A very well written story about dealing with grief and depression. I love how Keane and Anna connect because they are both coming from dark places. It was like fate wanted them to meet! They way they help each other emotionally (without knowing it) and connect on a boat is truly fascinating. Anna had a major character development where she felt more powerful about herself and learns how to love others safely without worrying about what will happen when they are gone. Definitely will recommend this book!

Gah, enjoyed this book so much! Initially I was wary because the subject matter seemed dark but Doller did a masterful job of handling Ben's suicide with compassion AND the aftermath Anna must navigate through as a result. Anna decides to leave solo on the data she and Ben were scheduled to depart for their sailing adventure. The courage combined with naivety to do this is often exactly what it takes for each of us to bounce ourselves out of the rut we're in.

As Anna meets Keane, we're reminded that everyone is dealing with something. The book also reflects how differently we deal with the losses and setbacks in life. I've never had a desire to go on a sailing trip (motion sickness, sigh) but Doller's writing made me feel I was there and I greatly enjoyed the ride. Float Plan is ultimately a book about perseverence and resilience and the bumpy ride that is life.

Special thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions mine.

Oh my gosh, I loved this book so much!!

An excellent read, it is so well written, it will pull on your heartstrings for sure.

I live a couple blocks away from a marina, and early on during the pandemic, I found myself browsing online "boat for sale" ads. The idea of being able to just sail away from... everything was very tempting. Never mind the fact that I've never sailed a boat in my life (I've barely even sailed ON a boat!). I pretty quickly decided that it was (a) impractical and (b) very likely unaffordable, but my short-lived boat fantasies ensured that "Float Plan" immediately piqued my interest.

Anna, a 25-year-old waitress in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, has been devastated for the past several months, ever since her fiancé Ben killed himself. Ben was an avid sailor, and he and Anna had planned to sail around the Caribbean together, getting married along the way. On the day they were meant to leave, Anna sets off alone, headed for Bimini. Despite what she'd learned from Ben during their voyages, her lack of experience causes her to make some big mistakes along the way. So when she finally arrives in Bimini, she posts an ad on the marina's bulletin board, looking to hire someone who can help her make the journey.

She winds up with Keane, an Irishman whose jobs as a crew member dried up when he lost part of his right leg in an accident (despite the fact that he's adept at getting around with his prosthetic limb). Keane is an extremely good sailor, and he's also very handsome, but Anna isn't looking to get involved with anyone—she wants to follow the exact itinerary Ben had planned for them, no matter what. Eventually, of course, she learns that she has to make her own way in the world.

This is a very sweet story that takes Keane and Anna from island to island (I followed along on a map!), meeting people and having adventures along the way. Trish Doller has obviously explored all of the islands she writes about, and her descriptions are wonderfully vivid. After I finished "Float Plan," I felt like I'd been on a little mini-vacation, and it was a lovely trip.

From the moment Anna stepped off of dry land, I was invested. She was a relatable character, a woman who took on Ben's plan for their journey with an obligation in mind. She had to do what he wanted, because she felt she owed it to him. And in the end, she discovered herself.

This book tackles strong themes like grief and our obligations not only to our loved ones, but to ourselves. All the while, we get to see the beauty of the tropics through Anna's eyes, as well as a wonderful character named Keane. While Keane has his own demons, he also seems to take on Anna's Float Plan with an obligation; he said he would help her through it, and he is true to his word. While he shows her the ropes, quite literally, he also learns that the life he used to have might not be what he wants anymore.

I thought it was a beautiful book and thoroughly enjoyed the read.

This book skyrocketed on to my top reads of 2020 list. I loved every page.

Anna is floundering in her grief after the suicide of her fiancé when she impulsively sets off on the sailing trip they had planned together. Anna is not the strongest sailor and quickly realizes she cannot complete the entire journey so she hires Keane to sail with her. Keane is kind and thoughtful and the two grow closer as they travel. They are both healing in their own ways and are respectful of each other’s needs as they share experiences together on land and at sea. It is a slow burn romance that allows for character growth and a deeper connection. More importantly it a woman’s journey out of pain and back into a life worth living. Well written and emotional, I could taste the sea salt on my lips as I was reading and was ready to pack my bags for my own adventure although I am even less of a sailor than Anna. I wanted to start reading it again immediately.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Could not put this down. Highly readable, loved both main characters and the journey they were both on to heal and recover from trauma.

TW: suicide

A solid contemporary on overcoming grief with strong romantic themes. Great characters and an awesome setting.

Perfect escape back to summer during the first rainy autumn days!

This is a contemporary story. Someone might think it is romance, but do not let be fooled, romance has nothing to do with Anna working through her grief after losing her fiancé to suicide. She decides to go on a trip in their sailboat through the Caribbean's waters that they were supposed to do together. This trip changes everything about who she is and who she wants to be.

This book transformed me into another time and place. The descriptions of each stop along the journey made it a captivating and thrilling read. All the small details mentioned about the boat, people, and places make the story come to life.

I liked how the author portrayed grief without shielding ugly parts. Every side of grief, insecurity, struggle, and fight felt real and down to earth. Meanwhile, this story did not lose positivity. Despite a quite sad and depressing topic, I managed to laugh out loud in some parts, while feeling heartache in others. After reading Float Plan I feel inspired, reassured, and positive that everything is going to be alright (in general).

But be warned - this book brings back summery feelings. In case you are still in quarantine while reading this, it might add a layer of torture. There is nothing more I would like right now than to jump on a boat and sail from one island to the other.

