3.75 ✨
1.50 🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for this eARC!

Overall: This is a cute romance with a mystery! As a mystery/thriller and contemporary romance girlie, this was really fun! I did find some parts of the book to be much slower than others. There were also moments where it was hard to follow what was going on.

Tropes:
💙 pop star x detective
🩷 murder mystery
💙 third person dual POV
🩷 forced proximity
💙 slow burn
🩷 off limits

Bookish Thoughts: This book started off so strong for me. I greatly enjoy contemporary romance and rom-coms as well as mystery/thrillers, so I was really looking forward to this one! The hook brings you right into the thick of it and makes you want to dive into Poppy’s entire backstory.

As the mystery starts to unfold, and relationships start to form, you really get drawn into trying to figure out the source of all the crime. I think having a detective main character really helped to feel like you were getting enough detail, asking the right questions, and working through the timeline. The found family (friend group) aspect was very sweet. I really enjoyed the relationship building between all of the characters.

The book really started to lose steam for me when Poppy and Isaiah were off the ship and in Italy. Phoebe and Axel, whom they meet up with, are not bad characters. It was just so slow and difficult for me to follow what was going on and why it was relevant for the story. It took me a few days to read these few chapters, because I kept getting distracted or couldn’t focus because this part of the story just wasn’t holding my attention.

I felt like the ending came up really quickly after such a slow-moving section of the story. I’ll definitely be interested to read other reviews to see how other people perceived the back half of the book, or at least the part of the cruise starting with Italy.

In the end, I think the book has a good story. It could have potentially just been a bit shorter, which would have strengthened it for me. I would recommend this one overall, and would also read other books by this author.

The Situation Ship – What a Fun Read!
This was such a fun and unique story! I really enjoyed the cruise ship setting. It made for the perfect backdrop to this murder mystery/rom-com mashup.

The main characters, Isaiah and Poppy, had great chemistry and banter that kept me hooked the whole way through. I also loved the friendship between Poppy and Mina, it added a really heartwarming layer to the story.

And I have to say, I was so excited when Axel and Phoebe from Not Another Rockstar made an appearance toward the end! I loved how everything was interconnected, and it was such a nice touch for fans of Kate Callaghan’s previous books.

Thanks so much to Kate Callaghan and NetGalley for the ARC!

*3.5*

After the death of her iconic actress aunt, popstar Poppy Roe decides to step off the spotlight for two weeks and head on a luxurious cruise. Days before boarding, she's alerted that her manager and boyfriend are plotting to kill her, so she hires a new assistant and bodyguard. However, the bodyguard happens to be a detective investigating Poppy for multiple murders.

The Situation Ship hooked from the first chapters. It's a fun, enjoyable read, with lots of murder and questions to answer. A good mix of mystery, romance, and comedy. It had the vibes of movies like Murder Mystery, including the appearance of an F1 driver! The characters were (generally) entertaining and realistic for the novel's world.

Near the end, after about the 70% mark, it started to get somewhat cheesy and annoying. The killer and big reveal made sense but were not mind blowing. I was able to guess the killer beforehand but not their reasoning, and once we got the monologue explanation it just didn't hit as it could have. I also wished there was more atmosphere descriptions. We're in a crazy, luxurious cruise that only the very elite can board but we don't get a lot of imagery besides gold.

Additionally, what annoyed me and impaired my enjoyment of the book the most is that we're introduced to characters from previous books! I know interconnected characters is somewhat expected in romance these days, but there was no indication that this is the 3rd (!) book in a series. Having them here not only completely spoiled me for their own book, but also felt cheap. It felt like I should've already known these people, should've already known their personality, should've been rooting for them all to be the best of friends of ever. But I didn't. And without all that context that I was missing, those characters just came in and stuck around and I had zero feelings for them. I truly felt left out for a few chapters.

But as I mentioned before, this was a fun and enjoyable read & I'd be happy to read the other books by this author (once I forget the massive spoilers I just read lol)

This was a fun read. Murder mystery, cruise ship and romance. A perfect blend. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

I have to admit that I loved this mix of romantic comedy and thriller. The story mainly takes place on a cruise ship where a pop star, Poppy Roe, is surrounded by a murder. Her bodyguard, aka Detective Isaiah Rivers, is trying to unravel an open case that is somehow connected to Poppy.

Both main characters have trust issues, and through a necessary conversation, they eventually become allies. What they couldn't help was slowly fall in love with each other amid the crime scene.
The story was admittedly a little confusing at first, but after a while, once you understood who was who and who they were connected to, it was really fun to read.

I can only recommend it to anyone who loves this type of book.

A huge thank you to @CallaghanWriter for the Advanced Reader Copy of The Situation Ship: A Sizzling Summer Romantic Suspense!

Pop star Poppy Roe’s glamorous life is turned upside down when a stalker begins hunting her aboard a luxurious cruise ship. With a string of murders unfolding around her, she must rely on brooding detective Isaiah Rivers to help unmask the killer before it’s too late.

This book was the most fun romantic suspense I’ve read all summer. With the perfect blend of slow burn, forced proximity, an irresistible anti-hero, and a twist of revenge—all wrapped in a gripping mystery—it checked every box for the ideal beach read. The spice? Absolutely on point. The suspense? Kept me turning pages way past bedtime.

This was my first read by Kate Callaghan, and I’m officially hooked—I’ve already ordered two more of her books!

*This review also submitted to Goodreads!

Thank you to the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for providing me with this ARC. If I weren't so busy, I would have finished this in 1 sitting. It was captivating and kept my attention the entire time. It was hard to put this book down to be a real adult at times. This is the first mystery romance I have read, and I think I've just discovered a new favorite subgenre for myself! I truly had no idea who the true villain was until it was revealed, and who doesn't love a good bodyguard romance? 4.5 stars!

This was fun! I loved the banter between the two main characters and just overall mysteriousness throughout the story! Looking forward to future reads from this author.

A popstar and a detective on a cruise ship? Count me in. If you want a steamy getaway read, with a hint of whodunit cozy murder mystery, then be sure to add The Situation Ship to your library.

Without a doubt, this novel offers a great premise, but story fell flat with the delivery. I didn't like the writing style and how each scene is filled with dialogues which I find bland.

Despite it, I still like that it's far from the usual books I pick up and I’m surprised to be proven wrong with my hunch. I thought I got it all figured out, but there’s more drama and woah moments to uncover, and still entertaining enough to read until the end.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#netgalley #thesituationship

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 out of 5 stars)

This one surprised me in the best way! The Situationship is like if a murder mystery, a forced-proximity romance, and a high-stakes cruise thriller had a love child, with an Irish accent. And honestly? I was here for it. I went into this blind thinking it would be a cute romance, and I was wrong, in the best way.

We follow Poppy Roe, a pop star trying to escape her grief (and her fame) with a quiet cruise getaway. Except... this cruise is anything but relaxing. Murders start happening. Weird symbols show up. And Poppy finds herself stuck in a cabin with Isaiah Rivers, a moody detective who’s initially there to investigate her but quickly gets wrapped up in something much deeper.

The chemistry between Poppy and Isaiah is electric. Is it insta-love? Yeah, kind of. But the situation is so intense, with both of them emotionally raw and constantly in danger, that it actually worked. I liked how open they were with each other, even while they were still figuring out if they could trust one another. The banter was fun, the tension was high, and their moments together definitely leaned into the spice.

The murder mystery was engaging, if not totally shocking. I didn’t guess the killer, but once the reveal happened, it all made sense. The claustrophobic cruise setting added an extra layer of suspense, and I loved how the glamour of the ship clashed with the dark, dangerous stuff happening behind the scenes. The story also touches on fame, trauma, and identity in a way that added some unexpected depth.

If you like romantic suspense with strong characters, a splash of danger, and a dash of emotional growth (plus some solid tropes like shared cabins, bodyguard romance, and broody detective energy), give this one a shot. It’s not perfect, but it’s a highly enjoyable ride. Just maybe don’t read it on a cruise. 😅

A big thank you to NetGalley and CallaghanWriter | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book and the way the characters interacted with each were pure genius. Each character were devised and well written. The plot itself was absolutely perfect for my type of genre and I'm so glad that I was given a chance to request it as cosy crime is one of my favourite genres. I did not know that it was connected to another but it didn't matter as the characters were of cameo appearance. Thank you again and can't wait to read more crom netgalley and from the author.

This was a fun palette cleanser! I always love a good romantic suspense and especially one set on a cruise because who doesn’t love isolated areas with no means to escape and there’s a killer on the loose? I thought the mystery was very well thought out and even down to who is behind it but I felt as though the romance let it down a bit. While it’s enemies to lovers, there are elements of insta love/lust and they switch out very quickly from enemies to lovers. While I don’t mind this, it felt as though their personalities did a whole 180 and was a bit jarring to read about how they’re all of a sudden past the enemies aspect. Other than that I really enjoyed the suspense aspects, backstory and the overall story!

what genre is this trying to be? a thriller with romance AND spice... bonus points for being set on a cruise ship, and it is well written, just a bit confusing/all over the place. characters were fairly likeable and the plot twist was guessable but fun!

First romance murder mystery! I wanted something a bit different and to help a reading slump. I loved this! The MCs were very likable and more than they appeared to be! I was hooked and enjoyed the turns and the romance!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
* Romantic suspense
* Murder mystery
* Spicy cruise romance
* Bodyguard x client
* Pop Star x Detective
* Forced proximity

Thank you to NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for this eARC!

I enjoyed that we got to know that both Poppy and Isaiah had ulterior motives, which made their interactions and quick chemistry together fun to read as the story went along. It was great that this was in dual POV as well. This was such a good mix of mystery, suspense, and romance! It kept me reading and I couldn’t put it down!

Poppy and Isaiah have sizzling chemistry and I liked that this book included some steamy scenes to show how their relationship progresses all the while the mystery of who is carrying out the murders is occurring. As they spend that time together it becomes more than lust as they genuinely care for each other and their safety. They also become more honest about themselves, leading them to trust in one another.

The mystery was really good and I didn’t suspect who it was and what their motives really were! It kept me guessing until the reveal at the end!

This was a fun book that you can honestly read in one sitting. It was a mixed of mystery, romance and spice ( I love how the author mentioned the spicy chapters at the beginning of the book in case someone would like to skip it). The story follows Poppy, the princess of pop and Isaiah, which is a detective. Isaiah believes that Poppy has some connection to all the people dying around her. So, in order to investigate further, he joins her on the cruise trip as her bodyguard. Until suddenly people start dying around them in the ship and Poppy's life is in danger. I also loved the chemistry they had thought the book plus the banter. I am a sucker for banter in books.

I will say that the beginning was interesting but, as the book continued I felt a bit bored which is why my rating is not a 4 star. I usually don't guess the twists which I love because I feel like this makes me like books more and I get impacted more. So, the twist at the end was a shocker to me !

Overall, this book was a fun read & definitely one you can binge read.

A.romance and a murder mystery. Poppy is on a cruise and someone is out to get her. Will Isaiah help her find the killer before it is too late? A great read.

I wanted to love this book-the synopsis had be intrigued from word one-unfortunately the book was a hug disappointment. Poorly written, with one-dimensional characters-it was a struggle to finish.

Kate Callaghan's The Situation Ship is a novel that deftly blends criminal suspense and romance, set aboard a luxurious cruise ship where glamour hides a serial killer. The plot follows Poppy Roe, a pop star with a traumatic past, and Isaiah Rivers, an enigmatic detective who becomes her bodyguard. The story promises intrigue, passion, and unexpected twists, with a premise that hooks you from the first pages.

Poppy Roe: She is a resilient and well-crafted protagonist. Her history of abuse under her aunt Martha's guardianship explains her distrustful attitude and ambiguous morality. Although she is responsible for several deaths, her motivation—survival and revenge—makes her empathetic. The biggest flaw, as you point out, is the speed of the romance between Poppy and Isaiah. While tropes like reluctant allies and forced proximity (they share a cabin) justify some attraction, the transition from "suspect" to "I love you" within a few days feels jarringly abrupt.

Characters like Mina (Poppy's best friend) or Joshua (an ally) are merely underdeveloped supporting characters. Mina, for instance, barely appears after the introduction, and her absence diminishes the stakes in the dangerous scenes involving her. Furthermore, some subplots, like the relationship between Davide and Sophia, are introduced without sufficient context.

The Situation Ship is a solid novel that truly shines through its blend of genres and its well-woven mystery. Its strengths—the intrigue, Poppy's moral complexity, and the claustrophobic atmosphere of the cruise ship—outweigh its weaknesses. However, the rushed romance and some unresolved plot threads detract from its depth.

Thank you Netgalley and to CallaghanWriter | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) as well as the author for providing me with this ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

I love cruises so as soon as I saw this book I knew I had to read it! I loved fierce Poppy and morally gray Isaiah. The pace of the book was perfect and it made me wanna come back for more, kept me reading. The banter...omg loved it. Overall great book.