they have a sizzling chemistry.

Hunter is joining the crew under a secret identity for the next six months to prove to his parents he has what it takes. If he makes it the six months they will help fund his dream. This means following the rules and working hard. When he meets his coworkers he’s blown away by Lucky she’s genuine and a hard worker, it’s an instant attraction. To make it worse she’s his new bunk mate so they will be spending lots of forced time together. How is he suppose to keep this friendly when his hearts tells him he needs more.

Come cruise the Mediterranean and find out how this season on the water will go!

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

“I’ve been imagining kissing you for weeks, Lucky. I want it more than almost anything.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Chief Stew Super Yacht FMC
* New Deckhand & Secret Identify MMC
* Friends to Lovers
* Non Fraternization Rule For The Crew
* Forced Proximity - Bunk Mate
* He Falls First & Hard
* FMC Gets Panic Attacks
* Saving Money to Open a Bakery
* She Doesn’t Like Rich People
* Dual POV

🩵⚓️🛥️ 🩵⚓️🛥️ 🩵⚓️🛥️ 🩵⚓️🛥️ 🩵

This is really cute especially is you like a tragic backstory and insta-love. Hunter and Lucky are such a supportive and fun couple! The boat puns and the bakery dream were my favorite parts.

I absolutely LOVED this book! placing the book on a mega yacht was unique and really interesting. I loved the main characters as well. I was immediately taken by Hunter and his backstory. I was also a massive fan of Lucky from page one. The character development throughout as well as the endearing side characters made this the perfect Rom Com book. The banter between the characters combined with the endless sea puns was both hilarious and ridiculous in the kind of way we all love a good dad joke. I have no criticisms of this book. It was everything I want from a romance novel. I would be thrilled to see this turned into a movie!!!

This charming and entertaining read was the perfect escape! As a big fan of the show Below Deck, I loved how this story brought that world to life. With a wild crew and outrageous passengers, the antics in this story make for an endlessly amusing ride!

And the nautical puns? An added delight!

ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖…
🛏️Forced Proximity
⚓️Workplace Romance
🙅🏻‍♀️Forbidden Romance
💞Insta Love
🛥️Below Deck
🧠Mental Heath Rep

3.5 stars rounded to 4 for Goodreads

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.

The narrators, Eric London and Summer Morton, delivered really good, engaging performances as Hunter and Lucky. This was the first book I'd listened to narrated by Eric London, and I hope it won't be my last.

Thank you to Montlake for my e-ARC.

We come upon Lucky, who has recently stepped into a new role as the new head stewardess aboard the super yacht she worked on, and as someone who struggles with anxiety, she wasn’t too thrilled over this new role. She puts that to the back of her head though with a pay increase as she’s working towards one day owning her own bakery, the same bakery that used to belong to her grandmother who sadly lost it and has since passed.

Hunter, the new deckhand, joins the team and also becomes Lucky’s bunkmate. It doesn’t help that they’re both instantly attracted to each other, and there’s a new rule that crew members are not allowed to fraternize with each other.

What could possibly go wrong?

Lucky and Hunter’s chemistry was obvious, with their easy flow of conversation and both understanding each other in ways others never did. They both had goals they wanted to achieve and it was crucial to keep their jobs to reach them. Only the more time they spent together, the harder it was for them to keep their hands to themselves and break the rules.

While I liked the majority of this story, there were parts that I wasn’t too fond of personally but I’m sure others would love.

It’s great for anyone who loved a forbidden romance, forced proximity, and mental health rep.

Thank you Brilliance Publishing, Sariah Wilson, and NetGalley for this arc audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

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!

The setting was absolutely gorgeous! Wilson does an excellent job painting the Mediterranean as a sun-soaked paradise that feels like a mini escape from reality. The forced proximity trope was good, Lucky and Hunter sharing a tiny cabin added tension and humor to their budding relationship. Plus, there’s some great mental health representation in this story as Lucky struggles with anxiety and panic attacks, and Hunter deals with ADHD. Their moments of supporting each other felt genuine and heartwarming.

The romance itself is slow burn- It gave Lucky and Hunter time to build their connection beyond physical attraction. And the nautical puns sprinkled throughout the book were cheesy but endearing!

While I liked Lucky and Hunter as characters, their backstories felt surface-level to me. We get brief mentions of their pasts—Lucky’s bakery dream tied to her grandparents and sending her sisters money as they lie to her about why they need it and Hunter’s struggles after losing his sister, but I wanted more depth. The emotional stakes could have been higher if these elements had been explored more fully.

Additionally, some parts of the story felt predictable. You could see where things were heading from early on, which took away some of the excitement. And while clean romances aren't something I read often, this one leaned heavily on lusty thoughts without much payoff in terms of deeper emotional connection. It could have still been a clean romance and had some fade to black moments.

This book was adorable!

I absolutely love Sariah Wilson’s writing always. These two characters, Lucky & Hunter, are so easy to love and swoon over. I absolutely loved the yacht scene because I just spent 2 weeks on a yacht in Italy in June and it was so fun to tie the two together.

I highly recommend this book if you like a lighthearted, adorable easy and quick bingable romance read!

Fans of close proximity and forbidden romance are sure to enjoy this swoony new work place romance by Sariah Wilson. I thought it was cool the way the author set the majority of this novel on a yacht, with both MCs being yacht employees, and the way the setting played into the plot and overall story. I really liked the dual POV, that made a big difference in my level of enjoyment as I read this book. I really like getting Hunter's perspective and the buildup on his end, while also seeing where Lucky was coming from. I definitely feel like that was a smart decision for this story.
While I really liked the swoony romance and definite sparks that were flying with this one, I am torn because it also felt kind of lusty and at times, I longed for more depth than just the undeniable physical attraction that was happening. It's closed door, but I would argue a dream sequence put it firmly in fade to black with almost a peek inside. The ending was good, but I actually wanted more at the end because it seemed to be getting at more depth by then instead of just that hot physical attraction.
I listened to the audiobook version and really liked both narrators. Again, I think the dual POV was a wise choice with this plot and the dual narration highlighted that in a really good way. I recommend the audiobook version.
I received an advance listening copy of this novel from Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An easy, quick listen! I listen to audiobooks while I run and do chores or mindless tasks. This was pleasant to listen to, and such a fun scene. I finished it and found myself wanting more!

If you are a fan of workplace romance and forced proximity, this is right up your alley. Set onboard a yacht, this had Below Deck vibes with the BTS of the crew. Lucky was unexpectedly promoted as the top crew and has been instructed to watch over the latest hire, Hunter.
There is an instant attraction and they share a cabin and must resist each other due to the no dating rule onboard. The story is fun with the interaction between crew members as well as guests. There's tension between Lucky and Hunter as well as work place stress.
This was just a bit too insta love for me. I also didn't like how the work place sabotage was left with no consequences.

Eric London and Summer Morton did a good job with bringing cruising crew to life.

Thank you @brillancepublishing for a copy of this

Sariah Wilson always delivers with her sweet romances and Falling Overboard was no different. Lucky is working onboard a super yacht in the hopes of raising cash to buy her own bakery. When she is roomed with Hunter, a last minute addition to the crew, the two can't help but get close. With the strict no fraternizing clause in their contracts though, both know they need to keep their relationship under wraps. I appreciate how this clean romance took time for the two to solidify how they felt about each other. It was a feel good romance that had me smiling as I finished the last page. The audiobook was superbly narrated and I enjoyed listening while I read along with my ebook copy.

Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an advanced copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review!
This was a slow burn, forced proximity (can't get much closer than a cabin on a yacht!) romance. I liked most of it, I think Lucky and Hunter had great chemistry and I really liked how they tried respecting rules of their employment as best they could. I enjoyed reading a romcom with a yacht setting (new for me!) and learning about all the things the employees do, as well as how terrible some of the guests on the boat were. My only real complaint is not knowing what Emily's fate was. I sincerely hope she meets karma in the worst way possible.
Narrators were both excellent, and I would definitely recommend this audio book!

I enjoyed the character diversity, unique setting(s) throughout, and ADHD/anxiety representation. While there were a few conflicts the main character(s) needed to overcome throughout the story, there really wasn't much of a plot. Overall I'd recommend this is as a pun-ny closed door romance with lots of angst.

Loved the narration! Took me a little bit to get used to the male voice but once I did it was off to the races!

Super yacht setting, instalust/love, forced proximity, ADHD rep, anxiety rep, death of sibling, death of parents

Cute story and great setting!

Forced proximity, forbidden love, insta love and a few more!

This romance is set on a superyacht in the Mediterranean and the characters are coworkers.
Lucky and Hunter are very lovable characters, with great chemistry and nice banter with a lot of puns throughout the book :D I really loved the mental health representation in this book and how the characters were so understanding and supportive of each other.

Lucky's sisters and her coworker Emily were quite annoying ...it does make sense in the story but I still felt like they could have been handled better or sooner so it wasn't dragged out through the whole book.

The audiobook narration was in duet form and done very well!

Forced proximity
Insta love

I found this story t be cute and funny. It gave me “below deck” (tv show) vibes. And I loved it!

Lucky is a 24 yr old new head stew on a superyacht. She has anxiety and is determined to do a good job. She wants to save up money to open her own bakery.

Hunter is the new deckhand for the yacht and has to share a cabin with Lucky.

Lucky and Hunter are both very interested in the other but there is a strict no relationships between crew rule put in place by the new yacht owner.

This was a fun lighthearted read. The nautical puns had me laughing out loud. I enjoyed that the MCs were supporting of each other. Great mental health representation within this book.

Closed door spice but the book is very enjoyable.
**Dual Narration