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Students Across the Seven Seas
Girl Overboard
Swimsuit: check. Flip-flops: check. Scuba gear: check. Leaving behind a longtime boyfriend: not so easy. Marina has been waiting her whole life to get out on the open sea. And now that she's studying abroad on a luxury yacht in the Caribbean, her dreams are finally coming true. She loves the feel of the sun on her face, the sand between her toes, and the island music swaying over her. And even better, she's getting hands-on marine biology experience swimming alongside dolphins in the Bahamas, sharks in the bay islands, and sea turtles in the Dominican Republic! But while her experiences tell her she's in exactly the right place, her boyfriend wants her home in Vermont. And her distractingly cute Aussie boatmate couldn't disagree more. As the island heat rises, Marina must decide once and for all where her heart is—on land or at sea.
208 pages, Paperback
First published May 10, 2007
13 people are currently reading
850 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
June 18, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded up
Cute dolphins, a subtle romance, and a tour of some of the Caribbean islands - need I say more?
There were DOLPHINS.
Cute dolphins, a subtle romance, and a tour of some of the Caribbean islands - need I say more?
There were DOLPHINS.
February 22, 2024
3.5-4 stars. Girl Overboard: immediate mention of tourists weight, referring to them as a “flock of overweight flamingos”, two boy-obsessed, territorial mean girl characters, kind of a creepy (at the beginning) guy character and definitely some pg-13 material.
Mention of topless sunbathing, and animal poaching. Pretty decent information about marine biology & the islands. I found the conservation, especially about the dolphins, and the travel pretty interesting.
Mention of topless sunbathing, and animal poaching. Pretty decent information about marine biology & the islands. I found the conservation, especially about the dolphins, and the travel pretty interesting.
January 11, 2024
2024 is the year of trashy reads i secretly enjoy
December 12, 2024
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!! SOOO CUTE AND FUNNY!! Its a teen-romance book and its one of my favorites. WARNING SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!. Its about a girl from Vermont who is in love with the ocean. She therefor goes on a two month long cruse in the Caribbean to study marine biology. she goes not only to study the animals there, she also went to figure out her relationship with her boyfriend. While on the cruise she fall head over heels for a boy from Australia. After realizing things about herself, her boyfriend and their relationship she make the tough choice breakup with her boyfriend, but know this she broke up because they grew apart not because she wanted to be the boy from Australia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2025
Sometimes i read a book and think wow how hard can it really be to get published.
She looked right at some serious issues and took the most ignorant white woman path. Also riddled with tropes like Mean Girl and her Autistic Sidekick, Sexist Love Interest Who Is Actually Fine Really Trust Me, and generally unhealthy approaches to relationships.
Some decent information on ecology is the only saving grace.
She looked right at some serious issues and took the most ignorant white woman path. Also riddled with tropes like Mean Girl and her Autistic Sidekick, Sexist Love Interest Who Is Actually Fine Really Trust Me, and generally unhealthy approaches to relationships.
Some decent information on ecology is the only saving grace.
July 15, 2021
It was wonderful. This is one of the novels where it hurts to let the characters go. Loved every bit of it.
November 10, 2012
Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com
It seems to Marina like it should be a dream: six weeks on a luxurious ship, experiencing ocean life face to face as she's never been able to before, and the chance to further her goal of becoming a marine biologist. But she can't help worrying that she'll miss her long-time boyfriend, Damon, so much that the trip will become a nightmare. That's the basic premise of GIRL OVERBOARD, a fun, fast read that's easy to enjoy, especially if you share Marina's fascination with the ocean.
Marina is a likable main character, with insecurities and doubts anyone can relate to as she struggles to figure out what she wants out of life. Her heart's in the right place, but she can't help taking a few missteps along the way, which just makes her all the more sympathetic. The other major characters -- flirtatious Link, bubbly Jeanette, thoughtful Ryan -- are colorful and distinctive. They also all prove to have more to them than Marina (and the reader) first suspects.
The novel is most involving when dealing with Marina's oceanic studies. The author bio reveals that Ferris has spent many years in the Caribbean, and her experience shows in the vivid descriptions of the landscapes, animals, and island life, as well as the detailed procedures Marina participates in to try to preserve that environment. The reader feels right there with Marina, whether it's feeding a dolphin for the first time or diving with an enormous whale shark. It's clear why Marina loves this work so much, and anyone can understand why she's considering leaving everything she cares about back home to pursue her dream career.
Where the novel falters a little is in Marina's romantic conflicts. Her realization of the differences between herself and her boyfriend develops gradually and realistically, and her attraction to Link, who shares many of her interests and values, seems only natural. Unfortunately, the problems that arise with both Damon and Link are resolved so easily there is hardly any tension at all -- Marina simply speaks her mind, and everything works out. While it's wonderful to portray honesty as a solution to problems, a few more complications would have made this part of the story more exciting and interesting.
Nevertheless, the focus of the novel is more on the ocean and Marina's adoration for it than on the boys in her life. There, the novel succeeds completely. Whether as a beach read or a read for those who only wish they were down by the sea, it won't fail to entertain.
It seems to Marina like it should be a dream: six weeks on a luxurious ship, experiencing ocean life face to face as she's never been able to before, and the chance to further her goal of becoming a marine biologist. But she can't help worrying that she'll miss her long-time boyfriend, Damon, so much that the trip will become a nightmare. That's the basic premise of GIRL OVERBOARD, a fun, fast read that's easy to enjoy, especially if you share Marina's fascination with the ocean.
Marina is a likable main character, with insecurities and doubts anyone can relate to as she struggles to figure out what she wants out of life. Her heart's in the right place, but she can't help taking a few missteps along the way, which just makes her all the more sympathetic. The other major characters -- flirtatious Link, bubbly Jeanette, thoughtful Ryan -- are colorful and distinctive. They also all prove to have more to them than Marina (and the reader) first suspects.
The novel is most involving when dealing with Marina's oceanic studies. The author bio reveals that Ferris has spent many years in the Caribbean, and her experience shows in the vivid descriptions of the landscapes, animals, and island life, as well as the detailed procedures Marina participates in to try to preserve that environment. The reader feels right there with Marina, whether it's feeding a dolphin for the first time or diving with an enormous whale shark. It's clear why Marina loves this work so much, and anyone can understand why she's considering leaving everything she cares about back home to pursue her dream career.
Where the novel falters a little is in Marina's romantic conflicts. Her realization of the differences between herself and her boyfriend develops gradually and realistically, and her attraction to Link, who shares many of her interests and values, seems only natural. Unfortunately, the problems that arise with both Damon and Link are resolved so easily there is hardly any tension at all -- Marina simply speaks her mind, and everything works out. While it's wonderful to portray honesty as a solution to problems, a few more complications would have made this part of the story more exciting and interesting.
Nevertheless, the focus of the novel is more on the ocean and Marina's adoration for it than on the boys in her life. There, the novel succeeds completely. Whether as a beach read or a read for those who only wish they were down by the sea, it won't fail to entertain.
February 12, 2014
I have very mixed feelings about this.
As a homeschool mom, I like the idea of a series of books for a teen girl that takes young ladies all over the globe in order to acquaint them with different cultures and locales.
HOWEVER... it would've been five stars, if every character in the book weren't walking around with their head shoved up their hiney. There's nary a redeemable person to be found in this stinkin' mess. Oh, I enjoyed the description of the locations, the wildlife and beauty of the journey... but the people stank. No, I mean it - they really, really sucked.
*Spoilers follow, cuz this is a review.*
Dumb girl who has nothing to do with her parents and doesn't care gets accepted to a program to study abroad. Which is a problem, because she's obsessed with her boyfriend, and spends a good portion of the book sighing and pining over him... which, btw, is annoying. But Marina (haha) want's to be-a Marine Biologist, and has a thing for dolphins, too... which is unfortunate, as she's from Vermont. So she gets this awesome instead-of-school trip to the Bahamas and other islands - practically unsupervised, mind you - on a boat with other kids from all over the world. They get drunk, are likely sleeping together (Simon/Kristen?), wander islands at their leisure, and have a gay old time. They're also responsible for doing two weeks labor with a specific animal, and turning in a research paper at the end of their stint, so there's that, but the rest of the time is PAR-tay, baby. Scuba n' sun and shoppin' n' fun. (!?!?)
And all of them are just jerks. Even the main character lies about having a boyfriend, snickers at the 'mean girls' behind their backs, harshes on people... it's not great.
BUT. Maybe it's just this one. Maybe it's just this author and the others in the series are better. So I'm going to look into a few, and see what happens. Because the premise is kind of unique and good. It's just the writer/characters blew chunks bad.
As a homeschool mom, I like the idea of a series of books for a teen girl that takes young ladies all over the globe in order to acquaint them with different cultures and locales.
HOWEVER... it would've been five stars, if every character in the book weren't walking around with their head shoved up their hiney. There's nary a redeemable person to be found in this stinkin' mess. Oh, I enjoyed the description of the locations, the wildlife and beauty of the journey... but the people stank. No, I mean it - they really, really sucked.
*Spoilers follow, cuz this is a review.*
Dumb girl who has nothing to do with her parents and doesn't care gets accepted to a program to study abroad. Which is a problem, because she's obsessed with her boyfriend, and spends a good portion of the book sighing and pining over him... which, btw, is annoying. But Marina (haha) want's to be-a Marine Biologist, and has a thing for dolphins, too... which is unfortunate, as she's from Vermont. So she gets this awesome instead-of-school trip to the Bahamas and other islands - practically unsupervised, mind you - on a boat with other kids from all over the world. They get drunk, are likely sleeping together (Simon/Kristen?), wander islands at their leisure, and have a gay old time. They're also responsible for doing two weeks labor with a specific animal, and turning in a research paper at the end of their stint, so there's that, but the rest of the time is PAR-tay, baby. Scuba n' sun and shoppin' n' fun. (!?!?)
And all of them are just jerks. Even the main character lies about having a boyfriend, snickers at the 'mean girls' behind their backs, harshes on people... it's not great.
BUT. Maybe it's just this one. Maybe it's just this author and the others in the series are better. So I'm going to look into a few, and see what happens. Because the premise is kind of unique and good. It's just the writer/characters blew chunks bad.
April 27, 2015
"Link slid in next to Marina on the ground, and put his arms around her.She shivered at how good that felt. He pulled her in closer, and they smiled at each other as Marco called them all to attention."This books genre is romance and also fiction.I thought this book was really good, how the story seems really great because Marina has never felt of being loved. But one thing I did not like at all was that it was in a third person point of view.
This book took place in 4 places(The Caribbean, Bahamas, Bay Island and Dominican Republic. Marina wanted to study marine biology but she had to leave her boyfriend named Damon and went to study marine biology in all 4 places. So,after she had met all the yachts student members for marine biology she met Link a cute, tall and handsome guy.Then,Marina traveled to all 4 places with Link and slowly developing her feeling for him after her break up with Damon.
I wish that the author: Aimee Ferris didn't make the book a third person point-of-view because I wanted to know what each character wanted to say, do, and think.I was satisfied with Marina when she broke up with Damon because I thought that she shouldn't have had to deal with him because Damon wanted to go a cold place while Marina wanted to go to a warm place.
My favorite part of the book is when *** SPOILER ALERT*** Marina noticed that a baby dolphin was caught unto the net and saved it and Link tried to get hold unto the mother dolphin to stop hitting Marina although Link still got hurt.If I were the author I would have changed Link's name to Claude because i thought that was more of an innocent name.
I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 because I didn't like the way the author put the book into a third person point-of-view.i would recommend this book to those who like drama-like books and romance."Ryan and Jeanette walked ahead holding hands. Marina smiled and reached out to take Link's hand. He smiled his lazy smile."
This book took place in 4 places(The Caribbean, Bahamas, Bay Island and Dominican Republic. Marina wanted to study marine biology but she had to leave her boyfriend named Damon and went to study marine biology in all 4 places. So,after she had met all the yachts student members for marine biology she met Link a cute, tall and handsome guy.Then,Marina traveled to all 4 places with Link and slowly developing her feeling for him after her break up with Damon.
I wish that the author: Aimee Ferris didn't make the book a third person point-of-view because I wanted to know what each character wanted to say, do, and think.I was satisfied with Marina when she broke up with Damon because I thought that she shouldn't have had to deal with him because Damon wanted to go a cold place while Marina wanted to go to a warm place.
My favorite part of the book is when *** SPOILER ALERT*** Marina noticed that a baby dolphin was caught unto the net and saved it and Link tried to get hold unto the mother dolphin to stop hitting Marina although Link still got hurt.If I were the author I would have changed Link's name to Claude because i thought that was more of an innocent name.
I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 because I didn't like the way the author put the book into a third person point-of-view.i would recommend this book to those who like drama-like books and romance."Ryan and Jeanette walked ahead holding hands. Marina smiled and reached out to take Link's hand. He smiled his lazy smile."
April 23, 2015
*3.5 stars*
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I do.
I was a bit skeptical when I read the synopsis. It's said that the main character, Marina, is joining the sass program to see if going away from her boyfriend is really worth it. I didn't like that premise. Especially because apparently Marina is passionate about marine biology. So of course it will be worth it. If her boyfriend is being a good boyfriend, they will be able to compromise and sort things out.
Then I read this book and I like it. I love that the author broaden the sass study program. In this book, the sass program specialized in marine biology. The participants are not bound to learn inside a classroom. The participants are actually experiencing the life of a marine biologist, which sounds awesome. In the program, they stay on a yacht for two months cruising the Caribbean. They visit Bahama, Utila, and Dominican Republic to study about three specific areas of marine biology. Though I don't particularly passionate about those subjects, the program itself sounds exciting to me. I'm getting too attached to it that I was sad when the book almost ends knowing that the program is also over.
The conflict in this book is somewhat predictable and too fluffy. Like the problem that every teenager who's in a long distance relationship deals with. But again, the sass program makes up for it. If only there's such a program in real life. That would be amazing.
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I do.
I was a bit skeptical when I read the synopsis. It's said that the main character, Marina, is joining the sass program to see if going away from her boyfriend is really worth it. I didn't like that premise. Especially because apparently Marina is passionate about marine biology. So of course it will be worth it. If her boyfriend is being a good boyfriend, they will be able to compromise and sort things out.
Then I read this book and I like it. I love that the author broaden the sass study program. In this book, the sass program specialized in marine biology. The participants are not bound to learn inside a classroom. The participants are actually experiencing the life of a marine biologist, which sounds awesome. In the program, they stay on a yacht for two months cruising the Caribbean. They visit Bahama, Utila, and Dominican Republic to study about three specific areas of marine biology. Though I don't particularly passionate about those subjects, the program itself sounds exciting to me. I'm getting too attached to it that I was sad when the book almost ends knowing that the program is also over.
The conflict in this book is somewhat predictable and too fluffy. Like the problem that every teenager who's in a long distance relationship deals with. But again, the sass program makes up for it. If only there's such a program in real life. That would be amazing.
December 15, 2015
Cute enough. Marina's off to sea to study on a boat for a semester, and while she's sorry to leave her loverboy behind, she's also relieved to have a bit of space to think about their future. This one gets bonus points for 1) Marina and her boyfriend being able to make a reasonably mature decision about their future and their own needs and 2) putting emphasis on the things they study at sea -- no lack of dolphins and whale sharks and sea turtles here. Might have been nice to see more of the ports they stop in, but my (admittedly limited) understanding of that sort of semester is that most of students' time isn't spent exploring and so on.
Aaaand that's all I have. Total fluff; very convenient to have in my bag on a slow Friday afternoon at work.
More general look at the series here.
Aaaand that's all I have. Total fluff; very convenient to have in my bag on a slow Friday afternoon at work.
More general look at the series here.
October 1, 2010
The book that I have finished is called, Girl Overboard, by Amiee Ferris. It's about this girl named Marina, who is in a study abroad program. She wants to be a marine biologist, but had to leave her boyfriend and family in order to do so. She starts to get cozy with her boatmate, Link, but at the same time she feels guilty about since she has a boyfriend back home. During the cruise, she is going to the Bahamas, the island of Utila, and ending it at the Domincan Republic.
Overall, I liked this book very much because there was conflict, romance, and cool information about different places. The author who wrote this book has a very similar story to Marina's, which I found was very awesome.
Overall, I liked this book very much because there was conflict, romance, and cool information about different places. The author who wrote this book has a very similar story to Marina's, which I found was very awesome.
July 29, 2013
In Ferris's author debut she writes an addition to the S.A.S.S. Series. Before reading Girl Overboard I hadn't picked up any of the other S.A.S.S. books. In fact it was only halfway through Ferris's novel that I realized it was part of a series. Girl Overboard easily stands alone, but after finishing it I am eager to dive into more S.A.S.S. stories. The characters and scenery are wonderfully written and draw you into the life of Marina and her adventures as she sails through the Caribbean. Girl Overboard is the perfect Summer beach read. Overall 5/5 stars, Young Adults would likely enjoy this novel.
July 28, 2014
This was a cute coming-of-age story. Mostly it was light romantic fluff for the high school crowd, with some educational bits thrown in. I like the premise of kids getting to travel and study away from home. They gain new knowledge and a great addition to their CV. Don't listen to the reviewer who talked about "kids" getting drunk. It was one girl who didn't know what was in her drink because an island child was fetching for her like he would for his parents. It was a convenient tool for the author to have a character spill the beans about someone else and create drama. As always, there is a mean girl to create angst for the main character.
March 9, 2011
This story is different from any I’ve read before. A teen girl taking a six-week cruise to learn about the sea is a unique story line. I like that!
I could feel the tension rising between Marina and Damon throughout the story. I could also feel the growing bond between Marina and Link. It was not always obvious, but it was there.
Another fun thing about this book was that I learned about some of the exotic places that the cruise went to. My favorite was their visit to see dolphins in the Bahamas. The dolphins were so playful.
I could feel the tension rising between Marina and Damon throughout the story. I could also feel the growing bond between Marina and Link. It was not always obvious, but it was there.
Another fun thing about this book was that I learned about some of the exotic places that the cruise went to. My favorite was their visit to see dolphins in the Bahamas. The dolphins were so playful.
May 4, 2012
I thought the book was a bit predictable, however still quite nice. It's description of the Carribean and the Bahamas was very interesting and the main character Marina's infatuation with dolphins was a good part of her character. However she could be an annoying character as well, seeming quite clingy and annoying. Her timidity could be seen as a good part of her character but at times it could be quite tedious. It was an alright book, but it was a bit to bland and honestly, at times boring. A good book to read in between reading other books.
November 28, 2012
The only SASS book I've ever read before was "When Irish Guys are Smiling" and I totally loved it. I've wanted to read the other books, but I can't seem to find e-books anywhere. Luckily, I happen to come across this book in a local book store! Cool, eh?:)
Anyway, this book is a light, quick, fun read. :) I enjoyed the author's way of writing. Plus, I'm such a sucker for British / Aussie guys -- so you know how I felt about Link (although I find that odd for a name haha)
You'd definitely love this book if you're a a huge fan of sea creatures!
Anyway, this book is a light, quick, fun read. :) I enjoyed the author's way of writing. Plus, I'm such a sucker for British / Aussie guys -- so you know how I felt about Link (although I find that odd for a name haha)
You'd definitely love this book if you're a a huge fan of sea creatures!
July 16, 2014
I checked this book out from the library a few days ago and I though it would be really great, but I was disappointed. It sounded like a interesting story about a girl studying on a ship with a little romance (her having to chose between her boyfriend back home or the other guy on the ship with her). It started out kind of interesting but I only ended up reading to chapter eight because It got so boring. The story dragged on and on and I really didn't want to finish it because I didn't see the point in reading this book.
February 27, 2015
Girl Overboard was an okay book. I hit pretty bored while reading it. I would keep on shutting my eyes while reading it!
This book is about a girl named Marina from Vermont. She traveled oversea to the Caribbean and Bahamas for a school study. while she was there, she met a guy named Link. Things get bad when her boyfriend from Vermont is in the way of things.
I would not recommend this book to many people because I got very bored. Some other people may like it, but personally I did not enjoy Girl Overboar.
This book is about a girl named Marina from Vermont. She traveled oversea to the Caribbean and Bahamas for a school study. while she was there, she met a guy named Link. Things get bad when her boyfriend from Vermont is in the way of things.
I would not recommend this book to many people because I got very bored. Some other people may like it, but personally I did not enjoy Girl Overboar.
April 11, 2012
I have to admit I was a little disappointed in the story. To me it felt the story was more of an information piece on dolphins, turtles, shark whales and some of the area's they visited. I liked Link but I was disappointed with the lack of romance and information shared about the two of them. At first I liked the relationship between Link and Marina and then it just seemed to drizzle out and then wala.
January 18, 2015
Out of a great series this one so far falls the flattest.
Marina is alright in a nonthreatening nice girl sort of way, but makes no waves.
Her love interest is fairly dull as is her crush on him (Also her considering his flirtatiousness 'Sexist' was just annoying).
The setting was never exploited for scenery porn, and very rarely for any cultural learning.
The book is harmless, and inoffensive, but it doesn't really do anything to be good.
Marina is alright in a nonthreatening nice girl sort of way, but makes no waves.
Her love interest is fairly dull as is her crush on him (Also her considering his flirtatiousness 'Sexist' was just annoying).
The setting was never exploited for scenery porn, and very rarely for any cultural learning.
The book is harmless, and inoffensive, but it doesn't really do anything to be good.
July 1, 2016
This was an okay, quick read. A bit boring, frustrating, and confusing at times but I loved Marina and Link together...so that sort of made up for the long lectures, "just get on with it already" moments, and sudden solutions. Like "we were mad at each other, but let's not even really discuss what made us react in the way that we did and make up instead." Ugh. Definitely not my fave of the series but I still stuck through it until the very end. I guess I just wanted some closure.
May 27, 2008
marina is looking forward to immersing herself in her passion, marine biology, on a 6 week cruise in the Caribbean. She also wants to know where she stands with Damon, her boyfriend of 3 years. As Marina learns more about herself and forges new relationships with her shipmantes, she will decide her future.
August 31, 2008
This was a really good book. Part of my favorite series, S.A.S.S. (Students Across the Seven Seas) Its about girls who study abroad in other countries, but it always ends up being about some hot guy she likes!! :) This particular one is about the carribean, which means the book's bound to have a hot guy! Read it!
September 19, 2011
This book was good. It was a light read. Not very in depth, but it was good. It's about a girl named Marina that loves marine biology and goes on a cruise for 6 weeks or so to study dolphins, sea turtles, and whale sharks. While she's there she figures out what to do with her future and her love life.
March 10, 2016
This book was absolutely awesome but I'm so sad that I finished it so quickly!! I sometimes wish that I could read slower so that I could REALLY enjoy the book but, it's not meant to be. This is officially the best S.A.S.S. book I've read so far...an absolute favorite--A MUST READ FOR SUMMER!! So are all the rest of the books--enjoy!
November 26, 2020
Read this in a single, middle-of-the-night session. Similar to The Finnish Line from this series, it's a fun book aimed at teenage girls. Adventure, romance, confusing feelings about growing up... it's all there.
April 30, 2008
A girl lives on a luxery yacht for 6 weeks before he senior year of high school to learn more about biology and herself. He ends up dumping her boyfriend back home, learns the importance of good girlfriends though her St. Louis (go STL!!) roommate, and meets and amazing Aussie. A fun read.
November 4, 2008
Loved it. I had a day at camp to read this book becuase i had to leave the next day and it wasn't mine i was borrowing it from a friend at the camp so i couldn't keep it. and it was good enough for me to stay up half the night with a little flashlight reading it so i consider that good.
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September 30, 2009i loved this book! it was greeat. it's a story about a girl who goes away on vacation kinda, to stiudy marine biology. but leaves her boyfriend at home, and dhe mets a new guy who she really conects with. it was a great teen summer romance novel. i think it was an amazing story.
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