Nina Lejeune has spent the past ten years working as chief stewardess on a luxury yacht sailing the Caribbean for four months of the year which caters to the whims of the rich and spoiled passengers. Nina’s life is just the way she likes it despite have an on again/off again relationship with the former chef of the Serendipity, Oliver Dunne. Oliver returns to the yacht with a demand for Nina: admit she loves him during their sea going adventures, or he will go home to Ireland permanently.

Nina and Oliver share a secret that threatens to derail their whole relationship. She stubbornly refuses most of Ollie’s overtures doing her best to avoid him even though they are sharing a cabin for the duration of the cruise. Although their relationship started out with a certain agenda and they lived together for years, Nina refuses to admit not only her feelings for Ollie, but that he is serious about leaving forever.

Nina has so much emotional baggage from her early life as an Olympic gymnast hopeful and some devastating treatment from her coach father that she can barely tolerate the idea of giving over her whole self to Ollie no matter how she truly feels. Ollie has his own family issues so that they both have a lot to resolve if they are ever to be together permanently; however, it is Nina’s strident refusal to not only admit her feelings, but do something about her emotional problems that causes most of the heartache. This story is told in tandem with the past and present day.

While I really liked Ollie and his Irish charm as well as all the effort he put into their relationship, Nina is one of those characters I would like to slap with her own book. For an intelligent woman, she makes some really stupid choices over and again. Nina keeps on doing the same behavior and expecting a different outcome. At age thirty, she has a lot of emotional work and growing up to do before she and Ollie can have a relationship. This is the second book in the Love, Lists & Fancy Ships series but can be read as a standalone.

Filled to the brim with everything I love about a romance novel- second chance romance, friends to lovers, plenty of angst and swoon-worthy moments- I absolutely devoured this book. I knew from the beginning of Love, Lists and Fancy Ships, that I would adore Nina and Ollie, and while this book can be read as a stand-alone, the experience is made all the more meaningful by reading Love, Lists and Fancy Ships first.

Luck and Last Resorts tells the story of Nina and Ollie’s relationship both in the present day, as Ollie presents Nina with an ultimatum, and in the past, as we see where their tension-filled, on-again off-again relationship began. I adored the flashback chapters, both for the added insight into their relationship and for the way it illuminated small details about each of the characters (like how Ollie was the one that gave Nina the earrings that she wears almost every second of every day??? I died).

I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about our lovely heroine Nina. This book, as expected, added so much depth and complexity to Jo’s best friend from Love, Lists and Fancy Ships. She is stubborn and messy and I love her so. She goes on a wonderful journey throughout this book, from keeping her life in such strict control so that nothing changes to teaching the point where she can actually look to the future and look towards making the changes she wants so that she can be happy.

And we must, of course, address our love interest Ollie. Oh, Ollie. I loved him. I don’t know if it’s the fact that he’s Irish, or the way he is so open with his feelings for Nina, or maybe it’s the fact that he can cook (and that he took a whole MONTH to perfect the recipe for Nina’s favorite snack), but he quickly became one of my new favorite book boyfriends.

Luck and Last Resorts is a pitch-perfect second chance romance that I couldn’t put down. It delivers on the angst but also on the romantic moments, and the development of the main character was excellent (and may I just say that there is something so satisfying about seeing characters in romance novels go to therapy??? I don’t know why but I love to see it). If you’re looking for a heartwarming romance with main characters (and supporting characters) you can’t help but love, then this one is for you.

I was very much looking forward to this follow-up to Love, Lists & Fancy Ships, and I was not disappointed. A second-chance romance with a bit of a twist, this time we dive into the life of snarky and strong-willed Nina and hot Irish chef Ollie. While Nina was pretty much just a sidekick in the first book, this time we get to dive into her backstory through a series of flashbacks to her first days working on the yacht. Ollie was the first person she encountered at her new job, and they were like oil and water right from the start. And while the first book hinted at their on-again, off-again relationship, this time we get the whole complicated, emotional story.

Once again, Ruiz brings us a beautiful love story with complex characters who make us feel all of the emotions. We get to laugh as Nina and Ollie engage in a battle of sarcastic one-upmanship. Their banter is some of the best I've read recently. And throughout the story, the reader can practically feel the chemistry between the two of them sizzling right off the page. But most importantly, you absolutely know that these two people are destined to be together. At its heart this is the story of two very broken people and their on-again, off-again relationship that has spanned nearly a decade. Both have deep-seated family problems that they are trying to come to terms with. There are enough trust issues and commitment issues here to fill a few dozen books, and if you saw that chapter four revelation coming, well, you're a better literary sleuth than I am.

I highly recommend this beautiful love story to anyone who needs a good, angst-filled emotional roller coaster. I was in tears by the end (this seems to be a pattern with this series) and was sad when I ran out of pages. This book can be read as a standalone, but I would recommend starting with book one so that you can get a feel for the supporting characters and the setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

~ Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review! RELEASE DATE: August 9, 2022 ~

"Perhaps that's how change happens. Dip in a toe. Work your way up to a foot. A calf. And eventually, you're able to submerge yourself completely. Maybe a moment of bravery is as powerful as a moment of hesitation. Maybe it's enough to change the course of my life."*

And just like that, I've finally found another romance that I love! Ever since Sarah Hogle's You Deserve Each Other I've been searching for another gem. I'm still quite new to the romance genre and am incredibly specific in what I enjoy and what I don't and I'm so thrilled that this was one I fell in love with! I was starting to get scared that Hogle was a fluke and now I'm glad to have been wrong.

I sincerely hope this book gets noticed by some of the TikTok girlies because it deserves so much hype!!

Now let's get into why this worked for me specifically. As I said before, I'm newish to romance but have very specific likes/dislikes when it comes to the genre.
Luck and Last Resorts was perfect for me because it fit those guidelines.

- mc +li have known each other for a long time ✅
- doesn't forget the "com" in "romcom" ✅
- character growth from both parties separate from the relationship ✅
- minimal spice ✅

I also really appreciated this book from a writing perspective. I know most readers won't care/be thinking about this lol but as a writer myself I've been doing more and more research and practice at story craft/theory and I couldn't help but notice how perfectly executed that was in this book. I could see exactly where each beat fell (in a good way) and found it so clever and well fleshed-out.

I do think some people might be frustrated by Nina at the beginning of this story because she is the sole reason for the conflict in the book, but again, from a craft perspective her arc is handled perfectly and I just really hope anyone who is annoyed by her at first sticks around to see her grow! On a personal level though I wasn't bothered by this at all lol because while I recognized she had issues to conquer, they were RELATABLE, and she is somewhat self-aware about them as well, even from the get-go.

And of course we can't end this review before talking about the man himself, Mr. Oliver Dunne. Ollie is such a refreshing love interest. I'll admit that descriptor might only apply to me (Little Ms. Has Read Like Three Romances), but I stand by it! He's extremely level-headed, vulnerable, kind, patient—literally everything you could want and everything Nina needs. Also he's Irish. Just a fun added bonus.

I absolutely adored Luck and Last Resorts and I hope it starts to gain the hype it deserves!! Can't wait to keep my eyes on Sarah Grunder Ruiz's work in the future.

"A smile flickers at the corner of his mouth. I want to press my thumb there and yank that smile like a loose thread on a thrifted sweater. I want to unravel him in my hands until there's nothing left, until I'm so tangled up in him I'll never break loose."*

*All quotes are pulled from an uncorrected proof.

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒

Luck and Last Resorts by Sarah Grunder Ruiz is the second book in her Love, Lists & Fancy Ships Series but can be read as a stand-alone. I didn’t read the first book in the series and didn’t feel like it hurt my reading experience for Luck and Last Resorts, however, now I really, want to read the first book as I loved the characters and writing in this emotional romance.

Nina Lejeune is the chief stewardess on the super yacht Serendipity. She spent the last 10 years working her way up to this position, managing the staff on the super yacht. She’s single and fun-loving and has no intention of changing anything in her life. She’s away at sea for months at a time, and that life has no room for a relationship.

