What a fun read! I knew it was going to be good, but it surpassed my expectations! Philippa Young is so good at captivating a reader, and leaving them begging for more!

This was SUCH a fun romantic comedy with the most atmospheric lido deck vibes. For anyone going on a cruise this summer, this better be in your suitcase!

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

It was a cute book, but not really for me. It wasn't my cup of tea. I wanted to love it, but I just didn't. It is just okay

I thought this wasn't as good as the first one, I still enjoyed it.

Even though this is a standalone, I'd highly recommend reading the first of the Below Deck series.

I did enjoy Tom's character while Gemma felt a little blah to me-

More Than Clickbait
By Phillipa Young

2.5 ⭐️⭐️

Tropes:
- forced proximity
- Influencer/ Comedian
- Reformer Playboy
- Hidden Identify

This book left a little to be desired, but the spice was good! I really enjoyed that the MMC had more POVS than the FMC, because you don’t see that too often. I also loved Jack & Toms friendship. I feel like Tom & Gemma’s love was lacking? Overall a fun easy read but not for me.

Thanks to the Victory Editing NetGalley Coop for this e arc in return for an honest review

Wow I really wish I read the first book! The first few chapters were a surprise, but I am not complaining!

I thought the story was well written, making it a fun and easy read. I appreciated all of the random references, especially the one about H2O, I was a huge fan of that show growing up! I loved the immediate attraction Tom and Gemma had, and how they used Tom’s TikTok posts as their excuse to sneak around. This story had a great amount of spice!

I really enjoyed Gemma’s personality/character. Although I am not an influencer and have never been on TV, I can relate to her anxiety. I liked how protective and loving Tom was towards her, especially when they first got together and when her ‘secret’ got out. Gemma really came out of her shell when she started dating Tom, and this is a great example of good character development! The one thing I was not a huge fan of was how Tom talked to her sometimes, it was a tad too cheesy for me.

Tom and Jack’s friendship was refreshing, I really liked how protective they were of each other, but also knew when to call each other out on their bs. The one scene with the three of them was something I was not expecting, but again I am not complaining!

This book had me blushing and kicking my feet! I cannot wait to read the first one, and for the third one to come out so I can hopefully learn more about Jack & Sadie.

4.5 ⭐️

I received an ARC from Summer Stars Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for NetGalley for this ARC.

This is book 2 in a series which I didn't know going in but can be read as a stand alone.

This is a below-deck-inspired romance between Gemma Harvey and Tom Parks.

Gemma is working on the cruise ship with a secret identity in an attempt to stay out of the public eye as an influencer. There, she meets Tom, her brother's girlfriend's best friend.

After a steamy night together - Gemma struggles to continue her ruse while Tom doesn't know he can't have her or why.

This was a fun read and I will be going and reading the other books in this series.

3.5 ⭐️
This is the first of Phillipa’s books that I’ve read and I look forward to reading more!

This is truly a ‘my reputations never been worse, so he must like me for me’ vibe and I loved it.

Although the spice is hot and heavy early on (and the spice is SPICY), that doesn’t take away from the wholesome development of Gemma and Tom’s relationship. As an extra note, Tom as a character is so pure and has so much love to give and I think Gemma is such a well-suited character for him.

As a final note- I am obsessed with Jack and I really hope we see more of him in this series!

I honestly had such high hopes for this book, but sadly I was not super impressed :(

The characters just didn't seem to do it for me, and while the story line was pretty decent, it felt a little all over the place. I did really like the dynamic between Tom and Gemma (aka Megan), but I still felt like I missed a lot of what was going on.

The best part of this book was the MFM scene if I'm being honest, and that took a really long time to get to. The rest of the book seemed rushed and a little choppy.

However, I did see a lot of potential, so I will be trying to go through Philippa's backlog to see what I can find!

Thank you to NetGalley and Summer Stars Publishing for the copy!

This was my first time reading Philippa Young and I had a great time! I loved the idea of centering a series on a cruise ship and diving more into the lives of the staff! Though I hadn't read book one, Young did a great job informing the reader of the contents of the first book in a way that felt natural.

Tom was my favorite part of this story. His emotions felt so natural and real. He is absolutely hilarious and cares so deeply about the people in his lives. A very fun MMC POV to read from.

While I did like Gemma, the plot centered around her made the book feel less grounded than it could have been. Some parts were confusing (ex: how her conflict wraps up) and I wish with a setting like a cruise ship, the plot would be centered around living on the ship. Unfortunately, it feels like we only ever really got to experience about three rooms on the ship.

Overall, I really liked this story and Young's writing. I am keeping my eye out for the next story in this series.

More Than Clickbait is a lighthearted, fun romance set on a cruise ship, mixing mystery with a bit of workplace drama. Gemma Harvey, a health influencer, decides to escape her public image and takes on a new identity, "Megan," while working on board. Her plan to lie low quickly changes when she meets Tom Parks, a charming American with a complicated history with her brother. Their chemistry grows, and it becomes harder for her to stay hidden.

I read this book as a standalone, but I think reading the first book in the Below Deck series might have helped fill in some background details and made the story even more enjoyable. Still, I loved the intrigue around Gemma’s secret and figuring out what led her to hide her identity.

Tom’s character is really sweet and patient, and he brings out the best in Gemma. Their interactions felt natural, and the storyline kept my attention, and the mix of romance and mystery on the ship made it a fun, easy read.

this book was soooo cute 🥹

I didn’t read the first book so I’m not sure how Tom was in that book but I absolutely adored him in this one!!! As much as he tried to stay away, it wasn’t easy and it’s not because they were on a cruise ship 😂

You can tell how much Tom cares for Gemma and he respected her by not digging too much into her past (even if it blew up in their faces) my heart hurt sooo much for Gemma. She deserved so much more and I wanted to jump into that book to protect her. Tom and Gemma had instant connection and I liked that it came naturally and every time Gem was ready to take it to the next step, Tom made absolutely sure it was what she wanted 🫶🏻

If there’s one thing More Than Clickbait does well, it’s bring the spice! This rom-com about a health-and-fitness influencer turned cruise ship stowaway mixes just the right amount of humor and heat with its shipboard romance and scandalous secrets. Gemma and Tom bring new life to the “off-limits best friend” trope, with undeniable chemistry that quickly sinks any plans Gemma had of staying under the radar.

Gemma’s attempt at reinvention after her reality TV debacle is all about disappearing—but Tom? Well, he’s all about grabbing attention and can’t help but focus on Gemma, despite the risks. Their hilarious interactions and unforgettable night together kept the story engaging, though the constant balancing act between hidden romance and family ties added just a touch of drama.

With More Than Clickbait, Philippa Young serves up a classic summer read. It’s a bit fluffy, a bit naughty, and ultimately hits that sweet spot for anyone craving a lighthearted, flirty romance. I’d give it 3.5 stars for being both the perfect getaway and for delivering the laughs, romance, and steam without taking itself too seriously!

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to receive an ARC.

I enjoyed myself and it the romance part was really cute. The banter and comedic parts were great and I found myself not being able to put it down. However at some parts the story did feel a bit rushed but that may just be a me thing. But other than that it was a great read!

2nd in the Below Deck series - however, I read it as a stand alone not reading book 1 and it was easy to follow and entertaining.

After influencer Gemma's adventure into reality tv goes awry, she takes on a new identity and hides out on her brother's cruise ship. There she meets Tom - who's struggling to keep up his social media status for his comedy while serving on the ship. Some spicy scenes later, she's offering to help maintain his accounts and uploading content. It's a quick paced story, set on a cruise ship and a good bit of spice. Fun, easy read. I'd go back and read the first book, too.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

First of all - can we please normalize having a recap of a prior book in the beginning of books? Like, can that please be a regular thing? I SO appreciated the recap - I was knowingly walking into this book and going to be reading it as a standalone but having the recap, learning about the characters and a bit of where the story takes place, and the overall vibes was greatly appreciated and well received. I felt like I was immersed in the book from the opening paragraphs on, simply because I did have the ability to get a brief backstory!

I was a bit confused by the wording in the beginning as it made it seem as though Tom & Eliza were friends, but thats not something I really read, so not sure if I just read it wrong or what. That being said, I truly loved that the majority of the book was in Tom's POV - I see that so rarely but it was really nice to hear his view, his thoughts, and his take. I didn't see much Chemistry there, but loved the dialogue and how incredible sweet Tom was in general.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc.

This is the second book in “Below Deck” series.
I did not read the first book, but I think I should have. It was nice that a recap was included.

Tom is comedian that works on a cruise ship and went viral on social media. But he still needs help with his content. Megan is a former influencer that had a bad experience at a dating show and came to hide on the cruise ship. She already “knew” Tom from her brother’s pictures and agrees to help with his videos.

There is a dual POV and we get more from Tom’s side. Megan’s past is just hinted until we get all the information.
Even if the cover has cute rom-com vibes, this is pretty spicy.
I liked the way the relationship developed and that Meghan found friends amongst the staff. Hopefully there will be a book about Jack.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and Summer Stars Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

this book was WILD, loved tom and gemma and the cruise ship setting is SO fun, this series is doing found family so right! i loved that we also saw gemma and tom's struggles and their thoughts were so relatable and easy to connect to! also the steamy scens SERVED!!!

also im absolutely obsessed with jack, i need his book SO bad

This was a wonderful book! I really enjoyed reading this book. The plot is very well written and interesting, and the characters were well developed. I would definitely recommend this to other readers!

I didn't read book 1 in this series because it says this can be read as a standalone. However, I wish I would have because I feel like something was missing in this book. I feel like probably I would have enjoyed it so much more if I knew Tom's backstory and got to know him better from book 1. That is totally on me for not reading in series order.