I really enjoyed the cruise ship setting but I had a hard time connecting to the characters. I think the story is a bit too long for me. This story just wasn’t for me.
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you Netgalley and Summer Stars Publishing for this arc

Thank you NetGalley and Summer Star Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Let me start by saying, this book easily could have been 200 pages smaller. The only reason it could have been near a 500 page book, was if they had made it a why choose (it was totally set up in a way it could have been!). It was almost like they changed their mind half way through and decided it was going to be a love triangle instead. There was just too much character development for me. It was a SLOW BURN and once the spice happened, it wasn't worth it. With that being said, I think this was my first book exploring exhibitionism and that part was exciting. I was team Tom for so long....can we get a re-do where that was the case? Please? Overall, it was just 'okay'.

Just finished this book, was a very light easy read with some great characters. Overall enjoyed the storyline, loved how the author dropped hints to things at the beginning of the book and tied up all ends by the conclusion. Would definitely pick up more books from this author and need to know more about the ship storylines!

Mmmmmm. This one let me down.

Not sure why it stretched to 500 pages when it didn’t even use that length to flesh out the plot or characters properly.

In a nutshell, the book just didn’t deliver. There were so many pages, yet it felt like nothing substantial happened. The story dragged on without giving us any real development or depth. It’s like all that space could’ve been used for something awesome, but instead, it just fell flat.

Love love love! Thank you so much for gifting this book through NetGalley!
It was such a fun read and have purchased the book

Definitely sign up to read this treasure! I love triangle? workplace romance? Spice and the perfect summer read! Lights, camera, and scene! Sign me up some more! I really enjoyed reading this awesome and engaging read. I love anything to do at workplace romances add some cruise ship drama to the mix and I'm in! Definitely pick up a copy you won't regret it!

First of all, I want to thank Philippa Young Summer Stars Publishing, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Love triangle is not my thing: if I have to be true, I prefer a polyamorous relationship.
I can accept if a character is in love with more than one person at the same time, but it makes me unconfortable if there’s too much push and pull between two possibile love interests. So I really felt relieved when More Than Shipmates proved to be a rom-com without too much drama, even if the author tries to address some deeper issues, too.
If you want to know which tropes you will find, here we have:
- workplace romance
- forced proximity
- love triangle
- spicy
- bi rep
- found family.
Enjoy!

A fun summer read to add to your TBR! I thought the characters were so cute and well- developed, as well as the love story was adorable! I recommend this book for when you need a light read.

Absolutely loved this book, I was gripped from start to finish. Instant 5 star read for me. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Summer Stars Publishing for an eARC copy of More Than Shipmates by Philippa Young.

This certainly gave a Below Deck TV show vibe, which is part of the reason why I think many would pick this particular book series up. Following Eliza Chapman during her time working on a cruise ship in the Bahamas, determined to turn her life around. Honestly, there were parts of this that were fun and exciting, but Eliza herself was easy to get annoyed with. She gave up way to early and quite frankly, there really wasn't a point of a love triangle for me as it was clear early on who her 'end' game would be. There was also odd explanations of how she saw people or what they were nicknamed. Not to mention it was 3 different POV's and all in first person, which for me isn't really easy to follow and I would have just liked to keep with Eliza the entire time. To me, it was a bit of a mess structurally and not something I'd re-pick up.

I absolutely devoured this book! Such a great read!
I really enjoyed the main characters , their individual POV but also the general interaction between all the supporting characters. The love triangle was written fantastically, the character development throughout as they each over come their own pasts and move forward is really well written and an all round great book, I got the end and found myself wanting more - and then saw Tom was getting his own book and I’m off to purchase the second book!
If you’re a fan of force proximity, open door spice, love triangles, ROMCOM and multiple POV then this book is a must read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I originally had thought this book was more of a throuple instead of a girl choosing between two men. It was still really good though and it had a very good story line. I loved that it took place on a cruise ship, I had never read a book with a setting there so it was different.

More than Shipmates follows Eliza's journey on a Caribbean cruise, where she forms new friendships with Tom and Oscar. Leaving behind her home, family, and past, Eliza, a young adult struggling with self-worth, discovers new strengths within herself.

The story, though filled with engaging banter and interesting character development, felt too long and somewhat repetitive. Each character's unique storyline adds interest, but the pacing could be improved. Overall, it's a decent read, but the length might make it less enjoyable for some.

Thank you NetGalley and Summer Stars Publishing for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

I got about 42% in when I decided to DNF. I know that this book will be loved by others but it just isn’t for me. I was getting frustrated with the characters and could not move past them. I do want to continue this book some other time, but for now I am just going to move on from it.

A spicy workplace romance! I enjoyed this book and it had the tropes I love! I did find myself blushing and giggling along with this book!

MORE THAN SHIPMATES 🛳️


I don’t know what this book was supposed to do.. but the beginning . wasn’t it. I just I wasn’t turned on… I didn’t wanna keep reading.. I was uncomfortable?.. 124 pages in and I just felt myself making scrunch grossed out faces.. when I’m all for smut fun romance books but I don’t t know what it was about this book but…
I’m not sure how I felt about this orgy party boat crew thing that happened??… idk not it..
The scavenger hunt??? So awkward.. for staff members on a cruise ship?… I just wasn’t ready for expecting that…

When she finally started to chose the one and focus on that that’s where this book really started to turn around. I enjoyed it a lot more enjoyed the storyline and I’m more excited now to know that somebody else is the main character for book 2. I loved Oscar from the beginning and you wanted him the moment you saw him on the page. Tom was gross. And my biggest pet peeve was him telling her he loved her after fooling around with half the boat. I’m sorry what?… that boy is delulu✨
I can’t wait for a book 2 and have Tom meet his match

More Than Shipmates - ARC Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
🌶️🌶️.5
Out Now!

First I’d like to thank @netgalley and @philippayoungauthor for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

𝚀𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔 𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢
Eliza feels like a failure with nothing left at home for her. After getting rejected from drama school again and again, she applies and get accepted to be on the entertainment team of a cruise line! Swearing off of romance after her ex cheated on her, she joins her swarm of horny shiplocked co-workers…lets see how long her pledge for celibacy lasts. 😉

𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝
This book was exactly the fluffy + spicy book that I needed. I’m usually not one for a love triangle, but I appreciated the self-growth that Eliza, Oscar, and Tom all went through as a result.

It also felt a lot more realistic - a bunch of extroverted people in their 20s trapped on a cruise together. As someone who did Semester at Sea and lived on a ship for 4 months - while it may not have been as wild, having multiple shipmances was totally common.
Oscar was the perfect soft dom, and is now up there with some of my favorite book boyfriends.

Also, the consent in this book!!! Immaculate! For a book that included sex game parties - the consent was awesome between the two MMCs and the FMC.

The ½ star off I think was just because of the miscommunication, and in some cases the extra details of their work on the ship felt a little muddled.
Overall, I 100% recommend this if you need that fluffy spicy read that makes you feel all tingly and ooey gooey on the inside.

CW: Soft Dom, Miscommunication (due to mental health, addressed well), Love-Triangle, Self-Loathing

A interesting book if a bit long. The romance was very cute and there was lots of good moments between the characters. Working on the ship was a cool and diffrent setting for a romance book and created some good moments in the story.

This was a cute, fun rom com with the right amount of spice! The FMC had so many ups and downs that sometimes I had a hard time following who she was mad at or why, but I still really enjoyed reading and I'm looking forward to reading the next one in the series! Thank you to NetGalley for my digital copy!!

1st person multiple POV
Love triangle
Forced proximity workplace/holiday romance
Slow burn
Sexy consent & spicy scenes
HEA
1st in a series (2nd available to purchase/borrow via KU)
Bonus scene link at end of book - SUPER GRATEFUL FOR!

Well written, laugh out loud funny & I thoroughly enjoyed every page. I highlighted so much.
I will be recommending this book to everyone who will listen. Excited also to read the 2nd in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Philippa Young for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.