What do you think?
Rate this book
Lucky Charming
Blissfully shallow and carefree, Kate Chastain was your typical twenty something college co-ed. Well, until reality gave her a wake-up call in the form of a diploma, that is. At a crossroads after graduation, a serendipitous coincidence convinced Kate to abandon life as she knew it and jump feet first into the world of working on mega yachts. At first, she stumbled her way through life as a stewardess, just trying to adjust to her new surroundings and clumsily ‘learning the ropes’ via trial and error. Like shit-tons of error. But now, nearly ten years and a hit reality show later, Kate is finally ready to share the good, the bad, and the downright shocking details about her life at sea with the world’s most rich and famous. It was 2008 and we were anchored off of St.Tropez. I had only been a yachtie for two seasons at the time when I turned to the Captain’s wife, and said, “You know, I could write a book about all of the insane things we see working on these boats…..the sex, the money, the celebrities….” My older, more experienced coworker rolled her eyes and laughed then was quick to dismiss my silly idea, “Kate, of course we could all write a book about what we see on yachts. We’ve all said it for years…..but, if you actually did that, you would never get hired on another yacht again. ” She went back to polishing the crystal wine glass in her hand and I was confused for a second. “But Stacie, if so many people knew about the book that I couldn’t get a yacht job, would I still really need one?”
295 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2016
189 people are currently reading
1365 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
December 12, 2016
I am hooked on the terrible Bravo show Below Deck and Kate is the queen of that show. She rules her yacht with a dry, sarcastic, iron fist and even though I know her personal life is a bit of a train wreck I think she might be the only person on the show (besides the Captain) who actually does a good job at her JOB. Anyway, when I saw that she had a book about yachting, I had to buy it.
This is a super fast read about her first experiences in yachting. It has nothing at all to with Below Deck. I've read books like this before -- about people working on cruise ships, at Disney World, or even people just starting out in kitchens - and this is very much like other books of this type. It's a mostly unvarnished look at the actual work involved in being a 3rd stew on a 150 foot yacht. Will you find this interesting? Maybe? I certainly did and probably would have liked it even if it wasn't Kate telling the story. Knowing what I know about her it made me like the book more for sure because she's a lot different here than she is now but you can totally see flashes of 2016 Kate peeking through. I'd actually really like to read more details about what's it's like to be the chief stew -- something she glosses over quickly towards the end of the book.
All in all, this is a fun little read and worth it if it goes on sale. I'm giving it four stars because it delivers as a piece of trashy "celebrity" tell all fluff but don't take that 4 stars to mean it's actually a true 4 star book....I'm grading with a curve.
This is a super fast read about her first experiences in yachting. It has nothing at all to with Below Deck. I've read books like this before -- about people working on cruise ships, at Disney World, or even people just starting out in kitchens - and this is very much like other books of this type. It's a mostly unvarnished look at the actual work involved in being a 3rd stew on a 150 foot yacht. Will you find this interesting? Maybe? I certainly did and probably would have liked it even if it wasn't Kate telling the story. Knowing what I know about her it made me like the book more for sure because she's a lot different here than she is now but you can totally see flashes of 2016 Kate peeking through. I'd actually really like to read more details about what's it's like to be the chief stew -- something she glosses over quickly towards the end of the book.
All in all, this is a fun little read and worth it if it goes on sale. I'm giving it four stars because it delivers as a piece of trashy "celebrity" tell all fluff but don't take that 4 stars to mean it's actually a true 4 star book....I'm grading with a curve.
May 30, 2018
Have I ever mentioned how much I love my library? I was waiting and waiting for this book to get a little cheaper and just thought, the heck with it, I'll see if my library will order it. I knew it was probably a small chance because it's not a major publisher and I have no idea if there were more than my request for this book. However, I received a notice that my library not only ordered this book for me from Amazon, but they sent it directly to my home AND I can keep it as long as I want! What!? It's a new program my library has which I'm going to take full advantage of. I LOVE MY LIBRARY!!! http://www.saclibrary.org/
And now regarding the book, the book was funny (I love the author's sarcastic edge - I wish I was that quick witted). There's this really sweet and sincere section about how she felt at rock bottom after something breaking that helped her get through her monotonous, hard working day and how an inner voice helped her through that time. And how she started working on yachts which pay well but you work very hard for that money. If you love her on Below Deck like I do, you'll love this book.
And now regarding the book, the book was funny (I love the author's sarcastic edge - I wish I was that quick witted). There's this really sweet and sincere section about how she felt at rock bottom after something breaking that helped her get through her monotonous, hard working day and how an inner voice helped her through that time. And how she started working on yachts which pay well but you work very hard for that money. If you love her on Below Deck like I do, you'll love this book.
