More Than Clickbait: A Steamy Brother's Best Friend Secret Identity Rom-Com

Below Deck #2

by Philippa Young

When health-and-fitness influencer Gemma Harvey’s dream of being selected for a reality TV dating show turns into a nightmare, she sets sail on a cruise ship with a whole new identity, ready to spend the next six months working with her brother, out of the public eye.
But Gemma’s plan to lie low goes awry when cheeky American Tom Parks – her brother’s girlfriend’s best friend (it’s complicated) – gives her a night she’ll never forget, and suddenly the last thing she wants is to be invisible.
Tom’s struggling to maintain his social media presence onboard the ship following the success of a viral stand-up comedy clip, until he meets "Megan" – the one woman he doesn’t know yet he can’t have – who could be the key to his success…as long as her brother never finds out their little secret.
More Than Clickbait is a steamy workplace rom-com where a brother’s “best” friend meets a sister with a secret identity.

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Workplace Romance, Summer, Contemporary, Workplace

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2024

Reviews

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

[Philippa Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome back, Shipmates! I really hope you enjoy More Than Clickbait.

Tropes include:
🏝️ Secret Identity
⛱️ Brother’s “Best” Friend
🛳 Workplace Romance 
☀️ Forbidden Love
🐚 Forced Proximity
🌊 Romantic Comedy
👙 2nd book in a series
⚓ No third-act breakup
🌶️ Spice from the start

For content warnings, please check my website: www.philippayoungauthor.com

[Koisty · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 It was the Plant Stars ⭐
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5

So I have been sitting on this review for a long time because I really don't know how to review it...

This is book 2 in the Below Deck series and while it could "technically" be read as a standalone, I would HIGHLY recommend that you read book 1, More than Shipmates first. It sets the foundation of who Tom is and gives insight into a lot of his backstory that isn't really explained in this. It also gives you a front-row scene of what happened between him, Eliza and Oscar. It was sweet that Philippa Young included a summary of Book 1 at the start. I hardly see authors do this and IT HELPS SO MUCH.

𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
It's been a few months since the end of More Than Shipmates and Tom has become famous on TikTok/Insta (The app is not exactly clear but it's ONE OF THESE). The problem is he doesn't know much about social media management and doesn't know how to cope with his sudden stardom after going viral. Gemma (Who is going by "Megan") is Oscar's little sister, and she has escaped to work on the ship after a PR disaster on a dating show. The first night Tom is back on board he is immediately drawn to Gemma Megan but knows that she is off limits because she is Oscar's sister and Oscar already doesn't like him... But one night the two end up together and "experiment" and can't keep their hands off each other. So when it's suggested to them that "Megan" help Tom with his social media - how long will the two be able to resist each other?

𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
The spark that was there in Book 1 was missing. We hardly see Gemma's POV as most of the book is in Tom's POV - this was a refreshing change since most books are always predominately FMC-focused. But even when we are in Gemma's POV you hardly get to learn who she is as a character. The big faux pax she did that made her run away is so "secretive" even in her own POV that for almost all of the book you're wondering what would have been so bad for people to want to cancel her... that when the reveal happens, it felt lacklustre.... Do not get me wrong, the treatment of her was appalling and it's sad that people think they can treat "celebrities" that way... but she just felt very surface level as we weren't given her processing and dealing with the incident and showing us the nitty gritty details. It verged on at the end of being "told" in a quick chapter basically to having the whole "trauma" laid out to the reader from the start.

Secondly, WHERE WAS TOM AND ELIZA'S FRIENDSHIP???? All that cute PLATONIC banter and friendship they developed after she started dating Oskar was just poof, gone. They hardly interact with each other and when they do it feels stilted and weird...and considering she is his supposed "best friend", when he hardly sees, speaks or interacts with her felt off... We see more of the bromance between Jack and him than his friend. And don't get me wrong I love Jack and I cannot wait to see what happens in his book - his involvement in the relationship between Tom and Gemma was monumental and unmatchable...and he is such a good friend to both of them... but like he's not the one the story keeps saying is his best friend... -_-

I loved that Tom grew into a little reformed Man Whore and was so sweet to Gemma and HE IS THE KING OF CONSENT and making a woman feel pressured. When he saw our scared, nervous and innocent Gemma and his willingness to take it so slow with her... it was adorable even if the slow burn to the eventual payout was tortuous bliss...

