I found myself wanting to DNF this pretty early on in the book, but I really liked the CONCEPT.

When Cole + Mac meet on a cruise ship, they were instantly drawn together - even tho Cole isn’t a relationship guy. They offer eachother a distraction while on this cruise ship + of course they fall for each other for real for real bc it’s a rom com.

I hated everything about the ending of this book. It’s my least favorite trope.

I wish it was a different ending.

Thank you to the publisher for letting me read an eArc!

A new favorite read! Brown weaves characters, relationships, and representation flawlessly in CRUISE FLING. She has moved to the top of my "auto buy" list with this one. Big /5 stars!

I really liked the premise of this book since I love cruises. But unfortunately, this fell flat for me. The names of the chapters could have went into detail about where they were traveling to. The one lines kind of came off creepy and lemons was used SO MUCH! The ending kind of felt forced into Mac choosing what she wanted to do.

This book is the perfect summer beach read, with missing luggage, fun moments, mishaps, just the right amount of spice, and a fantastic story that pulls you in and entertains you until the very last page.

From missing luggage, life changing decisions, and making lemonade out of lemons Mackenzie and Cole have very different reasons for ending up on a cruise ship for the next week, but they both plan on making the most of it and enjoying a strings-free vacation.

We go from a fling to a week long date to something neither of them want's to let go of, something where they both feel safe being who they are, each of them with their issues that make them value the other even more.


In finding each other they get to know themselves and realize that sometimes a fun fling can be exactly what you need to start you on the road to who you're ment to be..... and be with.

I do also have to say as someone that's been on a few cruises, the descriptions of both the ship and that island are spot on and brought back so many happy memories.

Thank you to Entangled and NetGalley for providing an advance copy, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thouhts and opinions are my own.

3.5
A Cruise Fling is an easy, enjoyable romance which gave me holiday vibes and made me want to go on a cruise. Mac and Cole were wonderful characters who had an instant connection with undeniable chemistry and I liked the fast pace of their relationship. The story was well written with hilarious moments and I loved the representation in the story, with Mac being hard of hearing, and Cole having a prosthetic leg. They were supported by a great cast of secondary characters who helped moved the story forward. However I wished Mac wasn't always questioning her decisions throughout the book. This novel about love and friendship was a light hearted rom-com and I would definitely recommend it.

I really wanted to love this one, but sadly, it wasn't for me. I found the dialogue to be incredibly stilted and didn't like either of the main characters.

I read this sweet, but serious rom-com in less than 24 hours, and had a blast while reading it! Mac, at a point in her life where everything has been up-ended, heads out on a cruise to enjoy being alone (or find a fling if you ask her friends) but very quickly runs into Cole, a sweet and kind cruiser visiting his college buddy who is working on the ship. Their chemistry pops off the page immediately and kept me compelled throughout. I grew up in the area the main characters were from so I could really relate to some of the crucial points in their lives and of course gave me a soft spot for them. I can't wait to see what Laura Brown writes next!

Mackenzie Laurel caught her boyfriend cheating on her and since he was her boss, she is now jobless, homeless and single. Needing a reprieve from her daily life, she goes on a 9 day cruise.
Cole Matterhorn is a travel agent, and regular on the cruise scene especially since his best friend works on them.
Mackenzie and Cole meet thanks to lost luggage, and their attraction is instant. But they both carry baggage that they need to let go before they can have a future together, and no matter how clearly Cole sees them together, Mackenzie is resistant.
I enjoyed reading this book, and really liked Cole. Mackenzie I felt was in a rut, and her rotten lemons vs lemonade was getting too repetitive.
Overall it was a good read with some nice secondary characters.

Just when everything in MacKenzie’s life is falling apart, her best friend books her a cruise in hopes of lifting her spirits. Mac takes this as the perfect opportunity to leave her stress behind and find a little excitement. Cole may not be the fun she thought she would find but he’s definitely the fun she needed. After they spend nine days together, the pair struggle with coming face to face with the real world.

A Cruise Fling is an open-door, vacation romance. From the luggage swap “meet-cute” to the very end, Mac and Cole have all the chemistry. It may not be a case of love at first sight but these two were meant to be. Many of the side characters are just as likable as the MCs. Trent and Quinn absolutely need their own book. Dani is also delightful for all her scheming ways.