Irish chef Ollie Dunne is back on the Serendipity for one last voyage. He’s there to find out at last if Nina will ever admit that she loves him. He’s done playing games with Nina and he is determined to turn their on-again, off-again relationship into something permanent, or he will leave for Ireland, never to see Nina again.

This is one emotional story and it’s full of angst. Both Nina and Ollie have some giant-sized baggage, and each of them needs to come to terms with their own issues before they can be together for real. Their relationship is intense and sometimes it’s difficult to watch them. But, I was rooting for them during the entire book as it’s obvious they are meant to be together.

The yacht is its own character and I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at how a superyacht is managed and all the lower deck staff drama. We also get a glimpse of the previous characters from the first book, but they are not really part of the story. The story is focused on Nina and Ollie.

This story is sometimes heartbreaking, frustrating, and gritty, but it’s also hopeful, romantic, and satisfying. These characters are so realistic and relatable that I couldn’t help being touched by their journey.
I highly recommend Luck and Last Resorts to anyone who enjoys romance and women’s fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Luck & Last Resorts is the second book in Love, Lists, and Fancy Ship series. This contemporary romance explores themes of strained familial relationships, insecurities, moving on, and growth. Overall, I didn’t like this one as much as I liked the first book. There were way too many tropes to deal with here: enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, second chance romance, forced proximity. I think if the author focused one or two tropes then it may have been better. I did like the alternate chapters of present and past which helped reveal the main characters’ choices and why they are the way they are. Also this is not a stand alone. You will definitely need to read the first book to get some of the references in this book.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

After a decade of being on-again, off-again, Ollie returned to Serendipity in his last attempt to make things “real” with Nina.

This book messed with my heart! I adored Nina and Ollie in the previous book and was quite sad when he left for the restaurant life. Learning this book existed made me giddy because in my heart, I knew they belonged together.

One cannot fully understand how overjoyed I was when Ollie made his big declaration to Nina at the beginning of the book. This was it! They were going to be a couple, and I was rooting for them. Seemed amazing, but the road to this HEA was riddled with bumps

Given Nina’s job as the funny sidekick, I was not prepared for how complicated she was. Nina had a tendency to hold people at arm’s length because those she loved and trusted had let her down in the past. She also tended to live one day at a time, not planning too far in the future because she knew what it meant to lose it all. Though I understood the whys, it was still difficult to see Nina sabotage her happiness. She deserved nothing but happiness, but there was a lot of work to be done before she could accept that for herself.

Ollie’s past was equally surprising given the persona her projected. However, he was patient and persistent. I adored how he wore his heart on his sleeve, and all those little things he did, those small gestures really set my heart aflutter.

Wait until you get into their shared past! Don’t worry, you won’t have to wait too long for one of the bombshells to be dropped, but you won’t hear it from me because that reveal was fantastic. And those flashbacks did an amazing job of filling in the gaps and helping me see the fuller picture of what Ollie and Nina had shared.

Overall, I was overwhelmed with emotion as I read this story. Like I said, Nina was a complicated woman, and she had a lot of personal issues to work through. Needless to say, this was an emotional rollercoaster, but I definitely enjoyed the ride. Here’s hoping this is not my last voyage on Serendipity.

I adored Sarah's women's fiction romance introduction with Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships. I read it prior to seeing many reviews and that always makes for a better experience for me. This one on the other hand is already hyped by reviewers I follow. It didn't quite hit the same note as LLFS but it has a lot to do with Nina's un-likeability for me. She is a fantastic friend to Jo but a little self-destructive and my heart hurt for the way she treats Ollie, an absolute gem - swoon!
Nina and Ollie have been off and on friends with benefits. Their worlds orbit, collide, and break apart on repeat. After a decade, Ollie has familial responsibilities calling from Ireland. When he gives Nina an ultimatum, her response is expected if not hoped for.
Sarah's voice makes for an effortless read. While I wasn't a huge fan of Nina, I was invested in the story and Sarah is definitely an auto-buy author for me.
Karissa Vacker is a narrator I have a great appreciation for. Her performance and lilty Irish accent for Ollie were fantastic.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the advanced copy and PRHA for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.

4.5 stars

Thank you to Penguin Random House Audio for a complimentary audiobook and Berkeley Publishing for a digital ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I fell in love with Sarah Grunder Ruiz’s writing last year when I read her debut novel - Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships. So, I knew I would be reading this follow-up as soon as I could. In fact, I threw out my entire TBR as soon as I was approved on NetGalley to read it.

This was an excellent sophomore novel and continuation of the series. Jo, the main character in the first book, makes the perfect amount of appearances in this one - just enough that I didn’t feel like I was missing out on details from her life, but not so much that it would detract from Nina’s (this book’s protagonist) character development.

While this could be read as a standalone book, you should definitely read LLFS first. Nina’s back story here is so much richer having already met her in the first book. I mean, once you read the infamous Chapter 4 of Luck And Last Resorts (IYKYK), you will be speechless and that information is much better known when reading the books in order.

Now I’m impatiently awaiting book 3 in the series - Last Call at the Local!

I AM RUINED FROM THIS BOOK! The emotion! UGH I have the biggest book hangover and it is just not fair how talented Sarah Grunder Ruiz is!

In book two we follow Nina Chief Stewardess on the Serendipity as she starts the yachting season. But a surprise drops right from the start when she finds out the Chef is none other then Ollie, an old co-worker and one of her best friends (read friends with benefits) and basically swore off yachting two seasons prior. When he tells her he wants to finally wants to jump into a relationship head first Nina is cautious. She doesn't like to rely on other people including her family, and has never thought to have a seriously boyfriend. Her first instinct is to tell him no, but Ollie wont take no for an answer. As secrets from their past are revealed it throws their relationship and the boat crew's dynamics off. Are Nina and Ollie end game? And can they figure it out before time runs out?

I didn't think it was possible to love characters more than I loved Jo and Alex in the Love, Lists and Fancy Ships, but Nina and Ollie surpass that love! The dual timelines of this story were perfect. It really elevated the plot and kept you wanting to move to the next chapter. I loved all the hijinks between the two of them and all gymnastic references. I also enjoyed the family drama from both Ollie and Nina's family. It felt so wild and yet relatable at the same time.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 8/9!

Many thanks to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.

So I had loved Nina in Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships. Didn't really get a feel for Ollie at all, but was excited to see where their book went. And I liked all the backstory and that we finally see all the back and forth they've had over the last 10 years. And lord does Ollie have the patience of a saint. Both he and I were SO frustrated with Nina in this book. I get it. She is messed up in the head because of what happened with her dad. And she can't allow herself to be open with Ollie and move on to another phase of her life. I wanted to love this so badly. But I just couldn't get over Nina and her hangups. Especially when we got to the third act breakup and then the big gesture (part 1). Look, it's a romance, we get our HEA, but the ANGST and back and forth and frustration to get there just wasn't doing it for me in this book. I definitely didn't feel the emotions like I did in the first book. And while I liked Ollie a lot, he was no Alex.
I will definitely read more from this author because I loved the first book so much. I just don't think this one was for me.

3.25 stars

This book was not for me. I think it just started off too slow and it was hard to relate to the main characters. They felt very wishy-washy. I could see other people enjoying this and the setting was definitely unique, but overall I just wanted more connection with the characters and for things to move a little faster.

Nina is headed into her tenth charter season after it was the only job she could get. She has worked her way up to chief stewardess, but when she boards the boat to see Ollie is the chef this season, it’s a surprise she wasn’t prepared for. Especially since Ollie has other intentions for being stuck with Nina for 4 months. If she isn’t in love with him by the end of the season, he is returning to Ireland for good. With their past secret between them, will they come together, or truly fall apart?

I loved Jo and Alex’s story last year, so this was one I knew I wanted to read! Man, the crap both Nina and Ollie faced throughout their lives was so tough. I can totally see why Nina became a complete commitment phobe. I would have too. It certainly made me incredibly frustrated at times while reading just wanting Nina to give into her feelings, but I also understood where she was coming from.
I absolutely adored the teasing between Nina and Ollie, it often had me laughing out loud at their sarcastic banter.

