Pier Pressure

Dreamboat Cruises #2

by Cynthia Gunderson (Author, Narrator)

My friends say I have a problem.

Not with dating, with breaking up.

I stay with the wrong men for years because I’m too nice to be the one who ends things.

So when we board a cruise along the coast of Croatia, they stage an intervention.

Their solution? I have seven days to have a vacation fling…and prove I can end it.

Before I can refuse, they’ve announced the challenge to the cruise director and the handsome stranger at the next table volunteers as tribute.

There’s only one problem.

Noah Bennett has never been in a relationship.

Not once.

Now the whole cruise is watching our “romance” unfold—dance lessons, sunset walks, and kisses that are all Noah’s firsts.

Noah knew it was supposed to be a fling. What he didn’t know was the ending.

My friends expect me to break up with him on stage at the ship’s farewell party.

All I have to do is go through with it. But somewhere between the laughter and the way Noah touches me like he’s discovering a new planet…

Winning the bet starts to feel like losing everything.

Pier Pressure is a swoony cruise rom-com featuring meddling friends, public bets, Adriatic adventures, and a love story worth risking public humiliation for.

One-click and start reading if you love:

• Fake Relationship
• Vacation Romance
• Dating Bet
• He’s Never Been in Love
• Golden Retriever Hero
• Meddling Friends
• Forced Proximity
• He Falls First

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Novella

4 pages, Audible Audio

Published April 21, 2026

Reviews

[Faerie (slumping)]

°﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌°༺❀♡❂♡❀༻°﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌°
⭐3.5
♡ Plot:
Sweet, sun-soaked and heartwarming, Pier Pressure introduces Macy, a chronic people-pleaser who struggles to end even the most stagnant relationships. Aboard a vibrant luxury cruise along the coast of Croatia, her friends stage an intervention: she must have a vacation fling - and, for once, be the one to end it. The challenge becomes far more complicated when Noah Bennett, a handsome cinnamon roll with no prior dating experience, volunteers to be her practice romance. Set against sparkling Adriatic waters, scenic coastal views, and idyllic Croatian ports, the story balances budding attraction with dreamy Mediterranean escapism. Between shared dinners, crowded decks and dance lessons, the close quarters encourage the leads to explore their connection.

♡ Writing Style:
Cynthia Gunderson’s writing is conversational, smooth, and easy to sink into, perfectly suited to the languid atmosphere. The prose is immersive, detailing the stunning location as it explores emotional intimacy and quiet vulnerability. The pacing is steady and unhurried, fitting the soothing tone of the story well.

♡ Characters:
Macy is kind, perhaps a little too kind, but entirely relatable in her tendency to prioritise everyone else’s comfort over her own. Her inner journey is subtle, but refreshingly authentic regardless, driven by gradual shifts in perspective. Noah is undeniably earnest - attentive and chivalrous, with an effortlessly sincere manner, making every milestone in their connection feel meaningful. Their dynamic develops naturally, built on mutual trust, consideration and quiet emotional discovery. Even the meddlesome friends, despite their questionable methods, ultimately come from a place of care.

♡ Impact:
While the story keeps its stakes fairly low, the emotional core is genuinely comforting. Themes of self-worth, conflict aversion, boundaries, rebuilding confidence and learning to release unhealthy entanglements are handled with a light but thoughtful touch.

♡ Entertainment Value:
A summery romantic escape with stunning coastal scenery, gentle relationship development, and plenty of heartfelt moments. It isn’t especially funny or dramatic, but it delivers exactly what it promises: a solid, feel-good holiday romance full of charm and tenderness.

Genre:
♡ Contemporary Romance
♡ Vacation Romance

Tropes and Themes:
♡ Vacation cruise romance
♡ Dating bet
♡ Forced proximity
♡ Fake dating
♡ He's never been in love
♡ Golden retriever hero
♡ Meddling friends
♡ Self-worth journey
♡ Healthy boundary building

Content Warnings:
⚠ Self-sabotaging habits

[Emma.catherine]

Oh how very relatable…staying with the wrong guy because you’re too nice or scared to end things 👀

‘I second guess every-ing. Make excuses and reason myself out of what is totally obvious: the relationship isn't working.’ 🙈

Macy has a problem. Not with dating, but with the breaking-up. So when she boards a Croatian cruise with her pals, they stage an intervention: seven days to have a vacation fling and prove she can end it…

Enter: handsome stranger - Noah

👋🏼 fake relationship, forced proximity, he falls first, dating bet, meddling friends, beautiful vacation backdrop… ☀️

Welcome back on board the Dreamboat Cruises 🚢

It’s all fun and games abroad this cruise line and the second instalment delivered just as the first. This time we are focused on Macy and Noah’s story….

