A fun easy read
Jessa is loved up at her friends wedding believing she might be next when her boyfriend Todd dumps her during the first dance
Same wedding Brody who is a professional cricketer is being dumped by his girlfriend Nikki
Unfortunately there is a cruise prior to her best friends wedding and Jessa doesn’t want to be a party pooper so tries to be enthusiastic until she finds out her ex Todd is with Brodys ex Nikki and they are 4 of them are going to be stuck together on a ship for a week.
With no other choice as the cruise.is full all 4 end up sharing a suite, let the fun begin

I am a big fan of this author, I have enjoyed everything I have read from her and her books have never let me down. And this one was no different!
First off I am a fan of the fake dating trope, in fact it is probably my favourite trope to read in romance books. So this got off to a great start for me.
The writing, as usual, felt so effortless it made the whole plot flow well.
I was invested in the story straight away mainly because of the characters. I really liked our FMC Jessa. I found her to be a likeable main character and I really enjoyed the banter between her and Brody throughout the whole book. All of the characters felt very real to me which I don't always find, so I really liked that.
The only slight thing I didn't quite get was the romance that happened between Jessa & Brody. I just never felt the romantic connection between them. They definitely just gave off friendship vibes to me so that was slightly disappointing.
Overall I found this to be a quick, light hearted, enjoyable read and I highly recommend reading any of this authors books.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This is another sweet, fun romance from Portia Macintosh. Jessa and Brody are both dumped...and their exes are now together, leading them to fake a romance. This is a forced proximity (on a cruise/island for a destination wedding!) where Jessa is maid of honor and Brody is best man. While most of the story was outrageous (but hilarious) the author somehow makes the instant connection/relationship feel genuine. I adored our couple and watching them "fake it" Which obviously turned real pretty quickly.

So much fun!

4 stars

This is a great summer read, it’s funny, light hearted, and easy to read. It’s got some of my favorite tropes - fake dating, only 1 bed, forced proximity and more. Jessa is a at a wedding when her boyfriend Todd breaks up with her. Across the room, pro hockey player Brody is getting dumped by his girlfriend Nikki.

Apparently, Todd and Nikki are together, so Jessa and Brody pretend they’re having a torrid affair as revenge. Due to a booking error, the two couples are actually in the same cabin!

But, what do they do when the faux affair starts to feel real?
I enjoyed this charming book, 4 stars. I actually read it on a cruise so it was fun to imagine this story playing out in front of me!

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

Thank you to net galley for the Arc. This was the perfect summer read for my holiday. Loved the story and the writing. Would recommend to all.

This was a fun book! The story was very well written and full of funny moments and amazing banter! I highly recommend!

Jess gets dumped by Todd during the first dance at a wedding, Brody is getting dumped by Nikki at the same time at the same wedding. Their exes are now a couple leaving Jess and Brody high and dry.
Jess's best friend is getting married in Sicily with a prewedding cruise involving all the wedding party, which includes Jess's ex Todd and Nikki. A fake romance between Jess and Brody is the plan with mix-ups and trouble ensuing.
Very enjoyable novel
Thanks to the author, Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in return for my honest review

Jessa is dumped out of the blue by her boyfriend Todd. She ends up in a water fountain and needs a place to clean off. Come in Brody, who she thought was the valet, who allows her to shower in his room and then lets her spend the night in his bathtub. Ends up Brody the best friend of Jessa’s best friend Kelsey’s fiancé. Kelsey is getting married with a cruise to her destination wedding. Todd is also invited but Jessa hopes the ship is big enough to avoid Todd and Nikki ( Brody’s ex) but a turn of bad luck, all four are shoved into a suite. Brody and Jessa form a bond to fake date to get back at their exes. Their plots and bonding lead to them both falling for each other.
The perfect summer romance read. Forced proximity eventually causes feelings to form.
Enjoyed this book and the plot. Never knew what Jessa and Brody were planning next.

3.5, a solid read! They had me at forced proximity, one bed. We all know how this ends but the getting there was entertaining and I’d absolutely pick it up!

Going Overboard is a perfect summer read packed with all the best romance tropes—fake dating, forced proximity, enemies to lovers—and it delivers them with plenty of humor and heart. Jessa and Brody’s accidental ship-share situation sets the stage for hilarious awkwardness and sizzling chemistry that kept me hooked.

The cruise setting added a fun, glamorous backdrop, and the revenge pact plot was both clever and satisfying, even if some moments felt a bit predictable. I loved the banter between Jessa and Brody—they have great chemistry that made the slow burn feel real and earned.

While the story didn’t break new ground, it was a delightful escape filled with emotional depth beneath the laughs. Fans of Emily Henry and B.K. Borison will definitely enjoy this one. It’s a light, entertaining read that will leave you smiling and wishing for a summer cruise of your own!

not my cup of tea. I didn't like the characters and I didn't believe that they were hea - both of them had just been dumped by their respective partners, they're no way that only few short weeks after the breakup they fall in love with someone who's they're happy ending.

Going Overboard by Portia MacIntosh is the first of two books I’ve read by her in a short span, and I’m thoroughly enjoying her humorous writing style. I’m definitely going to pick up more of her books! The setup is entertaining: two couples break up at a wedding, allowing one from each pair to start fresh. The two left behind, Jessa and Brody, team up to get revenge by pretending to be a fake couple. The chemistry between Jessa and Brody is incredible, and the story immediately captivated me and held my attention throughout.

This has so many of my favourite tropes
Fake dating 🛥 Forced proximity 🛌 Only one bed 💞 Revenge pact 🤭 Opposites attract 💖 Enemies to lovers
I really really enjoyed it

A fun summery read. Jessa is dumped by her long term boyfriend but soon finds herself in a dating trope.


They soon find themselves sharing a cabin together . Todd and Nicky have moved on quickly .

Jessa gets unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend Todd, and realizes their friend groups are basically the same. Of course Todd moves on immediately with another friend group's ex. Going Overboard follows the breakup and the awkward cruise where Jessa is stuck with Todd and his new girlfriend, Nikki, and decides to pretend date Brody, Nikki's ex. Jessa is a bit too committed to rubbing her new relationship in Todd's face and almost misses out on how wonderful Brody is.

If Jessa could've let go of her hurt a little earlier, the book would've been perfect.

Portia MacIntosh's new romance, Going Overboard, is a wonderful read that delivers on all the most enjoyable rom-com clichés. Jessa and Brody, two women who are unceremoniously dropped by their partners at one wedding each, stumble upon one another and find themselves on a cruise to Sicily with their former lovers, who have become a couple in a freak accident of bad luck and great plot device.
With nowhere to turn, they devise a delectively evil payback scheme: they'll pretend to have a hot-and-heavy affair of their own. Leaning into the act, the distinction between reality and feigning gets fuzzy, and a lovely and really sweet love story results.

The writing is clever and humorous, with the forced proximity and "only one bed" situations providing ample laugh-out-loud moments. The chemistry between Jessa and Brody cannot be denied, making their fight from enemies to lovers an absolute pleasure to read. Go Overboard is the ideal selection for a sun-kissed day or a cold evening in, providing a warm, feel-good mix of humor, heart, and a well-deserved happily-ever-after.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ARC review: Going overboard by Portia MacIntosh

This book? Peak summer chaos. I devoured it like a cold cocktail on a hot day — fruity, fizzy, and with a little umbrella of fake dating drama on top.

So. Jessa goes to a wedding with her boyfriend Todd… who dumps her. At. The. Wedding.
Elsewhere at said wedding, Brody also gets dumped by Nikki. It’s giving: rom-com trauma bonding.

Cut to a few weeks later — new wedding, same messy exes, but now dating each other. The math isn’t mathing, but the drama? Impeccable. Naturally, Jessa and Brody team up for the only logical revenge plan: pretend to be madly in love.

…while stuck on a cruise.
…in the same two-bedroom suite.
…with their exes.

What could possibly go wrong? (Answer: everything. And I loved every minute.)

From bathtub sleepovers to “are we faking or…?” moments, this book had me kicking my feet and giggling like a teenager. The banter is snappy, the chemistry is illegal, and I’m 99.9% sure Brody was a goner from chapter 14.

I laughed, I swooned, I fake-dated this book in my head. If you’re looking for a rom-com that feels like getting sunburnt, slightly drunk, and accidentally in love — Going Overboard is your next obsession. 💅🚢💔➡️💘

Brody + Jessa = the funniest non-couple to ever accidentally couple. 10/10 would cruise with again

This romance book is absolutely delightful! It's an ideal pick for your summer vacation. I finished it in just one day!

It all starts with Jessa being dumped at her friend's wedding. Just two weeks later, she discovers that her ex, Todd, is already in a relationship with a new girl named Nikki. The twist? Nikki also ended things with her ex, Brody, at that same wedding. The odds are unreal! With their friends in common, it becomes clear that avoiding each other is nearly impossible—especially with a wedding cruise to Sicily around the corner. 🏝

As you can imagine, this setup promises plenty of awkward moments. But with cruise ships being as large as they are, surely they can dodge one another? Wrong again. A booking mix-up forces Jessa to share a two-bed suite with Todd, Nikki, and the charming cricket player Brody. What begins as a picturesque holiday quickly evolves into a tangled mess. For the sake of their friend's wedding, Jessa and Brody decide to embrace the absurdity of their situation. They hatch a plan to "get back at" their exes by feigning a romance of their own. 🎯

This book is packed with humor, charm, and a wonderfully engaging narrative. It was my first experience reading a story by McIntosh, and I was thoroughly impressed! I can't wait to dive into more of her work. ♥️

If you loved "Funny Story" by Emily Henri, this gem is sure to capture your heart as well. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Going Overboard by Portia MacIntosh is a sparkling, laugh-out-loud rom-com that blends forced proximity, fake dating, and enemies-to-lovers tropes with a witty, modern voice. From the moment Jessa is dumped by her boyfriend Todd on the dance floor at a wedding, the story sets off with charm, humor, and delightful chaos. Two weeks later, she discovers that Todd and her rival Nikki are attending another wedding—on a cruise to Sicily—and that Nikki’s ex, cricket star Brody, is also onboard. When all four end up sharing a cramped two-bed suite, Jessa and Brody hatch a hilarious revenge plot that quickly evolves into unexpected romance.

MacIntosh excels at creating engaging, emotionally relatable characters. Jessa is funny, endearing, and delightfully human in her heartbreak, while Brody is charming, down-to-earth, and teasing in all the right ways. Their chemistry is electric, and their banter had me laughing throughout. The cruise setting is perfectly utilized, with mishaps, close quarters, and holiday vibes adding to both tension and comedy. The friendships and group dynamics are heartwarming, offering a wonderful mix of camaraderie, loyalty, and support.

Beyond the humor, the novel explores themes of resilience, self-discovery, and learning to trust again. While the romantic arc develops naturally, the lighthearted, feel-good tone keeps the narrative breezy and fun, making it a perfect summer or beach read. Fans of contemporary rom-coms, holiday romances, and witty banter will find themselves fully entertained from start to finish.

Overall, Going Overboard is an irresistibly funny, charming, and heartwarming romance that combines clever plotting, a gorgeous setting, and unforgettable characters. Portia MacIntosh has delivered another hit for readers craving laughs, swoons, and a sunny escape.

This was a very cute and enjoyable rom com. The author employs the fake relationship to real relationship trope well and nothing is too cloying. Enjoyed the antics of Jessa and Brody. If I make one complaint it’s that in the beginning Jessa does come off as quite a drunken lush, continually making bad decisions and drinking more until she suffers the consequences but doesn’t seem to learn anything. She does grow a bit as a character though so it works out.