A decent enough read but I realized the further I got into the book that I am definitely not the target demographic for this lol if you like nicholas sparks and elin hildebrand, you would like this but the cattiness of the women in this book was soooo not for me. Everyone secretly hating each other and trying to steal the others partner was kind of weird to me

Friends with Boats is everything I want in a summer read: coastal glamor, tangled emotions, layered friendships, and one dangerously charming man who upends it all.

Alexandra Slater masterfully blends escapism with emotional resonance in this addictive story of three women—Sadie, Charlotte, and Ada—each navigating personal crossroads when a magnetic blast from the past returns to town. Mack Taylor, the effortlessly charming, newly divorced entrepreneur, sails into their lives and turns their quiet Cape Cod summer into a storm of temptation, introspection, and scandal.

What makes this book so compelling isn't just the simmering tension or the luxurious seaside backdrop (though both are flawless)—it’s the authenticity of the characters. These women are more than just friends with great clothes and enviable homes; they’re layered, flawed, and deeply relatable. Their vulnerabilities and desires feel real, and their emotional arcs—though peppered with glitz and gossip—are grounded in genuine questions about love, identity, and the cost of starting over.

Slater's prose is breezy and elegant, her pacing pitch-perfect. The Cape Cod setting shimmers on the page, from the dockside cocktails to yacht-club soirées. Yet, beneath all the sparkle is a rich exploration of loyalty, reinvention, and the risks women are willing to take for a chance at more.

Think Big Little Lies meets The Summer I Turned Pretty—but for grown-ups who like their beach reads with a little scandal, a lot of heart, and a setting that feels like vacation in a book.

This was unputdownable. I laughed, I winced, I rooted for each woman, and when I turned the final page, I immediately wanted more.

Perfect for fans of: complex female friendships, love triangles, second chances, and coastal fiction with depth.

This book has such an interesting premise! There is a lot that could have been done with this plotline, but as others have pointed ou,t all of the major events were predictable. There feels like there could have been more dimensional characters with more complex decision-making processes.

*Friends with Boats* by Alexandra Slater is a light and breezy read that explores friendship, love, and personal growth. The novel’s premise, featuring a close-knit group of friends who navigate their relationships while spending time together on boats, provides an interesting backdrop for the story. Slater’s writing is engaging, and the easy-going atmosphere makes for a fun, quick read.

However, while the book is enjoyable, it often feels somewhat predictable. The character development is solid but not particularly deep, and some of the conflicts feel familiar or easily resolved. The central romance is sweet, but it doesn’t have the emotional weight or surprises that would make it stand out in the genre. Additionally, some of the secondary characters lack depth, which makes it hard to get fully invested in their individual storylines. Overall, *Friends with Boats* is a pleasant, feel-good read, but it doesn’t offer much in terms of originality or depth. Perfect for fans of light-hearted romance and friendship stories, but not a standout.

This was a very good book. I enjoyed reading it. The characters and plot kept me interested. I would read another book by this author.

This book was not what I was anticipating. The battling over boyfriends and other drama was not enjoyable. I struggled to finish this one.

I did not enjoy this. There may be a crowd for it amongst Nicholas Sparks or Colleen Hoover readers, but it felt out of touch and a little dated in it's ways with women. I just can't really commend this book for anything other than the decent writing.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review. I wanted more from this book. Women were a bit catty and mean girlish. Some topics were relatable but weren't really expanded upon kind of just mentioned. Definitely not what I thought this book was going to be.

This women's fiction debut was not at all what I was expecting! Set on Cape Cod over one summer, this story follows three women, all fairly unhappily married who end up having an affair with the same man! Parts were relatable (mental health/depression, post-baby bodies, motherhood, marriage, etc) but I felt like all of these topics just got glossed over a bit and I wanted more depth. I also wasnt a huge fan of the infidelity. Overall just an okay read for me, definitely not a standout or one I would readily recommend. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy of Friends with Boats by Alexandra Slater. This a decent read. It passed the time but nothing really stuck out to me. The cover is super cute and made me excited to read but was left disappointed.

I received this book as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a cute summer beach read about love and friendship. Can be read in one sitting.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. this was fantastic, just what i have come to expect from this author and look forward to carrying in my book store.

Three friends have an affair with the same man. A simple premise which hints at high drama, but the plot points were nothing but predictable and contrived. The characters were one-dimensional and and unlikeable. It's interesting that character backstories were revealed in the last chapters -- confusing and poorly structured.

Ada, Sadie, and Charlotte all have problems in their marriage, and when an old resident (Mack Taylor) moves back all the ladies flock to him even those that are married with no regard of what it would mean for their marriages.

The ending was not to my satisfaction.

Supercute! A tad to short IDK felt like it was a novella and a novel which ends up in a weird state of limbo. Fast, cute, enjoyable read. Nothing to write home about sadly.

The cover and description of this book was so intriguing, and I was excited to read it. Sadly I found all three women so difficult to like, they were terrible to one another, and constantly ridiculing the other people they saw, whether that was body shaming, or gossiping about them.

The general premise of the story was about 3 women willing to cheat on their husbands with a new man in town that they all like.
There is a very anti-woman-theme throughout the entire book from both the women and men. The characters looking down on others, trying to steal each other’s love interests, and overall having a very “I’m not like other girls” vibe.

I realized the further I got into the book that I am definitely not the target demographic for this.
This book is more recommended to housewives in their forties.

THIS BOOK WAS SO CUTE!! I loved reading this so much! I loved the concept and the characters. The romance was really cute as well and I would definitely read from this author again!

This was a first time read for me by this author. The story was well-written with interesting characters. The story is about three friends, Ada, Charlotte, and Sadie, and all three are going through their own issues. They each fall for Mack, who is back in town to start a seaside resort. He charms them all and after realizing they had all been duped by him, they plot their revenge.
The theme of infidelity didn't sit well with me, but the writing was well done and held my interest. The story moved at a nice pace and the characters were interesting. The general premise of the story sort of turned me off, but as I said, the writing was good and made for an entertaining read.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

This book made me realize that I need to read the descriptions better. The cover is what drew me in for a fun summer vibe.

It’s about 3 women cheating on their husbands with 1 man. I had to unfortunately DNF the book. I mean I can read books about cheating but not on this level. It was just too much for me.

Thank you, NetGalley for the EARC! As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts.

Big "WTF am I reading" vibes throughout every page of this book. Usually, cheating doesn't bother me in a book if it makes sense within the plot/makes sense for the characters, but...man, I don't know about this one.