We Ship It

by Lauren Kay

This rom-com debut has the fierce girl energy of the movie Booksmart, blended with the awkwardness of Kelly Quindlen’s Late to the Party, topped with a thrilling international meet-cute a la Love and Gelato.

Olivia Schwartz has a plan. It’s even color-coded.

And the plan is this: a perfect SAT score, a prestigious college, and a straight path towards her dream of becoming a doctor.

The last thing she wants to do—the summer before her senior year of high school, no less—is go on a cruise. Especially with her parents, younger brothers, and all the unspoken things between them since her older brother’s death so many years ago.

Then Olivia meets Sebastian. He’s everything she’s not: charming, exciting, willing to take risks and run with them. For the first time, Olivia feels like she can have fun...

But there’s a lot bubbling up under the surface on this cruise, and when past secrets begin to come to light, Olivia must face all the truths that she’s ignored for so long: about herself, Sebastian, her brother, the past she thought she understood, and the future she’s always planned.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Summer Reads, Audiobook, Fiction, Summer

317 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

Lauren Kay is Young Adult author and guide to aspiring authors. She offers free resources, courses, and editing services, to make publishing accessible for all. You can find more information on her website at https://www.laurenkaywrites.com .

Reviews

[Fay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Lauren Kay for this ARC!

We Ship It, by Lauren Kay, is hands down the BEST YA book I've ever read! There are so many amazing themes in this book which make it perfect for the intended audience.

Olivia, the main character, is a perfectionist, and not surprisingly, has her life planned out. She attends a private school and has been planning her route to college since her freshman year. With her eyes set on attending Brown and going to medical school, she plans to land her dream job of being a doctor by the age of 30. To increase her chances of attending Brown, Olivia, with the help of her friend Shruti, must present at a research fair to get the attention of Dr. Klober and land a summer internship. In addition to the presentation, Olivia and Shruti have to come up with a program, related to the research project, that can be implemented at Dr. Klober's hospital.
We quickly learn that the topic of the research project is near and dear to Olivia and her family, as it relates to the death of her older brother, Logan.

A wrench is thrown at Olivia's plans for working on her research presentation when her parents tell her that she is going on a family cruise. With permission to present virtually, Olivia sets off on what she expects to be a well planned out cruise, with her time focused on her research and preparation for her presentation.

On the cruise, she meets up with a former childhood friend, Jules, who is the complete opposite of Olivia. She is carefree, into dating, hooking up, and drinking. With the help of Jules, she meets a group of teens, and quickly falls for Sebastian and his charm. Sebastian holds a strong interest in Olivia and encourages her to open up about her past, including her grief over losing her brother, Logan. At the same time, she starts to fall for peer pressure and does things she would never have done before.

As the cruise continues, Olivia learns more about Logan and his death, and also starts to find out that Sebastian, who she was falling in love with, might not be telling her the truth about his life.

I absolutely adored Olivia's character. She was so likable and well developed. She made me laugh and she also made me cry. I think she has the potential to make readers connect with all that she has had to cope with in her short life. Grief, alcohol/drug use, anxiety, lack of emotional/family support, and teenage love are just a few of the many themes that stuck out to me in this book.

I honestly could go on and on but I'm afraid I will give too much away!

The end of the book had me in tears and was absolutely perfect! While I always considered Olivia's character to be mature for her age, she impressed me so much with her strength and resolve at the end of the book.

This book is great for teens/young adults AND I also think adults would LOVE this book. I cannot recommend this one enough! 5+ starts!!! Add this to your TBR list NOW! You will NOT regret it!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young Jewish overachiever is forced by her parents to go on a family cruise ship vacation. With great reluctance she complies finding a new love interest and learning to loosen up a bit while also discovering a dark family secret that rocks her world. Great on audio read by Hope Newhouse, this book tackles some heavy topics including accidental overdose of a loved one, opioid addiction and mental health. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story has a sweet charm while exploring some thought-provoking/heavier themes. However, I must admit that it didn't quite resonate with me. Although the idea behind the plot was intriguing, the way the different storylines were developed and presented did not work for me.

[ava. · Rating 4 out of 5]

°•*⁀➷ 𝟛.𝟟𝟝 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤

So... I don't know what to think of this. For one, it was enjoyable and fun to read, I loved the writing style, so Its a very easy read. It's also well written. But then again, the plot? The characters? Not exactly my favorite. I've read it before, and I have no idea why I read this as a 12 year old lol, I'm 13 now and I would most definitely not give this book to anyone under 13. If you're looking for an enjoyable, well written book, this is great, but it's also not at all as light as you would expect. Also, prepare for a rant about my hatred for Jules.


𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕
౨ৎ 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦
౨ৎ 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥
౨ৎ 𝘈 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦...
౨ৎ 𝘈 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 (𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭) 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘯 ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

Ages 13/14+ (I would say mainly 14+ but ok for a mature 13 year old)

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔
౨ৎ Language- F*** used someone frequently, all minor swears used a lotw
౨ৎ Romance- Kissing (quite... intense kissing), a scene where they're about to do more but decide not to, a lot of innuendo
౨ৎ Violence- Not really any I don't think
౨ৎ Other- a LOT of underage drinking, mentions of underage drug use, a character in the past died of an overdose, death of a sibling, mentions of heart attacks/cardiac arrest, maybe even more that I forgot about

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼

⤷ Olivia- she started out as a good character and by the end I hated her. She had the exact opposite of character developement. Ok, I get she went through a lot, but let's compare. At the beginning she cared about school, wanted to be a doctor, made good decisions, didn't drink or party, and spent most of her time studying, planning out her future, and making powerpoint presentations. By the end, she drank (a lot), kissed a random boy who she just met (a lot), and barely cared about schoolwork. Seriously?!?

⤷ Sebastion- I hate him so much. First of all, he drank a ton, had a girlfriend back home who he was "taking a break" with, and used Olivia as a distraction pretty much?!? Ugh I hate him

⤷ Jules- SO SHE PRETTY MUCH IS THE REASON OLIVIA BECAME A TERRIBLE CHARACTER. She drinks, has done drugs, and has a rule with guys that she does not commit to them and is not exclusive?!?? So basically nothing but a walking bad influence and I hate her

⤷ Olivia's parents- I think they're way better than her. Of course they would be mad finding out she drank and spent the night in a random boy's room!!!! I would be mad if I was them too!! Of course, I don't like that they lied about how Logan actually died, but still

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓭

⤷ The writing style- Super enjoyable and easy to read

⤷ Just the book itself- it was just a really enjoyable book to read and so enjoyable

⤷ The romance didn't work out- this might sound weird, but every single romance works out in books like this, and this time it didn't which I felt was actually really good for the book

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓷'𝓽 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮

⤷ It kind of glorifies underage drinking- it literally never says it's bad and it keeps happening but they never get punishment for it

⤷ The character developement of Olivia- she just got SO. MUCH. WORSE.

⤷ The romance- it was definitely an insta love which we all know I hate. They fell in love in like 3 days

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

[Ellie M · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

*SPOILER WARNING* (I'm not including spoilers for no reason, more of just an actual warning for anyone who wants an actual romance book).

I went into this book expecting a cute, light at-sea romance (like One True Loves did) and ended the book crying. I haven't cried at a book in months, and this one made me cry.

Just to be clear, this isn't a review trashing the book for being misleading. I'd rate it lower if that was the case. It was SO GOOD. Olivia, a grumpy type-A high school junior, never wanted to go on a cruise over spring break-- she wanted to participate in a research fair that could secure her future of becoming a doctor. She only agrees to go because one of the stops is a country she'd promised to visit with her brother before he died six years earlier, and plans to spend the majority of the time researching, but when her childhood friend, Jules, shows up on the cruise as a party girl determined to have the best vacation ever, she is forced to live in the moment for once.
Aside from Jules (who's an otherwise great character) repeatedly pressuring Olivia to drink, what's wrong with this storyline? Nothing. Except that it's not the romance book the title and cover promised. (The tagline "The love you root for isn't always the one you need" is more of an accurate representation). However, it's not entirely disappointing that it isn't a romance, either.
I accidentally skipped to the end at one point and I was pissed when I found out Olivia doesn't end up with Sebastian. I almost DNFed the book because I was sure it was going to be one of those books where the characters break up over a misunderstanding or a minor issue that can easily be worked out and then spend the rest of the pages missing the other but not doing anything about it because it "wasn't meant to be" (God, I hate those types of books). But I reluctantly kept reading, and I found that it wasn't that at all. Sebastian (who isn't a total asshole, just needs to work on himself before he gets involved with someone else) hadn't been honest with Olivia about his life back home or his intentions with her, and her reason for walking away was completely valid. And the book didn't end with Olivia being depressed over it, either-- it ended with her knowing what to look for next time.

The musical references were my favorite part of this book, especially because of how Olivia learned to love performing again when she hadn't since her brother died. I loved the book, and Olivia, even more with every Rent reference.

I just wish the cover and title didn't make it look like a romance book.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hot take: if you need AI to write a book, maybe you shouldn’t be writing one? Just a thought.


Original Review
2.5 (because just a 2 seems too mean rn)

This book is Kay's debut and it really shows because this was a mess. I think she tried to combine two really big themes (grief over a sibling and first love) and they just did not mesh well.

Also, I struggled to like any of these characters. I felt like such a mom reading this because every time these kids did something rebellious I would get stressed.

Also, also YOU CAN'T TRICK ME LAUREN KAY. THEATER KIDS ARE NOT COOL. WE'RE DORKS AND THAT'S OK. I wish pretty much every character had gotten more depth and better dialogue, but I think Olivia had an interesting voice.

I really hope that Kay grows into her writing style from this because it was engaging enough to have potential.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Thamy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia has lost her older brother, who was also her hero and best friend, with whom she had a dream to one day go to the Antigua. That was many years ago, her family's dynamics changed completely; she's now the older sister of twins, her parents are always at home, and she's given up musicals. She now wants to be a doctor to research what could cause and what could prevent a teenager from dying from a heart attack. And when she should be concentrating on the research to secure an internship, their family needs to go on a cruise. That's where she meets Sebastian and starts living again.

3.5, rounded up to 4.

We know Olivia has many issues, issues I thankfully have never had to deal with, but I found interesting how it's dealt with. I like how this was all treated. Her life isn't one big drama, she is trying to cope. It's maybe what will happen to teens who go through such a trauma, it's probably more silent than books usually portray it. Olivia seems to be functional despite all. But is being functional enough?

This is a romance, but it's also a coming of age, a coming out of grief, or maybe coping better with it. But the romance is also interesting. It surprised me to be honest.

What I didn't like about this story is how new information would be added. Sometimes it would pop so randomly I'd think I already knew it and forgot, so it was a little confusing and made me stop reading to go back and check, which isn't ideal. It wasn't about the timing, because it made the plot thicken, it was exciting to learn those bits. It was really the way it was presented. Instead of giving it an oomph, it just threw me off every time.

Development and conclusion were good. I'm not sure it was a perfect ten, I did frown a tiny bit at her parents at the end, but it was okay. I just think it could have been better. I liked that we had some plot twists, not what you'd expect from a teenagers' romance, but I'm not sure I believed the big twist, so I frowned at it too. At the same time, though doubting, I liked the idea.

It's hard to comment much without spoiling the book, but you can see it's a book that makes you think and want to comment. Recommended read for YA lovers, especially if you liked something a little heavier without being really heavy like Tell Me Three Things and The Last Time We Say Goodbye.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

[Kate Whitley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Special thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Lauren Kay for this ARC!

The plot was well developed and cute, perfect for a YA book! There were a few places I felt it was just too rushed but overall it was a fun read and I loved the personalities of each character.

[autotelics · Rating 1 out of 5]

realized after suffering through this schlock that this writer is actually selling programs on how to write a book and i just have to say if you’re dumb enough to get scammed by a woman who writes like a teen wattpad author you probably deserve it

[Esme · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

the main character drove me a little insane but I did enjoy this book!! I loved the cruise ship setting so much and I really appreciated the way the book handled grief. Overall a strong debut book!

[jess h. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book I’m kind of confused on whether to keep or sell on Pango at the end of the year. The story setting is a dream of a setting for me. I LOVE cruises and always wanted to read a book in this setting!! All the nuances of being on a cruise ship were included and I loved that about it. It brought me back. The MC’s backstory and the reveal of some personal articles of that were interesting. I liked the details in each of the characters and the sort of academic setting that was preserved on the ship. It really was like reliving my own cruise. This quote from before debarkation is still in my head: “somehow, I had become very attached to this crazy floating mall.”

BUT. I can’t give this book more than 3 stars bc of the content. Funny bc it continued to remind me of my own cruise with all the teens drinking underage, drugs played a big part in this story as well, speaking of hooking up with someone for a week constantly. So fleeting!! There was unfaithfulness involved and it was just sad to read. This kind of reminds me of The Summer Of Broken Rules bc I was obsessed with the setting/characters/storyline but the content was just not okay. There were also 4+ gay characters spoken of/involved in the story. So sad that this book was so tainted!! The author even in the acknowledgments of her book said that she wanted her daughter to one day read a [very sensored copy] of her book one day. If that does not tell you about the content, the fact she doesn’t even want her daughter to read it straight up… idk what does. Pretty bummed bc it was so cute, but the content wasn’t it.

[Mia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

We Ship It for the most part, a good book. It is mix of summer beach read and a contemporary about family life. Romance is there for sure - but it's also at least as much about growing up and loss. I enjoyed it to a sense, it will definitelyleave you feeling pleased nonetheless.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Libby · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 10%. This main character is exhausting! She complains constantly about *having* to go on an all-expenses paid cruise and looks down her nose at everyone who’s actually enjoying it. Oof no thanks.

[Amber’s TBR Adventure · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am truly conflicted on how to rate this book. I also am not sure where to start. Maybe with this…I scrolled through some of the lower rated reviews and agree for the most part with what others shared. I just am not totally convinced it only deserves 2 stars…

1) I admit that as a 30+ year old there was a bit in the book that I personally felt icky about listening to. I guess because the fmc and mc are under the age of 18 and the description of the make out session (they don’t actually have sex in this one) was more then I anticipated. Probably says more about me then the book but all the same it made me cringe.

2) this book tried to be both very deep about first love and tremendous grief. IMHO (like others have said) should have stuck with the grief and left out the romance.

3) I actually appreciated the conversation the fmc had with her friend about sex and thinking about having it for the first time. The friend said something along the lines of “unexpected emotional attachments” and other wise information about communicating before/during/after.

4) I don’t have the same level of complaint about ‘cool’ theater kids. But, I just felt like the use of alcohol to move the character along the plot was a weak attempt and unnecessary.

4) this isn’t criticizing but rather reinforcing that the author could have lost her romance plot (or toned it down) and focused on her stronger plot and message. Although a bit strong handed at the end, I think her overarching message on substance addiction sheds light on an important and under discussed reality. —-said in a way to avoid spoilers—


I’ve come to the conclusion all YA narrators are unreliable and this book re-enforced my conclusion.

[Carole Wallace · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stupid messed up book.

[Caitlin Radziseski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for sending me an ARC of We Ship It in exchange for an honest review.

"The thesis for my project: What causes a perfectly healthy teenager to die from a heart attack at seventeen?"

We Ship It is about a young girl named Olivia, who is very ambitious and driven, always looking towards the future, making plans and figuring out how to achieve goals, while simultaneously forgetting to enjoy the moment she is in. Olivia's plans for spring break (preparing for the extremely important science research fair, which will be her gateway into Brown University) are completely thrown into upheaval when her parents tell her they have booked a cruise for the family for spring break. What Olivia doesn't expect is to meet some amazing people and relearn how to enjoy life and reconnect with the family she has been running from.

I went into this book expecting a light YA rom-com and it was so much more than that in the best way possible. It was heartbreaking and beautiful while still giving cruise ship-vacation vibes. Olivia's relationships with Sebastian, Jules, and Troy were all so incredible. I also loved her resolution with Charlie by the end. I also loved how much I personally connected with Olivia and her relationship with her older brother, Logan. I also have an older brother and the relationship between Olivia and Logan reminds me of the relationship between my brother and I.

There was so much amazing character development in this book and by the end, I was really rooting for the whole group to remain friends. Overall, I would give this book 5/5 stars and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a rom-com.

[Valarie B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to read an early version of this story, and I can say that We Ship It is without a doubt the absolute best YA book I have ever read. Laugh-out-loud funny while also being deeply, deeply moving.

The writing is fantastic (I don’t think there is an author out there who writes better dialogue and witty banter), the characters are all heartbreakingly real, and the plot is swiftly moving and completely engrossing. I read the entire book in one sitting, because I just had to find out what happened next.

I am so excited for this book to be out in the world. Would recommend for all fans of YA and really anyone who enjoys an engaging, beautifully written story.

[Lanie Hirsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Barnes and Noble for putting this cute, fun, and surprisingly deep book about a cruise out on the shelves way too early so that I could read it while on a cruise :)

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia has had a tough time since her older brother Logan died. She tries to control her life through planning her future, one step leading to the next. When her parents book a cruise, she's adamant that she shouldn't go; she has an important extra curricular presentation the week of the cruise.

I almost stopped reading this part of the way through, because it was heavy into teen romance territory. I'm so glad I didn't though. This book has a strong ending that I didn't see coming and makes very important points. No spoilers.

[Marissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly I wanted to love this book. It sounded like a sweet summer read with some substance…

But it tried to do too much and therefore lacked on all accounts.

To say more I’d have to move into the spoiler zone… and honestly a few other reviews already went into why this was a bit overkill.

So for fear of doing what I always am annoyed with… I’m going to stop with this quick trigger warning: avoid if sensitive to; suicide, drug-addiction, family trauma, teen drinking/drugs, and the typical need to check every fad box.

[Jennie Wexler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an early version of this book and I can't wait for it to be released into the world. This story is full of unforgettable characters, a fun vacation setting, and lots of swoony romance. I wasn't able to put this book down and I couldn't wait to see how the story ended. A perfect summer read!

[Karina Puttieva · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the things I really loved about this book was how the main character Olivia is kindly and believably rendered as an anxious teen who is both the hero and villain in her own story. The way she misreads people, situations, and her own memories doesn't seem contrived - it is done deftly enough to clue the reader in, over the course of the novel, that the slow dialing up of temperature will eventually reach a boil. That captures the quintessential pitfalls (and growing pains) of teenagehood quite well: the insecurity, the near-total conviction that you've figured out what others think of you and the blind eye you willfully turn towards yourself as consequence. I think stories of loss and can be really tough to write well. This book strikes a nice balance between the inevitable weight of grief you don't quite understand and the lightness and joy that comes with letting go the past without losing yourself in the process.

[Kirsten | Bookish.kir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute YA contemporary romance about a family vacation on a cruise ship. Olivia is a shy “nerd” who is constantly planning every aspect of her life. All of that changes when her childhood friend Jules convinces her to “find their crew” aboard the ship leading her to meet Sebastian. Olivia makes many discoveries about herself and secrets that her parents have been keeping from her for years.

There were some aspects of the book that came across unrealistic to me. Such as; why was there a group of four minors on the cruise ship with no adult supervision? I’ve never been on a cruise, but I can’t imagine that’s normal.
There is also a lot of peer pressure to drink and to drop responsibilities from Jules and I wasn’t a big fan of that.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

[Christina · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not the light-hearted, innocent YA romance that I thought it would be. I came here for Suite Life On Deck vibes and that is not at all what I got. This is a story about grief first and foremost, (the main couple don't even end up together at the end) and substance abuse. That part of the story was decent but it was not what I bought this book for. The rest of the story was messy. I saw another review that said this reads like a wattpad story and I definitely agree. In conclusion, I would not recommend.

[Sarah G · Rating 2 out of 5]

TW:Sibling death.
Not my favorite read. The “romance” was rushed and at time cringy.

[Morgan Watson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rated this 2 stars to be nice since it’s the authors debut but this thing is a hot mess and cringe. Wish I would have DNF it.

[Zel · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a theatre kid reading this hurt me.

[Dana K · Rating 3 out of 5]

{3.5 stars}

"We think of ourselves as people with these rigid, fixed identities. But we're so much more malleable than we give ourselves credit for."

--------------------

I follow the author on BookTok and while I enjoy her content, it wasn't until she lamented how few people actually try her books despite her social media popularity. So I decided to grab her book and give it a read.

The cover screams rom-com but it's definitely not that. There is a crush element during the story, but I think it's more of a coming of age story. Olivia is your self-centered almost college student. She has suffered the tragedy of her older brother's death and she has coped by throwing herself into school and her future as a doctor. She hopes to right the wrong of her brother's death and make sure no one suffers the same loss. Her single-mindedness has her missing the fun of being a teenager. When her parents force her on a family cruise, they hope she will be inspired to fun by a reunion with an old friend. It works and she is essentially peer-pressured into being "normal" - that of course includes a boy and your typical romcom miscommunication trope.

You can tell the story is written by a young person as there is lots of diverse rep (Jewish, queer, trans etc) in the characters. I liked (and identified) with Olivia and her personality as well as her ability to temporarily mask as "normal" although the peer pressure aspect of that was not my favorite. She had a nice arc, as did her family, but you have to be willing to deal with the teen cattiness and angst to get there. It's an easy pool / beach read for summer with some nice messages about growth, acceptance and understanding.

[tei hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

bro this was a YA novel set on a cruise ship why am i BAWLING.