Okay these books just keep getting better?!

I loved the bits we got of Nina and Ollie in the first book, so I was glad to get a book solely focused on them.

I cried a lot during this book. Their relationship just really tugged at my heartstrings but also drove me crazy. It was full of angst and pain but so many cute special little moments.

Nina was just…a lot. I tried not to judge her issues and such but just SAY HOW YOU FEEL!! I wanted to reach into the book and shake some sense into her 🤣

I just loved Ollie so much. With his prickly exterior with everyone except Nina. And how sensitive he really was.

I knew this would all work out in the end but it was an emotional roller coaster waiting to get there.

Possible spoilers

Nina Lejeune, former champion gymnast, has been stewardess on the charter yacht Serendipity for 9 years. It’s where she met both Ollie, her long-time love interest (otherwise undefinable, as you’ll see if you read this story) and her best friend Jo (heroine of Book 1) and is the figurative lifeboat that saved her from drowning in debt and despair after the worst sort of betrayal by her parents, the people who should have loved her most. Irishman Ollie, at times surly and other times charming, is the yacht’s chef and has been in love with Nina for years. However, her inability to commit to a future with him has driven him to despair. With both of them carrying some pretty heavy baggage from the past, will Nina be able to give Ollie what he wants before it’s too late?

I was so excited for this sequel after absolutely loving Love, Lists and Fancy Ships. So I can’t help but feel let down by Nina and Ollie’s story for so many reasons. I found it exceedingly difficult to have any sympathy for Nina given how long she treated Ollie with such disregard and flippancy. I’d say that Ollie is a saint for having put up with her, but, by the end of the book, I understand his (for lack of a better word) co-dependency. Nina seemed unwilling to make any changes in her life, still deluding herself that her two rules were in effect: always have fun and don’t rely on anyone. As a result, her near-constant deflections from anything serious and her lies (even to herself) concerning her real feelings had her coming off as exceedingly selfish, immature, and cruel. If I hadn’t cared so much for Ollie, I would have preferred that this not end with a happily-ever-after.

Ultimately, this just dragged on too long, shifting back and forth from present day to chapters showing their relationship’s development and stagnation over the years. I felt like I was reading a version of Groundhog Day, with the same scenario on repeat with no forward progress. It’s very telling, for a fast reader, that I was shocked to see that it was only 335 pages. It’s such a huge disappointment when the sequel to one of my favorite romances is one that stressed me out rather than uplifted me.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! This is the second book I have read by Sarah Grunder Ruiz, and wow, I loved Nina and Ollie’s sweet, complex love story. I read this book super quickly while at the beach, and though not perfect, it worked for me in a lot of ways. Nina starts working as a yacht stewardess after a career ending injury in gymnastics, where she meets the grumpy chef Ollie, who also works on the boat Serendipity. Theirs is a love story of enemies to friends, friends to lovers, and a lot more. It’s about the complicated journey of trusting your partner, friends, and letting go of the past. It’s about the little moments of finding love. My only complaint of this book is that since it’s very thoughtful, emotional, and nuanced, it sometimes moves a little slowly. But I forgive it, since Nina and Ollie are real, make mistakes, and have a very moving love story, depicted over a decade. This book jumps in time, places, but it works well, all through the lens of Nina, who ultimately makes the biggest journey of self love and growth. It also comes down to great writing, and the author really nails this sweet and angsty romance. I recommend this book for fans of Grunder Ruiz, contemporary romance, friends to lovers, and witty banter.

Luck and Last Resorts by Sarah Grunder Ruiz is a follow-up to her last book, Love Lists and Fancy Ships. It comes out August 9th, 2022.

I had been really looking forward to this book after seeing Nina, the fun loving best friend, in Love Lists and Fancy Ships.

In Luck and Last Resorts, Nina, chief stewardess and Ollie, chef, have a past and are now back working together on a super yacht. This is a second chance romance (which I like) but I found Nina to be really frustrating in denying her love and commitment to Ollie and it dragged on way too long (10 years and much of the book). She had major trust issues from being hurt in the past by her family.

I liked the alternating timelines from past to present. I was hooked into the story and wanted to know what happened to split them apart in the past and was surprised by some twists along the way.

Thank you Sarah Grunder Ruiz, NetGalley, and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book.

My TikTok with this book: https://www.tiktok.com/@kspoonerfish/video/7123585729053363502?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7118741692705932846

Sarah just keeps getting better and better.

Oh my gosh was this addicting…this is about friendship and tip toeing that fine line between love and commitment. It’s about messy head spaces and grief and not quite getting over what messed you up in the past.

I adored Nina and Ollie. Their friendship was wonderful, slightly irreverent, and just freaking ADDICTING. As much as I was frustrated with Nina…and I was A LOT (girl has MAJOR denial issues)…Sarah wrote her in such a fresh, funny and relatable way that I still enjoyed her and wanted her to get her happy ending.

OLLIE. Precious. Irish. Yacht Chef with a fowl mouth and sweet as they come….in a grumpy sort of way. The way he was with Nina warmed my heart. I seriously couldn’t get enough.

It’s so wonderful when an author creates two characters you can’t see with anyone but the other. The chemistry was there, the emotional pull, the ANGST…yes indeed…and I loved the back and forth between present and past as their relationship evolved.

Probably one of my fave adult romances this year. I hope you add this to your list when it releases in August! The audio was EXCELLENT. I couldn’t stop listening.

Thank you Berkley Romance and Netgalley for my advanced Earc.

I honestly don’t know how Sarah Grunder Ruiz does it. How does she write so wonderfully? She may say she’s a writer but really, she’s some kind of magical being.

I don’t think any other writer could have made me weep over and think that wacky unicorn earrings are the romantic gesture to rule all romantic gestures.

She’ll also leave a mark on you whenever you read a chapter 4 ever again. Every book you read, every time you see “chapter 4” you WILL imagine Ruiz hitting you over the head with a cartoon mallet and cackling manically. That really was quite something, and don’t worry, I won’t ruin the surprise.

Just like with her debut novel, Ruiz’s characters and writing style capture you from the first page and stick to you like glue until long after you’ve reached the end.

Ruiz will have me as a fan for life. She’s a master at her craft and I can’t wait to read every book she dreams up in the future.

I couldn't wait for Ollie and Nina's story after meeting them in Love, Lists, & Fancy Ships. It's clear these two have a history, but I had no idea how deep it ran. Though the book can be read as a standalone, I think it would be most enjoyed if read in order since characters from the previous book appear heavily (and you get a great update on them).

Things to look forward to:
- Real and relatable characters. Ollie and Nina have baggage. They aren't perfect and they make mistakes. Sometimes you want to throttle them and other times give them a huge hug. I found myself very frustrated with Nina at different times in the book, but I appreciated that she (and Ollie) ultimately made changes for themselves and their own well being. They're complicated and messy people, but that only made their journey more satisfying.
- The writing. Sarah Grunder Ruiz is truly talented. I love her sense of humor and voice. She put these characters through the ringer, but she healed them too. I also did not see that twist coming at all! Well played! *clapping*
- Amazing friendships and secondary characters. I love Jo and Nina together, but it was Captain Xav who stole the show every time he was on the page. He was part boss, part friend, and part father figure. I'm very curious about his "one that got away' story and I wish we could get a happy ending for him too.
- Updates on Jo and Alex. I loved seeing these two again and getting more glimpses of their happily ever after. The epilogue especially brought everything full circle and had me smiling so big.
- I both read the ebook and listened to the audiobook and Karissa Vacker was excellent. I really enjoyed her narration, especially all of Ollie's "fecking" LOL

Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4 stars

Sometimes the timeline was a bit hard to follow (the story is told through past and present chapters) and I had to stop at every chapter to make sure I had everything straight. I also wish that there would have been more happy moments together between Ollie and Nina after everything that they went through, but like I said, that epilogue was pretty fantastic. Sad to say goodbye to these characters!

CW: strained family relationships, domestic violence/child abuse (past), gambling addiction (parent), identity theft and loss of credit (past), sexual harassment (work related, on page)

*I read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*