I enjoyed this book. I love murder mystery but I also love romance and this was a great mix. Make sure you check your trigger warnings before reading. This book also has some scenes that are for 18+ only. I believe this is a standalone which is great. I feel like the author did a really good job tying up all the loose ends.

I really enjoyed this one. I’d been in a bit of a reading slump before but I’d read some of Kate’s previous books and thought I’d give it a go. This was a great mix of mystery and romance.

This title called to me as soon as I read the description, so as soon as I could, I dived right in.

Poppy Roe is a successful singer whose career and life has been dominated by her aunt, so one day she finally gets rid of her to gain back her life. Before going on vacation, she discovers that her fake boyfriend and her former manager are trying to kill her, and during her holiday, three more people related to her get killed, so she is in danger.

Detective Isaiah Rivers suspects that she has a hand in some murders he is investigating, so he accepts a role as his bodyguard during her holiday. What he didn't expect was to fall for her and understand why she killed those three people.

Poppy and Isaiah are perfect for each other, and it was really nice to see them uncover their feelings one chapter at a time. The murder mistery on the background got me totally hooked, and although I guessed who was the mastermind before it got revealed, it was very interesting to see how everything unveiled.

100% recommended!
Happy reading! 🫶🏼

P.S.: I need Mina and Eckells story, please. I'm not above begging. 😅😅

I think I liked this one a little less than the other books I've read by Kate, just because I couldn't feel the chemistry between Isaiah and Poppy. One moment they have a professional relationship and Poppy does not like his presence, and the next they're kissing. It felt a little like whiplash to me.

The murder mystery in this one was so good, though. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and coulldn't figure out who the killer was until the very end when it was revealed. What a plot twist! That's something Kate knows how to do very well. I've never been able to guess who the killer was until right before it's revealed.

I liked how Poppy's character was a little ambiguous. She isn't without her faults and has a conscience, but at the same time would do anything for the people she cared about. That is refreshing to read about. She exists in a grey area that I loved to explore with her. Seeing as she has to justify the things she does, while trying to convince the reader she is still a good person.

A good cozy mystery but it has a lot of characters so reader should pay close attention to keep everyone straight. Unsure if this is part of a series or not.

This book is the perfect amount of smut, suspense, and smiles! I read this book fairly quickly, and at first I was really invested in the characters and getting to know about them and their motives. THEN the smut came in- it was tasteful enough that I could read it at work, but definitely spicier than expected. Overall, this book is very well-written and thoughtful, and wraps perfectly with the opportunity to continue the series or leave it as a standalone!

2.5 stars

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Poppy Roe, a pop star trying to get away from her troubles after the suspicious death of her aunt. She books herself onto a luxury cruise, hoping for a fresh start, but the trip quickly turns dangerous when passengers start turning up dead. Among those on board is Isaiah Rivers, who’s determined to find the killer—and at first, that means keeping a very close (and suspicious) eye on Poppy.

What I liked
- The book was a good length and didn’t feel like it dragged.
- The mystery element kept me guessing, and I didn’t immediately figure out who was behind the murders.

What didn’t work for me
- The mix of genres didn’t feel smooth. It’s part romance, part thriller/mystery, but it never fully landed as either.
- Some parts felt unnecessary—for example, revealing the aunt’s murder in a letter but not the other murders. The letter was also to be read after the main characters death but she doesn’t die.
- Isaiah’s character development didn’t feel believable. He went from being convinced Poppy had killed multiple people to being fine with her by the halfway point, without enough relationship-building to make it realistic.
- The romance felt rushed and underdeveloped. The emotional shift between the characters happened so fast that it didn’t feel earned.

Overall, The Situation Ship is a quick read with some suspenseful moments and a fun cruise ship setting. But the genre blending, uneven character arcs, and rushed romance kept it from being a stronger read for me.

This book started so strong, fun and fast pace but then fell a little flat in middle. It did pick up by the end though.

This was such a fun read. All the. Characters were engaging and the mystery had me hooked. I was totally captivated and trying to figure it out faster than the characters.

This was a cute mystery romance. I had a fun time but I wasn’t as invested as I thought I would be. Still crazy fun time.

I enjoyed The Situation Ship! I liked that it had romance but also had the mystery/suspense. I loved that Poppy & Isaiah worked as a team but also fell in love! I enjoyed the story setting. I felt it dragged along in some chapters. It was an easy read, & I would recommend it to friends.

⭐️⭐️½ – Fun Idea, Mixed Execution
Thank you to NetGalley and Callaghan Writers for this e-arc for my honest review. The Situation Ship had all the ingredients for a quick summer read—pop stars, a luxury cruise, a murder mystery, and a bit of romance. It definitely starts strong with a cool setup where the FMC, Poppy writes a letter to “set a record straight. Martha Roe was a monster, and since I killed her, she raised one too”. The prologue starts off with a behind-the-scenes peek into the world of fame and celebrity chaos.

But... the romance? It just didn’t do it for me. Poppy and Isaiah’s connection felt rushed and didn’t quite have the spark I was hoping for. Their relationship moved so fast that it was hard to feel emotionally invested. Also, some of the dialogue and internal monologue dragged a bit—at times, I found myself wanting the story to pick up the pace or dig deeper.
That said, if you’re looking for an easy, escapist read with a little bit of drama and vibes, this might still be worth a go. Just don’t expect deep character development or a love story that’ll sweep you off your feet.

Kate Callaghan is a refreshing author. I know when I pick up a book of hers I am going to have a good time. This was no exception.

We’ve got a cop who thinks he knows something but he doesn’t really. Our FMC is no damsel, but she may need the cop’s help because her baggage on the cruise is deadly.

I liked the story, the characters and the chemistry.

Thank you CallaghanWriter | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for the ARC.

A fun vacation read! A little insta- love which was a bit cringey but I wasn’t too bothered. The mystery was a bit predictable and not as fun to read. I appreciated the romance aspect and thought it was sweet! Overall a fun fluffy read to enjoy while traveling especially!

Popstar Poppy Roe gets ready to go on a cruise with her new bodyguard, undercover cop, Isaiah, and her new friend Mina, after her aunt's passing. Not long after boarding we start to learn of a series of deaths that follow Poppy around, and as murders start to happen on board the ship, is Poppy the intended target?

Unfortunately this book didn't hit the mark for me, it's not my usual type of genre, but I thought I'd give it a go as the premise seemed interesting. Discovering who the killer was, was the reason I kept going and that part didn't disappoint.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The first half of this was great. It was fun, mysterious and the side characters were amazing. I loved the set up of the cruise, multiple murder mysteries and bodyguard romance. But then there was a fairly big reveal and the pacing shifted. It just started to drag on and the mystery lost its appeal. I also felt a bit less chemistry between the main characters, like before there had been tension and then it fizzled but somehow they still got together?

I think if this had ended at the 50/60% mark I would have loved it. But it just tried to add too many layers of mystery and ended up losing it.

I still really enjoyed the writing, and I would still love to read Mina and Eckells together, I already love them. The pacing of this one just lost me. But I am a bit hard please when it comes to mysteries, especially when they are trying to be good (if it’s a more lighthearted, not to serious or central plot then I’m less fussy).

I would like to start off by saying the cover of this book is beautiful. The colours; chefs kiss.
Right off the bat I loved that there is a spicy chapters list to give you the option to skip them as you come across them.
Also, I just have to say, this book was incredibly easy to read. It was fast paced and simple to understand. The concept of this book, aswell, was amazing. I've never read a book with this kind of plot but I absolutely loved it.
The start of the book was definitely the most hooking of the entire story. As the story progressed I do think the story got a little bit slower as the romance felt a bit to immediate and happened a bit fast.
However, overall I think this book is going to get a 3⭐️ from me as the ending was amazing!

3.5 ☆.

I loved the dynamic between the detective and the pop star. It had witty banter that made me laugh pretty loud haha. Also, I love how the author mixed romance with murder mystery. The writing is fine, but in some scenes, there were some pacing issues. The development could be better. But anyways, it is a enjoyable book with some suspense and spice.

The book was impressive, i didn't find out who the killer was. Its a good junction of romance and mystery.

3.5 stars

What I liked:

Poppy’s complex, self-doubting yet lovable character
Romance that felt earned and satisfying
Mystery that kept me reading, even if I guessed the culprit

What could be stronger:

Mina’s romance arc needed more depth
The mystery’s reveal was predictable
A few plot points could have been explored more fully

I really enjoyed this one it hooked me from the start and kept me flipping the pages. Poppy thinking she’s a monster instantly pulled me in. I was here rooting for her the whole way, even when she doubted herself. She’s layered, flawed, and relatable in a way that made me care about what happened next.

The romance? I already saw it coming, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. It was sweet and fit naturally into the story’s rhythm. Mina’s relationship with the F1 driver, on the other hand, left me wanting more.

The mystery element added a nice edge to the narrative. That said, I had a strong feeling about who the murderer was pretty early on, and when the reveal came, I was literally, “I KNEW IT.” Predictable? Yes. But it was still satisfying to see it confirmed.

Overall, this was a fun, engaging read with a mix of romance, friendship, and intrigue