My first thought when I started this book was “why the hell am I on a photoshoot in some backcountry town in England if the story is meant to be in Croatia?” Well, it turns out that’s to help set up a couple of character BEFORE jetting us over to Croatia. Which in the long run I was actually thankful for. Don’t think you’ve been duped; those scenes are needed and actually play a pivotal part of the story.

As we go in and Maddie is working on this luxury boat I can’t help but think she’s a little too relaxed and informal for 5 star service. I’ve worked in those kinds of settings (not on a boat coz I get sea sick real bad, and I mean before we even undock I’m sick bad), and if I even showed the slightest hint of the attitude she showed sometimes, I’d have been fired. My bosses wouldn’t have cared if I knew the guests or not. I would’ve lost my job.

I didn’t really like that familiarity with all the guests. I think I would have enjoyed that aspect more if it matched my experiences more closely. But then again, maybe things are different in Europe? Or maybe because it was a small kind of company the appearance of detachment and being unruffled isn’t needed as much?

The rest of the story was pretty dream like though. Imagine sitting on a private yacht in your own bay with crystal clear water, all the sea life and amazing sunny weather? Other than the whole being on the boat thing, this sounds almost perfect to me. If there was a way I could zap my sea sickness into nothing, it would be perfect.

Yes, I liked the romance. But the sights, the relationship building (not just the romance ones, but even their relationships with themselves) and the way I was transported to these breathtaking locations really stole the show for me. Unfortunately for my purse strings, this book has added yet more sights for me to see when I get to Europe! Maybe I can talk my Croatian friends into taking me so we can try and get locals discounts… If there are any.

Maddie Wilcox manages to score a summer job on a luxury yacht for the summer sailing the gorgeous turquoise seas of Croatia on the Adriatic. The opening was recommended to Maddie by her best friend, Nina, and Nina's brother will be among the guests. Nina's brother Nick Hadley, however, has been brought along on the cruise by Tara, an extremely spoiled (and slack-jawing beautiful) model who needed appropriate eye-candy on her arm. No secret they both turn heads.

Maddie's character is relatable. She has her degree but what she really wants to do is paint and become an artist. She quickly becomes acclimated to the yacht and her master, but the guests, although few in number are more than a handful, particularly Tara. The model borders on contemptible and she and Nick clash.
In the meantime, the reader is treated to a travelogue producing an ache for the road (on in this case the water), the food and the people paint a picture of its own. A scuffle with Simon results in an introduction to the extremely rich William Randall, director and producer and leads to a fun portion of the book.

I was happy thinking the romance part of the book was downplayed a little, but then of course circumstance would throw the two together to realize they weren't all that different. Still, the novel is a delightfully well-plotted and fast read that comes together with satisfying resolution in the conclusion. The author's writing style is light-hearted, dialogue realistic, and the characters were well-developed. My only negatives would be the over-used clichés of the triangle, and the oft-repeated mantra of Maddie's lack of self-confidence. We get it.

I was given this ebook download by the publisher and NetGalley and thrilled to have the opportunity to read and review. If you are looking for a delightfully refreshing summer read, grab this one. You won't be disappointed.

Maddie a struggling artist needs some cash, so when Nina (her best friend) asks if she wants to hep on a luxury yacht for the summer she jumps at the chance... sure she will be waiting on some posh guests - but the chance to island-hop around the Adriatic Sea it too good to say no to! It can't be that bad can it?

This novel a gorgeous love letter Croatia (I've never been but I certainly want to now!). Among the laugh-out-loud moments of this book, there are heartfelt poignant moments as the characters reevaluate their lives. Caplin's writing is absolutely magical making you feel all warm and fuzzy as she transports you through the beautiful islands of the Adriatic Sea. If you are looking for a feel-good summer read, this the book for you - Chick lit at its very best, heartfelt, charming & thought-provoking.

You certainly don't need to have read the other books in the Romantic Escape series to enjoy this one (but you would be doing yourself a disservice!). I for one can't wait for the next one!!

Thanks to Netgalley, Harper Impulse & Killer Reads for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

5☆ The Perfect Feel Good Summer Must Read!

The Secret Cove in Croatia is a gorgeous Enchanting Summer Read I couldn't put it down.

I didn't realise this was part of a series, it can be read perfectly fine as a standalone!

Maddie is in need of making some cash so when her best friend Nina asks if she wants to help out on a cruise liner, her brother is setting sail on, she jumps at the chance!
I mean how hard can it be looking after a few guests on a luxury Yacht?
Except these guests are rich, self obsessed and a pain!

Nick hasn't met Maddie so when he boards the yacht with his obnoxious, selfish premadonna Model Girlfriend they get off to a bad start!

But there is something not quiet adding up between Nick and Tara, she certainly gets him hot under the collar, but that's pretty much as far as it goes!

As Maddie and Nick grow closer the more time they spend together, is Nick suddenly realising that all he is to Tara is a lapdog, but the Sass and Banter between him and Maddie is the real deal?
He can be his charming, down to earth Farmer Boy self around her, and he becomes more and more endearing!

Wow oh wow Is there a whole mix of characters in this Fabulous book. Believe me some of them grated on me, but they are meant to, there rich, spoilt, self obsessed, opinionated and believed Maddie was there slave becoming more demanding.
But did they make for some fabulous reading!

I adore Nick and Maddie's flirty Sassy Banter.
Maddie continuously had me giggling with her witty one liners and snarky comebacks. I was like yay you go girl!!

The Secret Cove in Croatia is Full of Sass, Humour, Romance, Scrumptious Food, Quirky Characters and a stunning location, the perfect read for this Heat Wave 🌞

This is my first encounter with Julie Caplin and I can't wait to discover more from her books!

Would I recommend reading this Gorgeous Book..... Without a Doubt.... 100%...YES!!!

I mean look at that book cover it's gorgeous!
So grab an ice cold drink, and prepare to set sail, laugh a lot, and fall in love with The Secret Cove in Croatia!


Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Loved it!!! Croatia sounded beautiful, I need to visit. I would have loved to be Maddie. She got a free vacation, although she had to cook and clean up after some crazy people. My only problem was that Maddie never worked on a yacht before (or any type of boat) and was immediately able to do everything. How was she able to do everything on her own? I have watched Below Deck (on Bravo) and they have deckhands, a chef and numerous stewards/stewardesses to get the work done, but Maddie was able to do all withoout any help. Although, the two models never really ate anything. So that's two less people to cook for. Other than that, I did love the book. It was a cute story in a great destination with some romance. Maddie was definitely my favorite. I loved the story, characters and writing style. It was a perfect summer read. The ending was perfect.

Definitely recommend the book. So far I am loving the Romantic Escape Series. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Impulse and Killer Reads through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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A great read especially if you are on holiday and are sunbathing by the beach watching all those luxury yachts going by. Life on board can never be described as dull on this yacht, action packed with true to life characters you like or dislike. Secrets are revealed slowly but can the reader stay one step ahead, happy ending? read and find out!

What a wonderful read when you are on holiday and lounging on the beach. Have you ever watched those large yachts in harbour and wondered what goes on? If half of this story is true to life, and I am sure it is, then what an eye opener for some. Sound idyllic to spend time at sea but it has it's draw backs, love being one of them. Croatia sounds wonderful and I am sure this will do wonders for tourism there. No one will be surprised at the outcome but they deserve it.

Fancy a cruise around the Adriatic sea on a luxury yacht?  Then join Maddie and her guests as they embark on this beautiful adventure.

Maddie is an aspiring artist who is offered a last minute job tending six wealthy passengers for a cruise around the Adriatic.  The passengers include her friend's brother Nick who she develops a love/hate relationship with immediately.    

I'm a total sucker for location romances and this one was just sheer delight to read.  It's rare Croatia features in this genre so I was excited to read about the destinations which are beautifully described.  The glistening ocean, the luxury of the yacht, the picturesque towns and the delicious food - everything is just described to perfection.  I actually took the journey with Maddie.

On board the Yacht are a small bunch of wealthy and diverse characters.  The main love interest and the brother of Maddie's best friend is Nick - a Cumbrian farmer on board with his seemingly unpleasant model girlfriend and some other interesting characters from a world Maddie is not accustomed to.

