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Ellen the Harpist #2
Ellen at Sea
Who a harpist brings with her on a four-month long gig aboard a cruise ship:
Her best friend. A lock-picking pianist. And a blow-up doll.
Who she leaves behind…
When Ellen’s boyfriend Josh goes on the road with a Broadway touring production, Ellen takes to the high seas. Can tropical destinations, a busy performance schedule, and cheap booze in the crew bar distract her from the heartache of her separation from Josh? Or will her mother’s devastating news and her best friend’s antics send her overboard?
Her best friend. A lock-picking pianist. And a blow-up doll.
Who she leaves behind…
When Ellen’s boyfriend Josh goes on the road with a Broadway touring production, Ellen takes to the high seas. Can tropical destinations, a busy performance schedule, and cheap booze in the crew bar distract her from the heartache of her separation from Josh? Or will her mother’s devastating news and her best friend’s antics send her overboard?
- GenresRomance
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 16, 2018
23 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Diane Michaels
28 books56 followersDiane Michaels is a harpist and author. She balances her fondness for ice cream with her enjoyment of working out and walking through the woods. When she is not spying on the world from behind her harp to collect ideas for her next book, she and her husband make up stories and songs for and about their miniature poodle, Lola.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 13, 2023
Ellen is back and she’s taking her harp and hitting the high seas! I really enjoyed this one more than the first one. Why, you ask? Because there was no Monica! Amber was there, but she actually turned out to be a decent character, so I warmed up to her more than I did in the first book.
This book takes place approximately one year after the first one ends where we find Ellen and Josh together and he is leaving on a four-month Broadway tour. Chloe steps in and announces she has acquired a gig as a musician on a cruise ship and got Ellen a spot too. What’s not to love about this scenario? Josh will be gone anyway. Who wants to spend the winter months in New Jersey when you can be on a cruise ship heading to the warmer tropical climates? Besides, the ship will return to New York once a week, so Chloe and Ellen can touch base with Gwen. Win, win if you ask me.
Ellen’s frustration at having a relationship with Josh on her phone only when she can get a signal builds and though I understood why she felt the way she did, I felt like she wasted too much time agonizing over it. Her time could have been better spent enjoying herself on the cruise. Food, drink, fun…
Though some new characters were introduced that added an interesting dimension to the story, I still enjoyed tagging along with Ellen and Chloe and didn’t really feel connected to the others.
My Final Verdict: Overall, I found this sequel to be very enjoyable. The author creates an amazing setting with the cruise ship that I feel was very well researched. The characters were easy to connect with and the story flows smoothly. Fans of stories with interesting locales should give this one a look as well as fans who enjoy a happily ever after.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Ellen at Sea from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book takes place approximately one year after the first one ends where we find Ellen and Josh together and he is leaving on a four-month Broadway tour. Chloe steps in and announces she has acquired a gig as a musician on a cruise ship and got Ellen a spot too. What’s not to love about this scenario? Josh will be gone anyway. Who wants to spend the winter months in New Jersey when you can be on a cruise ship heading to the warmer tropical climates? Besides, the ship will return to New York once a week, so Chloe and Ellen can touch base with Gwen. Win, win if you ask me.
Ellen’s frustration at having a relationship with Josh on her phone only when she can get a signal builds and though I understood why she felt the way she did, I felt like she wasted too much time agonizing over it. Her time could have been better spent enjoying herself on the cruise. Food, drink, fun…
Though some new characters were introduced that added an interesting dimension to the story, I still enjoyed tagging along with Ellen and Chloe and didn’t really feel connected to the others.
My Final Verdict: Overall, I found this sequel to be very enjoyable. The author creates an amazing setting with the cruise ship that I feel was very well researched. The characters were easy to connect with and the story flows smoothly. Fans of stories with interesting locales should give this one a look as well as fans who enjoy a happily ever after.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Ellen at Sea from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2018
After reading this book, I've decided I really want to go on a cruise! Diane Michaels clearly has insider knowledge when it comes to working as an entertainer on a cruise ship - and I loved being introduced to what happens behind the scenes.
