Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

2.5 rounded up☆

Unfortunately, I found myself wanting to DNF this one around the 30% mark. I was initially drawn to this book by the story line and cover (I mean who wouldn't be? So. cute.) but the way the characters' banter sometimes gave me second-hand embarrassment and the overall structure of the book was hard to follow. Mac and Cole were quirky but not necessarily in a good way. After a couple days I got myself to pick this up again and pretty much skimmed to the end. That was enough for me. If you're the kind of person that enjoys an easy breezy cheese-filled rom-com and gross overuse of the word lemon, I would give this a shot!!

I love cruising and I love reading so when I saw the title of this book and the lovely bright cover I couldn’t wait to get stuck in. This was my first book by Laura Brown and I really enjoyed it.
Cole and Mackenzie (Mac) meet due to a mix up with their luggage and romance blossoms. I liked the fact at the end of their book we had a glimpse into their future and how their lives are panning out. A negative was the swear words, I didn’t think they needed to be in the book but I suppose that is the way of the world these days,
A lovely romantic read that had me dreaming of my next holiday and an iced glass of lemonade.
Thanks to Netgalley, Entangled publishing house and Laura Brown for allowing me to read an early copy in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

I fell for this book on the first page and I did not come up for air til the last. I adored this book so much and I love the characters.
I just reviewed A Cruise Fling by Laura Brown. #ACruiseFling #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

DNF @ 45 %
I picked up this book because I love romance novels that include all types of disabilities. This book has a man with a prosthetic leg and a woman hard of hearing.
They meet on a cruise after their luggage got mixed up. Mackenzie (Mac) is enjoying her cruise after her breakup/losing her job and Cole is there on vacation/also working I think. Cole has a friend who is part of a crew.
Cole and Mac have chemistry so they start to hang out. She meets Cole's friend and two other people (a man and a woman who are not a couple but they are friends) and they all hang out in different activities that the ship provides.
Since they have chemistry they (Cole and Mac) start to hook up.

A Cruise Fling offers a chance to get you away from reality. Not just by reading it but by also providing you with detailed scenes of sandy beaches and sea activities that will have you longing for a cruise. It does provide an escape. Unfortunately, I was looking for a book that focuses more on a ''fling'' part of the book. I had more descriptions of the surroundings and their new friends than the relationship between them. At almost half of the book, I started longing for a new book. A book that will hold my interest.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This was a good romance novel. It was my first cruise ship book and I really enjoyed it. I really now want to go on a cruise.

A good read for anyone who enjoyed the movie Holiday in the Sun as a kid/teenager. This book is a fun love story on a cruise, that I could definitely see be turned into a Hallmark movie.

Personally, I didn’t love the pregnancy storyline aspect. I don’t think it was needed for the character’s growth and it just didn’t add a good flow to the book.

Overall I did enjoy the book but do think it could use some additional proof reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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

3/5 stars. I genuinely enjoyed the beginning of this book but then it started to get to insta-lovey for me which then came off kind of cringe (to me personally). That being said, to someone who enjoys insta-love, this book would be perfectly enjoyable to them! Mac and Cole were both perfectly fine characters, I just didn't really connect with them or their love story. In my opinion, with the timeline, insta-love, falling in love in a week, it just really gave Hallmark movie which is totally okay, I have watched and loved my fair share, it just wasn't what I was hoping for. I'm sad because I really wanted to love it, especially with how cute the cover is but it just wasn't for me. Also as a sidenote, I think it should be illegal to say lemon that many times in a book. Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I loved the premise of a romance on a cruise ship but I didn't love this book. The characters lacked development and I found it hard to sympathize with them. Everything moves so fast and I did not enjoy the pregnancy trope at the end. I wanted Mac to choose Cole because she struggled with making choices! Instead she was forced to have him as part of her life no matter what because of the baby. The end was so rushed and everything was too predictable.

I just finished reading Off the Map by Trish Doller, and I felt like this book was the perfect one to follow it up with. Mackenzie's (Mac) best friend, Dani, is sending her on a cruise to get over her ex-boyfriend, Chad, who also happened to be her boss and person she lived with. Not only did Mac get fired, but she lost her boyfriend and her place to live. Dani thinks a cruise fling is just what Mackenzie needs to get over Chad and get her life back on track. Right off the bat, things go a little awry when Mackenzie's luggage gets lost and she receives someone else's instead. In fact, she receives Cole's luggage, who happens to be single and hot. Sparks fly, and turns out, Cole is also kind of looking for a fling because he doesn't do relationships. This is actually the 9th book by Laura Brown that I have read, and one of the things that I enjoy about her books is the different types of representation she presents in her books. I was actually pretty excited when I saw that Brown had a new book coming out, and when I saw it was available for request on Netgalley, I immediately logged into my account to request it. Mackenzie wears hearing aids because she is hard of hearing, and Cole has a prosthetic leg after losing his left in the Boston Marathon terrorist attack. They each have their own struggles and demons to fight, including the PTSD and anxiety that they have both had to deal with. They get each other in a way that is sweet and vulnerable. Cole ends up being the nicest, sweetest guy, and turns out he is local. Get this- he is actually Dani's boss. Supported with a cast of fun cruise-goers including Cole's best friend, Trent, who works on the cruise ship and random strangers turned friends Quinn and Rob, I thought this was an overall fun and entertaining read. I don't want to give anything away but there is a certain trope in this book I know some readers don't care for. Usually, I don't either but I didn't mind it too much in this one, and I wanted to keep reading to see where Cole and Mac ended up.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this e arc in exchange for a honest review

A Cruise Fling is told in dual povs.
Mackenzie who us trying to get over the lost or her job and her cheating ex boyfriend and Cole who is getting away before making a decision on what to do for his business next.

While the story had a basis to be a good story, I felt it just don't work out.
I feel like they focused way too much on prosthetic leg vs Cole as an actual person sometimes,

I adored this cover and title and ran to request the ARC! I was thrilled to be able to read early. Ive never been on a cruise but wow I need to go now! I love the idea of going on a vacation post breakup and finding themselves and an invigorated life. And Cole was the ultimate book boyfriend and their chemistry was wonderful! A great vacation or summer read!

The concept of this book was really good, but the execution was terrible. The writing could use a lot of work. And I think the book needs more proofreading. There were a few times when I caught inconsistencies in the story and writing.

I almost DNF’ed this book so many times. But the only thing keeping me going was I wanted to know what happened between Mac and Cole. Which shocks me because they were not well written characters. I just have an issue with quitting a book. But I wish I had because no part of this book redeemed it in my eyes.

I hate the accidental pregnancy trope. I feel like it ruined the entire ending of the book for me. I wanted Mac to make the choice on her own to choose to be with Cole. But, I felt like the pregnancy pushed her to do it before she was ready.

Mackenzie’s future might be up in the air, but her feet are on a ship cruising through the Caribbean. After being cheated on, dumped and fired all by her boss, Mac’s BFF, Dani, sends her on a tropical vacation.

While exchanging mixed-up luggage, Mac meets Cole. A travel agent and frequent cruiser, who is known by his friends and colleagues as being noncommittal. Cole is also having to make some decisions about his future.

Mac and Cole decide a one week fling is the perfect distraction for them on vacation. However, after spending time together, one week may not be enough.

While I love Romance books and love cruising, this book just wasn’t for me. Mac was so indecisive and looked for the worst in every situation because her brother told her she was bad at making decisions when she was a child. Cole was adamant that he didn’t let love into his life or make commitments because of the bombing he was in, 9 years ago. However, as soon as he meets Mac, he’s all in. I couldn’t get on board with either of them. The secondary characters storylines felt really forced. Trent flirts with a girl 2 times and then is ready to move across the country to be with her. I don’t buy it.

However, the writing was well done, there’s a nice storyline and a little spice. I know there are people out there who will love this book, and I hope they give it a try!

