The Shippers

(4.5/5)
Romance ReviewContemporary RomanceKatherine Center
REVIEWED BY Kayne Spooner
Publisher: St. Martin's
Published: 05/19/2026
ISBN: 978-1250408068

This is a lighthearted story that takes place on a cruise ship! It was easy to predict where the story was going – the fun was enjoying the journey to get there. There’s lots of slapstick humor that had me laughing but a few silly moments too. The story opens with JoJo fainting at the altar to avoid marrying her fiancé with the help of Cooper, her childhood best friend. Cooper left for London four years earlier without a word (which hurt JoJo) but he returns for her wedding and helps her escape, then goes back to London.

JoJo has a habit of choosing the wrong men and then dumping them. She and her sister think that she is cursed because of relationships from her youth. Six weeks after JoJo’s aborted wedding her sister is getting married on a cruise and they decide the best way for her to break her curse is to meet up with Finn, who was her childhood crush and will be on the wedding cruise. When they board the ship, JoJo is surprised to see Cooper there. He is the best and is always there for her when she needs him. When JoJo asks him to help her win over Finn, Cooper is not happy about it but goes along with it, hoping she’ll realize Finn isn’t the guy for her. Funny things happen, starting with a competitive putt-putt golf game and more shenanigans follow. They bicker, laugh and sing! There were times when JoJo seemed immature, more so in the beginning of the story. Once they were all on the cruise, the pace moved quickly, and I was engrossed in the story. It was an A- for me!