Thank you to NetGalley for approving an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a cute Christmas novella that is part of an interconnected series but can be read as a standalone which is what I did! I enjoyed the Christmas vibes and the banter between characters. We are following characters who are a bit older than I usually read so that was a nice change as the maturity really shines through but the innocence and giddiness of romance is still apparent throughout. I loved the setting and the book was well written. It did feel quite rushed but this is to be expected with a novella romance and i’m not used to reading such short romance books so it may take me a bit to get used to this! The only thing that continually pulled me out of the cuteness was the constant mention of covid and the pandemic. I really don’t care to read about covid and I understand it has had a massive impact on people’s livelihoods and emotions still to this day but I just don’t like the mention of it in books in this way and I think now that we are becoming so far removed from the effects of the pandemic we don’t want to think about them anymore. However, I did enjoy this book and if you’re looking for an easy, quick and Christmassy book then this could be the one for you! I also really enjoyed the audiobook!

thank you Net Galley for an ARC of "Santa Overboard" in return for my honest review!

katie young, a single mom, is starting over in a cozy little town, finding comfort in her friends and a blossoming romance with the town’s scientist. but as she takes on hosting the holiday boat parade, everything that could go wrong totally does—leaving her to wonder if a little holiday magic (and maybe a second chance at love) is the answer she needs.

“coming of age isn’t just for young people. I feel like we’re starting over again with experience - experience and money.”

this was such a fun, feel-good christmas novella!! I enjoyed listening to the audio, the narrator had a nice voice and the pacing was great.

it was a bit cheesy overall, but I believe with christmas, it adds to the charm!! the ultimate reason for my 3 star rating: I just didn’t connect deeply with the characters. but, I loved them each individually and especially loved the female friendships!

Santa Overboard by Carolyn McBride is a cute, cozy holiday read with just the right touch of romance. The main character, Katie, is relatable, and her story feels genuine. It’s short, lighthearted, and perfect for anyone wanting a low-stakes seasonal escape.

While I enjoyed the romance and storyline, I found the COVID references a bit too frequent. It sometimes overshadowed the holiday vibe I was looking for. Still, if you’re looking for a quick, enjoyable read with a touch of festive spirit, Santa Overboard delivers a nice, easy escape.

Well I wanted to like this audiobook better than I did. It could be quite literally a Hallmark Movie. But I think others may like it in a fluffy type of way.

I am thankful to have gotten an audio ALC for free from Netgalley and the publisher to enjoy which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

First the narrator did an ok job. Her pacing was good and she didn’t dramatize the content.

The book is a fast read at just under 4 hours at 1x . It can get folks into the Christmas spirit and does have some education on holidays around the world which was a nice touch. The cute mystery was predictable but enjoyable.

The frustrating part was the constant COVID references. We knew a slew of books and tv shows etc.. would make it into plot points but to be honest it’s not something that I want to be hearing about. Books are an escape so being reminded of a horrible time just ruins the experience. I know I’m not the only one…

The book is out now so if you’re looking for a quick holiday novella, this may be a fit for you.
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

This is the first book that I have read from the author and series. This was an enjoyable holiday story and sweet romance. The story shares the building of relationships (romantic and friendship) as well as some interesting Holiday lore. Good story to get you started on your holiday reading.

I thought this would be a cute holiday read but it was about a wealthy white woman complaining about Covid and the effects it had on her, her cheating husband, and her scared to find love again with a guy she’d already been dating. Not my cup of tea at all.

Cute and cosy, wasn't as funny as I had hoped it to be but still an enjoyable read. The main character Katie, was relatable and gave a great storyline. It was prefectly romantic and was a nice easy little read if you're looking for something short and lighthearted. However, the COVID references were a little too heavy for my liking, I'm generally unbothered by it's references in a book but it was more prevalent than "Santa Overboard" was.

Oh this was actually such a cute little book! Was listening to it while just doing my work and daydream about christmas. I honestly wasn't in the christmas mood before, so I waited until halloween was over and now the mood is slowly coming up. Katie was such a relatable character, facing challenge after challenge but she didn't give up and I really liked reading about her.

What really wasn't much of my cup of tea, was the amount of times they had mentioned covid. It was just a bit too much and two times could have been just enough.

