During this tumultuous time where I’m afraid to leave my house, Float Plan took me on a journey across the ocean. This book hit all the empty spots that I didn’t know needed filling. I felt as though I traveled the Caribbean, grieved, found inner strength and fell in love. I may now have to set out to save for an Alberg but Anna’s journey makes it seem worth it. This was a great summer book —as well as fall, winter, and spring. I had a serious book hangover after and am looking forward to reading more of Trish Doller’s books. Thank you #netgalley for giving me access to this ARC!

The Float Plan is a book that will take you on a journey and make you want to leave the world behind to live on a sailboat. Not kidding.

After Anna's fiance dies by suicide, she is left without a path or a plan. 10 months after his death, they were supposed to take their sailboat on a trip through the Caribbean. When that day comes, Anna quits her jobs and heads out on the sailboat. After a rough few days, she hires Keane to help her through the trip. She doesn't expect to find happiness or growth during her trip, but Anna finds all that and more.

I SO appreciated that every time Anna's fiance's suicide is brought up, it was in proper terminology. Reading Anna's grieving process was so poignant and heartbreaking, but seeing how Keane was EXACTLY who she needed at every step of the way on her journey was even better. The chemistry between the two was muted in the beginning and grew with each passing page, as Anna opened herself up more and more to the possibility of life after his death. I seriously enjoyed learning more about sailing and the amazing experience she had while on each island. Seriously, I want to go on a sailboat now.

Reading the healing process after a traumatic loss is always difficult, and I urge you to read with caution if suicide is a trigger for you. Anna's healing wasn't always in a straight line, she stumbled and fell but got up again. More importantly, this is a story about finding yourself. Accepting who you are. And accepting that love for another doesn't discount love for someone else.

I barely have the words to explain how beautiful this book was to me. As much as every book will have some flaws, the mastery and beauty of this book sucks you in so deeply that you barely notice. Trish Doller wrote one of the most important stories that I've read this year, and it was phenomenal.

**Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

TW: Suicide

This was a cute read that I enjoyed but it didn't really blow me away. Anna takes off on a solo sailing trip after the death of her fiance. She soon realizes she can't do it alone and hires Keane, a sailing expert still grappling with the loss of his leg. They fall in love and Anna slowly moves on from grieving her fiance. I would have liked Keane's perspective a bit more. Also, I felt like Anna still had a lot of family issues that weren't really addressed. Overall it was fine but not great.

I loved every single minute of this book. I was a little hesitant at first wondering how a person's suicide could form part of a romance, but oh, how wrong I was. This is a beautifully crafted book that made me forget my bedtime, my worries and even my fiancé. Truly. Read this book.

Talk about a perfect warm weather read! If you’ve read Trish Doller’s YA books you know she is excellent at creating characters that pull you into their story - and her Adult debut is no different. I’m in rural Ohio and the most boating experience I have is kayaking on rivers that wind through farmland, so Anna and Keane’s story set in Florida and the Caribbean took me on a new adventure.

I loved how the Trish Doller handles Anna’s grief. It felt so incredibly real and there were many parts where I wish I could have reached through the pages and hugged her. I loved that her development took front stage...this was truly her story. I couldn’t have asked for a better leading man than Keane to support Anna. He sets a new bar for male leads. This book made me want to take sailing lessons and head to the Caribbean. I can’t do that right now, but maybe a trip to Lake Erie will do?

Oh my, this fantastic book surprised me in the best possible way! Float Plan is a sweet romance that is packed with depth and emotion! From the very first page Float Plan played out like a movie in my mind (and I have mentally already cast all of the characters lol). And speaking about characters, I loved how extremely realistic and relatable they were! I literally found this 5 star read unputdownable and think everyone would enjoy it as much as I did! I am really excited to see what Trish Doller comes out with next!

I'm going to try really hard not to use the word "adore" too much in this review, but I really adore this book. Float Plan by Trish Holler is about Anna, whose fiancé's death by suicide has left her reeling for ten months. She decides to move forward with their planned sailing trip through the Caribbean but quickly realizes that she could use some help. Luckily, Keane Sullivan is available to crew her journey and to help her learn more about sailing. Turns out, he also has a lot to teach her about herself. It doesn't feel right to me to call this a romance novel. Sure, there is a romantic plot. But it's more about Anna's healing, about her learning about herself, and about finding the strength to keep going.

There is so much about this book that I... well, adored. It was obvious to me that a ton of research went into this book, about sailing, Caribbean islands, and suicide survivorship. I appreciated the use of "died by suicide" throughout the book, as not many know that is the appropriate verbiage. The feeling of time in the book was interesting to me. It ebbed and it flowed, with Anna sometimes staying in one place for three chapters and sometimes traveling hundreds of miles on one page. It was an excellent nod to what healing truly feels like. Lastly, the tone of Anna's narration was beautiful. It was quietly strong, fierce and frightened, and even-keeled, sometimes almost numbly observational, which really helped to pull me into the story and understand Anna's point of view.

The only thing I might add would be a glossary/diagram of a sailboat like the one Anna has. I, like many people I assume, have zero sailing experience. I wasn't at all put off by the details of the boat and sails since it's the setting for so much of the story, but there were times I wished I knew more about what was actually happening.

Looking for a second chance love story set at sea with captivating characters, thrilling adventure and heartwarming interactions? Well, look no further because Float Plan has it all!
Surrounded by grief in her daily life, Anna decides it's time to set out on her own voyage of sailing around the Caribbean. She soon discovers that she may need a little help to make it through this trip. Enter Keane, a professional sailor adjusting to his new future. The two of them set sail for Puerto Rico on a journey full of heartbreak, growth, and love.
This book was really so endearing and I was captivated not only by the plot but by the writing itself. The dialogue felt so real and I loved the vivid descriptions. The characters were so easy to connect to! They came across as authentic and the slow-burn romance between the too was very well done.
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martins Press and the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I finished it! What a great ride. If you don't know anything about sailing it is okay you don't need to, but you will need to have an adventurous spirit to follow The Float Plan.

I have read everyone of Trish Doller's books and am happy to say they just keep getting better. She is an excellent author who knows how to keep you in the story. I am very glad to have met all these wonderful characters.

I wish I was till young enough to get in a boat and sail the oceans blue!

Float Plan is an excellent summer reading book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Trish Doller clearly has knowledge (or dug a lot of it up!) about sailing and cruising around the islands off of Florida. I admit to being a sucker for a good romance, and this is definitely a strong book full of characters not only working through their own issues, but also meeting unique people along the way and discovering things about themselves and more as they travel.

Anna has a lot to work through due to losing her fiance to suicide, and you really feel her grief as she tries to figure out how to live a life without the man she loves. You want her to succeed, but you also understand the fight she has to go through in order to move on. Her emotions felt real rather than overly dramatic or far too deep for her to get out of. She also doesn't magically get over them, but slowly changes over time.

Keane (bonus - he's Irish!) has his own set of problems, but he's a strong person for Anna to lean on when she needs to, and makes sure she learns to stand on her own and gives her space when she needs it. To some people he might seem too perfect (even Anna comments on this a few times), but some people in life really are just good people trying their best and trying to help others, so I actually found him rather believable.

I like that their romance wasn't big or fancy - just a slow, soft love that appeared over time. The setting, all the islands and clear ocean waters and colorful peoples on the islands, was always described vividly so I could see everything and wish I was there myself. Also maybe wishing I was on a sailboat with a cute Irish gentleman floating away from everything (at least, for a time).

From the pace to the story itself to the overall feel of this book, it was the perfect read for a hot summer day (even better if you're poolside or, better still, beachside!).

Float Plan is the sweetest little romance novel I've read in a long time. I loved every page, learning about Anna's emotional pain resulting from her fiance Ben's, suicide and her will and spirit to continue to live, and experience life and adventure, even without Ben. In this story, Anna sets sail on Ben's boat to complete the trip that they had planned a year ago from Florida to Trinidad. I admire her bravery and her willingness to listen to her soul when she meets Keane and hires him to help her make her voyage.

During this quarantine time of COVID, Float Plan was for me a little Caribbean vacation. Trish Doller's beautiful and descriptive writing took me to so many islands where I got to enjoy the food and drink and culture. I got lost in the fun every time I sat down with the book, and was so sorry when I got to the last page. I did love the way the story ended - very satisfying and wonderful.

Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book.

It’s been a year since Anna’s fiancé committed suicide, and when she realizes she’s not really living, she packs up the sailboat he bequeathed to her and sets off on a voyage without having any idea what she’s in for. Float Plan tells her story as she navigates the literal and figurative waves first by herself, and then with the company of Keane, a professional sailor mourning his own loss, an amputated leg. This story is about grief and second chances and embracing life and it was a joy to read. At times, it got more sappy and physical than I would like, but the story was fairly unique and I loved the writing style.

This was a great read and I’ll definitely be looking up more of Trish’s books!

This book was like a warm blanket, soft and comforting.
It wasn’t as I expected for a book about a widow still trying to come to terms with her husband suicide, but I likes that.
I loved both main characters, Keane was so sweet and earnest and Anna was so strong, even if she didn’t know it.
I loved the slow burn, especially because of where sh was in her life.
Another thing, I didn’t know sailing through the Caribbean is/was such a lifestyle, and now I wonder how Covid-19 has affected all that, but it was pretty nice seeing all this people helping each other and getting together.
And of course all the food and fruits mentioned, specially my most favorite fruit in the whole world: sugar apples.

