An enjoyable read although the main character Sarah has her demons and seems to be clearly still suffering from PTSD when she takes on this new role as security officer on board a luxurious super yacht. This perhaps explains why she misses some fairly obvious pointers that all is not well.

Overall this was quote well written and reasonably paced and it would be interesting to see if there will be further stories which would allow Sarah to further develop.

Sarah - a new heroine! A troubled ex-Marine with a well-trained, well-honed body and a traumatised mind, it's not clear whether she will rise up to the challenges her new job throws at her. A great plot, with lots of twists and turns, but slightly marred by Sarah missing the obvious indications that something was awry.

Sarah, an ex Royal Navy Marine, has been struggling with her demons since being in civvie street. An old friend, Mitch, also ex services, recruits her to be the security on a billionaire’s yacht.

The premise of this story was intriguing and I looked forward to reading, and if you like action thrillers then this would definitely suit.

However, the plot line was slow and laborious with too many fillers and too much repetition (yes, we know he had a goofy smile), so much so that the action became lost and didn’t really emerge until towards the end of the book. It was also obvious very early on who the baddie and their sidekick were, no surprises there.

A long, drawn out read. Sorry, not what I was expecting.

2.5* upped to 3*

Thank you NetGalley.

An ex-marine, Sarah French, is employed as security on a super yacht being delivered to the Caribbean. Only the crew and a couple of ‘guests’ on board. Of course, things go wrong with the weather, equipment on board and crew relationships. Can Sarah fight the baddies, save the ship and help the other crew members? In addition, Sarah has to fight her own emotional/mental demons relating to personal loss and a feeling of guilt. You’ll know the answer to whether she wins through but not quite the where, how and why details.
It kept me reading to the very end, even though the author signposted the baddies too clearly (but not evident enough for our heroine) and the action was rather predictable. Quite well written and you can envision the film rights will be in demand.
Overall, enjoyable enough if you like action thrillers.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

This novel revolves around Sarah, an ex-marine who joins the crew of a luxury super-yacht to be the security guard on their transatlantic voyage to hand the boat over to new owners.
We get to know her initial impressions of all the crew she is sailing with, but as we go along the book, we find out that not everyone is as they seem.
It's told in the first person of Sarah, which helped understand some of her past issues with PTSD and why this role is so important to her, and her stage of life.
I found the book engaging, and was rooting for Sarah for the most part, as well as wanted to know more about the people she was sailing with. The tension was well paced throughout the book, and I was actually quite happy with the conclusion of the story. The characters were well developed, and you really felt the strength that Sarah had to pull at various times throughout the story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a thriller, with lots of twists and turns - although potentially not one to read on a cruise holiday!

This novel by Cameron Ward has pulled out all of the stops to make this (not quite, but almost) who-done-it unusual but believable.
Sarah Finch, and ex-marine suffering from PTSD is the narrator. She appears to get an easy job on a super-luxury liner, to help her over her trauma, but as the author tells the reader right at the start this is not to be.
I was amazed by the detail that the author put in this novel and I really was fascinated by the plot, and really enjoyed it.
I will certainly look out for this author again. Well done!
Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Stranger on board- Cameron Ward

A rollicking read with a tremendous female protagonist up against an unseen enemy whose secrets she struggles to uncover.

This is the story of Sarah, an ex Royal Marine taking on her first civilian security job. But is her frame of mind strong enough to achieve her mission to protect the billionaire’s super-yacht and its dysfunctional crew?

What starts as a simple security jog with use of the luxury facilities, swiftly deteriorates with the yacht providing an evermore claustrophobic and threatening location for the fight of her life.

Sarah makes a convincing hero, the horrors of her service on the front line, having taken a toll on her. Despite this she has the courage, expertise and strength to take on the vicious criminals determined to ensure her failure. I found the luxurious ship-board setting, Sarah’s naval background and the insight into the billionaire’s lifestyle fascinating and really enjoyed this thriller.

C D Winslow

A rapidly moving thriller with details of weapons and crime which added authenticity.
I found it a little difficult to keep up with the time line and suddenly we were 2 weeks from the start but I found it a fast paced modern story which I enjoyed reading and was keen to get to the end.
Probably not recommended for anyone squeamish as some of the injuries are quite graphic.
The main character is well trained and gutsy, and can apparently continue fighting with substantial injuries. I was engaged with her and found myself rooting for her in the final chapters.
Recommended

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. I thought this book was very slow, I seemed to be reading and reading and not getting any further. Good storyline although I do think Sarah was a bit of a bore. Not for me unfortunately.

