Adorable chick-flick, rom/com book. The characters are instantly like-able (or dis-like-able), and it's easy to fall into the plot of this book. Plus, all the settings make me want to visit these various places all over the world!

Maddie's at loose ends of a sort so when her friend Nina gets her a job on a yacht sailing around the Adriatic, she's up for it. She's surprised when Nina's brother Nick, who is a sheep farmer, is one of the guests. He's there with his girlfriend Tara, a model who doesn't seem like a real love match for him. Fans of this genre know that Maddie and Nick will dislike each other, then move closer together as they bond over how entitled and icky some of those on the yacht are. The treat here is the descriptions of Croatia and the area. Delightful and a different locale from the usual. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A pleasant read.

I have really loved this series of books (and I have two of them still to read, I really must do something about that!), and I really think it may be my favourite series of books in this genre. One thing is certain with this series, you will be taken on a journey to a lovely destination, and the picture Julie Caplin painted with her words of Croatia made me almost feel like I was there.

The main characters of Maddie and Nick have been seen in the series before, when they were both minor characters in ‘The Little Paris Patisserie’ although they did not meet one another. That being said, it would make absolutely no difference to a new reader to Julie Caplin’s books, as this is a standalone book in the series, so although I was familiar with Maddie and Nick, someone unfamiliar with them would be able to enjoy this book.

I found the setting of a yacht in Croatia really interesting. I have never been on a yacht, but I’ve looked at them in the harbour at St Tropez, in France, and wondered about what life would be like on a yacht. I loved the way we get a feel for life on a boat, but also the comparison with a superyacht too! The captain and his family were lovely side characters that connected the other characters with the locality.

Of the other side characters, there were some detestable ones, and some lovely characters too, which really were the perfect complement and foil for the main characters. I think my favourite side characters were Bill and Glo, who, in spite of fame and fortune, were incredibly down to earth, which was really refreshing amidst all of the wealth and badly behaved rich people.

I really hope there are more books in this series, and I can’t wait to see where Julie Caplin takes us next!

Review will be posted on my blogs on 15/07/2019.
Review will be posted on amazon on 19/07/2019

The Secret Cove in Croatia the title alone knew how to draw my attention. I love a good summer romance, but I have never read anything set in Croatia. Mostly these kind of novels are set in the South of France Italy or Greece. So Croatia is a new and exciting setting for a romance novel.

When I requested the ARC on netgalley I wasn’t aware that this novel is part of a series. I must have been living under a rock or something because there are five books in the romantic escape series and some of them are even on my very huge TBR!

It was quite a relief to see that the book is perfect to read a a stand-alone. You don’t need any background story and you don’t feel like missing out on anything. However I can imagine that it will be quite interesting to revisited characters. But no worries if you are diving in to this story without any background.

I absolutely loved the setup of the story. There is our main character Maddie, who is such a wonderful girl. Good natured, adventurous, funny, witted and very talented. I loved how she just dived right into the adventure of working on a Gullet in Croatia. She is really my kind of girl. Very upbeat, optimistic, but she needs me time and isn’t afraid to be on her own. As a contrast we follow the rich and famous who rent the Gullet. At first I was a little petrified that the story would follow the classic path of the rich being shallow, single minded and just being rude. And although some of the characters are, I think Julie Caplin did a great job of showing both sides of the coin.

Nick our other main character is a little bit lost on the Gullet. For some reason this English farmer boy has captured the attention of a model and is taken on the cruise with her and her rich and famous friends. You really see Nicks inter turmoil between being the boyfriend of someone famous and just being his down to earth self.

But what really made this book so good was the beautiful descriptions of Croatia. I just fell in love with the little towns that Julie Caplin brought alive on the pages. After finishing this book I must say that Croatia is very high on our vacations for 2020 list.

The only downside of the story was the fact that it ended rather abruptly. Some storylines weren’t wrapped up and just fizzled out. I would have liked to book to be a little longer, but wrap up everything neatly. Especially the epilogue just felt out of place and disjointed with the rest of the story.

But overall I really enjoyed the story. I can’t wait to explore more of the series, because I can’t get enough of Julie Caplin’s writing. An absolute must read if you like a good romance and a perfect vacation setting.

Books can take you on holidays and experiences vicariously and whilst there are some books I read I have no want or desire to become involved - reassuringly for my readers anything to do with murders is at the top of this list! However ones that require no passport or vaccinations then I am there being transported to blue seas, warm sun and the sense of pure relaxation. Utter bliss.

In this the fifth of the Romantic Escapes series by Julie Caplin, I am transported by yacht to Croatia.

Maddie is offered a job as chief cook and bottlewasher onboard a luxury yacht for the summer. One of the yachts that are chartered with those who have so much money they have no sense as to what to do with it.

Despite the hard work, Maddie thinks it might give her time to make sense of what she wants to do with her life.

Nick is a sheep farmer and when a chance encounter with supermodel Tara, sees him forming a relationship with her. What better place to consolidate that than on holiday. Lazing onboard a luxurious yacht seems the perfect place for a supermodel and her eye candy boyfriend.

That is until he meets Maddie, down to earth, comfortable in her skin and also friends with Nick's sister as well!

