The book cover could lead you to the conclusion that this is a funny and light hearted holiday story, but it's not. The themes don't match with the cover. Listening to the story was quite a task. The book is just not for me, I should have read the description more thoroughly.

Santa Overboard by Carolyn McBride follows main character Katie as she navigates the holidays in Potomac Shores with her friends the Beach Bonfire Babes and her "Man friend" Deke.
I received the Audiobook for review. I quite enjoyed the women who was narrating the story- she had a very clear voice that was not distracting. It however would maybe have been nice to have another male narrate the male characters in the story instead of the "fake man voice".
This story was quite sweet and cozy- think Hallmark Christmas movie vibes. I also quite enjoyed that the characters were mainly in their 50s and 60s which is not an age group that is typically represented a lot in this type of romance novel.
The plot wasn't super exciting/thrilling but if what you are after is some quick holiday feels this is for you.
I ultimately rated this 3/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Make Waves, Press for the audio E-ARC in exchange for my honest review of this work.

Are you ready for all of the Santa's to go overboard?! Then welcome to the Christmas Boat Parade.

This hilarious and cozy romance is perfect for the Hallmark lovers. You not only get one love story either! Love is in the air and on the river, so welcome aboard.

The audiobook of this one was such a joy! The narrator did a great job at giving the stories a voice and providing just the right amount of humor and brevity that the story required. I would highly recommend listening to this one.

Santa Overboard, sadly, left me with mixed feelings. The storyline is cute, but it did not hook me, nor did I feel fulfilled. I didn’t think it delved deep enough into some of the major themes and conflicts in the story. It is a cute read, but I felt like there could have been more offered in the story.

It does have several tropes I enjoy like small-town and second-chance romance, and it had a slow-burn romance that was fun to watch develop. I also really enjoyed the group of friends and their dynamics together. It reminded me of my best friends, whom I’ve been friends with since I was a kid.

Overall, I give Santa Overboard three-stars. It was a sweet, and easy ready, but I wish it would have had more to hook me in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Make Waves Press for the audiobook ARC! #SantaOverboard #NetGalley

Santa Overboard by Carolyn McBride is a cozy, quick holiday read that provided a quick lighthearted dose of holiday cheer like a holiday movie. Katie Young is living life in small-town Occoquan, preparing for a boat parade, and trying to make her new relationship with Deke work—if only he weren’t off in the Galapagos for the holidays! The story is cute and relaxing, but it doesn’t dive deep into major conflicts or emotions. The friend group was the highlight, I loved how they rallied around each other through life’s ups and downs. Their bond felt so genuine, and it was fun seeing how they helped Katie handle her holiday stress. The narration by Maria Marquis was great, and she really brought the characters to life, and I could easily tell who was speaking at any moment, which made the audiobook experience so much more enjoyable. All in all, Santa Overboard is a sweet, easy story that’s perfect for a quick read, I would recommend it looking for someone looking for that.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Make Waves Press for the audiobook ARC to preview.

This was a short story that is part of a series (I did not read the first book), which I picked up because I was in the mood for a quick holiday read. Unfortunately, I felt there were too many extraneous characters and things going on to be crammed into a novella, and it detracted from the overall story.

I appreciated the following elements: small town setting, more mature FMC seeking a second-chance romance, and that boating was such a plot point, as I am a boater myself. I also enjoyed the narrator of this audiobook.

However, I did not connect with the characters and felt the "conflict" arc between the FMC and her new boyfriend did not make sense. Basically, she was upset that he had to leave during the holidays for work. There were other plot points that left me perplexed as well, and I probably would not have finished the audiobook if it were not so short.

Thank you to NetGalley and Make Waves Press for the audiobook ARC in exchange for my review.

This cute little novella was a sweet romance that centered on a fifty something protagonist. I loved the supportive friend group in this story. However the characters seemed underdeveloped and the story itself seemed weak. The major conflict in the story seems to be that the boyfriend is going away for Christmas, and the main character feels slighted. she seems rather shallow. the novella is short and the story doesn't have time for any depth. Although the story is cute, and has a lot of funny moments, it is disjointed and there is too much mention of Covid. A sweet romance should be escapist, and I for one don't turn to that genre for reminders of the problems caused by Covid.

On the other hand If I could rate narration separately from writing, I would give Maria Marquis five stars. The character voices were distinctive and the acting was great. I will be happy to listen to more books that she reads.

This was a pretty typical and predictable romance novel, it was a short read which is good but honestly I struggled to focus on it. Nothing really kept me gripped in the story and I didn’t relate to any of the characters in this one.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy holiday read, give it a go.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read an arc copy of this book.

I had to DNF this book as the amount of covid conversations was just too much, especially for a novel taking place in end of 2021. This felt less of a Christmas novel and more of a covid holiday guide. I have read other novels set during a pandemic but the mention of it is only there to explain the obstacles our main character needs to face. In the case of Santa Overboard, there were obstacles but also just random conversations as to why "grandma can't come for Christmas" which serve no purpose towards the overall plot and only lead to me being triggered at the mention of covid. Maybe this book will age well and generations who don't remember the pandemic will find this level of details interesting but for me it was just irksome.

Most of the story was sweet and enjoyable however seemingly every aspect of the plot had something to do with COVID. I read this at the end of 2024 (just a few months after it publication) and it already seems out-dated and unfortunately I think it will age worse and worse as time goes by.

Santa Overboard
Potomac Shores, Book 2

I Picked Up This Book Because: The title and local vibes.

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Netgalley
Dates Read: 12/20/24 - 12/22/24
Stars: 2.75 Stars
Narrator(s): Maria Marquis

The Characters:

Katie Young:
Deke
A menagerie of characters

The Story:

Writing: Good but confusing at times. Especially since so many characters were added so quickly and stories jumped back and forth rapidly.
Overall Interest: Shaky. If it weren’t so short I might not have finished it.
Length of Reading Time: Good.
Re-read-ability: No.

I really wanted to like this one but I had such a hard time following the story. I think I could have benefited from reading book 1. There were so many characters and several story arcs and I’m not sure I ever got a firm grasp on any of them. I loved Katie’s strong friendships and how her friends are coming together to build their dreams.

it was a fun and lighthearted book. i love the christmas vibe. it was my first book from this author but i think i might try more from her in the future.

Quick and easy read with holiday themes. It is the second in a series with many returning characters from the first book. There were character nuances I was unfamiliar with since I have only read this book. I enjoy stories set in the Washington, D.C./Maryland/Virginia area. I recommend this book to readers looking for a simple story that mostly focuses on character development and a budding romance. The book is short so there aren't enough pages for it to be very deep.

This book just wasn't for me. This novella was part of a bigger series and I felt lost the whole time. I kept wishing that I had the full backstory.

As a middle aged woman, I love books with a middle age main character. Kate and her friends have such a wonderful bond and friendship. Of course lots of problems and twists and turns occur and the women navigate with grace and humor. Of course there is a love interest, a Santa costume and a boat. Isn't that the recipe for the perfect holiday story? This was a fun way to get in the holiday spirit. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions are all my own.

This was a quick, holiday themed read. Overall, it was lighthearted and festive. I didn't really connect with the characters, which often felt one-dimensional. The novel could have used more consistency in terms of plot, as well. Elements of the story were underdeveloped or abandoned entirely. The story started off promising, but fell flat for me.

The audiobook was actually really good the narrator did her part and most of the star rating is due to this. However, something about this was all over the place. For starters, it kept mentioning the pandemic. Maybe it’s my personal preference to not consume books that specifically mention modern events or people and I thought I could deal but it just felt slightly forceful to me. Secondly, this did not feel like a cohesive piece of work. It felt as if so much was happening yet nothing at the same time. Like the author had so many ideas for a story that they decided to just throw it all together because ‘hey why not’.

Thank you @netgalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a quick holiday novella perfect for December drives to meet family.
I didn’t read or listen to the first book but was able to follow along with this one.
Unfortunately, it didn’t draw me in and I didn’t connect with the characters. I was left feeling slightly bored with the whole story.
This could have just been me, and not having the previous story as a guide.

I was enjoying this in the beginning, sadly near the middle and by the end it did not match for me. I enjoyed the friendships but that was really about it.

Katie is starting to care for Deke. He has to work every year on Christmas which Katie is having difficulty accepting. Katie is working on getting her captain’s license.

Katie has a very supportive friend’s group that rallies around her. This takes place during COVID which makes everything a bit more intense.

I think this is a great book to listen to on a long journey. It’s a cozy fun audiobook. Published September 2024
3.75 stars


Thank you NetGalley and Make Waves Press for this audio ARC copy for an honest review.