This honestly made my heart so happy and sad all at the same time. I related so much to the way the fmc Eliza felt about herself and watching her find someone through all the bumps and hardships was so endearing. The love triangle aspect was done I think really well, it didn’t take too long of the book to know which man she’d end up with but I did enjoy seeing her sort of work out those feeling for the other guy. I also really enjoyed all the banter and fun little jokes, it really made it such a fun read. I thought I might find myself bored or skimming when there was a lot of talk about the different activities and day to day life but I was honestly weirdly captivating by the whole thing. I’m usually one for more spicy books and I think that there could have been more in it then there was but the level it had (being about a 2/5) fit well with the romcom genre of this one. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this on and I’m keen to read the next one cause it sounds just as adorable. I’m saying this one is a 4/5 read, could’ve maybe used some more action and conflict to like spice it up I guess but I definitely enjoyed it and I would recommend it to someone looking for this kind of read.

This was so cute! It reminded me of the show Below Deck which was fun! I've been meaning to start the show but hey, why not read a book with the vibes instead?!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a great book!! I loved the story and the writing style. Such a good book! I had a bit of everything. Spice, humor, awkward moments, drama! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would! My first for this author but will not be my last!

This was not a bad book by any means, it just wasn't anything special. The characters weren't particularly likeable, and I just wanted it to be over.

Cute silly awkward and very hilarious but so relatable. Enjoyable read. Will check out others by this author.

Thank you Netgalley, Summer Stars Publishing and Phillipa Young for giving me this copy of Shipmates.

A creative debut novel from Philippa Young that is a great beach/pool read! This story follows Eliza as she embarks on a new career journey aboard a cruise ship in order to escape her problems at home. The job aboard the cruise provides a great opportunity to reinvent herself! Aboard the cruise, she becomes entangled in a love triangle with two of her very attractive crewmates- the outgoing new hire and the somewhat serious trainer. The story is told from a 3-person POV. While at times a bit hard to follow, overall it was a fun steamy read about cruise ship life! (Also, it would be a great read for fans of a certain yacht based reality TV show!!!)

Rating: 3.5 (rounded to 4)

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Philippa Young for the e-arc.

First and foremost, thank you to Philippa Young, the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Short and Sweet Opinion: 3/5 Stars. I have a love dislike relationship here. There were aspects I loved and aspects I could really have done without. The steam and fun aspects were great, but I felt that there was too much that was "important" and aspects were drug on for too long.

Summary: This is a three POV story following main characters Eliza, Oscar and Tom on their journey through love, lust, and friendship aboard a cruise ship. Eliza is our main MC with the majority of chapters in her POV, and we start (and continue) with her constantly running away from her problems. As one might expect, drama an chaos ensue aboard the ship, with romance sprouting between our MMCs (and a mystery man??)

In Depth Opinion: I have a love / dislike (not quite hate), relationship with this book. There are aspects I LOVE. First off (no spoilers), I love the character Eliza ends up with. I was rooting for him all along, and the other option(s) were never really options for me. I love the premise of romance aboard a cruise ship. And I love that the author tried to add depth to her characters, and honestly was successful with both Tom and Oscar.

Also... I love the steaminess of this book. The shenanigans that the crew gets up to are true high school / college shenanigans. Effectively dorm life, dorm parties with alcohol fueled games and chaos. This fun aspect, along with the spice chemistry between two MCs is what kept me going. These aspects of the book, along with a few others, made parts of it fun to real.

I'm gonna be honest... the dislikes mostly evolve around Eliza. She felt very very childish, and was initially in love with whoever was in front of her at the time. While I understand the premise to her character, and all that she was trying to run away from and overcome, I feel that the "running away from my problems and overreacting" concept drug on for too long. Honestly, that is one of my main qualms with this book is it felt way too long and drawn out. I felt like I was constantly over the hump and would look down and see so much book left. There were so many different plot points that were trying to be important, that almost nothing ended up being important.

Without spoilers, I did very much enjoy the wrap up in the ending, even if I thought there were multiple unnecessary complications. The romance wrap up was adorable, but the "what does the future hold" wrap up felt very disjointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This book was sadly ultimately a DNF for me - I loved that it was set on a cruise and the amount of spice involved, but I felt like the voice felt too young for me at the time of reading it - I don't know why, but these kids remind me of college students at their oldest, with not much depth to their individual characters, and that wasn't what I was feeling - though I'll never be one to bash on a light-hearrted rom-com. I think this might be the perfect book to bring on a cruise...or maybe it would just make me uncomfortable think about all the things going on behind the scenes. I think it also ended up bothering me that, as someone who has been on cruises, a lot of the difficult labor and hours that the employees are subjected to often mean that most of the staff isn't white / aren't citizens of a Western country.

