Having read and loved Kimberly’s B&S Series I was excited for the release of this new book. The synopsis caught my eye immediately and the four new characters and a singles cruise were always going to be a recipe for a good story in my opinion and I wasn’t wrong!
We meet Easton and Avery, the rather delicious sounding owners of Halo, a bar in New York. Both seem to have a reputation with the ladies and to be honest I can see why. Easton is a single father to his ten-year-old daughter Cheyenne and after losing his wife tragically, has shied away from serious relationships. He is by no means celibate but uses, then tosses the women aside. Avery is looking for Mrs Right and suggests the cruise as a way to help him find the love of his life.
Then enters Brooke and her single friend Nicole. Nicole buys the cruise as a present to Brooke for her thirtieth birthday but omits to tell her it is a singles cruise until the last minute. Brooke is stuck in a rut of a relationship with a selfish and unappreciative nerdy gamer dude by the name of Jared.
Inevitably one out of each of the pairs hit it off immediately and the other two are left as bystanders to the emerging romance. I loved the element of knowing that potentially a second romance could blossom on the cruise and the awkwardness of the situation as the cruise comes to an end left me with a sense of anticipation.
The main part of the story actually focuses on life after the cruise and the diagnosis of a serious illness in one of the main characters. The suspense of not knowing what was happening right along with the character added a really refreshing element to the book for me! In fact, it got to the point where I practically pulled an all-nighter to finish the book because I HAD to find out whether things turned out ok in the end!
I really fell for Easton even though he initially came across as a totally selfish womaniser with no feelings for anyone other than himself. His journey through the book was charming to read and the multi perspective of the book made sure that you really got to know him. Without giving too much away, his behavior whilst on the cruise, especially the way in which he just wasn’t interested in any of the no strings attached women on the cruise, really made me believe that he was captivated and willing to change. His relationship with his daughter also melted my heart and any man who devotes himself to his daughter like that wins it for me!
Brooke was also someone that I actually related to especially with her relationship with Jared. I am sure that before we all meet the one there is the one relationship that you stick with out of habit almost. Plus the journey that she has to endure through the book is so bittersweet in places and you can’t help wishing for her to catch a break! After spending the latter part of her childhood raising her much younger sister then to be thrown into the life and relationship we find her in you really want her to come out of the book smelling of roses. Does she? Well I’m not one for offering spoilers in a review so read it and find out!
Finally Avery and Nicole are also a big part of the story but this book in the main focuses on the will they won’t they romance of Easton and Brooke and the mountains they both have to climb to get out of the lives they have lead. Avery and Nicole were a great side story and both great supporting friends. The next book in the series is their book and I seriously cannot wait!
I’ve given this book a five fantastic star rating, mainly because I liked the different approach to romance it offered and also because it was nice for once not to have a book that was too angsty but still had suspense and whole lot of obstacles in the way. Cannot wait for more!