Their story was SO sweet and gentle. The kindness and love exudes from them right from the beginning. While Macy’s friends just wanted her to take part in a dating bet, she was much more concerned for Noah’s feelings once she learned he had never been in a relationship before. I absolutely adored Noah’s loving gestures and genuine kindness. He was a grounding and loveable MMC. Macy was also a very likeable character. It’s hard not to root for this pair when they are such tender people.

Furthermore, I really enjoyed the descriptions of the ports they visited and excursions they went on. I genuinely felt like I was holidaying with them whilst cruising the same destination myself. It was PERFECT timing 🙌🏽

Overall, this is a perfect summer read! There’s lots to love about this easy read. Fun, sun, romance, and a sense of self-growth and development over the course of the story.

3.5 🌟🌟🌟✨

[Kate McMurry]

Adorable cruise-ship-romance novella with a virgin, Cinnamon Roll, fake boyfriend

This is the second novella in a duology based on cruising. The romance tropes in this novella include:

• Fake dating
• Vacation romance
• Love Boat cruise-ship romance
• Dating bet
• Virgin, unkissed love interest who's never dated
• Cinnamon Roll love interest
• Matchmaking friends
• Forced proximity
• He falls first
• He is a doctor and she is a nurse
• Only kissing, no sex
• First-person, present-tense, single POV of FMC

Macy is a 28-year-old hospice nurse from Boulder, Colorado, who is extremely happy with her career because she loves providing compassionate caretaking. At the start of the story, she has recently been dumped by a boyfriend she lived with for over two years. She has a bad habit, as a people pleaser who does not like to hurt anyone's feelings, of staying with boyfriends with whom she has an unhealthy relationship until the man decides to end the relationship.

The main events of this story are set on a 12-day European cruise starting in Venice and ending in Montenegro. The ship in this story is a fancy yacht that holds 70 passengers as opposed to the huge cruise ship with thousands of passengers in the first book. All of the stops during this cruise are at picturesque locales in Croatia.

Macy is accompanied on the cruise by her four female college roommates who are also in their late 20s. Macy considers them very close friends and has remained consistently in touch with them over the years via video chats, occasionally getting together with them in person, most recently two years ago.

During their first night on the yacht, while sitting at the six-top table in the main dining room that has been assigned to them for every night of the cruise, Macy's four friends are teasingly nagging her. They declare that she needs to become bold enough to voluntarily walk away from problematic boyfriends who are not worth investing in for the long-haul. They bet her (more accurately, they dare her) to jump into a vacation fling with someone on the cruise and break up with him before the end of their trip. They assure Macy that this dubious plan will allow her to practice ending a relationship, something she's never done before.

While they are in the midst of discussing the bet/dare, the cruise director, Joshua, escorts his younger brother, 26-year-old Noah, to their table. He says that Noah will be sitting with them at dinner for the duration of the cruise. Joshua and Noah have overheard the details of the bet. With a mischievous smile, Joshua volunteers Noah to be the person that Macy will fake date. Macy is surprised and embarrassed, but also pleased, when sweet, gentlemanly Noah agrees to this oddball arrangement with no hesitation.

These are the things I liked about this novel:

1. The romance inciting incident is far more plausible than in the first book of this duology.

2. I really liked Noah. He has recently graduated from medical school and is two years younger than Macy. He is an adorable Cinnamon Roll who is intelligent, hard-working, kind-hearted, and very good looking. His only flaw is that he is shy and socially awkward. He has never kissed a woman because he has never dated. He was an unattractive, chubby nerd in high school, and in college and medical school he was too focused on his studies to dedicate any time and effort to dating. It is extremely rare to have a virgin male love interest in an adult romance novel, and I very much appreciated this entertaining novelty.

3. Though Macy is also somewhat insecure, she's not a whiner, and she is not passive. She has an excellent growth arc in this novel.

4. Macy and Noah both honestly earn their lean physiques! She does yoga and he runs.

5. Noah is scheduled to begin an internship to become a pediatrician in the near future. Macy is a hospice nurse. This places them both in the healthcare field, and they are equally nurturing and compassionate. These commonalities as well as Noah's being slightly younger and less romantically experienced puts them on an even playing field. I could totally believe in the possibility of the two of them creating the ideal HEA, a happy, cooperative, coequal marriage.

6. Macy has an affectionate, loyal relationship with her four female friends.

7. Though this is a novella, the arc of the romance is satisfyingly complete, including an epilogue showing Macy and Noah enjoying a lovely HEA.

8. There is no sex, but there's plenty of sensual chemistry between Macy and Noah as he experiences kissing for the first time with Macy.

9. There are several mentions of therapy in the story that are very well done. The author has a degree in psychology, and it shows in the accuracy of her depiction of therapy.

The only mild complaint I have about this book is there is more detail than necessary for the multiple shore excursions in Croatia experienced by Macy with her friends. I only enjoyed the excursion that includes Noah, because it forwards the romance rather than, when it was only Macy and her friends, the excursions being merely page-filler travelogue.

I obtained free access to the audiobook version of this novella through my Audible membership. The author is the narrator, and she does a good job.

[Leticia🌻]

Another fantastic book by Cynthia Gunderson. Pier Pressure is Book 2 in the Dreamboat Cruises series, featuring Macy and Noah. Macy is on a 10-day cruise with his group of girl friends; Noah, is the cruise director's brother, who decided to come on this cruise to spend some time with his brother. Macy is a nurse who provides end of life care, who has just broken up with her boyfriend and goes on this cruise with her four good friends to de-stress and celebrate the fact that she finally broke up with her boyfriend. While on the cruise, Macy's friends bet that Macy can't just have a fling; Noah hears their conversation and volunteers to be Macy's fling. As the story progresses, we notice how well Noah fits in Macy's friend circle and how their relationship starts develop. Their interaction is adorable and had me giggling. The book touched on some sensitive subjects, which gave the characters more dimension.

Overall, I loved the story, the characters and the scenery.

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

[Erin]

Plot- Fake dating with a twist. I liked it! 3.5 stars


Characters- The love interest was my fave. What a unique character- a successful, hot young man who had never kissed a girl bc of Reasons. He was immediately adorable, eager (in a good way- surprising, I know) and likable.
The FMC was likable as well. The way she pushed him away for a moment at the end was dumb, but it didn’t last long and it didn’t hurt his feelings, so I was able to keep liking her regardless. And in this case, I liked his persistence.
I liked all the FMC’s friends, too.


Romance- Great chemistry.
I felt a little cringe when he talked about his history of taking notes, and how he wanted to try ideas out on her. But I got over it. He was really sweet.

THAT EPILOGUE WAS THE CUTEST THING I HAVE EVER READ. Best ending ever!! Swoon.
Half a star just for that memorable, perfect last chapter.
Loved the HEA.


Writing- Great!



Content-

Language- none that I recall
Spice- some good kisses. They sleep together behind closed doors.
Triggers/Violence- none
Substance abuse- none
Spiritual/religious- none
Cover- cute!
POV- single POV, 1st person
Cliffhanger- no
Will I Continue?- N/A
Format- audiobook via Hoopla
Narration- great!

[Hunter Ross]

Super cute, clean, fun and surprisingly emotional.

[Bronwen]

All I can say is, I ADORE Noah 🥺🥰🤭 he is so so precious!!

[Jacquie]

Book two in the Dreamboat Cruises series takes us on a friendship vacation through Croatia (one of my favorite countries) and it was an adorable swoony, closed-door cruise rom-com! 🚢🇭🇷💕

Macy is a rescuer and caregiver at heart, but that can definitely cause some problems in her relationships. She’s way too nice for her own good and has a hard time breaking up with guys who aren’t right for her because she doesn’t want to hurt their feelings. So when she heads off on a cruise to Croatia with her friends, they decide it’s time to help her out and, because apparently meddling friends make the best friends, they make a bet with her. Macy has to have a vacation fling AND learn how to actually break up with the guy. Enter Noah. Noah has been busy with medical school and has never been in a relationship before, so Macy figures this should be easy. Except when she tries to end things, Noah isn’t willing to let her off the hook! Then Macy encourages him to date other women so he can get some experience, only to discover that watching him do exactly that makes her a little more jealous than she’d like to admit. I loved watching Macy navigate her tendency to take care of everyone else while learning that sometimes you have to take care of yourself, too. Their relationship had plenty of sweet moments, chemistry, and just the right amount of romantic tension.

[May Kathryn]

adorably sweet

This is my first by this author, and I gotta be honest, I don't usually click and read right away when I find out that the book is clean and wholesome (I guess I am that immune to the steam and spice in my readings now, huh?). But, for some reason, I took a chance on this one, probably because of its length. And I gotta say, I made the right choice.

The meet-cute is just cute and funny. I mean, with the hero appearing out of nowhere, and from there, the heroine and her friends offhandedly made a bet that she could not handle a fling, and she wanted to prove them wrong. But the hero, Noah, is the epitome of a golden retriever hero, so he ended up being liked by everyone. And I mean, every. one. His gestures toward the heroine were simple, yet sweet and sincere. And even if their love story happened so fast, I lapped it up like cream because it was just so sweet.

I must also mention that not only does this author write adorably sweet stories, but her narration is on point as well. Her voice is clear and crisp, and even her male voice is close to masculine. Of course, I listened to another of her books after this. I would have loved to read more of Noah, but for now, I loved the idea that he made me swoon while at it.

[Betsy]

Pier Pressure is an endearing, sweet cruise ship romance around the Adriatic Sea that left me wishing for my own Baltic adventure!

I enjoyed the dared-to-have-a-fling premise, Macy’s and Noah’s relatable flaws, how well-matched they seemed to each other, and how the 12-day cruise allowed a longer timeline for the ups and downs of their romance. The writing was breezy and fun, with descriptions of off-ship excursions that felt like getting an intriguing taste of a part of the world I’ve never seen for myself. I also appreciated how the plot didn’t follow the structure I expected, but dug a little deeper and got more introspective.

My main critiques are that Noah transitioned too quickly from socially awkward to charming and from inexperienced to proficient, and the story wrapped up more quickly than I’d prefer. I also wish that Macy either had a smaller friend group or that more time had been given to flesh them out. But, it was a fun read that I recommend without reservations. I’d give it 4.5 stars if I could.

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

[Tori]

One thing you can guarantee from Cynthia Gunderson is that even if it’s cheesy, it will still be enjoyable. Pier Pressure was no different.

Macy is a people pleasing end of life nurse who just got out of a relationship she admittedly only stayed in because she wasn’t sure there was anything better. She’s on a 10 day cruise to Croatia with her 4 best friends who have a history of making bets none of them will back down from. When her girlfriends bet her that she won’t have a fling, complete with ending things she doesn’t expect Dr. Noah to be so interested in helping her win that bet. She doesn’t realize Noah has his own (very sweet) reason for being interested in being her fling partner. The problem with the best laid plans is they don’t always work out, and Noah just may be the guy Macy is looking for, for real.

Predictable, but still entertaining, this book is short enough to be perfect a rainy afternoon book!

[Kira K]

Thoughts:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a simple, cute and easy read. The bet and fake dating are fairly low stakes with them both knowing what they were getting into from the off and overall it wasn’t too tense but there were some cute moments like the earring. I liked that Macy’s friends were focused on getting her to be able to stand up for herself more, especially when Noah joined in. The character growth for both of them was also quite good and the ending with each port being one chapter was like a montage in writing.

Favourite Quote:
“When your life starts to fall apart, you second-guess everything, including your own version of reality. Your own sense of self. It's easy to believe that if everything else is wrong, maybe I'm wrong. I need some stable ground to work from.”

[NurseLadyReads]

The author made this book feel like she took me on vacation with her! The description of cities while walking through them with the characters give me a strong sense of place. Adding in the local Croatian language sealed the deal: I’m in heaven. This is the book I will exist in forever.

Macy and Noah’s story is so sweet! I’m a little bit in love with Noah; his calmness and strong sense of self were really refreshing. I love that Macy learned so much about herself over the course of a week. She has truly wonderful friends!

This book is perfect for anyone who dreams of taking my dream vacation, for fans of good friends, virgin MMCs, and self growth.

I received this advanced copy for free and I’m leaving a review voluntarily.

[Annie]

I just love the way Cynthia writes. Cynthia writes in a conversational and easy way that really made this a delightful read. Seriously I'm not sure that there are many authors I like to read more than Cynthia. The only reason this was not 5 stars is because it felt a little short and a bit rushed. I would have liked just a little more character development - especially of Noah.

This book is also a love letter to Croatia. I never really thought of it as a destination but the way Cynthia describes the places that are visited is absolutely wonderful. Now I need to go there! This is a great series and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I look forward to whatever is next!

Big thanks to book sirens and the author for a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

[Barbara]

The second book in the Dreamboat Cruises series, and I wanted to share my feedback. I enjoyed the premise of Macy’s 10-day Croatian cruise and found Dr. Noah to be a refreshing, sweet match for her. While the plot was predictable, the book was highly entertaining, and Macy’s journey of self-growth was well-executed. The vivid descriptions of the local language and cities also provided a wonderful sense of place. Overall, this is a fun read for anyone who enjoys stories about strong friendships and beautiful travel destinations. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenny Lynn Curry]

This is such a cute swoon worthy book!

