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A Cruise Fling
CRUISE /kro͞oz/ verb
1. To sail in an area, especially for pleasure
2. To look for someone…definitely for pleasure
Mackenzie Laurel is done with rotten lemons. Especially the guy kind. With no relationship, no job, and nowhere to live, Mac’s leaving reality behind to go on a luxury cruise. Sun. Sand. Ocean breezes. Heaven. Of course, a little fun in the sun wouldn’t hurt. And a certain green-eyed passenger might just be the thirst-quenching lemonade she needs…
Cole Matterhorn isn’t a relationship guy. Hell, he can barely commit to leftovers. Yet the second he meets Mac, there’s sparks—the kind that could mean some delicious distraction. Distraction that Cole desperately needs to escape from his work problems and the event that imploded any chance of his having a normal life.
Mac and Cole have more in common than just chemistry. She’s hard of hearing and knows a little something about not always fitting in—and that his prosthetic does not define him. For 9 days they’re both having the time of their lives, whether it’s their failed trivia attempts, heating things up on a Caribbean beach, or even a sexy karaoke serenade.
Now it’s only a matter of time before they hit the shore—and reality.
1. To sail in an area, especially for pleasure
2. To look for someone…definitely for pleasure
Mackenzie Laurel is done with rotten lemons. Especially the guy kind. With no relationship, no job, and nowhere to live, Mac’s leaving reality behind to go on a luxury cruise. Sun. Sand. Ocean breezes. Heaven. Of course, a little fun in the sun wouldn’t hurt. And a certain green-eyed passenger might just be the thirst-quenching lemonade she needs…
Cole Matterhorn isn’t a relationship guy. Hell, he can barely commit to leftovers. Yet the second he meets Mac, there’s sparks—the kind that could mean some delicious distraction. Distraction that Cole desperately needs to escape from his work problems and the event that imploded any chance of his having a normal life.
Mac and Cole have more in common than just chemistry. She’s hard of hearing and knows a little something about not always fitting in—and that his prosthetic does not define him. For 9 days they’re both having the time of their lives, whether it’s their failed trivia attempts, heating things up on a Caribbean beach, or even a sexy karaoke serenade.
Now it’s only a matter of time before they hit the shore—and reality.
279 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 3, 2023
14 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
About the author
Laura Brown
10 books349 followersAfter spending her childhood coming up with new episodes to her favorite sitcoms instead of sleeping, Laura Brown decided to try her hand at writing and never looked back. A hopeless romantic, she’s been drawn to love stories since a young age. She lives in Massachusetts with her family, and yes, that includes feline members! Laura’s been hard of hearing her entire life but didn’t start learning ASL until college, when her disability morphed from an inconvenience to a positive part of her identity. It’s important to her to create strong, competent characters with disabilities, as she didn’t have that growing up. At home the closed captioning is always on, lights flash with the doorbell, and hearing aids are sometimes optional.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
September 11, 2024
Review coming soon.
2023
October 22, 2025Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled: Amara
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled: Amara
November 20, 2023
This was an utterly enjoyable, dual POV, strangers to lovers vacation romance with EXCELLENT disability rep. A room mix-up on a luxury cruise puts hard of hearing FMC, Mackenzie Cole in the path of Cole Matterhorn, a playboy with a recent lower leg amputation.
Fresh off a break-up Mac isn't looking for a relationship and neither is Cole. Their vacation romance sparks very real feelings though and these two have to figure out if they can make something real work once they get off the ship.
I really enjoyed the mental health aspects of this book (Cole suffers from PTSD as a bombing survivor) and especially loved the epilogue and the way Mac was obsessed with lemons. Great on audio narrated by Kelli Tager and perfect for fans of The float plan or Change of plans.
CW: Boston Marathon survivor, amputee, PTSD, toxic workplace/romantic relationship
Fresh off a break-up Mac isn't looking for a relationship and neither is Cole. Their vacation romance sparks very real feelings though and these two have to figure out if they can make something real work once they get off the ship.
I really enjoyed the mental health aspects of this book (Cole suffers from PTSD as a bombing survivor) and especially loved the epilogue and the way Mac was obsessed with lemons. Great on audio narrated by Kelli Tager and perfect for fans of The float plan or Change of plans.
CW: Boston Marathon survivor, amputee, PTSD, toxic workplace/romantic relationship
April 2, 2023
For 9 days only, this cruise offers a reprieve from the pressures of everyday life. Something that Mackenzie desperately needs after catching her boyfriend cheating. Too bad he was also her boss and roommate, leaving her unexpectedly homeless, jobless and single!
Cole is a regular on the cruise scene and is visiting his best friend Trent, who is completing his final stint on staff. The two went through hell together almost a decade ago, where Cole lost a lot more than just his lower leg, and he's still picking up the pieces.
When Mackenzie and Cole connect over their switched luggage, will their spark lead to an onboard romance? Or will the baggage from their past hold them back from the 'lemonade' in their future?
I loved Cole's character and the honest way in which his experiences were reflected. We were privvy to how his amputation affects him day to day, but it was clearly emphasised that his body does not define him. Similarly, Mackenzie and the fact that she is hard of hearing was also integrated extremely naturally and sensitively, which I think can only lead to a better understanding of the experiences of those living with these conditions.
I really enjoyed the way that the chapters were separated by day and the banter between the different characters was hilarious. The spark between Cole & Mac was 🔥🔥; I could have read about their connection all day! I would love a follow up sequel for Dani (if you know, you know!).
