This was an enjoyable teen romance with a deeper side. It addresses some serious topics and has a strong ending. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Special thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Lauren Kay for this ARC.

The story line was smooth and I thought it packed a very meaningful message into a YA book. The climax was slower and more anticipated than I would have preferred but other than that, I thought it was a nice read.

This was a cute read! It was a nice combo of beach read and romance. It was more deep than I expected from the cute cartoon cover but overall I really liked it!

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Lots of fun, well-developed characters and relationships in We Ship It! Also, I love the idea of the cruise setting and I really did feel like I was transported to a cruise ship as I read. There were some places where the storyline felt a little rushed and the dialogue or character choices felt unnatural but overall, lots of strong writing and a meaningful theme.

I was hoping for so much from this book and even cheered aloud when I got the notification I'd been approved for the ARC and then read it while I was on a cruise myself, but it thoroughly disappointed me. One of my least favorite tropes is when a smart, bookish, introverted girl attracts a guy and then the author decides to show her changing and drinking and partying now, like being introverted is a bad thing. And this book did that. C'mon, really? I also had issues with the writing itself, and most things felt too simple. Plus, who complains about going on a cruise?!

It only took me 20 pages to know that I was going to love this book. I wanted a cute, realistic, summer read and that's exactly what I got! We Ship It is wonderfully written with humor and charm, making it one of the loveliest young adult contemporaries. If you're a fan of cute contemporary fiction, perfect for summertime, this is a book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for sending me an ARC of We Ship It in exchange for an honest review.

"The thesis for my project: What causes a perfectly healthy teenager to die from a heart attack at seventeen?"

We Ship It is about a young girl named Olivia, who is very ambitious and driven, always looking towards the future, making plans and figuring out how to achieve goals, while simultaneously forgetting to enjoy the moment she is in. Olivia's plans for spring break (preparing for the extremely important science research fair, which will be her gateway into Brown University) are completely thrown into upheaval when her parents tell her they have booked a cruise for the family for spring break. What Olivia doesn't expect is to meet some amazing people and relearn how to enjoy life and reconnect with the family she has been running from.

I went into this book expecting a light YA rom-com and it was so much more than that in the best way possible. It was heartbreaking and beautiful while still giving cruise ship-vacation vibes. Olivia's relationships with Sebastian, Jules, and Troy were all so incredible. I also loved her resolution with Charlie by the end. I also loved how much I personally connected with Olivia and her relationship with her older brother, Logan. I also have an older brother and the relationship between Olivia and Logan reminds me of the relationship between my brother and I.

There was so much amazing character development in this book and by the end, I was really rooting for the whole group to remain friends. Overall, I would give this book 5/5 stars and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a rom-com.

Super cute rom-com! I really found the setting and the story super cute. Loved the characters and I'm looking forward to reading more work by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC.

This YA book about a teenager processing life, love, friendship and death on a cruise, has a twist I didn’t see coming. Parts of the book were so unrealistic it was hard to look past them, but other parts were really sweet and endearing.

For a YA book it does a good job of discussing the nuances of young love and grief. However, some characters were just unbelievable as real people. And there’s also a major plot point that’s just left hanging without being addressed at all.

4.5 stars.

*SPOILER WARNING* (I'm not including spoilers for no reason, more of just an actual warning for anyone who wants an actual romance book).

I went into this book expecting a cute, light at-sea romance (like One True Loves did) and ended the book crying. I haven't cried at a book in months, and this one made me cry.

Just to be clear, this isn't a review trashing the book for being misleading. I'd rate it lower if that was the case. It was SO GOOD. Olivia, a grumpy type-A high school junior, never wanted to go on a cruise over spring break-- she wanted to participate in a research fair that could secure her future of becoming a doctor. She only agrees to go because one of the stops is a country she'd promised to visit with her brother before he died six years earlier, and plans to spend the majority of the time researching, but when her childhood friend, Jules, shows up on the cruise as a party girl determined to have the best vacation ever, she is forced to live in the moment for once.
Aside from Jules (who's an otherwise great character) repeatedly pressuring Olivia to drink, what's wrong with this storyline? Nothing. Except that it's not the romance book the title and cover promised. (The tagline "The love you root for isn't always the one you need" is more of an accurate representation). However, it's not entirely disappointing that it isn't a romance, either.
I accidentally skipped to the end at one point and I was pissed when I found out Olivia doesn't end up with Sebastian. I almost DNFed the book because I was sure it was going to be one of those books where the characters break up over a misunderstanding or a minor issue that can easily be worked out and then spend the rest of the pages missing the other but not doing anything about it because it "wasn't meant to be" (God, I hate those types of books). But I reluctantly kept reading, and I found that it wasn't that at all. Sebastian (who isn't a total asshole, just needs to work on himself before he gets involved with someone else) hadn't been honest with Olivia about his life back home or his intentions with her, and her reason for walking away was completely valid. And the book didn't end with Olivia being depressed over it, either-- it ended with her knowing what to look for next time.

The musical references were my favorite part of this book, especially because of how Olivia learned to love performing again when she hadn't since her brother died. I loved the book, and Olivia, even more with every Rent reference.

I just wish the cover and title didn't make it look like a romance book.

I thought the book was good and well written. This story has love, romance, family drama and loss. I enjoyed this book very much.
I just reviewed We Ship It by Lauren Kay. #WeShipIt #NetGalley
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I've been on many cruises so the cover and the fact that the story involved a cruise piqued my interest. Some parts were believable (shore excursions, performers throughout the ship, themed restaurants), and some parts seemed not as believable (teenagers running around with a flask convincing bar tenders to fill it), and some parts I just want to hope aren't as common as in the book (cruise ship romances and a bit too much alluding to high schoolers sleeping together as a way of life or practice for college). I really liked the main character. I liked her academic drive, and I mostly like how you see her grow as she tries to deal, mostly alone, with the death of her brother and the new information she learns about it. I'm glad NetGalley gave me the chance to read an ARC. Check it out when it publishes June 20, 2023

I chose to read this book because I loved the cover and I love cruising. It definitely did not disappoint. It is the summer before Olivia’s Senior year of high school. She has plans, lots of them, including becoming a practicing doctor by age 30. She is dedicated and focused, but doesn’t often plan on being spontaneous or having fun. But while on the cruise she meets Sebastian, drops some of her plans, and grows to like the unplanned fun. She also uncovers some secrets from her past that end up bringing her family closer and making her rethink her plans for the future. This book was fun, especially this quirky New York cruise ship which sounds wonderful and gaudy at the same time. I enjoyed it as an adult and I feel like teens would enjoy it, as well. The characters are relatable and well thought out.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

Full disclosure: I had to DNF this one at 25% in. The main character is unbearable. She acts like everything and everyone is beneath her. Take, for example, exhibit A: "But I guess these were just the type of people I'd be surrounded by that week. Happy-go-lucky vacationers who were easily impressed. So not New York." Yikes. What a jerk.

Need more? Here's exhibit B:
I wondered if they had spent years
studying musical theater, only to end
up on a cruise ship rapping about life
preservers. Yet another reason I was
glad I had a safe plan. Med school
graduates ended up as doctors, not as
actors attempting to rhyme "water
safety" with "don't be late-y." Double yikes. This girl is extremely unlikeable.

This may be nitpicky, but no way teenage boys introduce themselves along with their pronouns. Not even in 2023. I appreciate what the author is trying to do here, but it misses the mark.

Special thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Lauren Kay for this ARC!

The plot was well developed and cute, perfect for a YA book! There were a few places I felt it was just too rushed but overall it was a fun read and I loved the personalities of each character.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC.

Not for me! To be transparent, I did DNF at 45%. I didn't like Olivia or any of the characters and I definitely couldn't connect with them. I was hoping for a cute romance on a cruise ship and some good ol' figuring out who you are....no. This was just lacking in every possible way.

I wish I. could say this book was better than the premise made it seem but unfortunately, I had too high expectations for this one. I thought this was going to be a sweet summer vacation romance and it was not. I didn't love or connect with any of the characters and by the end, I really didn't care too much for the protagonist. If anything the only redeemable characters are the other, lesser members of "the crew." I was even expecting more cruise ship hijinks and that was sincerely lacking. Overall, the idea was there but I didn't love the execution.

We Ship It is a bittersweet, heartfelt blend of a coming-of-age story and a classic YA romance that you won't want to miss! Olivia Schwartz has always had a plan for everything. She knows exactly where she wants to attend college, exactly which career path she's going to pursue, and exactly how she wants to accomplish it all. Could a family vacation on a cruise ship be the perfect opportunity for Olivia to break out of her comfort zone and make some much-needed changes?

I really enjoyed this book! It covers so many important themes, from navigating the complexities of friendship and family dynamics to taking a chance on romance to coping with loss and so much more. The romance was adorable, but I especially enjoyed reading about Olivia and her personal growth over the course of the story. I also thought the cruise ship setting was so much fun, and Lauren Kay's engaging writing style easily drew me in, making me feel like I was right there with the characters.. Overall, this was a wonderful story that will make the perfect summer read! Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC.

A sweet coming of age story that explores family, friendship, and losing a loved one. I loved Olivia's journey and the adventures that she went on. I thought having it take place on a cruise ship really added to her story and how sometimes you really have to shake up your life in order to change something. Overall a great YA book!

4/5 stars! An enjoyable, sweet, and surprisingly deep YA romance. The book starts off a bit too YA for my preferences, but it quickly picks up pace once the cruise begins. Olivia is carrying secrets and their burdens and Sebastian was a breath of fresh air. I really enjoyed Sebastian and Olivia's chemistry and love story, but I was more pulled in my Olivia's journey of healing. Overall and enjoyable read and plan on picking up more books by this author.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily