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hansbookshelf's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Ableism, Suicide, and Grief
mrsbennettreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Suicide, Grief, and Car accident
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Author: Trish Doller
Series: Beck Sisters, #1
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.0
Pub Date: March 2, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Quick • Fearless • Adventurous
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Ten months following the unexpected suicide of her fiancé, Anna finds herself at a complete loss. When she gets a reminder for the sailing trip Ben and her were supposed to embark on, she decides to pack up and go it alone. After just one night, she realizes there is no way she's going to be able to do this alone. Enter Keane, himself reeling from a life upended, who offers to help her set sail on the path Ben planned out. Together they set sail, finding ways to rebuild their lives, and find themselves.
💭 T H O U G H T S
My own partner died in 2020, so even before I began reading, I knew I shared a connection with the main character. But for me Float Plan lacked the emotional depth, I was hoping for, and which so many readers have alluded to. It felt as though the trauma surrounding Ben's suicide and Anna's grief took a back seat, while they should have played a bigger role. As a whole, the aspect of grief felt entirely rushed and inauthentic. Don't get me wrong, I know firsthand how every grief journey is different, but to me there was so much potential to develop emotional depth and grief awareness here. And maybe for the average reader, the author has accomplished that.
If I could put myself outside my own grief journey, I'd likely be more forgiving of that side of the story because there's certainly a solid story, welcoming cast of characters, and the writing has a good flow. I just constantly found myself yearning for more of Anna's relationship with Ben, and his life. The locals in each of the places they visited were a definite bright spot in this story.
Even though this one was underwhelming for me on a personal level, I will be keeping an eye out for the follow up book coming out this year.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• slow-burn romance readers
• anyone needing an escape
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Someone at his funeral told me that Ben will always be alive in my memories, but it's not the fucking same at all."
"'Eventually - and I say this from experience - you'll start building a new house beside the ruins of the old. When you're ready, you'll know.'"
"The stages of grief are not linear. They are random and unpredictable, folding back on themselves until you begin mourning all over again. I have bargained with a universe that is not listening. I have cried myself hollow. I have leaned into the belief that I can't live without Ben Braithwaite, but kneeling here in the sand on a beach four hundred miles from home says maybe I can - and that terrifies me."
Graphic: Death and Suicide
Moderate: Mental illness and Grief
Minor: Ableism, Cursing, Sexual content, and Vomit
depression, death of a partnerlmcbarton's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Ableism
romcom_reader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Ableism
teacupsandfirereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, and Grief
Minor: Ableism
lexa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Suicide, and Grief
Minor: Sexual content, Vomit, and Medical content
whatellieread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Ableism and Suicide
bringmybooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Oh, wow. Wow. I cannot get over how much I thoroughly and completely enjoyed this book and these characters. I felt that Doller was very sensitive and honest in her portrayal of someone in grief, and I felt so keenly for Anna but loved watching her grow and find reasons to smile and laugh again.
Interestingly enough, after re-reading the synopsis, I realized that it's EXACTLY what you get in this book - but there's so, so, so much more here to be had. The descriptions of the islands, the way Keane and Anna's partnership to friendship to maybe more evolves, the descriptions of the ocean, the boat, and sailing??? Fantastic.
And Keane? YEP. Yes. YEP. Can we all just rejoice over having a male MC that is rugged, determined, strong, opinionated, and alpha - and just an overall decent human being??? Every time he did something kind just by being aware of Anna and her needs and she thanked him, he would say something along the lines of, "I don't need thanks for doing the only possible thing anyone should do." and it was So. Dang. Refreshing. There were obstacles, there were moments he was cranky and less than charitable, but overall he was just a good dude. We need more just good dudes.
I know very little about sailing myself, but this book alone makes me want to quit my job, spend everything I have on a boat, and disappear somewhere over the horizon. (Jury's still out on this, we'll see.)
Absolutely loved this one (read in less than 24 hours!), and I plan on both pre-ordering a print copy AND re-reading this one via audio later this year. It's that good.
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Ableism
sebrittainclark's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Ableism