An exciting find-the-killer thriller set on a luxury super yacht. Sarah, an ex-Marine, is put in charge of security on what should be a routine transatlantic trip but, this being a thriller, things start to go wrong quite quickly. The crew are all introduced slowly and hints are given about Sarah and a traumatic incident that occurred during her time in the Marines. This part of the book is enjoyable as the different characters and their tangled relationships are essential to the story. Once the “action” starts it doesn’t really let up as the tension builds towards a dramatic climax.
It is the sign of a good writer who can set the whole of a story in one, claustrophobic setting (think “And Then There Were None” or “Alien”) and I found the book very enjoyable.

Who wouldn''t like to be on a superyacht travelling with only 1 passenger crossing a balmy ocean. Well after reading this book I wouldn't. A trip that should have been a pleasant 12 day or so sail turns into a nightmare. People are vanishing, systems keep on breaking down - and an almighty storm is on the way - and once they've got through it rebounds on them again.

Slow start, very atmospheric, all hell let loose climax. Phew, what a ride. Loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

I absolutely loved this from start to finish, I really claustrophobic read, I actually felt like I was out there stranded on the ocean with the crew of the yacht. The author did so well in setting the scene. Five of five stars.

Former Royal Navy Marine Sarah, still showing signs of PTSD, lands the ideal security job on a huge new super yaght, sailing to Antigua with a small and seemingly friendly crew. A perfect break relaxing on the Sun deck getting well paid as the insurance cover; until things start going wrong, and the captain disappears during a storm after several. I was hooked on this novel from the start with the tension building very fast. Someone on board is sabotaging this trip but for what reason Sarah is not sure. With her PTSD causing flashbacks, Sarah isn't sure who to trust as the betrayals continue towards a battle for survival.

Ex-marine Sarah is trying to recover from a personal trauma which has affected every part of her life. A former colleague hires her as security on Escape, a luxury yacht travelling from the south of England to Antigua, hoping that the journey will allow her to come to terms with her tragedy. After all, she is only on board for insurance purposes. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, just about everything! This novel will please those who enjoy plenty of action but, at the same time, may frustrate others who feel that the physical parameters of the setting do little to sustain the reader’s interest. Whilst Cameron Taylor can conjure a plot, some description is annoyingly verbose and ‘emotional’ moments are poorer for being overwritten. For example, describing sexual memories of her lover, Sarah tells us that ‘…my orgasms blended into a single pulsating wave, a burning surge of nirvana that only he could give me.’ Either you don’t mind this hackneyed writing style or you do; I’m in the latter camp.
Rather than being gripped by every twist and turn, I struggled to finish ‘A Stranger on Board’. Not the nautical thriller I envisioned at the outset of this particular reading voyage.
My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

I’ve just finished this book, overall I enjoyed it but I found it quite hard to get into - I got a bit bored with so much detail about the cruise ship and the internal workings of it etc and found it hard to keep track of which character did what on the ship! But the storyline was good with a couple of twists and it ended well. I probably wouldn’t read it again but would recommend as a holiday read.
Many thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read

This is a really exciting action thriller. Sarah French is an ex-marine who left the service after her partner was killed in action. Her friend offers her a job as security on a luxury yacht travelling from Europe to the Caribbean to help her recover, but the trip turns out to be anything but relaxing. The crew have all got problems, secrets, and history with each other, and Sarah doesn't know who to trust. I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.

Sarah French is an ex marine suffering from some serious PTSD. On her longtime friends request she takes on a security job aboard one of the largest super yachts.
The crew seem friendly enough at first but quickly the cracks begin to show. With an unexpected guest aboard and a tight schedule to keep to, the Captain is keen to press forward despite the weather warnings and many mechanical issues presenting themselves.

What’s really going on here? And who, if anybody can Sarah trust? When the body’s start piling up the race to solve the mystery is on!

I thought this book got off to a slow start, and stayed that way till about half way when the pace picked up. It was around that point that I started getting into it and wondering where things were heading next. For me the ending was disappointing as I kept waiting for either a huge twist or several smaller twists and turns which just didn’t happen. Unfortunately the book just wasn’t for me which is such a shame as I had high hopes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for this Advanced Review Copy.

The story premise intrigued me and seemed as though it would be the perfect read for me. Unfortunately, this was not the case. I failed to connect with the characters. The pacing felt slow, and the narrative repetitive. The writing is passive in the extreme and has a lot of unnecessary filler words. All in all, this novel needs some polishing. As it stands, I liked a few things, but the majority of the read fell flat for me. I offer a tentative 2 stars for A Stranger on Board

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.



5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.

4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.

3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.

2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.

1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

A Stranger On Board by Cameron Ward

Wow what a roller coaster of a book . Brilliant , brilliant , brilliant !

Ex Royal Marine Sarah takes on the job as security on a £200 million yacht . It takes sail and soon it is apparent that all is not good with the yacht with maintenance and general upkeep.
Crew members begin to disappear , and dark secrets are beginning to come to the surface.
Sarah has to work hard to keep her and the rest of the people on board safe.
Edge of you seat , tense and a great ending.