Under the Starlit Sky: A Date & Switch Companion Novella

by Willow Sanders

Fifteen years ago, Evie Rowe lost the boy who held her heart without warning. No goodbye and not a single explanation. Now she’s spending Christmas on a luxury Caribbean cruise with her best friend, and runs straight into him the moment she steps aboard. Not the boy she remembers, but the man she’ll never be able to forget.

Omar Ibe fought his way from a Miami tenement to becoming the cruise director of his own ship. He thought he’d buried his biggest regret somewhere in the past, until Evie walks onto his deck looking nothing like “Scarecrow Rowe” and everything like the woman he should have loved all along.

Suddenly, fate keeps throwing them together in ways neither can a surprise reunion that drags old feelings to the surface, stolen moments and secret notes exchanged under the watchful eye of ship cameras, late-night balcony confessions that blur every line they promised not to cross, and a waterfall encounter that changes everything. With a sprinkle of Christmas magic that makes it impossible to pretend they’re anything but inevitable.

But unexpected circumstances threaten the fragile second chance they’re building.

Two weeks on the open sea gave them back what they lost. Now they’ll have to decide if love can survive the distance, the danger, and the truth about what really pulled them apart all those years ago.

A swoony, sun-soaked, high-heat novella about childhood friends, destiny rerouted, and the kind of love that keeps finding its way back no matter how far you run.

Perfect for fans
✔ second-chance romance
✔ childhood friends-to-lovers
✔ cruise ship magic
✔ Caribbean Christmas vibes
✔ emotional reunions + open-door heat
✔ interconnected worlds (Date & Switch, Thirst Trap, Deck Pic)

86 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 28, 2025

About the author

Most of these are always written in third person, as if the author isn't the one actually writing them. So, I'm going to be a rule-breaker and write it in first person instead. I'm a native Chicagoan, vegetarian, and lover of big words. I randomly burst out into song, and have been known to carry on entire conversations (with those worthy of the challenge) in song lyrics. The same can also be said for movie quotes. I'm quirky, sarcastic, I've been told at times I can be a bit esoteric, but overall I'd rather be dancing in the rain than waiting for the storm to pass.


And I LOVE connecting with people- so go on, hit the "friend" button. :)

Reviews

[The Bourbon-Sipping Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

🥃 ARC Review: Under the Starlit Sky: A Date & Switch Companion Novella by Willow Sanders
Title: High Tide, Higher Heat: A Destiny-Driven Cruise Reunion.
Rating: 3.75/5 stars Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Sun-soaked, open-door heat that will melt your Kindle.) Reviewed by The Bourbon Sipping Bibliophile

This novella is the perfect shot of rum-laced Christmas magic, swapping out the snow for sand and replacing the fireplace with a luxury cruise ship balcony. At only 86 pages, I found that Willow Sanders delivers a fast-paced, high-impact emotional reunion that feels both swoony and desperately earned.

🥃 The Pour
The core of this story is a classic, agonizing second-chance trope. Evie Rowe, having lost the boy who held her heart, Omar Ibe, fifteen years ago without a word, runs straight into him on a Caribbean Christmas cruise. I loved the immediate, visceral shock of their meeting. The "Scarecrow Rowe" Evie is gone, replaced by a sophisticated woman, and the "Miami tenement" Omar is now the authoritative, ridiculously hot Cruise Director.

The short format works brilliantly to amplify the tension. I felt the pressure building with every "stolen moment," every "secret note," and every time fate throws them together, whether it’s under the watchful eye of ship cameras or during a private, late-night balcony confession. The chemistry is instantaneous and undeniable, making their inevitable collision a true force of destiny. The "waterfall encounter" is the perfect high-heat payoff for all that pent-up longing.

🥃 The High Notes
High-Impact Heat: The open-door heat is immediate and intensely satisfying. I appreciated that the novella doesn't waste time getting to the heart—and the heat—of their connection.

Cruise Ship Magic: The isolated, beautiful setting of a luxury Caribbean cruise adds a fun, escapist layer of magic. It gives the characters the perfect, contained space to confront their past.

Childhood Friends Reunion: The foundation of their lifelong history makes the emotional reunion deep and meaningful. I bought into the idea that their love was simply "inevitable."

🥃 The Low Notes
The main reason I kept the rating at 3.75 is due to the constraints of the novella length. While the story is high-impact, the final act—where the "danger" and the "truth" about what pulled them apart are revealed and resolved—felt too rushed. I would have loved more time to process the emotional fallout of the secret, rather than having it tied up so neatly and quickly. The fast pace sacrifices a bit of depth for heat and speed.

🌺 Overall
Under the Starlit Sky is a perfect, sun-soaked holiday read. It's a high-heat, high-emotion story that reminds you that some loves are destined to find their way back, no matter the distance or the years. I highly recommend this for fans of cruise-ship drama, fated reunions, and serious heat.

The Bourbon Sipping Bibliophile's Drink Pairing
🥃 The Cruise Director’s Confession (Spicy Mango Daiquiri)
This cocktail embodies the essence of Omar and Evie's reunion: a classic tropical drink (the Caribbean setting) with a dark, high-proof edge (Omar’s history) and a touch of secret spice (their forbidden connection).

The Cruise Director’s Confession
Here are the ingredients for The Cruise Director’s Confession (Spicy Mango Daiquiri) cocktail:
2 oz Aged Dark Rum
1 oz Fresh Mango Purée
0.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.5 oz Cinnamon Simple Syrup
1 Dash of Tabasco (or similar hot sauce)
Garnish: Thin Lime Wheel and Maraschino Cherry

The Method (Shaken, Not Stirred by Fate):
Combine the Aged Dark Rum, Mango Purée, Lime Juice, Cinnamon Simple Syrup, and Tabasco in a shaker.
Fill with ice and shake hard until the shaker is frosted on the outside.
Double-strain into a chilled coupe or margarita glass.
Garnish: Garnish with a thin lime wheel and a maraschino cherry on the rim, or a sprinkle of Tajin for an extra kick of spice.

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

[CJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has given us a fast-paced story that pulls us into the lives of Evie and Omar. The heartwarming story keeps us turning the pages with a shared past, secrets, second chances and revelations.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read. Definitely one I’d read on the beach. Really enjoyed the authors style of writing.

[Ashley Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good romance, moreover I love a fast paced romance, and that’s what this was. This was a cute read with page turning revelations, and undeniable chemistry between two characters.