A beautiful and poignant story about grief, love and second chances.
I loved Keane; he is probably one of the nicest and most interesting characters I have found in contemporary romance books. I liked Anna, but sometime I could not understand her. I liked the growth they both had, though.
The story combines in a very good way a touch a romance and more important issues such as suicide, grieving and depression. The writing style is rich, powerful, and evocative of all the places the sail to. However, the first chapters were very slow for me and throughout the book; and it was hard for me to understand the sailing terms and boat parts.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable story that will make you feel and think.

A heartwarming novel about finding oneself after loss. Anna loses the life of her life to suicide and goes on a floating adventure on his boat. She Mets, Keane, an Irishman and hires him to help her sail. Their relationship grows into a beautiful story of hope and love. A fun read!

I want to start by saying that despite suicide and grief being a strong aspect of the plot here this actually wasn’t super heavy. Just wanted to get that out of the way because when I started this I was in the mood for something on the lighter side and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t all that sad. Maybe a little at times but overall it was a lighter read for me.

Ok, so I freaking loved this one y’all. It was such a beautiful, emotional, tender and sweet story! It leans more to the side of women’s fiction than a straight up romance but it definitely had romantic elements. It really was more about Anna’s path to healing, the ability to heal herself and give herself permission to move on. I just adored her and loved every single minute of her journey and Keane was a wonderful character in his own right. Their relationship was so gentle and pure, I loved that things developed between them so slowly, it felt very authentic and raw. Add in several vibrant and beautiful settings throughout the book and this had everything I wanted and more. Highly recommended by!

I had seen positive ratings for this, but once I read the description, this did not make my initial To Read List. Even the opening line warning readers of possible triggers made me think twice before I embarked. My own 2nd thoughts, and 2nd guessings - all small bits of tension may not be unsimilar to what our heroine may have had to go through at the start of her voyage - and like her, I plunged into the open waters anyway.

While the start was definitely rough seas - she was young, angry, selfish, difficult to like - the journey got better. There was character growth, an enviable love interest and a happy enough conclusion. It's romance on the high seas and a pilgrimage to reclaim oneself. It was a good read and well worth my time.

While this book was undoubtedly good, there were times I was regretful?

First, it opens with a still deep in grief Anna, reeling from her fiance's suicide and discovering him. I wouldn't normally start out with something like this, but it deserves more than a passing note. Anna's sadness-depression really-is surface for much of the novel. I read 3 pages and walked away from it for the afternoon. So, I want you to know that in case that may hurt you to read about. There is also discussion of Ben throughout, and I didn't know if I liked how he was used as a device in that way. So I need to say that too. I think in a sense some of that is very honest and true-to-life because suicide is complex, but there are times that doesn't play well to move intimacy or personal growth along-in my opinion. It was a risk, and generally it was executed well, however-for me-it grated at times.

And while this book is really lovely overall, I had that creeping <i>but</i> in my mind.

Keane is a near-perfect hero from him literally saving her as the meet cute to him literally saving her later to ... well you get it. It'd be impossible not to love him. Nothing was wrong with him. He was quite literally teaching her she could save herself, always there, always saving her. So this isn't that book where the heroine saves herself, but where the heroine has it pointed out to her that she is capable of doing so. Rarely does she steer her course, which is apt for this book, right until the very end. And that conflict was super unsatisfying to me.

So the main conflict here is grief and anger toward her dead fiance-and her learning her own path from there. I know-I know-I am really categorizing this as a romance. Because it very frankly is. But I felt that despite forced proximity and a heavily couple-focused novel being very okay with me, this failed in many romance fiction aspects. At least, for my contemporary eye. At times, because of Keane's lack of need for growth it just hit me that it might have been going up against my ever-growing expectations.

If you got through all that and want to read about a woman letting go of her plan,her grief, her anger and falling in love along the way, it really is a solid book. There's a lot to like. But I'm an absolute snot about so much contemporary romance that in that sense it fell short for me. 3.5 rounded down, for I've no need to reread.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Less than a year after her fiance Ben's death, Anna decides to embark on the journey they'd planned to take together--sailing through the Caribbean. But when the "easy" part of the trip challenges her skills as a sailor, she impulsively decides to hire a helper.

Keane, her skipper, turns out to be a world-class sailor who is struggling to come back after a serious injury. He not only teaches Anna to sail, but together they learn how to live. Anna finally lays Ben to rest, while Keane also comes to grip with the new direction his life will take.

To be honest, romance hasn't been my favorite genre during the pandemic, but THE FLOAT PLAN is definitely the exception to prove that generalization wrong. Anna and Keane are both such flawed but really good people, and their love story is so much more than meet cute (though their meet is definitely cute) and shallow conflict (their conflict is their own backstories). I haven't been sailing since I was a teenager, but now a Caribbean trip is on my bucket list. #FloatPlan #NetGalley

After losing her fiancé to suicide, Anna was drowning in her grief. As the day of their scheduled departure approached, she decided to make the trip on her own. What started out as a way for her to complete their planned journey ended up being a means for Anna to work through her grief, find her way back to herself, and see possibilities for her future.

Doller does it again! I swear, her books always make me cry, touch my heart, and leave me brimming with joy. She did such an incredible job capturing all the complicated emotions that accompany losing someone to suicide, as well as the guilt one may feel when they attempt to move on. It was truly beautiful seeing Anna's progression. As she sailed from island to island, I saw her slowly coming to terms with the choice her fiancé made, while also beginning to envision her life without him.

Obviously, there were tears, but Doller's super power is her ability to keep the story from being too sad. First of all this was an incredible trip! I have only been to a few of the islands, so I embraced my armchair vacation with both arms. I loved that she took me off the beaten path and incorporated the local flavor so well. I also met many wonderful people as we hopped from island to island.

One of my favorites was Keane. He was hired to help Anna complete some of the more difficult parts of the journey. He was a talented sailor, who always seemed to see the bright side of things. But he was also dealing with a great loss, and though his loss was different from Anna's, it allowed him to relate to her in a way she really needed. He was also swoony and had incredible chemistry with Anna, and I have placed him high on my list of stupendous romantic heroes.

I simply had the most incredible time sailing with Anna and Keane! Though the author and the promise of romance were initially the biggest draws for me, I found Anna's healing journey to be one of my favorite things about this story. It was emotional, touching, and just beautifully done.

This book has it all - lush tropical islands, a little romance, and a lot of heart. Anna's fiance dies by suicide, and she is left to pick up the pieces of her life. What starts as a mission to complete his sailing goal turns into a journey of self-discovery.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a bittersweet journey with many tender moments, and the setting is extraordinary.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC.

Critically acclaimed author Trish Doller's unforgettable and romantic adult debut about setting sail, starting over, and finding yourself...
Love, loss, and getting back to life and falling in love again! A rom-com and romance. The descriptive setting, sailing, and the islands a perfectly paced book. I really enjoyed it.

TW: loss of loved one via suicide
Representation: Work against ableism, Grief, Depression, Mental Health

I must be needing books that deal with grief at the moment because somehow they are all finding me and working their magic. The author states in her Goodreads, "Advice givers always say you should write the book you want to read. This is it. I hope you like it." I am so glad she wrote this book because it is also what I needed and wanted to read too.

I loved this book.

Grief is never-ending - you will have good days, bad days, okay days, and just days you get by. This book touches on many important stages of grief all while showing no matter how much time has passed grief can sneak up on you.

I loved how Anna 'navigated her grief and learned how to process it one step at a time.

Her meet-cute with Keene was just adorable. I just adored Keene!! I really enjoyed learning how he was coping with his disability and how ableism affects him daily - and ideas of how anyone can help fight against ableism.

I loved how the author touched on some of the grief stages: denial., anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

There is such a powerful story here that I highly recommend you read it.

Have you ever wanted to skip town? Pack a bag, choose a location, and just leave your life behind? Float Plan finds Anna in this mindset, setting sail to escape the hand she's been dealt.

With an unusual cast of characters and picturesque settings, Trish Doller perfectly paints what it means to find yourself in your toughest times. This book portrays the real hardships of finding who you are amongst the grief you have endured. Anna's story reminds us it is okay to ask for the help we need and continue living after loss.

Doller beautifully portrayed not only the locations, characters, and tiny details, but the raw emotions as well.

Float Plan grabs you by the heart and never lets go. I wasn't sure I was in the right headspace for this one, but once I started reading, I didn't want to put it down. The writing was phenomenal and there was so much raw honesty and emotion that it sometimes made my chest ache. Anna's character arc and journey is one of the best I've read in a long time. It's painfully relatable and so wonderfully human. Her struggles and triumphs become the readers. So much so, that you might find yourself crying right alongside her and also cheering for her victories.

The friendship that blossoms between her and Keane was truly beautiful. The tenderness, vulnerability, and rightness in that relationship gave me all the warm fuzzies. Yes, the forced proximity amplified everything, but the connection also shifted so organically and naturally between them. I loved how they helped each other face their own demons and made each other stronger. Strong enough to even stand alone when needed. Keane was such a wonderfully rugged cinnamon roll. Half the time he opened his mouth to speak I was swooning and the other half I was laughing. As much as I loved Keane though, I loved Anna more. Watching her grow, heal, and really come into her own is the heart of this novel. Everything that happens (even the bit of angst at the end), shows how far she has truly come. I had a huge smile on my face and a hopeful heart as I finished this one. An absolutely amazing novel from start to finish and one not to be missed!

CW: suicide, depression, amputation, grief

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

This is a love story but it's also a story about overcoming grief and the challenge that life makes us face. In my opinion Float Plan was more of a slow burn romance that really built on the character development of Anna along with the vivid imagery of the Caribbean. I loved how the two main characters dealt with grief but through different stages.

Float Plan was such a romantic, emotional read & it reminded me how well her books punch me right in the feels every time. This book swept me away to the Caribbean, and life on a sail boat. The book follows Anna, who impulsively sets sail on a trip she planned with her late fiance. After a disastrous night at sea, she hires Keane to help her complete the journey. Together, they go off course in both life and love, and what they find could be the best destination of all.

