guys !! this was SO good - I really enjoyed it!

I thought the characters were great, and i loved the contrast between Ruby and Sam and how their friendship worked. Ruby is definitely a more patient friend than me as i'd have definitely thrown Sam overboard a few times!

It's a cute fake dating, friendship to lovers story that makes you feel all gooey at the end. I would definitely recommend if you like a romance easy read :)

This book was a decent read with a unique and fun premise. The idea of a singles cruise gone wrong was entertaining and I loved the slow-burn connection between Ruby and Cameron. Their dynamic felt natural and some of their moments together were genuinely adorable. That being said, the pacing felt a bit slow in the beginning, making it a little difficult to stay fully engaged at first. However, as the story progressed, the chemistry between the characters became more evident and the cruise setting added charm to their journey. While it wasn’t a standout read for me, I appreciated the lighthearted humor and the way it explored stepping out of one’s comfort zone. If you're in the mood for a sweet, slow-building romance with a bit of travel escapism, this might be worth picking up!

3.25 stars

This is a fun story about two people on a single cruise who didn’t want to partake in the dating antics. They buddy up to avoid said activities, and end up enjoying each other’s company through a series of adventures.
The writing was immediately easy to dive into and kept me interested. The story leading up to the cruise was fun. I was interested in the main character, and her friend and family were decently well developed.

Once on the cruise, sometimes conversations felt stilted. There were some weird personal views on gun ownership I wasn’t expecting to get in a romance book.
Her friend was not a very good friend at all, especially as two women going on the cruise together. Some of the side characters (Brad) had good potential but then had their stories wrapped up a little too neatly.
This is a SLOW burn romance, as in no real relationship until over 80% in. It’s also fade to black. While I generally enjoyed the book, the first half was stronger than the second.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. All views are my own.

Feisty friends, love when you least expect it and a cruise with the bestie! Was a great, fun read! And I will highly recommend this to my patrons.

2.5/5 ⭐️

I enjoyed this book for the most part. The plot was simple enough although the pacing did fluctuate quite a bit. I enjoyed that we took a while to get into the main story although the ending felt rushed so we could maybe have sacrificed some of the time before the cruise to flesh out the ending a little. I definitely rooted for Cameron, and I enjoyed the development of his relationship with Ruby, even though I was less keen on her. I didn’t really click with Sam as a character and was glad that she somewhat took a backseat after the first quarter of the book. Samson the cat was excellent.
I found the writing style easy to read and compelling.

My major issue was with the portrayal of Christianity and the significant amount of the book which was seemingly dedicated to trashing both Christians and the church, both of which were badly represented. The plot would have worked fine with just Robin being a vicar, the church trip and following conversation at the start of the book were just seemed unnecessary. It was a waste to spend so much time being so negative and I found it reduced my enjoyment of the book as a whole and pulled me out of the story. My rating reflects this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Cute story and I enjoyed it overall. I do think a dual POV would have enhanced the book and allowed us to get to know the MMC more. I didn’t love that we didn’t meet him until a full third into the book and thought it was a bit slow to that point. However, the last two thirds of the book really picked up.

Even though this one was fairly predicable I did enjoy the cruise ship setting which was new and I did enjoy the banter Ruby and Cameron.

I have read most of Phoebes books and they are all usually enjoyable.
My favourite part of this book was probably Sam and Ruby’s friendship, it was really nice to see their dynamic. I loved the journey they went on together overcoming their fears and growing as people. I have always wanted to go on a cruise and this book seems to capture them well! The settings were well done, the characters were well written and funny.

A very enjoyable and cute romcom. Lots going on between both Sam and Ruby’s love lives. Fun side characters on the cruise and ports. Lots of funny moments. Easy to curl up with a cup of tea and enjoy.

3/5 stars

I gave “Hook, Line, and Single” by Phoebe MacLeod a shot because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love the idea of a rom-com on a Mediterranean singles cruise?

A grumpy FMC who’d rather eat glass than mingle?

A fake platonic pairing with a handsome, kind MMC?

This had all the makings of a delightful romcom. But somewhere between boarding the ship and disembarking, the story lost its spark.

First off, the pacing was all over the place. The story didn’t even get to the cruise until 30% in, and by the time Ruby and Cameron finally met (a solid 35% into the book), I was already wondering if I’d been tricked into reading a story about Ruby’s best friend, Sam, instead. Sam’s love life is so front-and-center early on that it felt like Ruby and Cameron were supporting characters in their own romance novel.

For a standalone romance, that’s just too late to build the chemistry needed to root for them. By the time the boat docked, I still wasn’t fully invested in their connection—it felt rushed and, frankly, a little shallow.

The dynamic between Sam and Ruby was fun, but it kept stealing the spotlight from the actual romance we were supposed to care about.

There’s a lot of potential here, but the lack of depth in their connection made it hard to root for them. Ruby’s missed-ship adventure was a fun twist, but the story just didn’t spend enough time on the actual cruise or on building a believable romance.

While the book isn’t bad, it’s not what it promised. The pacing issues, superficial character arcs, and focus on side plots left it feeling underwhelming. If you go in expecting light, low-stakes fluff, it’s fine for a quick read. But as a romcom? It doesn’t quite make it to its destination.

Hook, Line and Single is the story of Ruby and Sam, two best-friends who go on a cruise for single people, but Ruby who's sworn herself off men doesn't know what this cruise is about. Against her wishes, she takes part in the various activities proposed by thr cruise and has to stay with Cameron as Sam met someone and matched with him.