Add into the mix another supermodel, a stylist, people famous for being rich and arrogant and you get some rather over inflated egos and precious personalities which in interaction with the down to earth Maddie and to some extent Nick made for humorous reading.

Of course there are some underlying issues when you lead such a high profile life in public when every action has to have a reaction on social media and perhaps some of them were glossed over and not given any closure.

But the real plot was the sparks that fly between Nick and Maddie and when the boat is moored in the secret cove it seems that perhaps, the sheep farmer and the deck hand have more in common than they think. That is until the boat starts to move again.

Croatia and the harbours and towns that they stopped at are painted in something more than a holiday brochure but were brought to life. I am not sure about the yacht as I am not sure my sea legs would survive, however it is always great to see how the 'other half live'.

A perfect read for a perfect holiday escape. I wonder where Julie Caplin is going to take me next?

Escapism at its best - at this time of year I love to read summery novels that transport you to idyllic locations and this one didn't disappoint with some luscious descriptions of beautiful Croatia. The fact that this book also involved a yacht added extra for me as it was a different setting to the norm.

Maddie is between jobs and gets an opportunity to work on board a yacht catering for some stuck up, entitled guests but they weren't all unpleasant! Nick, a sheep farmer, is along for the ride in a totally different world to the one he is used to and I admired him trying to keep some sense among the party. It really was a fantastic setting with the yacht and beautiful Croatian ports being the backdrop for the vast majority of the story.

Bulimia was touched on as part of this book and I did feel a little disappointed that it did not really end up going anywhere with no resolution to it which was a shame as I'm sure there are many people who would have liked a 'happy' ending to that sideline.

It is the typical rom-com story of boy meets girl, some flirting and then declaring undying love for one another but I wouldn't have had it any other way! I have really enjoyed the easy reads in this series and hope there are many more to come.

My many thanks to Harper Impulse and Killer Reads via NetGalley for providing me with this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a bit of a slow start for me but once I warmed up to the characters I found it enjoyable. My favorite part was the setting - the bulk of the action takes place in Croatia on a yacht and amongst various ports. A romance, with many pitfalls, slowly develops between vacationer Nick and crew member Maddie. The book reads quickly and isn’t trying to be too serious, with many humorous scenes and witty conversations. It is a good light, summer beach or vacation read.

This is a lovely summer beach read.

Nick, a humble sheep farmer finds himself on holiday in Croatia on a yacht with his girlfriend model Tara. Maddie, first in her family to attend uni, finds herself graduated and jobless so takes a last minute offer to help work on that same yacht. Maddie and Nick have a connection - his sister, her best friend Nina. But other than that, she's got no filter and tells him how she really feels, an absolutely admirable quality in my opinion :). When Nick starts realising how out of place he is in Tara's world, he starts to see Maddie in a whole new light.

I'm glad I slept on my thoughts of this book for a night before reviewing. I was torn between 3.5 stars rounded down to 3 or rounded up to 4. I woke up still thinking about the good parts of this book and decided that means it gets to be rounded up to 4 stars. Croatia was described beautifully and as a destination I've always wanted to go, that desire has only increased after reading this. When the right relationships finally work out I was overjoyed. It's an absolutely perfect book to curl up with by the seaside. You do have to like a bit of petty posh people drama.

But seriously, all of the characters have issues. For the longest time I couldn't figure out who we were supposed to like and who we were supposed to hate. Literally everyone on that yacht was getting on my nerves. And I still have a lot of unanswered questions which I can't ask here without spoiling the story. The story came to an abrupt halt and then had a really disjointed epilogue. There's a lot of plot lines that never finished; they just dwindled off but were a big part of the story and deserved to have their endings told. This wasn't a super long novel; I would have happily read more to have everyone's stories completed. I think in the end, although I love contemporary romance novels, I think the posh, rich, famous, Instagram addict character is too much for me and there were a handful of them as main characters so this wasn't the book for me.

I’m a big fan of Julie Caplin so I couldn’t wait to read the next in the series. The great thing about this book is that it is possible to read it as a stand-alone book, so perfect as an airport pickup! But no doubt you’ll want to read the rest. I’ve never been to Croatia but I really want to go after reading this book. The scenery and social life that this book describes is so vivid and real. Caplin always gives such attention to detail in her books it’s impressive. If you are heading to Croatia this year, this book is a must read!

A lovely feel good summer read. The setting is glorious and the characters likeable. It is a book you will read all at once, and can be read on its own even though it is part of a series. This is one to pack for a good holiday read. Thank you

A very nice and uplifiting book! I liked the well written cast of characters, the plot and the setting.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

What a fantastic book, what a fantastic setting for the book and what great characters. A great summer read so thank you Netgalley and the Publishers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t know that this was part of series but it has made no difference. I really enjoyed this book. Definitely need to check out the series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

After reading this book, I am curious to see what the rest of the series is like! I loved it! I was able to follow along with the story without having had read any other books, which was nice.

Loved this book, the latest in this series.

Set on a boat off the coast of Croatia, Maddie is a last minute addition to the crew, thanks to her friend Nina getting her the job.
Nick is Nina's brother and on the boat with his new girlfriend, model Tara.

The more time she spends with the guests on the boat, the more she grows to dislike them, wondering how her friend Nina could have a brother like Nick. But when Nick gets ill and is left on the boat with Maddie to nurse him, she realises that her first impression of him was wrong and they gorow closer to each other and start to actually enjoy their time in Croatia. What will happen Tara is back on the boat?

Great book in a great setting. Hopefully there will be more books in this series.

I've only ever spent a small amount of time in Croatia, when stopping there on cruises but I've seen enough to know how spot on Julie Caplin is with her descriptions of the country. It really is as stunning in real life as it is in this book, and if you don't fall in love with the place from this wonderful story the I'll be shocked.

This may be the fifth book in the romantic escape series but it easily standalone. Maddie and Nick did feature a bit in The Little Paris Patisserie but if you haven't read it, you can still easily follow this story, as they were never main characters, nor have they met each other before boarding this luxury yacht.

You really do get to see how the other half live, with just who is on board this Croatian Gulet, you have a group of rich people, plus Nick who somehow has lucked into being supermodel Tara's boyfriend.

To say that Nick, a sheep farmer, and a supermodel is an unlikely match would be an understatement, and their interactions amuse and frustrate me equally.

There were a good few characters I would have loved to smack, they were rich, self obsessed and treated Maddie appallingly, given she is working as crew on this trip. Nick and Maddie are both incredibly down to earth and do great banter. Of the others on the boat trip, I really liked Siri and Douglas seemed genuine too, if a bit henpecked.

The encounter with the people on board a yacht had me gasping at one point and laughing a few mins later, it was fabulous, if a bit hair raising in the build up!

I really did love soaking up every moment of this sun filled read. There is a clear connection between our leads but for various reasons it was never going to be as simple as it may sound. Everything to do with Croatian food and scenery was so vivid it was like you were there.

Julie Caplin has yet again written a wonderful romance set to a stunning backdrop that draws you into the story and just wont let you go. I just wish I'd been on their holiday too!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This romantic read set in Croatia is wonderfully written and captures the beauty of Croatia. Maddie, a struggling artist, gets a position as crew on a boat for a small group of holidaymakers. She's never met her friend Nina's brother, Nick. Inevitably sparks fly between Maddie and Nick who arrives onboard with supermodel, Tara. Nick realises his true feelings for Maddie but is manipulated by Tara and his own decency in trying to do the 'right' thing. I would highly recommend this book and this is the best romance book I've read this year. It was nice Maddie, who was a friend of Nina's in the book 'The little patisserie in Paris', featured and got a love story of her own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

This is another cosy read from Julie Caplin, this time featuring Maddie the hopeful artist we first met in ‘The Little Paris Patisserie’ and Nick, Sebastian’s friend and Nina’s brother from the same book. Maddie is a fantastically practical, no nonsense woman and Nick is generally a hard working farmer, when his head isn’t being turned by Tara his stunning model girlfriend that is. Set around a boat based in Croatia we find Maddie accepting a last minute job crewing on it for Nick, Tara and four of Tara’s friends (although perhaps acquaintances is more appropriate) This book has warmth, humour and characters in abundance, well written and very easy to read this is a great stand-alone book as well as part of the series.

I have so been looking forward to reading this novel by Julie Caplin. I've really enjoyed all of the other novels in the Romantic Escapes series and this one caught my eye with it's bright and cheerful cover. I love colours used, which really catch the eye and the pretty trees and flowers on either side of the cover.

This particular novel is set in the beautiful sounding Croatia, sailing along the coast to visit a manner of different coves and towns. On this trip, main character Maddie is hired to do the basics: cooking, cleaning etc for a group of 6 very rich (and most of them), very stuck up people. Maddie still enjoys the work however, even though two of the models on the yacht are rather unkind to Maddie. She makes the most of a few hours she has on the boat to herself, sunbathing and taking part in her passion - painting.

I really feel like I got to know all the characters on the yacht really well throughout this novel. They each had their own individual personality and I enjoyed getting to know them all - some more than others admittedly but it was still drama filled and enjoyable to read! As well as Maddie, we also saw part of the novel through Nick's eyes. Nick's sister Nina is friends with Maddie and managed to get her the job on the yacht, however they had never met each other before this and lets just say that Maddie's first impression of Nick wasn't the best!

As the story goes on, we get to know both main characters a lot better, and get to see the chemistry build between them. Despite Nick being on holiday with his model girlfriend! We get to see the pair bond when Nick is extremely ill with food poisoning and the rest of the group are away at a celebrity pals house partying. Nick and Maddie grow really close during this time and it's clear to see that sparks fly. I loved each of them, they had a great relationship and between them shared some funny banter.

As well as their relationship, we get to read a lot about the towns and coves of Croatia and I'll be lying if I said I didn't want to visit this beautiful sounding country! It honestly sounded idyllic and I longed to visit there! It gave me a major case of FOMO and I wanted to grab the next flight to Croatia and sail it's seas ASAP. Overall, this was a perfect summer read. It's lighthearted, sunshiny and perfect for those long summer days.