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bookwormdean's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
fabi_g's review
2.0
Stuart is smack dab in the middle of the rat race. Making a name for himself in Mergers & Acquisitions. The job related stress level is affecting his health. On his doctor's orders, he takes his first vacation in five years, booking a cruise for two on a yacht. The night before it sails, his friend-with-benefits backs out of the trip leaving Stuart to board on his own.
Foster left the rat race six years ago. Now the proud owner of a yacht specialising in exclusive tours for couples. He tends to pick up the LGBTQ couples since being gay himself puts the couples more at ease.
The two hit it off pretty quickly, finding each other well versed in common topics and life experience. It doesn't take long for a spark of attraction to ignite. Stuart isn't shy about finding out if Foster is interested in more than conversation. I liked the teasing, the open sexuality. Even though I'm not a fan of tiny, white, see through Speedos. :-/
Unfortunately, once they started becoming intimate, the story lost a bit of steam for me. About halfway through, the descriptions of the setting were excruciatingly repetitive. I also had a hard time differentiating the characters. The two guys were so similar that I often had no clue who was talking or doing what. A couple of times I backtracked to the beginning of the chapter to see who's POV I was reading.
It wasn't long before I was skimming. Something needed to happen to liven up this plot because it had fallen pretty flat by now. It was around the standard 80% or so that it got a little hair raising crazy. I enjoyed the action. :-) ... And then... There was a really cheesy ending. 🤷♀️
Really, it's not a bad little romance. There's just not much to it and I have to admit to being a little bored with it. It was "just ok" for me.
By Goodreads star rating system, "just ok" = 2 stars.
Foster left the rat race six years ago. Now the proud owner of a yacht specialising in exclusive tours for couples. He tends to pick up the LGBTQ couples since being gay himself puts the couples more at ease.
The two hit it off pretty quickly, finding each other well versed in common topics and life experience. It doesn't take long for a spark of attraction to ignite. Stuart isn't shy about finding out if Foster is interested in more than conversation. I liked the teasing, the open sexuality. Even though I'm not a fan of tiny, white, see through Speedos. :-/
Unfortunately, once they started becoming intimate, the story lost a bit of steam for me. About halfway through, the descriptions of the setting were excruciatingly repetitive. I also had a hard time differentiating the characters. The two guys were so similar that I often had no clue who was talking or doing what. A couple of times I backtracked to the beginning of the chapter to see who's POV I was reading.
It wasn't long before I was skimming. Something needed to happen to liven up this plot because it had fallen pretty flat by now. It was around the standard 80% or so that it got a little hair raising crazy. I enjoyed the action. :-) ... And then... There was a really cheesy ending. 🤷♀️
Really, it's not a bad little romance. There's just not much to it and I have to admit to being a little bored with it. It was "just ok" for me.
By Goodreads star rating system, "just ok" = 2 stars.
amarajadeheart's review
4.0
Cute, hot, and fun! I enjoyed this easy read. Lip suck fuck was fun. The setting was dreamy. The couple worked well together. And I adored the HEA. Very satisfying.
With all the knowledge of sailing, my brain latched on to the ladder and I thought for sure they'd both jump into the ocean and forget to put down that damn ladder. LMAO.
With all the knowledge of sailing, my brain latched on to the ladder and I thought for sure they'd both jump into the ocean and forget to put down that damn ladder. LMAO.
stang_gt3's review
5.0
This story, on principle, really shouldn't have worked for me. At it's core it's an insta-love story, and is a straight romance with no other real story or elements. This is the sort of book that in a M/F world would bore me to tears. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, ah so sweet, and there's nothing else in the story. But it just goes to show that in the hands of a really good writer, even the most basic storyline can be brilliant.
This is pure seduction and sexy men at their finest. Stuart may not have gone on his vacation expecting to have any sort of real sexual adventure after his current hookup decided not to come at the last minute, but Foster is pure temptation. Two weeks spent on a sailboat with just the captain of that boat, and one that looks as yummy as Foster, well that's only going to go one way as long as the captain was interested and willing. I loved these two circling around each other and the blatant flirting that happened over the first two days leading up to them finally coming together. That was some SEXY tequila shots going on. Damn. White, tight, Speedos...yummy. But the heart of this story saves it from being some trashy pwp storyline. There was romance and the sexy just added to the chemistry between these two men so by the end, even though it is an insta-love story if you look at the time these two have known each other, it really doesn't feel like one.
There were some really wonderful moments in this story, and well damn that storm was a bit scary. I really just enjoyed everything about this read and it made me smile.
This is pure seduction and sexy men at their finest. Stuart may not have gone on his vacation expecting to have any sort of real sexual adventure after his current hookup decided not to come at the last minute, but Foster is pure temptation. Two weeks spent on a sailboat with just the captain of that boat, and one that looks as yummy as Foster, well that's only going to go one way as long as the captain was interested and willing. I loved these two circling around each other and the blatant flirting that happened over the first two days leading up to them finally coming together. That was some SEXY tequila shots going on. Damn. White, tight, Speedos...yummy. But the heart of this story saves it from being some trashy pwp storyline. There was romance and the sexy just added to the chemistry between these two men so by the end, even though it is an insta-love story if you look at the time these two have known each other, it really doesn't feel like one.
There were some really wonderful moments in this story, and well damn that storm was a bit scary. I really just enjoyed everything about this read and it made me smile.
quesaleah's review
2.0
It started off well, but this thing really just sank lower and lower the longer it went on. There was some initial spark in the main characters, but eventually they became almost indistinguishable from one another. Along with the fact that the alternating first-person POV rarely included names (just "I" and "he" to reference the other MC), I had absolutely no idea who was narrating for most of the time I was reading this. I had to go back to the first page of the chapter to check whose POV it was...every chapter.
I liked it up to the point where they actually start to get to know each other, but this is a very brief section of the book. There's insta-attraction, which is obvs fine, but the way they're attracted to each other is so superficial that it's not believable at all. I mean, I can do unbelievable if it's interesting, but the setting and descriptions of their days on the yacht got so fucking repetitive and tedious.
I'd lost interest by the first time they got together. Welp. I tried. Got to ~55% and couldn't do it anymore. I skimmed the rest.
2 stars.
I liked it up to the point where they actually start to get to know each other, but this is a very brief section of the book. There's insta-attraction, which is obvs fine, but the way they're attracted to each other is so superficial that it's not believable at all. I mean, I can do unbelievable if it's interesting, but the setting and descriptions of their days on the yacht got so fucking repetitive and tedious.
I'd lost interest by the first time they got together. Welp. I tried. Got to ~55% and couldn't do it anymore. I skimmed the rest.
2 stars.
formidablemmcouples's review
4.0
That was incredibly sweet, it felt as if I was on that boat with them all along. I kinda wanna live there actually now. I loved how easily they just accepted that this was it, they were gonna enjoy the hell out of each other and think about the consequences later. And trust NE Walker not to make those too complicated either. Just a perfect balance of sea, swoon and steam!
nhw13_bookishcorner's review
3.0
Stuart & Foster
Rating: 3.0 ⭐
- Two Week Yacht Cruise
- MM Romance
- Stress Health Issues
This is not a book with plot so do not come in expecting it, expect banter, sailing, snorkeling, and smut. The book is more about their relationship developing over the two week cruise around the Australian Whitsundays. Foster tries desperately to stay professional but he can't resist Stuart's flirting, blunt offers, and that darn white speedo.
Verse: No
HEA: Yes
Rating: 3.0 ⭐
- Two Week Yacht Cruise
- MM Romance
- Stress Health Issues
This is not a book with plot so do not come in expecting it, expect banter, sailing, snorkeling, and smut. The book is more about their relationship developing over the two week cruise around the Australian Whitsundays. Foster tries desperately to stay professional but he can't resist Stuart's flirting, blunt offers, and that darn white speedo.
Verse: No
HEA: Yes