I liked this book. It was entertaining, and cute. I did not connect with Ruby as much as I would have liked to, but I loved Sam and Samson -her cat, as well as Cameron. I would give it a 3.75 -rounded to 4- as I found it enjoyable, but it was not the best book I've read. I found the end rather rushed and having too much info-dumping.

Oh what a perfect read !!! I laught so bad during this book.

I am a bit prejudiced about cruises and wouldn't take one myself BUT I must admit that Pheobe MacLeod almost made me reconsider ...

The scenery is fantastic to forget the awful weather we're currently having.

Ruby and Cameron are so sweet together, the vibe between them is spot on from the start.
I really thought Cameron happens to be a lord or something similar when he takes her clay pigeon shooting, and not a police officer. Like a last twist to this very eventful story !

And hurra for Samson ;)

Thank you to Netgalley and Bolwood Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Boldwood books & netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is not what it is advertised to be. I thought I was going to get a fun romcom story that takes place on a cruise but instead I got the complete opposite? 25% of the way through the book, they're not even on the cruise and the MMC and FMC haven't even met yet?? You spent the first half of the book following along Sam's (the FMC's best friend) love life more than the actual FMC. I started to even wonder if this book was about Sam's love life told from the prospective of her best friend?!?

Hook, Line and Single: ★☆☆☆☆ (1)

A fun easy read and I’ll be looking forward to reading more of the authors books.

I thought the characters in this book were well written and loved Ruby’s family, would’ve liked to have seen more from them.

Sam and Ruby’s friendship was funny and same lovely girlie moments even if Ruby seemed like a better friend most of the time 😂

I enjoyed how Cameron and Ruby’s relationship developed and loved all the cruise ship aspect and their little adventures off ship!
Little Cameron and Beacon were not word I thought I’d read in the same sentence 😂🙈

I found the cruise ship characters to be entertaining and would’ve welcomed knowing a few more

I would’ve liked the issues behind Ruby’s love life to have maybe came to light a bit sooner and seen her working to overcome them as the ending seemed a little ‘rushed’ in this respect with it all coming out and then the story moving forward.

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️/5

Hook, Line, and Single is a fun, lighthearted read, but it didn’t quite hook me as much as I hoped. The premise of Ellie diving back into the dating world after being dumped is relatable and has some laugh-out-loud moments, but some parts felt a bit predictable. I appreciated her growth and the friendships she leans on, though I wished the love story had a bit more spark or depth. It’s an easy read for a cozy weekend, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression. Still, if you’re into breezy romantic comedies, it’s worth checking out!

Hook, Line and Single by Phoebe MacLeod is a charming, lighthearted rom-com about Ruby, a woman who’s sworn off men but finds herself on a singles cruise thanks to her meddling flatmate. Determined to avoid romance, Ruby pairs up with Cameron, a fellow cruise passenger who is also less than thrilled with the trip. What begins as a convenient ploy to fend off unwanted attention soon evolves into a fun and heartwarming connection as they explore the Mediterranean together. With witty banter, relatable characters, and a slow-burn romance, MacLeod delivers a feel-good story about love, self-discovery, and the unexpected turns life can take.

3.5 stars for me! I really enjoyed this book! I’ve never read a romance book about people on a cruise so that was a cool twist on meeting people. I really liked how we got to see Ruby’s best friends love journey as well as Ruby’s. You don’t get to see that a lot in romance books. I enjoyed all the little fun things that happened along the way and how Ruby adapted to everything even though she wasn’t really happy to be there in the first place.

I have to say, the fake dating trope always gets me, but this was really good because they were acquaintances turned into friends which made it a cool storyline. And all the mishaps and challenges throughout the way made it more enjoyable. All the other side characters made me laugh too, I was laughing multiple times throughout the book.

Overall this was a really good romance throughout and I loved the banter and chemistry that Ruby had with Cameron. A cute little romcom if you need something to pick you back up from a slump or just a fun time.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

1 star ⭐️

This was not my first boo by Pheobe MacLoud I think I’ve read all hers but one or two. But this book wasn’t it. It’s suppose to be a love story based on a cruise ship and it was not at all. I didn’t like the characters or the plot. I didn’t appreciate the bashed of religions it’s unnecessary for a book. It just really feel short which disappointment me because I am a big fan of MacLeod.

I really wanted to love this book, but I found myself feeling indifferent by the end. The premise had a lot of potential—a fresh take on relationships, self-discovery, and the complexities of love and friendship—but the execution left me underwhelmed.

Ruby, who's sworn off men after a string of bad relationships, embarks on a singles cruise with her best friend, Sam. Onboard, she meets Cameron, and the two agree to stay in a platonic relationship, which is supposed to be the heart of the story. However, I never truly felt the depth of their bond. The “platonic” arrangement seemed to lack any real tension or emotional engagement, making their dynamic feel flat and unremarkable.

There was one shining light for me in this story—Samson, the cat. As a fellow cat owner, I couldn’t help but enjoy the moments that featured him. He added a much-needed charm to the otherwise lackluster narrative. Honestly, I wished there had been more of him.

Overall, while the concept was interesting, the execution didn’t pull me in the way I hoped. The book left me wishing for a stronger connection between the characters and more meaningful moments. It wasn’t terrible, but it certainly wasn’t as engaging as I thought it would be. I'm giving this book therefore 1 ⭐.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. The premise was amazing but the execution wasn’t exactly as I was thinking. I just felt so disconnected from this book and the characters.

Ruby has sworn off all men but ends up going on a singles cruise with her best friend, Sam. She befriends Cameron and they decide to be in a platonic relationship and that is essentially all the relationship is. I did not feel the spark between them beyond being just friends.

The best part about this book was the cat named Samson (coming from someone with their own cat named Samson) and I wished we got to see even more of him.