This book is perfect if you're looking for a short story for the holiday season with characters navigating through a small town, friendships, and romance.
I thought throughout the book there was some unnecessary small miscommunication, however the romance was wholesome. Along with the pacing, it started to get a little slow throughout. I also didn't expect our mc’s to be around their 50's, so that was interesting...

This was a short and sweet holiday romance/women’s fiction following Katie, a 50 something 3x divorcé and mom to a college student, navigating a new relationship, changing friendships, and life in general coming right out of the covid pandemic. While cute and meaningful, I didn’t feel super emotionally invested in the story or our characters. This is probably just because I as a 20 something found it hard to relate to a group of older women, even though a lot of their sentiments of finding themselves again and following their dreams should really connect with any one. I found it to be a bit cheesy myself, but maybe I am just a grinch!! I’d still recommend for an easy and silly holiday read!

This is also part of a series, so you may find more connection with the characters if you follow the books in order. I read this on it’s own, which is doable but perhaps I would have had better context if I had started at the beginning.

I struggled with this one. This came onto my radar when I received an ARC from NetGalley. I was expecting a fun holiday romance but did not find this particularly fun or romantic. The plot felt very sparse and I had a hard time following where the book was going. I didn’t connect to the characters. It’s rare that I give a book 2 stars, but when I dreaded picking it up I knew this was not the book for me. Narration was fine.

Absolutely hilarious holiday vibes! I loved the character dynamics and the setting made for such a fun read!

2.5⭐️, 2🌶️

I sense that I should have read the first novella of the series because the characters and relationships were referenced but nothing connected for me. Then it being labeled under romance was very unlikely to me. The relationship just didn’t connect for me and how our FMC became the “troubling” person in the relationship gave me the ick. And was the relationship over when Santa happened? Very confused…

Also, this book highlyyyyyy romanticizes the Ocoquan area of Virginia and as a girl that’s lived 30 minutes from that area, I IS NOT. so all that cute stuff just had me rolling my eyes 🙃

Only thing I enjoyed about this book? Maria Marquis voice is sooo soothing

Thank you NetGalley and Make Waves Press for an audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Santa Overboard by Carolyn McBride

adventurous hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0

If you’re looking for a not too gushy Christmas romance this book is for you.
This books is about mid-life romances & the friends that see you through it all.
I enjoyed reading about an older heroine who despite our age difference- she was still chasing her dreams , figuring out love and hanging with friends. These ladies are juggling this all , starting business that they care about and being mothers to college aged children.

This Christmas read is quick and easy to listen to. This novella is narrated by Maria Marquis and I thought her pacing and narration effectively told the story.

While this book is the 2nd book in a series it can be read as a standalone.

Tropes: Small-Town romance; grumpy x grumpy , forced proximity due to injury, learning to love again, second-chance at a forever love.

Santa overboard is a fun, fast paced romance story surrounding the holidays. Although I didn’t love the book, I did find it super easy to listen to. The narrator was incredibly engaging and clear!

This story has lots of overcoming (and overboards!) involved. The group of friends (the Beach Bonfire Babes) are encouraging, fun, and engaging. They’re all trying to find their way after the pandemic shook their lives. I think I would’ve liked the book more had it been more about this group of friends and all of their newfound adventures.

However, the love story kind of flopped for me. I think I found the main characters just unlikeable. Katie has a lot of issues she needs to work through. The main conundrum revolves around her baeu Deke’s holiday (work) trip, which he has taken for the last 17 years! Katie having such a huge issue with this just really made me not like her. There was a lot of talk of her hurt past, but not many details shared. Because of that, I couldn’t really connect to her.

Deke is a strange man. I love science and nature so I really connected to him in that way, but needing notes written on an index card to talk to your significant other is just not my vibe.

Overall a fun story, some great characters, some laugh out loud parts, some parts that just made me groan, and lots of people overboard!

First, I want to thank NetGalley for an audio arc in exchange for an honest review.
I appreciated the holiday setting and lighthearted approach, but I don’t know where the author was going with this story. It seems like just little moments during this time of year instead of a flowing story. I also wouldn’t call this a romance and I never grew an attachment to any of the characters.
My biggest issue with this book was the consistent mentions of post pandemic life, COVID, vaccines, and loss of love ones from COVID (which IMO didn’t add anything to the story). It would have been fine if it was mentioned once or twice, but I feel like it was mentioned every other paragraph. I lived through it - I don’t need to be reminded so often and I didn’t see any mention of it in the description.
Overall, this book wasn’t for me.

I feel funny saying this in a book review but this is definitely a period piece. A 2020s / covid shut down aftermath because it is definitely the type of story that really shows what was going through people's minds in that time period. It just feels weird using that expression for a time where I was alive and not something like colonial time or British uppercrust.

I thought the characters were well developed and a lot of fun. I must admit that from the title, I thought this was going to be a cruise ship but it turns out that Santa Overboard takes place in a quiet harbor town where lots of residents own boats. The main premiss was organizing the annual christmas boat parade down the shore line.