Thank you to Author Laura Brown,
Entangled Publishing
& Netgalley for providing this ARC. This review was written willingly and all opinions are my own.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: terrorist attacks, amputation & PTSD
Cole is a regular on the cruise scene and is visiting his best friend Trent, who is completing his final stint on staff. The two went through hell together almost a decade ago, where Cole lost a lot more than just his lower leg, and he's still picking up the pieces.
When Mackenzie and Cole connect over their switched luggage, will their spark lead to an onboard romance? Or will the baggage from their past hold them back from the 'lemonade' in their future?
I loved Cole's character and the honest way in which his experiences were reflected. We were privvy to how his amputation affects him day to day, but it was clearly emphasised that his body does not define him. Similarly, Mackenzie and the fact that she is hard of hearing was also integrated extremely naturally and sensitively, which I think can only lead to a better understanding of the experiences of those living with these conditions.
I really enjoyed the way that the chapters were separated by day and the banter between the different characters was hilarious. The spark between Cole & Mac was 🔥🔥; I could have read about their connection all day! I would love a follow up sequel for Dani (if you know, you know!).
Thank you to Author Laura Brown,
Entangled Publishing
& Netgalley for providing this ARC. This review was written willingly and all opinions are my own.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: terrorist attacks, amputation & PTSD
March 5, 2023
"A Cruise Fling" was a very enjoyable romance novel. This was my first book by Laura Brown so I had nothing to compare it to and no expectations. It ended up being a really cute book that had some surprising emotional layers to it. I loved that the MC's both had minor disabilities but it didn't define who they where. I thought Cole and Mac were a great match and even though they tried to define their relationship early on the universe knew all along how it should be. I love a good meet cute and the story set up was good. It takes place mostly on a cruise ship which is always a great backdrop to a romance. If I had to be nitpicky and give any criticism it would be that a couple moments felt a little too repetitive (rotten lemon theme I am looking at you) Also a pet peeve of mine is if you are going to use swear words, use them. When you rotate between the MC's using the f-bomb and then saying "heck" over and over it feels unnatural and honestly kind of silly. I personally don't know anyone who uses the f-word who won't say "hell" and feels the need to substitute a nicer version, in the same conversation. Just a pet peeve of mine. If you are going to swear make it seem real to the character and be purposeful about it, or just don't do it.
Over all I really enjoyed this book. I would reccomend it and will read other books by this author.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing House as well as Laura Brown for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
Over all I really enjoyed this book. I would reccomend it and will read other books by this author.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing House as well as Laura Brown for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
June 2, 2023
This story was exactly what I needed. I wanted to feel like in a vacation and the storyline happening on a cruise ship was perfect for my mood. It even detailed each cruise port during the cruise. I was literally in that cruise with the protagonists.
This was light and easy read and a bit predictable. However, it captured everything you would expect from a book called « A Cruise Fling » I liked that there was a prologue and went a bit deeper than just the timing of the cruise. And I do admit, it did make me shop for a cruise! But, I chose to escape in another book, which is much less expensive…
If you are looking for a sweet escape… Do not hesitate! Sometimes, we do need lighter books in our rotation!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me a complimentary e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was light and easy read and a bit predictable. However, it captured everything you would expect from a book called « A Cruise Fling » I liked that there was a prologue and went a bit deeper than just the timing of the cruise. And I do admit, it did make me shop for a cruise! But, I chose to escape in another book, which is much less expensive…
If you are looking for a sweet escape… Do not hesitate! Sometimes, we do need lighter books in our rotation!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me a complimentary e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 9, 2023
The concept of this book was really good, but the execution was terrible. The writing could use a lot of work. And I think the book needs more proofreading. There were a few times when I caught inconsistencies in the story and writing.
I almost DNF’ed this book so many times. But the only thing keeping me going was I wanted to know what happened between Mac and Cole. Which shocks me because they were not well written characters. I just have an issue with quitting a book. But I wish I had because no part of this book redeemed it in my eyes.
Spoiler-
I hate the accidental pregnancy trope. I feel like it ruined the entire ending of the book for me. I wanted Mac to make the choice on her own to choose to be with Cole. But, I felt like the pregnancy pushed her to do it before she was ready.
I received an eARC copy of this book from NetGalley.
I almost DNF’ed this book so many times. But the only thing keeping me going was I wanted to know what happened between Mac and Cole. Which shocks me because they were not well written characters. I just have an issue with quitting a book. But I wish I had because no part of this book redeemed it in my eyes.
Spoiler-
I hate the accidental pregnancy trope. I feel like it ruined the entire ending of the book for me. I wanted Mac to make the choice on her own to choose to be with Cole. But, I felt like the pregnancy pushed her to do it before she was ready.
I received an eARC copy of this book from NetGalley.
June 10, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
2.5 rounded up☆
Unfortunately, I found myself wanting to DNF this one around the 30% mark. I was initially drawn to this book by the story line and cover (I mean who wouldn't be? So. cute.) but the way the characters were written sometimes gave me second-hand embarrassment and the overall structure of the book was hard to follow. Mac and Cole were quirky but not necessarily in a good way. After a couple days I got myself to pick this up again and pretty much skimmed to the end. That was enough for me. If you're the kind of person that enjoys an easy breezy cheese-filled rom-com and gross overuse of the word lemon, I would give this a shot!!
2.5 rounded up☆
Unfortunately, I found myself wanting to DNF this one around the 30% mark. I was initially drawn to this book by the story line and cover (I mean who wouldn't be? So. cute.) but the way the characters were written sometimes gave me second-hand embarrassment and the overall structure of the book was hard to follow. Mac and Cole were quirky but not necessarily in a good way. After a couple days I got myself to pick this up again and pretty much skimmed to the end. That was enough for me. If you're the kind of person that enjoys an easy breezy cheese-filled rom-com and gross overuse of the word lemon, I would give this a shot!!
January 23, 2024
A Cruise Fling by Laura Brown
9h 4m read by Kelli Tager, 400 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Travel
Featuring: Florida, Massachusetts, Bahamas, Haiti, Days, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten, Cruise Ship, Heartbreak Vacation Trope, Disabilities, PTSD, Activities, Long Chapters, Trust Issues, Sex - Detailed,
Rating as a movie: R/NC-17 for strong sexual content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" by Beyoncé, "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood, "Big Energy (Remix)" by Latto featuring Mariah Carey & DJ Khaled, "Careless Whisper" by Wham! featuring George Michael, "Read Your Mind" by Avant, "Toast" by Koffee, "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift, "Kiss" by Prince, "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher, "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran, "Womanizer" by Britney Spears, "Girl in the Red Dress" by Gregg Karukas, Footloose
Song by Kenny Loggins, "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls, "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club, "Hot Hot Hot" by Arrow, "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️🚢🇧🇸🇭🇹
My thoughts: 📱77% 7:01:10 (twenty-seven minutes into Day 9 twenty-three minutes from Day 10) Day 9 Florida - I was trying but I didn't make it, my husband’s home and this is getting pushed to bedtime.
This book had everything I wanted in a cruise story, food, excursions, activities, so many books don't deliver in those areas so you don't feel like you're on a cruise. I definitely felt like I was on a cruise, but the conversation wasn't good so while I did enjoy the story I felt like I was at a table with people I didn't care for. Something was just off with the execution. I was also very annoyed that Mac didn't just block Chad, the bc issue was a major plot hole for me.
Recommend to others: Maybe. If you want to go on a cruise via literature this is good.
9h 4m read by Kelli Tager, 400 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Travel
Featuring: Florida, Massachusetts, Bahamas, Haiti, Days, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten, Cruise Ship, Heartbreak Vacation Trope, Disabilities, PTSD, Activities, Long Chapters, Trust Issues, Sex - Detailed,
Rating as a movie: R/NC-17 for strong sexual content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" by Beyoncé, "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood, "Big Energy (Remix)" by Latto featuring Mariah Carey & DJ Khaled, "Careless Whisper" by Wham! featuring George Michael, "Read Your Mind" by Avant, "Toast" by Koffee, "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift, "Kiss" by Prince, "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher, "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran, "Womanizer" by Britney Spears, "Girl in the Red Dress" by Gregg Karukas, Footloose
Song by Kenny Loggins, "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls, "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club, "Hot Hot Hot" by Arrow, "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️🚢🇧🇸🇭🇹
My thoughts: 📱77% 7:01:10 (twenty-seven minutes into Day 9 twenty-three minutes from Day 10) Day 9 Florida - I was trying but I didn't make it, my husband’s home and this is getting pushed to bedtime.
This book had everything I wanted in a cruise story, food, excursions, activities, so many books don't deliver in those areas so you don't feel like you're on a cruise. I definitely felt like I was on a cruise, but the conversation wasn't good so while I did enjoy the story I felt like I was at a table with people I didn't care for. Something was just off with the execution. I was also very annoyed that Mac didn't just block Chad, the bc issue was a major plot hole for me.
Recommend to others: Maybe. If you want to go on a cruise via literature this is good.
April 11, 2023
Cruising is my favorite way to travel (only unpack once, see so many places!) so I jumped at the chance to read this one. I love that cruising is realistically represented in this one, with onboard activities and port stops. The main characters are fun and I enjoyed getting to know them, warming to them right away. I understand the need for the emails to move the story along but they got to be a little tedious after awhile as did the instalove between so many different couples (I wish Rob had found someone, too). The writing flows well and the story is easy to follow and I liked how each of the characters issues are addressed and accommodated. All in all, an enjoyable read.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and @Entangled_Publishing for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and @Entangled_Publishing for an honest review.
April 6, 2023
Mackenzie (Mac) is fed up with men. Her best friend sets her up on a cruise, in a beautiful balcony cabin cabin. Mac is determined to enjoy herself alone, laying by the pool and eating from the buffet.
Then she meets Cole, a handsome green eyed hunk and she starts to think that may be a cruise fling wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. Especially since Cole is very attentive and seems to really like her. They have great chemistry, but can they continue their relationship when they get back to real life?
I enjoyed this love at first sight, strangers to lovers romance. 4 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.
Then she meets Cole, a handsome green eyed hunk and she starts to think that may be a cruise fling wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. Especially since Cole is very attentive and seems to really like her. They have great chemistry, but can they continue their relationship when they get back to real life?
I enjoyed this love at first sight, strangers to lovers romance. 4 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.
May 2, 2023
i want to start off by saying i don’t not like the book, i didn’t have a problem with the writing style or any issues overall with the plot
however i had a very hard time trying to get any sort of connection(?) to it, i was excited when i first got this book - it was a cute cover which is always a plus and from the description it seemed like a good read but i couldn’t get into it (also the ending was just not it for me but we move)
but even though it wasn’t for me if you’re interested go for it
however i had a very hard time trying to get any sort of connection(?) to it, i was excited when i first got this book - it was a cute cover which is always a plus and from the description it seemed like a good read but i couldn’t get into it (also the ending was just not it for me but we move)
but even though it wasn’t for me if you’re interested go for it
April 20, 2023
2 stars.
There was a lot of potential for "A Cruise Fling" by Laura Brown to be great, but I just didn't love this book. The premise is wonderful, but there are many missed opportunities here. I really liked main characters Mac and Cole at the beginning of the book, but the longer I sat with them both together and separately, they more they got on my nerves. However, I absolutely LOVED the fact that Cole has a prosthesis and Mac is hard of hearing. There also needed to be a lot more editing in this book because the pacing is wildly inconsistent. The beginning just started - bam! - and then around the 35% mark, it goes at a snail's pace for the remainder of the story. I didn't connect with this story much after that. It's way too slow and boring for such a short book! Also, there is an insanely large amount of talk about lemons? And rotten lemons? Like...? Did Big Lemon fund the publishing of this book? I love romances and forced proximity, but this was a no for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Brown, and Entangled Publishing LLC for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.
There was a lot of potential for "A Cruise Fling" by Laura Brown to be great, but I just didn't love this book. The premise is wonderful, but there are many missed opportunities here. I really liked main characters Mac and Cole at the beginning of the book, but the longer I sat with them both together and separately, they more they got on my nerves. However, I absolutely LOVED the fact that Cole has a prosthesis and Mac is hard of hearing. There also needed to be a lot more editing in this book because the pacing is wildly inconsistent. The beginning just started - bam! - and then around the 35% mark, it goes at a snail's pace for the remainder of the story. I didn't connect with this story much after that. It's way too slow and boring for such a short book! Also, there is an insanely large amount of talk about lemons? And rotten lemons? Like...? Did Big Lemon fund the publishing of this book? I love romances and forced proximity, but this was a no for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Brown, and Entangled Publishing LLC for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.
March 26, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Anyone who knows me knows this is my truth: falling in love on a vacation is easy. One time a guy kissed me by a lake in Montana and I was like…writing poetry about him for months, thinking can I have a cowboy wedding on horseback in the mountains? Fell for my bike tour guide in Paris. A massage therapist in Canada. The list truly, incredibly, goes on and on. So I WANTED to love this. But even though I can find the realistic aspect of just immediately being stupid about romance on a vacation, something about it just didn’t deliver in the believability category. And I really hate to say this, don’t like to ick on anyone’s yums, but this book gave me a very serious ick. So let me just…unpack this.
This story has a genuinely good premise and foundation that has so much potential. Who doesn’t fantasize about falling in love on vacation? The characters, at a base level, are really good characters that you’re rooting for- it’s just that none of the proposed romances have a fundamental chemistry, especially the secondary one with Quinn. Like I don’t think I understood why everyone was saying there were sparks because it just kind of felt like normal conversation to me? With the main relationship, the instant infatuation doesn’t feel very genuine and it’s maybe a bit superficial. The one liners this guy is giving end up coming off creepy when they could have been cute had their relationship had a little more context or depth to it. I don’t want to spoil the ending for anyone giving it a go but I didn’t like how quickly this relationship takes off and how possessive and controlling the guy ends up being. If I had a fling with a guy on a cruise when my life was going to shit, this ending would be my absolute nightmare scenario.
I think there’s a lot more that could’ve been done with this book, for example each of the chapters is titled after where they are geographically but you don’t really get the sense of any of those cultures or any unique activities specific to those locations. There’s quite a bit of overuse of the term fling and so many references to lemons and lemonade that’s just a bit overdone. But again such a good premise and I mean that ending isn’t for everyone but was definitely interesting to say the least.
Anyone who knows me knows this is my truth: falling in love on a vacation is easy. One time a guy kissed me by a lake in Montana and I was like…writing poetry about him for months, thinking can I have a cowboy wedding on horseback in the mountains? Fell for my bike tour guide in Paris. A massage therapist in Canada. The list truly, incredibly, goes on and on. So I WANTED to love this. But even though I can find the realistic aspect of just immediately being stupid about romance on a vacation, something about it just didn’t deliver in the believability category. And I really hate to say this, don’t like to ick on anyone’s yums, but this book gave me a very serious ick. So let me just…unpack this.
This story has a genuinely good premise and foundation that has so much potential. Who doesn’t fantasize about falling in love on vacation? The characters, at a base level, are really good characters that you’re rooting for- it’s just that none of the proposed romances have a fundamental chemistry, especially the secondary one with Quinn. Like I don’t think I understood why everyone was saying there were sparks because it just kind of felt like normal conversation to me? With the main relationship, the instant infatuation doesn’t feel very genuine and it’s maybe a bit superficial. The one liners this guy is giving end up coming off creepy when they could have been cute had their relationship had a little more context or depth to it. I don’t want to spoil the ending for anyone giving it a go but I didn’t like how quickly this relationship takes off and how possessive and controlling the guy ends up being. If I had a fling with a guy on a cruise when my life was going to shit, this ending would be my absolute nightmare scenario.
I think there’s a lot more that could’ve been done with this book, for example each of the chapters is titled after where they are geographically but you don’t really get the sense of any of those cultures or any unique activities specific to those locations. There’s quite a bit of overuse of the term fling and so many references to lemons and lemonade that’s just a bit overdone. But again such a good premise and I mean that ending isn’t for everyone but was definitely interesting to say the least.