3.5/5 ⭐️ (rounded to 4)
4/5 🌶️

Horny cruise ship workers in a love triangle (but in a good way?).

This book was such a fun read. I don’t think I would’ve picked this one up since the love triangle trope isn’t one that I usually like, but this one DELIVERED!

I loved the tension between the characters and the “love triangle” between Eliza (FMC), Oscar Harvey (MMC), and Tom (MMC) was well thought out and important to the story. Peaking into Young’s cruise ship world was a new setting for me and I enjoyed having a different kind of locale! The vibes were light, while still covering heavier topics and addressing those with empathy and intention.

There was some miscommunication and a third act breakup, which are tropes I don’t really enjoy when not done well, which is why the one star is removed. I think it would’ve been better for Eliza’s character to have developed more and spoke with Oscar Harvey to clear up his birthday situation, I would’ve loved that more especially seeing that growth on the page especially since the same situation happened with Tom earlier in the book.

I will most definitely be reading the next book in the series (which the characters are Tom from the love triangle, and Oscar Harvey’s SISTER!) and can’t wait to see what Philippa Young cooks up next!

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

⭐4 stars
🌶️ 3 spice

In More Than Shipmates by Philippa Young, the novel follows Eliza (FMC), who is running from her past and trying to make something of herself. Eliza finds herself working on a cruise ship. On the first day, she meets Tom, the funny, American boy who can brighten anyone's day. She also meets her mentor, Oscar, the charming, reformed British bad boy. As the days go on, her friendships become stronger with both and is conflicted as they both start to show their feelings are stronger than “just friends”. Will Eliza be able to make it through her contract without falling for the charming Brit or the hilarious American?

First, let me just say that I LOVE OSCAR! His character shows a lot of development throughout the novel and I just absolutely fell in love! He was so caring and wanted to put everyone else first. He was a 10/10. Also, I loved the references to musicals (as a musical lover).

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I really liked the multiple POVs for chapters, I just feel like this is the easiest way to really get a feel for emotions. This was my first love triangle book and I was a bit skeptical. The author does a really great job pulling reader’s into the pull Eliza has to the two men. I definitely recommend this quirky and steamy read to romance book readers. I can’t wait for book two, More Than Clickbait, to come out!

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the eARC of More than Shipmates by Philippa Young in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve never read a cruise ship setting before and I’ve not read many love triangles and ones i have read before disappointed me, but this did not disappoint! Philippa had me rooting for both guys at different points, but I’m glad with who Eliza ended up with in the end. I loved seeing all 3 of their POVs it made me connect to them more and we got to delve deeper into each character’s backstory. I liked and enjoyed all 3 of the main characters, which is rare!

For a debut novel, this was really good. The tension was fun and all over the place. And being surrounded by a bunch of young 20-something year old characters brings about its own brand of chaotic angst, passion, and energy. There was always something going on, just like on a cruise ship, and I loved the endless entertainment and buffoonery vibes this book has in it.

However, there was a lot of inner monologue rather than outer dialogue which got monotonous quickly. I wish they told their backstories to each other rather than to the reader. And since it’s on a cruise ship, I was hoping for more details about the locations they went to or what the ship looked like. But that didn’t take away from how cute the story is.

Liked it. It was such a fun read and I enjoyed getting to know the BTS of a cruise ship!

The characters were adorable. I loved Oscar so much oh lord.

te read. Loved the cruise ship working setting. It was a perfect debut novel for Philippa Young. It was clearly written by a brit and I loved her humor. The characters were diverse and easy to love. Overall an enjoyable read!

Thank you to Netgalley the Publisher, of Summer Stars Publishing, and the author Philippa Young, for providing and allowing me to review this book. Which, I'm giving my honest and sincere review.

More Than Shipmates has a vibrant and inviting cover – it truly is the most beautiful summer cover I have ever seen.

The story follows Eliza Chapman, who feels she's never quite measured up in life. Failing to get into drama school, struggling with relationships, and even faltering in her role as her brother’s PA, Eliza is ready for a change. She decides to start fresh as an entertainment host on a six-month Caribbean cruise, embracing the motto “work hard, play hard.”

Eliza is determined to keep her romantic life separate from her professional life, swearing off men entirely. However, her resolve is tested as she navigates the dynamic and sometimes scandalous nightlife of the cruise, where she finds herself caught between the charming Brit, Oscar, and the cheeky American, Tom. The chemistry and tension between the characters create a steamy and captivating romantic comedy.

One of the plot’s strongest points is the well-drawn character development and the evolving relationships. Eliza's journey of self-discovery and her efforts to break free from her past mistakes are both relatable and inspiring. Her growth throughout the book is evident as she learns to balance her career ambitions with her personal desires, ultimately realizing that it's possible to have both success and love without compromising on either.

The interactions with Tom and Oscar are filled with wit, humor, and a genuine sense of connection, making the reader eagerly turn pages to see how things unfold. The romance is steamy yet tasteful, and the comedic elements are perfectly timed, adding light-hearted moments that balance out the tension. There are plenty of steamy situations that make it clear this is an adult book, from late-night escapades to intense, flirtatious encounters that push Eliza's resolve to its limits. Although I’m not usually a fan of love triangles, this one was exceptionally well done and kept me engaged.

Philippa Young masterfully captures the essence of starting over and the excitement of new beginnings, all set against the backdrop of a luxurious Caribbean cruise. The setting itself adds a layer of escapism, transporting readers to a world of sun, sea, and endless possibilities.

"More Than Shipmates" is a delightful read, perfect for anyone looking for a tension-filled, romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a tropical adventure. It’s a story about finding oneself, embracing change, and opening up to love, no matter how unexpected it might be.

THANK YOU NETGALLEY AND PHILIPPA FOR THE ARC!!!!

This was the perfect read to get me in the summer mood. I was hooked from the start and could not put this book down.

Yes there is a love triangle but it was written perfectly (this is usually a trope that I am not a fan of) and Philippa gave me all the feels.

I HIGHLY recommend this book during the summer (but lets be real I will be reading this again when seasonal depression hits) everyone should read this book.

4.5 stars and 4 star spice 10000/10 vibes!!!

This is exactly the summer book I didn’t know I needed. The main characters were perfect below deck type characters. And I’m a sucker for a love triangle story line. Moving Eliza in with Tom was a perfect move and I still think about the haunted house. I’ve been trying to find a copy of the second book and wish it was available on audible.

Eliza needed a change. She took a job on. a cruise ship to get as far away from her former life as possible. Little did she know it would be quite the change.

I really enjoyed this cute story. I would recommend this to any friends who enjoy a good romance.

I enjoyed this title as it wasn’t your typical “beach read”. This book had way more love triangle angst than I was expecting. The unexpected element of living on a cruise ship made the book fun as it had a glimpse into the “activities” (haha) aboard the ship. Overall the lighthearted quick read was an excellent debut novel.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

In the first chapter, this book already had me hooked. I work in the cruise industry so this was right up my alley. And when Eliza was describing the pictures of her “roommate”, I knew what would happen next and I could not help but just giggle out loud.

I work in the cruise industry, so this book was right up my alley and kept me hooked throughout the entire thing. I will be completely forthcoming and say that love triangles typically upset me and is not my favorite trope, but because this was a cruise romance, I still picked it up because I just could not help myself.

The FMC was wishy-washy when it came to what she wanted and this led to a lot of 1) miscommunication throughout the story and 2) a lot of just general complaining from her, which made her a little unlikeable in some parts of the story.

Overall, the story was great, the plot was great, and the spice was great…..but the actual romance portion was just not my favorite. There was nothing wrong with it per se, just not my cup of tea. However, I still rated the book well, because it was an enjoyable read and kept me hooked through to the end of the book!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of the E-book in exchange for an honest review.

Eliza is on the run from a bad relationship, an fake friendship and one too many rejections in her theater career. What better way to do that then to travel the world as a crew member on a cruise ship that allows her put real life on pause for months at a time? She quickly makes friends with her fellow crew members and becomes a bit more than friends with a couple of the guys on board. But which will she choose? Life on board seems far better than life on land and with the encouragement from her new friends she is able to find the confidence to go after what she has always dreamed of, even if those dreams have changed a little along the way.

I am going to be completely honest in saying this was not a rating/review I expected to give for this book. A steamy love triangle rom-com set on a cruise ship? It sounds like just the lighthearted sexy read that I wanted on the surface. Unfortunately, I think my expectations were too high. Firstly, the formatting of this book seemed to be really off, as there would be complete sentences that didn't seem to fit or were in the wrong place. I was questioning several things throughout the book where I felt sentences were maybe skipped or omitted causing confusion. Secondly, this was presented as a steamy read and I don't think I would classify it as that at all. Maybe I am just jaded because I read a LOT of smut, but this one was not smut and the love scenes were few and far between, not to mention it was more of a slow burn.

I did however, love the characters in this book. There was great character development and lovable characters throughout the entire book.