Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of Float Plan by Trish Doller in exchange for an honest review. It published March 2, 2021.
I have to say, I really appreciated the trigger warning at the beginning of this book, I think it was absolutely helpful and necessary. I was surprised at the rawness of the grief felt, the different stages of grief were walked out, in a realistic way rather than a linear way.
I really liked the self-discovery, learning about sailing, and all the different islands. I spent a lot of extra time looking up maps and learning about the geography more to better imagine the islands in this book, which I loved doing!
so I will leave with a trigger warning, there is suicide and the recovery from it by loved ones, language and sex.

I really enjoyed this story about a woman who one day came home to find her fiance dead from an overdose, and how she managed to find herself and find love again. I loved the travel all around the Bahamas and Caribbean, and loved how two wounded souls were able to help make each other whole again. Great second chance romance story.

I received an e-ARC of this book by the author and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Anna’s fiancé planned a sailing trip for the two of them - before they could take the trip, he committed suicide. When the time for the trip comes, Anna decides to take the trip alone. After a super scary night at sea, Anna hires Keane to help her. Keane was a professional sailor until a freak accident leaves him with a partially amputated leg. “As romance rises with the tide, they discover that it’s never too late to chart a new course.” (I love this sailing themed sentence straight from the book blurb.)

One of the positive things in being a month and thirtyish books behind on reviews is knowing that a book has stuck with you. And Float Plan? It stuck with me. I loved it! This is one of those romance books that is “heavier,” and I tend to like those more. I’d highly recommend this, but there is mention of suicide (possible trigger warning for some people). Of course, I liked seeing Anna and Keane fall in love, but I liked seeing Anna and Keane grow as people even more.

Thanks to @NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC!

#callireads2021 #borrowingbooks #bookstagram #romancebooks #audiobook #NetGalley #FloatPlan

Well, I felt like I just took a vacation! I really enjoyed her descriptions of all the islands they went to. To me, that’s what made the book so good. It left me wanting to know more and see more of these locations. It was an enjoyable read about dealing with a sad and horrible situation of grief. I will definitely recommend this to others! Thank you for an advanced reader copy!!

I loved this book! I was in awe of Anna as she set out to sail to the Caribbean after her boyfriend’s death. Anna’s story was so compelling and her emotions were so real. Her strength and grief were both so well written. I loved the dialogue throughout the book. I am always impressed when the dialogue is great between the two main characters and it was also strong with the secondary characters. Keane was amazing and perfect for Anna. I liked the slow progression of their relationship. I know nothing about sailing and sadly haven’t visited any of the islands mentioned but the descriptions were so vivid. I really could envision being on the boat but without the seasickness. I love character driven books and this one is awesome. This emotional novel was well written and seeing Anna come into her own and move past her grief was great to see. Add this one to your TBR!! Thank you St Martins and Netgalley for my free review copy.

I think this book would work for a lot of people, I unfortunately, was not one of them. I'm a big fan of Trish Doller's previous works so I was really excited for her first adult romance. While some of it was interesting, I found there to be so much descriptive boating jargon that distracted from the story.

As someone who has never stepped foot on a boat without a resulting panic attack, <b>I really freaking loved this romance where 90% takes place on a sailboat in the Atlantic.</b>

Trish Doller does an incredible job writing a book that is both sex-positive and incredibly slow burn, with our main character struggling with grief the entire story. I happened to read this for a blog tour post and was only two chapters in when I experienced a devastating and tragic loss. Suddenly the trigger warnings in this story applied to me in a way that I did not appreciate for a pleasure read. I took a break, went to therapy, cried a lot, and returned to find myself healing right alongside Anna. I've never experienced that before, and it was touching and raw and perfect.

<b>TW: loss of a loved one, suicide, near drowning, loss of a limb, grief, ableism (contested)</b>

Keane is a love interest I wasn't expecting to love as much as I did. Maybe it was because I was reading a swoony Irish man on St. Patrick's Day, maybe it was because I was in desperate need of a man with an accent, but either way, I loved him. I loved reading about the sailing, visiting all the islands and respecting the culture, and the fierce independence Anna builds. There's a rescue doggo, and clearly some well researched Caribbean representation. All around, an absolute new favorite romance and a book that will sit with me differently because of my reading experience.

<i>Thank you to the publisher for a blog tour invite and early copy. All opinions are my own.</i>

I ADORED this book!!! From the start I knew I would. As someone who lost their fiancé tragically, I related a bit to the main character. That is only the surface of amazingness that this book was. Sexy, funny, warm-hearted...you name it, this book was that!

