I was excited to read this—the premise sounded fun, and the cover was cute. Sadly, the characters felt flat, and the story never fully grabbed me. I wanted to love it, but the writing didn’t click for me, so this ended up being a DNF.

~
Thank you Red Adept Publishing for providing this eARC.

The Loathe Boat by Cindy Dorminy is a dramatic romance that follows Chrissy Parks and Deacon Youngblood, a couple who unexpectedly win a cruise ticket while performing a dance in outrageous costumes. As they prepare for their role-playing-themed cruise, Deacon surprises Chrissy with a marriage proposal. However, Chrissy, still grappling with her past divorce, panics and declines, leading to a breakup. Despite the tension, neither is willing to give up their cruise ticket, resulting in an awkward journey aboard the Sovereign of the Sea. With Deacon determined to win Chrissy back and lingering feelings from her ex-husband complicating matters, the cruise becomes a backdrop for self-discovery and potential reconciliation. Amidst humorous situations and unexpected encounters, Chrissy must navigate her emotions and decide whether to embrace a second chance at love or abandon ship altogether.

The dual perspectives provide a deeper understanding of Chrissy and Deacon's motivations, while the forced proximity of the cruise setting adds to the comedic tension. The exploration of relationship dynamics, including miscommunication and the challenges of moving on from past relationships, resonates with many readers. The lighthearted tone and humorous situations keep the story entertaining, making it a perfect escape. Additionally, the unique twist of a LARPing cruise adds an adventurous element, enhancing the romantic escapade. With memorable characters and a satisfying journey toward love, this book is a delightful read for anyone who enjoys a mix of humor, romance, and self-discovery. There is a lot of drama and some sexy times. I think some of the past reviews went in a little hard on a book that is meant to be a fun escape. This would be THE perfect book to pack for a cruise. I think it would also appeal to fans of Below Deck and Dr. Odyssey - ship romances are having a moment!

ARC REVIEW:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What do you get when you combine duck costumes, a hockey rink, and a competitive couple? A free cruise aboard the Sovereign of the Sea! After being named the victors, Chrissy Parks and Deacon Youngblood, opt to set sail on a week long, role-playing cruise.

Wanting to utilize the cruise as a celebration, Deacon proposes to Chrissy. Unfortunately, Chrissy, a recent divorce, is caught completely off guard. Her reaction leads to the dissolution of their relationship. When neither party is willing to forgo the cruise, they agree to stay out of each other’s way.

Every now and then a book comes along and catches me by surprise. Cindy Dorminy’s novel, The Loathe Boat, is the perfect example of such a book. This second chance romcom was a true five star read!

I was captivated by this book from the very start. Dorminy drew me in with her witty writing and ability to build palpable tension between the main characters. Needless to say, I devoured this book in a matter of hours. If the rest of Dorminy’s writing is anything like this, I have a lot of reading to catch up on.

Be sure to read this book for:
-Dual POVs
-Forced Proximity
-Love Triangle
-Miscommunication Trope
-LARPing References

Special thanks to Netgalley, Red Adept Publishing, and Cindy Dorminy for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Too much going on in such a short book. Ex-boyfriend, ex-husband, skating contest in costume, Larping on a cruise ship, sponsering ex girlfriends in AA, lying about who people are and hugging people we don't like. Charmaine was my favorite character because she wasn't involved in all the tomfoolery. Lack of communication caused everything, every time... could have solved all the issues in 2 pages with one conversation.

This was a quick read in its own way. It has two different aspects to it ( at least for me). One was the more serious relationship issues, where trust and personal history have weight. The second was the commentary on figures and clothes. I know it’s meant to be a light and romantic book, but the second part didn’t work for me.

The couple at the center of the plot win a cruise ticket thanks to a dance they perform dressed in absurd costumes. Before they go on that cruise they end up separated. The fact that there was so much underlying conversation that hadn’t taken place before they moved to the next step should have been a red flag but both end up on the cruise anyway.

I liked parts of the story enough to read it all the way through. I just wish I felt that way about more sections of the book than I did. I also like the fact that the supporting cast calls out the more random thoughts that our leading pair end up getting into their heads, it made sense that way. It was just the lingering descriptions on clothes and figures got a little repetitive after a point.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

This book was so silly, lighthearted, and fun. I loved Chrissy’s character and found her so hilarious and witty. The plot was different and entertaining. Being forced to go on a role playing cruise with your ex boyfriend truly brings some comedic elements to play. What I would’ve really liked to see is more tension and palpable emotion from the characters throughout the book. It’s clear they both love each other because they *say* it through their narrations and to each other, but I want to be able to feel that coming from them through their actions more. I wanted more of the “show, don’t tell” aspects we learn about in writing courses and workshops.

This was a very fun read. It would be great to read during the summer time, especially on the beach! The romance was so cute.

This book is a fun and light read, perfect for those who enjoy a predictable plot.

Personally, I didn’t find the predictable ending to be a problem, but I was disappointed by the lack of chemistry among the characters. The couples didn’t seem to share any real happiness or love. At one point, I even wished Chrissy would meet someone new on the cruise.

I found Angela’s storyline to be the weakest; her efforts to protect herself only led her into more risky situations in a setting filled with alcohol. It just didn’t make sense. The dialogues often felt immature and forced, but there were some genuinely adorable moments, and I really think Chrissy deserves to be happy.

Thanks to Red Adept Publishing for the ARC!

Cindy Dorminy does a fantastic job in writing this book, it had that element that I was looking for from the first page. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their world. It was everything that I was hoping for and enjoyed the romance genre. I was glad it was so well written and had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed getting to know the characters in this. I'm excited to read more from Cindy Dorminy, as this was really well done.

* I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. I can see this being a hit!

The characters are not grabbing me, and I didn't feel the urge to mainline it which is a must for romance for me. I did find the premise interesting, and I like the cover and the title.

A woman and her boyfriend win a cruise at a hockey game. A couple months before they go the boyfriend decides to prepose. Since the woman MC is 30 and already traumatized through her first divorce she freaks out and says no. He takes the rejection badly so then he freaks out and completely moves out of their house. Months later he decides to go on the cruise to win her back. The problem is so does her other ex. The female MC has to come to terms with why marriage was so awful the first time around and whether it would be a good idea to go back to her ex fiancé.

The book was a super quick read. The book didn't get super interesting until the middle of the book when the couple started to be adults about things. Also, when they started to join the larpers then you were glued. This is definitely for a specific audience and generation. This book is definitely targeted for the "healing group".

There is no spice in this book.

The Loathe Boat by Cindy Dorminy is a charming and humorous romance that kept me entertained from start to finish. The story follows Chrissy Parks and Deacon Youngblood, a couple who win a cruise only to face a misunderstanding that puts their relationship to the test. Chrissy, still not over her ex-husband, panics when Deacon proposes just before the trip, leading to a breakup. However, neither wants to give up their cruise ticket, so they both end up on the boat.

The setting of a role-playing-themed cruise adds a fun and unique twist to the story, with plenty of hilarious moments and unexpected encounters. Chrissy's ex-husband and Deacon's secret add layers of tension and excitement. The chemistry between Chrissy and Deacon is undeniable, and their journey to resolve their issues is both heart-warming and engaging.

Overall, The Loathe Boat is a delightful and light-hearted read that will leave you cheering for Chrissy and Deacon to find their way back to each other. If you enjoy romance with humour and a touch of adventure, this book is definitely worth picking up.

*This is an ARC review, and my review is completely voluntary and of my own opinion.

Two and half stars (rounded to 3) for The Loathe Boat.

Deacon is a physical therapist, kind and handsome (it is especially this last point that our heroine focuses on). For her part, Chrissy is wealthy, but doesn't want to put it forward, and I think she's pretty and that's also enough to justify her being the main character.
They are not very detailed and I didn't particularly see chemistry between them. Which is sad for a romance.

Our characters' problem is lack of communication and since this is the only problem they encounter repeatedly in the book, it becomes boring.

No interesting use of the role players, the MCs relatively often make fun of them and don't seem to like role playing at all: the ending is therefore completely surprising and seems superficial.

Charmaine, Eliott, Angela: these people have plenty of money to buy a last minute cruise (especially Angela) ! Their presence at all prevents the MCs from experiencing the real adventure of the cruise, since they are always taken into one drama or another with someone from their daily lives. I found it a bit easy on the author's part.

Thank you to Netgalley and Red Adept Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Red Adapt Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC
I was excited to start reading this story. The cover was cute, title was catchy, and the description had me. However, it never grabbed my attention. I couldn't connect with the characters nor the authors style of writing. I wanted to love it but unfortunately this was one I couldn't finish.

4⭐
0.5🌶

I really needed a palate cleanser between my fantasy books and this hit the spot perfectly. It was short, funny and sweet!

This story follows Chrissy who is trying to live her best life despite her failed marriage before age 30. She and her new love Deacon enter a competition and win a cruise but when they hit a few bumps in the road before the cruise departs, they break up. But neither wants to miss the free cruise, so they must manage their expectations and come to terms with their situation. Little do they know, there are more waves coming while at sea. 🌊

It was fun and sweet, with a lot of giggles, but the only thing I minded was that I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between the characters.

Big thnx to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a e-copy of this book in exchange of my honest opinion.

This book was not for me unfortunately. It was entirely to much going back and forth between Deacon and Chrissy. This 4 way love triangle and the amount of jealousy was disgusting. I do not recommend this book.

This book was not for me. The conflict was silly and immature. The character were also very immature without a lot of depth. the miscommunication trope is appealing for some readers, I am just not one of them. There were funny moments though.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

Chrissy and Deacon seem perfect for each other, but quickly break up on proposal night due to misunderstandings. They both still go on the cruise they won, leading to more misunderstandings and tender moments.

I was surprised how comfortable they both were sharing a cabin after such an emotional breakup. They both had secrets and had a hard time being honest with each other.

While this was a light read, I found myself frustrated with all of the characters throughout the book. One discussion could have helped them avoid all the heartache in the book.

The cosplay element of the cruise seemed unnecessary, too.