Are You a fan of The Unhoneymooners or Shipped? The next cruise/ beach read is :
2 Strangers - Mac and Cole are both in the throes of major life decisions. So they decide to take a vacation. But they don’t know each other…yet.
A Cruise - they are both booked on a 9 day cruise, and meet through some mis-delivered luggage.
A Fling - they decide to have a cruise only fling, to help them forget the issues that are waiting for them at home. But then they discover they might be more connected than they thought.

This was a perfect book to read while I was on a vacation. It made me want to go on a cruise immediately. The people in the book and on the cruise are very fun and the activities made it more interesting. However, sometimes you just wanted to reach inside the book and shake them awake because they were missing obvious clues to their feelings to each other. Also this book is very spicy so if you are uncomfortable by that, you may want to pass.

This book was absolutely adorable. The characters were very well written. They both had their positive aspects and their flaws, which makes it very easy to emphasize with them. The relationship was super cute. I also loved the interaction with the main characters and their friends. The representation was amazing in this book (neurodivergence, hard hearing, amputated leg etc)

I also loved the storyline. There was a lot happening without it being confusing. Which made it super interesting to read.

The setting was very cute. I absolutely loved the cruise and the visits to different islands.

I did, however, have some difficulties with the accidental pregnancy in the book. It makes that the relationship is a bit forced.

Overall, this was a fun read. I rate it 4/5 ⭐️

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

dnf @ 51%

This book had a very good premise and I thought it would be a very fun read, but the beginning of the book is very dragged at the same time that the relationship of the protagonists began too quickly. I ended up picking up some spoilers in other reviews that also discouraged me, unfortunately it is not a book for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

3.5/3.75
I enjoyed this book. The cruise and vacation setting was so fun and it only made me want to travel. I loved the idea of meeting someone on a boat and I loved that Mackenzie not only found Cole, but also found friends in Rob, Quinn, and Trent. I also thought the lemon theme was fun. The hearing loss rep was done well and I loved that Mackenzie was always aware of what she needed. There was a lot of back and forth and I wish Mackenzie would have been able to let some of her fears go. The third act break-up happened, but it kind of didn't because she was basically with Cole the entire time. It just felt unnecessary to me. I also am not a fan of <spoiler>the accidental pregnancy trope</spoiler> and it kind of felt forced. I knew that Cole and Mac would end up together, but I wish they had come to that conclusion through different circumstances. Overall it was cute, but I just wanted a little more. Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the e-ARC to read and review!

Mackenzie Laurel is done with life. She is going on a luxury cruise to relax and breathe in the ocean air. Not only will she see new sights, but Mackenzie sees a handsome man, and there's no harm in looking. Cole Matterhorn is on a cruise to distract himself from his work. Mac and Cole have a lot in common; they have the time of their lives.

I loved that the chapter titles coincided with the port and sea days, just like it would be on a cruise! Mac was a good character, but I did wish she had more confidence in herself; it was a little exhausting to watch her question all of her decisions. I understand that accidental pregnancies happen, but that troupe is not one of my favorites. Although I love banter, this banter just didn't hit the mark for me.

I thought that this was a really enjoyable story!

It was a good honest fling that had a lovely and happy ending - I found the book to be easy to read and pretty addictive too. The author had a really nice writing style and the book had a great flow to it - it was the perfect way to relax for a few hours.

It was a romantic and sexy read and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters

It is 4 stars from me for this one, highly recommended and a fun read!

A Cruise Fling by Laura Brown is a fun and well-written story.
I really enjoyed the characters and their story was heartwarming.
The setting is beautifully crafted. The entire time I could picture it all unfolding.
This was a fun and exciting new story that I enjoyed tremendously.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Entangled/Amara for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

The synopsis of this book got me super excited to read this book, but unfortunately, it was a little bit of a bust for me. I loved that the 1 MC had disabilities that they didn't let hold them back. I also loved the chapter titles as they corresponded with the same format as cruises for at sea and port days. I found Mac's character to be a little exhausting with constantly being down on herself and questioning all her decisions before making them. Also, by the end of the book, I literally cringed anytime the word 'lemon' or 'lemonade' was used. Definitely overdone, in my opinion. If you like super cheesy, almost cringy romance novels, this is the one for you!

3 star rating. Thanks to the author and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A Cruise Fling gives major summer holiday vibes that make you want to read this book while you're laid on a sun lounger, covered in lotion by the sea. This book is well written and had me laughing out loud. I loved the growth of the MCs, and I really enjoyed the side characters as well. Definitely worth a summer read.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.***

I was really excited about this book going into it; the cover was adorable and the premise of a vacation romance with a time stamp? Love it.

