This was a cute romance-meets-murder-mystery that I really enjoyed. I liked how the characters developed as the story progressed, and each chapter kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were likable, and the cruise ship setting added a fun and unique twist to the story.

I thought I would read this because I read the title and laughed for like 10 minutes. Like wow the pun was hilarious. It honestly was not at all what I expected.

I thought this book would be a romance that was up in the air, situtationships galore, emotional, the likes. However, ... it was very different. A romance murder mystery that was honestly (well for me at least that has never and will never be able to sit through a scary movie), scary.

Poppy, after her aunt's death, decides to go on a cruise. She takes a bodyguard, Isaac who is actually undercover trying to investigate her. As a series of murders happen on the ship, they have to start trusting each other and form a romantic relationship.

Okay, now for what I thought of the book. First off, while I thought this would be a situationship, they never really had any trouble jumping into a relationship. Insta-love, anyone? I actually wanted to jump off a cliff when the "I would die if anything ever happened to you" occurred one week in. Also, I was a bit disturbed about our main character's backstory? Wanting justice is okay but the ends do NOT justify the means.

But yeah, it was entertaining.

The Situation Ship by Kate Callaghan was a wonderful read! It has some of the best tropes, witty banter, slow-burn romance, and twists and turns of a murder mystery. At the beginning of the book, I was very curious about how the author would turn Isaiah's suspicion of Poppy into love, but it was well done! The pacing is wonderful, despite being a shorter book; it did not feel rushed. The writing style was clear and easy to read as well.

Overall, I rated 4/5 stars. It was a different twist on the murder mystery, and I did not see the ending coming. I would recommend anyone who loves a more plot-driven story and wants a Rom-Com mixed with a murder mystery!

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236938744-the-situation-ship" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Situation Ship" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1751553288l/236938744._SY160_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236938744-the-situation-ship">The Situation Ship</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17705145.Kate_Callaghan">Kate Callaghan</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7741424531">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Thank you to Netgalley and Kate Callaghan for giving me an opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book!<br /><br />I went into this book incredibly intrigued. The cover alone drew me to request the book, but overall, I really enjoyed it! A murder mystery x romcom on a cruise ship is a super niche idea that Callaghan executed well. While I enjoyed the book, it's plot, and the twists and turns it offered, the relationship between Poppy and Isaiah seemed more so to be a subplot and less of the main plot, especially as this book is marketed as a romcom, but besides that one point, this book was so so good. I devoured it in one sitting.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/83852984-kyle">View all my reviews</a>

I love this new trend of mashing up romance and mystery novels. I know "new" is relative and, yes, I did read the Harlequin Intrigue series back in the day. This actually reminded me of those! It’s set in the present day, but felt like a throwback. I wonder if that’s just because I haven’t read an Intrigue in 25 years?

There’s more plot, of course, and maybe less sex? But what was there was explicit! Both the romance and the mystery were good. I did identify the killer, but the motive was a big surprise.

I didn't completely hate this book but it didn't take my attention like I had hoped. I found that the romance didn't have enough slow burn for me to really root for them. The murder aspect, it didn't keep me intrigued. I could've not finished the book and it wouldn't have kept me awake needing to know what happens. Which honestly is what I look for in any type of mystery.

3.5 ⭐

Thank you NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In The Situation Ship, we follow popstar Poppy Roe as she embarks on a cruise after her aunt's death. She's closely followed by detective Isaiah Rivers, who is suspicious of Poppy due to her proximity to several deaths of people related to her in one way or another in the past few months. Once they get on the ship, death continues following Poppy, and she turns to Isaiah not only for protection but also to solve the mystery of who's trying to harm her.

Funny and lighthearted, despite all the murders, The Situation Ship was a fun, quick read. I really enjoyed Poppy's strong character and determination to take control of her own life, and Isaiah's loyalty to what he considers right and wrong.

I'm more used to books that rely heavily on emotions and deep conversations, and while The Situation Ship has its moments, I found the connection between the Poppy and Isaiah lacking some depth. Given the genre of the book and the pacing of the story, however, it made sense.

The twist at the end was good, and I only guessed half of it, which made the ending thoroughly enjoyable. All in all, The Situation Ship was fun, and kept me engaged with the story and wanting to get to the end to see what happened.

I'm definitely coming back and reading more books by Kate Callaghan.

I was really intrigued by this book, and I liked so many parts of it. It brought me back to my love of crime novels, but with a hint of romance.

Unfortunately, the romance element let it down. It felt too rushed and, honestly, out of place. I understand that in high-stakes environments, emotions are elevated, and people do unexpected things, but this really felt too fast. He went from being dead suspicious of her to thinking, days into the meeting, that she was interesting, kissing her out of nowhere for cover, and then suddenly becoming obsessed with each other. The inner monologues for either character supported the speed at which their relationship developed. I honestly would have preferred this if there hadn't been any romance because there was no depth to it whatsoever, and it delayed the exciting part of the story, which was the mystery and murder.

I finished it because I was curious to see how it ended, but I was speed-reading the conversations for the last 10% or so. It is by no means a bad book; I just needed more, and unfortunately, it tainted the book as a whole from my perspective. This review, however, will in no way stop me from reading Kate's books in the future.

If you like these tropes, this might be for you

⭐Cop MMC x Pop Star (Murder) FMC
⭐Force Proximity
⭐Murder Mystery x Death on the Nile

TW: for family death, death, blood, trauma, gaslighting

Thank you to the Kate Callaghan for the ARC.

The Situationship by Kate Callaghan is a fun, fast-paced blend of mystery and romance, set aboard a luxury cruise gone wrong. With its dual POV and grumpy/sunshine dynamic, the story brings depth and charm to a light, summery read. Poppy, a flawed yet lovable pop star, stands out as a refreshingly relatable lead, and the banter-filled relationship adds plenty of flirty energy, even if their romance develops a bit too quickly.

While some twists are easy to spot and a few side characters feel underused, the engaging writing, entertaining setting, and steady pacing more than make up for it. This is an easy one-sitting read, perfect for fans of cozy mysteries with a splash of romance. I’ll be picking up more from Kate Callaghan!

I was so excited to receive this ARC. This book got me hooked from the blurb on the back and the cover design. This was such a fun read. It was a murder mystery surrounding a famous celebrity Poppy and a hard working detective set to investigate her Isaiah. When the location changes everything is not quite what it seems. Read this book to find out what happens to the stalker, who ends up getting unalived and why this is all happening in the first place. There seems to be quite a ‘situation’ on the ship.

I had a great time with this one! It’s a fun mix of mystery and romance, which is always a win for me. I loved how messy and relatable the characters were, especially Poppy who wasn't the typical pop star you can often see in romances! The cruise ship setting was really fun, and while the plot was a little predictable, I still had a great time!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book! I thought that it was very well written and enjoyable. It was a quick read that I enjoyed the whole time. This book is definitely for mystery lovers and romance lovers.

I greatly enjoyed the main characters. For some characters, I feel like we were kind of introduced to some, but they didn’t have a large part which I found kind of weird. But the other characters were very nice. For example, I liked how Poppy definitely had a lot of flaws, but the way she was written, still made me love her. I also thought the book itself was well-written. There were no instances where I found weird wordings or that I did not like the writing. I enjoyed the ending, although it was a bit predictable. I did not feel that the ending was very rushed, which is good because quite a few mystery books will rush the ending and reveal.

The only thing I didn’t really enjoy about the book was how fast the relationship between the two main characters happened. It felt like one minute they were not enjoying each other and arguing a lot and then the next they were all of a sudden in love. I didn’t feel like there was a cohesive flow and transition between the two feelings.

Overall, I loved the storyline and the writing was really good. The characters were awesome and I would definitely recommend this book to mystery and romance lovers that are looking for a quick and easy read.

Set on a luxury cruise gone very wrong, The Situationship balances a twisty plot with fun, flirty energy. The dual POV added so much depth, especially seeing the grumpy/sunshine dynamic play out between the leads. While I figured out one of the twists early, I still enjoyed to see how it would unravel. It was an easy quick read! Easily could finish it in one sitting.

If you’re into light mysteries with a summery backdrop, plenty of banter, and just the right amount of romantic tension, this one’s for you!

This is my first Kate Callaghan and I’m definitely going to read more of her books!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Poppy “princess of pop” Roe is taking a cruise after the death of her aunt to get out of the limelight. However, someone is hunting Poppy… and they’re on the cruise too. Poppy teams up with Isaiah, a detective, who agrees to act as her bodyguard until docking while he secretly investigates the mysterious deaths that seem to follow Poppy.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a murder mystery with a side of romance! The first half of this book felt much more focused on the mystery than the romance, which I appreciated as it gave the characters time to get to know each other and build a connection as well as set the initial intrigue of the murders. I appreciated that in the second half, as the romance builds, the mystery remains the driving force of the plot. I didn’t guess the killer until almost the very end and even then, I didn’t have it quite figured out. My only critique is that the romance felt a bit unrealistic, and rushed, for how little time the characters had known each other, and it could have used a bit more development. Overall, I had a great time with this book and would recommend it!

I was very excited to read this when I read the description, murder mystery following a pop star on a cruise ship?? Sounded amazing!!

While I enjoyed the setting and the mystery, the characters felt a little lacking to me. I also feel like the romance felt a little rushed. This could have easily just been a mystery novel in my opinion.
While the romance in this wasn't for me personally, I think others might really enjoy this!

Thank you NetGally for giving me this ARC to review!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this cute book! It is fast-paced stand alone, murder/romance with a good amount of spice. I did not figure out who did it. Every time I suspected someone, they died 😆

The Situation Ship is set on a cruise ship and has unique, believable characters that are trying to catch a murderer. This is the first book I have read by Kate Callaghan and I will definitely be looking into more of her books!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5
Romance, murder, and a cruise ship full of chaos? Yes, please. The Situation Ship delivers a wild ride featuring a glittery pop star and a “hunky chunky” detective (honestly, more romance novels should embrace that descriptor). I devoured it like a free drink package on Day One of a cruise.

The story had so many twists and turns that just when I thought I had things figured out—boom. Another plot twist. This book kept me guessing (and grinning) with a writing style that’s fast, funny, and totally addictive.

Poppy and Isaiah? Instant favorites. They’re likable, layered, and genuinely easy to root for—even as the ship’s drama gets darker. The mix of romantic tension and murder mystery is handled perfectly. It’s giving pop music meets light thriller with just enough steam and suspense to keep you flipping pages.

Highly recommend for fans of romantic comedies who love a touch of danger—or anyone craving a fun escape read that doesn’t skimp on plot. If you’ve ever wanted to fall in love and solve a crime while stuck at sea, this one’s for you.

If you love murder mysteries with a glamorous twist, The Situation Ship is your next beach read.
As a fan of cruise-bused mysteries, l was beyond excited to dive into this ARC und it delivered a wild ride.
Pop star Poppy and broody detective Isaiah team up on a luxurious cruise turned nightmare, and the result is a fast-paced blend of chaos, humor, romance, and serious danger. The setting was atmospheric und fun (perfect for cruise lovers like me!), and the tension stayed high from beginning to end.

This book was really interesting plot wise but the characters lacked a bit for me. I did still really enjoy it!

I really liked the premise of this book; a pop star on a luxury cruise, a detective/bodyguard, and a whole murder mystery playing out at sea. I liked the mix of romance and suspense, and the cruise ship setting made it feel fresh and dramatic. I had never really read anything like it before, so it was a bit of a harder read. It took me a while to get into it, especially since dual pov's aren't necessarily my favorite. However, I appreciated getting to see the perspective between the two characters, and I think it gave the story a bit more depth.
For me, Poppy was a bit hard to connect with at first, but she did end up growing on me. Isaiah had his moments too, though their romance felt a bit rushed. There were some good twists, and the mystery kept me interested, even if parts of the plot got a little tangled and predictable. It’s not perfect, but it’s a fun, fast-paced read if you're looking for something dramatic and entertaining with a bit of spice and mystery.