The descriptions and characterisation were spot on; it was a perfect continuation from Book 1. Ellen is very cautious about taking on a gig at sea, but it was fun to experience everything through her eyes. Sheldon was a super fun addition, as was Dan.
The story builds slowly, but by the last quarter, I was zooming through the pages to find out if everything ended the way I hoped.
(Spoiler alert: it did!)
If you enjoyed Ellen the Harpist, you will love Ellen at Sea.
The descriptions and characterisation were spot on; it was a perfect continuation from Book 1. Ellen is very cautious about taking on a gig at sea, but it was fun to experience everything through her eyes. Sheldon was a super fun addition, as was Dan.
The story builds slowly, but by the last quarter, I was zooming through the pages to find out if everything ended the way I hoped.
(Spoiler alert: it did!)
If you enjoyed Ellen the Harpist, you will love Ellen at Sea.
February 3, 2018
Working on a cruise ship might be some people's dream, but Ellen is hesitant to accept the position. After some cajolling from her boyfriend and best friend (who is also going) she relents and accepts the position. Her boyfriend is going to be off touring a Broadway show, so why shouldn't she also further her own career as a harpist. It takes some time for Ellen to acclimate to sea life, especially seeing as how the wedding planner of her nightmares, Amber, is now the activities director of the ship. Soon enough Ellen has her routine down, and even has realized Amber is actually a decent person, the only real problem left is finding time to talk to her boyfriend. Meanwhile, Ellen's best friend Chole is growing tired of the sea life and decides to plan an art installation that will have consequences for them both.
The second book in the Ellen the Harpist series starts off reminding us who all the main characters are, and even introduces some new ones. Two of the new characters who stood out to me were Nicolette, Chloe's roommate who seems to be hiding something, and Sheldon the piano pro who helps Ellen become a better performer. Some of Ellen's choices in this book were a little frustrating, but I think they fit her character. Chloe was a difficult character to like by the end of the book, and I don't feel like she was redeemed enough. I rated this book four out of five stars, and look forward to reading more about Ellen's adventures!
The second book in the Ellen the Harpist series starts off reminding us who all the main characters are, and even introduces some new ones. Two of the new characters who stood out to me were Nicolette, Chloe's roommate who seems to be hiding something, and Sheldon the piano pro who helps Ellen become a better performer. Some of Ellen's choices in this book were a little frustrating, but I think they fit her character. Chloe was a difficult character to like by the end of the book, and I don't feel like she was redeemed enough. I rated this book four out of five stars, and look forward to reading more about Ellen's adventures!
February 7, 2018
“Ellen at Sea” is the continuing story of a twenty-something harpist and her voyage to adulthood. It is full of fun, funny, quirky and well thought-out characters, some of which we met in “Ellen the Harpist”, the first book in the series. It was enjoyable getting to better know many of the characters from book one and to follow their adventures, however, “Ellen at Sea” is also a great read on its own. Ellen and her BFF Chloe take a four-month long gig aboard a cruise ship. Music, friendships (old and new), and antics abound. But this also means Ellen won’t see her boyfriend for a long time – what will this separation mean for their relationship? In addition to the fun and romance (and family), there are serious issues that are also dealt with in the book. The author also provides links to her playing the harp on some of the songs that Ellen is practicing in the story – very delightful! I definitely recommend this book!
January 7, 2018
Do you ever read a book and at the end you are not quite sure if you liked it? That’s how this book was. I’d like to say it was funny but it really wasn’t. There was a lot of parts that really didn’t make sense. Ellen’s boyfriend leaves to go on tour with a Broadway play and sees Ok with that but then when she gets a five month gig on a cruise ship she realizes she won’t be able to see or talk to him as much and breaks up with him. Strange. The characters weren’t that interesting. Amber, Ellen’s arch enemy turns up,working on the ship but it turns out she wasn’t happy in her last job so now she’s much nicer and she and Ellen become friends? I don’t know I didn’t hate this book but wouldn’t recommend it either.
I received this advanced copy from Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.
I received this advanced copy from Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.
January 15, 2018
I was lucky to be able to enjoy an advanced reader copy of “Ellen at Sea”. Ellen is a young harpist, finding her way as a working musician, a friend, and in romance. She agrees to take a cruise ship gig, playing her harp to greet vacationers, as background music and also for concert performances during the cruise. This fun and adventurous story tells of her encounters and relationships with friends, foes, family, fellow crew and musicians, and the failure (or survival-not telling) of her relationship with her boyfriend Josh. “Ellen at Sea” is an easy read, I enjoyed every moment!
Have you read “Ellen the Harpist”? Although “Ellen at Sea” stands alone, you will enjoy reading about Ellen’s life before she takes the cruise ship gig.
Have you read “Ellen the Harpist”? Although “Ellen at Sea” stands alone, you will enjoy reading about Ellen’s life before she takes the cruise ship gig.
January 17, 2018
This book is a fun, well-written story about a harpist on a cruise ship, with all sorts of characters thrown in. Not your usual chick lit/ rom com fodder, that's for sure, but it totally works. I never thought I wanted to go on a cruise until I read this book - if only for the music! It's feel-good fun, with well-developed characters with depth. I found myself totally rooting for Ellen, hoping the story would turn out the way I wanted it to. I totally recommend Ellen at Sea, even if you haven't read the first book in the series. I was lucky to receive an advanced copy of this book.
January 27, 2018
I enjoyed this book as a great sequel to book 1, Ellen the Harpist. The characters became more real especially Ellen and her cruise companions Chloe and Nicolette. Life as a musician on a cruise ship has it's perks and problems. The author has played harp on a cruise ship gig and her experiences clearly influenced her writing about Ellen's. Her relationship with Josh was not the central focus of this book but still important. I'm looking forward to book #3 to see where Ellen's relationships and career take her.
February 9, 2018
I enjoyed reading about Ellen and Chloe's shenanigans (both aboard and off the cruise ship) a lot. In some ways, Ellen is my spirit animal, and I appreciate her being a less-than-perfect, often awkward, funny, and kind, and adorkable heroine.
When things got difficult, I wanted to slap her upside the head, because... hello? Josh?
But then there was Chapter 34. And 35. And 36.
And all was well again in the world of this hopeless romantic. :)
When things got difficult, I wanted to slap her upside the head, because... hello? Josh?
But then there was Chapter 34. And 35. And 36.
And all was well again in the world of this hopeless romantic. :)
February 23, 2019
Second in the Ellen the harpist series ! A true to life example of how a romantic relationship can or cannot withstand 4 months of seperation due to career jobs ! Ellen’s at sea as a harpist & her BF Josh is traveling orchestra for the same amount of time. Ellen is living a cruise ship life style with a couple of musician friends while surviving the absence of her Man. It’s a real glimpse of the life of working a cruise & has one of the best ever HEA stories once Ellen is free the the ship to meet up with her man! My heart jumped for joy during the final couple of chapters !
January 16, 2018
This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
January 16, 2018
i got an arc copy and i want to review
this was such a delightful story which will have you laughing in places and in tears in others. being away from her boyfriend is hard for her when she gets news about her mother. will she go overboard?
this was such a delightful story which will have you laughing in places and in tears in others. being away from her boyfriend is hard for her when she gets news about her mother. will she go overboard?
February 4, 2018
At long last, the second installment of the adventures and antics of my favorite musician came to fruition, and most definitely did not disappoint. A hilarious and warm read of music, love, and friendship.
January 15, 2020
I honestly don’t know what to make of this book. When I first picked it up, I didn’t realize it was book two in a series. It seems to me like this book can be read as a stand alone book, however, I’m guessing that reading book 1 first would definitely help - and that might be what I am missing. I loved some aspects of this book - the fact that she goes to work on a cruise ship is mainly what drew me to this book. I love stories that take place on a cruise ship, and it was evident that the author of this book had experience with cruising. Reading this story made me feel like I was cruising myself. I definitely appreciated her attention to detail in that regard. However, the story itself didn’t hook me like I had hoped. Towards the end of the book, I found myself flipping pages just to get finished, not to see how the story would end. Overall, it was kind of a miss for me, unfortunately.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
April 5, 2018
If you have read the first book, Ellen the Harpist, then you know that Ellen led a fascinating life as a professional harpist, performing gigs in the NYC area. I remember reading and enjoying how a harp player chose her repertoire, how she dealt with crazy wedding situations- the music business made for a great story and Ellen told her fictional life in an engaging manner. Lucky for us readers, Ellen continues to humorously entertain us in this second book of the series.
In this book, Ellen accepts a position on a cruise ship. Part of living with a harp means that you always have to drag this big instrument with you. So she lugs her harp into her small cabin. Unfortunately she also brings lots of other heavy baggage with her as well.
Life on a cruise ship is as fun to read about as you would anticipate and Ellen at Sea is at its most entertaining when we get to see the real life of a cruise ship entertainer. At first, Ellen is “unsure about taking the gig, she hates the first week, and she struggles to adjust.”
Her sense of humor still shines though. One night, when the waves are billowing, Ellen must tie her harp to her pullout couch to keep it from crashing over. After securing the harp, Ellen surveys her work. “My harp would need a safe word to regain its freedom.”
Ellen faces other challenges- her serious relationship with Josh, with her mother, and with her friends. Ellen is a thinker and worrier. Even her friends tell her, “Don’t overthink relationships.” “All of this qualifying. Keep it simple.”
Ellen’s angst and travails bogged down the story for me, but many readers may be interested in her thoughts. I also didn’t care for the shenanigans at the end of the book that lead to Ellen leaving the ship.
However, the Happy Every After scene at the end is wonderful. The ebook has links to Ellen’s harp music, which is really cool! Overall, the good writing, descriptions and characters will give readers as much to savor as an endless cruise buffet. Enjoy sailing away with “plucky” Ellen!
In this book, Ellen accepts a position on a cruise ship. Part of living with a harp means that you always have to drag this big instrument with you. So she lugs her harp into her small cabin. Unfortunately she also brings lots of other heavy baggage with her as well.
Life on a cruise ship is as fun to read about as you would anticipate and Ellen at Sea is at its most entertaining when we get to see the real life of a cruise ship entertainer. At first, Ellen is “unsure about taking the gig, she hates the first week, and she struggles to adjust.”
Her sense of humor still shines though. One night, when the waves are billowing, Ellen must tie her harp to her pullout couch to keep it from crashing over. After securing the harp, Ellen surveys her work. “My harp would need a safe word to regain its freedom.”
Ellen faces other challenges- her serious relationship with Josh, with her mother, and with her friends. Ellen is a thinker and worrier. Even her friends tell her, “Don’t overthink relationships.” “All of this qualifying. Keep it simple.”
Ellen’s angst and travails bogged down the story for me, but many readers may be interested in her thoughts. I also didn’t care for the shenanigans at the end of the book that lead to Ellen leaving the ship.
However, the Happy Every After scene at the end is wonderful. The ebook has links to Ellen’s harp music, which is really cool! Overall, the good writing, descriptions and characters will give readers as much to savor as an endless cruise buffet. Enjoy sailing away with “plucky” Ellen!
December 15, 2020
I read the second book of the Ellen the Harpist series as an advanced reader and fell in love all over again with the characters as I did in the first book. I was intrigued by Nicolette who we start to understand going on and loved Sheldon and Dan. Chloe is always funny and I was happy to meet again Amber and know her better, she couldn't be so evil as we first thought in the first book. I have to admit I am a fellow musician of Josh and though I had often though of what a tour means for a musician, I had never thought of what working a gig on a cruise would mean! Getting to know how this kind of gig works was interesting also from a professional point of view. All in all I loved this sea trip and would totally recommend it!
January 16, 2018
This was a really fun story that was hard to put down. While it appears at first to be a light read, it also has a surprising range and depth of emotion. I was honored to read an advance copy, the nature of which did not affect my review.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews