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Shipwrecked in Love
298 pages, Paperback
Published April 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 2, 2026
Shipwrecked in Love by Taylor Kaufman
Rating: 🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
‼️WARNING: SPOILERS
This book has all the ingredients of a romance I should have enjoyed: enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, one bed, a cruise ship setting, and a premise that promises plenty of tension. Unfortunately, while the overall plot had potential, the execution kept me from fully enjoying the story.
My biggest issue was the editing. The book contained frequent spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors that pulled me out of the story. There were also continuity issues, repetitive phrasing, and awkward wording throughout. Every book can have a typo or two, but the volume of errors here became distracting enough that it affected my reading experience.
The premise itself is solid. Mila and Fletcher have an established dislike for one another before the story begins, and being forced to share a cabin on a cruise? Chef’s kiss in theory. However, many of the plot developments felt underdeveloped or inconsistent. For example, Derrick inviting Fletcher on the trip and Abby inviting Mila without the other’s knowledge felt unrealistic for a married couple, unless it was a setup which it wasn’t.
The characterization was another weak point for me. Mila often felt one-dimensional, and I struggled to connect with her throughout the story. Some of her background details also felt odd or poorly researched, such as her having a graphic design degree from MIT. While not impossible, it felt like a detail included to make her sound impressive rather than something that fit naturally within the story.
Fletcher started out as a character with potential, but his development felt uneven. His hostility toward Mila is eventually explained as attraction and jealousy, but the transition from antagonistic to completely devoted happened so quickly that it didn't feel earned. By the end of the novel, much of the personality that made him interesting early on seemed to disappear.
One of the biggest issues was the handling of Brian, Mila's ex-boyfriend. The story repeatedly reminds readers of his existence, and Mila spends much of the book comparing Fletcher to him. When Brian calls wanting to get back together, Mila agrees to discuss things when she returns home, creating what seems like an important unresolved conflict. Yet after the third-act breakup, Brian essentially vanishes from the story never to be seen again. It felt like a major loose thread that was forgotten rather than resolved.
The romance itself had moments of chemistry, but the timeline made it difficult for me to fully buy into their relationship. Mila and Fletcher go from enemies to deeply in love over the course of ten days, and while fast-burn romances can work, this one needed more development for the emotional payoff to land. I also found some of the intimate scenes awkwardly written.
At times, the story devoted significant detail to things that didn't seem important (like her love for “Mamma Mia”) while glossing over plot points that would have benefited from further exploration like the subplot involving Mila's estranged alcoholic mother. Mila’s mom, who abandoned the family when Mila was eleven, sends her a Facebook message while Mila is on the cruise. The issue is mentioned sporadically throughout the novel, but most of the important developments happen off-page. Readers are told after the fact that Mila responded to her mother's message with a “No, thanks!” when her mother randomly appears at her apartment at the end of the book. It’s such a big moment and it kind of takes away from Mila and Fletcher’s anticlimactic reunion a few pages later.
Overall, Shipwrecked in Love wasn't terrible. It genuinely had a promising premise and several popular romance tropes that I’d normally enjoy. However, the editing issues, inconsistent characterization, unresolved plot threads, and rushed romance prevented it from reaching its full potential. With stronger editing and more attention to character and plot development, this could have been a much stronger story.
Rating: 🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
‼️WARNING: SPOILERS
This book has all the ingredients of a romance I should have enjoyed: enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, one bed, a cruise ship setting, and a premise that promises plenty of tension. Unfortunately, while the overall plot had potential, the execution kept me from fully enjoying the story.
My biggest issue was the editing. The book contained frequent spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors that pulled me out of the story. There were also continuity issues, repetitive phrasing, and awkward wording throughout. Every book can have a typo or two, but the volume of errors here became distracting enough that it affected my reading experience.
The premise itself is solid. Mila and Fletcher have an established dislike for one another before the story begins, and being forced to share a cabin on a cruise? Chef’s kiss in theory. However, many of the plot developments felt underdeveloped or inconsistent. For example, Derrick inviting Fletcher on the trip and Abby inviting Mila without the other’s knowledge felt unrealistic for a married couple, unless it was a setup which it wasn’t.
The characterization was another weak point for me. Mila often felt one-dimensional, and I struggled to connect with her throughout the story. Some of her background details also felt odd or poorly researched, such as her having a graphic design degree from MIT. While not impossible, it felt like a detail included to make her sound impressive rather than something that fit naturally within the story.
Fletcher started out as a character with potential, but his development felt uneven. His hostility toward Mila is eventually explained as attraction and jealousy, but the transition from antagonistic to completely devoted happened so quickly that it didn't feel earned. By the end of the novel, much of the personality that made him interesting early on seemed to disappear.
One of the biggest issues was the handling of Brian, Mila's ex-boyfriend. The story repeatedly reminds readers of his existence, and Mila spends much of the book comparing Fletcher to him. When Brian calls wanting to get back together, Mila agrees to discuss things when she returns home, creating what seems like an important unresolved conflict. Yet after the third-act breakup, Brian essentially vanishes from the story never to be seen again. It felt like a major loose thread that was forgotten rather than resolved.
The romance itself had moments of chemistry, but the timeline made it difficult for me to fully buy into their relationship. Mila and Fletcher go from enemies to deeply in love over the course of ten days, and while fast-burn romances can work, this one needed more development for the emotional payoff to land. I also found some of the intimate scenes awkwardly written.
At times, the story devoted significant detail to things that didn't seem important (like her love for “Mamma Mia”) while glossing over plot points that would have benefited from further exploration like the subplot involving Mila's estranged alcoholic mother. Mila’s mom, who abandoned the family when Mila was eleven, sends her a Facebook message while Mila is on the cruise. The issue is mentioned sporadically throughout the novel, but most of the important developments happen off-page. Readers are told after the fact that Mila responded to her mother's message with a “No, thanks!” when her mother randomly appears at her apartment at the end of the book. It’s such a big moment and it kind of takes away from Mila and Fletcher’s anticlimactic reunion a few pages later.
Overall, Shipwrecked in Love wasn't terrible. It genuinely had a promising premise and several popular romance tropes that I’d normally enjoy. However, the editing issues, inconsistent characterization, unresolved plot threads, and rushed romance prevented it from reaching its full potential. With stronger editing and more attention to character and plot development, this could have been a much stronger story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2026
A fun and super spicy read!
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!
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!
April 23, 2026
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.
September 24, 2026
Story idea was promising. The grammar, sentence structure, & word choice was disappointing. It appeared no one proofread this book.
The author has promise and in the future needs to have friends/family/colleagues read & reread for editing purposes.
The author has promise and in the future needs to have friends/family/colleagues read & reread for editing purposes.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews