The shipped trip by NC Barton (Netgalley ARC Review) - Brother's best friend who is down bad for the FMC ? Say less🛳️💜🌇
Rating: 3.5/5⭐
🤍 Thank you
First and foremost i would like to thank Author N.C Barton and story club books LLC for providing me with the ARC of the book in return for an honest review, I'm truly grateful.
✨ A Soft Glimpse
A cozy vacation romance filled with hidden feelings, soft yearning, and two people slowly finding themselves—and each other—under the warmth of the ocean breeze.
🌸 My thoughts…
Reading this book made me realize just how badly I need a vacation.
This is exactly the kind of story you pack in your bag while traveling somewhere beautiful—or read when life feels overwhelming and you simply want something comforting and lighthearted to escape into.
The moment I saw the brother’s best friend trope? I was already sold. And then you add:
- mutual pining
- forced proximity
- a couple’s cruise
- two oblivious idiots secretly in love with each other
Yeah… this book had my full attention immediately.
💞 What Made Me Swoon
Holden and Chloe were honestly such a comforting pair to read about.
Chloe, after stepping away from ballet because of an accident, feels lost and unsure about what direction her life should take next. Watching her struggle with losing something that once defined such a huge part of her life felt incredibly emotional and relatable at times. You could genuinely feel her frustration, confusion, and fear of not knowing where she truly belongs anymore.
What I really admired about Chloe was that despite feeling stuck, she never completely gave up on herself. Beneath all that uncertainty, she still had this quiet determination to rediscover who she was outside of ballet. And in more ways than one, I found myself relating to her—the feeling of being lost, wanting purpose again, and needing someone to remind you that your worth isn’t tied to just one thing.
And then there’s Holden.
This man was so painfully down bad for her that it was impossible not to swoon.
And the Dirty Dancing references??
Please. I melted every single time.
He couldn’t say no to her, couldn’t stop caring for her, and honestly his actions screamed “I love you” long before either of them fully acknowledged it.
But Chloe? My girl was absolutely oblivious.
And honestly… Holden wasn’t much better.
The mutual obliviousness between them was both frustrating and adorable in the best way possible.
What made them work so well together was the comfort they naturally had with one another. Even in the awkward moments, there was always this sense of safety and familiarity between them that made their connection feel effortless.
🌙 A Small Wish
That said, I do wish we had gotten more moments between Holden and Kyle. Since their friendship plays such an important role in the story, I would have loved more flashbacks or scenes showing their bond beyond just brief mentions.
I also felt like the pacing was a little rushed at times, and some parts of the plot could have been explored in more detail. A few dialogues and emotional moments felt slightly incomplete, which made certain scenes less impactful than they could have been.
🌷 Final Page
Overall, this was such a cozy, feel-good vacation romance filled with tension, humor, chemistry, comfort, and just the right amount of spice.
The perfect kind of book to curl up with when you want something soft, romantic, and easy to fall into.
The mutual obliviousness between them was both frustrating and adorable in the best way possible.
💔 What Stayed With Me
What I loved most was how this vacation became more than just a getaway—it became a turning point for both of them.
A space where Chloe slowly began finding herself again, while Holden finally allowed himself to want something beyond work and responsibility.
🎀 Tropes
🩷Forced Proximity🩷One bed
🩷Brother's best friend
🩷Couple's Cruise
🩷Fake dating
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