I loved the way Trish’s writing transported me to all the places Anna and Keane visited. I felt like I was there with them, which is always a magical feeling when reading a book. But more than that, I found myself fully invested in their stories and their journey. I loved getting to know the people in this book, and following along on their adventure was a wonderful way to spend my time. FLOAT PLAN comes out March 2nd.

What darling characters and such a cute romance. Anna has lost her fiance to suicide and decides to remake her life by taking the sailing trip they were planning on. She hires Keane to help her and rediscovers that life and love are worth it.

This book was something special. It is emotionally powerful from the start and doesn't let up. The main character, Anna, suffered a heartbreaking loss and is struggling to find her footing Float Plan does a brilliant job of depicting the reality of grief and how it comes and goes in its intensity. I also appreciated that the author addresses the fact that friends and family often expect you to "get over it" and move on. She acknowledges that there is "no timetable for grief."

Float Plan was a painfully accurate portrayal of loss and the slow, unpredictable process of healing. Fortunately, it also blends a bit of humor and a lovely, slow blossoming romance with a swoon-worthy Irishman named Keane. He is a big-hearted man who is grieving his own loss Together, they find their way back to a world that feels bright and promising. The journey is a beautiful one.

Float Plan was an easy read that drew me in from the beginning and delivered a lovely, heartfelt story. It is one of my favorite reads to date this year.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Float Plan is young adult author Trish Doller’s introduction into the adult fiction market. Ms. Doller spent many years and much research developing this heartfelt tale. Anna Beck had been just scraping by, financially and emotionally, since her fiancé Ben took his own life a bit less than a year earlier. When an unexpected reminder that Ben had set up three years earlier awakens her two days before Thanksgiving, Anna is triggered to make it happen. She quickly throws things in her suitcase, stocks up some food, and heads to the marina where the 39 foot sailboat that Ben had restored is kept. Anna has decided to take the Caribbean journey they had planned on her own. Perhaps this is the closure she needs. Heaven knows she has been a rudderless boat since Ben’s death.

However, just two days out, Anna makes a better decision and seeks help in making this journey happen. After a number of bad choices in Bimini, Anna becomes acquainted with seasoned sailor Keane Sullivan, who is seeking a position and is happy to sign on the journey to San Juan saying he needs to get there for a job and seeks only transport, no pay, which works perfectly for Anna. Anna is struggling with her loss, but Keane is struggling with a loss of his own and dealing with a prosthesis and the changes it has brought to his promising boat racing future.

This is a deeply moving story with moments of sadness, even despair, but ultimately it is a healing journey to getting one’s life back on track. Ms. Doller has done a wonderful job of making her story real, her characters endearing, and her descriptions of an open water journey very realistic. I believe I read this book in record time, just couldn’t put it down! I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

“What we need at present is to not let fear rule the day.”

(TW: suicide & self-harm)

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin’s for the opportunity to read and review Trish Doller’s new release, Float Plan, out next week!

This book made me yearn for a vacation as we follow our main character as she sails to different islands in the Caribbean - islands I’ve never even heard of felt so alive!

This book is definitely a slow paced book with not much plot, but more about character development and growth. Our main character Anna, is learning how to live her life ten months after her fiancée commits suicide. On her journey she meets Keane, who has a prosthetic leg and the two take on the seas together. Their relationship is cute and they each teach one another new things about themselves.

This book is well written. There is a lot of detail about sailing, that I knew nothing about, but learned about through the story. You can tell Doller puts a lot of effort into researching.

Despite there being minimal plot, I did like watching Anna develop through the chapters as she began to love herself and become independent of her late fiancée.

“But 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.”

The beginning of this book made me unsure, however, the title was overall was very good and I enjoyed. This book was definitely a surprise for me, but I loved the characters and definitely encourage others to read this as well.

As noted about Anna and her fiancée had been planning an island-hopping sailing trip through the Caribbean but he committed suicide before they took the trip. Anna has been mourning for him ever since and has been existing, not really living. When the alarm on her phone reminds her that they were going to take the trip, she decides to do it herself, but quickly learns she is in over her head.

Keane is a professional sailor but recently lost a leg and for some reason no one wants to hire a one-legged crew member. They find each other and cruise from island to island from Florida to the Bahamas and beyond.

I loved watching them get to know each other. I also enjoyed to the stories of the ports they visited and it got me googling the islands and thinking of what we could do this summer, since my husband and I are now both eligible for Covid vaccines in our state. As Anna told her mother, during the trip she moved from running away to moving toward something new and that was great to watch.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about religion in fiction and said that I liked seeing religion and/or religious practices presented as a normal part of life in fiction, even if the content of the book wasn't specifically religious. In Float Plan Keane is an Irish Catholic. He goes to Mass regularly. When they hiked to a garden that contained Stations of the Cross, he prayed them. He doesn't preach, he doesn't try to convert Anna, and when he and Anna decide to be intimate, it is long before marriage is discussed---in other words, while Keane's prayer life is Catholic, his sex life doesn't follow Catholic rules.

All in all, I enjoyed the book and give it a B. Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley.