This book completely captured me from start to finish. The main characters felt so genuine—flaws, quirks, and all—yet their pretend relationship added such a clever twist. It was refreshing to see characters who were both real and fun in their interactions.

I found myself laughing out loud one moment, then feeling cozy and thoughtful the next. The story balanced humor and heart so well, creating a romcom that felt both light and meaningful.

The seaside setting was beautifully described, adding an extra layer of charm and atmosphere to the story. It made the whole experience feel even more immersive and special. I couldn’t put it down!

When your boyfriend dumps you right before a group cruise/destination wedding and then shows up with a new girlfriend… what’s a girl to do? Drink too much and let everyone assume you’re over him and under her ex of course! Thankfully he’s a wind-up merchant and more than happy to play along -who knew faking it could be so fun?

Love a good location as much as I do? You’ve got Yorkshire wedding venues, a resort style cruise, and the island of Sicily to explore between the covers.

It took me a moment to get into this, it’s very voicey and a bit frazzled English woman BUT after a few pages I found myself really enjoying the conversational tone. That combined with the short chapters makes it a nice snappy read.

The best part about this book? It’s properly FUNNY in a way that a lot of rom-coms lately just aren’t managing. The dialogue is realistic and all the characters have genuine banter. It’s just a lot of fun and I kept finding myself smiling -I laughed out loud at the bed moving scene!

One teeny tiny thing I hated just a smidge… “said” goes unnoticed in a way that “clapped back” does not. I didn’t need to read that multiple times. The writing is generally good otherwise and it’s an easy/fast read (NB good writing makes for easy reading). Tropes wise, I’m not huge on fake dating -it usually feels childish to me- but I was onboard here.

I think the short chapters, humour, and summer vibes make this a great book to pack for your summer holidays!

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

Portia MacIntosh is my go-to for romances that somehow just have the right plot to keep me engrossed and reading to the end.

Sometimes, it really takes chance events that you think ruined your life to actually improve it! I would have love to see more of how Nikki/Todd turned out, but bad karma to wish the negative on them, although as usual, very happy endings make me happy too. No Spoilers! but I really enjoyed the cruise backdrop, which is very different from the usual city/country on land setting of the stories.

Highly Recommended!

I had so much fun reading it that I constantly either smiled or laughed (I have witnesses, ask my boyfriend), so that's a review in and of itself.

It's an easy, summery read, full of humour, charm, puns, and teasing between characters. Perfect for this time of year or when you've just finished something heavy and want to relax, not thinking about anything for once.

The characters could be a little more fleshed out, but honestly? I think it's only so fun and cosy because they're not. That's the charm of it, and it really works.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for letting me read the ARC!

Thank you for the ARC from Boldwood.

Jessa is cruising through life alongside with her boyfriend Todd. When they attend a friends wedding, Todd dumps her in the evening while dancing. Brody also is dumped by his girlfriend Nikki. Little do they both know until the next wedding that Todd and Nikki are together. Jessa is mad so when she and Brody are invited on a cruise to Sicily to another of their friends wedding, they team up and pretend to fake date to get even with Todd and Nikki. While they fake dating they both learn about each other. on the cruise.
This has to be my favourite by Portia, full of humour and fun as always, some of the scenes had me giggling along the way. I loved Jessa and Brody's chemistry as it was quite obvious they were meant to be. A brilliant read and an ending.

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Prima di tutto, un enorme grazie a NetGalley per avermi concesso l’opportunità di leggere questo ARC! Devo ammettere che non avevo mai letto nulla di questa autrice prima d’ora, ma dopo aver divorato questa storia in praticamente un giorno, posso dire con certezza che è stata una scoperta fantastica.

TROPES:
Fake dating
Forced proximity
Only one bed
Revenge pact
Opposites attract
Enemies to lovers

Immaginate la scena: siete a un matrimonio, tutto sembra perfetto, quando improvvisamente il vostro partner vi molla seduta stante. Questo è esattamente quello che succede sia a Jessa che a Brody durante la stessa cerimoniae, come se non bastasse, poco dopo scoprono che i loro rispettivi ex, Todd e Nikki, si sono messi insieme. Il colpo di grazia arriva quando si ritrovano bloccati insieme in una suite su una nave da crociera diretta in Sicilia per il matrimonio della migliore amica di Jessa, dove Brody è il testimone.
La loro soluzione è un piano di vendetta geniale: fingere di essere una coppia innamorata per far rosiccare i loro ex. Ma quello che doveva essere solo una messinscena inizia a diventare tremendamente reale mentre continuano a recitare. La chimica tra due persone che dovrebbero solo fingere esplode in modo inaspettato, trasformando tutto in un viaggio emozionale che vi terrà incollati alle pagine fino alla fine!

Jessa è ottimista, spiritosa, con i piedi per terra, e ha quella capacità tutta particolare di finire nelle situazioni più imbarazzanti che però ti fanno ridere a crepapelle. È una di quelle eroine moderne capaci di fare mille disastri, ma con un cuore d’oro che ti fa tifare per lei dal primo momento. La sua autenticità e la sua capacità di far ridere anche nei momenti più difficili la rendono quel genere di protagonista che mi fa dare una stella in più solo per questo.

E poi c’è Brody, un giocatore di cricket (quanto è originale questo dettaglio?) carismatico e affascinante. Forse mi sarebbe piaciuto entrare di più nella sua testa visto che la storia è narrata solo dal punto di vista di lei, ma quando si rivela per quello che è veramente… beh, capirete perché è impossibile non innamorarsene.

La chimica tra Jessa e Brody è esplosiva. Il loro botta e risposta è perfetto, divertente, e pieno di tensione.
Guardare la loro relazione evolversi e vedere come si trasformano a vicenda è pura magia. Certo, alcuni momenti romantici potrebbero essere più approfonditi e meno affrettati, e la transizione da “non mi piaci” a “mi piaci tantissimo” potrebbe essere un po’ più graduale, ma la loro connessione è innegabile fin dall’inizio.

Portia MacIntosh ha uno stile di scrittura super coinvolgente e l’ambientazione sulla nave da crociera è descritta magnificamente, e ti ritrovi a voler prenotare immediatamente una vacanza! Ripeto, in questo caso mi sarebbe piaciuto un doppio pov, ma è questione di gusti.

Questo libro è una lettura estiva perfetta perché leggera, divertente e scorrevole. Ho adorato i personaggi secondari (a parte Todd e Nikki, che sono universalmente detestabili), e alcune situazioni sono esilaranti.

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First of all, a huge thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC! I have to admit I’d never read anything by this author before, but after devouring this story in practically one day, I can say with certainty that she was an amazing discovery.

TROPES:
• Fake dating
• Forced proximity
• Only one bed
• Revenge pact
• Opposites attract
• Enemies to lovers

Picture this: you’re at a wedding, everything seems perfect, when suddenly your partner dumps you on the spot. This is exactly what happens to both Jessa and Brody during the same ceremony, and as if that wasn’t bad enough, they soon discover that their respective exes, Todd and Nikki, have gotten together. The final blow comes when they find themselves stuck together in a suite on a cruise ship headed to Sicily for Jessa’s best friend’s wedding, where Brody is the best man. Their solution is a brilliant revenge plan: pretend to be a couple madly in love to make their exes jealous. But what was supposed to be just an act starts becoming terrifyingly real as they continue their charade. The chemistry between two people who should just be pretending explodes unexpectedly, turning everything into an emotional journey that will keep you glued to the pages until the very end!

Jessa is optimistic, witty, down-to-earth, and has that special talent for getting into the most embarrassing situations that somehow make you laugh out loud. She’s one of those modern heroines who can create a thousand disasters but has a heart of gold that makes you root for her from the first moment. Her authenticity and ability to make you laugh even in the toughest moments make her the kind of protagonist that earns an extra star just for that.

And then there’s Brody, a cricket player (how original is that detail?) who’s charismatic and charming. I might have liked to get more inside his head since the story is told only from her point of view, but when he reveals who he really is… well, you’ll understand why it’s impossible not to fall for him.

The chemistry between Jessa and Brody is explosive. Their banter is perfect, funny, and full of tension. Watching their relationship evolve and seeing how they transform each other is pure magic. Sure, some romantic moments could be more developed and less rushed, and the transition from “I don’t like you” to “I really like you” could be a bit more gradual, but their connection is undeniable from the start.

Portia MacIntosh has a super engaging writing style and the cruise ship setting is beautifully described—you’ll find yourself wanting to book a vacation immediately! Again, in this case I would have liked dual POV, but that’s a matter of taste.

This book is perfect summer reading because it’s light, fun, and flows beautifully. I loved the secondary characters (except Todd and Nikki, who are universally detestable), and some situations are hilarious.

This was a cute, quick read! I loved that pretty much the entire story took place on a cruise ship. The drama between Jessa and Nikki was kind of funny actually, which I enjoyed. Nikki was crazy which made the book better cause some of the things she said/did was whack. I also enjoyed the banter between Jessa and Brody.

One thing I was disappointed about was that it really wasn't enemies to lovers and that was one thing I was really looking forward to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I knew this book was going to be good based on the cover and the tropes listed because these are some of my favorite tropes and I really enjoy books with a ship or a cruise ship setting because I have a weird special interest in the Titanic. Don’t judge me. This book already gets points for mentioning the Titanic in a silly way in the beginning, but also just like doing it. Well I cannot tell you how many times I laughed in this book. It was so good.

The book starts out with the main character, chilling out on the seaside and trying to relax while she is bombarded with party goers are enjoying the beach and she very much wants to be left alone with her piña colada; a weird party goer ends up trying to get her phone number and hit on her and she becomes very uncomfortable.
This is when Brody our savior comes in as our fake boyfriend and tells this partygoer to go away the humor really kicks in here because we see that bro code is above a woman saying no thank you in fact this party goer calls Brody, a legend, so I’ll leave it at that.

Her actual boyfriend ends up coming back his name is Todd, and he is very occupied with his own activities and kind of just seems disinterested and not like a great partner initially and then we are hit with some conflict.

This main setting is the cruise ship and it’s also the friends wedding

So we have a friendship dynamic where the characters actually come off the page and are hilarious are frustrating. They’re good and bad very clearly labeled characters. If that makes sense there’s no like morally gray characters my opinion in this book it was all just it was exactly what I wanted and needed as a romcom, and I feel like this is really hard to find like these tropes are my favorite tropes and this book was inhaled, and I loved every minute of it.

The covers also adorable I really like the bright colors the writing style I really enjoyed. It’s first person POV and the character does make fun of herself, but it’s not in too much of a self defecating way. She is making fun of herself in self deprecating ways, but it is in a very relatable manner versus Being borderline to self abuse which I tend to see in a lot of of books, which is why I end up DN effing so many romance books. This one was fresh clever really funny made me giggle and I literally stayed up until 3 AM reading it because I could not put it down so if you need a good romcom, please get this and thank me later, you’re welcome.

Thank you so much for this treat! I loved this eARC I was approved for from Boldwood books and I am leaving this honest feedback voluntarily.

Unfortunately I was expecting more from this book. I've read more books by the author and loved them, but this one fell a little short of my expectations 🥲

The beginning started off very strong, very funny and I seriously thought it was going to be a new favourite, but unfortunately it started to get boring, nothing was happening. The only positive thing was Brody. He's just perfect 😍 I also really liked Jessa, but she didn't win me over 100 per cent 🥲

Now Todd and Nikki could do with less presence in this book. Nikki might not have even existed in this story.
The author's writing continues to be great and remains a strong point in her books. Funny writing, great characters, moments that make you laugh out loud.

Overall it was a good book, not perfect and the middle of the book could have been much better. It's a good read to read by the pool or on the beach, as most of the story takes place on a cruise ship on its way to Italy 😍

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review 🫶🏼

Read the book if you like:
❤️‍🔥 Fake dating
🛏️ Only one bed
✨ Forced proximity

This book can be described as nothing less than absolutely delightful. The whole book was super lighthearted and fun and the romance was so cute. Even though it’s a book with fake dating, the usual angst and miscommunication was almost entirely absent and there wasn’t an awkward and infuriating third act breakup. Going Overboard is pretty much the perfect beach read and I absolutely flew through it. If you’re looking for an easy and cute romance that will have you smiling throughout the entire book, this book is for you!

I have no idea how I haven’t found rom com author, Portia MacIntosh, until now! She’s been writing for a little over 10 years. MacIntosh’s writing style is witty and effortlessly engaging. The narrative closely mirrors Emily Henry novels. She writes as though you were having a heart to heart with her. I devoured this one up in a day and I’m eager to read more of her rom com books.