CWs: Discussion of death by suicide, mental illness, disability

Dear Trish Doller,

Way back in the day I read Something Like Normal and I’ve been a fan of your work ever since – albeit that I stick to the romance titles because I need my HEA. You wrote a lot of YA books in the interim, not all of which were romances. I was so excited to see you dip your toe (see what I did there?) into adult contemporary romance with Float Plan. To stretch my punny metaphor even further, come on in, the water is fine!

Float Plan deals with some tough topics and for that reason, I do recommend readers note the Content Warnings I have included. However, if they are not a barrier, I can heartily recommend this book.

Anna Beck is still grieving the death of her fiance, Ben Braithwaite, by suicide some ten months before the book begins. He had been fixing up a sailboat, an Alberg (as yet unnamed) and planning on sailing it from their home in Fort Lauderdale to the Turks and Caicos Islands, a journey of some 1700 nautical miles. Anna inherited the boat in Ben’s will and has decided to commence Ben’s planned trip by herself. I can’t imagine taking on anything so daunting. Anna is part fearless and part desperate for some kind of release from her grief, but all fierce.

Anna’s mother and sister think she’s lost her mind.

“This ist crazy, Anna. Crazy.” My mom has lived in the United States longer than Rachel and I have been alive, but German words frequently slip into her speech, particularly when she’s stressed. “You should not be going to sea in a boat you have no business trying to sail. You need to come home und get some help.”

This isn’t the first time we’ve had a conversation about me seeking professional help, but I don’t need a therapist to tell me that I’m the only one who gets to decide how long my grief should last, that it’s not my job to make other people less uncomfortable around me. I am not ready to get on with my life. I am not in the market for a new soul mate.

It really spoke to me, that line about how she is the only one who can decide how long her grief should last. It’s a feeling I’ve lived in myself. Spoiler Alert: Being told to hurry up and get over it is NOT HELPFUL.

After a nearly very disastrous sail to Bimini, Anna realises she needs some experienced help and advertises for a sailing assistant. Enter Keane Sullivan, an Irish national who has spent the last decade or so sailing professionally. He was injured in an accident and lost the lower part of one leg (below the knee) and since that time has struggled to find work doing what he loves, the racing community believing him to be a liability now that he’s got a prosthesis. Keane has learned how to adapt, both with and without his prosthesis when sailing and it does not cause him to be less capable despite the assumptions made about him. His expertise and experience are a godsend for Anna.

In addition to being an awesome sailor, Keane is also an awesome guy. What you see with Keane is what you get. There is no artifice with him and he wears his heart on his sleeve. He is not deceitful or mean. He’s generous and kind and funny and hot. It’s clear he notices more about Anna from the start than just her need for assistance in her journey but he’s also a sensitive soul who knows better than to push or do anything inappropriate. I’d say he’s a bit of a cinnamon roll but actually. There’s no grumpy exterior or hard outer shell – he’s pretty much all competent marshmallow but also brave and fierce too. In that way (as well as others), he and Anna are a perfect match.

Anna is open too, about her grief and about why she’s sailing to the Turks and Caicos and why she has the itinerary she does. Keane knows Anna is not over Ben and so does not attempt to act on his attraction for what turns out to be a large portion of the book. But romance readers have no need for despair – the intimacy and the friendship, the banter, fun and even the arguments, between Anna and Keane are all clear roadmaps to where things are going.

This journey is not just a physical one for Anna. It is a way of processing her grief and helping her to move on.

“Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever stop thinking about him.”

“Don’t know why you would,” Keane says. “Eventually—and I say this from experience—you’ll start building a new house beside the ruins of the old. When you’re ready, you’ll know.”

As much as I adored Keane (and I really really did), this is very much Anna’s book. It is her journey and it is her victory (though Keane has some victories of his own as well).

There were few things I didn’t like about the book. I was enjoying Anna and Keane so much that as I headed to what I believed would be the inevitable dark moment where everything went wrong (I’m not going to tell whether what I believed came true) I kind of shied away from reading on. I just didn’t want to see them apart or unhappy because they were so perfect together and each had been through so much already. I just didn’t want any more difficulty for them. Also, as I read this in November 2020, my own resilience was pretty low and that was a factor too. But I can’t hold that feeling against the book. Actually it’s a feature, not a bug because I cared so much.

No, what didn’t work for me entirely was some of the hand-waving at the end where I wanted just a little more detail on what they would do and how it would work. I wondered, frankly, how they could afford to do what they planned in the immediate aftermath of the story (I’m trying not to give spoilers away; I’m not talking about their “project” here, but their next trip). I’m a details girl so that was something I wanted to understand better.

I took a long time to read Float Plan. That was all me. I think I read one entire book in all of November and it was this one! Even though I’m in Australia the US presidential election has such a global impact that I spent a great deal of time freaking out about what might happen and when I wasn’t doing that it was all Covid all the time (and we had it super easy where I am so I realise I’m extremely privileged even so). Considering just how much I was struggling to read, what struck me most about Float Plan was how happy I was to read when I actually did it. Every time I did part of my brain queried why I hadn’t done it sooner. But it’s also a book that you can read over time and not lose anything. It’s a book one could easily gobble down but it can also be savored and there’s no signal loss. I think it’s a book to be re-read too but I haven’t tested that yet.

I loved the information about sailing and the journey to the Turks and Caicos and all the stops in between. I enjoyed the diversity of the broader cast and the sensitive and matter of fact way Keane’s disability was presented. I also appreciated the history of parts of the Bahamas and I was particularly touched by the respect paid to to the history of the slave trade in that area and the various natural disasters which had affected some of the islands they visited. I liked the way that locals were effortlessly included in the story and how they became fully fleshed out characters even if they had little page time.

Most of all I loved Anna and Keane, both separately and together. Please Trish Doller, I beg you – write more contemporary romance.

Float Plan was delightful, joyful and victorious.

Grade: A-

Regards,
Kaetrin

I was surprised by how much I liked this book. The sailing aspect of it was really interesting, and Anna's grief journey was both beautiful and heartbreaking to witness.

This was surprisingly delightful! I blew through it in a 24 hours and thought it was much more substantial than a typical romance novel.

I have read a lot of romance books, they are my favorite kind of books. They have a lot of good things going for them, but what I love the most, is how human they are.

No matter what other plot is running alongside the development of the character’s relationship, it’s the relationship that gives meaning to the plot.

Not in a toxic way, but in a way that exposes a character’s weakenesses, challenges them, and makes them grow like in no other situation. And Float Plan is very special because it’s the kind of romance book that is unapologetically character-driven.

Inspiring and empowering tone
I went into the book braced for a lot of feels regarding loss, and grieving. But, while it was there, I won’t deny the story highlighted the healing part, the part that makes you believe in not only happy endings, but happy second chances, and beginnings.

It doesn’t gloss over the hard things, but it doesn’t get stuck there either, and that was very uplifting.

Characters I fell in love with
With any book, actually liking the characters, or at least finding them intriguing is a MUST, for me to continue reading it.

That wasn’t a problem at all with Float Plan. Anna’s voice was easy to follow, and root for. I really wanted her to be okay and get her HEA.

While Keane is just one of those instantly likeable people you want to be friends with. And his constantly being there for Anna cemented my love for them as a couple.

Overall an increible book that left me with all the feels

#Float Plan by author # Trish Doller is her romantic debut novel. And what a debut! It's about the loss of her fiance and the grief. Setting off on a voyage for one in a sailboat....
Thank you for the advance copy,
# Netgalley, Trish Doller and # St. Martin's Press

As a long time fan of Trish Doller, I was very excited for her adult debut with Float Plan. It follows Anna, who is grieving the death of her fiancé, when she impulsively decides to go on the sailing trip they had planned. In another words, just her and their sailboat making the voyage all alone. Only one night in proves to be pretty disastrous though and that's when she meets (and hires!) Keane, a professional sailor to help her out. He's also going through personal issues, and together not only do they find beauty and joy in this unexpected journey, but they also start to fall for each other.

I thought the concept was great! Despite the circumstances of the trip, there was something romantic and freeing about this idea of just getting on your boat and sailing away to see the world. But that clearly came with its own set of issues. I thought Doller did a good job of balancing those two aspects. The descriptions of their destinations were vivid, as were the trials Anna and Keane faced navigating the sea and each other as two total strangers stuck on a boat together. But it lacked a certain emotion? I didn't connect to Anna's personal journey of grief or how she was piecing herself back together, although I certainly rooted for her. Even the romance, which had plenty of cute moments and made me swoon for Keane, also felt a bit lacking especially with the "conflict" towards the end and how it was resolved.

I did like the book though, particularly for the travel aspects, and I do see this as a promising start of more adult books from this author.

After the loss of her fiancé, Anna impulsively decides to sail the voyage he had planned out for them alone. However, after a difficult first night at sea, Anna decides to hire professional sailor Keane. What follows is a story about the journey of finding yourself after experiencing the greatest loss. Trish Doller created two wonderful characters who are looking for way to overcome insurmountable loss and find comfort and support in each other. This is perfect for any reader who loves tropical getaways, emotional stories and second chances.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Float Plan begins the healing journey for Anna who is struggling to find closure after her long time boyfriend Ben overdoses on medications and alcohol. She has lived with Ben in their Ft Lauderdale, FL condo planning to spend their lives together. Or so, Anna thought. She had the wind taken from her sails when he dies leaving her with plans for the lifetime dream trip Ben had planned to sail to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. When Ben's family kicks her out of their shared condo, Anna decides she needs to get away and takes Ben's boat on the trip they were supposed to take together.

Her mother and sister worry about her venturing out alone but she ensures them that she will keep in touch along the way. Her friend, Karla, also anxiously emails her with updates while she is gone. Anna ignores the complaints and legal action which Ben's mother threatens to take against Anna. She feels confident that this trip will help her to comes to turns with Ben's death. She had known he struggled with depression and was getting help so she was never prepared for what happened.

Turning tragedy into adventure, Anna sets sail to Puerto Rico with only the plans for the trip Ben planned. Fortunately, she meets up with Keane Sullivan in a manner which seems clandestine. Ultimately, she hires him to help her maneuver the boat through the rough waters. Keane accepts the job as he was travelling to Puerto Rico for a job opportunity. He has lived his life commanding boats until an accident caused him to lose a leg making him a liability to former employers. He has proven to Anna that he has never let his prosthetic leg interfere with his ability to live and work.

During the trip, Anna and Keane learn more about each other including the challenges and pains from the past. The story explores love and loss, finding your place in life, and when to let go of the past. The boat trip provided healing as just like the sea, Anna encountered many unexpected situations in which she learned to be open and flexible allowing her to discover her authentic self.

This book, man. It was hearrrrrrtbreaking. Right from the beginning! This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster and I'm still healing from it. It was beautiful and sad and ran its course through my soul. I truly enjoyed the journey. I had initially given it 4 stars, then 4.5, and now screw it, it's a 5-star read. It made me want to get on a boat. I am not a boat person. But for a brief moment I wanted to set sail! I am a sucker for an Irish accent and probably would've melted at a multi-cast audio narration with an Irish narrator for Keane. *drool* Anna's path to self-discovery (because really, that's what this was) was so real. You are there with her through every step and every emotion to pick up the broken pieces, drop them, and pick them up again. This was my first Trish Doller novel and it will not be my last!

Yes, yes, yes this was literally one of the cutest and funniest romantic comedies that I’ve read. Even this book which I have enjoyed IMMENSELY hasn’t fully taken me out of my book slump. Every single character was so likeable.

Trish Doller's Float Plan explores themes of grief and taking a second-chance on love. Anna had plans for her life with her fiancé. They had planned on sailing together, but after losing him, she finds herself unmoored. With time and the sailboat and their plan, Anna decides to take a voyage solo. Pretty quickly, she realizes she will need some help with the tougher parts of the journey.

Enter Keane. He has his own demons. But, one thing he knows he can do is sail - even if his dreams have gone off course.

As the two of them spend more time together, they begin to hear. But, is it just chemistry? A rebound? Something more? Can their individual dreams come together? Can Anna risk her heart on a second chance at love?


Spoiler warning:



As a content warning, this book also navigates coping with a loved one's death by suicide. Doller does this with sensitivity and nuance, though it is something that readers may not be prepared for from reading the synopsis.


Many thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Sometimes, a book just has heart. It might not be the best written, or the most original, but it has characters that make you want to wish for them to get all of the best out of life. Float Plan definitely has the character development, with Anna, a young woman struggling after losing the love of her life, and Keane, a young man struggling to make sense of the direction that his life has taken after a devastating tragedy.

I have never been a fan of sailing, or boats in general, but Float Plan definitely made me want to take to the seas (with some Dramamine on board). The book was a little predictable, but the characters made the novel worth reading.

Float Plan is the type of book that I would recommend for an escape: relaxing in your favorite chair, hanging out at the beach, or waiting in line. I look forward to reading more by author Trish Doller in the future.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of Float Plan by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to review this novel was entirely my own.