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A cruise fling

Have you ever wanted to just travel and find yourself? This book not only gave me the travel bug and had me looking to book a cruise but addresses several conditions and gave them both a light and a voice through these characters. Self discovery and a sweet romance is always a plus, add in my love for lemons, travel, and representation and you have a real winner here.

“When life hands you lemons, don't wait for them to rot.”
Wow !!! Mac and Cole story was AMAZING !!!! I had such a good reading going through this book !!!!
A cruise vacation trying to get away from her ex who also fired her because he was her boss, Mac will have a fling with a handsome wonderful man, who is also an amputee, before figuring out that he is also her best friend’s boss!!!
Such a small world you could say but in truth … you should never be surprised from the way love can make things happen!!!
Cole was PERFECT !!! Absolutely wonderful !!! There is nothing in that man you can’t help but not fall for !!!
I fell for him himself from the very second he was introduced thanks for a luggage misunderstanding !!!! And the spicy scenes … THE MAN KNOWS HOW TO MAKE A WOMAN HAPPY !!!
The doubts, insecurities and self-questioning they go through together and the pain they manage to overcome while being with one another was wonderful to read about and so endearing !!!
I’m so so thankful I had the chance to read this book !!!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars <33

Cheated on. Brokenhearted. Fired. Mackenzie Laurel loves lemons. Unfortunately her boyfriend, who was also her boss, ended up being a rotten one. Typical Chad energy... And what happens when you end up jobless and no where else to go except for your bestfriends couch?... you go on a 8-day cruise, booked by your best friend, who is a travel agent. While Mackenzie would prefer to mend her broken heart by working through pints of ice cream, Dani is looking out for her and has the perfect remedy.

Cole. The broad-shouldered, big-chested, womanizer hunk. Fortunately for Mackenzie, but unfortunately for you, he doesn't do relationships. Ever since the incident 9 years ago, his walls have been up, and he has been hiding himself away. He has been constantly running away from the aftermath of the incident, and now he finds himself on a 8-day cruise trying to escape the reality of a weighty business decision he needs to make. He needs an escape, but maybe the escape he didn't know he needed is right in front of him.

The story unravels from there, and the title says it all. Flings are supposed to be short, right? But you cannot plan for everything. The unanticipated twists and turns of this story are what kept my attention as the plot unfolded, everything came together, and the walls come down. This story is about friendships, love, and living life fearlessly. It was such a fun read that was the perfect light-heart rom-com I was hoping for. I loved all the characters in this book and how they all played into the events. This book is adorable and full of valuable themes. You should read this book. :)

What do you do when life repeatedly hands you lemons? Make lemon drops! Ok, ok, maybe for some, it's lemonade. Not Mackenzie Laurel, though. Mac is tired of being handed rotten fruit. So when she finds herself on a last minute cruise as a final hurrah before dealing with the shambles of her life and meets the handsome Cole, she is determined to keep their attraction to the confines of the cruise. But will that lead to smooth sailing or stormy seas?

This is my fifth Laura Brown read, and she is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors for romance reads.

*I received an advanced reader copy from Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"A Cruise Fling" was a very enjoyable romance novel. This was my first book by Laura Brown so I had nothing to compare it to and no expectations. It ended up being a really cute book that had some surprising emotional layers to it. I loved that the MC's both had minor disabilities but it didn't define who they where. I thought Cole and Mac were a great match and even though they tried to define their relationship early on the universe knew all along how it should be. I love a good meet cute and the story set up was good. It takes place mostly on a cruise ship which is always a great backdrop to a romance. If I had to be nitpicky and give any criticism it would be that a couple moments felt a little too repetitive (rotten lemon theme I am looking at you) Also a pet peeve of mine is if you are going to use swear words, use them. When you rotate between the MC's using the f-bomb and then saying "heck" over and over it feels unnatural and honestly kind of silly. I personally don't know anyone who uses the f-word who won't say "hell" and feels the need to substitute a nicer version, in the same conversation. Just a pet peeve of mine. If you are going to swear make it seem real to the character and be purposeful about it, or just don't do it.

Over all I really enjoyed this book. I would reccomend it and will read other books by this author.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing House as well as Laura Brown for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.