All in one, it was a cute read to clean your palette and get in some christmas mood.
3.5*

This book is cute and short. I’m glad it wasn’t longer because I found the female main character a bit whiny. I loved the portrail of strong female friendships and that was probably my favorite part of the book. For the romance she was whiny and I felt unreasonable. Overall. It was cute.
Thank you for NetGalley , the author and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

A small town, cozy mystery, set on the Potomac. This was an easy read and the story flowed nicely.

Likes: Strong, independent women navigating mid-life issues and their friendships. The history bits and description of the area made it easy to visualize a place I’ve not been.

Dislikes: I would have preferred COVID not be mentioned as much although I understand to get the backstory it had to be included. Just seemed overly done. The main conflict over how to spend the holidays seemed selfish and superficial.

Overall it was a good book and the characters were relatable and fun. I may have to get a spider for my Christmas tree this year!

This was a cute book about finding success, chasing your dreams, and falling in love. The characters are in their fifties, so they have had previous marriages and have some baggage but overcome to give love another chance.

Had no idea going into this that COVID was going to be such a big part of the book. I was going in thinking it was going to be a fun Christmas romcom. Unfortunately those aspects really kept me from truly enjoying the book. The narration was great!

This cute little novella dealt with a few heavy issues. While I don’t mind the “COVID” troupe, many may find it overbearing. I enjoyed the romance with older characters! It can be difficult to find mature characters. The love wasn’t easy to get and our FMC handled herself well. There was minor language and a few closed door scenes. Overall I enjoyed this short sweet novella.

I was excited to read this book as it takes place close to home. The story itself is decent. I understand the timing of the story but the repeated mentions of Covid vaccines was too much for me. We’re a pro choice family and we got the vaccine as well as boosters but I felt this was too much and took away from the actual plot.

The love with Deke and Katie was sweet even with the conflicts.

A good read for someone who wants a short love story of you can overlook the vaccine comments.

The narrator was very descriptive and not monotonous.

I had to look up if this was a re-release of a book that was originally published in 2020 because it was so heavily focused on the pandemic that it was not enjoyable. Although, even if it had been released then, I still think the content was so pandemic-forward that it just missed the mark. It was an experience we all lived, there is no need to reiterate social distancing, things being closed, being unable to travel, etc. in such an overt way.

★★★

A cozy romance novel set in a small harbor community along the Potomac. I loved the determination of the local women as they overcame personal challenges and embraced entrepreneurship to rebuild their community and boost tourism. It has festive vibes with plenty of holiday-inspired events and treats!

Santa Overboard was a cozy, enjoyable holiday listen. The story offered a warm and comforting escape. The author's writing style was easy to follow, and the pacing was well-balanced.

The narrator truly brought the story to life. Her voice was clear and expressive, and her performance added depth to the characters and emotions.
While the story itself didn't break any new ground, it was a pleasant way to spend a few hours. It's a solid choice for those seeking a light and heartwarming holiday tale.

Thank you for the ARC! This audiobook was adorable and cozy! However, I didn't really enjoy the COVID aspect of the book. I like to escape the real world at times and found that it kept bringing me back to that dreadful time. At times I felt like COVID was too overpowering in the story and I found myself not gravitating to want to click play and listen.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley
This was a cute, cozy read! I’m from the area the book was written about and loved so many familiar locations popping off the page.
The main thing that ranked this book lower for me was the overmention of COVID/pandemic-related things - it’s hard to avoid in the timeline of the book (2021) but felt like it was mentioned a little too much.
Would definitely be interested to read more by this author!

Unfortunately, this was almost a DNF for me. If I had known it would revolve around the aftermath of the pandemic (and focus SO heavily on it), I wouldn't have read it. At the first mention of the pandemic, even the second, I was like, "Ok this takes place after the pandemic, and she obviously went through the same things we all did." It was fine, but then I quickly realized the author took every opportunity she could to mention and encourage vaccination, travel being tricky, social distancing, and mentioning covid.

I felt that covid being such a heavy focus of the book took away from the author helping us because close to and know the characters. That being said I did enjoy the tight-knit female group and that it was an older middle age FMC. The narrator was also pretty good.

Although the whole thing fell flat for me, I thank NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.