"santa overboard" was a cute christmas book. It was a nice break from the hallmark christmas books that get released every year. It had a good mix of mysteries and wholesome friendship. The group of older women, and their more mature outlooks on life and relationships, was also a good break from the young adult i usually read. I will 100% be looking into the other books in the series.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a quick easy listen. I listened at 2x speed and was finished around 2 hours. With it being a short book things didn’t get too in depth, but it was still enjoyable with good writing and narration. It felt like something was missing. Like, the story provided could have been subplots to a larger main story, but that wasn’t the case. I think some will feel this was lacking in storyline. It should also be pointed out that the story takes place mid pandemic and refers to COVID quite a bit. The reality is 2021 still revolved heavily around COVID, so I get it, but I also recognize some people do not want to read works of fiction with a hyper-focus on COVID. Overall, I enjoyed the light and airiness of a quick book and relatable/real characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Make Waves Press for this audio ARC

I really liked The Cicada Spring by Carolyn McBride. So when I saw she'd written a Christmas novella to follow it, I didn't think twice. It was just what I want in a Christmas book - quick, a good dose of humor included in a story that (in the case of a series) also serves to move things along with the overall storyline of the series. Katie continues to find her way forward after the events of the initial book, which had a lot of upheaval with becoming an empty-nester and jumping into a new relationship and marriage - all set around 2020 and all that Covid wrought. Now she's embarking on a new business venture, as are some of her friends. It was fun to catch up with Katie and her tribe, and see where things might be headed in the next book. I listened to the audiobook and the narration by Maria Marquis was excellent. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Make Waves Press for providing a digital copy for an unbiased review.

Thank you netgalley for letting me review this book.

This book was absolutely hilarious with some mysterious elements throughout the story.

I was surprised by the twist.

I definitely want to check out the rest of this series.

#netgalley #santaoverboard

Thank you NetGalley and Make Waves Press for the audio ARC of Santa Overboard by Carolyn McBride narrated by Maria Marquis. This was a cute and cozy quick read, but I could’ve done without the multiple mentions of COVID and the vaccine. I listed to the first half of the book and ended up having to take a break because I wasn’t completely into it, as I felt the characters lacked dimension and the storyline left a lot to be desired. The ending was cute and allows readers to be hopeful for the main character’s future. The narration was good, with clear changes between characters.

I just finished Santa Overboard by Carolyn McBride, and while I can see why others might enjoy it, this one wasn’t for me. The holiday setting and light-hearted tone were fun at first, but I found the storyline a bit too far-fetched for my taste, and the humor didn’t quite land as I’d hoped. I think if you love quirky holiday mysteries, this could be a good fit, but it didn’t capture me the way I wanted it to.

Katie Young is ready to embrace the holiday spirit in the charming riverside town of Occoquan. With a thriving gallery business, a close-knit group of friends, and a budding romance with the town’s scientist, her new life feels like a fresh start. As the captain of the holiday boat parade, Katie’s excitement for the festivities is palpable—until the season takes an unexpected turn. When her love interest, Deke, escapes the holiday hustle and a mishap sends Santa into the water, Katie is left scrambling to save the town’s festival and her faith in love. With the support of her quirky friends and some holiday magic, Katie might just find her way to a merry Christmas and a second chance at happiness.

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. While the Christmas atmosphere was enjoyable, I struggled to connect with the characters, whose motivations and relationships felt unclear. The plot lacked focus, making it difficult to stay invested in the story’s progression, and I found myself indifferent to the central romance. Despite the promise of heartwarming moments, the book didn’t deliver the emotional depth or engagement I was hoping for. While others may enjoy this festive small-town tale, it ultimately fell flat for me.

This is quite a short book and I applaud the decision not to try and force it to be twice the length,when it didn't need to be :)

The narration is really well done. It's a little slow for me (often the case) but 1.25x speed took care of that :)


This is a holiday romance but the two lovers are already together when the book starts and we navigate their holidays with them, from Thanksgiving right through Christmas, tribulations and jubilations alike! There are nice ancillary characters, who doubtless get their own story in other books and a gentle pace to the narrative.

It's not soppy, it's not overly spicy, it's just a nice, entertaining read/listen.

This was a cute cozy story set during the holidays. Not a lot of drama, but a fast read.
Thank you NetGalley for ARC of this book

Santa Overboard had so much potential but for me fell short. It just wanted more from the story. The character development was lacking and the plot didn’t feel smooth. The audiobook was well narrated and probably the only reason I read the book all the way through. If this was a physical book or ebook, I would probably have DNF’d it.

Santa Overboad by Carolyn McBride was a fun seasonal book. I enjoyed the characters in their quest to navigate the holidays after their own pasts have molded them into the people they are today. The narrators did an excellent job building the personalities and giving you insight as if you were there in person.

I personally thought this was a really good book I enjoyed the story There was a lot of depth to it There was some really good funny moments but also moments we could connect with the overall writing style was just really nice and you know just overall I really enjoy the story and how everything unfolded This is my first time reading a book by the author and I think she did an amazing job and I cannot wait to read more books by her

it is a cozy Christmassy read the story was okay unfortunately I did not enjoy it like I expected to I'm truly disappointed however I did enjoy the narration that why I scored it higher than I was going to originally minus points for the mention of covid I don't like it when that is mentioned

Thank you, NetGalley and Make Waves Press, for the audio ARC.

A holiday romance that I found after the holidays, but right as the snow has poured down throughout my city.

The book was full of realistic emotions and opportunities for growth. I think this quote from about 30% in does it the most justice - “Coming of age isn’t just for the young people. I feel like we’re starting over with experience.” At times this book was sentimentally sweet, but I think what it lacked was spark and passion. The thing that makes a coming-of-age fun is the zest for life with the blunders of reality, and I felt like for a romance, the passion for life needed to be turned way up.

What held up so well was setting - everything was so clear to imagine with detailed descriptions of both surroundings and knowledgeable characters. The timeline does rely on heavy mentions of the Covid pandemic. I understood using this to give a realistic quality, but it did bother me that the plot crutched on it a lot. It made the story line lack forward momentum, and there was a constant gloomy atmosphere that did not lend itself to a book marketed as a romantic holiday novella.

I enjoyed the narration. There was clear cadence and inflection for each character. Like the story it did have a nostalgic, somewhat moody quality to it.

I didn't like this. It's a cozy mystery and honestly a little boring. Thankfully I had the audio. Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook! 2 stars

I have not read the first book in the Potomac Shores series, but luckily, Santa Overboard is the kind of short story that one can easily jump into. A simple, cozy read, this holiday short focuses on a group of middle-aged women (all with unfortunately similar-sounding names) as they navigate the post-COVID holiday season in light of divorce, empty nests, and new beginnings. Stories focusing on older women can certainly be appealing to other demographics (see The Golden Girls), but none of the Bonfire Beach Babes are truly compelling enough to traverse that barrier, at least not yet. The frequent references to the 2020 pandemic also tend to have the unfortunate effect of dragging down what should be a light-hearted read.

This book kind of read like a teenagers journal. The story jumped around a lot and while some plot points were developed, others weren't. The story concept is great. The narrator was great. But I didn't want to finish the story. I almost stopped a couple of times. It felt like Covid was used like a crutch to add to the word count. There were many small references to pandemic culture and deaths of characters that didn't need to be mentioned at all. I realize this book was probably written during that time and just got published but it was overdone and took me out of the story so many times.

I enjoyed this book, it was nice to read a love story about someone close to my age. It had an interesting story and my family boats so that was a nice treat to read about.

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨
Santa Overboard by Carolyn McBride
Narrated by Maria Marquis

⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Christmas on a cruise ship with a side of mystery—it’s festive fun, but not without a few hiccups.”

Santa Overboard is a cozy holiday mystery that delivers festive cheer and a unique cruise ship setting. While it’s an entertaining story, it fell just short of fully pulling me in.

What I liked:
🎧 Maria Marquis’s narration added personality to the story.
🎧 The cruise ship setting was a fun and festive.
🎧 Lighthearted

What didn’t work for me:
🙈 The pacing felt uneven at times, with some parts dragging while others rushed.
🙈 Abit hard to follow some plot points.
🙈 The characters, while charming, could have used a bit more depth to make them truly memorable.
🙈 Lots of COVID references.

What to expect:
🎄 A cozy holiday mystery with light suspense
🎄 A unique setting and holiday vibes
🎄 A quick, festive listen

If you’re in the mood for a simple and cheerful mystery to accompany your holiday season, Santa Overboard might be worth a try. While it didn’t blow me away, it’s a fun and festive escape.

💬 Have you read or listened to Santa Overboard? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

#SantaOverboard #CarolynMcBride #MariaMarquis #CozyMystery #HolidayReads #Bookstagram #ChristmasMystery #AudiobookReview

"Santa Overboard" was really more of a romantic novella set during the holidays than a holiday book as the title would imply. I really liked this short story and had the pleasure of listening to it on audio. The narrator's voice (single narrator) was very smooth. This story is told in third person, which was a little unique compared to most of the rom-coms I've read lately. Told primarily from the perspective of the FMC, who has been married 3 times and is wondering if she can give love a chance again, "Santa Overboard" takes place during the holiday season of 2021. Lest we forget how impacted our lives were by the COVID-19 pandemic, this novella documents that well. That said, if the words "COVID-19, pandemic and/or lockdown" are triggering for you, this is not the book for you. I really liked this book and would recommend to a friend. 4 stars. *I received a complimentary audio ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.