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Dual Pov
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Hidden Identity
▶ Best Friend's Boyfriend's Sister
▶ Social Media Coach
▶ Roommate Sharing is Caring
▶ Voyeurism
▶ Social Media Celebrity Romance
▶ Use Me
▶ Fast Burn to SLOW BURN

Overall I didn't hate this...I was disappointed given how much I loved More than Shipmates. This series is fun to read and the naughty antics this crew get up to are on par with ANY REALITY TV DATING SHOW... It's addictive, enticing and unputdownable...

I will DEFINITELY be reading book 3....

[Kaity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow….

[Sienasummerrreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This follows Tom who is going viral on socials and a comedian. He has been on the cruise boat entertainment scene for a while. It’s now time for another six-month stint on the cruise boat. Little does he know that the mysterious brunette is his best friend’s sister and keeping a low profile. But what is she hiding from?

Huge shout out to Philippa for including a recap at the start for More Than Shipmates book one in the series! I loved this Megan and Tom’s tension was fantastic. The cruise boat parties were brilliant. I loved the mysterious element of trying to work out why Megan was hiding her true identity. We love a consent and patient king and Tom takes the title. The perfect amount of spice with some fantastic scenes. I will mention though the last 15% of the book I struggled to get my head around the Megan storyline. It felt quick from being sad and struggling then standing up for herself which she deserves of course. But personally, my brain wasn’t grasping what was going on and understanding clearly what happened fully and it felt a little fast towards the end. Other than that the book was great and was a feel-good read.

If you love:

🔹Brothers Best Friend
🔹Forced Proximity
🔹Secret Identity
🔹Reformed Play Boy
🔹Made Me Laugh
🔹Perfect Amount Of Spice

Genre/Type: Romance 18+
APK: Kindle - ARC
Pages: 287
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
Series or Stand Alone: Book Two In The Below Deck Series
Tropes or Themes: Brothers Best Friend, Workplace, Secret Identity, Forced Proximity, Reformed Playboy, Made Me Laugh, Assault, Violence, Playlist, Sexual Content, Praise, Dirty Talk, Virgin, FFM and MFM Scenes
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫

All Round Romance Reader 
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Everand | Amazon | Audible Reviews 💫

[Kriste ☾Papartis ir knyga☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know when you finish a book and sit there thinking, "Okay, what exactly did I just read?" That’s kind of how I feel about More Than Clickbait by Philippa Young. It's the second book in the Below Deck series, and even though you can read it without the first, I'd recommend starting with More Than Shipmates. It gives you a juicy background on Tom and his history. Oscar, with Eliza, sets the stage for everything in this book. Plus, props to the author for including a recap—honestly, more authors should do that!

So, Tom is now a social media sensation (TikTok, Instagram...something in that world) after going viral. The only problem? He’s terrible at managing his new fame. Meanwhile, we meet Gemma (who’s going by “Megan” for reasons), Oscar’s little sister, who’s had a bit of a public meltdown on a dating show and has escaped to the cruise ship for some peace and quiet. Naturally, sparks fly between her and Tom, even though they both know it’s a terrible idea—hello, Oscar would not be thrilled. But they can’t keep away from each other, and soon enough, Gemma/Megan is helping Tom with his social media...and things start heating up.


I really wanted to love this one as much as I did the first book, but something was missing. Tom’s point of view was refreshing since we usually get the female perspective in romance, but even with that switch, I felt like Gemma never fully came into focus. Her character remained mysterious, especially when it came to her dating show disaster, and when we finally found out what happened, it was a bit underwhelming. I needed more depth, more of her grappling with the fallout rather than just glossing over it.

Another thing that threw me off? Tom and Eliza’s friendship! They had this awesome spiritual bond in the first book, but it felt like they barely interacted here. And when they did, it was awkward. I missed their cute banter, and seeing that connection fizzle out was weird. Thankfully, Tom’s bromance with Jack made up for it a little. Jack was a standout character, and I’m looking forward to seeing his story unfold.

On the plus side, Tom himself was super sweet in this one. His patience with Gemma, especially given her nerves, was heartwarming. He was respectful, took things slow, and grew as a character. The slow burn between them was almost torturous but in a good way!

The cruise ship setting remained fun, and I enjoyed seeing different parts of it through Gemma’s eyes since she worked in a different department. Plus, the whole dating show subplot brought some Love Island vibes, which was entertaining, though Tom’s reaction to it wasn’t my favourite at first. He did redeem himself, though!

Was it as good as More Than Shipmates? Not quite. But it was still a fun, fast read with plenty of spice, sweet moments, and some quirky pop culture references that kept things interesting. If you loved Book 1, you’ll probably enjoy this one, too, but it didn’t quite hit the same high for me. Still, I’m all in for more stories from this cruise ship crew—especially Jack’s!

[embear · Rating 4 out of 5]

as someone who hasn't read the first book in this series, i didn't feel lost and i really enjoyed it! i loved tom and gemma's relationship and how they evolved throughout the book!
i liked that it hadas 2 povs, but it was too obvious that there was one more present that the other... it felt like we couldn't get into gemma's head bc we never got to be IN it. overall this was a fun and easy read, and i recommend it if you want to read in one sitting a cute romance book!
however, there was some things that made me a little disappointed such as tom's friendship with eliza's and how it disappeared at the end?? all of a sudden??? i loved their friendship, their banter, but i'm sad that we didn't get this anymore...

as for jack, i LOVED his character and how good of a friend he was, cannot wait to read about him :)

thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for providing me this arc in exchange of an honest review.

[Steff Gwilliam-Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this!

I struggled to start with as the page seemed really quite slow up until about 2/3 of the way through and I couldn’t work out which way it was going to go and then everything started to fall into place and the pace picked up dramatically.

I don’t want to give any spoilers but I would recommend sticking with it if you find it a bit slow.

I am now going to go and read book 1.

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC !

[Holly Dimitrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am gonna first start by saying I am glad that I read Book #1 in the series first, yes this book can be a stand-alone but not really at the same time. If you try to read it without starting with Book #1 you will lose out so much on the plot, the setting, the POVs, the characters and the whole thing I feel.
I am very glad I didn't do that because I was thinking about it at first. The author does put in a summary at the beginning of this book to share some tidbits of information from book 1, I thought this was a great idea.

Now onto this review..... I liked this book a lot better than the first one and I think it has to do with already knowing so much about the characters and the ship they are on. It was so much fun to see what else was going on and with other characters added to it.

Main Love Characters in this book: Gemma and Tom; Tom we know from the first book and now enters Gemma who we find out is related to an important character that we met in Book 1. We still see more of the story from the characters in Book 1. This book is mainly in Tom's POV. Emma is a complex character with a lot going on in her life and in her head, she brings an interesting and fun character to this book and we also see more of Tom his backstory and him getting into his emotions again but a bit differently than in the first book.
I read this book pretty fast, it kept my interest and was well-written. I loved the characters.

This book is a lot more steamy and has a different type of love triangle going on. It seems a bit strange at first but then you will understand it.
Can't really tell you much about it because I don't want to ruin the book for you.

I really liked this book and thought it was a great book for a series. I wonder if there will be another book added in.... hmmm

[Kims.reading.nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved book 1 in the series, More Than Shipmates, and was so excited for Tom to get his chance at love!

'Megan' was such a fun character to include as a new staff member on the cruise ship, and the fact that she's Oscar's little sister was the cherry on top. She's got secrets she's running from, but she can't resist the cheeky American who she's crushed on through her brothers photos.

If you love a spicy romance with all the banter and found family vibes, set amongst the staff of a cruise ship, you will LOVE Philippa's books. I highly recommend reading book 1 ahead of picking up this one as it's a continuation on the same characters and their stories, but you won't regret it!

Thank you to @philippayoungauthor for trusting me again to ARC read for you. I absolutely loved this book and can't wait for book 3 🥰 This book is available now so RUN and buy it!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book for:
🛳️Forced Proximity
🛳️Workplace Romance
🛳️Hidden Identity
🛳️Dual POV
🛳️Brother’s girlfriend’s best friend

Synopsis
After a viral disaster ruins her reality TV dreams, influencer Gemma Megan Harvey escapes to a cruise ship with a new identity. But her plan to lay low hits a snag when she meets Tom Parks, her brother’s girlfriend’s best friend. Tom, an aspiring comedian, sees Gemma as his ticket to social media success—if her brother never finds out.

My Thoughts
This is the second book in the Below Deck series, and while it can be read as a standalone, I’d definitely recommend reading the first book as well. Tom Parks, one of the main characters in this book, plays a significant role in the first installment, and understanding his backstory adds a lot of emotional depth to his character. Similarly, Gemma's brother, Oscar Harvey, and his girlfriend, Eliza Chapman, are also introduced in the first book, and knowing more about their relationships helps you appreciate their dynamics here.

I was thrilled to be back on the cruise ship! The setting is so fun and vibrant, and I really enjoyed watching Tom and Gemma's romance unfold. Tom’s personal growth over the course of the series has been amazing. In this book, he’s patient, respectful, and really takes the time to understand Gemma and her complicated situation. It was refreshing to see a male protagonist who is both vulnerable and mature, especially when it comes to his interactions with Gemma. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their romance feels organic and real.

Another highlight for me was Tom’s friendship with Jack. While I missed the witty banter that Tom and Eliza had in the first book, Jack’s presence was a perfect replacement. Their friendship felt deep and genuine, and it added a nice layer to Tom’s character. The bromance between the men was heartwarming and a nice counterbalance to the romantic tension.

That said, I did have a bit of trouble at the start of the book. Some of the chapters felt a bit abrupt, almost like the transitions between scenes could have been smoother. It didn’t necessarily detract from the overall enjoyment, but it did catch me off guard a couple of times. Fortunately, this issue faded as the story progressed, and by the second half of the book, I was completely immersed in the plot.

Overall, the Below Deck series has been such a treat so far! The characters are lovable, the setting is fun, and the romance is steamy. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series and can’t wait to see what happens next Below Deck.

I received an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Melissa (BWM) Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I know I'm the last per. son you ever want your sister to be with, but I'm crazy about her. I know that my mistake cost both of you a lot, but I will never let something like that happen again. She's told me every thing, and I've promised her I won't get involved no matter how badly I want to. I don't have a hero complex. She's not some damsel in distress that needs saving. But I want to look after her She deserves to have something that makes her happy, and unfortunately for you, that thing is me.”

Imagine telling your grandkids that while you were crushing on your partner prior, you both MET at an Orgy 🤣

This is book two in the Below Deck series - we meet Tom in book one when he is in a love triangle relationship with Eliza and Oscar (Oscar ends up being the older brother for this books FMC - Gemma) This book was a blast to read. I loved the relationship dynamics of not just Tom and Gemma, but all of the attached friends/ found family. Jack was suchhhhh a unique side character (yes, BLESS those spicy scenes with him too). I loved the dynamic of the relationship around helping Tom build his social media/ comedian presence, and was SO INVESTED on Gemma's hidden identity...but once we found out about it I felt like it kind of took over the entire ending of the story, and while it was interesting, I overshadowed the romance and I wasn't a fan of that choice unfortunately. 

🩷Brother's Best Friend(ish) 
🩵Hidden Identity 
🛳️Cruise Ship Employees 
🩵Friends to Lovers 
🩷Found Family 

Are we getting a book three, Philippa?! I'm hoping so because I would loooove more of Jack and his actual POV! 

Final Rating: 3.75 ⭐, 3.5 🌶️ 
Thank you NetGalley and Summer Stars Publishing for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

[Nicole (NicoleIsBooked) · Rating 4 out of 5]

More Than Clickbait is such a fun and steamy followup to More than Shipmates. I just reread More Than Shipmates, and I recommend reading both books together so you can get the intro to the characters in book one and revisit them in book two. Tom was one of the main characters in book one, and he's back and better than ever. He is returning to work on the ship after spending time doing standup comedy and traveling with his brother. He is ready to be the best version of himself. He has a new roommate named Jack, and both of them get along so well. He still has his best friendship with Eliza, and he still has a frenemies type situation with Oscar.

Gemma is Oscar's sister, but she is under a hidden identity when she enters the ship. After being humiliated on a reality dating show, she seeks the safety of the ship and her brother to hide from the public. She is using the name Megan when she meets Tom. She has crushed on Tom for awhile, and she finally has her chance with him. Their meet cute is a lot of fun!

When Tom finds out that Gemma is Oscar's sister, he knows that he can't be with her, so they start as friends. The forbidden love aspect adds so much to the story! I loved their dynamic, and the spice starts from the very beginning!

This is a wild ride, and it's so spicy and steamy! You have to read it to find out about all of the spicy goodness that is hidden behind this cartoon cover.

I hope that book three is about Jack!

Thanks to the author, Philippa Young, for an ARC of this book.

[Reighlynn Parsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

YES. I absolutely loved this one! The first one had me very annoyed and a little uncomfortable in the beginning and then I started to love it. This one I loved right off the bat and even liked the taboo kinky things in this one so much more. I loved this storyline for Gemma. I have always wanted to be on reality tv growing up and applied ALL THE TIME. Once I started getting older I saw the downsides of it just from people on the internet and how your privacy is stripped away. So not form any experience I felt like this book perfectly show reality tv. Tom, I loved finally getting his happy ending and with someone that didn’t play with his feelings. He stepped up in the wanting to be a better guy, wanted to be a good boyfriend to someone and I loved that he listened to Jack.

This book was a perfect brothers friend meets sister workplace romance! Im hoping we get and Jack book 3???????????????

[Maddi Wood · Rating 2 out of 5]

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!

[rachelscourtofbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaaaaah this was so amazing!!!!! The love story, the smut, the reality tv excerpts, just everything!!!!

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨Review✨

More than clickbait

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes;
•Secret Identity
•Brother's "Best" Friend
•Workplace Romance
•Forbidden Love
•Forced Proximity
•Romantic Comedy
•2nd book in a series
•Spice from the start
•No third-act breakup

Thoughts;
I absolutely adored reading More than shipmates last year so when I saw Philippa announce more than clickbait I just knew I was going to need to read it.

After falling in love with Oscar in the first book I really wasn’t expecting to love Tom just as much but I did! The relationship between Tom and Gemma was so incredibly wholesome and heartwarming. I am obsessed with both of them and of course the smut included was as I expected it would be 🫠

Overall I really enjoyed reading this book and carrying on this journey with the same characters. I would highly recommend you give More than clickbait a read! Definitely make sure you read ‘More than shipmates’ first as it will make it easier to understand this one.

Secretly praying Jack is getting his own book😍🙏🏻

Favourite quotes; “I’d always keep your secrets Gemma.”

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ik geef het boek 2,5 ster. Miste de ontwikking van de karakters

[Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Philippa Young for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I pride myself in being one of Young's number one fans. Her writing style is absolutely hypnotic and I cannot stop myself from entering the wonderful world she has so carefully crafted.

Tom has my heart, all day every day, and the way in which his relationship with Gemma blossomed was absolutely adorable. My heart was so full witnessing their story unravel.

Just generally high quality character development, narrative strength and cruise ships. What’s not to love?

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

i definitely liked this better than the first one but still not 100% sure on this authors writing

[Tash · Rating 5 out of 5]

First up, I want to say a huge huge thank you to Philippa for choosing me for an arc - I'm so grateful 🫶🏻

I read More Than Shipmates last year and absolutely loved it! So much so it hit my top 15 of 2023 so I was already buzzing for this book and this one definitely did not disappoint - the characters are so much fun and so loveable.

Being set on a cruise ship gives the book a unique edge as before this series, I'd not read a book in the same setting. Also, who knew about the cruise ship staff parties 👀👀

Along with being a cute little workplace, secret romance, there's plenty of spicy scenes but also a really good story to follow with the FMCs story.

Definitely a 10/10 and would recommend to any reader

Release date: 2nd May 2024

[Maria Stepp · Rating 4 out of 5]

i loved this book duo i wish more people knew about it

[Daphne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75⭐️

[Amy Crowther · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first ever ARC review 🧡🧡

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

I was completely over the moon to be chosen to receive an ARC of this.

I completely fell in love with More than Shipmates and couldn’t wait to get my hands on book two. It did not disappoint, aside from the fact I didn’t want it to end (I could have happily read another 200 pages of it!). I was laughing out loud after about three pages and felt every emotion under the sun afterwards. I cried, I ‘awwwed’, I kicked my feet and I swooned. Philippa can write the absolute heck of a rom-com and this is no different.

Did I also learn something about what Ariana Grande actually means in her lyrics? Yes, yes I did (not gonna lie I was shooketh and needed a moment to process this information 👀😂).

The spice was spice’in in this book and didn’t mess about getting stuck into it. And let me tell you, I ate that up. I love a slow burn as much as the next gal but I also love when a book slaps you with the good stuff straight off the bat. I would also like to know if these things actually happen on cruises? Anyone? The intimate moments were one of the highlights of this book for me. I fell in love with Tom and Gemma in their unguarded moments 🥹 they were so flipping cute.

Overall, this was a fantastic follow up to More than Shipmates and I would highly recommend!

[Maren · Rating 5 out of 5]

me + romance books = 💘
but, me + cruise romance books = ♾️

I loved More than Shipmates SO much when I read it the first time. It became an instant favorite. When Philippa asked me if I wanted to bring the sequel, More than Clickbait, with me on vacation last month I almost cried. I love love love these books so much.

More than Clickbait is quite different from book 1. We have a new girl, the same (other) boy (👀!!!) new drama and new identities 👀

some of the tropes are: workplace romance, forbidden romance, forced proximity, brothers “best” friend. 🫶🏼🔥

this was an instant 5 star read. I fell in love with the characters so fast. The book is quite fast paced which I LOVED!! Gemma is everything to me, and then some.

this is the perfect romantic comedy to read if you wanna giggle, blush and kick your feet all at the same time!! 🥹💘

[Daniela Reeve · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t really love the insta-love trope, so i really didn’t love that there was no real tension. I also hate when the FMC hasn’t had sex before so not really thrilled that this was a story with that detail, although this book didn’t make it super weird like some others do. I wish we got to see more from the side characters because i thought they seemed more interesting.

Also didn’t love the very end where Jack and Sadie get back together but we get no info on that. Like what happened to them to make them break up first and why did they get back together? I really loved Jack and his relationships with both Tom and Gemma so i think that’s why i was sad to not get that info.

Although there were some heavier topics in this book it was surprisingly light and easy to read. The characters were fun and the spice was good too!

[MaKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this so much! I absolutely enjoyed the different pacing of this and her debut book, More Than Shipmates. They are romances that don't quite follow the ‘normal’ formula. The author puts you right into the plot in chapter one! I loved the dual POV and the voices of both characters were easy to follow. The MMC POV is one that we got in book one so it was great to be back in his head and seeing his story play out more.

Read this if you like:
🛟 No Third-Act Break Up
🛟 Spice From the Start
🛟 Workplace Romance
🛟 Forced Proximity
🛟 Rom-Com
🛟 Secret Identity

This was a super fun read. Both books are great headed into the summer reading season. These were both great reading slump busters!!

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

When influencer Gemma Harvey escapes a reality TV disaster by working on a cruise ship, the last thing she expects is a fling with Tom, her brother’s girlfriend’s best friend. One unforgettable night turns into a complicated secret—and Tom might be the key to saving her rep (and ruining her quiet escape) if her brother doesn’t find out first…
I saved this book specifically to read on the beach, since I read the first one in the series last summer. I had high expectations for this one—and maybe that’s why I kept going back and forth on whether to rate it a 4 or a 5 stars.
Right at the start, we’re thrown into the spicy part, and this book definitely has a lot of spicy scenes. So if it’s not hot enough for you on the beach, you’ll definitely need a dip in the sea after reading this.
I really liked Tom as a main character—he earned his happy ending ever since the first book. I loved his character growth across both books; he truly became sweet and total boyfriend material.
Gemma irritated me a bit in some parts, and it didn’t really make sense to me why it took so long to find out what happened on the reality show she was on.
I was surprised by how “quickly” the two of them managed to resolve their issues—but then I saw there was still about 40% of the book left and thought… tf is going to happen now?!
It was definitely worth reading. The characters are well-developed throughout the plot. The book is easy to read and follow, and I hope you’re open-minded—because you’ll need that for some of the spicy scenes.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I had done a little more research before reading this because I was surprised by a few tropes I absolutely despise: miscommunication and ow/om situations. I think I would have enjoyed it a little more if I knew beforehand that there would be ow/om action with the fmc (both during the 3rd act breakup and then after they're back in a relationship), but because I wasn't expecting it, I just felt clobbered by it. I will say that I did enjoy this author's writing style, but not some of her choices when it came to progressing the plot. It just wasn't for me, and I ended up hate-reading it about halfway through.

[Victoria Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS
This book was kindly sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A fresh start on a cruise ship leads to some unforgettable experiences…

After being given the extreme villain edit on a reality dating show, Gemma Harvey has escaped to cruise ship crew life alongside her brother Oscar and his girlfriend Eliza. It’s world’s away from her life as an influencer and she hopes that none of the guests recognise and expose her. Plus, being on the Neptune finally puts her in the path of Eliza’s friend Tom Parks, who she’s been crushing on since the moment he popped up in Oscar’s photo stream. Delaying his return to the ship, Tom is immediately drawn to Gemma - or Megan - and after an unforgettable first night together in the most unexpected place, he knows this is a women he needs to get to know. When Harvey offers Gemma’s social media services to Tom, who is trying to maintain a comedy presence on TikTok while on the ship, it’s the perfect chance to spend quality time with her. But Gemma, rightfully, has some walls up, and Oscar isn’t afraid to tell Tom to not hook up with his sister. No matter the obstacles though, Tom knows that Gemma is it for him, he just has to prove that to her, no matter what anyone says.

When the first chapter features an orgy, you know damn well you’re in for an unputdownable read! I absolutely ADORED More Than Shipmates and the swoony and spicy crewmate shenanigans that Philippa put the characters through, and she followed all that up with another fabulous romp on what has to be the horniest ship sailing the high seas! THIS is what cruiseships need to be using as advertisements to get people to apply to be crewmates, because they’d be inundated with applications in the blink of an eye!

After everything that Tom went through in book one, I was very excited to see him get the happily ever after he deserves. And as we got to learn about Gemma and her backstory, it was clear that she too deserved the love and HEA just as much as Tom. Both had intense chemistry from the get-go, spurred on by Gemma finally having a chance to explore her sexuality and experiences with Tom. There was so much love and care between them, especially on Tom’s part from the beginning, and the spice only intensified that. And yes, the spice was spicing real damn good - I did say this whole thing started with an orgy, and it only got better from there!

Once again, I ADORED the setting of a cruise ship, which is the perfect fodder for the forced proximity trope. And again, I was VERY close to uprooting my entire life and embarking on a new journey working on a cruise shop, despite the fact that I’m an introvert and my social battery would NEVER be able to handle it! While we didn’t get to see as much of the crew activities like we did with the previous book (the scavenger hunt still lives rent-free in my head), we got to explore more off-shore locations. And while there was also less focus on the larger friend groups, there was strong focus on the stronger friendships, like between Tom and Jack.

Not going to lie, I was lowkey VERY invested in a potential throuple situation, and I would have been very satisfied if that was the route Philippa had taken with Tom and Gemma. But the group activities that we did get with these two were *chefs kiss* and I definitely could have done with more! And although Philippa ended the book with Jack seemingly getting his happy ending, I do kind of want to see him get his own book so we can explore that more - he was such a great inclusion in this story, and I loved his friendship with Tom, and eventually Gemma, so it would be so fun to follow his own HEA after everything he’s been through.

If you love Below Deck and want to experience all the drama that comes with living on a cruise ship for six months, this book and this series NEEDS to be at the top of your TBR! You’ll 100% be itching to apply for cruiseship jobs the moment you start reading, and you’ll be packing your bags by the time you reach the final page!