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Drifting Into You
A cruise, a wedding party, and seven days to get the guy.
Gina has always been second to her brother. Second child, second to graduate, and second at every major milestone that her parents have already celebrated. And now that he's getting married, she fears she'll always loom in his shadow.
Cruising the Mediterranean alongside the bridal party isn't exactly Gina's idea of a relaxing time. But with her longtime crush on board, it may not be so bad. That is until her brother's best friend, Leo, boards the ship and the wind sways Gina in an unusual direction.
106 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
June 16, 2026
If you are looking for a fast-paced summer romance to pack in your beach bag, or read pool side, let me introduce you to your next one-day read. Drifting Into You by Andre'a Delaney is a short, sweet, and spicy novella that completely caught me by surprise in the best way possible. After finishing a bunch of longer books with heavy themes, diving into this destination cruise wedding setting felt like a total breath of fresh air and completely cured my reading slump.
What makes this story so special is our female main character. Gina is a relatable, curvy BIPOC lead, and I absolutely loved the body-positive representation. Plus, the fact that she loves to dance was my favorite detail! Her moments where she was feeling awkward definitely made her emotions feel so real and down-to-earth. I also loved that there was a bit of misdirection about who the love interest would be at the beginning, it wasn't who I originally thought, but it turned into a cute brother’s best friend-style romance. It was exactly the kind of fun, addictive summer read I was looking for!
But honestly? The absolute strongest part of this book, and what made me fall in love with it, is the way she wrote about mental health representation. Our FMC deals with deep-rooted family dynamics with shame, insecurity, and anxiety. Delaney includes on-page panic attacks that are written with so much care. They aren't dragged out or sensationalized. Instead, they feel deeply real and vulnerable. I found myself reading her inner dialogue at times, especially with overthinking, and realizing, wow, I go through this exact same thing, too.
This was my first read by this author, but I would love to read more of her work! I actually felt like I could have kept reading more, I loved the characters and seeing the growth.
As a bonus, since it’s a quick novella, it gave me that instant sense of accomplishment when I finished it. Maybe you can relate, but I was so happy to add another book toward my reading goals.
If you want an addictive romance that will make you swoon and also make you feel deeply seen, you definitely need to pick this one up!
Thank you to the author, Andre'a Delaney, for an advance reader copy of this book for review consideration. I am choosing to write this review voluntarily, and these are my honest opinions.
Perfect if you love:
❤️ Travel romances with spice
🌊 Destination Cruise - Italy and Greece
✨️ Forced Proximity
🥰 Brother's best friend
🙃 Opposites attract
❤️ BIPOC representation - FMC & MMC
✨️ Body Positivity representation
💛 Mental Health representation - Anxiety
What makes this story so special is our female main character. Gina is a relatable, curvy BIPOC lead, and I absolutely loved the body-positive representation. Plus, the fact that she loves to dance was my favorite detail! Her moments where she was feeling awkward definitely made her emotions feel so real and down-to-earth. I also loved that there was a bit of misdirection about who the love interest would be at the beginning, it wasn't who I originally thought, but it turned into a cute brother’s best friend-style romance. It was exactly the kind of fun, addictive summer read I was looking for!
But honestly? The absolute strongest part of this book, and what made me fall in love with it, is the way she wrote about mental health representation. Our FMC deals with deep-rooted family dynamics with shame, insecurity, and anxiety. Delaney includes on-page panic attacks that are written with so much care. They aren't dragged out or sensationalized. Instead, they feel deeply real and vulnerable. I found myself reading her inner dialogue at times, especially with overthinking, and realizing, wow, I go through this exact same thing, too.
This was my first read by this author, but I would love to read more of her work! I actually felt like I could have kept reading more, I loved the characters and seeing the growth.
As a bonus, since it’s a quick novella, it gave me that instant sense of accomplishment when I finished it. Maybe you can relate, but I was so happy to add another book toward my reading goals.
If you want an addictive romance that will make you swoon and also make you feel deeply seen, you definitely need to pick this one up!
Thank you to the author, Andre'a Delaney, for an advance reader copy of this book for review consideration. I am choosing to write this review voluntarily, and these are my honest opinions.
Perfect if you love:
❤️ Travel romances with spice
🌊 Destination Cruise - Italy and Greece
✨️ Forced Proximity
🥰 Brother's best friend
🙃 Opposites attract
❤️ BIPOC representation - FMC & MMC
✨️ Body Positivity representation
💛 Mental Health representation - Anxiety
July 13, 2026
I really liked that, as someone with anxiety, she ended up with someone who never added to her confusion. He brought reassurance, certainty, and the kind of love that makes you feel safe instead of making you question everything. I’ll always have a soft spot for romances that remind us love should feel like confidence, not chaos. It didn’t completely work for me overall, but I’m choosing to focus on what I did love.
Read
June 19, 20263.5
**arc**
Fast paced and brother’s best friend, two things I’m not a fan of but I actually enjoyed in this story. Our fmc is plus size but it wasn’t made to be her whole personality which I love. I just want to read curvier women being loved out loud without them whining abt it most of the book. I love how he fell first and was actively thwarting her plans to get with Justin. I do wish it was longer so we can get more detailed scenes. For example her anxiety attack, I feel that would’ve been a good way to get that rep in. It’s a good and super fast read.
**arc**
Fast paced and brother’s best friend, two things I’m not a fan of but I actually enjoyed in this story. Our fmc is plus size but it wasn’t made to be her whole personality which I love. I just want to read curvier women being loved out loud without them whining abt it most of the book. I love how he fell first and was actively thwarting her plans to get with Justin. I do wish it was longer so we can get more detailed scenes. For example her anxiety attack, I feel that would’ve been a good way to get that rep in. It’s a good and super fast read.
June 15, 2026
Thank you to the author for this ARC.
A cruise, a wedding party, and seven days to get the guy....... what could possible happen, right??
The novella opens and we see that Gina has always been second to her brother. As everyone prepares to board the Mediterranean cruise, Gina's anxiety increases. With her longtime crush on board, a plan slowly takes effect until her brother's best friend, Leo, starts popping up more. Gina is soon left wondering what the heck is happening. Leo has always teased her and now he seems to be back ready to pick up where he left off. This forced proximity soon begins to shift things. Gina was not picking up on the subtle clues Leo was dropping. I figured something with Justin would happen to shift her focus. Leo was a man of his word and said he woukd do whatever. This is a quick and cute HEA story just in time for summer.
A cruise, a wedding party, and seven days to get the guy....... what could possible happen, right??
The novella opens and we see that Gina has always been second to her brother. As everyone prepares to board the Mediterranean cruise, Gina's anxiety increases. With her longtime crush on board, a plan slowly takes effect until her brother's best friend, Leo, starts popping up more. Gina is soon left wondering what the heck is happening. Leo has always teased her and now he seems to be back ready to pick up where he left off. This forced proximity soon begins to shift things. Gina was not picking up on the subtle clues Leo was dropping. I figured something with Justin would happen to shift her focus. Leo was a man of his word and said he woukd do whatever. This is a quick and cute HEA story just in time for summer.
June 15, 2026
Ever since I saw the preview for Drifting Into You on Threads, I knew I wanted to read it, so I was excited to receive an ARC.
This was a sweet brother’s-best-friend romance set aboard a Mediterranean cruise, and Leo was easily the highlight of the story for me. Once he became the clear love interest, I was completely invested. This man had been down bad for Gina for years, and I loved how attentive he was to her, how he remembered the little things, and how determined he was to make sure she finally saw herself the way he did.
I also appreciated Gina’s character arc. Watching her navigate her anxiety, step out of her comfort zone, and finally address how often she felt overshadowed by her brother was one of the strongest parts of the novella. Her growth felt genuine and relatable.
My biggest struggle was the pacing. For a good portion of the story, the focus is on Gina’s crush on Justin, so I found myself unsure where the romance was headed. By the time Gina and Leo’s relationship really started to take center stage, there wasn’t much time left for it to fully develop. I enjoyed their chemistry and banter, but I wanted more moments between them and a little more room for the romance to breathe.
Overall, this was a cute, enjoyable novella with a lovable hero, a beautiful setting, and a satisfying message about self-worth. I just wish it had been a bit longer so Gina and Leo’s relationship could have been explored more deeply.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
This was a sweet brother’s-best-friend romance set aboard a Mediterranean cruise, and Leo was easily the highlight of the story for me. Once he became the clear love interest, I was completely invested. This man had been down bad for Gina for years, and I loved how attentive he was to her, how he remembered the little things, and how determined he was to make sure she finally saw herself the way he did.
I also appreciated Gina’s character arc. Watching her navigate her anxiety, step out of her comfort zone, and finally address how often she felt overshadowed by her brother was one of the strongest parts of the novella. Her growth felt genuine and relatable.
My biggest struggle was the pacing. For a good portion of the story, the focus is on Gina’s crush on Justin, so I found myself unsure where the romance was headed. By the time Gina and Leo’s relationship really started to take center stage, there wasn’t much time left for it to fully develop. I enjoyed their chemistry and banter, but I wanted more moments between them and a little more room for the romance to breathe.
Overall, this was a cute, enjoyable novella with a lovable hero, a beautiful setting, and a satisfying message about self-worth. I just wish it had been a bit longer so Gina and Leo’s relationship could have been explored more deeply.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2026
This was so cozy & cute. Like a chick-flick, with some on-page spice. 😏 I loved it!
Gina is so many of us. Hardly feeling *truly* seen, not enough, insecure, overthinking. Where we can be victims to our own minds, she’s out to make a change & put herself out there. She gets someone who wants nothing but to support her, & theeennnn she drifts into someone who was more than willing to show & provide her ease. My heart swoons. 🥹
Oh & Elijah is a brother of I’ve known one. 😄 It honestly made me smile in the end. & YES, let’s please continue to normalize wealthy, well-traveled & well-vacationed Black families. 🙂↕️ Not a second out of touch. Thank you.
This was an easy one-day, feel good read. Though there truly was INCREDIBLE anxiety rep here. 👏👏👏
This was my intro to Andre’a Delaney & I’d look out for her other work. 🖤
Gina is so many of us. Hardly feeling *truly* seen, not enough, insecure, overthinking. Where we can be victims to our own minds, she’s out to make a change & put herself out there. She gets someone who wants nothing but to support her, & theeennnn she drifts into someone who was more than willing to show & provide her ease. My heart swoons. 🥹
Oh & Elijah is a brother of I’ve known one. 😄 It honestly made me smile in the end. & YES, let’s please continue to normalize wealthy, well-traveled & well-vacationed Black families. 🙂↕️ Not a second out of touch. Thank you.
This was an easy one-day, feel good read. Though there truly was INCREDIBLE anxiety rep here. 👏👏👏
This was my intro to Andre’a Delaney & I’d look out for her other work. 🖤
June 15, 2026
This fast paced novella takes place during a 7 day cruise for Gina’s brother’s pre-wedding festivities. I understood Gina’s anxiety and feeling like she was never anyone’s first choice, but some of her reactions to Leo felt a little harsh at times. Leo was my favorite, he consistently showed up for Gina, even when she pushed him away. Overall, this was a cute vacation romance with fun cruise vibes, and a little Stella Got Her Groove Back energy.
June 15, 2026
Thank you Andre'a Delaney for this arc!
This was such a cute quick read about self worth, love and the feeling of importance. In the beginning I really thought Gina was going to settle for crumbs but I’m so glad she didn’t! I also need to have a word with her bird brained parents!
This was such a cute quick read about self worth, love and the feeling of importance. In the beginning I really thought Gina was going to settle for crumbs but I’m so glad she didn’t! I also need to have a word with her bird brained parents!
June 17, 2026
So cute
This was a quick, short, and cute read. Gina had her eyes on her crush, but ended up drifting into unexpected territory. It’s amazing what 7 days can turn into when you focus on what’s in front of you, and not what happened in the past.
This was a quick, short, and cute read. Gina had her eyes on her crush, but ended up drifting into unexpected territory. It’s amazing what 7 days can turn into when you focus on what’s in front of you, and not what happened in the past.
July 6, 2026
A short read and SO GOOD! I loved the writing, I felt so immersed in Gina's love story. This was so freaking sweet!
July 29, 2026
I love books with cute covers 🥺
Super cute, quick read for the summer especially (takes place on a cruise!)
Finished July 26th
Super cute, quick read for the summer especially (takes place on a cruise!)
Finished July 26th
July 1, 2026
Thanks Andre'a Delaney for this ARC! It was a solid 3.75⭐
It was face paced novella - Brother's Best Friend is the main trope of this book! Actually a trope that has grown on me this year. The FMC is getting married, and she is a bridesmaid, but kind of antisocial. She is also plus size but this isn't something that is continuously talked about - and I loved that its mentioned and that's it! I also liked that the actual Brother's Bestfriend was interested in her - but she was interested in another one of his friends (this whole interaction felt weird)! It felt very high school - he acted like he was interested but he really wasn't. What Gina was missing was that her person was right in her face, she was doing a bunch of stuff trying to find the one and he was right in her face!
It was face paced novella - Brother's Best Friend is the main trope of this book! Actually a trope that has grown on me this year. The FMC is getting married, and she is a bridesmaid, but kind of antisocial. She is also plus size but this isn't something that is continuously talked about - and I loved that its mentioned and that's it! I also liked that the actual Brother's Bestfriend was interested in her - but she was interested in another one of his friends (this whole interaction felt weird)! It felt very high school - he acted like he was interested but he really wasn't. What Gina was missing was that her person was right in her face, she was doing a bunch of stuff trying to find the one and he was right in her face!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2026
ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶/5
TW - alcohol consumption, vomit (past, mentioned), anxiety, anxiety attack, self loathing, strained familial relationships, use of the n word (colloquial), unsafe sex
CW - public play
Tropes - forced proximity, cruise, brother's best friend
Representation - Black MCs, anxiety
This novella follows Gina (FMC) who feels like she’s constantly second best to her older brother and has a strained relationship with her parents too. To make matters worse, she suffers from anxiety and seems to be a people pleaser, finding herself in situations that make her uncomfortable but adamant to work through so she can live the life that she wants.
Gina and Leo (MMC) are in a forced proximity situation as they’re on a cruise as a precursor to her brother (his best friend’s) wedding and, while Gina was originally pursuing someone else, Leo is the one that constantly shows up for her.
While there were times I wanted to scream at the FMC, the couple were sweet together and had their cute moments. Her brother was overly dramatic when he found out about them though 😅💀.
Scale:
⭐️ - would've DNF'ed / continued out of spite
⭐️⭐️ - shit, but whatever
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - meh, could've been better
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - lit 👅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - loved it, inject this shit into my veins 🤪
🫑 - no smut
🌶 - no point
🌶🌶 - mediocre at best
🌶🌶🌶 - standard smut, hot
🌶🌶🌶🌶 - 🥵 okay, some CW
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 - fuck me 🥵🥵 CWs / filthy with a side of filth - see Poison / Room Twenty-Two: Hide and Seek/ The Naughty List / The Naughtier List
TW/CW not to be repurposed by authors / publishers for website / book / content use without permission
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶/5
TW - alcohol consumption, vomit (past, mentioned), anxiety, anxiety attack, self loathing, strained familial relationships, use of the n word (colloquial), unsafe sex
CW - public play
Tropes - forced proximity, cruise, brother's best friend
Representation - Black MCs, anxiety
This novella follows Gina (FMC) who feels like she’s constantly second best to her older brother and has a strained relationship with her parents too. To make matters worse, she suffers from anxiety and seems to be a people pleaser, finding herself in situations that make her uncomfortable but adamant to work through so she can live the life that she wants.
Gina and Leo (MMC) are in a forced proximity situation as they’re on a cruise as a precursor to her brother (his best friend’s) wedding and, while Gina was originally pursuing someone else, Leo is the one that constantly shows up for her.
While there were times I wanted to scream at the FMC, the couple were sweet together and had their cute moments. Her brother was overly dramatic when he found out about them though 😅💀.
Scale:
⭐️ - would've DNF'ed / continued out of spite
⭐️⭐️ - shit, but whatever
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - meh, could've been better
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - lit 👅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - loved it, inject this shit into my veins 🤪
🫑 - no smut
🌶 - no point
🌶🌶 - mediocre at best
🌶🌶🌶 - standard smut, hot
🌶🌶🌶🌶 - 🥵 okay, some CW
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 - fuck me 🥵🥵 CWs / filthy with a side of filth - see Poison / Room Twenty-Two: Hide and Seek/ The Naughty List / The Naughtier List
TW/CW not to be repurposed by authors / publishers for website / book / content use without permission
June 11, 2026
arc review!!! i was blessed enough to be chosen to get an arc copy of this novella and i really enjoyed it! gina has always been second best to her brother, always been in his shadow so her accomplishments are really brushed over because her bother has had those milestones first. she just wants someone who chooses her first and doesn’t look over her, notices her. leo end up being that person for her and i loved getting to read about their connection and their little mini love story!
the story takes place over the course of 7 days, on gina’s brother’s bachelor/bachelorette cruise. gina has a crush, justin, and has 7 days to get him to notice her in a romantic way rather than his friend’s little sister. enter leo, who keeps popping up out of thin air interrupting them in anyway he can, i found that SO funny, like move sir🤣.
i love when it’s so obvious that one of the characters is interested in the other mc, especially because i love to see how they go about navigating their feelings, in leo’s case, he was NOT trying to let gina and justin have alone time.
our two mc’s also have some history from five years prior that is mentioned briefly (a few times because leo wouldn’t dare let gina forget that night😂) and they have some nice banter here and there, and if you know me, i LOVE banter in books. i really enjoyed their dynamic.
i also loved in the end when gina finally expressed herself to her brother and how she always felt like she was in his shadow and could never have anything for herself instead of keeping it bottled up the way she had in the past. like growth girl come onnnnnn!!!
there’s really nothing major that bothered me about the book, it was so good. minor things though, i do not like the use of that “c(🐓)” word during spicy scenes, i always cringe when authors use it. and then the epilogue, the way opened up, i really would’ve loved it to be a proposal epilogue and then it just kind of ended abruptly?? that bothered me a little honestly.
anyway, this is a cute little novella that’s a quick read in case you need something enjoyable to pull you out of a slump. it’s definitely a novella i would read again
loved the opportunity of getting an arc!!💜
the story takes place over the course of 7 days, on gina’s brother’s bachelor/bachelorette cruise. gina has a crush, justin, and has 7 days to get him to notice her in a romantic way rather than his friend’s little sister. enter leo, who keeps popping up out of thin air interrupting them in anyway he can, i found that SO funny, like move sir🤣.
i love when it’s so obvious that one of the characters is interested in the other mc, especially because i love to see how they go about navigating their feelings, in leo’s case, he was NOT trying to let gina and justin have alone time.
our two mc’s also have some history from five years prior that is mentioned briefly (a few times because leo wouldn’t dare let gina forget that night😂) and they have some nice banter here and there, and if you know me, i LOVE banter in books. i really enjoyed their dynamic.
i also loved in the end when gina finally expressed herself to her brother and how she always felt like she was in his shadow and could never have anything for herself instead of keeping it bottled up the way she had in the past. like growth girl come onnnnnn!!!
there’s really nothing major that bothered me about the book, it was so good. minor things though, i do not like the use of that “c(🐓)” word during spicy scenes, i always cringe when authors use it. and then the epilogue, the way opened up, i really would’ve loved it to be a proposal epilogue and then it just kind of ended abruptly?? that bothered me a little honestly.
anyway, this is a cute little novella that’s a quick read in case you need something enjoyable to pull you out of a slump. it’s definitely a novella i would read again
loved the opportunity of getting an arc!!💜
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Andre’a Delaney for blessing me with this ARC of Drifting Into You! I am grateful for the opportunity!
This novella is perfect for the summer! It’s quick, cute, tropical, and ends with an HEA. If you’re looking for a book where the FMC falls for her brother’s best friend (who’s already obsessed with her) then this is for you!
I loved how in such a short book, we saw Gina begin to put herself first and not live in her brother’s shadow. It was also enjoyable to see her confidence grow in who and what she wanted. Even after years of no luck, she didn’t want to give up on love. Then when it came to Leo, it was great to hear how much he wanted and cared for Gina when he finally admitted his feelings. He knew he wanted her and ever wavered in that decision.
Now for full honesty and transparency, I also mention the things I did not love that factored into my rating.
I understand that this is a novella, so things develop rather quickly in order to get our HEA. However, with this particular novella, it was a struggle to see how these two connected so fast for me. Yes, they’ve known each other for years, but besides a drunken kiss, we didn’t get much detail on their pasts. It also was hard for me to see their connection when for half of the novella Gina was trying to get with another man. We don’t get Leo’s POV, so on his side he was set on Gina, but outside their conversations and Gina noticing him around her, we don’t know what his thoughts and feelings were. So for me, that made it hard to be invested into their story.
Again, that is my personal opinion. When you read you may be able to feel the connection better than I did. I would still recommend this read as it’s quick, cute, and a great summer read!
🌶️
Pepper percentage:
• 6.5% of the pages contain spicy content
• 11.8% of the chapters contain spicy content
This novella is perfect for the summer! It’s quick, cute, tropical, and ends with an HEA. If you’re looking for a book where the FMC falls for her brother’s best friend (who’s already obsessed with her) then this is for you!
I loved how in such a short book, we saw Gina begin to put herself first and not live in her brother’s shadow. It was also enjoyable to see her confidence grow in who and what she wanted. Even after years of no luck, she didn’t want to give up on love. Then when it came to Leo, it was great to hear how much he wanted and cared for Gina when he finally admitted his feelings. He knew he wanted her and ever wavered in that decision.
Now for full honesty and transparency, I also mention the things I did not love that factored into my rating.
I understand that this is a novella, so things develop rather quickly in order to get our HEA. However, with this particular novella, it was a struggle to see how these two connected so fast for me. Yes, they’ve known each other for years, but besides a drunken kiss, we didn’t get much detail on their pasts. It also was hard for me to see their connection when for half of the novella Gina was trying to get with another man. We don’t get Leo’s POV, so on his side he was set on Gina, but outside their conversations and Gina noticing him around her, we don’t know what his thoughts and feelings were. So for me, that made it hard to be invested into their story.
Again, that is my personal opinion. When you read you may be able to feel the connection better than I did. I would still recommend this read as it’s quick, cute, and a great summer read!
🌶️
Pepper percentage:
• 6.5% of the pages contain spicy content
• 11.8% of the chapters contain spicy content
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2026
Just want I needed in my next romance read
Initial thoughts:
This story was a wonderful introduction to Andrea's writing.
I thoroughly enjoyed the flow of the story and the natural banter between the main characters, which made them feel authentic and engaging. The chemistry, humour, and character interactions kept me invested from start to finish.
As a bonus, the author provides a playlist to listen to while reading, which really helps bring the story and emotions to life.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that has encouraged me to explore more of Andre’a's work.
Book review:
The story follows Gina, a young woman longing for love but struggling to believe she will ever find it. Living in the shadow of her older brother, the golden child and undeniable favourite of the family has done little for her confidence.
