I DNFed Falling Overboard at 16%.

This feels very juvenile. Our two MCs are supposed to be in their mid-twenties, but they’re acting like teenagers. Both characters are only interested in each other because of their looks. And I get it, that initial attraction is important. But from the reviews I’ve read, that doesn’t really change. There’s no substance. Lots of cheesy innuendo and eye-roll inducing puns. Lucky talks non-stop about how hot Hunter is and vice versa. The objectification was irritating and not cute. There’s a secondary character named Georgia who I cannot stand. She’s actually made a sheet rating the men on the crew and assigning points values to them based on their hotness. If you sleep with them, you collect the points they’ve been assigned. And she hangs the ranking sheet on the back of a common door because she thinks nobody will close it and see it. That’s just mean and immature, especially in a workplace.

I absolutely adored Falling Overboard. I loved Lucky! Her ambition, selflessness, and struggles were admirable and made her character feel deeply relatable. I loved seeing her develop boundaries for herself and learn to open her heart, even when it was scary.

Hunter was a total dreamboat - very swoon-worthy! He was all in, and so patient and intentional about not rushing or pushing her, even though he fell hard for her so quickly.

Their chemistry was so special. I appreciated how their relationship continued to develop throughout the book. I loved them together! They were both just… good people- the kind who love their families, treat others with kindness, and help old ladies cross the street kind of good.

Also, the yacht setting? So fun to read! I cannot imagine having the kind of customer service (or labor) skills it would take to work on a yacht, but I really enjoyed living vicariously through Lucky.

The epilogue wrapped up this sweet story perfectly! If you’re looking for a wholesome, slow-burn romance with heart and puns, this is the perfect summer read!

Thank you NetGalley & Sariah Wilson for the advanced copy! This is an honest review, all opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun book. And I loved the setting!

Loved the Nautical theme of the book. I have never been in a yacht and it was interesting to learn how much work it takes to keep things running. Lucky is devoted to making sure her team is working their best and she is working her butt off to save up money for her dream business/support her family. Hunter works on the yacht which belongs to his parents. . They are both attracted to one another but it's forbidden for colleagues to hook up and did I mention they shared a room together.

loved that the representation for anxiety. I love when a store has emotional growth for both characters.

You will like If you enjoy.

*low to moderate spice.
* close proximity
*forbidden romance
*workplace romanace

Falling Overboard by Sariah Wilson is a standalone contemporary romance and is a really fun story. It takes on dealing with the life of working on a yacht while also dealing with restricted relationships, which is a new rule. Like…what could possibly go wrong with that?

I love that this is predominately set on a yacht while also docking in various Caribbean locations from time to time. It’s a really fun way to create close/forced proximity, because where are they going to go, the ocean? Really fun choice.

It’s also really fun to play with the idea of a sudden change of rules due to a new addition to the crew. No fraternization with the crew and guests. No matter how much they want each other, they technically can’t have each other. Plus, the dynamic of Lucky technically being Hunter’s boss takes it a step further. Speaking of the jobs, I enjoyed the complete unpreparedness of Lucky being thrust into her position.

Another thing I’m always all for is mental health in stories. This one touches on a few but the way they present things like anxiety and how to deal with it was smooth.

Hunter being super confident and thinking he can get any girl he wants because they all love him is hilarious and always a fun trope to play with, especially when the one they want isn’t interested in them. Lots of drama built up, craziness, and emotions running wild.

If you love forbidden love, forced proximity, workplace type of stories, then this is for you. Between the second guessing, flirting, and threat of their jobs, there’s something for each of these tropes and more within.

*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of Falling Overboard from Sariah Wilson via NetGalley

Review: Falling Overboard by Sariah Wilson

Falling Overboard is a workplace romance set against the stunning backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea. This story of forbidden attraction and clashing dreams invites us to enjoy the perfect escape.

Lucky Salerno shows so much ambition and determination. Her dream of opening a bakery shapes her choices, making her struggle between career and romance relatable. Hunter Smith defies the typical gorgeous deckhand stereotype, showing more complexity to his character. Their chemistry, growing through shared secrets and fleeting moments, feels natural and genuine. The delightful forced-proximity trope of sharing a cabin adds tension that builds effortlessly.

Falling Overboard is right for those who adore workplace romances filled with meaningful stakes and heartfelt challenges. Wilson has skillfully created a lovely escape that shows how sometimes the hardest choice is not correct or wrong, but choosing between two dreams that hold equal importance to your heart.

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for providing a complimentary advanced copy for my honest review!

This was Below Deck meets Cinderella.

This book had all the classic tropes familiar to fans of Below Deck: a temperamental chef, a lazy 3rd stew, a Chief Stew that takes on all the work, good looking deck hands, rich guests that make outrageous demands and a crew that are all sleeping with one another. This would be the perfect summer read for anyone looking for a light and cheesy read, Hunter was a charming MMC with ADHD an oh so perfect body as well as cute golden retriever tendences, Lucky was a black cat FMC with anxiety, demanding sisters, and a great work ethic. I appreciated that the author decided to make her main characters neurodivergent.

Overall this book was a fun light read, perfect for anyone looking for something to read on vacation but I didn't think that there was enough banter for me and Hunter's puns did not have me laughing out loud. I also wish there was more spice, we are talking good looking people who are falling in love on a super yacht in Europe - there should be more than kissing. Also the writing at times felt choppy and a bit disjointed. To top it off I figured out Hunter's secret before it was officially revealed.

I did love the Italy setting, the rich guest drama, the hot tub scene with a game of truth or dare and there were charming swoon worthy scenes between Hunter and Lucky that I thought were fun.

Some romance tropes found in this one are:
- Instant Love
- Miscommunication
- Forced Proximity
- Black Cat X Golden Retriever
- Forbidden Romance

Thank you to Sariah Wilson, NetGalley, and Montlake publishing for providing me with an ARC copy of this book to read in exchange for providing my honest feedback and review

I do enjoy a slow burn romance, so this was a good read for me. I haven't picked up anything by this author before, but I do own a few of her other books so I definitely will be checking them out. You had me at cruise ship and slow burn.

The reason I requested this book was because the author did one of the improbable meet-cute novellas, which I really enjoyed. However, I did not enjoy this one quite as much. I thought the setting on the Yacht was a fun, unique take on the forced proximity trope, but the insta-lust/love was way too much. There was no build-up of the tension I was looking for, especially when there is an anti-fraternization policy in place. Additionally, their backstories felt very surface-level to me and we only get brief mentions of their pasts - which did not have the emotional pay off that you'd expect as a reader. Unfortunately this book is hard to review because I was bored for the majority of the story.

**thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the AC and chance to read and review. All opinions expressed are my own**

Amusing, tender, and romantic!

Falling Overboard is a sweet, captivating tale featuring the hardworking, dependable Lucky and the handsome, enigmatic Hunter as they discover while working on the open sea that there may be a lot more to their relationship than instant attraction, forced proximity and strict rules that might just have to be broken.

The writing is light and fun. The characters are endearing, guarded, and reliable. And the plot is a charming mix of life, love, friendship, family, light drama, self-discovery, and responsibilities.

Overall, Falling Overboard is another cute, cosy, entertaining tale by Wilson that was an absolute delight to read.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Lucky works on a luxury yacht so she can save money. She dreams of owning a bakery. She can’t ever seem to make any progress toward her goal because her sisters keep calling and asking for money. When Lucky gets a sudden and unexpected promotion, she feels overwhelmed and unsure she can handle it. It doesn’t help that the crew has a new member that she is attracted to and he is her new bunkmate! Hunter is a novice at being a crew member on a luxury yacht. He realizes quickly that he has a steep learning curve. He has a huge secret that he doesn’t want anyone in the crew to know. And he is attracted to the head steward and she is his new bunkmate! Can two people in tight quarters find true and lasting love?
Lucky works incredibly hard. As hard as she works, she is even harder on herself. She is determined to follow the rules and do a good job because she wants to keep this job as long as possible. The one rule she struggles to keep is the no fraternization policy. I thought it was good that Lucky got to spend time with Hunter without them being romantic. It made their relationship seem natural. When Lucky finds out Hunter’s secret, she remains her normal cool self, mostly. I thought that was good, too. Her sisters need to grow up and stop depending on her for their money. I thought the story was weak in this aspect but as a short story, the author had very limited space to work with. Hunter joins the crew as a low man on the totem pole. He seems quite content to learn about the boat from the bottom up. He can afford that attitude because his family owns the boat but that’s a secret. His parents want him to understand hard work. He has a dream to open a rehab facility to help people like his sister. His parents think his ADHD will keep him from focusing long term. I was rooting for Hunter to convince his parents and to win over Lucky.
There are lots of other characters in the story. Some of the characters are just side characters that help the main characters move along in the story. There are a couple of characters that are pivotal in the story. There was one that I wanted to throw overboard for being a jerk.
This is a short story that takes place primarily on a boat and a little bit in Italy. This is a story about two young adults with big dreams. I thought this story lacked a little bit of the heart and soul of some of the other books by this author but I still found it enjoyable. I will read more from this author in the future.
EDIT: I called this a short book in my review but I just found out it's over 300 pages so what I will say is that it reads fast LIKE a short book.

This is an enjoyable friends to lovers, forced proximity story. It takes place on board a super yacht, an interesting setting much different than the usual. Of course, it reminds me of the Below Deck TV show, where they show details of life above and below deck.
Lucky has been promoted to the chief stew position, and she gets a roommate when Hunter comes on board as a new deckhand. They spend their free time watching movies. The more time they spend together the closer they get.
Unfortunately, there’s a ban on relationships between crew members, and they know they could get in serious trouble.
Can they still be friends without becoming lovers for now?
I liked this fun and easy read, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Falling Overboard is a fun, drama-filled escape that feels like a Bravo reality show in book form. Lucky is working on a luxury yacht to save for her dream bakery, but her plans keep getting thrown off course by her unpredictable sisters. Hunter’s trying to prove he can be responsible and make it on his own—without relying on his wealthy family.

There’s crew drama, messy guests, flirty hookups, and a ton of nautical puns that keep things light and funny. The chemistry is great, the setting is dreamy, and the behind-the-scenes yacht life is pure entertainment. If you like romance with a side of chaos, you’ll enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5⭐️ Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed the forced proximity trope. Those can be fun and the writing for this was done quite well.

I enjoyed the banter, nautical puns and conversations with the FMC & MMC. I wish there was a bit more from the crew, but it was still interesting regardless. The character developments and chemistry were easy to follow.

Decent story overall!

This is a contemporary romance set on a charter yacht.

This is a dual POV romance set on a yacht in the Mediterranean. The two main characters are on the crew.

This was such a cute read! This was such a cute read! I love books set on yachts. And the setting was glorious. I really loved the nautical puns and the baking. And I just adored Lucky and Hunter! I also thought that the anxiety rep was well done. Overall this was such a feel good book.

A little close proximity, friends to lovers forbidden romance. When Lucky is promoted to Chief stewardess for the crew on ths superyacht she works on, she is hopeful that the dream of opening a bakery is one step closer. But with a new no fraternization rule and the new deckhand Hunter, who also happens go be her new roommate following and enforcing the rules becomes that much harder.

I loved the friendships between the two (their evenings watching musicals, an absolute dream). I loved days when they were at port and getting to explore together (when she figures out how to make her nonna's italian pastry, adorable) but I missed some of the depth to their actual relationship. Their friendship and minding of the line took away some of the chemistry one would expect and I wanted to see them lean into their feelings more. The ending felt a little rushed, especially with the amount of drama there was between the rest of the crew on the boat, as well as the amount of heavy pasts between both of the MCs. Overall Though this was a fun spring break escape!

Thank you Netgalley and Montlake for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Fun setting for a romance, working on a yatch. The forced proximity was working overtime making out MCs roommates!

Cute read - typical slow burn. It had good characters who were relatable and definitely had me giggling more often than knot

The description of the book really interested me, but I didn't realize the characters would be so young. This is definitely a New Adult book, and it was basically a clean romance with a very, very slow burn.
Lucky has been through a lot in life, and she is very guarded. She works on a yacht to escape in addition to being able to save for the bakery. Hunter shows up, and she's attracted to him, but his hiring doesn't make much sense. He's keeping secrets.
I struggled with the declarations of love, and how young they both seemed. Lucky is inexperienced, and Hunter has seen more but has lived a specific existence.
So many nautical puns it got a little old, and I don't know that I believe these two's happy for now will be a HEA.