Ship Wrecked
By Olivia Dade
Rating: 5/5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Steam: Explicit
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Pub Date: 3 November, 2022
Thank you so much Avon for allowing me to read an ARC! All opinions are my own.
Available: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop
Content Warning: death of parent, grief, fatphobia, infidelity
Ship Wrecked Synopsis:
Maria’s one-night-stand—the thick-thighed, sexy Viking of a man she left without a word or a note—just reappeared. Apparently, Peter’s her surly Gods of the Gates co-star, and they’re about to spend the next six years filming on a desolate Irish island together. She still wants him…but he now wants nothing to do with her.
Peter knows this role could finally transform him from a forgettable character actor into a leading man. He also knows a failed relationship with Maria could poison the set, and he won’t sabotage his career for a woman who’s already walked away from him once. Given time, maybe they can be cooperative colleagues or friends—possibly even best friends—but not lovers again. No matter how much he aches for her.
For years, they don’t touch off-camera. But on their last night of filming, their mutual restraint finally shatters, and all their pent-up desire explodes into renewed passion. Too bad they still don’t have a future together, since Peter’s going back to Hollywood, while Maria’s returning to her native Sweden. She thinks she needs more than he can give her, but he’s determined to change her mind, and he’s spent the last six years waiting. Watching. Wanting.
His shipwrecked Swede doesn’t stand a chance.
Ship Wrecked Review
When I say getting this book was the highlight of my week it truly was. It was like the universe apologized to me in the best way possible: an Olivia Dade romance. Be still my beating heart; this book was phenomenal. From the first page you know this book is different from the first two in the series, and I’m not complaining at all. It’s steamier and definitely more drawn out. The characters are given plenty of time to grow and mature and they do, but there are the lingering ghosts that Dade beautifully draws out.
Loves:
Maria and Peter: they had great chemistry as a couple and the way that their relationship changes throughout the novel is perfection. Both characters were well developed and each one of their actions had logic behind it. Seriously my favorite part of the novel was them slowly learning things about themselves and each other. Also, can we appreciate that there are two fat characters in a trad pub book?!? That are described kindly?!? Just wow. And also Maria is a badass with her self awareness.
Supporting Cast: Dade has a way of making the secondary characters feel more than side characters but ones that you also are fully engaged with along with the focus couple. I just adored everyone and getting back to the Gates of the Gods cast as I missed them so much. Definitely recommend reading the first two books to fully appreciate everything with the side characters.
Third Act Breakup: Yes, this book has this (as most romances do), but I really really liked how Dade handled this. There wasn’t one side of the relationship that groveled more and there wasn’t an outside character that was like “you messed up” rather it was both characters realizing that they were wrong and coming together after that. Not going into any more detail, but it just felt so mature and reasonable. I loved it.
Meh:
Timeline: I typically love romances set over a longer time period with glimpses at the past or it intertwined. This one was some neither of those options and both of those options. The book starts with the 6 years ago and then somehow slowly moves through time? Like you’re with them for roughly the first year? Then it skips ahead. I mean it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t what I had been expecting.
Long Story Short
Do I recommend this book? Yes. I do. To be fair I’d recommend reading this series in order to get a full picture of what’s happening because there is some intertwining that you’d miss. It’s not necessary but recommended. Overall this was a wonderful book that I was so happy to get a copy of. While it’s not my favorite of the series, I loved the differences from her other books and found myself engaged with the writing and characters. I cannot wait to see where Dade goes from here and I know that I will be excitedly awaiting that announcement. Excellent novel!
If You Liked This One…
I highly recommend the first two books in the series too, Spoiler Alert and All the Feels. Otherwise Denise Williams would be another excellent author to check out: The Fastest Way to Fall, How to Fail at Flirting, and Do You Take This Man.
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