Five best friends decide to take a cruise together for their vacation and make a bet that one of the friends can’t have a vacation fling and break up with the guy before the end of the cruise.

Taking the bet Macy is pretty much pushed into the perfect guy. He just finished med school, headed to residency in Boston. She just happens to be a nurse in Colorado.

He’s never had a girlfriend before, never been kissed situation, and she is freaking out.

The rollercoaster that follows is the perfect ride!! This is a must read for anyone looking for the perfect book boyfriend!!

[Stef]

Starting a fling with a hot, inexperienced doctor during vacation—all to prove a point to your friends? What could possibly go wrong?

Nothing… except feelings that start to feel like more than just a bit of peer pressure.

This was fun, cute, short, and a great follow-up to book one. And I have to say—I think I might’ve enjoyed this one even more because Noah??? Hello there 😏

Perfect if you’re looking for a quick, easy-paced romance with fun chemistry and friendship chaos.

Thank you, BookSirens, for another ARC c:

[Christina]

This was a great summer vacation romance!

I loved the connection between the FMC and MMC and with all her friends!

The cruise details and all the excursion details were nice like actually being on a cruise over seas.

I was excited to experience all the 'firsts' with the MMC and was happy to see the FMC realize her issues and grow from it. They do make a great pair!

It was a quick read but didn't feel rushed and the writing was wonderful

I received this book for an honest review

[Nancy McPherson]

Peer Pressure by Cynthia Gunderson
Enjoyed this summer read. Macy goes on a cruise with her 4 best friends to Croatia. She has trouble ending relationships until it’s past time. Her friends bet she cannot have a fling while on the trip. Enter Noah, the cruise directors brother, offering to have the fling with her. With forced proximity, meddling best friends and cruising with beautiful locations, I now want to go on this trip.

[Becky]

Another fun read!

Oh my gosh.

Cynthia Gunderson books are like Skittles, once you have consumed one, you just can’t stop!

Noah was so endearing and pure. Macy was a sweetheart and such a caregiver.

The friend group was awesome and I loved all the adventures of their trip.

It had humor, some heat ( uhm, that make out sesh on the boat!?! Whew) and a whole lot of heart!

[Barb]

Macy is on a cruise with her best friends. She has a hard time breaking up with men and her friends bet her she can't hurt a guy's feelings. Noah offers to be her fling. This book is a lot of fun. I love how well Noah fit in with the friend group. I enjoyed their outings and how well their relationship flourished.

[Jess]

This was a greatly written story, and the heartbreak hit in all the right spots. I loved the relationship that noah and macy had, they were perfect for each other. It was heartbreaking and i almost cried, but I was really happy when everything resolved at the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Prsongbird]

What a cute and sweet book! Warm happy feelings. I love the relationships and funny banter in this book. Another really fun and enjoyable book from this author. It is a clean, closed door romance but so so worth it. I loved every second of it.

I’m looking forward to the next one.

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

[Liberty Munson]

A FMC who bets with her girlfriend gang that she can breakup with a fling during a cruise. The person she picks is someone who hasn't had a relationship before. Yet they do it anyway. Her girlfriends should not have let it continue. She is hard to like as a result. BUT, stick with it... the story gets better and it's hard not to love Noah.

[Olivia Nahmias]

*3 stars*
A cute, low-stakes, forced-proximity romance featuring the most annoying vacation friend group betting their friend to have a vacation fling and (unbeknownst to her) a guy who's never had his first kiss. This particular dynamic will absolutely work for a very specific audience. I am not that audience, but still this was short, fast-paced, and easy to breeze through.

[Anna B]

This is another beach read that combines great friends, great places, and a great guy the heroine never knew she needed.

Delightful to read when you desire a few minutes away. Why not take a cruise?

[Beth Hansen]

2.5⭐️

Another cute summer read but everything felt very rushed compared to the first book and so I couldn’t connect with any of the characters.

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

[Tanesha Abernathy]

This was a cute little vacation romance. I didn’t know what to expect as this is the second book in a series…I read it as a stand alone and still understood what was going on, so you can do the same. This was quick to the point and did not disappoint.

[Lani Norris]

A solid quick and lighthearted read. Everything just moved too fast to be realistic and it was pretty cheesey.

[Sarcastic Slytherin]

Their relationship was like the human equivalent of mashed potatoes and gravy.