Thanks, Netgalley, author, and publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I didn’t know what to expect from this book but LOVED it! Unlike anything I have ever read before it introduced me to sailing, places I have never even heard of in the Caribbean and a story line on starting over and discovering how you really are in this world. Anna and Keane are complex characters written with humor and insight into human emotion. I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to read more from this author.

This is a Contemporary Romance/Women's Fiction/Mental Health. This is so much more then just a romance. This book is about getting over grief. Anna starts sailing around to try to get over losing her boyfriend from him killing himself over a long battle of depression, and she meets Keane that is grieving the lost of his leg. I love this book so much. I know I was going to like it, but I did not see this book becoming one of my favorite books I have read this year. I really loved all the characters. This book was beautifully written and character-driven. I felt like I was on the boat with them, and I felt all the problems/drama. The book made you want to keep reading. I felt the romance was slow and heartwarming. I cannot say how much I enjoyed this book, and I have not read a book like this book. This book made me want to jump on a boat and island hop. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (St. Martin's Griffin) or author (Trish Doller) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that. This book is schedule to be release on March 2-2021.

This book is more than a romance. At its core, it's a coming of age story, and has some grown-up romance and unique settings to make it even more appealing. The protagonist is a young woman reeling from the death of her much-loved boyfriend, who makes what seem to be all the wrong choices for working through her heartbreak. She leaves family, friend, and job to follow her boyfriend's dream for the two of them -- sailing into the Caribbean with an itinerary that he had established. As she learns to sail and fend for herself, she also discovers just how much of this trip and her life was comprised of her boyfriend's desires and not her own. She begins to think for herself, and to slowly build a new relationship. This book has it all - a little steamy, a lot of self-discovery, fascinating setting.

Fantastic book
Reminded me of adrift the movie
Lots of romance suspense and relatable topics
Hugely recommended

Float Plan by Trish Doller Review

This novel follows Anna who lost her fiancé Ben to suicide 10 months prior. One day she gets a calendar alert that they were supposed to leave on a sailing around the world trip that day and she impulsively decides to go. She soon realizes she is out of her league and has to hire a crew. In walks Keane Sullivan who is too nice and very helpful. Anna starts being able to deal with her grief as she sees the world.

WHAT I LIKED:
It was so easy to fall into this story (especially once Keane shows up)
I’m trash for Road Trip books and this is like an extreme version of this
I just like the whole emotional journey & actual journey paralleling each other
I read a nonfiction book where a couple sailed together and this lowkey reminded me of that & I felt like I knew nautical stuff (I don’t)
This reminded me of one of my all time favorite novels, Just One Day with the guy playing a similar role in the story
Keane!! I loved this man, did he seem too perfect, 100% yes, but this is fiction + HIS BROTHER
Anna’s relationship with her mom and seeing it evolve

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:
Some of the writing was not *the best*
Also, since I read that sailing nonfiction, some of the sailing seemed a bit too “rose colored glasses” and too neat
I would have liked to see more from Anna’s family & her friend

There are certain books you read that just speak to you. This one spoke to me. I want everyone I know to read it. Not just because it speaks of suicide, and dealing with the trauma of losing someone to something so awful, in a way that is graceful and light hearted. But it’s full of life lessons, of relatability, and it made me laugh when I wanted to cry. Whew.

Well this was just lovely. Maybe I'm a bit biased as I've always wanted to sail, but I loved all the sailing details and reading about living on a boat. Finally a novel that had me focused on the story not just the romance. Lots of interesting characters and places, I just wanted more.

Float Plan
by Trish Doller
St. Martin's Press
You Like Them
St. Martin's Griffin
Romance
Pub Date 02 Mar 2021 | Archive Date 16 Mar 2021

This is a very well written slow burn romance. Dealing with grief and trusting again is a theme throughout.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for the ARC. It was a much better book than I expected.

5 star

I liked this book a lot but I didn’t love it. I loved the relationship between Anna and Keane, the accurate portrayal of grief, The boat setting, and Anna’s character arc.

I don't usually pick up romance novels, but my husband loves sailing, and we were spending a week at the beach, so why not? This book surprised me in being more than a romance - it's also a tale of self-discovery for both of the main characters. Along the way, the reader gets a great travel story taking place across numerous tropical islands - it was a fun armchair trip during these COVID times of self-isolation. 4 stars!

Anna was supposed to set sail on the trip of a lifetime with her fiance - but after his suicide, she decides to undertake the journey alone. When she realizes she needs help, mysterious sailor Keane shows up offering to take her to Puerto Rico. As the two sail from port to port, they connect on a deeper level with each other and their own selves.

I really enjoyed how natural Anna and Keane's relationship felt - rather than falling for each other instantly, they have a great friendship that develops along with romantic feelings. It's also clear that they both have their own demons to wrangle with, and they have to deal with those issues before love can blossom. The obstacles in their relationship felt realistic, and I was rooting for them throughout the book. My only complaint about the book was all the sailing detail - it was interesting overall, but sometimes it slowed down the story a bit. But clearly the author knows her stuff on this topic!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

As we travel along with Anna and Keane, the people they met along the way added a unique story. Keane was exactly what Anna needed though, he allowed her to grieve as she needed, made sure she was safe, and became a good friend.

The cover on the book, made me want to sail away. The trip itself made me want to get on a sailboat and sail the Caribbean. It was beautiful written and really brought the islands to life. I loved all of the things Anna and Keane got to do together while sailing and visiting islands and meeting new people.

The details the author described throughout the book was amazing. My first book by the author and I cannot wait to read more, hopefully, they will be a book 2. You can read this book in 1 sitting, I read it in two.







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