When her beloved brother and his fiancée organise a seven-day adults-only cruise around Europe for their pre wedding celebrations, Gina expects to spend the trip the same way, she always does: quietly observing life, love, and excitement from the sidelines.
Things take an unexpected turn when she discovers that one of her long-time crushes and her brother's friends will also be joining the cruise. Convinced that he is the reason her heart is racing, Gina has no idea that fate has something entirely different in store for her.
Here enters “Leo”, the irritating thorn in her side since childhood. The last person she ever imagined seeing in a romantic light. Yet as the cruise unfolds, Gina begins to realise that love doesn't always arrive in the package you expect.
Will she finally open her heart and embrace the possibility of love, or will fear and insecurity cause her to run from it?
Initial thoughts:
This story was a wonderful introduction to Andrea's writing.
I thoroughly enjoyed the flow of the story and the natural banter between the main characters, which made them feel authentic and engaging. The chemistry, humour, and character interactions kept me invested from start to finish.
As a bonus, the author provides a playlist to listen to while reading, which really helps bring the story and emotions to life.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that has encouraged me to explore more of Andre’a's work.
Book review:
The story follows Gina, a young woman longing for love but struggling to believe she will ever find it. Living in the shadow of her older brother, the golden child and undeniable favourite of the family has done little for her confidence.
When her beloved brother and his fiancée organise a seven-day adults-only cruise around Europe for their pre wedding celebrations, Gina expects to spend the trip the same way, she always does: quietly observing life, love, and excitement from the sidelines.
Things take an unexpected turn when she discovers that one of her long-time crushes and her brother's friends will also be joining the cruise. Convinced that he is the reason her heart is racing, Gina has no idea that fate has something entirely different in store for her.
Here enters “Leo”, the irritating thorn in her side since childhood. The last person she ever imagined seeing in a romantic light. Yet as the cruise unfolds, Gina begins to realise that love doesn't always arrive in the package you expect.
Will she finally open her heart and embrace the possibility of love, or will fear and insecurity cause her to run from it?
June 22, 2026
Cute concept. Execution needs work. Writing diverse characters requires intention.
If not for the cover, I wouldn't know these characters are Black. At one point in the story, the FMC's internal dialogue referred to Leo, the MMC, saying "this nigga just can't help himself". It felt so off that it pulled me out of the story. And I'm not someone who minds the use of nigga amongst fellow Black people or in romance books. But because she didn't feel Black, it was like whoa! Huh?? She went from having no indicators of Blackness to THAT at 78% then back to regularly scheduled programming.
I was also confused about Justin's race (the man she pursued for half the book). I looked at the author's profile and saw Justin described as a Justin Timberlake lookalike. That paired with how he was described in the book, brought me to the conclusion that Justin is white. The blonde hair alone wasn't enough since Black people have blonde hair too. I guess because his skin color wasn't mentioned, I should have defaulted him to white...? Anyway, I mention this because some readers may want to know ahead of time that one of the love interests is white (or real white adjacent).
I don't want to make this review too long since I didn't really enjoy my read. But this book felt so rushed. I know it was a novella, but there were typos, POV mistakes. I even saw an unfinished sentence. Not to mention how we rushed past any relationship development. Her and Leo were just put together. She spent too much time liking Justin.
This wasn't for me.
⭐⭐
- PastelSkiesReviews 💕
If not for the cover, I wouldn't know these characters are Black. At one point in the story, the FMC's internal dialogue referred to Leo, the MMC, saying "this nigga just can't help himself". It felt so off that it pulled me out of the story. And I'm not someone who minds the use of nigga amongst fellow Black people or in romance books. But because she didn't feel Black, it was like whoa! Huh?? She went from having no indicators of Blackness to THAT at 78% then back to regularly scheduled programming.
I was also confused about Justin's race (the man she pursued for half the book). I looked at the author's profile and saw Justin described as a Justin Timberlake lookalike. That paired with how he was described in the book, brought me to the conclusion that Justin is white. The blonde hair alone wasn't enough since Black people have blonde hair too. I guess because his skin color wasn't mentioned, I should have defaulted him to white...? Anyway, I mention this because some readers may want to know ahead of time that one of the love interests is white (or real white adjacent).
I don't want to make this review too long since I didn't really enjoy my read. But this book felt so rushed. I know it was a novella, but there were typos, POV mistakes. I even saw an unfinished sentence. Not to mention how we rushed past any relationship development. Her and Leo were just put together. She spent too much time liking Justin.
This wasn't for me.
⭐⭐
- PastelSkiesReviews 💕
Review of advance copy received from Author
4 ⭐️
Drifting Into You was such a sweet, cozy novella that packed a surprising amount of heart into a short read. At its core, it’s a story about working through self-doubt, anxiety, and learning that you deserve happiness too.
Gina has spent most of her life feeling like the second best child in her family, and those feelings have followed her into adulthood. During the week of her brother’s wedding, she’s determined to push past some of her insecurities, whether that’s finally making a move on a longtime crush or facing the complicated feelings that resurface when she reconnects with Leo, her brother’s best friend. The two shared a moment ten years ago and haven’t really spoken since, but as the week goes on, Gina starts to realize Leo might not be the person she remembers.
Leo was adorable. He’s patient, supportive, loyal, and sees Gina’s worth even when she struggles to see it herself. Their childhood acquaintances-to-frenemies-to-lovers journey was fun, sweet, and easy to root for.
This novella has a little bit of everything: life lessons, a completely down bad MMC, forced proximity vibes, great chemistry, and a satisfying HEA. Overall, I really enjoyed this quick, heartwarming read and will definitely be checking out more from this author.
Thank you Andre’a for an advanced reader copy of Drifting Into You (publishing June 15, 2026).
Drifting Into You was such a sweet, cozy novella that packed a surprising amount of heart into a short read. At its core, it’s a story about working through self-doubt, anxiety, and learning that you deserve happiness too.
Gina has spent most of her life feeling like the second best child in her family, and those feelings have followed her into adulthood. During the week of her brother’s wedding, she’s determined to push past some of her insecurities, whether that’s finally making a move on a longtime crush or facing the complicated feelings that resurface when she reconnects with Leo, her brother’s best friend. The two shared a moment ten years ago and haven’t really spoken since, but as the week goes on, Gina starts to realize Leo might not be the person she remembers.
Leo was adorable. He’s patient, supportive, loyal, and sees Gina’s worth even when she struggles to see it herself. Their childhood acquaintances-to-frenemies-to-lovers journey was fun, sweet, and easy to root for.
This novella has a little bit of everything: life lessons, a completely down bad MMC, forced proximity vibes, great chemistry, and a satisfying HEA. Overall, I really enjoyed this quick, heartwarming read and will definitely be checking out more from this author.
Thank you Andre’a for an advanced reader copy of Drifting Into You (publishing June 15, 2026).
Review of advance copy received from Author
More like a 3.5. This was a cute brother's-best-friend novella.
I have to admit, I was a little confused in the beginning trying to figure out if we were heading toward Leo or Justin. We spent more than half of the novella with Gina focused on her crush on Justin and trying to put herself out there, so by the time the romance with Leo really took off, there wasn't a lot of time left for it to fully develop.
That said, once Leo became the clear love interest, I was all in. This man was absolutely obsessed with Gina. He remembered the little things, paid attention to her when others didn't, and had clearly been carrying feelings for her for years. The story of their previous kiss had me laughing, and I loved how persistent he was in proving his feelings were genuine.
I also enjoyed watching Gina gain confidence and finally stand up for herself after spending so long in her brother's shadow.
Overall, this was a sweet, fun romance with great chemistry and a lovable hero. I just wish it had been a little longer so the relationship had more room to grow.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
I have to admit, I was a little confused in the beginning trying to figure out if we were heading toward Leo or Justin. We spent more than half of the novella with Gina focused on her crush on Justin and trying to put herself out there, so by the time the romance with Leo really took off, there wasn't a lot of time left for it to fully develop.
That said, once Leo became the clear love interest, I was all in. This man was absolutely obsessed with Gina. He remembered the little things, paid attention to her when others didn't, and had clearly been carrying feelings for her for years. The story of their previous kiss had me laughing, and I loved how persistent he was in proving his feelings were genuine.
I also enjoyed watching Gina gain confidence and finally stand up for herself after spending so long in her brother's shadow.
Overall, this was a sweet, fun romance with great chemistry and a lovable hero. I just wish it had been a little longer so the relationship had more room to grow.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
June 16, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ “Hear me when I say this: I want you. I’ve wanted you for years, and make no mistake that I will do what it takes to have you.”
Drifting Into You was such a cute, easy read.
Gina is navigating anxiety and insecurity while traveling with her brother’s wedding party on a Mediterranean cruise. Between battling intrusive thoughts and trying not to embarrass herself around a certain groomsman, romance is the last thing she feels prepared for. But with a little encouragement from a friend, she decides to take a chance. What she doesn’t realize is that someone else has had his eye on her all along.
I really enjoyed Gina’s journey. Her struggles with anxiety and self-doubt felt relatable, and I appreciated seeing her step outside of her comfort zone and allow herself to be loved. Leo is my favorite kind of MMC. Once he started applying pressure, he didn’t let up on Gina. 😮💨
If you like:
✨ Childhood frenemies to lovers
✨ Vacation romance
✨ Brother’s best friend
✨ Forced proximity
…you should definitely add this one to your TBR.
Thank you to Andre’a Delaney for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Drifting Into You was such a cute, easy read.
Gina is navigating anxiety and insecurity while traveling with her brother’s wedding party on a Mediterranean cruise. Between battling intrusive thoughts and trying not to embarrass herself around a certain groomsman, romance is the last thing she feels prepared for. But with a little encouragement from a friend, she decides to take a chance. What she doesn’t realize is that someone else has had his eye on her all along.
I really enjoyed Gina’s journey. Her struggles with anxiety and self-doubt felt relatable, and I appreciated seeing her step outside of her comfort zone and allow herself to be loved. Leo is my favorite kind of MMC. Once he started applying pressure, he didn’t let up on Gina. 😮💨
If you like:
✨ Childhood frenemies to lovers
✨ Vacation romance
✨ Brother’s best friend
✨ Forced proximity
…you should definitely add this one to your TBR.
Thank you to Andre’a Delaney for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this as an advanced reader copy.
I really enjoyed reading Drifting Into You by Andre'a Delaney.
Gina is a relatable main character because she struggles with always feeling second best compared to her brother. Her insecurities and desire to be seen for who she is made me sympathize with her throughout the story.
The Mediterranean cruise setting was one of my favorite parts of the book. It created a fun and romantic atmosphere that made the story feel like an adventure. I also liked how Gina's expectations changed over the course of the trip. Instead of focusing on her longtime crush, she found herself growing closer to Leo, her brother's best friend. Their relationship felt natural and developed at a realistic pace.
Overall, Drifting Into You is a heartwarming and entertaining romance with likable characters, a beautiful setting, and a meaningful message about self-worth. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary romance and stories about personal growth.
I really enjoyed reading Drifting Into You by Andre'a Delaney.
Gina is a relatable main character because she struggles with always feeling second best compared to her brother. Her insecurities and desire to be seen for who she is made me sympathize with her throughout the story.
The Mediterranean cruise setting was one of my favorite parts of the book. It created a fun and romantic atmosphere that made the story feel like an adventure. I also liked how Gina's expectations changed over the course of the trip. Instead of focusing on her longtime crush, she found herself growing closer to Leo, her brother's best friend. Their relationship felt natural and developed at a realistic pace.