I thought the first few chapters were good, they didn’t blow me out of the water (but no romance book really does these days.) I kept going and it got spicy! My fave! And there was some obvious chemistry happening between Mac and Cole that made me really enjoy them. I loved the little cruise activities and the different anecdotes about other passengers, and it really made me want to go on a cruise.

But the biggest turnoff for me was the unprotected sex/accidental pregnancy trope that came in and took over the book about half way through. I saw the book through but I absolutely cannot stand the accidental pregnancy trope and it did ruin the book for me.

Overall, I think the book was another average romance book that will blend in great with all the other cartoon covers, and depending on what tropes you like, this could be a great book. It was well-paced and catchy, had quirky characters and some good jokes and spice, but it wasn’t a good match for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Laura Brown for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

While I’m not usually a fan of long chapters, I felt like I powered through these as I was invested in the story. I enjoyed that there was disability representation within it with Mac’s hearing aids and Cole’s prosthetic leg.

Another element that I enjoyed was that Mac declined Mac’s initial marriage proposal keeping the story realistic. After 2 weeks, not many people would say yes and I feel some stories get caught up in the fantasy and it becomes too unrealistic. This however, did not.

Sexy, cute, and fun! New author for me and was happily surprised with how much I liked this genre! Would recommend!

A great read that deals with some emotional issues. Mac and Cold meet on a cruise, not knowing that in real life they have a mutual friend and live close to each other. A cruise fling seems like a good plan, but what happens when they return home?
I liked how it is told from both points of view.

Even if there's potential the story didn't keep my attention as I found it too slow.
Not my cup of tea
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

An entertaining read, incredibly hopeful despite the pain and trauma, “A Cruise Fling”, by Laura Brown (Entangled: Amara), features a apparently laid back hero who is still suffering with the scars of a past heinous crime and a heroine trying to recover from a series of ‘failures’.
I liked seeing the cool hero, hiding a world of pain and fear of loss under the relaxed and even upbeat disposition, falling for a heroine who feels her life is crumbling.
Both are wary of relationships and so unlikely to bond but it happens and is fun to watch.
I really loved how the fondness, affection and sexual attraction flow between these two in just a few days.
The romance is an instant attraction but it’s well done and believable. I loved the tenderness in Cole and how he falls so irrevocably for “Mac-Mackenzie”.
Cole’s character impersonating the life altering effects of terrorism and the lingering effects of this type of trauma in individuals is really wonderfully written and strangely actual as war rages in Europe.
I felt his fears, pain, the discomfort in crowds, the Cole before and after that event, and the lifelong traumatic effects, were realistic.
Mac, whose life back home is a mess, reads Cole so naturally and adapts to his peculiarities. And Cole is good dealing with Mac’s reticence.
I loved that the author didn’t forget both her characters challenges and incorporated the adaptations they had to make into the story – Cole has to be more cautious on uneven terrain, Mac has more trouble hearing in certain loud contexts.
I loved how Cole understood this and adapted, too. It’s so easy to dismiss people who are hard of hearing, for example old people, who are often forgotten and isolated because of it.
I also liked the secondary characters and the friendship between Cole and Trent

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

To steal an oft-used phrase, this was a rotten lemon. And the next time I read the words lemon or lemonade again, it will be too soon. This was a great premise but poorly executed. The writing wasn't great, the repetitive words and phrases annoying, and it needs a good proofreader. Having said that, I did like all the characters except Mac, and my favorite parts were whenever best friends Cole and Trent were together - lots of funny moments there.

I love 'fling to forever' romances, especially with the forced proximity of sharing a vacation together. This is a cute love story with some great disability representation, and messages about believing in yourself and not running away from your dreams.

It felt a little repetitive in places (I'm not sure how many times the phrase 'lemonade or rotten lemons' was used), and I wasn't a fan of the pregnancy aspect of the ending; I felt like that stifled the characters' growth just when they were starting to regain their independence. But your mileage may vary with that.

All in all, it's a sweet romance and a perfect vacation read.

(Content warnings for mentions of terrorist attacks, traumatic injuries, panic attacks, PTSD, emotionally abusive exes, unexpected pregnancy.)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Need a vacation read? This may be just what you are looking for!

Set on an eight-day cruise, Mac is trying to enjoy some R&R after a recent breakup when she meets Cole, a good looking travel agent. Neither are looking commitment, but decide to enjoy the next few days a fun fling.

I enjoyed this book, but it dragged on just a bit too long, and the relationship between Mac and Cole seemed a little over the top by the end. If you are looking for a light read; however, this is the book for you! Thanks to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

First of all, thanks to netgalley for letting me reading this book.

It was a decent read to be honest. I expected more, however it was good if you want to read a light summer novel. It's not long, it can be read in a day.

It's not the best, but it's fun to read. If you want to read a short, light read this one is for you.