Full disclosure: I am not a romance novel reader. I read a lot of different genres, but romance is not one of them. Therefore, when I found out my dear friend wrote a romance novel, my initial mental reaction was several four-letter words. However, I have now read the book, and I’m grateful I did! It took me a few chapters to get invested, and then I was into it. I found the use of changing perspectives very effective as it kept the story from getting bogged down by one character’s point of view. It was also interesting because it allowed a voyeuristic peek into the main characters’ minds. And may I just say there were some seriously spicy scenes?! Grab a fan before you start reading and tell your romantic partner to brace themselves for potential reenactments! My critiques are yes, it is très trope-y, and it needs some polishing of the manuscript for grammar and spelling throughout. Overall, this was a delightfully guilty pleasure of a book that was a lot of fun to read!
So I will say that I liked the over arc of this story. I liked Mila and Fletcher a lot and being trapped on a cruise ship with someone you hate is a great way to start a romance. I think this could have had a few extra eyes on it before being published, but I hope the author continues to write and create more stories.