The High Dive is the perfect summer romance for anyone looking for a sexy, tension filled romance! The ending fell a little flat for me, I would have enjoyed if there was more to it after all the yearning back and forth, but overall enjoyed this book and will absolutely be recommending it!

Old friends reunite for a bachelor party aboard a luxury yacht sailing the Mediterranean, the descriptive text was written very well.
The storyline follows the history of each character, their personalities and friendships were complex and the atmosphere became tense and complicated.
I found it difficult to relate to Alex and Daniel as they fleshed out their relationship, they felt almost distant.
Alex and Paul had a better relationship, much more mature and comfortable. I wanted to feel more connected to the people involved, Alex was surely a confident woman who worried about being accepted by the group. This aspect of the story was somewhat confusing.
The cohesive aspect of the group as friends was strained, I didn’t buy into the closeness that should have been there. Alex needed to relax to enjoy herself more, the world she lives in was complicated enough.
There certainly was food for thought amongst the pages, the elite lifestyle and personalities is just the beginning!
Thank you to Orsay Press, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

🔥💔 *A Sharp, Sexy, and Smartly Political Second-Chance Romance* 💔🔥

*This yacht trip is no vacation—it's a collision course.* Alexandra Onassis and Danial Azad’s scorching history explodes back to life in this riveting, enemies-to-lovers romance that’s equal parts social commentary and emotional slow-burn.

Set against the glittering backdrop of the Mediterranean and dripping with tension—sexual, social, and ideological—this novel masterfully explores what happens when privilege, politics, and past wounds meet in close quarters. Alex is fierce, principled, and painfully relatable, while Danial is infuriatingly magnetic, making their every interaction sizzle with conflict and chemistry.

More than just a love story, this book delves deep into class divides, generational trauma, and what it means to fight for your beliefs—especially when love might be the ultimate compromise.

Perfect for fans of Sally Rooney, *The Summer I Turned Pretty*, and *The Hating Game*, this is a smart, emotional rollercoaster that stays with you long after the last page.

The High Dive is so perfect for summer! Loved the yacht and all the rich people and how it combined with real life issues with politics.

This is the perfect read in that it somehow is very escapist (they’re on a yacht in Capri) but also very realistic (main character Alex is not rich, very down to earth, and messy - like a real person is). I love a romantic storyline that is built on simmering tensions and yearning and this delivered. It also has class dynamics, complex family and friend relationships, and character growth. Highly recommend you pick up a copy and take it to the beach or the pool.

The High Dive was absolutely exquisite. I was hooked in immediately which is not common for me, and quickly found myself picking up the book any free moment I had. Any romance that is both steamy and intelligent is a winner in my book, and this was just that. The writing is mature and refined, and I appreciated that this wasn’t a story littered with tons of romance troupes for the sake of troupes. The only thing that would’ve made this book better is if it was longer!

This was a really well rounded romance! Especially strong character writing, including the protagonists and the side characters, and the themes they explored. The Mediterranean vacation setting was the cherry on top.

This is the perfect summer romance! I loved the Fmc. Dialogue and internal monologue was thoughtful instead of vapid. Would definitely recommend!!

Unfortunately I had a hard time getting through this book as I didn’t care for any of the characters. It was also frustrating that the backstory took such a long time to unfold. It might have been more interesting if we found out sooner why the main characters hated each other and would have built the sexual tension. Instead it felt more like the FMC was being gaslit.

10 out of 10!! I loved this from beginning to end. There is so much sizzling tension in this book, what I’m beginning to think might be Chelsea Fagan’s specialty.

I always love flashbacks or dual timelines in a book, so that element of the story really worked for me. It was great to get glimpses of all of these characters as they were ten years ago, and how they have, or haven’t, changed since their college days.

If there’s one thing Chelsea is going to do, its give us atmosphere. Her writing really pulled me in and made me feel like I was summering on a fancy yacht right along with Alex and Danial.

I loved our two main characters. They had a lot to learn from each other and take accountability for, and they did all of it. I saw a lot of growth in both Alex and Danial over the course of the story, which made the ending that much more satisfying.

Another banger from Chelsea - I’ll now be anxiously awaiting any news of a third book!

Alex and Danial have a friendship/rivalry going back to their college days. And from the beginning, we get a dual-timeline leading up to the event that results in their estrangement. And at the same time, we see them on a yacht on the Mediterranean on a fabulous bachelor trip for their friends, falling for each other against a stunning backdrop. This book had me grabbing it by the lapels shouting, "Tell me what happened!" I loved the setting, Alex's relationships with her mom and her best friend Paul, the absolute angst of a second chance at love. I both didn't want it to end, and was also racing through to find out what happened next. And for anyone who has followed Chelsea Fagan through The Financial Diet, she also does an excellent job with Alex's experience with her extremely wealthy friends and how that class difference affected her relationships. I was really excited to read this ARC and would absolutely read more from this author in the future.

I really loved the setting of the book, it felt like a vacation that I’ve only ever dreamed about. Chelsea’s writing is so real and raw. It had romance, but it wasn’t in your face. The summer vibes were perfect and I flew through this! This brought me out of a massive reading slump. I can’t wait to read more from Chelsea!

The High Dive is the sexy and luxurious escape we all need!! A juicy beach read set in the Mediterranean with discussions of politics, family dynamics, and wealth/class.. thanks, I’ll take six.

The characters were bratty and annoying at times, but I think that was exactly who they were supposed to be. The setting was gorgeous and allowed me to imagine myself on this trip with everyone. I felt for Alex, most of the time. Her and Danial are hot hot hot!!

Chelsea, please give us a sequel focusing on Paul!!!

Loved the setting of this book! This story felt like a dream vacation though certain moments were more like a nightmare trip! So at times it seemed kinda like a White Lotus story. I related to Alex a lot when it came to being around her rich friends. Not only did she want to fit in so badly but she also resented them for what they had especially because they’ve never really known or understood another life since they were all born into a family with wealth except Danial. Danial and Alex definitely had some animosity between them but only because there was a true connection between them first. This definitely created some great tension and yearning which I believe are the foundation for a great romance! If you agree then I think you’ll enjoy reading The High Dive this summer!

The High Dive felt like a vacation I wished I could take. Fagan’s writing felt so visceral at times, I could taste the salt water (and the cocktails). Having never been on a yacht I could picture it all vividly. It’s something Fagan does masterfully once again. This book felt like class, but not of superiority, it felt like falling into an old flame I wish I had. The contrast of the then/now timelines is a tool I love time and time again, and the way it was used in this book made me ache for the characters as I read. The only complaint I had about this book, was that I wanted more of it. I could have read another few hundred pages on these characters. I can’t wait to read the next romance Fagan puts out.

A lovely romance for non-romance people. A plucky, smart, ambitious, and pithy novel about lost complicated love. New favorite romance writer!

A modern day Pride and Prejudice readalike! I am a sucker for an enemies to lovers trope and this author does it well. When college friends are reunited for a posh wedding Mediterranean yacht cruise, Alex, who has always been odd woman out because of her humble upbringing, now has to face Danial and how they left things upon graduation along with all the drama that the two week trip holds.
It's really the perfect summer read-the setting is such a vibe, the drama of a barely making it Alex trying to keep up with her uber-rich friends and the dash of politics makes it super relatable too.

The High Dive is a great book for getting back into the rhythm of summer reading. Set against the backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea during a college friend’s bachelor party, Alex and her friends work through issues from both the past and present.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a quick, easy read. That said, I didn’t find the main character particularly likable. Alex was often very set in her ways and seemed unwilling—or perhaps unable—to view situations with any nuance, seeing things only in black and white. Personally, I think this reflects a stereotype of left-leaning women that isn’t helpful to keep perpetuating in mainstream media.

I did enjoy the book, but I wish there had been more nuance written into the main character’s thought processes.

I really wanted to 5-star love this book. I've been following Chelsea Fagan on her Financial Diet social media channels for years and was so excited for her when she started publishing fiction. While I liked this book better than her first novel, I could not sympathize with the protagonist. Her ethos was supposed to be for the working man, but she spent an absolute fortune to buy clothes and get primped to spend time pouting on a yacht with her rich college friends. Simultaneously trying to fit in with them while actively avoiding them because she despises the rich. It made it very hard to like her and very hard to get on board with the relationship she had with the love interest.

It did get me out of a months-long reading slump so, there's that.

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

Chelsea strikes again! Normally I have a hard time with enemies to lovers - the stakes need to fit just right, and she struck gold with Alex and Danial’s dynamic. I found a lot to love about them as characters individually, but I do think the resolution felt, at times, half baked. Also, I LOVE Paul, perhaps to the detriment of the main characters. I would read a whole other book about him finding his way in life after calling off the wedding.

Overall, very intriguing and delightful book that I will recommend!