Santa overboard is a fun, fast paced romance story surrounding the holidays. Although I didn’t love the book, I did find it super easy to listen to. The narrator was incredibly engaging and clear!

This story has lots of overcoming (and overboards!) involved. The group of friends (the Beach Bonfire Babes) are encouraging, fun, and engaging. They’re all trying to find their way after the pandemic shook their lives. I think I would’ve liked the book more had it been more about this group of friends and all of their newfound adventures.

However, the love story kind of flopped for me. I think I found the main characters just unlikeable. Katie has a lot of issues she needs to work through. The main conundrum revolves around her baeu Deke’s holiday (work) trip, which he has taken for the last 17 years! Katie having such a huge issue with this just really made me not like her. There was a lot of talk of her hurt past, but not many details shared. Because of that, I couldn’t really connect to her.

Deke is a strange man. I love science and nature so I really connected to him in that way, but needing notes written on an index card to talk to your significant other is just not my vibe.

Overall a fun story, some great characters, some laugh out loud parts, some parts that just made me groan, and lots of people overboard!

First, I want to thank NetGalley for an audio arc in exchange for an honest review.
I appreciated the holiday setting and lighthearted approach, but I don’t know where the author was going with this story. It seems like just little moments during this time of year instead of a flowing story. I also wouldn’t call this a romance and I never grew an attachment to any of the characters.
My biggest issue with this book was the consistent mentions of post pandemic life, COVID, vaccines, and loss of love ones from COVID (which IMO didn’t add anything to the story). It would have been fine if it was mentioned once or twice, but I feel like it was mentioned every other paragraph. I lived through it - I don’t need to be reminded so often and I didn’t see any mention of it in the description.
Overall, this book wasn’t for me.

I feel funny saying this in a book review but this is definitely a period piece. A 2020s / covid shut down aftermath because it is definitely the type of story that really shows what was going through people's minds in that time period. It just feels weird using that expression for a time where I was alive and not something like colonial time or British uppercrust.

I thought the characters were well developed and a lot of fun. I must admit that from the title, I thought this was going to be a cruise ship but it turns out that Santa Overboard takes place in a quiet harbor town where lots of residents own boats. The main premiss was organizing the annual christmas boat parade down the shore line.

I can see this becoming a future holiday movie which has a romance story but is more about the friendships than the love story.

side note: I didn't realize until I went to post my review on Good Reads that this is the second book in a series. It can stand on its own as a holiday novel.

I'm glad this was a short book because I couldn't engage with the story or connect with the characters. It seemed to be a bit of a hot mess plot wise and just drifted around the marina. If the book was written during Covid I could understand adding that to the story but after 4 years, I didn't think it was necessary or desirable. We want to forget that time not dredge it up again.

The romance was between two people that were already in a relationship so it didn't really ebb and flow and the side characters didn't add anything to the party either.. There was also lots of random trivia sprinkled throughout as if the author was trying to flex her knowledge (or just likes trivia and decided to randomly add it 🤷).

Whilst I appreciate the time and energy it takes to write stories, this one just wasn't for me.

Tis the night before Christmas and Katie Young is starting over in Occoquan. She recently moved to town and is working on getting her Captain’s license. Trying to find herself after her mother’s death, she is currently dating Deke, another boat captain. Katie, however, is disappointed when Deke leaves her on Christmas to fulfill business obligations. Set on saving the Holiday Festival, Katie works with other women in town to try and save it. Will she succeed? Will her and Deke work things out?

Narrator, Maria Marquis’ unique voices and intonation bring to life the well developed, unique, authentic characters. Her narrative pacing fits well with the author’s writing style. The story is listed as a romantic comedy, but feels more like a women’s fiction meets comedy novel. Listeners who like realistic fiction, small towns, and friendship fiction will enjoy listening to this book. It will make more sense, however, if they start with the first book. Recommended for library collections where such books are popular.

Please Note: A copy of this audiobook was given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own No other compensation was received.

Although I enjoyed the characters and setting, I feel misled by this book's marketing.

I first decided to check out this book because of the cover. It has the cartoonish, whimsical look of a chick lit novel I might enjoy. The description gave off the same vibe so I decide listen to the audiobook. Netgalley even describes it as "a small-town holiday rom-com".

But that is honestly a straight up lie. This book is not funny. In fact, for a majority of the story the main character Katie is mulling over Covid 19. She unfortunately lost her mother during the pandemic. Her daughter had to leave NYC and do virtual college at home. And Katie herself had a shake up with her job, which is part of why she is now living in the little town of Occoquan.

And although I liked Katie and her scientist boyfriend, I wouldn't say their romance is particularly funny either.

Santa Overboard by Carolyn McBride is a sweet story about a woman learning to move on with her life after many great tragedies ( multiple divorces, passing of a loved one, dealing with the Covid 19 pandemic). I loved Katie's positive attitude and enjoyed the festive Thanksgiving and Christmas scenes in this novella.

This book wasn't what I expected, though I wound up enjoying it anyway. But if you're looking for a festive holiday rom-com, I would try something else.

This was a quick, light, and cozy read that never fully hooked me but left me feeling warm. What started off as a cozy, Christmas centered mystery quickly lost its footing in the plot. It seemed very scattered and left elements of the story felt underdeveloped or thrown in with little explanation. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and I think the lack of development contributed some, as well as their decisions at times. Overall I liked the light, holiday vibes of this but didn't find it overly compelling. This one probably won't stick with me unfortunately. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review by Erica Jones @ Climb the Stacks

Santa Overboard (Potomic Shores # 2) by Carolyn McBride, narrated by Maria Marquis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This four-hour romantic comedy audiobook was done so beautifully. I listened to it in one sitting! The plot was interesting and kept me intrigued throughout the entire length of the book. The fact that the characters were scientists and that there was a few spicy characters surprised me since I didn’t read the synopsis before listening to it.

The narrator did a fantastic job! Santa Overboard is the second book in the Potomac Shores series but doesn’t need to be read in order in my opinion. I’ll be reading and listening to more from McBride in the future.
I highly recommend this audio book to anyone.

A wonderful start to the holiday season!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#carolynmcbride #santaoverboard #NetGalley #romanticcomedy #audiobook #bookreview #mariamarquis

This book wasn’t my typical read, as the main characters are older than books I usually reach for. Think young adult/new adult fiction.
This book was very cute and definitely had the Christmas vibe I was hoping for, and the overall storyline was good. It was hard for me to get into, and I think it’s because the beginning of the story didn’t have a “hook” to pull me in and the plot was hard to follow.
My only complaint was that the writer kept bringing up Covid in the story, small comments here and there, but they didn’t seem to help plot development at all. It felt random to keep mentioning it as it wasn’t a real conflict or plot device in the story.
Overall, it was good. This is a great book for readers who love “Hallmark Channel” Christmas movies.

Carolyn McBride's “Santa Overboard” offers a delightful escape to the charming town of Occoquan. Katie, a single mom navigating midlife, finds herself caught up in holiday cheer and a budding romance with the intriguing Deke. The story is filled with heartwarming moments, quirky characters, and a touch of holiday magic.

While the plot is predictable at times, the author's vivid descriptions of the town and its festive atmosphere create a cozy ambiance. The audiobook, narrated by Maria Marquis, is well-paced and brings the characters to life.

If you're looking for a light and enjoyable holiday listen, Santa Overboard is a perfect choice. It's a cozy read that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

Make Waves Press | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks, NetGalley, and the editorial team - thanks for giving me the opportunity to review an audiobook ARC of this publication!

For more reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!

#SantaOverboard #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

This was a cute little listen and I enjoyed the narration but it wasn't anything special for me. It was a cute little holiday listen but I felt like (and I typically feel like this with novellas) that I couldn't really connect with the characters. Overall I would give it 3/5 stars. It was an easy and funny holiday listen!

Thank you NetGalley and Make Waves Press for the audio arc!
I didn’t particularly like any of the characters and Deke and Katie’s relationship really lacked a spark. It was an easy, quick listen with a fun premise. But I walked away just feeling meh - I’m not disappointed I read it by any means, but it won’t be one I remember a year or two from now.

Feel good, super short small town romance. Second chance at love with some contemporary mid life crisis vibes weaved in.

Narration was good, story was cute but just okay for me.

Thank you to Make Waves Press and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Katie lives outside DC on the Potomac. She’s the captain of the Christmas boat parade and runs into Deke, a scientist. They’re excited to hang out around the holidays, but Deke has to go to the Galapagos for work. Will they have a holly jolly Christmas?

Thanks to Net Galley, Make Waves Press, and Carolyn McBride for the ARC!

In the romance genre, it’s nice to find heroines who are a bit more “experienced” at life. In Santa Overboard by Carolyn McBride, Katie is a divorced mom to a college-aged daughter, and lives in Occoquan on the shores of the Potomac River in Virginia. Katie is enjoying a new romance with naturalist Deke, but he’s leaving town over the holidays for a work trip. Now she’s unsure if their relationship is going deeper or floating away. I particularly enjoyed the side character Kendall and the friendship she and Katie formed throughout the novella.

Set in the months as the world came out of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the story often uses the world-changing event to define its characters and their behaviors. This can be jarring for those wishing to escape into a novel and leave the real world behind. This novella has humor, heart, and some unbelievable situations. It makes for a good read in one day, as the audiobook runs just under 4 hours. Narrator Maria Marquis does an excellent job telling the story of this cast of small town characters. This would be a good listen to get you into the holiday spirit while baking, wrapping presents, or running errands.

Thank you to NetGalley and Make Waves Press for the ARC audiobook. All opinions are my own.

This was a quick read with romance and humor. The characters are older, which I liked. The mention of Covid so often was a bit much for me.

This book can be read as a standalone. It had a lot of promise. While I didn't love this book, it was enjoyable for the most part.

Thank you Netgalley for the copy of Santa Overboard.

I listened to Santa Overboard on audio thanks to NetGalley. This was a quick novella and a cute festive holiday read. The main character, Katie, is slightly older than the typical protagonists of romance novels that I typically read and I thought that offered a different perspective that I enjoyed. She has a college-aged daughter and this is about herself and her joy again. I did find that on audio it was a bit harder to track the characters and their story arcs but I still found the story enjoyable especially towards the end as the story came together and was tied up. Santa Overboard is #2 in the Potomac Shores series but I hadn't read the prior book. I think the novella can be read as a stand alone book but I likely would've benefitted from having more background about the characters first so would recommend reading in order.

Santa Overboard by Carolyn McBride is a cozy, quick festive read.

I loved the Beach Bonfire Babes and how the FMC, Kate, who had a life beyond romance.

The book’s inclusion of interesting fun facts , like Ukrainian Christmas spider traditions and animal fun facts shared by the scientist MMC, Deke, was a delightful touch—though I wish the fun facts had been introduced earlier to make him more endearing from the start.

Because of the above, I struggled to feel the chemistry between the main characters. The MMC felt underdeveloped, appearing sporadically at the beginning and not leaving a strong impression. The FMC’s dramatic reaction to him leaving, and her emotional spiral about their relationship, felt overblown, especially given her age (50+). Her dependence on his return for her own healing just showed a lack of self-love and emotional growth that could benefit from deeper exploration.

I did enjoy the witty boat puns, though the idea of boating in December in Virginia seemed far-fetched. Lastly, Maria Marquis was an outstanding choice for narrator, bringing the characters vividly to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Make Waves Press for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

The cover and title drew me in, looking for a fun holiday listen. I love that the main characters are older for a change of pace. I struggled to connect with the storyline though. It just needed a bit more depth.

Thank you to Netgalley, Carolyn McBride and Make Waves Press for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Cute and Festive!
A short story with Christmas vibe and enjoyabel moments.

Love, friendship and (re)finding your self.
Oh and they are in there Fiftys!

*Covid afterlife