Capsized

by Julie Cannon

In the middle of a three-week fishing trip, commercial fisherman Roberta 'Bert' Coughlin rescues Alissa Cooper from her burning yacht and has no choice but to take the pampered rich girl along.

Alissa and Bert are from very different worlds. Bert struggles to succeed with the whims of Mother Nature. Alissa owns a successful advertising agency and is the epitome of high class and high fashion. When Alissa volunteers to help on the boat, Bert is more than a little surprised at how well she does.

The attraction between them grows, and one stormy night their pent-up desires crash together like the waves against the ship. When the ship returns to port, both women realize their lives are too different for anything other than their brief affair. They are simply too different. Their families are too different. Their lives too different. Then why do they keep coming back to each other?

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, Lesbian Romance, LGBT, Audiobook, Lesbian Fiction, Outdoors

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2016

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Julie Cannon is a native sun goddess born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She is a corporate stiff by day and dreamer by night. She has nine romance novels and five short stories published by Bold Strokes Books. A recent transplant to Houston, Julie and her partner Laura live on the lake with their two kids, two dogs and a cat.

Reviews

[Sandra★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ★

I was super excited to pick this up and I'm happy I did. It was a really interesting story and being set mostly on a fishing boat it was a unusual setting that I haven't read in other books. I liked both characters a lot but I wish we would've gotten to know Bert a little more.

At first I thought it was a little too slow paced but towards the end I felt like it all happened a little too fast. I wish we would've gotten to know more about what actually happened to Alissa's boat, more about her ex and I wish we would've gotten to see more of Alissa and Bert after they returned from the fishing trip.

I think this book had all the right amounts of angst, romance and steamy scenes. It was written from both of the characters POV's which can often be quite confusing but the author did it very well. I'll definitely pick up some of her other books in the future.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am struggling with what to write for this review as I don’t have a lot of feelings toward this book. The best way to describe it for me is ‘meh’. I did like the side story of Alissa having an ex being sent to jail for stealing money from her which provided a very good reason for her to have cold feet in starting a relationship. However the rest was just mediocre. The chemistry between the two characters was there but just, nothing that that set you on fire. I did enjoy the crew on the boat. I thought they were a nice addition to the story.

The pace was a little off where a lot of time was spent prior to the accident and on the boat. The ending seemed rushed with a lot of plot holes that left you feeling left in the dark. The return of the ex was weird and I am not sure what that was meant to accomplish. The play of emotions the two went through after they left the boat was also rushed. We basically got very quick snippets of their interactions after the boat journey, which provided nothing and then they were declaring their love.

For me I didn't hate the book but I found it to be not very satisfying when finished.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review.

[Pin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Capsized is written in first person, but from the point of view of both protagonists. The POV switches often from one narrator to another with the previous indication who is telling the story for the moment. It's done well, allowing us to get to know the main characters from both perspectives.
I liked the switching leads thing, the crew, part of the story related to the fishing trip and the setting, but...
Julie Cannon is an experienced writer (the editor of this book too), so I was surprised at some roughness in the story telling here, especially in the last part of the book (the story can be roughly divided into three parts) -- after returning from the fishing trip. That part has left too many questions for my liking, and one of my pet peeves -- rushed ending. I don't understand why the author (and/or editor) did it -- as if there had not been enough time for plot repairs and for a nice satisfying ending. That's a pity. :(
3 stars

*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much of the book takes place on a large fishing boat. I liked the unusual setting.
There's quite a bit of angst, but when things finally get rolling there's a lot of sexy times.

[Pippa D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alissa Cooper runs her own successful advertising agency. After becoming the victim of corporate espionage, complete with a two year affair with said spy, Alissa is a loner, and very wary of everyone, let alone commitment. An experienced sailor, Alissa’s way to escape stress and people is to sail her Catalina 387 solo.

Bert Coughlin is the Captain of her own fishing boat, a 150 ft Schooner with a crew of six. Aware of the difficulties of her parents’ marriage due to her father’s long absences on the sea, Bert stays away from any serious relationship.

Bert and her crew begin a six week voyage for their last catch of the season when they come across Alissa, floating in her safety vest in the ocean, days from land. With no time to drop her home, Alissa becomes trapped with the Captain and the crew for the next six weeks. The two women, determined not to become involved but clearly attracted to one another, have six weeks in a confined space to contend with.

Cannon has created two strong, interesting women, and a scenario that has some inventive possibilities. I really enjoyed the setting, and Cannon’s research gave me a good idea of the life onboard, without overdoing the detail of the information. The plot was clean, the writing clever and the pacing great.

I really enjoyed the book, and this was largely because of the quality of the writing, and I also enjoyed the company of Alissa and Bert, and the crew. I did want more information though. I wanted to know why Alissa’s boat had caught on fire, and how the spy aspect was resolved. The book did finish at a logical place, but I found I wanted to know more about some of the plot points left less resolved, and a bit more about how the characters were going to make a go of it.

I loved what was on the page, and I really enjoyed the book. I did want more though, hence the 4 stars rather than 4.5.

Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

[Diane (IF U'RE PRIVATE, PLEASE SKIP ME!!!) Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

good enough..after i read the book i sat and ponder how i really felt about the morality of Alissa's character's and came to the conclusion that i probably agree with a few of the things she was doing,even though it might have been questionable..btw the focus was just on two characters mainly through to the end..little confuse about the title also because then the description of the story was sooo different,this was so complex in so many ways,like two stories being told and so began their tumultuous affair on the sea then on land..an ok ending with a bit of question about Ms.Cindy?

[Tiff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Winter needs to go on already. I am so beyond ready for sunshine and time on the water, and so over sweaters and being forced to drag along a jacket wherever I go. So seeing Julie Cannon’s newest book about adventures on the high seas grabbed my attention and I thought I would give it a whirl.

Alissa Cooper owns a very successful advertising agency in Boston. She is driven to be successful and deliver top not work to her clients. Long hours and heavy workload in the office propel Miss Cooper to taking what downtime she has out onto the water in her luxury sail boat. Late one night after spending the day on her boat, her vessel catches fire and burns to smithereens leaving her stranded in the middle of the ocean with nothing but a life vest on.

Bert Coughlin is the captain of her own commercial fishing boat. Bert is a hard working woman who knows that her fishing capabilities feed the hard working men that work for her. Fishing is serious business and nothing gets in her way, not even a stranded advertising executive. Bert’s crew literally stubble and find Alissa while they are headed out on three week tuna expedition. Alissa is forced to come along for the ride, and share Bert’s bunk space.

This book left me wanting more. There is so much of Burt and Alissa’s story that was left untold. Why did the book end when it obviously needed about 10 more chapters of information? Why did Alissa’s boat burn down, was it nefarious in nature or just an electrical malfunction. What about the appearance of the ex-prison inmate ex-girlfriend. Is she seeking revenge? So much left unsaid, and not in a good way. Plot holes drive me crazy! This book is a fine, nice read but it left me hanging, and wanting it to be more than it was.

I was given this ARC by Netgalley & Bold Strokes Books

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Enjoyable characters and reasonable storyline, but found the first person POV for each Chapter sometimes became muddled, and there really wasn't enough focus on the Alissa's survival or the cause of her first boat going down to make it truly engaging. A pleasant read...

[A.W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alissa Warner Cooper, owns her own agency named Alissa Cooper Advertising. She first meets Alberta "Bert" Rose Coughlin, a fisherman, at a market and again when Alissa's boat caught on fire and Bert's crew saves her. Unable to leave Bert's ship, Alissa is forced to stay on until the end of the fishing trip.

Both strong women in their own right and it was interesting to read about them. Alissa and Bert definitely had physical chemistry but I'm not sure if I believed there was a lot of real emotional chemistry. I think I would have been more invested in the story if that had been the case.

It was an okay read as the ending felt a bit rushed and unfinished. I would have liked to have read more about Alissa and Bert after the fishing trip and more about the situation with Alissa's ex-girlfriend.

Review also posted here: http://wp.me/p4Pp9O-eW

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps I should have a new ‘shelf:’ only one bed for two people! Interestingly (🙈) the back of the book blurb covered 80% of the book so no surprises, but a brick wall ending (mutter mutter). Julie Cannon is a good writer though…. Recommended.

[Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, a Julie Cannon novel is always good for some escapism and typically can be read/skimmed in about a day or so. Those are the positives. The characters in her books tend to be pretty inter-changeable. There always seem to be crazy ex-girlfriends, trust issues, and leads who apparently cannot manage to conduct themselves in normal conversations without blatant double entendres or barely containing their sexual reactions. It's like these people are walking sex offenders. So in this particular story we have Alissa and Bert. Seriously, Bert? It's like these authors have contests to come up with the most distracting names--because along with the name we also have to (always) have the obligatory name explanation scene. Anyway, Alissa and Bert. Whatever. Alissa is (self described) brilliant, rich, and incredibly creative--but with trust issues over an ex who embezzled from her company. This would all be well and good, but no where in the book do we see any of these traits from Alissa--except maybe her flippancy about blowing 300K on a boat--or a payoff on the "crazy ex" trope. Bert is the commercial fisherman with the heart of gold--and that's about it for Bert's interesting qualities. As is typical of the lesbian romance genre, they spend half the book staring at each other with "lust in [their] eyes" whatever that means and then the other half sleeping with eachother--with a little bit of break up/great personal revelation & make up thrown in.
The book is written in first person alternating between both characters--but neither have a particularly distinctive "voice". Taking out the names, you'd have no idea which character's head you're in. The author also injects abbreviations into the speech, which drove me absolutely nuts: OMG, WTF, BFF. These aren't teenage women--but I suppose with the raging hormones you probably couldn't tell anyway.
Adding insult to injury, there are huge plot holes, the biggest being what actually happens to Alissa's boat. What does happen is ridiculous when the author lays the groundwork early on in the book for pirates--which WOULD have been a much better plot device and would have made, you know, sense.
Read it or don't read it; it's nothing particularly memorable and nothing particularly different from other titles in this author's library.

ARC provided by NetGalley

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one had so many plot holes and if they were answered would have been more believable. For instance there was no investigation into how Alissa's boat got blown up. How the heck did Ariel even find her and get onto the dock especially when the guard was notify not to let her on.

Arc given by NetGalley for a honest review

[Heinerway · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting setting, very unusual in romance books: life aboard a commercial fishing boat. The writing was excellent... but the ending was a little bit rushed with a few plot holes. Does that means that there will be a second part to this story?

[Angela Rash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story with great characters. I did not want to put this book down and was then looking through my lists of books to find more by this author!!

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the parts when they first see each other on the fishing boat, and the interactions immediately after. The sex and intimacy scenes are well done.

[Ty · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This was a decent idea with some potential, but it is rather poorly written. It's cliched, kind of unbelievable at times, leaves out details the reader might find important to the story, and struggles as it switches back and forth between two first person narrators.

[Kimberley Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable start to summer-reading season. But certain details bug mee, eg, what *did* start that fire ...?

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting story, from the beginning to the end!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Inked Rainbow Reads in return for an honest review.
I couldn't stop reading this one. I really like the way these two women click. There probably could have been a bit more from Bert about her feelings of insecurity when she's thinking about a relationship with Alissa, based on the fact that they're worlds apart as far as what they do. But I really like that even from the start, there wasn't any doubt on Alissa's part that Bert was an intriguing woman who really caught her interest, not only physically, but mentally as well. I completely understand why Alissa backed off after the first meeting. I have to say, Cannon did a great job of making me feel like these two were never going to get past their issues and move things past the physical. Thing is, she also did a great job of making me believe that their connection was more than physical from the start. Lovely story. Two things that did make me question things a bit: one, why would Ariel/Cindy come around knowing she could go back to prison for it? Two, how did that fire start in the first place? It seems like both issues kind of dangle unresolved at the end. I was wondering if the fire was some sort of sabotage, but with the boat gone, we'd never know for sure. I'm also not sure some things were addressed enough. There's the implied disparity between the two that obviously weighs on Bert's mind, but it somehow gets lost later in the book. And Alissa's reaction to how close she came to dying. It makes it seem like that and the time she spent with Bert and the guys on the fishing boat made her think differently about her life, but we don't get to see whether anything changes. I also want to know if Ariel is coming back to make even more trouble. I find that whole appearance by her at the end weird; she's coming to tell Alissa that she fell in love with her, but obviously her husband thinks he's still in her life because he's been supportive and close to her all through her incarceration. It just seems like something else is going to happen there. I almost feel like the end was chopped off. But the book is enjoyable, and definitely a romantic and hot read.

[Tori Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an unedited copy of this book and my review assumes that the errors will be corrected prior to publication. I received the book from Inked Rainbow Reads in exchange for an honest review.

In this hot and spicy story, we meet the guarded, sea-smart, successful Alissa, who doesn’t want a relationship after what happened with her last girlfriend. Bert is a fisherman through and through, who doesn’t want to put a spouse or significant other through what her mother had to go through. After a rescue mission, Bert and Alissa are forced to live in close conditions for a while. At sea, both women seem destined to be nothing more than friends and casual lovers; however, what happens once they are back on dry land with the world pressing in.

I was pulled into this lovely story from page one. Both women were a pleasure to get to know and I enjoyed watching them grow and deal with their feelings, though Bert’s feelings about their differences suddenly no longer matters toward the end.

The author does a great job giving us a look inside their heads and into their hearts. The pacing of the book was perfect, not too fast or too slow. The sexy scenes were tastefully done and left me fanning off myself afterward. I enjoyed the dynamic that they had with one another. I loved that they had an instant connection.

I did find some of the passages awkwardly worded and they momentarily disrupted my reading flow when encountered; however, I was usually able to get the gist of their meaning. I did feel that Cindy/Ariel’s appearance toward the end of the book was weird; why appear just to say that she was in love with her when it could result in Cindy/Ariel going back to jail? Also, after her near death experience and her time on Bert’s ship, Alissa is reborn and her ideals and views on life change; my complaint is that we don’t see where that goes. We also never find out how a boat that was so well taken care of suddenly caught fire in the night.

All-in-all, it was an enjoyable hot and sweet story and I enjoyed meeting Bert and Alissa; I hope that we see more from them in the future.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Capsized by Julie Cannon is written from the point of view of both lead characters. This is often done badly but Cannon pulled it off in this book. Alissa is very successful and owns her own business and does well. Bert runs a crew of fishermen on her boat. When I began the book it just didn’t seem like these two would ever mesh well. I know their love for the sea was a common point, but they were so different with very different lifestyles. I went into this book thinking it would be a disaster, and it was but a very different type. Alissa finds herself saved by Bert’s boat after hers sinks. I read the entire book, and while it wasn’t fantastic, it wasn’t awful either. I knew the author but was unsure if had previously read any of her work. I went back and looked, and I had read two other books by Cannon. Those too were middle of the road ratings for me. I am going to say if you really enjoy this author, you will love this book. It appears it is typical of her style and you will not be disappointed. I enjoyed the book and would read others by this author in the future. I personally think it is a book that you read and then forget about after. If you are looking for an easy, weekend read this could be it.

~copy provided by NetGalley for honest review~

[Christine Close · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sent this book by Inked Rainbow Reads in exchange for an honest review.

A really well written romance that incorporates enough factual details to give it authenticity and a touch of realism.

I particularly enjoyed the way Ms Cannon narrated the novel, first she had Alissa give her opinion then the same tale was retold from Bert's point of view. This allowed the reader to gain insight into each of the women's personalities as well as gaining an understanding as to how they had reached this point in their lives.

Learning about Tuna and fishing for Tuna showed how much research the author had done. It was presented in a very interesting and engaging way that added real authenticity and substance to this creative novel.

It was refreshing to have two such powerful and strong characters with such different but equally compelling personalities in one book. I was also found coming from different social background added to an already compelling read.

A delightful and satisfying novel that I can wholly recommend.

[Sami Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful read. The two women have very different professional passions, but they both love their boats and the sea. Alissa's successful professional life contrasts with the debacle of her personal life. Bert believes she can never have a personal life because of her profession. The women are thrown together, irritate each other and find an incomparable attraction. They struggle with themselves knowing that their professional lives will allow them to find a future together -- or perhaps they can.

[YUP · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still have some books left to read by Julie Cannon. But all of the ones I have read so far have been awesome reads. I love the journey she takes you on as the characters struggle with their feelings for each other and finally give themselves over to the power of love. This story was no different. I love the time they spent together out at sea on the ship and the sex scenes were definitely hot and love-able lol. The way the story ended sound like there could be a part two, with Alissa's ex saying, "This isn't over..." so that is definitely something I will be looking for?

[Nolly Frances Sepulveda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a well written romance of two women who basically didn't feel or want to be in a relationship, but found themselves slowly heading into one. Bert didn't think she could bring herself to have someone in her life when she spent so much time out to sea, Alissa's last girlfriend left her hurt , bitter and untrusting in love. Together they have the right chemistry to make it work.

[Julie Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julie Cannon always seems to get in and pull on the heartstrings. Capsized was no different to any other. I just love her down to earth romances with real people. I love how it makes my heart hurt when they are still finding their way to one another. I highly recommend this book. I can't say anymore without giving away the story and you need to read this for yourself.

[Penelope · Rating 4 out of 5]

An honest review thanks to NetGalley. I love Julie Cannon, and this was another romantic classic that you will want to read over and over again. Putting the story on a fishing boat brought more substance to the story as the reader fell more and more in love with both of the characters. You can never go wrong with Julie Cannon, and this book does not disappoint! You will love this book!

[Kelley O'Brien · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book a lot, but had trouble. I didn't connect with the characters at all and the plot holes and point of view shifts (without section or chapter breaks) took me out of the story on multiple occasions.

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Margaret L. Hedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

Great book. Quick easy read. Really enjoyed the setting. Two women on a commercial fishing ship with a crew of men. Great story.

[Heather Henkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it

Thus was a fun quick read but a very good story at the same time. I really liked the mains but I liked the guys on the boat too. Not too sappy either.