Instead of showing up for Thanksgiving dinner, Anna makes a run through the grocery store for limes and a flashlight, dried beans and rice, playing cards and boxed milk: shipboard essentials for going away to sea for “awhile.” Ten months into her healing from the loss of her fiance by suicide, Anna is eloping from her life to take the trip of a lifetime through the Caribbean in the boat Ben restored, on the trip they had planned to take together. he may not have a fully fleshed out float plan, just a final destination of Trinidad, to a beach where they’d planned to marry, and a map of ports of call between Fort Lauderdale and the Bahamas. She quickly realizes her limitations and hires on the more seasoned sailor Keane to help her navigate the islands. They form a compelling partnership as Anna learns to navigate both the sailboat and her grief. Along they way, they pick up a stray dog, Keane’s brother joins them for a while, they spent Christmas and New Years in the Bahamas.

Anna’s journey and resiliency are raw and imperfect, the characterizations nuanced, and the author doesn’t shy award from tough topics–Ben’s goodbye letter to Anna prefaces the story; Keane, disabled from an accident, has his own doubts and demons to overcome but is a decent and good man, sensitive, kind, supportive, and honest. Details like Anna’s mother’s German-accented English, the dolphins (famed for assisting humans in times of need) that accompany Anna out of the harbor at the start of her journey, and the geography of the Florida coastline are vivid. Descriptions of the design, vibe, food, people and culture of the various islands Anna and Keane visit bring the novel to life. The writing is masterful; sentences like “his mouth is bracketed by disapproval” convey emotion without overstating. Keane often speaks in proverbs, telling Anna the things she needs to hear to keep going: sometimes you have to throw out the map; what we need at present is not to let fear rule the day. At some point, Anna realizes that Keane is the person Ben was trying to be: not just a man in motion, but a man with direction. I don’t know that I’d call this a slow burn book, but the pacing is perfect for the romantic element.

Doller touches on faith lightly, in several conversations about God. Keane is Irish Catholic and finds a church when their shore leave coincides with Sundays. and at one point, Anna wonders if having faith would have saved Ben; all we know is struggled with depression for a long time.

I read this over a year ago, and didn’t review it at the time; a year and half later, it’s sticking with me and I even have quoted it: “the stages of grief are not linear. They are random and unpredictable, folding back on themselves until you begin mourning all over again.” So true, so evocative. Keane tells Anna he understands loss and reassures her that eventually, “You’ll start building a new house beside the ruins of the old.”

Anna’s sister Rachel and niece Maisie are referenced several times; read the The Suite Spot for Rachel’s story, and to get a glimpse of Anna and Keane and Queenie and their happiness post-Float Plan.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #FloatPlan from #NetGalley.

I just loved this story . I loved the whole thing about the book, I hear they have a book two coming out and I cannot wait.

I was nervous this book was going to be overly depressing given that it starts almost a year after the fiancé's suicide. Instead, the author does a great job of covering a very difficult subject, but in a way that is uplifting and inspiring. This book is a journey of Anna not only coming to terms with her fiancé's death, but also allowing herself to move on and start a new chapter in her life. For anyone who has ever lost someone close to them I think they can identify with Anna on this journey, in that grief is not a linear process and instead can come in waves, sometimes unexpectedly. I also really loved Keane's character and the slow build to their romance, and honestly who wouldn't want to sail through paradise with a sexy Irishman?!?

Overall this was a great book and by far one of the best I've read so far this year!

I really struggled to get into this one DNF at around 20%. Have tried to get back into it but this one just didn't capture my attention the way I would have hoped.

This was a great read about grief, second chances, and finding joy. I loved the sense of excitement and adventure in the story that we don't traditionally get with a story about grief.

This book was super hard to read. Trish is dealing with the grief of a high level. And no one can blame her. This is a story of finding yourself again and being able to stand and overcome the rain.

I was happy for Trish getting some relief and healing. The thing with putting yourself back together is everyone does it differently

I absolutely loved this book. Trish is one of my favorite authors and I will read anything she writes. I love the slow build of Anna and Keane's relationship, how they are both hurting and so, so careful with each other. I love how he brings life back into her and how they both learn so much about themselves.

Much like The Jetsetters, I went into this book thinking it would be frothy beach read but it's much heavier than I thought (TW: suicide). While there was a romance plot involved, I felt this story was more about the protagonist's journey of healing and finding herself by sailing around the Caribbean.

Emotional and moving, packed way more of a punch than I expected. I loved this book and can't wait to read more from Trish Doller in the future.

Finally finished my first book of June and first book a in a couple of weeks. I’ve started a few but have been in a mini reading slump. ⁣
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I read 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘵 last month and thought it was about time to pick up 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯. I really enjoyed it. Still not sure how to pronounce Keanes name but he is such a kind soul. ⁣
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I would to travel the world like Anna and do things that scare me. She is so brave and daring.

I cried from page one. This book was heart wrenching as it touched too close to home. The emotions that Anna was feeling as she dealt with her grief of losing her fiancé to suicide destroyed me. The grief was too familiar, the pain was too real. The questions that she kept asking herself brought back some of my darkest memories.

I thought the author handled the topics of suicide, loss, and grief very well and as Anna finds love and a path forward again you feel the heaviness lift and look forward to tomorrow with her. I hope to read more of Anna’s journey.

Unfortunately, this rom-com didn't hold my attention like I hoped it would. I fought to keep reading each chapter, but eventually just didn't feel the desire to finish it (and usually rom-coms are a breeze to get through). It's very popular and even has a sequel now, but it just wasn't for me. :( Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review it.

"Float Plan" is a sweet read, even if I found it a little unrealistic. I also don't know enough about sailing to speak to that part of the plot, although everything seemed realistic there. Worthwhile reading.

Anna goes on a trip she had planned with her late fiancé, but she soon realizes that sailing by herself is too dangerous. So she hires a professional sailor named Keane to help her complete the trip.

Float Plan is one of my oldest ARCs. I’ve been hesitant to read it because it deals with heavy themes like suicide and grief. But I finally got in the mood for it this year. I decided to listen on audio and while I liked the narrator, I had a really hard time connecting with the hero and heroine. I was incredibly bored for the most part. The story is well-written and Anna’s journey was interesting enough for me to continue reading. But I struggled to care about Anna and Keane as individual characters and as a couple. I also did not care about the multiple supporting characters that showed up.

Aside from the confounding sailing jargon, Anna herself confused me at times. For instance, the minute Anna saw Keane, she immediately thought he was hot. And yet, Anna tells us that she never noticed how attractive Keane was until another woman named Sarah pointed it out? I also felt extremely uncomfortable at the way Anna automatically assumed Sarah would be ableist toward Keane and that Sarah had to be “worthy” of Keane. I’m sorry, what?! Girl, bye!

And the final act? Anna spends the final act with some guy named Dave (friends only) and I was just like, “Uh…so when’s Keane coming back?” The final act is incredibly anticlimactic and practically nothing of substance happens until Keane returns in the last 5 mins and decides to stay with Anna.

To summarize: I was bored out of my mind reading this book. But hey, at least the audiobook helped me fall asleep at night!

After her fiance commits suicide, Anna Beck decides that she still wants to attempt the sailing trip that she had planned with him. It becomes clear to her very quickly, that she doesn't have the sailing experience to do this on her own. She meets Keane Sullivan, a professional sailor, who she hires to make the trip with her. Along the way, Anna learns a lot about sailing, herself, and starts to move past her past.

Float Plan is such a sweet love story. It isn't overly predictable, and it's a fresh romance story line. Anna and Keane are both very well developed characters. They both have their flaws and hardships from their pasts, but they're very likeable and I enjoyed getting to know them as they got to know each other.

Float Plan was a delightful rom-com that was a joy to read. Trish Doller put together a beautiful story.

I was not able to read this due to unexpected content. I may read it in the future though.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me the chance to read and review.

I loved this book so much. It marries a sense of adventure and the deep desire to be free with the need to be seen and rooted. Even if that rootedness doesn't come from a physical place, finding it in yourself. It was such a beautiful depiction of grief and loss but also new beginnings. I loved the main character and love interest together and it was a fun read even with the heaviness of some of the subject matter. Catch me out here making plans to buy a boat.

Anna lost her fiancé. She’s still feeling overwhelmed by her loss. But then she decides to go ahead with a sailing trip they had planned a long time ago. She hires Keane as an assistant to come along. Despite her feelings of loss, there are moments of joy as they travel on this adventure together. I really enjoyed the bright moments of joy. And I loved Keane’s personality. He was quirky and interesting. And the perfect addition to Anna’s life.

I have had this one to read much too long and after listening to the second book in the series I pulled this one up and read it and LOVED it. This was not what I was expecting and may not have enjoyed it if I had read it a few months ago but I really loved it now. Anna is struggling with the loss of her boyfriend, Ben, to suicide and when her calendar alerts her to their sail date she packs her bags and sets sail on their sailboat for the Caribbean. She really does not know what she is doing and is scared out of her mind but she is determined to do it. On her first stop she puts up a notice for a crew member and hits the bar but when that goes bad and she passes out in her dinghy she wakes the next morning on her boat to a handsome man. Keane Sullivan is a skilled sailor who is rescued Anna and unknowingly answers her ad. After hiring him they set sail. What we are then witness to is Anna's slow healing, learning to sail, and a travel documentary. I feel as if I have been sailing through the Islands without leaving my cold part of Michigan. These two are perfect for each other. They sort of heal each other and bring something to each other's lives that was missing. They learn they live together and apart but together is so much better. Did I miss something by not reading this one first? Not at all. Would I recommend it? Definitely and the next one in the series featuring Anna's sister Rachael.