Overall, Drifting Into You is a heartwarming and entertaining romance with likable characters, a beautiful setting, and a meaningful message about self-worth. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary romance and stories about personal growth.
July 9, 2026
A short and truly wonderful summer read! ☀️🚢🥹The cover drew me in, but the story itself made me stay. This was an opposites attract and brother’s best friend. Gina always fades into the background. She feels alone and unappreciated. Leo, her brother’s best friend, finds himself to be the center of every room he walks into. People gravitate towards him and his charm. He is so kind, polite, and the total gentleman. He really listened to what Gina wanted and respected her wishes. He wanted to be around her but also give her space when she needed it. I liked how they were able to make up and clear the air from the past. I enjoyed how anxiety was represented in this book🫶🏼 It’s important to portray how difficult life can be when anxiety creeps in and makes things unbearable. I loved that Leo never judged her and accepted her for who she was. It was beautiful to see him never waver on the way he felt about her. He would let her know how he felt constantly. He expressed it in the most romantic and loving ways. I really liked this novella, and I hope to read more like it 🙂↕️🤭🫶🏼
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 🌟 The description and the cover pulled me to read. Thank you for the advanced reader copy.
The premise of the story is cute; Gina feels she is in her brother's shadow and is on a weeklong cruise leading up to his wedding with the wedding party that includes her crush, Justin, and her brother's best friend, Leo.
I felt I didn't know much about the main characters physically. If it weren't for the cover, I would not know that Gina is Black, which is important to me. If it weren't for the cover and passing decription of Leo having dark brown skin, I would not have known he was Black. Meanwhile, Justin is described as having golden blond hair. The physical descriptions felt ambiguous. While it may seem small and did not change me wanting to read the book, it may be important to readers who are expecting a book with all Black characters.
It is a cute story of choosing yourself and going with the one who also chooses you. Thank you again for the Advanced Reader Copy.
The premise of the story is cute; Gina feels she is in her brother's shadow and is on a weeklong cruise leading up to his wedding with the wedding party that includes her crush, Justin, and her brother's best friend, Leo.
I felt I didn't know much about the main characters physically. If it weren't for the cover, I would not know that Gina is Black, which is important to me. If it weren't for the cover and passing decription of Leo having dark brown skin, I would not have known he was Black. Meanwhile, Justin is described as having golden blond hair. The physical descriptions felt ambiguous. While it may seem small and did not change me wanting to read the book, it may be important to readers who are expecting a book with all Black characters.
It is a cute story of choosing yourself and going with the one who also chooses you. Thank you again for the Advanced Reader Copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
🌟3.75 stars!
In this book we meet Gina who deals with anxiety and feeling secondary to her big brother, and Leo the best friend of her brother who has been harboring some feelings for our fmc. Gina intends to use the week they’ll spend at sea for her brother’s wedding to catch the attention of her crush while Leo is determined to show that he’s the better choice for her.
Overall this was a cute story! I enjoyed the banter between Gina and Leo and how he really was doing his best to make sure she paid attention to him. You also got to see how the fmcs anxiety and overthinking affected how she tried to expand her wings and get out of her comfort zone. Definitely something we can all relate to. I do feel like the epilogue kind of ended abruptly. There is the alluding to a future proposal but then it just ends there and I would’ve like to see a bit more.
Thank you so much to Andre’a for the ARC and opportunity!
In this book we meet Gina who deals with anxiety and feeling secondary to her big brother, and Leo the best friend of her brother who has been harboring some feelings for our fmc. Gina intends to use the week they’ll spend at sea for her brother’s wedding to catch the attention of her crush while Leo is determined to show that he’s the better choice for her.
Overall this was a cute story! I enjoyed the banter between Gina and Leo and how he really was doing his best to make sure she paid attention to him. You also got to see how the fmcs anxiety and overthinking affected how she tried to expand her wings and get out of her comfort zone. Definitely something we can all relate to. I do feel like the epilogue kind of ended abruptly. There is the alluding to a future proposal but then it just ends there and I would’ve like to see a bit more.
Thank you so much to Andre’a for the ARC and opportunity!
June 15, 2026
Thank you Andre'a Delaney for the ARC in exchange of an honest review!
Gina has felt second best to her brother and overlooked by her parents her whole life. During the week of her brother's wedding, she is determined to overcome her insecurities and anxiety to pursue her longtime crush, Justin. That is until her brother's best friend, Leo, comes back into the picture and she realizes love might come from a different source.
I found the depiction of Gina's anxiety to be very relatable. I was so glad when Gina finally realized Leo was in love with her and serious about pursuing her. Even while she was trying to get Justin's attention, he did not back down. What she wanted most of all was for people to actually see her, and Leo did just that. Because of the walls that she put up over the years she did not trust him at first, but he waited until she was ready. If you are looking for something that sweet, fun, and perfect for the summer I recommend this novella!
Gina has felt second best to her brother and overlooked by her parents her whole life. During the week of her brother's wedding, she is determined to overcome her insecurities and anxiety to pursue her longtime crush, Justin. That is until her brother's best friend, Leo, comes back into the picture and she realizes love might come from a different source.
I found the depiction of Gina's anxiety to be very relatable. I was so glad when Gina finally realized Leo was in love with her and serious about pursuing her. Even while she was trying to get Justin's attention, he did not back down. What she wanted most of all was for people to actually see her, and Leo did just that. Because of the walls that she put up over the years she did not trust him at first, but he waited until she was ready. If you are looking for something that sweet, fun, and perfect for the summer I recommend this novella!
June 16, 2026
Drifting Into You by Andre’a Delaney
Brothers best friend, summer vibes, and a novella? Sign me up ☀️
Leo knows exactly what he wants, and watching him yearn for Gina had me kicking my feet 🤭 Gina has spent so much of her life feeling second to her brother, especially when it comes to major milestones, and I really related to her anxiety and overthinking. Leo truly saw her in a way she’d been wanting for so long. He was patient, supportive, remembered the little things, and constantly reminded her that she deserved good things and love too.
I loved the banter between them and the way their relationship developed. The story takes place over the seven days of her brother’s bridal party, and it was such a cute novella that felt perfect for summer.
Thank you so much to Andre’a Delaney for the ARC.
Brothers best friend, summer vibes, and a novella? Sign me up ☀️
Leo knows exactly what he wants, and watching him yearn for Gina had me kicking my feet 🤭 Gina has spent so much of her life feeling second to her brother, especially when it comes to major milestones, and I really related to her anxiety and overthinking. Leo truly saw her in a way she’d been wanting for so long. He was patient, supportive, remembered the little things, and constantly reminded her that she deserved good things and love too.
I loved the banter between them and the way their relationship developed. The story takes place over the seven days of her brother’s bridal party, and it was such a cute novella that felt perfect for summer.
Thank you so much to Andre’a Delaney for the ARC.
June 18, 2026
*Opinions are my own, and I am grateful to the author for an ARC of this book.
I love a novella, and the characters were engaging - love that little sister, always feeling behind her big brother element, and the forced proximity of a cruise ship, with her brother's best friend who has always been into her...
I felt like the jump between his expressing interest and her jumping into it and accepting it was a little rushed, considering how annoyed she was at the beginning - I thought there was space for the shift from how she saw him before to how she sees him now. But I loved how steady the mmc is, and the characters both acted their ages (which again, I appreciate).
I loved their explorations of Florence and Rome (would have loved even more!) and overall, enjoyed the story. Would definitely read the author again.
I love a novella, and the characters were engaging - love that little sister, always feeling behind her big brother element, and the forced proximity of a cruise ship, with her brother's best friend who has always been into her...
I felt like the jump between his expressing interest and her jumping into it and accepting it was a little rushed, considering how annoyed she was at the beginning - I thought there was space for the shift from how she saw him before to how she sees him now. But I loved how steady the mmc is, and the characters both acted their ages (which again, I appreciate).
I loved their explorations of Florence and Rome (would have loved even more!) and overall, enjoyed the story. Would definitely read the author again.
August 12, 2026
Rating: 3 / 5 ⭐️
Vibe: "Fast-paced, super cute, cheesy goodness... but gone in a blink!" 🏎️💨✨
If you’re looking for a quick, feel-good romance fix that you can fly through in one sitting, this is definitely it!
The plot moves at lightning speed—there's no dull moment, zero waiting around, and the sweet, cheesy romantic vibes are dialed all the way up! It’s ridiculously cute, lighthearted, and just an easy, fun escape when you want something effortless and wholesome to read.
However...
The only real downfall for me (and the reason it landed at a 3/5) was how short it was! Because the pacing was so insanely fast and the page count was low, I really wanted more time with the characters and a bit more room for the relationship to breathe. Just as I was getting fully into it, it was already over! 😭
Vibe: "Fast-paced, super cute, cheesy goodness... but gone in a blink!" 🏎️💨✨
If you’re looking for a quick, feel-good romance fix that you can fly through in one sitting, this is definitely it!
The plot moves at lightning speed—there's no dull moment, zero waiting around, and the sweet, cheesy romantic vibes are dialed all the way up! It’s ridiculously cute, lighthearted, and just an easy, fun escape when you want something effortless and wholesome to read.
However...
The only real downfall for me (and the reason it landed at a 3/5) was how short it was! Because the pacing was so insanely fast and the page count was low, I really wanted more time with the characters and a bit more room for the relationship to breathe. Just as I was getting fully into it, it was already over! 😭
June 15, 2026
Cute short Romance
This was a really cute getaway book that follows the female main character, Gina, who struggles with anxiety and self-love. What I liked about this book is that it shows that, oftentimes, we depict someone a certain way when, in reality, they're different from how we’ve seen them. Leo shows how that wrongful depiction can sometimes be reversed.
I truly love how even though Gina had anxiety issues and was surrounded by people who didn’t see her, she met someone who would be her friend and support her through it all. Carmin came out of nowhere and dove right in. on a mission to make sure Gine wasn’t left in a bubble she’d been in all of her life. cheers to her !
This was a really cute getaway book that follows the female main character, Gina, who struggles with anxiety and self-love. What I liked about this book is that it shows that, oftentimes, we depict someone a certain way when, in reality, they're different from how we’ve seen them. Leo shows how that wrongful depiction can sometimes be reversed.
I truly love how even though Gina had anxiety issues and was surrounded by people who didn’t see her, she met someone who would be her friend and support her through it all. Carmin came out of nowhere and dove right in. on a mission to make sure Gine wasn’t left in a bubble she’d been in all of her life. cheers to her !
June 19, 2026
cute, fun, and light read
Drifting Into You was such a cute and fun read. Gina and Leo were so funny together, and their interactions kept me entertained throughout the book. Justin got on my nerves, though. I really liked Gina, so I was not excited about her being interested in him. Carmen was one of my favorite characters in the book. Even though she was a friend of the FMC’s sister-in-law, I really liked the relationship that was developing between her and Gina. I also enjoyed seeing the different moments and experiences throughout the story because they added to the fun atmosphere and made the book even more enjoyable. Overall, this was a fun and light read that kept me invested in the characters and wanting to see how everything would play out.
Drifting Into You was such a cute and fun read. Gina and Leo were so funny together, and their interactions kept me entertained throughout the book. Justin got on my nerves, though. I really liked Gina, so I was not excited about her being interested in him. Carmen was one of my favorite characters in the book. Even though she was a friend of the FMC’s sister-in-law, I really liked the relationship that was developing between her and Gina. I also enjoyed seeing the different moments and experiences throughout the story because they added to the fun atmosphere and made the book even more enjoyable. Overall, this was a fun and light read that kept me invested in the characters and wanting to see how everything would play out.
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