3.75★

A cute and unique forbidden romance between a newly appointed chief stewardess and a new deckhand as they work on the same super yacht. He's flirty but respectful, while she is all about the rules. I loved their dynamic.

I enjoyed the book's overall premise. I always love a good forced-proximity trope. The two main characters had good chemistry, and I loved the gradual buildup of tension and yearning between them. Lots of good stolen touches and glances. The only thing I didn't like was the side characters. They were a bit immature and childish to the point it got annoying to read. Other than that, it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another fantastic RomCom from Sariah Wilson!

I love Sariah Wilson’s RomComs - even though they’re closed door/clean (yeah, I know they serve a purpose that way, but I like a little steam! They’re kissing only)…

Falling Overboard was definitely like a season of the show “Below Decks,” which I’ve personally never watched, but everyone I know does so I’ve heard about all of the antics and shenanigans of the yachty crews. This book was full of it, and now really makes me want to watch the series.

I totally fell for Lucky and Hunter, their forbidden (only so far as the crew was told the new owners didn’t want them fraternizing) relationship, their secrets, their sad backstories, and the hijinx of the entire staff and terrible guests.

Oh, and the ship life / nautical puns! As a big cruiser myself, how I adored these!!

This was a brilliant story, with Wilson’s usual beautiful writing. I highly recommend it, especially if you’re a fan of hers, and a fan of cruise/boat romances. So well done!

Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for the advance copy. This is my honest feedback.

Falling Overboard by Sariah Wilson
Promoted to Chief steward on the private yacht is more than Lucky Salerno expected after only being aboard the ship for a few months. But the job is hers and she is now responsible for all the staff and the work they do. She needs to make sure everything is perfect for the guests that come aboard each week. The only change with new owners is that there be no hookups among the crew. Lucky is fine with that. She has a three year plan to make enough money to open a bakery and she’s not going to let anyone get in the way of that goal. But she has to help her sisters too when they call.
Hunter Smith is a new deckhand and Lucky’s new roommate. Lucky and Hunter are fine being platonic friends and end up watching Broadway musical movies in their downtime and growing closer. They know the rules but they are getting harder to follow as affection grows into romance.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook. The narration is performed by Eric London and Summer Morton. Both did a wonderful job with their POV and multiple voices. I listened at a speed above 1.5 to more closely match my reading and local conversation. I enjoyed the audiobook in particular for the sarcasm and secondary characters that were unique.

I’ve never spent a summer on a yacht, nor can I imagine the amount of physical labor or customer service required for such a job but it was fun to live vicariously through the story of such a summer.
Flirty and romantic.

I was gifted a copy of this from NetGalley. I purchased both an ebook and an audiobook copy.

Such a good read. I love Sariah Wilson books. The setting was perfect and different than most romances. The characters were great. The pace was on point.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was absolutely fantastic in every aspect imaginable! I went into this book knowing that it was a boat romance but knew nothing further. Lately, I have been obsessed with watching Below Deck Sailing Yacht and let me tell you, there was no better timing for me to read this book than now! The female main character Lucky in this book and her love interest had me smiling from ear to ear from the very beginning and I kept making real life connections to the TV show the further the book progressed! This book definitely was an emotional roller coaster from friendship endeavors to dealing with the loss of family members. Falling Overboard has definitely made it into the top 5 books of 2025 for me so far as of the day of release! I will never stop shouting about this book from the rooftops because of how real this romance felt to me and it brought back memories of visiting Rome and eating the pizza and pasta from there. The imagery was so good that I felt like I could taste the food as she was describing it. I will be going back and reading all of this author's previous works thanks to this book introducing me to her writing!

The story was fun and lighthearted and I had a good time reading it.
This was a wonderfully written romantic comedy.
I absolutely loved these characters and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A sweet, funny and heartwarming read!

Lucky and Hunter’s story was a fun read.

It’s a great slow burn/forced proximity read with plenty of humour and wit. I enjoyed the fact the story was set on a super yacht and the two leads were forbidden to be together and had to fight their chemistry.

There’s also a well handled mental health rep and I love seeing that in romance.

Falling Overboard is a dual POV contemporary romance about Lucky and Hunter that takes place on a super yacht (think Below Deck). Lucky is an unexpected chief stew who struggles with standing up for herself. Hunter is a new deckhand with a secret who is searching for some redemption. These two end up being bunkmates (hello, forced proximity). What happens when the new boat owners institute a "don't screw the crew" rule?

Falling Overboard would be an easy read for fans of Below Deck, who understand how yachts are run. Many of the situations will feel very familiar. The conflict was not surprising, and I guessed it rather early on, but I don't think it was meant to be that shocking. I would have liked to see more from the other crew members, especially since one in particular ends up being so involved in the conflict. Do keep in mind that this book is fairly low spice. If this matters to you, you might want to look elsewhere.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review!

Lucky Salerno’s dream is to own a bakery, but to achieve this goal, she takes on the job of chief stewardess on a superyacht cruising the Mediterranean. It is meant to be strictly professional until she meets Hunter Smith, the new deckhand sharing her cabin. Likewise for Hunter; he is captivated by Lucky. As they get to know each other, a secret romance buds at sea, and Lucky has to choose whether to follow her career dream or to pursue her love for Hunter.
Set against many great backdrops, the forbidden romance had plenty of tension as they fought their attraction in an attempt to keep their jobs. While the couple share a room, this is a clean romance. A fairly predictable romance, I would have liked to have delved more into their past to gain a greater sense of what led them to whether they were.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Falling Overboard by Sariah Wilson was so much fun. Lucky has just been promoted to chief stewardess on a yacht, and with this promotion, she should finally be able to finally open the bakery she's dreamt of. Unfortunately, just as a handsome man joins the crew, the new owners institute a non-fraternization policy. To make things even harder, they have to share a room. The side characters scheme, drink, and carouse. The banter banters. The tension sizzles, The steam steams. The third act break up is only temporary, and the happy ending delivers. I have come to the realization that I could never work on a yacht, but I like reading books set on them.

Thank you to Montlake for my e-ARC.

Falling Overboard is a fun, swoony workplace romance set on a luxury yacht cruising the Mediterranean. Lucky Salerno is focused on saving money to open her dream bakery, and the yacht’s strict no-fraternization rule isn’t a problem—until she’s assigned to share a cabin with the charming and mysterious Hunter Smith. Their chemistry is undeniable, making it hard to resist breaking the rules.
I enjoyed the unique setting and the dual POV, which gave insight into both Lucky and Hunter’s thoughts. The romance was sweet and full of tension, though at times, it felt more about physical attraction than deeper emotional connection. Some plot points, like Lucky’s struggle with authority, were frustrating, but overall, it was an entertaining read. The audiobook narration was also great! Fans of forbidden romance and close-proximity tropes will definitely enjoy this charming love story.

Sariah is absolutely the queen of wit and banter. I cannot help myself from laughing at loud at her writing, and I am NOT that type!!! She consistently writes books that keep me interested, engaged, and surprised, not to mention happy. This book delivers in traditional Wilson fashion....it is delightful, romantic, real, and escapist. I just wish she would keep it a bit more pc. Otherwise it is another perfect hit, I loved everything about it!!

This novel was an absolute delight, sweeping me away into a beautifully described European setting filled with charm and passion. The Italian references added such a rich and authentic atmosphere, making me feel like I was strolling through cobblestone streets, savoring the scent of fresh espresso and citrus blossoms.

The romance itself was pure magic! The forced proximity kept the tension deliciously high, with every glance and unspoken word charged with emotion. And the forbidden love element? Utterly captivating! The stakes were real, making every stolen moment feel even more precious.

What made this story shine was how well the author balanced sweetness with depth. The chemistry between the characters felt so natural, and their emotional journey was both heartwarming and heart-wrenching in the best way. If you love clean romances with swoon-worthy tension, a stunning European backdrop, and a love that feels truly meant to be, this is the perfect book for you!

Can Lucky resist Hunter?

Lucky Salerno wanted to save enough money to open a bakery in memory of her grandparents. So working as the chief stewardess on a superyacht cruising the Mediterranean was the quickest way to get the money. But her plans went awry when she had to help the new employee learn the ropes on the yacht because her room had to only empty bed for Hunter Smith. Lucky was very attracted to Hunter but there was a no fraternization rule on the yacht.

Hunter Smith was working on the yacht to show his parents that he had changed but meeting Lucky made him realize that the no fraternization rule was going to be a problem especially that they shared a room.

I loved reading Falling Overboard because it was set somewhere very different from the usual romances.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received this book as an arc from the publisher and NetGalley.

I loved this book 😭 it was such a palette cleanser and exactly what I needed after the cold winter I had! This made me want to book a trip and go on a tropical vacation! Loved Lucky and how hard she worked even though she has been through a looooot. Also the slowest of slow burns and I loved every second of it! Definitely recommend this one!

Such a cute read! One, I want to go work on a yacht...or maybe just own a yacht? Hunter is a complete golden retriever, I loved watching him fall in love. Lucky was very loveable and I really enjoyed how Hunter pulled her out of her shell. Overall, the book was cute but a little too easy, the insta love, the twins immediate change of hearts, the immediate solution from Hunter at the end, the third act break up...I did adore the puns, but I wish they had been explained less.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC!

Pun-tastic romantic drama on the Mediterranean🚤

3.5🌟 stars
For me, the outstanding memory I will have of this romance is the wealth of puns the author puts in the dialogue between the leads. Very cute and clever.

If you are familiar with that reality show about a luxury charter yacht and the crew drama, petty spats, hook-ups and some bad behavior from pampered guests, then you will find this story fits well in that niche. The twist comes with Hunter, a new crew member who has to conceal his true identity, even from the young woman he falls for. Not literally, but figuratively, overboard.

The no, we shouldn't/yes, we can attraction at the heart of this romance because of a new anti-fraternization policy got a bit tiring after a while. And when Lucky, the female lead, eventually caves and throws caution to the wind, she really is, IMO, totally off the chain reckless. I expected it from Hunter, who I felt had less to lose if they disregard the rules, but not Lucky. I also found Lucky's hopeless lack of authority over her crewmates like Emilie when they don't pull their weight or flagrantly disregard the rules disheartening. These elements brought the story down for me and not even an uplifting ending could make up for it.

It's not a bad story, just not one that especially appealed to my taste.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared 3/10/25 on Goodreads and Bookbub, and with Barnes & Noble.

Falling Overboard by Sariah Wilson

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Montlake, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Overall, this was such a fun romcom! Falling Overboard is a slow burn, forced proximity romance that takes place on a superyacht cruising the Mediterranean.

This is a pretty fast-paced read and the setting makes it super unique and even more interesting! Lucky and Hunter are both interested in each other immediately but there is a strict rule that relationships between crew members are not allowed. The nautical elements were great, the MCs were very supportive of one other, and there was some good mental health representation throughout the book. Lucky and Hunter had such great chemistry. The slow burn, forced proximity, banter, and myriad of puns all made this one so awesome.

This was such a fun read overall! A sweet, closed door, heartwarming romcom that highlights the significance of overcoming obstacles to forge a better future. Definitely recommend!

A close proximity, forbidden romance. The FMC, Lucky, take a job on a super yacht in the Mediterranean. The no fraternization rule amongst the staff seems like no big deal until she meets deckhand Hunter and they end of sharing a room. While neither wants the complications their secret relationship brings, they can't stay away from each other.

This is a contemporary romance set aboard a luxurious Mediterranean superyacht. Lucky Salerno, an aspiring bakery owner, takes a job as a chief stewardess to save money for her dream. However, she finds herself sharing a cabin with the irresistible new deckhand, Hunter Smith. Their attraction is undeniable, but yacht rules strictly forbid crew romances. As they navigate the close quarters, their chemistry tests their ability to resist each other. Filled with humor, heart, and forbidden romance, the novel promises an engaging love story set against a stunning backdrop.