This took off immediately in a direction I did not expect! Such a fresh and enjoyable romance. I love the approach Beth O’Leary brings to her characters and storytelling. It’s never surface level and so worth the journey.

A DNF for me, I had a hard time connecting with the characters, and found the story dull, but love the cover and will hope for the next book. Thank you to the author and publisher. I am sorry I could not finish this.

In my opinion this is the authors best book. A truly unusual premise and way to keep the leads together and such emotional depth. I’ve long been a fan but I was deeply impressed by her work on this book.

What a gorgeous cover! I love Beth O'Leary's writing. I just could not finish this book because being stranded at sea made me feel a little bit too claustrophobic.

A very enjoyable title from Beth O'Leary! I loved the setting and how the story unfolded. Thank you for the e-galley!

Beautiful. I really love this author but this book was even more special. I just loved the characters and the pacing .

This was a little different book for me. it may take you out of the comfort zone a little some people will love that, others maybe not. Read it and see what you thin

More survival story than romance—but still a unique and charming read

This was my first Beth O’Leary novel, and while I didn’t fall completely in love with it, I still found Swept Away to be an enjoyable and original read. The setup is definitely intriguing—being stranded in a remote place makes for a lot of tension and introspection—and I appreciated the emotional depth that came with it.

What surprised me was how much of the book focused on survival and self-reflection, rather than romance. While there is a romantic thread, it often takes a backseat to the main character’s personal journey. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn’t quite what I was expecting going in.

One of the most unique (and oddly lovable) parts of the story was the seagull—definitely not your typical side character, and it added a quirky charm that helped balance the heavier moments.

Overall, Swept Away wasn’t a perfect match for me, but I appreciated O’Leary’s writing style and emotional honesty. I’d be open to reading more of her books with a bit more of a romantic focus next time.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for my DRC!

This was just not for me but I know someone will really love it. For me it was a little too out landish.

Thanks @berkleyromance for the free book! #BerkleyPartner #Berkley #BerkleyBookstagram

I liked this book and adored the main characters. Zeke was adorable and such a teddy bear. Really enjoyed the “twist” and how it all came together in the end.

Parts of this book gave me so much anxiety. If you’re triggered by the ocean, maybe don’t read this one.

I've read all of this author's books and I've found something to love in all of them! I find her writing generally very propulsive and this new book in particular was very very hard to put down!

The basic premise of Swept Away involves two people who had a one-night stand on a houseboat that then dislodges from the dock so they're swept into open water overnight. It's a survival story with two great characters who are forced into very close proximity as they attempt to survive. Their stories intersect in ways that slowly unfold over the book. The survival element of their time at sea was intense but it was also sweet and meaningful and even funny (they may or may not adopt a "pet" lol). I read about 75% of this book in one sitting and then went to sleep, dreamed about a possible twist in the story, woke up the next morning and read that twist (this never happens to me), and loved the ending.

I am impressed with the unique way Beth O'Leary told this story and I loved the character growth, the banter and growing feelings, and like I said, the emotionally charged conclusion. I think this would make an absolutely perfect vacation or beach read for anyone this summer assuming they don't read it on a houseboat or expect to visit with the people they're travelling with (because they'll be immersed in this instead).

I definitely recommend it and couldn't resist matching it 😉

Have you ever been on a houseboat? We did a houseboat vacation when I was a teenager with my whole extended family and reminisce about it often 🩷💙

This book was so unexpectedly good. Unexpected because I want sure how the author was going to make the premise work but I loved her other books so I gave it a try and I’m glad I did. The writing was fantastic and the setting was a character in itself without being overbearing

My goodness, this book made me so nervous the whole time. Not sure why, as it’s clearly a romance and I didn’t think anything seriously bad would happen. It was an unconventional romance, for sure. I didn’t like how much time Lexi debated if she should trust him or if she should be scared of him. Homegirl, you got no choice as you are literally adrift with him and need him to survive.

2.5🌟

Thank you Berkley Romance, Netgalley and Beth O’Leary for this free eArc!! i went into this loving the cover and also the synopsis seem like it was going to be such an interesting read. but as i went on with reading this book i just didn’t love it. i didn’t love how in apparently 12 days you can be madly in love with someone and idk it just felt like to much of an insta love over trauma. i felt as tho the concept of the book would have been fun and interesting but as time went on i felt so disconnected with the characters. i felt the need to finish because i saw some reviews about a twist and i just had to get to it. but overall i wish i could have rated higher i do appreciate being able to get this copy and read it.

After a spontaneous one-night stand, Zeke and Lexi expect to go their separate ways. Instead, they wake up adrift in open water, stranded on Zeke’s newly inherited (and untethered) houseboat. With minimal supplies and no rescue in sight, they must figure out how to survive—and navigate the unexpected intimacy that comes from enforced proximity. As days pass and secrets surface, what began as an impulsive night might just lead to something deeper.

Tropes
* Forced proximity
* One-night stand turns into more
* Strangers to lovers
* Only one bed (or in this case, one boat!)
* Grumpy x sunshine (lightly)
* Found family (emotional growth through shared vulnerability)
* Slow-burn, character-driven romance
* Healing past grief and personal reinvention

Beth O’Leary once again proves she’s a master of the high-concept romance with emotional depth. Swept Away delivers both literal and emotional isolation, forcing its characters to slow down, face their grief, and reevaluate their lives. Lexi is relatable in her exhaustion and quiet resilience, while Zeke is an emotionally repressed but surprisingly tender counterpart. Their dynamic simmers with tension, but the real heart of the story lies in their unpeeling layers, what they learn about each other, and themselves, under pressure. It's a love story born out of stillness, isolation, and the kind of honesty only desperation can provoke.
Perfect for readers who love romance with depth and a dash of quirky circumstance.

Thank you to the publisher for the free eARC and to PRH Audio for the ALC!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Lexi and Zeke have a one night stand that ends up extended when they are accidentally swept out to sea in a house boat.

I loved the concept of this one, and had such an enjoyable read overall! This was so close to being five stars for me, particularly as I truly didn’t want it to end, and I LOVED the characters (especially Zeke). The audio was also great, and the narrators did a great job.

My one gripe was definitely the third act, which contained some developments I didn’t love and overall felt a bit unnecessary to me. Still, the ending was perfect, and I loved the epilogue as well. Overall VERY enjoyable, and highly recommend for its originality and entertainment value!

CW: Injury/blood; mentions of abandonment; death of parent; infidelity (not by MCs)

I did not know what to expect with this one other than I have really enjoyed Beth O'Leary's other novels, so I was pleasantly surprised at a different take on a rom-com where the MCs are stranded on a boat in a body of water (sea, perhaps?). I initially wasn't sure if I was really sold at first because of the first few chapters, but then it really picked up and I really loved Zeke and Lexi together. Honestly wild to throw two people in this bizarre situation after a one-night stand.

DNF @ 33%

I was IN based on the cover and the premise. Unfortunately, this was overwhelmingly convoluted? When I sit down for a contemporary romance novel, I am here for the ride with minimal brain activity. And this one? I had so many questions regarding the plot and semantics of being on the ocean ... and I was confused half the time that it took me out of the story. It was too unrealistic to ignore.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

I have a new favorite book by Beth O'Leary! I got sucked in within the first few chapters and couldn't put this one down. I mean, a one night stand, turned into stranded on a houseboat at sea for days, plus a bunch of animosity over whose boat it actually is? It's a recipe for a forced proximity, high tension read!

After the first night, it turned into a slow burn, as Zeke and Lexi focus on trying to survive out at sea rather than revisiting the chemistry between them. There are several really tense moments, and I appreciated how it wasn't just smooth sailing (ha, see what I did there?) until they got rescued. I really wondered how they'd get rescued, and how much of the book would take place after that - would it just end with a rescue and a HEA or would we get a glimpse of what happens after they're back on land?

I think the author handled it all pretty well, although I wasn't too sure about the source of conflict after the rescue. It ended up working out okay though, and she did a good job of wrapping it all up.

I went into this book not sure if I was going to like it as I'm not a huge fan of an age gap romance, but I really loved this book and these characters. Both Lexi and Zeke were wonderful characters and watching them learn each other while being stranded on a boat was well done, really took forced proximity to the next level. This book reaffirmed the Beth O'Leary is fantastic and maybe gave me an irrational fear of houseboats.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.