Published: August 17, 2021

Lake Union Publishing

I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Nick Spalding is the bestselling author of fifteen novels, two novellas, and two memoirs. Nick worked in media and marketing for most of his life before turning his energy to his genre-spanning humorous writing. He lives in the south of England with his wife.

“I bet reef sharks don’t have to worry about this kind of stuff.”

Joel is excited to be going on vacation with his girlfriend, Cara, to an island in the Maldives. As they are waiting to print their luggage tags, Joel catches a glimpse of his ex-wife and a man. Mild panic takes over, but they wouldn’t be going to the same vacation destination- right? Joel and Amy come face to face as they are boarding their plane to the Maldives for the first time in two years. Now they have the next eleven hours sitting on the same flight, in the same row, to marinate in what went wrong between them. Anger, frustration, and witty humor are about to arrive for an all-inclusive vacation.

I applied for this arc on Netgalley because there were sharks on the cover. I had never read Nick Spalding before, and the blurb sounded interesting, so I applied for it and was approved.

I am so glad. I enjoyed this book so much. There were several scenes that had me literally laughing out loud. Spalding did such a brilliant job writing from two perspectives, and he infused so much humor throughout, I could not put the book down.

The characters are so charming. I appreciate it when an author creates characters that are very human. Their flaws, insecurities, and internal dialogue reflect the thoughts and feelings we actually have.

Joel was such a fun character. A tad neurotic, insecure, and infallibly funny- he captivated your heart from the first page. Amy was so fierce, bold, and passionate. She was also stubborn, angry, and outspoken. Ray was such a voice of reason in a span of chaos. Cara appeared to be doting and highly compassionate, but she had issues of her own.

The resort was stunning; the descriptions of the island were so vibrant and lifelike it was easy to visualize paradise. You almost feel the warm, salty breeze on your face.

There is so much wit, sass, humor, and shenanigans in this novel. But it is so much deeper than a romantic comedy. There is so much heart packed within this story. The realization of the complexity of relationships is so defined.

Everything about this story is a win. I strongly recommend giving this book a read. You will laugh, scoff, get angry, and swoon. This novel is charming, funny, and a breath of fresh air. Original and emotional, the complications are so relevant. This story is so refreshing and an absolute must-read!