When Anna is widowed at the young age of 25, losing her precious Ben to suicide, she decides to take on his adventure to sail to the Caribbean as part of her grieving process. Unsure of her skills, she sets out to sea, meeting locals along the way, and hiring a charming Irish lad Keane with a prosthetic leg and sailing expertise to help get her to the Turks and Caicos. How does she open up her heart again to possibly another love?

Not only did Doller take me on a sailing vacation to the Caribbean, she opened up a perspective of how one young woman deals with grief. The way she saw the world and her life through different lenses was an adventure in itself. And, the rediscovery of peace and love was on her own time, her own terms, and I appreciated that so much. This was a great escape and a quick read that I recommend to fans of Mhairi McFarlane and Beth O'Leary.

This was such a different read. While it dealt with heavy topics and emotions, I felt very uplifted while reading this one. Both characters are looking for something more and end up on a journey together. Romance with a touch of women’s fiction. I really got lost with this one.

Thank you so much @StMartinsPress & @NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 02 March 2021)

SYNOPSIS | Anna has been adrift since her fiancé committed suicide & she makes the sudden decision to take their sailboat on a voyage that they were supposed to go on together. Anna quickly realises that she can't do this trip alone & recruits the help of Keane (a professional sailor) to get her across the treacherous sea.

WHAT I LIKED:
- the portrayal of grief was handled with care
- not just a fluffy romance

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- SO MANY sailing references that just went over my head
- i found it difficult to visualise the boat, the environment & the island locations
- the relationship with Keane felt like it developed very suddenly & I wanted more time for her to work through her grief

I thought this was a really good book. It starts out with sadness & grief but ends with hope & optimism. I enjoyed getting to know Anna, the main character. She is a great female lead, strong, determined, intelligent, & adventurous. She takes the suicide of her fiancé & turns it into something beautiful by taking their planned sailing trip on her own. She's smart enough to realize at her first island stop that she needs help with some of the harder routes, so she puts up a want ad & gets Keane. Their adventures are entertaining & fun. This book made me want to take a sailing adventure of my own (with a captain of course). I highly recommend reading this book to see how Anna realizes that she is strong enough to make it on her own.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

I don’t know much about sailing, let alone about living on a boat for weeks at a time, but I enjoyed reading about Anna’s journey through the Caribbean with Keane. Anna’s grief over her dead fiance is believable and heartfelt but never overwhelming (this is a lighter romance, after all). Her relationship with Keane develops quickly, but, for the most part, it, too, has enough depth to be convincing. Because it takes more time for the chemistry between Anna and Keane to feel right, the second half of the book is much stronger than the first—and the last third, where Anna is doing some solo island-hopping, is phenomenal.

I have one major gripe, even if it makes me sounds like a prudish old lady. I hate, literally hate, the tired, TIRED plot device that calls for a female main character to get drunk, put herself in a compromising situation, and then be rescued. I’m not giving much away here, since this happens in the beginning of the story, but Anna gets drunk and is about to have a one-night stand with a dude who turns out to be scummy. She’s with it enough to leave the guy’s hotel room (hooray!), but she’s not with it enough to remember her bathing suit bottoms (wuh-wah). So on her way home she passes out…with her ass exposed to the world…in a foreign country…completely alone. In the book, this is the sweet way a woman meets her soulmate. In real life, this is the not-so-sweet way a woman gets raped. Why oh why do we insist on stripping women of their power and declaring that this is how they find love? It’s bullshit. And archaic. Jesus fucking Christ, can’t we do better?

Does not inspire confidence. Minus one star.

While I’ve never given any thought to sailing around the Caribbean, by the time I finished Float Plan I was completely convinced this is something I need to do. Trish Doller does a fantastic job of setting the scene for readers: her descriptions of sailing (both the hard days and the rewarding ones), of the islands Anna and Keane visit, and of the people they meet along the way are all top-notch.

While there is a romantic plot, the real core of Float Plan is about Anna learning to trust herself and look toward the future about a year after her fiancé, Ben, died by suicide. (All readers should heed the content warning at the start of the book, as Doller does not talk around Ben’s depression or death.) Anna’s story shows how working through grief is not linear; she’ll have a few good days, then suddenly get swept under by sadness or anger with Ben. Keane, the experienced sailor Anna brings on board to help her navigate the trip she and Ben had planned, also helps her navigate this emotional journey. My only complaint about Keane is his near-complete lack of flaws: he always knows exactly what to say or offer Anna to ease her pain. While there’s a minor plot involving Keane’s attempts to rejoin the world of professional sailing after one of his legs has been amputated, this story gets resolved fairly easily and with comparatively little angst.

Float Plan is not a light or fluffy book, but the Caribbean setting helps to balance out the heaviness of Anna’s story. She and Keane also share a wry, frank sense of humor that keeps their conversations entertaining, even when discussing some of life’s most difficult topics. I look forward to reading more by Trish Doller in the future.

I've never blinked away tears within 5 minutes of reading a book before, but... there's a first time for everything. This starts out HEAVY and gets lighter along the way, as our heroine grapples with her grief and learns to love life again. Opening with a suicide note that delivers quite the punch, this book is an interesting combination of romance and women's fiction. The romance is central to the story and found on nearly every page, but the heroine-centric storyline, emphasis on travel descriptions, and focus on personal growth give this the feel of women's fiction. I loved the journey, the range of emotion, and the truly lovable hero. It's the kind of book where I'm willing to overlook some smaller issues, because there is just so much RIGHT, real, and honest about it.

The story follows Anna, a woman struggling to move forward after her boyfriend's suicide. It's been almost a year since his death, but she can't pull herself out of the fog of grief and depression. When her phone alerts her to the fact that it's the day they planned to leave for a sailing trip around the world, Anna just drops everything and GOES. She doesn't know what to expect on the journey and knows she is woefully unprepared, but it's got to be better than the life she's living. Once it becomes obvious that she can't take the trip by herself, Anna hires Keane, a professional sailor dealing with his own loss. They start as strangers and slowly develop a friendship, but spending 24/7 with a person will accelerate any relationship - perhaps beyond what Anna is ready for.

I love forced proximity and books that keep the characters together for much of the story, and this has that in a big way. While it's Anna's story, Keane plays a huge role from start to finish, and I loved the evolution of their relationship. This one is for slow burn lovers who are willing to be patient; Anna is absolutely not in the right headspace to find love, even if an incredible man is standing in front of her. I really loved how Anna and Keane just GET each other in a way that they wouldn't if they hadn't experienced the losses that they have in their lives. And the representation of Keane - a strong, independent, resilient man who happens to have lost a leg - was outstanding. So, while this definitely has too much sailing terminology, a few too many discussions of travel, and a touch of OW drama that I could've done without, the rest of the story is so impactful that it all fades to the background. This won't be for everyone - it's just too triggering at times for that - but it's a unique, complex story that is well worth a read. I received an early copy via the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving a review of this heartbreaking yet uplifting romance.

This will definitely be one of my top books for 2021. Not only is it a beautiful story about healing after a sudden great loss, it's a wonderful slow-burn romance that develops between two lost souls as they travel rough and breathtaking, gorgeous seas together. The writing is so well done that I could picture the beautiful sights of the Caribbean, Nassau, Trinidad, Montserrat, Martinique, and so many more exotic locales. Absolutely loved it! Trust me on this, you won't want to put this down

There is a lot to love about Float Plan. I really enjoyed this story about Anna forging a new future after the death by suicide of her fiance as she takes the sailing trip they had planned together. She's working through a lot of grief and loss, and what I really loved is that, while the romance between her and Keane, the experienced Irish sailor she hires to help her, is really sweet and well done, Anna does have to find herself before they can really be together, and the author makes her work on that. It's bittersweet at moments, but this is a solid one.

Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of Float Plan

I really enjoyed Float Plan by Trish Doller. A book of learning about yourself, living with grief and finding a way to move on after a loss mixed in with a wonderful sailing adventure in the Caribbean!

Since her fiance's suicide, Anna has been barely getting by, but after a reminder of a trip that they were going to take together on his sailboat she decides she'll do it anyway. After a rough night she realizes she needs help in sailing. We meet Keane (a delightful Irish sailor) who is fighting his own loss.

I absolutely love the sailing descriptions and the different Caribbean islands they visit. I liked the theme that plans might need to change from what you thought they should be and maybe you'll find unexpected happiness.

While there is romance in the storyline, it is a slow burn and is more of a story about finding youself. Definately recommend!

Float Plan follows Anna as she decides spur of the moment to take the sailing trip she will never get to take with the man she was suppose to spend the rest of her life with. Along the way Anna teams up with a charming Irish sailor and together they navigate the seas of grief and new beginnings. This book takes you through all the emotions and feels as you read and connect with Anna and Keane. The writing is very natural and incredibly relatable especially when dealing with some rather tough topics.


Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

TW: suicide, grief, loss of a loved one.


"I'm starting to understand how sadness and happiness can live side by side within a heart. And how that heart can keep on beating"


Wow. When I saw that this book starts out with a trigger warning and a suicide note, I knew I was in for a hurting. After losing her fiancé to suicide, Anna decides to drop everything to take the boat that he left her and sail the trip that they planned to take together. During the first part of the trip, she realizes that she's in need of a little assistance so she hires Keane, an experienced and charming Irish sailer.


Float Plan is a romance novel, but it's also a beautiful story about dealing with grief, self growth, and healing. Anna had to learn how to live again and Keane shows her how. *sigh* Now I feel the urge to go on a self discovery boat trip along the Caribbean!


Float Plan releases in the US on March 2nd 2021. Big thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I was really excited to read this book based on others excitement for it, especially because I love "grief" books. I wouldn't say it was a miss for me but it wasn't everything I wanted and hoped it would be. Solid three star read. Nothing spectacular for me.

The story opens with Anna, the main protagonist running away from her life determined to sail to the Caribbean on the sail boat her fiance left her. Ben, her fiance died by suicide 10 months ago. (Although the event is in the past, she does mention the methods used and that she found him. There are also mentions of a suicide note )

It took me a few chapters to get in to the story. I almost DNFed but kept reading. The story was interesting, Anna runs away and starts sailing. She is medium confident with her skills and meets a helper along the way, Keane. Keane becomes her love interest.

For me, it felt like Doller was doing more telling than showing. Examples-

When I go to the bathroom, there is a small stain in my underwear, a reminder that I’ve been away from home for a month. And another thing I never thought about having to manage while living on a sailboat. On Boxing Day, Felix drives us around the island, jostling along roads that— in some places— are little more than dirt tracks.


Okay but HOW did she deal with her her period? It is mentioned but not resolved? WHO KNOWS because Doller doesn't tell me. Why bring it up then?

And then this-
We memorize each other’s bodies like maps, learning the places to avoid and the places to linger. We sleep. Make love. Talk. Fuck. Laugh. The time is a crash course in being together— although we’ve been learning since the beginning— and we go back to the Alberg with everything we’ve discovered.

Again, I want to know all or at least some of the things you've discovered about each other. This is important to me as a reader. Even if the romance is not center stage in the book. This book is probably better labeled commercial fiction with strong romantic elements.

I do want to mention that Keane uses a prosthetic leg. It is mentioned early on and honestly, I missed it. Then some things came up and I was very confused. I have no experience with prosthetics so I have no idea if the rep is good/bad/indifferent.

I absolutely loved this book. Float Plan by Trish Doller is a story of how we process grief in its many forms. From the death of a person, to the loss of a limb. Anna is trying to shake herself out of her grief by taking her boat, that she owner with her former fiancé, on a pretty serious voyage alone. She is going it alone because Ben had died but suicide about 10 months prior. She ends up starting this journey alone, but quickly realizes that she needs help. Enter Keane, who is also in his own grieving process. He is the ultimate nice guy. Can Anna find room for Keane in her heart? You need to read to find out!

DNF. I am sorry but this just did not work for me. The profanity was egregious. I don't even mind cursing in books but from the very start it was distracting and a bit odd (the dolphin being assholes and being angry at rape and the following comment). There are other, better ways to say the same things without the tackiness.

This was just the book I needed to read! It was such an easy and fun chick lit took with some heartbreak and some romance. I was cheering for Anna to not only work through her heartbreak, but to find her independence in sailing and to also find her new love.

4.5⭐ This was such a sweet book. I loved Keane and I loved Anna. I loved that two broken halves became whole together. I really enjoyed how the author brought us in to all of the adventures. You really feel like you're touring all these islands and meeting these amazing people. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

"Be brave, but careful. Be smart but also reckless once in a while. If you have sex with a stranger, use protection. And don't sink the boat."

Solid advice for life if I've ever heard any. If someone ever wrote the perfect book just for me, this might be it. Seriously, this book might be my soulmate. I'm stunned. I sat down on the couch to read one or two chapters and found myself sailing around the Caribbean with Anna and Keane until their journey's end.

There is deep, soul-gutting loss in this book. There is breathtaking beauty in the people and islands and the simple everyday joys. There is friendship and love and fear and happiness and fun. Anna and Keane grow so much in this book - Anna as she deals with the loss of her fiancé to suicide and Keane as he learns who he is after a partial loss of limb. The idea of potentially facing life on your own and reinventing yourself is one I truly feel and I loved how both Anna and Keane did just that.

On top of all that, the writing is just beautiful. Doller's description of sailing, the food, the places they visited and people they met truly made you feel you were there with them. While there are sad parts to their stories, this book made me so happy in so many ways. Reading it felt like true soul care.

I picked up this book based on the cover and had no idea what to expect as I had not read anything from this author before. I couldn't be happier I did and instantly purchased my own copy to re-read on days where I need that bit of sunshine in my life. I loved this book and would recommend to anyone.

I adored this read- and I know nothing about sailing-but I could not get enough of the travel aspect of this book as our main characters took us aboard various islands and the struggles at sea. And while it does mention the main character, Anna, losing her fiance to suicide, it is not a heavy book. It's a beautiful path as Anna tries to find out who she is and what she wants at the end of this trip...and if her first mate turned romantic lead Keane, will be a part of it after the boat docks.
If you need a heartwarming, sweet story about finding love after loss, pick this one up!
Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A heartfelt and moving story with a little something for everyone: surprising insights into healing a broken heart; realistic romance; adventure; and an inviting Caribbean setting.