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November 3, 2025*𝐍𝐨 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬*
For starters, I LOVE this book!! The table of contents is soo cute, instead of “chapter 1-13” it’s actually “Day 1-9” because this whole book takes place on a 9 day long cruise. It’s a strangers to friends/ sweet&spicy 😏🌶 fling 😅. Mac (Mackenzie) and Coles connection was instant where HE falls first! It’s the most adorable thing ever! I haven’t read about a sweet and awkward MMC 😆 so I loved it even more. The banter between Cole and his best friend, Trent, is the BEST THING EVER! 😂😂😂 I love those 2! I love Trent on the low 😏👌🏽 the friendships here are so pure and beautiful, I need the friends that both Mac and Cole have! This entire book is so light, fun, and hilarious. Both Mac and Cole weren’t expecting nothing on the cruise as they went on the cruise to escape their realities. But here we are ☺️ this book is different than what I’ve read so far and I just absolutely love it! I highly recommend it!
I want to thank Lauren Brown and Netgalley for allowing me to devour this arc before it released. 💕 I truly enjoyed it.
🍋He falls first
🍋Love at first sight
🍋Strangers to lovers
🍋Fling
🍋This may contain some triggers such as: physical disabilities
hearing impairment
emotional/mental stress
ptsd
Boston bombing 🤍
𝙁𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨:
-When life hands you lemons, don’t wait for them to rot.
-“You run from commitment.” Ran, Past tense. “I don’t run anywhere anymore. I was waiting for Mac.”
For starters, I LOVE this book!! The table of contents is soo cute, instead of “chapter 1-13” it’s actually “Day 1-9” because this whole book takes place on a 9 day long cruise. It’s a strangers to friends/ sweet&spicy 😏🌶 fling 😅. Mac (Mackenzie) and Coles connection was instant where HE falls first! It’s the most adorable thing ever! I haven’t read about a sweet and awkward MMC 😆 so I loved it even more. The banter between Cole and his best friend, Trent, is the BEST THING EVER! 😂😂😂 I love those 2! I love Trent on the low 😏👌🏽 the friendships here are so pure and beautiful, I need the friends that both Mac and Cole have! This entire book is so light, fun, and hilarious. Both Mac and Cole weren’t expecting nothing on the cruise as they went on the cruise to escape their realities. But here we are ☺️ this book is different than what I’ve read so far and I just absolutely love it! I highly recommend it!
I want to thank Lauren Brown and Netgalley for allowing me to devour this arc before it released. 💕 I truly enjoyed it.
🍋He falls first
🍋Love at first sight
🍋Strangers to lovers
🍋Fling
🍋This may contain some triggers such as: physical disabilities
hearing impairment
emotional/mental stress
ptsd
Boston bombing 🤍
𝙁𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨:
-When life hands you lemons, don’t wait for them to rot.
-“You run from commitment.” Ran, Past tense. “I don’t run anywhere anymore. I was waiting for Mac.”
April 1, 2023
This is an awesome story with a fun plot. Mackenzie and Cole both go on a cruise in search of life answers and learns a lifelong lesson. Cruise with them as they discover that sometimes life can hand you exactly what you need. Get ready to be delighted and entertained by an great cast of characters. The author did a great job of showcasing differences and how they should be embraced. It is a page turner to the very happy end.
March 22, 2023
3.5 Stars
Are You a fan of The Unhoneymooners or Shipped? The next cruise/ beach read is :
2 Strangers - Mac and Cole are both in the throes of major life decisions. So they decide to take a vacation. But they don’t know each other…yet.
A Cruise - they are both booked on a 9 day cruise, and meet through some mis-delivered luggage.
A Fling - they decide to have a cruise only fling, to help them forget the issues that are waiting for them at home. But then they discover they might be more connected than they thought.
This was a perfect book to read while I was on a vacation. It made me want to go on a cruise immediately. The people in the book and on the cruise are very fun and the activities made it more interesting. However, sometimes you just wanted to reach inside the book and shake them awake because they were missing obvious clues to their feelings to each other. Also this book is very spicy so if you are uncomfortable by that, you may want to pass.
Are You a fan of The Unhoneymooners or Shipped? The next cruise/ beach read is :
2 Strangers - Mac and Cole are both in the throes of major life decisions. So they decide to take a vacation. But they don’t know each other…yet.
A Cruise - they are both booked on a 9 day cruise, and meet through some mis-delivered luggage.
A Fling - they decide to have a cruise only fling, to help them forget the issues that are waiting for them at home. But then they discover they might be more connected than they thought.
This was a perfect book to read while I was on a vacation. It made me want to go on a cruise immediately. The people in the book and on the cruise are very fun and the activities made it more interesting. However, sometimes you just wanted to reach inside the book and shake them awake because they were missing obvious clues to their feelings to each other. Also this book is very spicy so if you are uncomfortable by that, you may want to pass.
January 3, 2024
Review: 4.5/ 5 stars
I meant to read this while I was on my cruise, but I didn’t end up starting it until the day my cruise ended and it made me want to go on another cruise immediately!
I ended up reading this in a day because it was so good I couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed both the MC’s and thought that they had great chemistry and I loved the side characters.
I loved that there was disability rep in both main characters.
This was my first book from this author and I will for sure be reading more of her books!
Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.
A Cruise Fling is available now and it is also in KU.
CW: PHYSICAL TRAUMA, PTSD, A TERRORIST ATTACK (in the past)
I meant to read this while I was on my cruise, but I didn’t end up starting it until the day my cruise ended and it made me want to go on another cruise immediately!
I ended up reading this in a day because it was so good I couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed both the MC’s and thought that they had great chemistry and I loved the side characters.
I loved that there was disability rep in both main characters.
This was my first book from this author and I will for sure be reading more of her books!
Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.
A Cruise Fling is available now and it is also in KU.
CW: PHYSICAL TRAUMA, PTSD, A TERRORIST ATTACK (in the past)
November 18, 2023
I was approved for this ARC very shortly after I went on a cruise so that made this book more enjoyable! It was everything I felt a book called “A Cruise Fling” so it was a little predictable but I also thought it was cute. The characters were a little annoying, like “can’t you see what the other person is wanting??” But I still enjoyed reading about them. I definitely want to read another book by this author!
March 19, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A Cruise Fling gives major summer holiday vibes that make you want to read this book while you're laid on a sun lounger, covered in lotion by the sea. This book is well written and had me laughing out loud. I loved the growth of the MCs, and I really enjoyed the side characters as well. Definitely worth a summer read.
A Cruise Fling gives major summer holiday vibes that make you want to read this book while you're laid on a sun lounger, covered in lotion by the sea. This book is well written and had me laughing out loud. I loved the growth of the MCs, and I really enjoyed the side characters as well. Definitely worth a summer read.
March 31, 2023
This is a 3 out of 5 stars for me, and even that is making me squint with mild regret. The third star is for the representation of the disabilities and how that was handled, to be honest. Story is a solid two.
I requested this ARC for the premise and the representation of the two main characters’ disabilities. I felt like that would be a breath of fresh air. This novel centers around our two main characters, Mackenzie “Mac” Laurel and Cole Matterhorn (I cannot be the only one who thinks of Disneyland when his name pops up, I cannot.) as they set sail on an 8-day cruise through the Caribbean. Mac is just getting out of a horrible relationship, and Cole can’t even say the word “relationship” without gagging, but their chemistry cannot be denied! So they decide to make their “fling” contingent on their time on the cruise ship. After those 8 days, they’re gone and they won’t have to see each other again. Right?
I'm going to hide the rest due to some mild spoilers throughout.
Overall, it was okay, but the ending was a bummer. It took some effort to get through some slow parts, but there were cute moments. Also some pretty spicy ones.
Thank you to Entangled: Amara and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I requested this ARC for the premise and the representation of the two main characters’ disabilities. I felt like that would be a breath of fresh air. This novel centers around our two main characters, Mackenzie “Mac” Laurel and Cole Matterhorn (I cannot be the only one who thinks of Disneyland when his name pops up, I cannot.) as they set sail on an 8-day cruise through the Caribbean. Mac is just getting out of a horrible relationship, and Cole can’t even say the word “relationship” without gagging, but their chemistry cannot be denied! So they decide to make their “fling” contingent on their time on the cruise ship. After those 8 days, they’re gone and they won’t have to see each other again. Right?
I'm going to hide the rest due to some mild spoilers throughout.
Overall, it was okay, but the ending was a bummer. It took some effort to get through some slow parts, but there were cute moments. Also some pretty spicy ones.
Thank you to Entangled: Amara and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2024
finally finished! there were parts of this book that i enjoyed, and some parts where i couldn’t face it anymore and had to go on a multiple-week hiatus from reading it.
i liked cole’s backstory of the terrorist attack and his identity as an amputee. i think it was a stronger depiction of disability than mac. but it is like comparing apple’s and orange’s. there were times where mac’s deafness made sense, but many instances where she heard things she wouldn’t have been able to hear (according to her own descriptions of her deafness). but the author is deaf herself, so i’m hesitant with these critiques.
cole was kinda cringy by the second half of the book. i don’t care what anyone says but it was a red flag how quickly he began thinking that mac was ‘the one’ for him and professing all these things. the dual POV was nice until cole got a bit overbearing (which was 90% of the time).
the pacing of the book was also odd. it felt like a million things happened in the last 20% of the book: incredibly severe food poisoning, then pregnancy, then proposal, then ANOTHER pregnancy? it’s also a pet peeve of mine when a pregnancy plot is introduced so late in a novel just to suddenly fix all the ‘problems’ (or the characters conveniently forgets all their problems). i’m a firm believer that mac needed time to herself to go to college, get her footing. i just wish her story didn’t end this way. the pregnancy plot should’ve been a sequel, rather than a plot device to get them together rather than talking out all their problems?
i wanted the book to start and finish on the cruise, maybe with some flashbacks. i was so frustrated when they were on the last day of the cruise and there was still halfway of the book to go?? the pacing definitely needed some work. but i did LOVE the parts on the cruise and some parts of this book were well-written. i’m just being harsh.
also the lemons thing?? SO overdone. every second page had something about lemons.
i liked cole’s backstory of the terrorist attack and his identity as an amputee. i think it was a stronger depiction of disability than mac. but it is like comparing apple’s and orange’s. there were times where mac’s deafness made sense, but many instances where she heard things she wouldn’t have been able to hear (according to her own descriptions of her deafness). but the author is deaf herself, so i’m hesitant with these critiques.
cole was kinda cringy by the second half of the book. i don’t care what anyone says but it was a red flag how quickly he began thinking that mac was ‘the one’ for him and professing all these things. the dual POV was nice until cole got a bit overbearing (which was 90% of the time).
the pacing of the book was also odd. it felt like a million things happened in the last 20% of the book: incredibly severe food poisoning, then pregnancy, then proposal, then ANOTHER pregnancy? it’s also a pet peeve of mine when a pregnancy plot is introduced so late in a novel just to suddenly fix all the ‘problems’ (or the characters conveniently forgets all their problems). i’m a firm believer that mac needed time to herself to go to college, get her footing. i just wish her story didn’t end this way. the pregnancy plot should’ve been a sequel, rather than a plot device to get them together rather than talking out all their problems?
i wanted the book to start and finish on the cruise, maybe with some flashbacks. i was so frustrated when they were on the last day of the cruise and there was still halfway of the book to go?? the pacing definitely needed some work. but i did LOVE the parts on the cruise and some parts of this book were well-written. i’m just being harsh.
also the lemons thing?? SO overdone. every second page had something about lemons.