Going Overboard was a smart, funny, warm-hearted summer romance with a sprinkle of sports celeb flair. It centered around Jessa who was dumped by her boyfriend, Todd, during the first dance at a wedding they were attending. Unbeknownst to her, Brody, cricket celebrity, was experiencing the same heartbreak at the same moment. His girlfriend Nikki had just left him too. Fast forward a year later and they reunite on a wedding cruise and form an alliance-if they couldn’t win back their exes then they’d get revenge by pretending to be a hot new couple. Collectively this was an emotionally satisfying enemies-to-friends-to-lovers narrative with a perfect blend of humor and romance.

I absolutely loved following Jessa and Brody as they navigated love and revenge. Their relationship evolved from friends to something meaningful—and he was as transformed by it as she was.

I utterly adored Jessa! She was an upbeat protagonist with a quick wit and down-to-earth personality that made her so relatable and hard not to love. Opposite of Jessa, Todd, her ex, was self-centered, immature, unreliable and emotionally disengaged; and unlike Todd, Brody was a charming, charismatic and humorous man. Each of the characters were sharply drawn and colorful which brought added depth to this already layered tale.

All in all, I didn’t want this story to end. MacIntosh delivered a witty, engaging narrative with the most authentic characters. This tale was a charming feel good romance and I am so grateful to have received an advanced copy of Going Overboard, otherwise I wouldn’t have come across this ‘new to me’ author. In fact, I’ve added Portia MacIntosh to my ‘go to author’ list!

Thanks to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Going Overboard is a breezy, feel-good rom-com perfect for vacation reading. Jessa’s heartbreak turns into hilarious hijinks when she teams up with Brody for a fake romance that might just be the real deal. With sharp banter, tropical vibes, and plenty of swoon, this is a charming escape with heart.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet, smart, summery, beach-read! If you are looking for something light, easy, cute and fun to read on your holidays, this book is it!

I loved our FMC Jessa from page one. She's like a modern day, slightly more self-aware Bridget Jones. A hot mess that can't help but root for from the start! And Brody was such a swoon-worthy MMC!

I really loved the fake dating aspect. Fake dating doesn't always work for me, but this was done in such a sweet way and it was clear from the beginning of their fake relationship that they had feelings for each other.

The romance aspect of this book was very much in the sweet/closed door category. Personally I could have used a bit more heat, even at that level, but that's more of a personal preference.

This book is also only one POV. I would have preferred to get some insights from Brody's perspective, but again, personal preference for me, nothing against this book.

This was just a perfect read for summer! I really enjoyed it!

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

Portia does it better than almost anyone else! I am so grateful for yet another Portia ARC and thrilled to report its another winner!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date will be: July 26, 2025
Fake dating, a cruise and summer vibes, what could be better?
I really enjoyed the book and it was beautifully written. The setting on the cruise ship was amazing!
Jessa and Brody were great and I really liked their way with each other. It was a healthy and sweet relationship. I especially loved how Brody reacted to Nikki's revelation at the end and how they talked about their problems

I've just read this straight after Too Hot to Handle and I'm not mad about that. This author is fast becoming an auto-read for me. She is quick witted and writes engaging, entertaining plots. Jessa's friends are all getting married and she is eagerly anticipating her own engagement when her boyfriend ceremously dumps her during her friends' first dance...

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: July 26, 2025

This was a fun closed door summer romcom with a fake dating trope. Really enjoyed the male MC but the female MC repeatedly hinted at issues with weight, food, and body negativity. It was so casually thrown in throughout, completely unnecessary, and really took the book down for me.

A cute story of love through a revenge plan…

The book had loads of description, I felt myself glazing over some of the detail as it was a lot, but the storyline was fun.

Nikki is every version of mean girl I’ve ever met, I’m glad her plan to steal Jessa’s boyfriend because her boyfriend (Brody) wouldn’t ask her to marry him… and then got jealous that Brody and Jessa connected and had something special! Ugh!

Jessa and Brody are a little insta-love but in all the right ways - so cute!

Once again Portia Macintosh shows us why she is a five-star author. This one made me chuckle so much, there were so many moments that made me smile, I can think of nothing worse than being stuck in a cabin and suite with my ex, never mind my ex and his new partner. Jessa and Brody will make you chuckle with their escapades; the bedroom arrangement had me laughing so hard I nearly cried. The fact that Brody was a Cricket player made me smile, as you never really hear about Cricket as a sport in books, so it was nice to see that aspect being talked about. There were moments that were a little cheesy, but I loved every word.