I appreciate the amount of representation that the author has written into this book. The FMC is described as hard of hearing and the MMC has a prosthetic leg.

A Cruise Fling is perfect for fans of Trish Doller’s Float Plan or Shipped by Angie Hockman. It is just the right length to make a great vacation or beach read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC (Amara)!

My first by Laura Brown - but I have gone and picked up a few others now. I enjoyed it! As soon as I saw the blurb and cover for this book, I knew it was right up my alley, and throw in the disability rep, this book is a winner!

Cole and I have the same job, and while there are a few things not exactly correct about the industry or cruising in general, the author’s research was relatively good. I read an ARC for a river cruise romance about 3 years ago where every single thing was so off the mark and I even reached out to the author… and her entire research was asking a couple of questions to someone who worked in the reservations call center for a river cruise company. No wonder that one was so inauthentic, while this one made me feel, for the most part, as though the author had actually experienced at least a couple of cruises and perhaps shadowed a travel agent for a short period of time. Being a full time agent (18 years and counting), having gone to college for it (yes, you do do that, unlike Cole who makes a point of saying he did not, in the book), done a ton of professional training certifications, and 20+ cruises, I feel that for the average reader, they won’t notice anything off - but there are definitely some areas of concern from a professional standpoint… the only reason I can’t give it 5-stars. Perhaps a beta reader like myself would have been a good idea, to iron out those snags.

From a storyline perspective, I enjoyed the fast paced relationship building, how Cole and Mac quickly fell into everything figuring it would just be the week of the cruise, the friendships they built with each other and the others onboard, and how the “small world” of their relationship ended up coming around in a circle.

Overall, well written and researched, and a great disability rep with Mac having hearing loss, and Cole having a prosthetic leg. A definite recommendation from me!

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Entangled: Amara, and this is my honest feedback.

Laura Brown was a new-to-me author with Matzah Ball Surprise, and I really enjoyed it. Somehow I missed a few of her books am so glad I found A Cruise Fling. I am hard of hearing, so I appreciate how she incorporates this into her stories. In this book, she also introduces a male MC with a disability. While it is a fun and flirty rom-com for the most part, there are some real emotions here with PTSD due to being a victim of a terrorist attack, so if that’s a trigger for you, beware. Overall I enjoyed this quirky romance, especially the cast of secondary characters (I would love to see them get their own stories!), but some things were a bit monotonous (I’m looking at you, lemons. I get it, but there seemed to be an overabundance of talk regarding her life being full of lemonades, etc.). I’m looking forward to more from this author, and in the meantime, I’ll be gobbling up her backlist books that I’ve yet to read.

When Mac's boyfriend/boss admitted to cheating on her, she loses her job and her home all at once. She crashes on her friend's couch while she figures things out, but when Dani suggests a cruise as a way to reset and find herself, Mac jumps at the chance. When a misdelivered set of luggage creates a meet-cute with a hot green-eyed stranger, she's even open to a cruise fling.
Cole lost his leg in a violent terrorist attack ten years ago. Still suffering from PTSD and afraid to get close to anyone, he's attracted to the cute and bubbly stranger that found his luggage. After spending time together, they both agree to a fling. But what happens when they return to land and it feels like more?
This was a fun story that felt like a little mini-vacation. I like how both are so accepting of the other's disability. The lemon metaphors were a little overdone but overall I thought it was a sweet romance and I'd recommend it as a fun beach read.I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

For 9 days only, this cruise offers a reprieve from the pressures of everyday life. Something that Mackenzie desperately needs after catching her boyfriend cheating. Too bad he was also her boss and roommate, leaving her unexpectedly homeless, jobless and single!

Cole is a regular on the cruise scene and is visiting his best friend Trent, who is completing his final stint on staff. The two went through hell together almost a decade ago, where Cole lost a lot more than just his lower leg, and he's still picking up the pieces.

When Mackenzie and Cole connect over their switched luggage, will their spark lead to an onboard romance? Or will the baggage from their past hold them back from the 'lemonade' in their future?

I loved Cole's character and the honest way in which his experiences were reflected. We were privvy to how his amputation affects him day to day, but it was clearly emphasised that his body does not define him. Similarly, Mackenzie and the fact that she is hard of hearing was also integrated extremely naturally and sensitively, which I think can only lead to a better understanding of the experiences of those living with these conditions.

I really enjoyed the way that the chapters were separated by day and the banter between the different characters was hilarious. The spark between Cole & Mac was 🔥🔥; I could have read about their connection all day! I would love a follow up sequel for Dani (if you know, you know!). The only thing I disliked was the shock at the end, I'm not at all a fan of this trope and it took away some of the joy.

Thank you to Author Laura Brown,
Entangled Publishing
& Netgalley for providing this ARC. This review was written willingly and all opinions are my own.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: terrorist attacks, amputation & PTSD

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

*𝐍𝐨 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬*

For starters, I LOVE this book!! The table of contents is soo cute, instead of “chapter 1-13” it’s actually “Day 1-9” because this whole book takes place on a 9 day long cruise. It’s a strangers to friends/ sweet&spicy 😏🌶 fling 😅. Mac (Mackenzie) and Coles connection was instant where HE falls first! It’s the most adorable thing ever! I haven’t read about a sweet and awkward MMC 😆 so I loved it even more. The banter between Cole and his best friend, Trent, is the BEST THING EVER! 😂😂😂 I love those 2! I love Trent on the low 😏👌🏽 the friendships here are so pure and beautiful, I need the friends that both Mac and Cole have! This entire book is so light, fun, and hilarious. Both Mac and Cole weren’t expecting nothing on the cruise as they went on the cruise to escape their realities. But here we are ☺️ this book is different than what I’ve read so far and I just absolutely love it! I highly recommend it!

I want to thank @a_laurenbrown and @netgalley for allowing me to devour this arc before it releases! 💕 I truly enjoyed it.

🍋He falls first
🍋Love at first sight
🍋Strangers to lovers
🍋Fling


This may contain some triggers such as: physical disabilities
hearing impairment
emotional/mental stress
ptsd
Boston bombing 🤍

𝙁𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨:

-When life hands you lemons, don’t wait for them to rot.

-“You run from commitment.” Ran, Past tense. “I don’t run anywhere anymore. I was waiting for Mac.”

You can also check out my post on instagram @_hidingbehindpages

I received this ARC in exchange for my opinion on it. I overall rated this a 3.75/5.

While I thought this book was a cute romance book and I loved the representation of Mac being a red head and having hearing loss I just thought this book was long. I did find parts of this book boring but overall I love the concept and the storyline. This is a good option to read on a vacation or at the beach! Thank you for letting me review this book!

This is an awesome story with a fun plot. Mackenzie and Cole both go on a cruise in search of life answers and learns a lifelong lesson. Cruise with them as they discover that sometimes life can hand you exactly what you need. Get ready to be delighted and entertained by an great cast of characters. The author did a great job of showcasing differences and how they should be embraced. It is a page turner to the very happy end.

Some may have called it fate when Mac and Cole (strangers) found themselves both on a beautiful island cruise. When Mac arrived to her room, she didn’t find her cute lemon luggage but instead, Cole’s beat up luggage. Thus beginning the hunt for Cole and her luggage.

When Mac found Cole, the two immediately hit it off and had an undeniable connection. They quickly decided to have a cruise fling. I loved this aspect of the book so much. I’ve been on one cruise but live vicariously through so many Youtubers on their own cruises so this book had me hooked from the beginning. The sites and excursions were so fun to read about.

Mac was lowkey stubborn about continuing this fling when they returned home, which coincidentally was Boston for both of them. I disliked the demeanor that Mac had. I think she could have been a little more open to the idea since they clearly had a connection. But none the less, I did adore the way the two met and the way that their relationship became closer with a major plot twist I didn’t see coming! I know a lot of people hate the accidental pregnancy trope but I didn’t mind it in this instance.

Lastly, I would recommend checking the trigger warnings. As someone who’s from the Boston area and vividly remembers the marathon bombing and the horror, i thought it was a little insensitive to have staged the story around such a devastating event. IMO the main character could have lost his leg in an accident or a fire, etc. The parts mentioning the bombing were almost awkward for me to read because we go from a light and fluffy romance to throwing bits and pieces of a terrorist attack in that many of us lived through and/or were affected by in some way. At one point the author even compared the bombing to being heartbroken like COME ON. Given that the story was about the cruise fling, I just thought it was kind of unnecessary to bring up something so significant. I could be overreacting but I also feel like I can’t be the only one who feels this way.

So I’ve always been a fan of the Don’t Catch Feelings trope. It’s a fun one when the characters truly believe they can have steady doses of each other and not fall in love. Shock of all shocks, that’s what happens here. But of course, Mac and Cole promised each other they wouldn’t be more than just “a cruise fling” (ohhh, is that where it comes from??) and don’t know how to parse through the feelings they’ve caught on the ship. Between Mac having PTSD from her last relationship to Cole having PTSD from his own past, it’s a wonder if there can be Happily Ever After with these two.

So here’s the thing though: I like this trope when done well. I’m not really feeling like this was done well. While I get there’s kind of a time crunch for this novel (it does take place on an 8-day cruise after all), I’m getting burnt out on the Insta-love trope as well. Cole, a man who is known for never having serious relationships – or any at all – suddenly finds that he can’t live without Mac, and will do anything to make it work with her post-cruise. I find Mac’s building feelings for Cole more believable, because even though her ex was a douche, she never closed the door on love. She just closed the door on it for now. She’s jobless, homeless, and boyfriendless in one fell swoop, I don’t blame the woman for wanting to get her shit together and get back on her feet before she brings another man in her life. Especially a man who seems to be waaaay more serious than expected.

I’m a fan of how the author portrayed the two main characters’ disabilities. Cole is an amputee from a tragic event in his past, and Mac is hard of hearing. Neither one of the characters shies away from the others’ disability, and finds them to just be a part of who they are, which is great! They are both cognizant of the others’ disabilities and do what they can to make sure the other is comfortable and having a good time. I love that. I’ll swoon to that.

I liked the side characters, both on the ship and off. Mac’s best friends Dani and Suzie seemed like a delight, and I would have loved to see more of them in the story. Alas, due to the premise, it makes sense that that wouldn’t work. I did like the emails sprinkled throughout.

Quinn and Rob were delights too; I just wasn’t a fan of the forced sparks between Quinn and Trent, Cole’s friend and employee on the cruise. It fell flat to me, and again, felt forced. Quinn could’ve been there celebrating being 30 and having the time of her life with friends, why does there have to be a kindling relationship that just… stops anyway? There’s potential for something more to happen in the end, but I’m not interested enough to care. Still liked Quinn though.

The ending is what made me mad. I don’t want this review to be completely filled with spoilers, so I won’t say what happens, but I’m just so bummed about the ending. I’ve read a few other reviews about “A Cruise Fling” and I’m seeing a consensus. The ending ruined it for me because I was rooting for these two to find happiness in the end and work on themselves to achieve that happiness. Even if that meant it wouldn’t work out between the two of them. Honestly I’d be fine if that happened; if they just went their separate ways but they were able to heal from the wounds of their past. Mac with believing that she is worth so much more than the life she settled for before the cruise, and Cole for healing from the tragic event that took his leg and being able to open up to people and open up to love again.

But this ending – UGH, it really put a big fat dud in that for me. A situation occurs where decisions had to be made in such a way where we’ll never truly know if that was what Mac and Cole wanted. I mean, I know Cole wanted it, but Mac? I don’t know. It felt… like she was kind of shoehorned into the decision she made for herself post-cruise. The epilogue comes out like she’s happy and it was a good choice, but I would’ve liked to see Mac as Mac, not as the woman she needed to become due to the situation that comes up.

Also “the situation” is talked about way early on in the book where the “surprise” wasn’t a surprise at all, so that was odd.

Thank you to Entangled: Amara and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to enjoy this novel, based on the synopsis and the adorable cover. Regrettably, I found myself inclined to give up on this book when I reached the 25% mark. I felt no spark between the characters and the dialogue seemed flat. If you want a romance loaded with cheese, this might be for you.

Thank you NetGalley for early copy! All opinions are my own.

This cute story starts with MacKenzie meeting Cole when his luggage is mistakenly delivered to her suite. This pair discovers a connection between them in a week long cruise. As they try to fight the cruise fling when it’s time to go home, they realize there might be more to their relationship then just a fling.

If you like light meet cute stories this book is for you.