May 5, 2023
I've never been on a cruise, but this amusing story makes it sound fun. Well developed, endearing characters, detailed descriptions of what goes on in a cruise and playful banter make it am enjoyable read.
Mackenzie Laurel has been dumped by her live in unfathful boyfriend and as her boss he also fired her. (Law suit in the making, but not mentioned). Her big brother had gaslighted her to believe that she had bad luck and made bad choices. Her best friend Dani works for a travel agency, so books her on a luxury cruise with the orders to have a fling. What she neglected to tell her was not to have the fling with her boss. Cole Matterhorn lost all his dreams when he lost the bottom of his leg to a terrorist's bomb, while his best friend Trent, standing right next to him, escaped physically unscathed, but also is suffering from PTSD. Both do not allow themselves to become close to anyone, because of the fear of losing someone or causing pain to someone. This has worked well for the least 9 years, but Mac became more to him than a fling when he tries to convince her that she should go with her first instinct and not second guess her self. Not only do Mac and Cole have a HEA, but so does Trent.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Mackenzie Laurel has been dumped by her live in unfathful boyfriend and as her boss he also fired her. (Law suit in the making, but not mentioned). Her big brother had gaslighted her to believe that she had bad luck and made bad choices. Her best friend Dani works for a travel agency, so books her on a luxury cruise with the orders to have a fling. What she neglected to tell her was not to have the fling with her boss. Cole Matterhorn lost all his dreams when he lost the bottom of his leg to a terrorist's bomb, while his best friend Trent, standing right next to him, escaped physically unscathed, but also is suffering from PTSD. Both do not allow themselves to become close to anyone, because of the fear of losing someone or causing pain to someone. This has worked well for the least 9 years, but Mac became more to him than a fling when he tries to convince her that she should go with her first instinct and not second guess her self. Not only do Mac and Cole have a HEA, but so does Trent.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
May 10, 2023
I received this book courtesy of NetGalley and Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are of my own.
I had high hopes for this book. The plot seemed interesting and I thought it would be a fun and quick read but this book was not it.
The were so many inconsistencies and errors and the editor in me was raging every time I came across another error. I believe that the idea was there, but it wasn't done well enough. There were so many times I had to stop and consider not even giving a review on the book because I honestly couldn't find one good thing to say about it. It felt like I was reading a literal first draft, not a ARC copy.
The characterisation needs to be better, I feel we don't have a good sense of 'who' they really are which made me struggle to connect to the story.
The whole 'fling' trope doesn't sit well with me anyway. I find it boring and over done.
It was the slowest book, which was crazy because it was quite small.
With some work on the plot, structure and general editing, it could be better and unfortunately it just isn't there yet.
I had high hopes for this book. The plot seemed interesting and I thought it would be a fun and quick read but this book was not it.
The were so many inconsistencies and errors and the editor in me was raging every time I came across another error. I believe that the idea was there, but it wasn't done well enough. There were so many times I had to stop and consider not even giving a review on the book because I honestly couldn't find one good thing to say about it. It felt like I was reading a literal first draft, not a ARC copy.
The characterisation needs to be better, I feel we don't have a good sense of 'who' they really are which made me struggle to connect to the story.
The whole 'fling' trope doesn't sit well with me anyway. I find it boring and over done.
It was the slowest book, which was crazy because it was quite small.
With some work on the plot, structure and general editing, it could be better and unfortunately it just isn't there yet.
July 25, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ it was a cute, cheesy fling on a cruise ship. I listened as an audiobook, which was good for the very long chapters. I loved how each chapter was a day on the cruise. I felt like I was on a Royal Caribbean ship with the ports they visited. Predictable but cute easy read.
May 6, 2023
This book felt very different from Laura Brown’s other books, and I’m not sure I can put my finger on why. I had to work harder to focus, but that might have been because I was very ill while I read it, so it took me forever to finish. There was heat, sweetness, and swoons, and it was fun to go along for the cruise. I enjoyed the way friendships, both long-term and new, were portrayed in the story. The hard-of-hearing rep was relatable, and Cole was a wonderful hero. I know some readers are skeptical of instalove tropes, but this felt believable and I was rooting for Cole and Mac. I recommend it to fans of stories about cruises, steamy vacation flings, and heroes that fall fast and hard.
November 4, 2025
Had a hard time feeling a connection between the two main protagonists, which I think is essential in this type of book. Enjoyed the setting, since I started it while on a cruise myself.
May 26, 2024
I was fully prepared to give this book 4 stars and then the last 25% happened! Honestly, this would be a great vacation read if the ending didn't happen. The beginning reminded me of my cruise last year and how fun that was. The ending.... ugh. There was a moment when the main couple have unprotected sex. They obviously know that it happened and are like "que sera sera." NO! I'm sorry but y'all are old enough to walk your butts to a pharmacy and get some Plan B. It was like a 90 Day Fiance episode where the girl comes back with a baby as a souvenir.
April 8, 2023
I really enjoyed Mackenzie and Cole’s unexpected romance in A Cruise Fling by Laura Brown. Mackenzie and Cole both go on a cruise in looking for answers to their upended lives and end up learning a lifelong lesson. Cruise with them as they discover that sometimes life will give you exactly what you need; as in: if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. You will be delighted and entertained by a great cast of characters; showcasing differences and how they should be embraced.
Mackenzie Laurel’s life might be in the dumpster, but thanks to her best friend, she’s got a cruise to look forward to; something she desperately needs after catching her boyfriend cheating. Too bad he was also her boss and roommate, leaving her unexpectedly homeless, jobless and single. The cruise is reprieve from the pressures of everyday life for Cole. He is a regular on the cruise scene and is using this trip to visit his best friend Trent, who is completing his final stint on staff. The two went through a horrible ordeal together almost a decade ago, where Cole lost a lot more than just his lower leg, and he's still picking up the pieces. A luggage mix-up leads to Mackenzie and Cole meeting, connecting, and feeling the zing of an instant attraction; possibly sparking an onboard romance. Hopefully the baggage from their pasts won’t hold them back from the 'lemonade' in their future.
Ms. Brown wrote a wonderful and heartwarming romance, reading like a travel journal with chapters titled by the day of the cruise. This story was also written to be inclusive of people with a hearing impairment and those affected by an amputation that should not to be missed. This was delivered naturally and with sensitivity to those with disabilities. She provided a tale rich with sizzling chemistry, amusing banter, and a cast of endearing characters giving Mackenzie and Cole an unexpected chance at a future together. I highly recommend A Cruise Fling to other readers and hope there is a follow up story for Dani.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Mackenzie Laurel’s life might be in the dumpster, but thanks to her best friend, she’s got a cruise to look forward to; something she desperately needs after catching her boyfriend cheating. Too bad he was also her boss and roommate, leaving her unexpectedly homeless, jobless and single. The cruise is reprieve from the pressures of everyday life for Cole. He is a regular on the cruise scene and is using this trip to visit his best friend Trent, who is completing his final stint on staff. The two went through a horrible ordeal together almost a decade ago, where Cole lost a lot more than just his lower leg, and he's still picking up the pieces. A luggage mix-up leads to Mackenzie and Cole meeting, connecting, and feeling the zing of an instant attraction; possibly sparking an onboard romance. Hopefully the baggage from their pasts won’t hold them back from the 'lemonade' in their future.
Ms. Brown wrote a wonderful and heartwarming romance, reading like a travel journal with chapters titled by the day of the cruise. This story was also written to be inclusive of people with a hearing impairment and those affected by an amputation that should not to be missed. This was delivered naturally and with sensitivity to those with disabilities. She provided a tale rich with sizzling chemistry, amusing banter, and a cast of endearing characters giving Mackenzie and Cole an unexpected chance at a future together. I highly recommend A Cruise Fling to other readers and hope there is a follow up story for Dani.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
April 1, 2023
Some may have called it fate when Mac and Cole (strangers) found themselves both on a beautiful island cruise. When Mac arrived to her room, she didn’t find her cute lemon luggage but instead, Cole’s beat up luggage. Thus beginning the hunt for Cole and her luggage.
When Mac found Cole, the two immediately hit it off and had an undeniable connection. They quickly decided to have a cruise fling. I loved this aspect of the book so much. I’ve been on one cruise but live vicariously through so many Youtubers on their own cruises so this book had me hooked from the beginning. The sites and excursions were so fun to read about.
Mac was lowkey stubborn about continuing this fling when they returned home, which coincidentally was Boston for both of them. I disliked the demeanor that Mac had. I think she could have been a little more open to the idea since they clearly had a connection. But none the less, I did adore the way the two met and the way that their relationship became closer with a major plot twist I didn’t see coming! I know a lot of people hate the accidental pregnancy trope but I didn’t mind it in this instance.
Lastly, I would recommend checking the trigger warnings. As someone who’s from the Boston area and vividly remembers the marathon bombing and the horror, i thought it was a little insensitive to have staged the story around such a devastating event. IMO the main character could have lost his leg in an accident or a fire, etc. The parts mentioning the bombing were almost awkward for me to read because we go from a light and fluffy romance to throwing bits and pieces of a terrorist attack in that many of us lived through and/or were affected by in some way. At one point the author even compared the bombing to being heartbroken like COME ON. Given that the story was about the cruise fling, I just thought it was kind of unnecessary to bring up something so significant. I could be overreacting but I also feel like I can’t be the only one who feels this way.
When Mac found Cole, the two immediately hit it off and had an undeniable connection. They quickly decided to have a cruise fling. I loved this aspect of the book so much. I’ve been on one cruise but live vicariously through so many Youtubers on their own cruises so this book had me hooked from the beginning. The sites and excursions were so fun to read about.
Mac was lowkey stubborn about continuing this fling when they returned home, which coincidentally was Boston for both of them. I disliked the demeanor that Mac had. I think she could have been a little more open to the idea since they clearly had a connection. But none the less, I did adore the way the two met and the way that their relationship became closer with a major plot twist I didn’t see coming! I know a lot of people hate the accidental pregnancy trope but I didn’t mind it in this instance.
Lastly, I would recommend checking the trigger warnings. As someone who’s from the Boston area and vividly remembers the marathon bombing and the horror, i thought it was a little insensitive to have staged the story around such a devastating event. IMO the main character could have lost his leg in an accident or a fire, etc. The parts mentioning the bombing were almost awkward for me to read because we go from a light and fluffy romance to throwing bits and pieces of a terrorist attack in that many of us lived through and/or were affected by in some way. At one point the author even compared the bombing to being heartbroken like COME ON. Given that the story was about the cruise fling, I just thought it was kind of unnecessary to bring up something so significant. I could be overreacting but I also feel like I can’t be the only one who feels this way.
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