February 13, 2020
I knew exactly what I was getting into. This read was not supposed to be life-changing, moral, ethical, or give me motivation to change my life. It was 5 stars for what is was - entertaining, and an extension of the show Below Deck. An off-camera true autobiography of life on board, and Kate (as I know her) wrote it in a way that made me laugh out loud on countless occasions. I think I’ll save the book to read it twice, just to be able to laugh, again! I just kept wanting more. Great story telling, Kate. I loved it.
December 29, 2017
I love the Bravo show Below Deck and I am kind of fascinated with this type of lifestyle. I enjoyed reading Kate's description of how she got into it and the trials and tribulations she faced. I am not a huge non-fiction fan but this was a great, fun, fast paced read.
February 22, 2020
Not very well written, repeated refers to herself as a "slave" and then apparently finds God, in a way that seems super insincere. Should stick to TV.
October 7, 2017
it was everything I wanted in a honeymoon read
January 14, 2024
Kate Chastain is my new idol. Not only is she witty, hysterical, hard working, passionate, driven and righteous she is also what I could only aspire to be if I were to work in the yachting industry. While reality shows are notorious for being trashy and the Below Deck franchise certainly has its moments, I think it's one of the best out there because it showed me what it's actually like to work on the uber-rich people yachts that uber-rich people use to go on their monthly vacations. Some of my favourite memories as a kid were spending time at the Baltic Sea when I would visit my family in Poland so I've always felt a connection with large bodies of water. Now that I've watched the entire franchise except for the unreleased episodes of the current season of Below Deck Med, I wanted to read this book to help cope with the fact that I likely will never watch it again, with both show drivers Hannah Ferrier (megabitch) and Kate Chastain having left as well as the crazy pandemic plaguing the world.
I was a little disappointed getting into this book because at first it was exhilarating to learn about what got Kate into the industry of yachting but I quickly realized that it was only going to go into detail about her first year of experiences in yachting, long before she went on the show. She began by working on a yacht in Florida for a few months and then only briefly chartered to the Caribbean, from where she went to work on a different yacht that chartered around the Caribbean, and then crossed the Atlantic to the Mediterranean for the rest of her first year. I guess I thought an autobiography would include a bit more personal information like how she spends her time not yachting, who she keeps in touch with from the industry and beyond, where she travels when she's not on a boat, what her favourite food is given she lacks the sense of smell and if yachting has shown her what she's really passionate about in life and wants to pursue once she settles down (although like Hannah, it might entail a sugar daddy and plopping out some kids). I really hope that my impression that she's not actually like Hannah and doesn't just want to be a trophy wife is right though because it would be much more in line with her no-nonsense bad-ass persona on the show. I guess I can seek those things out through her interviews and social media if I really want to know... Another thing that irked me, especially knowing Kate has a degree in organizational communication from the University of Central Florida, is the editing of the book; while the formatting and her quips are excellent, I found too many grammar and spelling mistakes to forgive even only a fifth way into the book. It wasn't enough to ruin comprehension but it certainly detracted from my reading experience, especially given Kate's background as I said and also given she's supposed to be a perfectionist. Even if the editor did more than just proofreading and general formatting, I would hire a different one next time.
One of my favourite aspects of this book is Kate's clear presentation of the pattern in the yachting world (and probably the entire service industry in general) of misogyny and lack of respect for women, not just by charter guests but by crew members as well. It was plain as day in the franchise as well, with examples I can remember off the top of my head on each show (e.g. sexual assault on Sailing Yacht, lack of respect of female leaders on Med and basically all of season 7 of Below Deck proper, which I think definitely played a part in Kate being over it). It's really sad that the modern views of women in most workplaces in developed nations don't seem to have fully translated to yachting, because women are still viewed as inferior in rank even if they are officially superior, usually regarded as stewardesses rather than deckhands or god forbid higher positions like chefs or captains, and in general seem to be more exposed to sexual violence. That's not to say that men don't get harassed either because I've certainly seen that happen too but it's like there's a secret mob mentality that occurs when it comes to women where certain groups of men, be it charter guests or crew members, think it's okay to conspire to degrade women. It's disgusting and there should be better protocol in place to protect women than either saying yes to anything or having to be creative to evade it like Kate was, in order to avoid getting fired or 'lowering crew morale.'
Another thing that Kate did impeccably was show that contrary to the opinions of some of the lower ranked stews of Below Deck past (e.g. Miss 'Jump-Off-The-Boat' Rocky and Miss 'PhD in Mathematics' Simone), she did actually know what it was like to be a third stew, feel completely disregarded by everyone on board as the bottom of the totem pole and feel like she was working the hardest. Except contrary to many of the show's second and third stews, she had actually lived on the same boat for months in Florida before the charter season had even begun and had a captain who was basically the same level of arrogant prick as Chef Kevin from season 7 (aka the worst qualities of Tom Cruise in one person). Luckily, everything in this book is wrapped up in Kate's charming comedy (see what I did there?) so it is delicious to read. I liked how while the show glamourized yachting, this book really allows you to glimpse the mundane and still does not detract from pursuing it as a career, even though the franchise does portray most of the reality helped in part I think by the fact that everyone is in such tight quarters. Ultimately, despite the assholes and the cabin fever, the crew still has it really good considering the pay (e.g. based on my research, the average 'bottom of the totem pole' third yacht stewardess will make about 3k a month not including anywhere from 1-3k in tips a week, which multiplied by the 4-5 month length of a charter season will amount to around 50k USD of completely disposable income).
What made this book truly enjoyable for me - and helped me get over not getting as much personal info as I wanted and not really knowing what to expect because there were different amounts of detail about different charter experiences - was her recollections of her quarter-life crisis brain, which is the brain I currently have, having recently turned 26 myself. Like Kate, it's humbling to know that at my age she was going through the same anxiety and doubt about her future as I am, especially in deciding whether to follow a certain career path or go home to safety and security at the expense of work experience. It was nice to read that she also didn't always know what she was doing with her life after college, that she had to face rejection and that 'her best' at the time was still not good enough at times so if she really wanted something she had to fight for it. It reminds me of Randy Pausch's last lecture where he said that the brick wall isn't there to stop you, it's to show you how much you really want something and how much you're willing to fight for it. Right now I'm dipping my toes in every field that interests me, with pharmacy being the latest, and I don't regret a second because I can now know for a fact that I hate pharmacy. Her career journey reminds me that it's much better to at least dip my toes in rather than staying comfortable in my own bubble because every new experience will bring rewards whether material or spiritual.
I think what I love most about Kate is how she's fiercely honest and unapologetically herself, more than most people dare to be. Halfway into the book, it became exciting to read again because she does write about a little more than just her very first yachting experience and I didn't really know what to expect about the detail she'd give about any given experience she had (e.g. she writes about 3 years in one chapter but dedicates about half the book to 6 months). The pacing was definitely not even having said that, so I think she might have had a diary going during her first yachting years and then she possibly gave it up, and that's why there's next to no information about her first years as a chief stew. After completing the book however, I actually appreciate the pacing because it made reading about her more positive experiences as she had grown her résumé later on in her career more satisfying after having dredged through her first year of mostly slave-like labour. She also probably didn't want to relive what she described as her first two failed attempts at being a chief stew, which I can imagine were filled with bad managing and catastrophes she'd rather not admit to have caused.
So after my bingeing of this whole yachting thing, I've thought of dipping my toes in yachting too if you couldn't tell by now, but given how you have to train beforehand in bartending, service, boating, life-saving and other things, you do have to work hard once you're actually there, and that I hate the idea of having to work (and potentially be degraded) while I'm travelling or travelling according to someone else's itinerary for that matter (been there, done that, no thanks), I'm probably going to stay on dry land for the foreseeable future. I'm also vegetarian, which I know Kate would hate about me, so experiencing excess up close and eating leftover fresh Atlantic crab served on grass-fed organic filet mignon with a garnish of Russian caviar, gold leaf and Swedish calf blood sauce isn't something I dream of experiencing one day; I've come to learn of the beauty of living in this day and age, that most worthwhile experiences don't usually cost much, if anything at all. One last observation I've made of Kate based on the show and this book is her extreme resilience to situations that I would have noped my way out of a handful of times before she did. She is so forgiving and chooses not to allow others to affect her being, which ultimately shows how confident and strong she is. It's such an admirable quality to have and I hope I can be more like that especially in my professional life. Now that this chapter of her life is over, I'm curious to see what Kate will get up to next!
I was a little disappointed getting into this book because at first it was exhilarating to learn about what got Kate into the industry of yachting but I quickly realized that it was only going to go into detail about her first year of experiences in yachting, long before she went on the show. She began by working on a yacht in Florida for a few months and then only briefly chartered to the Caribbean, from where she went to work on a different yacht that chartered around the Caribbean, and then crossed the Atlantic to the Mediterranean for the rest of her first year. I guess I thought an autobiography would include a bit more personal information like how she spends her time not yachting, who she keeps in touch with from the industry and beyond, where she travels when she's not on a boat, what her favourite food is given she lacks the sense of smell and if yachting has shown her what she's really passionate about in life and wants to pursue once she settles down (although like Hannah, it might entail a sugar daddy and plopping out some kids). I really hope that my impression that she's not actually like Hannah and doesn't just want to be a trophy wife is right though because it would be much more in line with her no-nonsense bad-ass persona on the show. I guess I can seek those things out through her interviews and social media if I really want to know... Another thing that irked me, especially knowing Kate has a degree in organizational communication from the University of Central Florida, is the editing of the book; while the formatting and her quips are excellent, I found too many grammar and spelling mistakes to forgive even only a fifth way into the book. It wasn't enough to ruin comprehension but it certainly detracted from my reading experience, especially given Kate's background as I said and also given she's supposed to be a perfectionist. Even if the editor did more than just proofreading and general formatting, I would hire a different one next time.
One of my favourite aspects of this book is Kate's clear presentation of the pattern in the yachting world (and probably the entire service industry in general) of misogyny and lack of respect for women, not just by charter guests but by crew members as well. It was plain as day in the franchise as well, with examples I can remember off the top of my head on each show (e.g. sexual assault on Sailing Yacht, lack of respect of female leaders on Med and basically all of season 7 of Below Deck proper, which I think definitely played a part in Kate being over it). It's really sad that the modern views of women in most workplaces in developed nations don't seem to have fully translated to yachting, because women are still viewed as inferior in rank even if they are officially superior, usually regarded as stewardesses rather than deckhands or god forbid higher positions like chefs or captains, and in general seem to be more exposed to sexual violence. That's not to say that men don't get harassed either because I've certainly seen that happen too but it's like there's a secret mob mentality that occurs when it comes to women where certain groups of men, be it charter guests or crew members, think it's okay to conspire to degrade women. It's disgusting and there should be better protocol in place to protect women than either saying yes to anything or having to be creative to evade it like Kate was, in order to avoid getting fired or 'lowering crew morale.'
Another thing that Kate did impeccably was show that contrary to the opinions of some of the lower ranked stews of Below Deck past (e.g. Miss 'Jump-Off-The-Boat' Rocky and Miss 'PhD in Mathematics' Simone), she did actually know what it was like to be a third stew, feel completely disregarded by everyone on board as the bottom of the totem pole and feel like she was working the hardest. Except contrary to many of the show's second and third stews, she had actually lived on the same boat for months in Florida before the charter season had even begun and had a captain who was basically the same level of arrogant prick as Chef Kevin from season 7 (aka the worst qualities of Tom Cruise in one person). Luckily, everything in this book is wrapped up in Kate's charming comedy (see what I did there?) so it is delicious to read. I liked how while the show glamourized yachting, this book really allows you to glimpse the mundane and still does not detract from pursuing it as a career, even though the franchise does portray most of the reality helped in part I think by the fact that everyone is in such tight quarters. Ultimately, despite the assholes and the cabin fever, the crew still has it really good considering the pay (e.g. based on my research, the average 'bottom of the totem pole' third yacht stewardess will make about 3k a month not including anywhere from 1-3k in tips a week, which multiplied by the 4-5 month length of a charter season will amount to around 50k USD of completely disposable income).
What made this book truly enjoyable for me - and helped me get over not getting as much personal info as I wanted and not really knowing what to expect because there were different amounts of detail about different charter experiences - was her recollections of her quarter-life crisis brain, which is the brain I currently have, having recently turned 26 myself. Like Kate, it's humbling to know that at my age she was going through the same anxiety and doubt about her future as I am, especially in deciding whether to follow a certain career path or go home to safety and security at the expense of work experience. It was nice to read that she also didn't always know what she was doing with her life after college, that she had to face rejection and that 'her best' at the time was still not good enough at times so if she really wanted something she had to fight for it. It reminds me of Randy Pausch's last lecture where he said that the brick wall isn't there to stop you, it's to show you how much you really want something and how much you're willing to fight for it. Right now I'm dipping my toes in every field that interests me, with pharmacy being the latest, and I don't regret a second because I can now know for a fact that I hate pharmacy. Her career journey reminds me that it's much better to at least dip my toes in rather than staying comfortable in my own bubble because every new experience will bring rewards whether material or spiritual.
I think what I love most about Kate is how she's fiercely honest and unapologetically herself, more than most people dare to be. Halfway into the book, it became exciting to read again because she does write about a little more than just her very first yachting experience and I didn't really know what to expect about the detail she'd give about any given experience she had (e.g. she writes about 3 years in one chapter but dedicates about half the book to 6 months). The pacing was definitely not even having said that, so I think she might have had a diary going during her first yachting years and then she possibly gave it up, and that's why there's next to no information about her first years as a chief stew. After completing the book however, I actually appreciate the pacing because it made reading about her more positive experiences as she had grown her résumé later on in her career more satisfying after having dredged through her first year of mostly slave-like labour. She also probably didn't want to relive what she described as her first two failed attempts at being a chief stew, which I can imagine were filled with bad managing and catastrophes she'd rather not admit to have caused.
So after my bingeing of this whole yachting thing, I've thought of dipping my toes in yachting too if you couldn't tell by now, but given how you have to train beforehand in bartending, service, boating, life-saving and other things, you do have to work hard once you're actually there, and that I hate the idea of having to work (and potentially be degraded) while I'm travelling or travelling according to someone else's itinerary for that matter (been there, done that, no thanks), I'm probably going to stay on dry land for the foreseeable future. I'm also vegetarian, which I know Kate would hate about me, so experiencing excess up close and eating leftover fresh Atlantic crab served on grass-fed organic filet mignon with a garnish of Russian caviar, gold leaf and Swedish calf blood sauce isn't something I dream of experiencing one day; I've come to learn of the beauty of living in this day and age, that most worthwhile experiences don't usually cost much, if anything at all. One last observation I've made of Kate based on the show and this book is her extreme resilience to situations that I would have noped my way out of a handful of times before she did. She is so forgiving and chooses not to allow others to affect her being, which ultimately shows how confident and strong she is. It's such an admirable quality to have and I hope I can be more like that especially in my professional life. Now that this chapter of her life is over, I'm curious to see what Kate will get up to next!
March 29, 2023
3.5 stars.
Kate Chastain's Lucky Charming is a fun and entertaining memoir that gives readers an inside look at the life of a reality TV star. I loved watching Kate as a cast member/chief stew on Bravo's hit show Below Deck (and still miss her on that show!) and she exhibits the same witty banter in sharing her experiences growing up in Florida, her journey to becoming a yacht stewardess, and her work adventures.
Throughout the book, Chastain's sharp wit and sarcastic humor shine through, making for a light-hearted and enjoyable read. She also shares some of the more challenging moments of her life, including struggles with anxiety and relationships, which adds a depth of realism to the memoir and the world of yachting.
Overall, I thought Lucky Charming is a good read for fans of Below Deck or anyone looking for an entertaining, easy to read, and somewhat relatable memoir. While I was hoping the book would also include some of her experiences working on the show, it still was a very entertaining read.
Kate Chastain's Lucky Charming is a fun and entertaining memoir that gives readers an inside look at the life of a reality TV star. I loved watching Kate as a cast member/chief stew on Bravo's hit show Below Deck (and still miss her on that show!) and she exhibits the same witty banter in sharing her experiences growing up in Florida, her journey to becoming a yacht stewardess, and her work adventures.
Throughout the book, Chastain's sharp wit and sarcastic humor shine through, making for a light-hearted and enjoyable read. She also shares some of the more challenging moments of her life, including struggles with anxiety and relationships, which adds a depth of realism to the memoir and the world of yachting.
Overall, I thought Lucky Charming is a good read for fans of Below Deck or anyone looking for an entertaining, easy to read, and somewhat relatable memoir. While I was hoping the book would also include some of her experiences working on the show, it still was a very entertaining read.
December 28, 2018
Loved this book! I am a huge Below Deck fan and when I found out Kate had her own book I had to have it! I was nose deep instantly and lived every page that flew by. What I would live is a 2nd book that goes into a behind the scenes look at her experience on the Below Deck show! The style of writing doesn't have the same biography feel either. It's written like a conversation you would have had with Kate in the flesh. For those who watch Below Deck, it allows you to see she has earned her place and is actually human!
July 10, 2024
I love trashy memoirs just a little too much, and this one didn’t disappoint (although not all that trashy). There’s nothing about Below Deck in this book, but still scratched the Below Deck itch. Kate is snarky as ever.
Side note …Just to show how deep my summer Below Deck obsession has been…I had my local library interlibrary loan this book and it came from FLORIDA. Thanks NPL👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Side note …Just to show how deep my summer Below Deck obsession has been…I had my local library interlibrary loan this book and it came from FLORIDA. Thanks NPL👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
December 20, 2021
Great beach read for Below Deck fans!
July 24, 2024
Interesting little behind the scenes on my fave Below Deck chief stew ever
April 16, 2022
If you are a Below Deck fan, this is a quick, fun and easy read. Kate Chastain is witty and funny and this is a good story about when she got started in the business.
January 25, 2023
Incredible. I’ve loved Kate on Below Deck and now The Traitors! She’s a star. I’m not sure why this book was so difficult to get and expensive but it was worth every penny!
January 5, 2020
Love love loved this book. Very well written and interesting. Whether you are a fan of the show or love traveling, you’ll LOVE Kate’s stories!
December 28, 2017
I read this because of the Below Deck show, of course. I actually thought it was pretty well written up until the end, when it suddenly shoved a whole lot of story in (pacing was off). But if you like the show, you'll like the book. Kate is quite likable (although, ack, so young here).
January 13, 2020
I would have liked to have learned more about what led her to "Below Deck" and heard her stories of moving up in the yachtie ranks, but it was interesting to hear how my favorite Chief Stew got her start in yachting.
January 23, 2020
Interesting look into Chastain's start as a yachtie (which isn't an insult, Brian, god). Liked reading in her own words about her experiences when she was still green.
February 6, 2017
It was interesting to learn how Kate got her start; but it didn't talk about Below Deck which is why I wanted to read it in the first place.
October 4, 2017
I was surprised at how good this was - a must read for Below Deck fans!
