After a whole lifetime of being bad at love, JoJo Burton decides to solve her intimacy issues once and for all at her sister’s destination wedding on a cruise ship. With the help of a little pop psychology, she diagnoses herself with a fixation on the neighborhood guy who was her first crush and first kiss (and who just happens to be a newly-divorced wedding guest ), and she decides to woo him during the cruise for some long-delayed closure. Only problem is, her sister’s a little busy being a bride at the moment—so JoJo ropes in her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, to be her wingman. Cooper: who RSVPed no, but then showed up, anyway. Cooper: who left town without a word four years earlier and moved to London. Cooper: who was, if she’s honest, the worst heartbreak of JoJo’s life. It’s bliss for her to see him again, and it’s agony, too—and the more they team up for Project Conquest, the more she obsesses over questions she can’t bring herself to ask.
Shipboard antics ensue in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance—as JoJo and Cooper fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, treat sunburns, get jealous, rescue each other over and over, and finally, at last, figure it all out in the most blissful, swoony, romantic way. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)
Allyson Bales:
I am a BIG Katherine Center fan.
I read Happiness For Beginners in 2015 and immediately fell in love with her writing and her imperfect and lovable characters. Ever since then her books always end up on my favorites list of the year.
The Shippers is no exception and dare I say in my top three favorites of Center's.
I ship this book and all its characters so hard! I knew immediately that I was going to love JoJo. She’s quirky, teaches math and is just that heroine you root for. I found myself laughing out loud at so much that she did in this story. She has such awkward moments but Center writes them in such a relatable way that I found myself thinking of myself or my best friend in so many of the story's hilarious moments. I also really really loved so many of her family members. Her sister stole my heart pretty early on but so does another family member as the story progresses. You’ll know exactly who I’m talking about.
You also get to meet Cooper, JoJo’s childhood bestie and he really steals the show.
I loved the cruise ship setting, the way Center explores deeper, more vulnerable topics, and the heartfelt messages so many of characters represent along the way.
I was lucky enough thanks to Macmillan Audio to get to listen to this one as well and if you can, I really REALLY recommend the audio. Patti Murin narrates and she does an amazing job of bringing JoJo and the whole amazing story to life!
This will definitely be one of THE rom-coms of the summer!
Melissa Amster:
I adore Katherine Center's novels. They are fun and uplifting and her main characters have conversations with us, like they are inviting us into their world. Her latest rom-com, The Shippers, is so entertaining and enjoyable. You will want Cooper as a book boyfriend by the time you get to the middle of the story. 😍
This story is basically a virtual vacation on a cruise. I felt like I was on the ship with JoJo and her family the entire time. Such a fun adventure!
I loved the banter between JoJo and Cooper. You could tell there was chemistry between them but it was such a "will they, won't they" type of situation. Especially since Cooper was supposed to be JoJo's wingman to help her get together with Finn, who barely acknowledged her presence.
Cleithrophobia is mentioned in this novel. I had never heard this word before but it is definitely a phobia of mine. It's also the reason I gave up on a show I was watching for a long time. Look it up. I'll wait...
One part of the story felt a bit far-fetched for me (it has to do with the trigger warning), but it wasn't a huge issue in the grand scheme of things and it didn't take away from my enjoyment one bit.
This delightful novel will be available tomorrow and it's perfect for kicking off your summer reading. Katherine loves love, and it truly shows in her writing!
JoJo: Lisa Gilroy
Cooper: Tyler Courtad
Finn: Hunter Parrish
Ashley: Julianne Hough
Harmony: Taylor Ortega
(Trigger warning below.)
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TW: Someone gets trapped someplace while trying to escape a dangerous situation.
I’ve never been on a cruise before.
ReplyDeleteI've never been on a cruise before
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