I loved the character of Maddie - not afraid to speak her mind which often ends in an inappropriate comment or two and extremely down to Earth.

Overall - this book is a perfect and delightful summer read - highly recommended.

Absolutely loved this book - I’ve loved all the ones in this series and this was no exception. I like the descriptions of the locations - this made me want to visit Croatia, and I like the tie ins from the previous books.

Absolutely perfect for a summer holiday read! This book follows Maddie, who has taken on a job as a skipper on a yacht as a favour for a friend. She is a struggling artist and has little to no confidence in her own abilities. Aboard her ship comes a host of characters including bratty models and one rather attractive and seemingly normal farmer.
The scenery and locations described along the way have made me desperate to visit the Dalmatian Islands. This book, although an easy ready, was extremely enjoyable. It was funny, fun and kept you interested until the end. I’m now going to check out the author’s other books in this series to get me through the rest of my 6 week holidays!

Maddie comes from a busy house on a council estate, the first in her family to go to university were her passion for art and becoming a prope sod in a gallery artist grew.



However, needing a job her friend Nina tells her for a job going helping out cooking, cleaning Nd generally assisting on a boat her brother Nick is cruising on. So she accepts.



Nick and his model girlfriend Tara head off on holiday acting entitled and generally being very up themselves towards Maddie so do the ther guests too, Douglas, Simon, Siri and Cory.



This story was astruggle. I hate to be down on a book but my gosh, the first half I hated I can't blunt it down the action was slow didn't grip me in and the characters made me angry and want to give them all a good talking to about how to behave towards other human beings!



That being said after dnf-ing the book I did go back to try and finish it for this review and oh boy, after halfway the drama finally picks up and it's like a blooming different book. If it had started from the halfway point it would be fabulous the characters were engaging, falling into bad and lovely situations and the cove scene was extremely brief but all the same crucial to the story.



Please don't let my review put you off this book, I have loved Julie Caplin's other books, you only have to look on my blog to see that.



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

What a wonderful book. I've never been to Croatia but this book brought it to life on the page.

Maddie is a budding, jobless artist who lands a job as crew on a yacht. Her friend Nina got her the job as her brother Nick is one of the guests. Nick is dating a model who is a trying character and not at all right for him. Will Nick realise that Maddie is the girl for him and can Maddie overcome her feelings of inadequacy and self doubt so that love can blossom.

After finishing this book I realised it is book 5 in the series. This did not detract from the story at all and I suspect that the series can be read as stand alones. It is a great book to get lost in on a next summer day. I'm very much looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
A very good read and one I can highly recommend to others.
I could not put this down.
Thoroughly enjoyable with an amazing cast of characters that you cannot help but engage with.

I love this series so much and this title, despite having stiff competition, I think is one of my favourites. I finished it way too quickly as I couldn't tear myself away. As always the location is stunning and made me want to instantly jump on a plane and go and explore. It was great to follow Maddie's story and catch up with her since her time in Paris, but also learn more about Nina's brother Nick. Another aspect I love about this series is the food. I learn so much from them and spurs me on to be a little more adventurous with my culinary tastes. I really hope there is a another title to come as I can't get enough of them.

Lovely feel good story. It was well written and flowed well. Easy to read and hard to put down. Perfect on these summer nights

How lovely does this book look?? Ignore the blurb for the moment and focus purely on the front cover with its blue skies, inviting sea and that bottle of wine! I think that front cover tells you everything about what this book is going to be about!! Carrying on to the blurb, it immediately draws you in with its promises of fun and romance!!

I’ve never been to Croatia, but I never imagined for a second it would be how this book describes it. This is also my first book by this author so it’s a bit of a double whammy on things I’ve never experienced before! It is the 5th book in the Romantic Escapes series, but as I haven’t read the previous books in the series I can honestly say that it can be read as a standalone book with no problems at all!

I loved Maddie’s character and thought she was genuine and down to earth, unlike some of the guests on board the exclusive yacht that she finds herself working on. Her best friend’s brother, Nick is also on the same yacht but as a guest, and Maddie very quickly finds out that he is nothing like his sister, being stuck up and snobby. I love though how their relationship develops and its great fun waiting around to see if they eventually realise they are good together!

The story gives a fun insight to what it’s like holidaying (and working in Maddie’s case) on a luxury yacht and made me green with envy on several occasions throughout the book! The writing was great with plenty of humour and boatloads of romance!! The location was perfect and it really opened my eyes to how some places are nothing like you imagine them!! With the warmth of the sun shining out through the book, this would make the perfect summer read. Would definitely recommend!

Another great read from Julie Caplin, a lovely light, entertaining summer read. I loved the fact we get more of the male lead Nicks perspective in this than we do a lot of other reads, or was refreshing and made it more interesting, as always a read full of fun, sass and chemistry. I always feel like I could escape and be with the characters, which is exact what you want in a book, a great escape.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

The Secret Cove in Croatia by Julie Caplin

#TheSecretCoveInCroatia is something a little different from @JulieCaplin and her Romantic Escapes series. What struck me was the increased focus on the male character, which of course is normally touched upon but I found The focus on Nick refreshing.
I loved Maddie’s Sass and she came into her own on this journey, which was great to see from the get go.
I highly recommend this book to all who are looking for a romantic escape.
As usual my thanks to #Netgalley and #HarperImpluse for allowing me to review #TheSecretCoveInCroatia

A wonderfully engrossing, uplifting and poignant romantic read, sail away to Croatia with Julie Caplin’s latest irresistible page-turner, The Secret Cove in Croatia.

Maddie Wilcox is passionate about her art and would love nothing more to make her passion her career. Unfortunately, that soon proves to be easier said than done. Desperate to make her mark and with money running out and nobody to turn to except for a family that drives her insane, when Maddie’s last attempt at showing her art at at a gallery results in yet another rejection, she finds herself frustrated, disheartened and wondering what on earth she is going to do next. Luckily, for Maddie her best friend Nina calls her from Paris with a fantastic proposition which she simply cannot say no to: the chance to work on a luxury yacht for a couple of weeks during the summer cruising the Croatian coastline! Maddie – who has absolutely no idea where her next pay cheque is coming from – jumps at this opportunity. She might be cooking and cleaning, but she will be broadening her horizons, seeing more of the world…and maybe even falling in love with the last man she expected…

The Adriatic sea takes her breath away from the very first moment she sets foot in Croatia. Maddie is blown away by the food, the culture and the astounding beauty of the country. However, she also cannot help but be infuriated by the posh guests she has to wait hand and foot on – especially Nina’s brother, Nick! Nick is as far removed from Maddie as it is possible to get. Self-entitled, aggravating and with the ability to make Nina see red, sparks begin to fly between him and Nina from the very first moment they meet. If Nick persists in his act of being a Grade A jerk, he might just end up ruining her entire experience – until they discover a secret, picture perfect cove…

Ever since they met, Nina and Nick have spent all of their time glaring at one another. However, this beautiful cove makes them realise that they might not be as different as they initially thought and that they’ve actually got far more in common than they might have previously imagined. As they begin to see one another in an entirely different light, Nina and Nick start finding themselves drawn to each other and when attraction gives way to something far deeper than they’ve ever experienced before, will they give in to their feelings for one another? Or will they persist in letting fear and stubbornness tear them apart?

Once you start reading The Secret Cove in Croatia, putting it down will prove absolutely impossible. Funny, heartwarming and sparkling with warmth, wit and charm, The Secret Cove in Croatia is a terrific read that makes for the perfect summer read. Full of characters you will love, delicious food, beautiful scenery and feel-good romance, switch the phone off, cancel all your social engagements and indulge in a spellbinding tale you will not easily forget!

🌞Sun, 🌊sea and luxury🚤 yachting set the scene for a sweet romance😍
4.5 🌟stars
😎What a fun escape to exquisite food, stunning views and the sun kissed seas of the eastern Mediterranean! No heroine could be more down to earth than Maddie, who rises above the pettiness and snobbery of some obnoxious guests on the luxury yacht she agrees to crew in a last minute staffing crisis. I was drawn in to her story and the way the cruise transformed her professional aspirations as an artist and her love life. This is a great summer read; its descriptions of the local Croatian scene made me feel I was right there with Maddie and the gang. 😊

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book provided through NetGalley; this is my voluntary and honest review.