Rough Waters

by Austin Moon

What happens when love gets in the way of business?

Berk is about to lose his cushy job in land development. In order to save himself and his expensive f-boy lifestyle he’s forced by his overbearing boss to travel to the small, remote Ruby Island. The island is prime real estate for a new multi-story luxury resort. Berk vomits at the sight of boats and hates his soul-sucking career, however the cute innkeeper, Will, is a nice consolation prize—he’s got this rugged fisherman look that makes Berk want to get trapped in his net.

Will has never left the island. He’s been running The Ruby Inn with his aunt since his parents died, and business lately has been poor. He needs to make some big changes to save his family's legacy from being foreclosed by the banks. When a new lodger comes to stay, something sparks between them; Berk is a party boy full of captivating confidence that drives Will crazy. That is, before he realizes Berk has been lying, and is secretly working to destroy the only home Will’s ever known.

Can these two navigate the rough waters of love before the inn goes under?

Rough Waters is a m/m enemies-to-lovers romance with low spice and a happily ever after.

332 pages, Paperback

Published August 8, 2024

About the author

Austin Moon writes swoon-worthy queer romances and twisty mysteries. When they’re not obsessing over their latest novel, they can be found crocheting, illustrating books, and cycling around their rainy little town in the PNW. Sip on a matcha latte and curl up with a good book during a thunderstorm for them, why don’t you?

Reviews

[Babara-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

AN ENEMIES TO LOVERS NOVEL!💕

This is a first time author for me with a good writing style and narrative however the only downside hence the four star rating is due to the fact that there is no way to know how their intimate connection and dynamic with each is as all the bedroom scenes are fade to black….

Other than that it was a sweet read with wonderful complex characters-Will Kirkpatrick and Berk Kaplan- who shows excellent emotional character growth regarding their relationship with an engaging storyline surrounding the pending resort that the land developers Sandy Brook want and what it could do financially and economically for Ruby Island years ahead…

The downside to this is however a generation owned inn- Ruby Inn could be shut down as a result but with supportive side characters in an intimate island community setting they are sure to find a way to overcome this which will lead to a beautiful epilogue!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Maria E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ruby Inn is a small, quaint B&B inn located on Ruby Island, a small resort island off the US northeastern coast. The Inn only has a handful of rooms to rent, and at this time all the rooms are empty.  Although it was never overflowing with guests, the Ruby Inn used to have a small clientele during the summer season, but Covid took away the bit of business that they had.

The Inn is owned by a young man named Will and his aunt Caroline. A large development company has its eye on Ruby Island, and wants to build a huge luxury hotel on the island with hundreds of rooms and full amenities. If this were to happen, Will and Caroline will lose their only source of income. Besides, Will has never traveled beyond this island, and can't picture himself living somewhere else.

Berk Kaplan works for the development company that wants to build the luxury resort on Ruby Island. He arrives on the island and books a room at the quaint Ruby Inn. He was sent by his company to make the deal with the mayor of Ruby Island, and his job depends on whether he is successful or not.

Berk and Will meet and become attracted to each other without knowing that they each have conflicting plans. Will wants to remain living on the island and running Ruby Inn, which has been in his family for many years, and is the only place he has ever lived. A luxury hotel will destroy his business. Will is trying to convince the people of Ruby Island to vote against the luxury hotel. Berk, on the other hand, needs to push the luxury hotel on the people of Ruby Island in order to keep his job. If one of them wins, the other will lose his livelihood. How will Will and Berk work out this conundrum?

The book made me wish that the island and the inn were real, because it was so beautifully described that I could picture it in my mind, and it made me want to go there on my next vacation.

[Naito Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up Rough Waters by Austin Moon because of its small-town setting and the enemies-to-lovers trope. The promise of a small island innkeeper, Will, and a secret underdog from a development company, Berk, hinted that these tropes might be well executed. However, one thing I wish I’d known beforehand is that it’s an indie book, so it requires a bit of polishing.

The storyline itself is nice, with a well-balanced conflict, but Berk’s first scene almost made me want to DNF the book. I doubted I would ever end up liking his character, and his introduction didn’t give off romantic vibes at all. With a good editor, this could have been addressed before publication. I also felt that the book lacked a bit of unresolved sexual tension (UST) and depth in the emotional portrayal of the main characters, making me wish I could dive deeper into their thoughts.

On the brighter side, Will’s Aunt was a fun, warm side character, and Berk’s sister Ada added a nice touch to the story. The island setting beautifully captured the economic struggles of small-town life and the charm that comes with it. The book gives off the feeling of something nostalgic, warm, and cozy—like the unique experiences bloggers often seek out in less-traveled places.

There was also one moment that altered the story—a pregnancy and birth scene—which I was glad the author didn’t expand on too much. Overall, Rough Waters offers a cozy, heartfelt read with room for improvement.

[Ramsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I normally don't start reviews with this but I know there are readers out there who find this an important info. So let me tell you straight away this book does not have spice. It's labeled low spice but I'd say it's NO spice. The scenes are fade to black. It is known that they sleep with each other but we as the reader don't get to read about it.

Personally I have no problem with that. But in this case I've wished we'd get to read at least one scene just to get a better feeling for their connection and the chemistry between them.

We have a small town story paired with an enemies to lovers trope. Both a reason why I picked up the book.

And all in all I was not disappointed. Well fleshed out MCs who do some character growth in their relationship, and that is done in a believable way.

An engaging plot with a good writing style.

The way Covid is acknowledged and part of the problem of Ruby Island's economy is done well and believable. We all see that travel and holidays etc are different to before the Pandemic.

Some really good supporting secondary characters and I really liked that two of those are woman, who are just wonderful.

I definitely enjoyed this book and was entertained.


I have recived a complimentary copy but this is my honest and willingly given opinion.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story of love despite the odds and despite being on opposite sides of a key issue. The description calls it low-spice but I’d label it no-spice - I think the spiciest line in it is “clothes became optional”. It does acknowledge that they’ve had sex but it’s not on the page so I’d call it closed door. Both characters grow through the story, one from a parent-pleaser who thinks he’s a fuckup, and one who thinks there’s nothing outside life on the island.

It’s interesting to read stories now that acknowledge Covid and have it be part of the plot line - I’m sure there are places like Ruby Island that are truly struggling as the way we travel, and our transportation options for travel, have changed. This is an optimistic story of a community coming through that and better on the other side.

I’m always amused, as someone who grew up in a very small town, at how many amenities these quaint little villages of only a couple thousand people seem to end up having, but if you can’t warp reality the bit for the sake of cute plot, what’s the point?

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Chris Balbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am rating and reviewing this book after receiving it as an ARC from BookSirens in turn for an honest review.

At first, I was not a major fan of this book. I had difficulty getting into the book and consistently put it down. However, once I was acclimated with the rhythm and cadence of the chapters I fell in love with Berk and Will. I felt that their relationship was genuine and well-written. I loved the inclusion of Aunt Caroline throughout the novel as I felt she was integral to the development in fostering and developing the relationship between Berk and Will. I would have liked more development on the plot-point of the ex-girlfriend and felt there was more to unpack there. Overall, I was fully invested by about halfway through and could not put it down! I wanted to know how it would culminate. A great and cute read for lovers of MLM romance and cute beach reads.

[Traci S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so charming, I was really was pulled into Berk and Will’s small town romance. The setting is wonderfully described and filled with such quirky and interesting residents. I thought it was clever and relatable to make the financial fallout Covid caused for the small tourism driven island town a central part of the story. The writing is so engaging, I really loved the humor and genuine emotion the author was able to capture in Will and Berk’s romance. I loved the little personal journeys of growth both Will and Berk take. Will to maybe venture out of the comfort zone of his Inn, his aunt, and his island and Berk to give himself permission to grab for the life he really wants. Excellent❤️

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

An emotional rollercoaster read. Berk is pressured by his boss to travel to a remote island and pitch a land development deal. While he's there he meets Will who helps run a family owned B & B. Sparks fly between the two, but their time is limited because this is Berk's job but it's Will"s livelihood. Berk fits in well with the island people and Will's family. Job well done for Berk and he goes home . Will and Berk are missing each other already. How can the two men resolve the deal and the distance that separates their hearts??? A big twist at the end that had me laughing and crying. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest opinion.

[Janelimay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this story. Even without the character identified at the beginning of each chapter, Berk and Will have their own voices. Life can be difficult. Juggling our livelihoods with our personal lives is difficult. There are explosions sometimes when they interact. Will continue reading this author. (I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Berk is on the crap list with his job. He works for a prestigious real estate developer and gets one more assignment & if not done right he loses his job. He needs to go to "Smalltown, USA" and make the deal for his company. Will lives & runs the inn, that is going to be put out of business if this deal goes through. There are plenty of ups & downs as Will & Berk try to navigate their attraction & try to save the inn or the deal. Which one gets saved? I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Austin Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a lot of fun writing this one so I hope you all like it too!