I didn’t become versed in all things ‘fandom’ until about ten years ago, when I started reading fanfiction. Until then I would have had no idea what someone meant if they said “I ship it” or used terms like OTP. Now though, I do know what those things mean, and even have a few favorite “ships” of my own. 😉 So, when I read the premise for Karrie Roman’s latest novel, Shipped, it definitely piqued my interest. I quite enjoyed her first novel, Saved, published last year, also with NineStar Press, so was interested to see what she would do with the celebrity romance trope.

Fandom can be a strange, intense place. People get, sometimes very literally, crazy over their favorite characters, actors, actresses, and couples. Which is something actors Ryan Lowe and Lucas Evers very quickly realize in Saved, and something Ryan was in no way prepared for. Ryan is a sweet, humble guy who came to Hollywood to escape his small-town life in Australia and an alcoholic father. He lucked his way into a leading role on a popular TV show The Witches’ Hammer, a role a different big fan-favorite was originally supposed to play. But, surprisingly, even as an unknown, fans of the show embrace Ryan as Sam. An embrace that unfortunately becomes suffocating and leads to anxiety and debilitating panic attacks at fan events. Luckily, though, his costar is there to hold him up.

Lucas Evers has been enjoying moderate success and popularity in Hollywood for some time. He isn’t a stranger to enthusiastic fans or dealing with the events that go along with promo. At the first major event for the show, however, he quickly realizes how serious the struggle is for his costar, and, as a result, finds himself feeling very protective of him. Lucas was immediately attracted to his soon-to-be leading man but was constantly worried about being too obvious. Thankfully the show calls for a certain number of amorous looks and touches, or he would have been sunk and his secret revealed. Because publicly, Lucas is straight and married to his childhood best friend, Anna, but what the world doesn’t know is that the marriage is just a cover for them both.

I liked both MCs a lot. Roman does a nice job developing the relationship, creating first a strong friendship, and then the romance. Lucas is Ryan’s best friend, and vice-versa; Ryan initially doesn’t act on any attraction not only because he believes Lucas is happily married to Anna but because the friendship is so important to him. I also loved Lucas and Anna’s friendship. They were so tight and loyal and so obviously adored each other…I loved them both. And, the romance really was very sweet. Lucas believes he has found his missing piece in Ryan. This little passage warmed my little romance-loving heart:

It was that elusive piece everybody is born without, because the love of your life had it with them. The ache of longing and wanting only eased when that piece was found. He’d found it now—with Ryan, and he wasn’t letting it go.

Where the book went wrong for me was in the story execution. There were so many threads and subplots going on that it took away from the big picture. I think Roman was just trying to do too many things. Evil families, crazy stalkers, attempted murders, alcoholism, etc. There were a couple of things that weren’t properly addressed or explored because there was so much going on. I felt like the first half was strong. As I said, I enjoyed the characters, the relationships, and the premise of fandom, ships, and the intensity of that kind of fame. But, it fell apart a bit in the second half for me as the author tried to catch all the plates she had in the air.

I can’t recommend this one as strongly as I did Roman’s first book, unfortunately. But, I will most likely peek at the next book in the series, as I did totally dig the side character—one of the guys’ bodyguards that was introduced—who I suspect will be the MC there.

Reviewed by Jules

I loved this book this was the first book that I have read from this author and I can't wait to o read more from this author in the future as I was hooked from the very first page this was a sweet romance and I
Loved the connection between the characters

Shipped by Karrie Roman is the first book in the Until You series. I found this story to be really sweet, fiery, and a touch of action/adventure.
Ryan is a lonely soul who has been through a lot in his life. He loves acting and that is where he really shines. Getting a roll in a TV series is a great break for him. Allows him to get away from his former life and make something of himself.
Lucas is running from his past. He is an established successful actor who knows the price of fame. He is a strong character who really has a lot of layers to him.

Overall a great fast-paced read. Some really touching steamy romance. And a little mystery sprinkled in for fun. I loved this start to this series and look forward to more in the future.


Five Shooting Stars

This was just okay for me. I liked the plot, but found the quality of the writing and editing to be lacking.

Content/trigger warnings: alcohol abuse, aphobia, aromisia, stalking, physical assault

This was certainly a cute read, but it was also quite dry. It took me longer to read than most novels because it lacked the "spice" or "sexiness" that really makes a romance novel appealing. Regardless, the premise was adorable, and I certainly do not regret making the effort to finish this story.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars

This is an angst-filled story about the romance between two young Hollywood stars. The relationship between co-stars Ryan and Lucas unfolds between the celeb gossip soundbites and the self-awareness of the book made me smile. The story doesn’t deviate too far from a traditional celebrity romance. The crazed stalker storyline has been told before, but the boys’ celeb nickname is a Millennial invention.

While we get both Lucas and Ryan’s points of view in this book, I found Ryan easier to like than Lucas. Where Ryan is an open book, Lucas’ is oblivious to too many important things going on around him – and his closeted life feels quite dated. The chemistry between Ryan and Lucas is instantaneous and I loved the slow build sexual tension between the boys.

The ending of this story unravels into soap opera worthy drama. Between police action scenes, harrowing injuries, miraculous recoveries, and complicated stalker plots, it all became a bit too much for me. Ultimately, this is a sweet and self-aware romance between two gorgeous leading men. It’s a Hollywood fantasy romance and while it isn’t always terribly plausible, it is very entertaining.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆
3.5 stars

This is the first in a new series, and I am looking forward to reading the next installment already!

I really enjoyed the story and the writing style is easy, my only real criticism is that it felt overly long. Part of that might have been that I wanted the answers, to see how it could work, and everything be reconciled. The first half of the book certainly didn't give me any clue as to the drama that would unfold in the second. Slow, easy falling in love, possibly with the wrong person, turned into quite a dangerous, hospital-needing rollercoaster of a second half.

It was a revealing insight into how many celebrities are hounded for any gossip available, and a reminder that they are people too. Ryan's unease was vividly written, and Lucas's support was, from the very beginning, an indication of how in tune they would be. Their connection and care for each other shone through, as well as the chemistry which fuelled the shippers.

Plenty more story to come and I will definitely be reading on. Thank you, Karrie Roman.

Shipped appealed to me as soon as I read the blurb. I am an avid shipper, and I can't resist a story set in the world of filmmaking. So it seemed a match made in heaven. And mostly, it was. I really enjoyed entering Ryan and Lucas' world, and I loved their pairing (much as their fans did!) from the get-go. At times, their early relationship felt a little obsessive, but that soon dissipated once the main thrust of the plot got underway. There was a nice balance of action and drama, with good pacing, and a satisfying ended that provided a fun set-up for book two. All in all, it was a fun, enjoyable read, and I would definitely check out future works from this author.

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR-STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
A very busy cover. The top half contains two men standing facing off-centered with a blazing sunset behind them. The bottom half shows a large city with a large, long bridge. I did not even read the synopsis before picking it up. I fell in love with Ms Roman's 2017 debut, SAVED, and jumped at this one with unbridled excitement.

> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third-person
Ryan left Australia with dreams of acting in Hollywood but never considered how fame would change life as he knew it. Lucas was already established in Hollywood. He and his wife kept one another grounded, reminding one another who they really were.
When the two men meet, there's an undeniable pull toward one another but neither would make a move because, well, "he's straight" and "He's married" were factoring obstacles. Fans fell hard for their natural chemistry though and soon it was hard to tell where the characters' feelings left off and the off-screen feelings began.
Plenty of drama and conflict. I had my suspect pegged and, although close, I was wrong! It's always nice to be wrong when reading a story! Character interaction was good. Dialogue was believable and it all flowed well. The ONLY reason it took so long to read this one is because I picked it up two days before our moving truck was dropped off and had very little time or wakefulness to read in these last, nearly, two weeks.
The ending, for me, was a big let down. The story ended WIDE OPEN, without even an implied HEA. Instead, we get a glimpse into book 2, SENTINEL, which will pick up where SHIPPED left off, allowing Lucas and Ryan to continue their story in the background of the new couple's story (must read book 1 before reading book 2, this will be a saga-style series, it seems).
.
Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.15 ~ Stars: 4
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⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley but also pre-ordered it from the Publisher and am voluntarily leaving unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐

I have mixed feelings about this book.

First, the good—I really liked both main characters, Ryan and Lucas, and I liked them together as a couple. If the focus had just been on them and their developing relationship, on things like when and how they should come out as a couple to the fans of their hit TV show, I would have been perfectly happy.

BUT . . . the author interjected so much drama into the story that it actually took away from the romance. Both characters are burdened with problem families. Ryan has severe panic attacks based on his new-found fame as an actor. There’s a crazy stalker. Lucas is involved in a severe car accident. And then the final chapters bring a revelation that is so over the top, it felt like the story had gone off the rails.

So, I don’t know. I think how much a reader likes this novel will be based on their tolerance for that kind of dramatic storytelling. For me, it was merely an OK read, but I’d still be willing to try another book by the author.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Shipped is everything I love in a romance. I am thrilled to have discovered this gem by Karrie Rowan.

Ryan and Lucas meet on set of their tv show. Their characters fall in love, and their show's fandom is going crazy for this couple. Off set, they are becoming the best of friends, as well as becoming extremely attracted to each other.

Ryan has always been straight, and Lucas has no reason to suspect that Ryan has real feelings for him. Lucas, of course, appears to be straight to everyone, as he is married to a woman.

As the sexual tension grows, Lucas's wife works hard to convince him to tell Ryan the truth. Their marriage has been a cover all this time. Lucas is gay. And Lucas has fallen head over heels in love with Ryan.

To make things difficult, there is also someone stalking Ryan. And they will be messing with both boys.

One of my favorite parts of this story is the character of Lucas's wife, Anna. She is such a refreshing female character for a M/M Romance. She is nice, caring, kind, and a wonderful person.

Hands down the best scene takes place on the yacht. Ryan's bad introduction to the other people is unforgettable.

Ryan and Lucas are now one of my favorite book couples. Their connection, emotions, and electricity are so well written. They are unequivocally in love.

Karrie Roman does a fantastic job with this story. The writing style is fantastic, the plot is both romantic and mysterious, and the pace is great. I am super impressed by this new author and look forward to her future books.

I highly recommend that you read Shipped. It is fun, emotional, and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Ryan comes to America to follow his dream of becoming a star. He got the acting bug in his high school years. It made his empty life liveable. Lucas is a star rising from his hit show Witches’ Hammer. When Ryan comes to audition for a part, Lucas is taken aback by his good looks and his easy demure. Ryan has never been with a man before but he finds himself attracted to Lucas. Since their characters on the show are gay and are falling in love it's easy for them to act the part Now they just have to get past the fact that so many things start to change at the same time. There is their relationship, a starker, Lucas marriage. And Ryan finds out that fame is not always a good thing. There's a lot going on but its written well and the end is a real shocker.

Ryan and Lucas. I liked this one it was cute and sweet but normally in MF books my biggest pet peeves is the assumptions and not communicating. And I normally don't see it as much in the MM genre but sadly it's leaked into this genre, and I still don't like that story line. This time around each of them think the other is straight and ignores all the signs of the opposite.

Ryan and Lucas are both actors on a show where there is a MM story line but both life and the show assume each other are straight. But as the characters on the show start to have feelings for one another, its also happening parallel in real life. And they aren't sure what is real and what is acting. Then you add a whole bunch of assumptions, doubt then no communication which creates unnecessary drama.

However, once they both get their heads out of their asses and give into each other it gives the fans within the story and the readers of the book what they are wanting from these two.

Once they got together then the story started to progress better and then the suspense of the stalker started to fill the other moments. And I have to admit I didn't actually see it coming of who the stalker was. So that was a pleasant surprise that it wasn't super predictable and it kept the element of surprise within the story.

I am a bit hooked into these characters now, so I can't wait for Sentinel book #2 where we get Ethan's story. Right now I'm thinking its going to be Ethan & Ben. Fingers crossed that's the case. And now that Ethan will continue to work for Ryan & Lucas we get more of them as well. Win. Win.

4.5 stars

Synopsis: Ryan auditions for a tv show based on a popular book and gets the part. He's an unknown working with more famous actors, and is really excited to have the job after surviving in LA working odd jobs. The actor who plays his love interest in the show quickly becomes a really good friend. Ryan has never really been interested in labels, and although he has been attracted to men, he has only ever been with women. He quickly develops an attraction to Lucas, his costar, but Lucas seems to be happily married and quite content with mere friendship.
As their friendship develops, feelings deepen on both sides. Ryan, who has never really had friends, doesn't know how to handle his feelings of loneliness...or how to deal with fame.

What I liked: the fact that fame was not portrayed as glamourous, and in fact was quite oppressive to Ryan felt realistic. I liked the friendship between Lucas and Ryan, and the friendship between Ryan and Lucas' wife. Nothing happened between Lucas and Ryan until Ryan had confirmed with Anna, Lucas' wife, that they had never had a real marriage. The secondary characters were vivid and added to the story. There was no manufactured angst or big misunderstanding.

What I didn't like: there were so many highs and lows with everything that was going on with both Lucas and Ryan. Also, Ryan, who had an alcoholic for a father, and got away from him as soon as he was able to, was a lot too fond of the drink, and didn't seem to be able to stop until he was fuzzy.

Overall impression: I liked the writing in this book. Everything flowed really easily together, and the characters were interesting. I would definitely read more books by this author. I would recommend this for someone looking for drama without the angst, with a heartwarming story of friendship that grows to love. Told in alternating 3rd person POV between Ryan and Lucas.

*I received a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this book, I really did! I stopped and started it several times and when I finally put my foot down and made myself read it, I did a lot of skimming. I hate when I force myself to read something and not just DNF it. Anyway, our MC’s meet on a TV series. Luke is married to Anna, who I really liked, and Ryan thinks he’s straight. Luke does come clean to Ryan and explains what the deal is before they really get going. Ryan is from Australia but I never really got the feeling that he was. If I hadn’t been told this, I never would have known it. The issues with Luke's family and the stalker felt unfinished. While I did like their chemistry, I don’t think it was enough to carry the book. I think the book could have used some series editing getting the plot tightened down before running off to the next point. Even though I only rated this 2.5 stars, I might continue on as it isn’t really finished.

This was a fresh and fun take on the famous actor romance trope. Readers will get a quiet kick out of the underlying plot. Best selling book series is made into an ultra popular TV show with rabid fans. M/M Romance readers will get a kick out of two male actors taking the romantic lead away from the original F/M leads. ;-)

Lucas and Ryan are both actors. Lucas is a little more experienced and appears to be a rising star. Ryan is newer on the scene but already making a name for himself acting next to Lucas.

Lucas is gay but married. Don't worry, that gets cleared up very early on and you won't be disappointed. Ryan doesn't label himself. He's only been with women but admits he finds men attractive too.

Lucas and Ryan fall for the other. Both men struggle with admitting their feelings to each other - for obvious reasons. But, once they do, the romance proceeds with very little angst. I'd even say it was all a bit mushy. In a sweet way.

The twists and turns in the plot come from life as a public figure and the things that can go wrong with that seemingly blissful lifestyle.

I enjoyed the story even though it's not the type I'm usually most fond of. For my tastes, it moved a little slow and there were missed opportunities to increase the dramatic effect. Yet, it was a very sweet love story, and if that's what you're looking for, you won't be disappointed.

3.5 stars

Shipped has such a unique premise that I absolutely couldn’t turn down the opportunity to read it. This title is the first I’ve read from the author but I found her style to be pretty smooth with well-flushed out characters. I think we’ve all seen celebrities or co-stars with fantastic chemistry that you hope will get together, so it seemed like Shipped would be an easy homerun in which those moments “come true”. Yet, for some reason, I simply kept putting this book down in favor of another title, audiobook, or whatever caught my attention at the moment.

At the start, I was really interested in the storyline and found Lucas and Ryan likable. Though I won’t say that changed much over the course of the book, the characters didn’t develop as much as I’d hoped- individually or as a couple. Given the degree of immediate attraction between the men, I expected this book to sizzle with a palpable connection but Lucas and Ryan’s chemistry never exploded from the page for me. I also found the amount of drama the men faced to be just this side of too much. Ultimately, Shipped felt a bit imbalanced- with more of a focus on the melodrama rather than character and relationship development- and at times it failed to keep my attention. I think if you enjoy fan fiction and don’t mind a good dose of Hollywood stylized conflict in your romance, Shipped could make for a fun, heat-filled romance.

Shipped had a cute premise but I found it to be a bit too cheesy. The emotions were over the top, and the drama was very soap opera-like. The MCs were likable but enjoyed talking too much about their feelings. Okay, I get it. You guys like each other. Move along, please. The drama was predicable and not exciting enough to keep my interest. I noticed I was skimming through more than reading every sentence. The book ended on a cliffhanger, but I don't think I'm interested enough to read the second in the series.

Ryan Lowe came to the U.S. from Australia in the hopes of making it big in Hollywood. Acting was the only bright spot in his life while living with an alcoholic father and Ryan wants a different life.

Lucas Evers has been a successful TV actor for years and while he loves his job, he knows the price of fame. He has to keep his true self hidden from the world and he married his best friend, Anna, to keep both of their secrets. Luke and Anna are the best of friends, it’s truly a marriage of convenience, and Luke is fine with the arrangement. That is, until he meets Ryan.

When Ryan is cast as Luke’s love interest on the hottest new show, it’s not only the fans that want them together. While their characters are falling in love, so are the men themselves. But, Ryan sees Luke as married and Luke sees Ryan as straight and the bright lights of fame may be too much for Ryan as he’s faced with panic attacks and a violent stalker. The men feel better when they are together, but they are going to have to come out of the friend zone to get the relationship they have always wanted.

Some books are just okay and this book didn’t do its job to fully keep my attention. We get caught up in both characters’ lives fairly quickly as Ryan and Luke become costars on the wildly popular TV show. They have instant chemistry on screen and off and the fandoms go crazy for them. The first half of the book is partly Ryan trying to navigate his new-found fame as he gets caught up in anxiety and too much drinking. Ryan came to California from Australia, but aside from a few uses of the word “mate,” he wasn’t presented as overly Australian. The other part of the book is both men thinking the other is straight, which went on too long for me. Luke is married (in name only), so Ryan thinks he is straight and while the men become the best of friends, they never discuss the terms of their relationship. Luke’s wife, Anna, is fully supportive of Luke telling Ryan how he feels, and while the guys have chemistry, it’s a slow progression to movement on their relationship.

There were also many side plots going on here with Luke’s family, Ryan having severe anxiety over being in the spotlight, and then him being stalked, as well as a brief storyline of Anna finding love. The story line with Luke’s family, as well as with the stalker, never felt finished. When Luke and Ryan need full-time bodyguards, an entire cast is introduced and then this leads up the set-up for the next book in the series, but it was clunky in its presentation.

The main storyline is current with a popular TV show and Ryan and Luke being shipped, yet some of the word choices read as dated and some of the dialogue felt forced without that natural flow of conversation. There were also repetitive thoughts that looped around too often and I found the flow of the story being constantly broken for too many reasons.

The core relationship between Luke and Ryan had something to it, but everything around it worked against it. The stalker was obvious, but that part of the storyline never felt fully resolved. There were also too many new characters introduced toward the end of the book with an epilogue that raised questions instead of wrapping things up and I’m not sure I’m up for a sophomore season. I would only suggest this book if you like stories involving fandom with a lot of moving parts and a lot of hesitation by both characters for half of the book.

I'm really struggling to write this review. The story was fine, good even, I enjoyed it but I didn't connect with it. It seems to me the book could have been a great work of fan fiction, but it was a bit of a struggle to read this from a romance perspective.

You see, usually, there's a bit of every book where you can see yourself as one of the characters. The average person who catches the celebrities eye, for example. You can convince yourself there still a chance. Reading about two celebrities didn't allow for that, it left me feeling a bit awkward, to be honest.

It wasn't a big deal though; the story was engaging and easy to follow. There was some repetitive, I shouldn't have these feelings - he's straight type thoughts that came up too often and for too long. Although I understand their role in the book, I couldn't help but think they should talk things out like grown-ups.

I enjoyed the bits and pieces of the cost of fame; the crowds, the screaming, the flashing cameras. I also appreciated the way Ryan reacted to everything, it felt very genuine, and it was much appreciated that he wasn't completely flawless. Anxiety disorders are not written about as often as they should be. It was also sweet how Lucas could comfort him and ease his anxiety when necessary. I enjoyed watching protective streak develop as the story went on.

The steamy bits were sweet and steamy. It was clear how much the characters cared about each other and that is so important in a good sex scene. I loved that Ryan and Lucas started their relationship as friends because I think friendship provides a great foundation for a romantic relationship. Another thing I appreciated was how they both tried to fight their feelings for the other.

I've heard about a trope in LGBT romance called gay-for-you or out-for-you. I'll admit, I was curious how that worked. Not curious enough to seek a book out, I worried it would seem fake. After reading this book I think it would fall into that category. I'm happy to say the development of the relationship felt genuine even while other parts of the book felt unrealistic.

There was also some stalker action/ suspense type drama through the book. I don't read a lot of books with drama like that and I was able to guess who the bad guy was early on, which is rare for me so I'm proud of myself right now.

Overall, Shipped was a cute, light summer read. I would recommend it to anyone who wants relax with a good book by the pool.

A great read. Two hot actors fall in love on screen and off.
Luke and Ryan. A paranormal TV show, two great actors and a great plot.
Luke is married but it is not a real marriage. Ryan starts crushing on his co-star. They have a good time working together, then start a romance in their off time. Then there comes some trouble in the form of crazy stalker people.
I really enjoyed this book. Was entertained, engrossed enough to read all in one go.
Well done.
(Given a copy for an honest review) (Thanks) (NetGalley)