This is an enjoyable book about starting over. While I couldn't be a sailor like Anna or Keane, I do envy the leisurely lifestyle of boating from island to island.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC.

Honestly, the first chapter of this book, I thought, this is really not my kind of book. Thankfully, I kept going! This is by far one of the best books I've read in a very long time.

I actually feel this was a life changing read...it makes you think about life choices and gives hope. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. Also to the author, for an amazing read.

Wow, this book is hard to describe in words to give it justice. The main character dealing with the lose of her fiance due to suicide embarks on an adventure they had planned together before he died. Sailing to multiple islands and getting married. While she starts the journey alone she sees what she is capable of accomplishing and then hires a crew member to help her sail and learn more through the process. The places she travels and experiences she deals with were heartfelt and sad at times,but just goes to show that the choices we make can change everything. Highly recommend reading this book!

Anna's fiancee died and she was still emotionally reeling when several months later she received his reminder note of their planned sailing trip to the Carribbean. Anna decides to undertake the trip in his memory, hoping to heal. But once she makes it to the first stop, she realizes she needs help and hires Keane who also needs to heal from a tragedy.

The prologue grabbed my attention. But then it lagged w/the next 2 chapters. But once Keane entered the story, it picked up. And 1/3 of the way thru, i couldn't put it down. The story progresses into a deeper one of 2 people trying to figure out what to do w/their lives and how to overcome their trauma. It's also about the slow relationship development between Anna & Keane.
Both characters were fully evolved. (even the supporting characters had good development) And the writer did a good job of painting a picture of the places they visited on the trip.
I liked all the characters & they had good chemistry. I could relate to some of the experiences while traveling. (ie. meeting people, exploring places, etc.)

I liked the addition of Anna worrying about her depleted savings as the trip continued. For me, that was a realistic & empathetic element to add to character detail.

My only negative is that because I don't sail, i was unfamiliar w/a lot of the sailing/technical things mentioned and it wasn't explained well enough.

As it got towards the end, I did wonder if Anna continued sailing what she would do for financial support. And would a vacation romance last? As a reader, I was so caught up in the story that i worried about these characters fictional future. To me, that's dang good writing!

quote from the book that summed up the overall theme best:
"But I’m starting to understand how sadness and happiness can live side by side within a heart. And how that heart can keep on beating."

Float Plan was a delight! It features intelligent, adventurous protagonists and a slow burn of a romance. Both he and she were working through losses by figuring out how to move forward without emotionally discounting or discarding the past. I love strong, self-aware characters I’d want to be friends with IRL. This book has a lot to offer on the topic of grief, yet Trish Doller works it into the story in a way that doesn’t bog down the plot. The Caribbean setting was great, as was learning a bit about sailing life. What’s not to love about a well-written romance that offers so much more than only will-they/won’t-they and steam?

A very appropriate novel for our time. How does one handle grief? How do we heal? This is the story of both grief and healing, as we move forward.

I think book clubs will enjoy dealing with these issues.
Thank you Netgalley for this opportunity.

Trigger warnings: several mentions of past suicide (the main character's deceased fiance)

This book is not the type I normally pick up; in fact, it's the type of book I usually avoid. I personally have a very hard time with the contemporary genre, especially any book dealing with issues such as grief and hardship and yeah, you get it. If I read contemporary, it's all rom com and fluff, and even then I occasionally have a hard time (let's chalk it up to personal issues and anxiety).

And yet somehow, this book landed in my hands, and became a salve for my soul.

Let me also mention that I've met Trish (online - we worked together to host a giveaway for one of her previous books on my bookstagram account). I was immediately struck with how genuine she is, and how humble. And I saw romance in this title, combined with the adorable cover, so I jumped to give this a chance (still not realizing it was a more serious toned book). I don't regret it at all.

While this book deals with grief, it does so in a healing manner. The read itself still feels escapist, as the heroine is jumping ship literally to sail on her deceased fiancé's boat on a trip he had planned for the two of them a year ago before he took his life. Ah! It sounds heavy - and trust me, it is. Except the pages take us from island to island with Anna on a beautiful journey that focuses on the will to live and breathe and enjoy life, even amongst sadness.

The best part? Very quickly in the journey, Anna meets Keane, a tender boy with pain of his own. Except his scenes are full of smiles and laughter, and his penchant for life (and for Anna) is an intoxicating as the trip itself. I devoured the pages while watching them explore places - and each other - as they almost unknowingly fall in love.

Another aspect I truly enjoyed (as a writer especially) is the gorgeous prose. The writing is nothing short of vivid and sensory with sentences that left me breathless.

So I'll leave with this: Yes, there's heavy topics here, but it's a beautifully written feel-good story that I'll certainly be returning to again.