Come Sail Away
Once upon a time Charlotte and Lexi were high school sweethearts and the love of each other’s lives. However, Charlotte left and went to school abroad. Ten years later, Charlotte was engaged until she walked in on her fiancée and another woman. Not willing to throw away all the money she spent on the honeymoon cruise, she goes alone. Meanwhile Lexi has spent the past near decade working on a cruise ship. Shes been pretty happy but never getting her heart involved again. When they meet on the ship, memories have nowhere to hide and their attraction has never been stronger…

I LOVED this book! It was sweet and tender and loving and interesting….just so good! The story was so well written that I couldn’t put the book down and read it very quickly because I couldn’t get enough. Lexi and Charlotte are sexy, beautiful women with insane chemistry and passionate hearts. Their love is obvious and intense. Lexi’s friends on board are pretty special too. They are a strong support system for Lexi and basically her family. They are not only there for Lexi but they are an important part of ship life. I really liked all the onboard events and oh my, don’t even get me started on the sexy bits… there were plenty and they are steamy! The whole book was just great, but that should be no surprise as Ms Riley DID write it!

This is a read about forgiveness, letting go, moving on, being true to self, and holding on to dreams. There is quite a bit of self-reflection and self-talk. I appreciate when the author provides a glimpse into the why and how of the main characters. Unfortunately, I had a difficult time connecting with the MCs. There were things I liked about them independently but not together. Maybe it was the setting. Maybe it was their combined personalities. Maybe it was their uncertainty about what should or will come next in their lives. Maybe I just cannot put my finger on it.

Lexi Bronson, is a bartender for a luxury cruise line. She is likable and knows the importance of being able to take care of self since she lacks a financial safety net. Charlotte Southwick, is a graphic artist going on a honeymoon cruise alone. Both women have a desire to do something different professionally but various "things" are holding them back. I enjoyed the reconnection of the high school sweethearts and the description of the various amenities on and off the cruise ship. I also liked the family and friends and how their comments impacted the MCs. Overall, romantic, entertaining and sexy.

I’m sorry to say that this was just an okay read. It wasn’t bad in anyway, it was a perfectly nice story, but it just didn’t really do anything for me. I like Riley as an author. I will always read her books, but this one was missing a character connection for me. I guess the best way to explain it is that I felt distance between myself and the characters. I love when you feel what a character is going through. When you smile because they are happy and when your heart aches because theirs is breaking, I love that strong character connection. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t here for me with this book. There characters were fine and nice, but they didn’t move me.

I found myself having trouble with this. I’m pretty late to read this and it is because I picked it up and put it down a few times. Again, I need to be clear that there is nothing wrong with this book, but like the characters, the plot wasn’t really going anywhere for me either. This has a beachy read feel, nothing very deep happened or anything that kept me turning the pages. I kept reading out of my respect for Riley more than my actually enjoyment of the book.

While she’s not Meghan O’Brien level, Riley writes excellent and hot sex scenes. I am happy to say that they were once again done well here. I wished I felt a little more chemistry between the characters so I would appreciate these steamy scenes even more, but good sex can only elevate a story so much.

I hate to give a blasé type review especially when it’s from an author I really like and respect but this book wasn’t really for me. I do think if you are a fan of Riley you will enjoy certain aspects of this. It was a nice story, it just wasn’t what I was hoping for. I will absolutely be reading Riley again because I know her next book will be a winner because she’s too good not to come back in a big way.

Fiona Riley writes fun and engaging characters that pretty much sizzle with chemistry.  Not Since You doesn't disappoint - a perfect beach read to put a smile on your face and perhaps a flush or two during certain scenes.  This is a light romance - not angsty but definitely steamy.

With an admirable attitude of "fuck it", Charlotte Southwick boards a luxury cruise ship to enjoy the honeymoon cabin and resort in Aruba without her adulterous former fiance.  She paid for the trip, so she's going to "make this vacation my bitch".   She's a bit bristly at first - understandably - and I wasn't sure I was going to really like her but as the story unfolds, Riley captures a nice mix of vulnerability and a steely resolve in Charlotte as she is determined to make the best of things.  Little does she know that Lexi Bronson, her first love, is working on the ship as the head bartender and Charlotte's VIP concierge.   Despite Charlotte's dumping of Lexi when they were teenagers, she never forgot her and always regretted succumbing to the pressure of family and going overseas to pursue her education.

Hit with the one-two punch of losing Charlotte and then her father, Lexi signed up with a cruise line and never looked back.  In spite of the nomadic lifestyle parsed out in six month contracts, she's built a new family of close friends.  She's developed her own sense of worth and identity as she's worked her way to head bartender and is lined up for a promotion to the full time VIP concierge if she wants it - all with an eye of retiring from the cruise lifestyle and buying a bar on shore of one of the many Caribbean islands she's visited. She's smart, serious about her responsibilities on-board but at the same time a fun and supportive friend.  When Charlotte answers the door of the Honeymoon Suite, Lexi is flummoxed - but the initial awkwardness is quickly replaced with the rekindling of the connection they once had.  There's a wonderful undertone of humour and wistfulness in their early interactions which quickly heats up.

Although this is a second chance romance, Ms. Riley didn't pepper the story with flashbacks to demonstrate their early relationship - which alleviates some of the angst and likely the anger that both Lexi and the reader should harbour against Charlotte for the rather abrupt end of their teenage relationship. Early on, there's some serious discussion and closure around the past - Charlotte's honesty  and regret and Lexi's acceptance and understanding was pretty fast and relatively painless.  From that point on, all bets are off with lingering glances and flirtatious banter.  At times, I was wondering what, other than the sizzling chemistry, will keep them together.  I would have liked to see a bit more of a build to the relationship - although there may have been a shared past, there's still a lot of time and growth since they were in their teens and it would have been nice to have a bit of a slower progression or some connection outside of the stateroom.

There's a ridiculously off-the-charts physical chemistry between Charlotte and Lexi which, coupled with the setting of a luxury cruise ship and exotic locales, seems to overwhelm both of them.   For Charlotte, rekindling the romance has less risk - she's always regretted the way she ended things and never really fell out of love.  For Lexi, as a crew member, romantic liaisons with passengers is strictly forbidden but the physical draw is just too hard to resist.  Lexi's risking everything was a bit bothersome to me - there was a bit of an imbalance Charlotte is on vacation as a passenger and has nothing really to lose whereas Lexi is risking her career and dreams.

Overall, I enjoyed the book - Ms. Riley is adept weaving humour, tension and likable characters into a  sweet and steamy romance.

Recommended

Not Since You is a very enjoyable, albeit predictable, romance story between two lovers who were separated years before and are brought together on a cruise ship, one as a passenger who was scorned by her fiance before their wedding (Charlotte) and the other as a worker on the ship (Lexi). The chemistry the two had years before is ignited again almost instantaneously. The journey to them getting together again is a quick one, resulting in lots of hot sex scenes which were very fun to read.

I typically enjoy Fiona Riley's novels a lot, but this one seemed like it was missing something. The path to the lovers getting back together seemed too easy. While there was some mild angst when Lexi has issues at work, they were not enough to make me think that the couple couldn't be together again. I think this lack of separation for the couple and a feeling that their relationship might not continue is what I was looking for but never received.

Overall it was an enjoyable read, but was missing that punch that I typically see in romance novels that I really enjoy.

I was provided an ARC of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

This book was fantastic! Naturally the second chance plot has been done before but the way Fiona Riley wrote this was different than any I've read before. Charlotte and Lexi were high school sweethearts that broke up when Charlotte left for college. A chance meeting on a cruise ship put them back into eachother's orbit. Unlike other second chance romances, this one (fortunately) didn't have a whole lot of angst. This was just about two people with a past getting to know one another 10 years later as adults. There was a lot of humor woven in and the supporting characters really added to this plot. Overall, I loved this book and look forward to reading it again and again!

3.5 stars. Charlotte Southwick dumped her fiancée shortly before their wedding after she discovered she was having an affair. A few months after, Charlotte decides to board her honeymoon cruise holiday by herself and try to make the most of a bad situation. What she wasn't counting on is to run into her high school sweetheart. Lexi Bronson is happy with her life as a bartender on a cruise ship and hasn't had a permanent address in almost a decade. When she meets Charlotte after she left Lexi so many years ago, all her hopes and fears came rushing back. Will they be able to leave that past behind them and build a future together?

Fiona Riley is one of my to-go authors when I'm looking for a sweet and hot romance. I particularly liked her 'Perfect Match' series and 'Media Darling'. This is a second-chances romance with the beautiful setting of a holiday cruise in the Caribbean. Even though Riley's typical writing style is also present in this novel through good dialogues, multilayered characters and hot intimate scenes, the story as a whole didn't convince me. I'm not a fan of insta-love and this book was no exception. I understand that the characters had a strong past history that allowed then to reconnect a decade after their breakup but, for me, that wasn't convincing enough to justify a 'pick up where they left it' relationship.

Now, the sex scenes are the highlight of this book and are well done and varied. Ms. Riley knows how to write them and it is one of the strong points of this novel. The rest of the plot is a bit flat and predictable without unexpected twists or excessive drama. If you like the kind of books with light entertainment and without much drama but plenty of sex, then this might be for you.

Overall, an ok second-chances romance low on angst and high on hotness. 3.5 stars.

ARC provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com

Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

No matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t connect to this book. It didn’t really interest me and my attention kept wavering. There’s something lacking and I couldn’t feel the connection between the two MC. I felt that there wasn’t much build up. Fine, they were a couple in high school when they were 17-18, but that was 10-12 years ago? There should have been more getting to know each other before anything happens.
It got a bit better as I read on but I still felt disappointed by the book. I will admit that the steamy scenes where written good but there was still something missing in the romance parts. I kept reading the book hoping that it would get better. I will admit to being annoyed that they ignored the rules about fraternizing with the guest, the cruise wasn’t that long and they could have waited. Lexi had vacation after the cruise and they could easily have waited until then. Not worth risking your career in my opinion.
For me this isn’t a romance book, more of an erotic romance. There was no depth to the characters and it felt like there was given more attention to the steamy scenes than the romantic ones. There’s no build up and nothing really interesting happening and it just left me feeling annoyed.

This second chance story follows high school sweethearts Charlotte and Lexi as they reconnect by chance after a decade apart on board a luxury cruise line. Charlotte is on her honeymoon cruise in spite of the fact that her engagement fell apart when she caught her ex cheating before the wedding. Lexi has been working on cruise lines for the past decade, more or less since Charlotte left her and she suffered the devastating loss of her father.

By romance logic, Lexi is assigned to be Charlotte's VIP guide as part of her luxury cruise package. The two reconnect early on and sparks fly but will they be able to overcome their past and the heartbreak and devastation Lexi suffered because of Charlotte and build a future together, especially when Lexi hasn't had a permanent address in a decade.

I am a fan of Riley's other novels and she does a lot of things well, including her very steamy build up and creation of sexual tension. That worked well in this book too. She also creates a great cast f supporting characters in Lexi's friends on the Cruise--Zara, Ahmed, and Enrique were all a delight. The supporting characters for Charlotte (Barb, Paw Paw, and even Veronica all felt a little stock to me). The cruise conceit also gave the story a nice structure, but after a bit, it felt a little repetitive.

The mentions of their shared past was asked to do a lot of heavy lifting to establish that there was more than a physical connection and it didn’t quite work for me. The lingering issues of their past also get resolved very quickly with minimal work on the page and then is nearly forgotten as we dive headfirst into lust, flirting, and sex shenanigans. Even with the quick resolution to the problem of their past break up and the abundant sex scenes, the book felt a little slow and repetitive, kind of like how I imagine a cruise feeling. Lots of different activities but an underlying sameness.

Overall, though this was a fun second chance romance, the tropical locations suited the story well and it was low angst. A good vacation read!

What would you do if you saw your first love many years later? This book is about that. Charlotte is on a cruise that she should have been on with her fiance. However, her fiance cheated on her and Charlotte decided to go on the cruise by herself. She sees her first love, Lexi, working on the same cruise ship. And Lexi is the steward for Charlotte's VIP cabin. There are sparks between both women and Lexi knows there is to be no relationships with the passengers. If you are looking for a book with sex, sparks flying, tension and cruise ships, this is the book for you!.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book has all the vacation feels. I nice read to escape the coming winter cold. Plot-wise it lacked depth. Charlotte got over her failed wedding surprisingly fast and easy. Lexi was also over the past hurts easily. I expected some more drama or angst. I did like the side characters, they were fun and entertaining.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.


Charlotte is taking a cruise which was suppose to be her honeymoon but she called off the wedding with her fiance Veronica who was a cheater.

Lexi is having a good life cruising and being a bartender on cruise line where she see her high school sweetheart Charlotte on board.

As Charlotte and Lexi get reacquainted they realize those feelings they had in highshcool is still there and they wonder should the give it a second chance or go there separate ways easy said and done when they are both stuck on cruise in the middle of the ocean.

I like the chemistry between the main characters as they get to know who they are now then who they were before. I like that the romance is on the cruise because I always want to do a cruise trying to talk my younger sister's into it but to no avail. Good read but I have to say I like her Match Series the best.

Not Since You by Fiona Riley is a fun, light-hearted second-chance romance. Charlotte Southwick and Lexi Bronson were high school sweethearts that shared an all-consuming love affair that only the sweetness and tenderness of youth can offer. However, as high school ended, so did their affair, leaving them both with the tell-tale scars of a shattered first love. Although their life plans and future dreams caused them to part ways, neither forgot the intense love they once shared. When they meet again aboard a cruise ship some ten years later, they are shaken to realize their connection is still there, front and center. Riley does a nice job of fanning the flames of Charlotte and Lexie’s lost love. She uses sweet remembrances that evoke a smile as you read how they revive and repair the love they once shared.

Not Since You is not an angsty tale of failed love filled with tangled pasts and dishonesty. It is quite simply a sweet steamy romance that will fill you with a tenderness that only good romances can. If you enjoy stories of lovers reconnecting and getting a second chance, then you will enjoy this story. This book has all the elements of a perfect romance–-beautiful characters seeking to rekindle a lost love with heat and passion under sunny skies and starry nights on a cruise ship traveling to a tropical paradise. It is an enjoyable read that won’t disappoint. I would definitely recommend it.

This second-chance romance novel takes place on a cruise ship where Charlotte is honeymooning by herself after calling off her wedding to Veronica, who was apparently a serial cheater. It just so happens that this particular cruise ship employs Lexi, Charlotte's high school girlfriend. Not only does Lexi work on the ship, but she is Charlotte's VIP cruise coordinator. Once upon a time, Charlotte broke Lexi's heart, although we don't get much detail about that. That's really my major problem with this novel. We don't get very much backstory, conversation, or plot. Everything happens very quickly and really pushes the limits of believability, all, it seems, to showcase the sex scenes. Despite this, the book somehow seemed to drag, as well. On the bright side, I did like the supporting characters, including Lexi's friends on the cruise ship and Charlotte's PawPaw.

This book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley.

The idea of a sexy bartender with a sleeve of tattoos is mighty tempting and could almost convince me that a cruise trip is a good idea for a holiday. If only it didn’t involve being trapped at sea with other people for days on end! Even so, despite my misgivings about life at sea with a crowd, this is a lovely romance and very atmospheric. The island locations are definitely seductive and the warmth and history between the two leading ladies is beautifully written. I really liked the friend characters, who again were well written and properly part of the story rather than just fillers. Spoiler alert. The author missed a trick by not having the ex show up. A bitchy scene with Veronica, who sounds like she could have stolen the plot, could have livened the story up. The sex scenes were pretty hot so be prepared to read this one somewhere private.

Second Chances!
When Charlotte decides to go on a cruise, she is unexpectedly re-united with Lexi who she has not seen in over 10 years. As they both realize that they still have feelings for each other, they have to figure out how to navigate the many challenges they face.

This was a good read. The concept of getting a second chance to reconnect with someone that meant a lot to you makes for a compelling story. And the setting.of a cruise ship and beautiful islands cannot be beat. It was interesting to see how the self-doubt, regret and pain came into play when both Lexi and Charlotte try to re-establish their relationship.

This is the first book that I've read by Fiona Riley and I really enjoyed the story of Lexi and Charlotte reconnecting on a cruise after their early years together. The chemistry between these two characters was amazing especially immediately after reconnecting after several years of being apart. The sex scenes were numerous, varied, and decliously heated. But I also enjoyed the emotional part of Lexi and Charlotte reconnecting as adults. Finally, the secondary characters such as Zara, Ahmed, Enrique, and Paw Paw added to the story and provided humor along the way.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An honest review thanks to Netgalley. This was a great read, I love reconnecting romance and this one was perfect. The first scene where they see each other again was iconic and really set the tone of this story for me. As the story went on the chemistry and connection between these two were undeniable and made me want to read about them all the more. The ending to this book was also fantastic, it gave me the closure exactly what I was looking for.

Can I tell you how much I love this book and this author?! I have not read one of Fiona's books that I have not liked. Both of the female characters were likeable, strong, warm, caring and I just wanted to see them work it out this time. My favorite was Charlotte because in my opinion, the more feminine character can be a little more shy and meek, and Charlotte was strong and confident. The story moved along, there was no forced drama, and the dialogue just shined. Read it. You'll love it too.

Charlotte Southwick is boarding her honeymoon cruise alone after catching her fiancée in bed with another woman. To her complete surprise, her first love and woman she left behind for college works in the cruise ship. Lexi Bronson has been running away since Charlotte left her behind ten years ago. Bartending for the cruise line, going from one tropical location to the next has been managing her disquiet. That is, until she sees Charlotte again. Can this first love get a second chance?

This is a hard one for me to rate. I have read a couple of other novels by this author and enjoyed them both. Her ability to create chemistry is excellent and the reader will find that she succeeded again in this book. The light touches and flirting make Lexi and Charlotte a good couple. That said, Lexi is a very forgiving woman to not require much of an explanation for Charlotte leaving her 10 years ago. The reason is ok and well, things happen when you are young. I’ll be honest, I wish I had Lexi’s ‘moving on’ mentality. There are a few explicit sex scenes that will not disappoint those readers that have come to expect that from Ms Riley.

The second big hurdle is Charlotte’s failed engagement. I liked that her breakup happened months before as the honeymoon was not planned for immediately after the wedding. Acceptable fix for not having a main fall for someone else right after breaking an engagement up. The fact that they share a history also helped.

The cruise life got a little boring for me. I appreciate the effort the author made to bring the mains together as no employee is allowed to romantically interact with a guest. Unfortunately, that meant many cruise ship activity descriptions that lost me. The older woman Charlotte met was intrusive and seemed wasted effort as the character faded to nothing. The other disappointing part was the big conflict in the story. All of a sudden the end of the cruise week is such a horrible thing and defining issue but the reality is the cruise was going to always end. I feel the real conflict of the story was the how to continue the relationship beyond the cruise time and things were not developed on that front. Felt like a missed opportunity to delve into something more critical and what really matters in a forever love story. That also meant some skimming on my part to reach the final resolution.

Overall, an okay second chance story. 3 stars

ARC generously provided to me by BSB via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.