February 9, 2020
Lucky Charming is a fun, quick, light read. If you enjoy Kate Chastain's acerbic wit and sarcastic humor on Bravo's "Below Deck," where she serves as Chief Stewardess - the head of customer service, if you will - on luxury motor yachts, then you'll most likely enjoy this book. And if you don't, well, then, you probably shouldn't be reading it anyway. Kate takes us from the end of her carefree college days, when she made the decision to start working on yachts as a way to stave off impending adulthood for another year, through her first job and, essentially, her first year in the yachting industry. It's essentially a lot more of what you see on "Below Deck," but with more insight into Kate's mind, and a journey through some of the experiences that have helped shaped how and why Kate handles situations the way she does. A few reviews I've read have criticized _Lucky Charming_ for not delivering the Secret Of Life and Happiness On Earth (or perhaps the criticisms are for not telling us enough stories about serving Leo DiCaprio; I'm not quite sure exactly what these readers were expecting!), but it does deliver pretty much what I've just outlined, and what Kate promises in the teasers. No, there are not a lot of juicy tidbits about big-name celebrities, nor is it a Below Deck tell-all; there are plenty of crazy yachting stories, but the names have been changed (or withheld) to protect the guilty. There's nothing earth-shattering here, but did we really expect there to be? Despite just a few glaring typos and grammatical errors (many of them actually punctuation errors rather than grammatical ones), Kate proves to be a talented storyteller and a reasonably capable writer, with a far better command of the English language than most of today's reality TV stars - thus showing that she must have been paying attention during at least some of her high school and/or college English classes after all. (The book definitely could have used a thorough proofreading, though.) There are even a few very nice and profound passages about Kate finding peace and meaning in her life through yachting, travel, and friendships. This is a growing-up and coming-of-age tale of sorts, but in a setting which is probably quite alien to the majority of us - and that's what makes it so interesting and, yes, ultimately charming. By the time the book reached its slightly abrupt ending, wrapping up perhaps a bit too quickly, I felt that I would very happily have read more. But perhaps Kate realizes that leaving her audience wanting more is better than boring us with too many (ultimately repetitive) stories. During the course of this book, you will most likely learn a few things about geography, foreign cultures, boating practices, and maritime labor laws - and you'll see just how tough and male-dominated the yachting industry can be. This book was a perfect read for my week-long Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico cruise, although I finished it long before the week was over. I'll always be in Kate's corner!
November 18, 2020
I wanted to read something a little different and I enjoy biographies or true life stories from interesting people. Back in the summer I was hooked to the TV series Below Deck which is based around the employees of mega yachts. These multi million pound yachts travel the world, chartered by the rich and famous who expect the very best service.
Kate Chastain appeared in the series as chief stewardess. This involved managing the cleaning of the yachts interior, mountains of laundry and tending to the demanding guests every wish. Kate was a master at quick witted one liners and not so subtle acts of revenge. Love her or hate her, she was always entertaining to watch.
This is Kate’s story of her early days in the yachting industry. Her dry, acerbic wit comes over clearly and as well as being a top stewardess she also makes a great author too. This thoroughly entertaining read puts the record straight about the life of a yachtie. Yes, you might visit exotic locations, but never actually see them except for the odd glance from a port hole on a break from ironing duties. The rich charter guests and yacht owners fascinated me, their demands and delusions were truly shocking. Some treated the crew like imprisoned slaves, made impossible demands and showed no gratitude. It amazed me that the crew stuck around, but they did because it was part of the life of a yachtie. I was pleased that as well as working very hard the crew knew how to party hard too, and justly deserved too!
This is an interesting, light read with tonnes of humour and a real eye opener!
Kate Chastain appeared in the series as chief stewardess. This involved managing the cleaning of the yachts interior, mountains of laundry and tending to the demanding guests every wish. Kate was a master at quick witted one liners and not so subtle acts of revenge. Love her or hate her, she was always entertaining to watch.
This is Kate’s story of her early days in the yachting industry. Her dry, acerbic wit comes over clearly and as well as being a top stewardess she also makes a great author too. This thoroughly entertaining read puts the record straight about the life of a yachtie. Yes, you might visit exotic locations, but never actually see them except for the odd glance from a port hole on a break from ironing duties. The rich charter guests and yacht owners fascinated me, their demands and delusions were truly shocking. Some treated the crew like imprisoned slaves, made impossible demands and showed no gratitude. It amazed me that the crew stuck around, but they did because it was part of the life of a yachtie. I was pleased that as well as working very hard the crew knew how to party hard too, and justly deserved too!
This is an interesting, light read with tonnes of humour and a real eye opener!
April 9, 2024
Kate was the Chief Stewardess on the Bravo show Below Deck for seasons 2-7 and she is truly marmite, you either love her or hate her. I of course loveeeeee her.
The book covers just the first year of her time on yachts so if you’re looking to find out more about her time on Below Deck, or her time before she worked on yachts then you will be disappointed. She is also the third stew for 95% of the book, only becoming Chief Stew for about the last 8 pages or so. I found this really interesting as it showed she has been in the exact same position as the third stews on the show who complain about doing laundry and being bottom of the totem pole!
Overall it was a really good read, and showed a lot more depth to Kate than just the strong, sassy woman you see on the show, she has been through a lot to get to where she is now and it has made me respect her even more.
‘Being surrounded by endless panoramic ocean views was both frightening and invigorating. It was the same feeling I'd imagine having while standing on an edge of the Grand Canyon. In the presence of such large and potentially dangerous forces of nature, some people might feel small or scared, but for me, it was the opposite. The overwhelming grasp of my own mortality at that moment made me feel more alive than ever before.’
The book covers just the first year of her time on yachts so if you’re looking to find out more about her time on Below Deck, or her time before she worked on yachts then you will be disappointed. She is also the third stew for 95% of the book, only becoming Chief Stew for about the last 8 pages or so. I found this really interesting as it showed she has been in the exact same position as the third stews on the show who complain about doing laundry and being bottom of the totem pole!
Overall it was a really good read, and showed a lot more depth to Kate than just the strong, sassy woman you see on the show, she has been through a lot to get to where she is now and it has made me respect her even more.
‘Being surrounded by endless panoramic ocean views was both frightening and invigorating. It was the same feeling I'd imagine having while standing on an edge of the Grand Canyon. In the presence of such large and potentially dangerous forces of nature, some people might feel small or scared, but for me, it was the opposite. The overwhelming grasp of my own mortality at that moment made me feel more alive than ever before.’
September 4, 2018
OK, I may be shallow but I really loved this book. I tore through it. I am the biggest fan of reality television and one of my favorite shows is the Bravo shows "Below Deck" and "Below Deck: Mediterranean". Kate Chastain became the Chief Stewardess on "Below Deck" starting in the second season and I immediately liked her. She is smart, sassy, snarky and bold in a profession that can be very difficult. This is the story of how she started in this profession and all of the nightmares she faced during her first 3-4 years in yachting. I am amazed at what she endured and what she put up with - I wouldn't have done a 1/4 of what she did. This was such an interesting book. It gave you an insight into how awful the rich and famous can be but also at how generous and caring they can be. It also opened up the door and showed that yachting is not the glamorous life you think it would be. Yes you go to gorgeous places and meet interesting people but it is such hard work and incredibly long days. I hope she will write another one and pick up where "Below Deck" started. I know she has some more incredible stories to tell.
January 8, 2019
This 4-and-1/2-star book is a big surprise--it's actually extremely well written and filled with detailed stories that you don't want to have end.
The book covers Kate's first year in the yachting industry. And does she have a lot to tell! Sometimes she comes across as bitchy or privileged, and other times naive and too tolerant of abuse. And there's a very nice spiritual twist near the end that made the book feel like a teaching moment for readers.
It's not perfect--there a too many flowery descriptions of wasted time before she got her first ship and being bored on a three-week crossing of the Atlantic. So the book needs some editing. Then we get to the end, and she summarizes the last few years of her career in just a few pages, then says nothing about the TV show Below Deck. The book came out after she had been in her first season on the show, so she needed to put stuff in about it as well as detail those missing years of gaining experience. Unless she's planning a follow-up, which would be very welcome.
The writing is almost too good to be true, but whoever wrote it did a good job and it makes for one of the more entertaining memoirs from a TV personality.
The book covers Kate's first year in the yachting industry. And does she have a lot to tell! Sometimes she comes across as bitchy or privileged, and other times naive and too tolerant of abuse. And there's a very nice spiritual twist near the end that made the book feel like a teaching moment for readers.
It's not perfect--there a too many flowery descriptions of wasted time before she got her first ship and being bored on a three-week crossing of the Atlantic. So the book needs some editing. Then we get to the end, and she summarizes the last few years of her career in just a few pages, then says nothing about the TV show Below Deck. The book came out after she had been in her first season on the show, so she needed to put stuff in about it as well as detail those missing years of gaining experience. Unless she's planning a follow-up, which would be very welcome.
The writing is almost too good to be true, but whoever wrote it did a good job and it makes for one of the more entertaining memoirs from a TV personality.
December 30, 2018
My husband and I regularly watch the Bravo TV show "Below Deck," so when we saw that Kate had a book out, we had to read it. (Of course, I read it first because I'm the reader in the family. We'll see when and if he ever gets to it.)
Anyway, if you're a fan of the show, then this is a must read. It was fun to find out how Kate got into yachting and to hear some of the "down and dirty" stories from inside the world of being a stewardess on a motor yacht. Plenty of dirt and a good sense of what goes down in the not-so-glamorous worlds of working on yachts. Kate was always a favorite of ours (she's SO much better than Hannah!), and we always appreciated her sense of humor, which is on display in this book. It is fun, fast read.
Hard to tell if this will be of interest to someone who doesn't watch "Below Deck." I think if you're interested in what it is like to work on a yacht, then you'd enjoy this book. However, non-fans or people with no interest in what it is like to be a "yachtie" might not enjoy the book.
Anyway, if you're a fan of the show, then this is a must read. It was fun to find out how Kate got into yachting and to hear some of the "down and dirty" stories from inside the world of being a stewardess on a motor yacht. Plenty of dirt and a good sense of what goes down in the not-so-glamorous worlds of working on yachts. Kate was always a favorite of ours (she's SO much better than Hannah!), and we always appreciated her sense of humor, which is on display in this book. It is fun, fast read.
Hard to tell if this will be of interest to someone who doesn't watch "Below Deck." I think if you're interested in what it is like to work on a yacht, then you'd enjoy this book. However, non-fans or people with no interest in what it is like to be a "yachtie" might not enjoy the book.
March 19, 2019
4.5 Stars
Blissfully shallow and carefree, Kate Chastain was your typical twenty something college co-ed. Well, until reality gave her a wake-up call in the form of a diploma, that is. At a crossroads after graduation, a serendipitous coincidence convinced Kate to abandon life as she knew it and jump feet first into the world of working on mega yachts. At first, she stumbled her way through life as a stewardess, just trying to adjust to her new surroundings and clumsily ‘learning the ropes’ via trial and error. Like shit-tons of error. But now, nearly ten years and a hit reality show later, Kate is finally ready to share the good, the bad, and the downright shocking details about her life at sea with the world’s most rich and famous.
I absolutely love the show Below Deck so I was super interested to read Kate's book! I thought Kate was really witty (just like she is in the show) and her overall story about becoming a yachtie and how hard the yachting life is is extremely engrossing.
Blissfully shallow and carefree, Kate Chastain was your typical twenty something college co-ed. Well, until reality gave her a wake-up call in the form of a diploma, that is. At a crossroads after graduation, a serendipitous coincidence convinced Kate to abandon life as she knew it and jump feet first into the world of working on mega yachts. At first, she stumbled her way through life as a stewardess, just trying to adjust to her new surroundings and clumsily ‘learning the ropes’ via trial and error. Like shit-tons of error. But now, nearly ten years and a hit reality show later, Kate is finally ready to share the good, the bad, and the downright shocking details about her life at sea with the world’s most rich and famous.
I absolutely love the show Below Deck so I was super interested to read Kate's book! I thought Kate was really witty (just like she is in the show) and her overall story about becoming a yachtie and how hard the yachting life is is extremely engrossing.
August 14, 2019
I am a big Bravoholic, and love Below Deck. Kate is one of my favorite castmates, so when I found out she wrote a book I thought I would give it a shot. The book itself isn't terrible, although I don't expect it will win any awards, but I got a really bad taste in my mouth over a lot of the way Kate judged people. In places they stopped she would make derogatory comments on the locals like they were below her. She made constant nasty remarks about her co-workers. One was an older gentleman and she was always acting like he had one foot in the grave and was geriatric. Her roommate who was from New Zealand was not hot enough for her time. All she seemed to care about was how hot someone was for them to be worthy of her time. She constantly referred to how pretty she herself was and other praises upon herself that didn't come across as confidence, it came across as being conceited. If you have read this book then you have to know exactly what I mean. I like Kate's straight shooting style on tv, but her inner monologues and thoughts come across as bitchy and unlikable.
November 26, 2017
I really enjoy Kate's droll sense of humor and sarcasm on Below Deck, but this doesn't translate well to the written word. Some of it comes off as downright mean. When describing some of her fellow crew, she says, "Damien was next in line, looking like a sprite little bald child in his size extra small shirt and black pants that would probably have been capris on me." and "Kaiwano was a large muscular man, rugged, and maybe kind of handsome - if you squinted or had just polished off a bottle of wine." Ouch!
She also makes quite a few comments about people in their 50's being old....so yeah, that was bit much.
I think I would blame these issues more on whoever did the editing - I would think the editor would have been able to find the line between being amusingly snarky and mean and cutting. We do learn about Kate's start in yachting and all of the intense pressure and hard work that goes on behind the scenes. It was also interesting to learn more about Kate's spiritual side.
She also makes quite a few comments about people in their 50's being old....so yeah, that was bit much.
I think I would blame these issues more on whoever did the editing - I would think the editor would have been able to find the line between being amusingly snarky and mean and cutting. We do learn about Kate's start in yachting and all of the intense pressure and hard work that goes on behind the scenes. It was also interesting to learn more about Kate's spiritual side.
January 14, 2017
Kate Chastain a sarcastic funny book reading wine drinking Stewardess from the show Below Deck. I feel like a kindred spirit with her which is why I watch Below Deck to begin with. The book is an account not about the Below Deck experience but her journey before the show. There are two main stewardess experiences written about throughout the book. The first had a very prickly captain that ran a reconditioned tugboat the other an owner who partied hard and had some very perverted friends. I too work in a customer service setting and understand the interesting situations one has to deal with on a daily basis. I would have loved to hear more about the Below Deck experience but I am sure there were reasons that could not be included in the book. Truly a great read and Kates charm shines throughout the pages. Lucky Coincidences brought me to this book ;)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews