I enjoy Portia MacIntosh's lighthearted novels, they're great as a palate cleanser after a heavy historical or horror tome. This story was no different. It was a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a summer of weddings.

Unfortunately for Jessa, her long-term relationship with Todd is headed on the road to disaster, and it comes a cropper on the dancefloor at a wedding. She takes to her bath, but things are going to get worse when she discovers he has picked up with a petite and rather vacuous and vicious girl called Nikki. I personally felt that Nikki was a bit of a caricature, pretty, blonde, a bit stupid and very mean; the tricks she pulls to make herself the victim reminded me a little of those weird 'romance novel' ads you see on Instagram. Whatever the purpose of her character, she was good at making you really sympathise with Jessa and her plight.

Brody, our leading man, comes to the rescue, and it's even more necessary when they go on a cruise to Sicily as part of Jessa's best friend's wedding week (seriously, is the friend's family made of money?). The fantasy is real, people. I liked that, though this tackled the reality of being dumped (Todd moved on incredibly quickly, and I would have liked a bit more about this development), it was a fantasy romance, with the swoony sporty leading man, the almost cartoonish villainous ex-girlfriend who pushes people into pools when she doesn't get her way, and the supportive best friends.

Enjoyable, funny and possibly could have done with being a little bit longer!

Another 5-star read from Portia MacIntosh.
The perfect read for the summer!
Going Overboard is a fun, feel-good rom-com with a beautiful setting and chaotic but irresistible characters. Portia gives us lots of sass, and laugh-out-loud moments through the protagonist Billie, as she finds herself on a holiday gone wrong. The banter is on point, the pacing is perfect, and the mix of family drama, romance, and twists keeps you engaged throughout. It’s the kind of book you can breeze through in just one sitting and it will definitely have you recommending it to your friends!

This was fantastic! One of my favorite Portia MacIntosh books to date! I loved the banter between Jessa and Brody, as well as the heat! This book singlehandedly caused me to neglect my poor family all evening because I could not put it down. Absolutely engaging. I found myself laughing, sighing, and at one point tearing up a little. Highly recommend this one!

This is the first time in a long time that I've read a "rom-com" and actually laughed regularly while reading it. These days "rom-com" gets thrown around a little too loosely, but Going Overboard delivered on the genre tag. As much as I enjoyed the story, however, it just didn't quite stick the landing. Still, I will be looking out for more books by Portia MacIntosh.

Portia MacIntosh does it again, a brilliant story with fabulous character’s, Imagine being dumped by your fiancé who is having a relationship with a mutual friends ex girlfriend and then having to share a small ships cabin with the “new” couple and another jilted ex to attend your best friends wedding,!
Loads of laughs and emotions in this book, absolutely loved it, made me laugh out loud and also have a wee cheer when things work out the way they should.
Perfect summer holiday reading!

Jessa's life gets turned upside down when her boyfriend Todd dumps her at a wedding during the first dance. Plot twist across the room, cricket superstar Brody is getting the same treatment from his girlfriend Nikki. Double plot twist: Todd and Nikki are now together. Just when Jessa thinks things can't get worse, she's trapped on a cruise to Sicily for her best friend's destination wedding with both exes onboard. Thanks to a booking mix-up, she's sharing a suite with Todd, Nikki, and the infuriatingly handsome Brody. Their solution? Fake a red-hot romance to get revenge on their cheating exes. But the better they get at pretending, the more real their chemistry becomes, and suddenly the line between fake and real gets dangerously blurry. Sometimes the best revenge is falling for someone new.

Going Overboard is a really fun holiday read. I couldn’t put it down and raced through it in two days which is exactly what I want for a sun lounger book. (Plus I love cruising so that was a bonus.)

It was a fun take of fake dating, forced proximity and only one bed and I was rooting for Brody and Jessa throughout.

An excellent rom-com read from Portia MacIntosh!

I read this really quickly as I got so swept into the storyline and their characters - it's hard to explain without giving away spoilers!

The characters feel real, the plot line is well written with enough every day that the story is believable and relatable but enough flair that makes it a bit escapist! It's funny, emotional, a bit spicy but overall entertaining. I really enjoyed it - it's a great holiday read!

I really enjoyed this one. It was full of humour, flirtatious moments and holiday vibes.

I loved the chemistry and banter between Jessa and Brody (the bedroom scene was soo funny!!)

Nikki was horrible,the stunts she pulled were questionable and annoyed me.

I loved the other friends as well. How they stuck together and were so funny.

A really fun, light summer read.

If you want a quick romance read with some quirky characters and cute, banter-filled moments then this would make a great summer read! Even better if you can read it on a cruise (the majority of the book is set on a cruise).

I’ve read most (if not all) of this authors books and my only gripe is that I would love them to be longer! I want more moments with the characters (but that’s just a testament to how well written they are).

I enjoyed all the tropes in this one, which includes fake dating, one-bed, forced proximity, holiday romance, revenge pact and opposites attract.

Going Overboard by Portia MacIntosh is a fun, flirty summer romcom that makes you feel like you’re right there on a journey with the characters. I loved how the story mixes sweet romance with a bit of petty revenge—perfect for fans of the fake-dating-to-real-love trope.

MacIntosh’s writing is sharp, witty, and effortlessly conversational. The plot is clever and warm. After being dumped by her boyfriend, Todd, during a wedding dance, Jessa finds out Brody, a famous cricketer, was dumped at the same moment. A year later, they run into each other on a wedding cruise and agree to pretend they’re together—if they can’t get their exes back, they’ll at least make them jealous. Their fake relationship turns into something real in the most satisfying enemies-to-friends-to-lovers way.

Jessa is so easy to root for—funny, upbeat, and relatable. Todd is hilariously awful, while Brody is the perfect charming match for her. Every side character adds even more spark to the story.

I didn’t want it to end—MacIntosh nailed the feel-good, witty romance vibe. I’m so glad I got to read an advance copy. Big thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A good bit of light entertainment which has you giggling away. It is a slightly ridiculous storyline but that’s what makes it a fun read. The characters are fantastic in that we have all met people like them ,especially Nikki. A good book to read if you want an easy summer read.

I ADORED Going Overboard by Portia MacIntosh - like absolutely loved it. I devoured this forced proximity as a beach read!

Jessa and Brody enter into a fake dating arrangement to get back at their exes who are now dating each other. After spending some time together on a boat, they start to think that there may be more to their fake relationship.

Just adorable! I laughed out lout several times!

Another fun summer read from Portia MacIntosh!

This one has a lot of tropes going on - but it's such an entertaining story! Jessa's boyfriend, Todd, breaks up with her at a wedding and at the same time Brody's girlfriend, Nikki, breaks up with him and makes his life hell. So Jessa and Brody team up to show their exes they're over them and in love. The next wedding is a destination wedding starting with a cruise - they have a week to convince everybody they're in love and it's a wild trip! I liked all the characters, the cruise setting was fun and the dialogue between the MCs is awesome.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

ynopsis: Jessa is shocked when her boyfriend, Todd, seemingly dumps her out of the blue. He is quickly in a new relationship with Nikki. Enter Brody, Nikki's ex. Can Jessa and Brody fake a relationship to make their exes jealous? Can they survive a cruise in a two bedroom suite with said exes?

Review: I really enjoyed this rom com. It was not spicy at all, but gave all the romance feels. I would call it a clean version of a Christina Lauren type book. There were many funny scenes that had me laughing. I enjoyed the characters and romance.

3.5/5 ⭐️

Going Overboard is a nice, short little read about a relationship brutally ending, and finding new love through a fake boyfriend.

It was charming, to say the least. Despite the premise of petty revenge, the character development through the book was fun to see. There were a few parts that had me questioning the relevancy to the over all concept, but they didn’t really do any harm to the story either.

If you’re looking for something light felt and quick, a pallet cleanser mostly, this isn’t a bad read to give a try!

Going Overboard by Portia MacIntosh is a lighthearted rom-com set on a cruise ship, where Jessa, recently dumped, ends up sharing a cabin with her ex, his new girlfriend, and her fake boyfriend Brody. The fake-dating and forced-proximity tropes make for plenty of laughs and entertaining moments, especially with MacIntosh’s signature witty banter. While the story is fun and fast-paced, some character development and subplots felt a bit rushed or underexplored. Still, it’s an enjoyable, easy read perfect for vacation or a cozy weekend. Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

🚢🇮🇹 Going Overboard by Portia Macintosh 🇮🇹🚢
Genre: Rom Com
Length: 272 pages
Pub Date: July 26, 2025
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books foe the advanced e-ARC of this book. The opinions stated here are solely my own.

Summary:
Jessa is newly single after her boyfriend broke up with her at their friends' wedding. Soon, her bestie, Kelsey, will be getting married following a five-day cruise to Sicily with all the close friends aboard... including Jessa's ex, Todd. After a mix-up with the wedding coordinator, Jessa is stuck sharing a two-bedroom suite with Todd and his gorgeous girlfriend, Nikki. Luckily for her, hot best man, Brody, is newly single and has been booked in her room. The pair decides to go full fake-dating to get back at their exes (Nikki is Brody's ex, too!). Hilarious antics ensue, but will Brody and Jessa be convincing enough in their charade, or will real sparks begin to fly?? Will anyone find out? And how will they get around having to share one bed?

Review:
This is a quintessential Portia Macintosh rom com. Perfect for the beach, and for a good laugh as the craziness builds from the fake dating of the two MCs. This is a great rom com for anyone who loves enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, one bed, closed door spice, and even a hint of sports romance, as Brody happens to be a professional cricket player! I loved how Jessa and Brody continued to grow closer as Todd and Nikki got more annoyed throughout the story. There were some great distractions moments that piled on and ended with a very HEA. I always look forward to reading this author's latest!

Cute read and good flow. I enjoyed the plot and the characters but think that some descriptions were a bit overused (I.e. Al being shirtless all the time, etc). Nikki also ended up being a bit of a caricature. Overall though, I liked the book.

Sweet, simple, and perfect for the beach

This was a cute and easy read — nothing groundbreaking, but exactly what I wanted for a lazy afternoon in the sun. The characters were charming (if a bit predictable), and the setting gave me all the summer vibes. The romance built steadily, with just enough tension to keep me flipping pages between sunscreen reapplications.

Some of the dialogue felt a little cheesy, and the plot was pretty by-the-numbers, but that’s kind of the point with books like this. It’s comfort food for your brain — warm, familiar, and low-stress. If you’re looking for something light and feel-good to toss in your beach bag, this will absolutely do the trick.