I loved this book, it was the perfect mix of romance and tension. The section on the boat was a rollercoaster of emotions and I found myself feeling anxious for them. I really liked the way it was told from both points of view. A really enjoyable read!

I love a forced proximity trope so this what connected me to this book. I cared about these characters and what happened to them.

Thanks to NetGalley & Penguin for this ARC. I loved this new romance from Beth O’Leary. The concept itself is outlandish - two strangers, after a one night stand, trapped at sea on a house boat. But as always, O’Leary pulls it off with her usual charm, realism & heart. There is a reason she is a must-read author for me!

The premise of the book was super unique for a romance. While I can appreciate the need for romances with minimal spice, I think it could have been improved to have added some in. I really enjoyed the character dynamics as Lexi was more head-strong and Zeke was more vulnerable than many traditional male counterparts, something that is extremely important to explore. I found myself skimming the last 30% of this book as the survival element was stronger than the resolution.

Loved this! I enjoyed the dynamic and depth to the two main characters and the realistic slow burn to their relationship in crazy circumstances! A certain plot point towards the end of the book felt too unrealistic which made me take away one star but other than that I highly recommend

I love a forced proximity story so I was excited to read this one and I wasn’t disappointed. Fresh and original, this brilliant, heartfelt love story is perfect for fans of Emily Henry.

I love Beth O'Leary's books, particularly The Flatshare and The Switch - and was delighted to have the chance to read Swept Away. The concept is great, the characters are extremely warm and likeable - however, I did find that after about a third of the novel had passed that the story started to lose direction. It was, perhaps, a little lost at sea. The chemistry between the two MCs is there, their love story feels plausible, but somehow the actual 'stuck on a boat' piece just lost momentum for me, and I found myself pulled out of the story a few time. The end twist felt a little hard to swallow, too. All in all, O'Leary always delivers a great romance with chemistry, but I found this setting didn't quite deliver as I'd hoped. Thank you for the opportunity to read!

I love Beth O’leary, and this book didn’t disappoint me. Zeke and Lexi just had what was supposed to be a one night stand, but they ended up in the middle of sea on a boat, just two of them. Zeke is younger and hopes to find real love. Lexi, a few years older than him, is dealing a loss and shut out herself from romantic possibilities.

I loved the contrast of these two and how slowly and gradually they started to open up to one another and fell in love. I kept rooting for Zeke, hoping his warmth and kindness would heal Lexi and help her open up more.

I know the author’s books have turned into TV shows previously. This book is probably better as a book than a movie as it’s really just two characters. Their dialogue and inner monologue. So I suggest not wait for TV adaptation and read the book!

This book has smash hit all over it! I loved the charcaters, how it made me feel, the angst. the tension, the unexpectec love. The writing was impeccable. Beth is a triumph!

I’m really sorry to have disliked it as much as I did. I really don’t know if it’s just the genre of slightly kooky adventure romance or the book itself. I always spot books by this author being read on public transport so I had high expectations but it really wasn’t for me. Too silly, the characters had names like those a teenage girl might choose when writing a book, and both the scenario they found themselves in and the outcome were just too much to fathom.

I requested this book because I good friend of mine was raving about it, but whilst I can absolutely see why (great writing, unique premise, intriguing characters) ultimately this book wasn’t for me and I gave up at 40%.

This one is on me entirely. I had no idea how much anxiety the premise would inspire! It’s like a nightmare scenario for me, so therefore was really hard to buy into any sort of fantasy for the romance aspect. I had no idea I would feel this way when I started this book, but the stabbing situation really made me so nervous I struggled to continue beyond it.

I am so sorry! I love Beth’s work and I was so ready to dive into this one. It’s 100% a me problem and I wish this book all the success in the world.

I loved this story. The forced proximity was amazing and the stakes were about as high as they could be.
The plot and pace was great and I found it a refreshing read - very original.
I can see this being a great film.

I have always loved Beth O’Learys writing so I was so excited to receive and advanced copy! Swept Away is not your typical one night stand, but a one night stand at sea. It is different from anything I have read before, I enjoyed it but it took me a while to get into the story. I really enjoyed the adventurous elements and the twists between Zeke and Lexi. Overall I would recommend this, like all of Beth’s books it is definitely enjoyable.

Honestly, this is my least favourite Beth O’Leary book. Considering how much I’ve enjoyed the previous books, this disappointed me.

The main problem that I had was the age gap - a 23M and a 30F was just too much for me that I couldn’t take it seriously. Because of that, I just felt like some things that happened whilst they were ‘swept away’ were too unrealistic that it took away from my enjoyment of the book.

It’s unfortunate since I have loved all of Beth’s previous books but I just didn’t vibe with this one.

Imagine seeing a hot guy, having a bunch of drinks, and then waking up with an awful hangover, and only to find out that you're stranded at sea in a houseboat.
-reverse she gap
- forced proximity
-grumpy x sunshine
-man falls first
- total romance book


The premise sounded amazing. I wasn’t expecting the against all odds and survival story. I was hooked on this book. I loved The Flatshare and this one, too.. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love Beth's books but I wasn't too sure about the storyline for this one...that was before I started reading, of course! Totally immersed into the story and loved the characters and really did not want to say goodbye to them or to their story. Fabulous.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I wish to preface this review with the following: I generally adore O'Leary's books, think she is a fantastic writer, and hate age gap romances.

With every book, O'Leary manages to try something completely different and "Swept Away" is no exception. To tell a romance with depth and emotion over the course of about two weeks, and in an incredibly unusual situation, is a tall order. And one that I think O'Leary delivers. Her characters are well developed, well rounded, and fairly realistic.
While perhaps not the most romantic story, it is certainly a story about love. Romantic love, familial love, self-love.
I was not a fan of the age gap between the main characters (I never am when the younger person if under 25). I don't care that it has reversed the usual younger female/older man trope. I am a 30 year old woman who cannot imagine falling for a 23 year old. And I work with a bunch of them. I am friends with them. But we are in such different stages of life. They feel like younger siblings not possible romantic options. It weirds me out.
Overall, I think if you have previously enjoyed O'Leary's books you will like this one. It's a bit of a wild ride, but a fairly well executed quirky premise. If you're easily annoyed by characters that are a bit messed up and imperfect, then perhaps give it a miss. If like me, you loathe an age-gap romance, I would still give it a go. It didn't ruin anything for me and is addressed as one of the main themes.

I love the concept of this book and the setting and writing of that setting more than held my attention. For me however the drawing of the characters failed to rise from 'good' to 'great' . Entertaining, but ultimately rather forgettable

I absolutely ate this book up! So fast paced and fun. Even in such stressful situations the book still felt very light. Which I appreciated. I loved both the characters so much. This is my first book by this author and I definitely want to pick up more!

Beth O’Leary consistently hits the ideal balance of witty banter, steamy qromance, and gripping plot. This story had Jack and Rose Titanic-level romance by the end, and it was impossible to put it down. Love both the capable chef Zeke and pub owner Lexi. Even though they have a decent age gap between them, Zeke is quite mature for his age and it is easy to forget the age gap. This story takes the forced proximity trope to the next level, and O’Leary created a seamless transition from one night stand to one true love. This story would be a perfect adaptation into a tv show or film.