I can see this becoming a future holiday movie which has a romance story but is more about the friendships than the love story.

side note: I didn't realize until I went to post my review on Good Reads that this is the second book in a series. It can stand on its own as a holiday novel.

I'm glad this was a short book because I couldn't engage with the story or connect with the characters. It seemed to be a bit of a hot mess plot wise and just drifted around the marina. If the book was written during Covid I could understand adding that to the story but after 4 years, I didn't think it was necessary or desirable. We want to forget that time not dredge it up again.

The romance was between two people that were already in a relationship so it didn't really ebb and flow and the side characters didn't add anything to the party either.. There was also lots of random trivia sprinkled throughout as if the author was trying to flex her knowledge (or just likes trivia and decided to randomly add it 🤷).

Whilst I appreciate the time and energy it takes to write stories, this one just wasn't for me.

Tis the night before Christmas and Katie Young is starting over in Occoquan. She recently moved to town and is working on getting her Captain’s license. Trying to find herself after her mother’s death, she is currently dating Deke, another boat captain. Katie, however, is disappointed when Deke leaves her on Christmas to fulfill business obligations. Set on saving the Holiday Festival, Katie works with other women in town to try and save it. Will she succeed? Will her and Deke work things out?

Narrator, Maria Marquis’ unique voices and intonation bring to life the well developed, unique, authentic characters. Her narrative pacing fits well with the author’s writing style. The story is listed as a romantic comedy, but feels more like a women’s fiction meets comedy novel. Listeners who like realistic fiction, small towns, and friendship fiction will enjoy listening to this book. It will make more sense, however, if they start with the first book. Recommended for library collections where such books are popular.

Please Note: A copy of this audiobook was given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own No other compensation was received.

Although I enjoyed the characters and setting, I feel misled by this book's marketing.

I first decided to check out this book because of the cover. It has the cartoonish, whimsical look of a chick lit novel I might enjoy. The description gave off the same vibe so I decide listen to the audiobook. Netgalley even describes it as "a small-town holiday rom-com".

But that is honestly a straight up lie. This book is not funny. In fact, for a majority of the story the main character Katie is mulling over Covid 19. She unfortunately lost her mother during the pandemic. Her daughter had to leave NYC and do virtual college at home. And Katie herself had a shake up with her job, which is part of why she is now living in the little town of Occoquan.

And although I liked Katie and her scientist boyfriend, I wouldn't say their romance is particularly funny either.

Santa Overboard by Carolyn McBride is a sweet story about a woman learning to move on with her life after many great tragedies ( multiple divorces, passing of a loved one, dealing with the Covid 19 pandemic). I loved Katie's positive attitude and enjoyed the festive Thanksgiving and Christmas scenes in this novella.

This book wasn't what I expected, though I wound up enjoying it anyway. But if you're looking for a festive holiday rom-com, I would try something else.

This was a quick, light, and cozy read that never fully hooked me but left me feeling warm. What started off as a cozy, Christmas centered mystery quickly lost its footing in the plot. It seemed very scattered and left elements of the story felt underdeveloped or thrown in with little explanation. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and I think the lack of development contributed some, as well as their decisions at times. Overall I liked the light, holiday vibes of this but didn't find it overly compelling. This one probably won't stick with me unfortunately. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review by Erica Jones @ Climb the Stacks

Santa Overboard (Potomic Shores # 2) by Carolyn McBride, narrated by Maria Marquis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This four-hour romantic comedy audiobook was done so beautifully. I listened to it in one sitting! The plot was interesting and kept me intrigued throughout the entire length of the book. The fact that the characters were scientists and that there was a few spicy characters surprised me since I didn’t read the synopsis before listening to it.

The narrator did a fantastic job! Santa Overboard is the second book in the Potomac Shores series but doesn’t need to be read in order in my opinion. I’ll be reading and listening to more from McBride in the future.
I highly recommend this audio book to anyone.

A wonderful start to the holiday season!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#carolynmcbride #santaoverboard #NetGalley #romanticcomedy #audiobook #bookreview #mariamarquis

This book wasn’t my typical read, as the main characters are older than books I usually reach for. Think young adult/new adult fiction.
This book was very cute and definitely had the Christmas vibe I was hoping for, and the overall storyline was good. It was hard for me to get into, and I think it’s because the beginning of the story didn’t have a “hook” to pull me in and the plot was hard to follow.
My only complaint was that the writer kept bringing up Covid in the story, small comments here and there, but they didn’t seem to help plot development at all. It felt random to keep mentioning it as it wasn’t a real conflict or plot device in the story.
Overall, it was good. This is a great book for readers who love “Hallmark Channel” Christmas movies.

Carolyn McBride's “Santa Overboard” offers a delightful escape to the charming town of Occoquan. Katie, a single mom navigating midlife, finds herself caught up in holiday cheer and a budding romance with the intriguing Deke. The story is filled with heartwarming moments, quirky characters, and a touch of holiday magic.

While the plot is predictable at times, the author's vivid descriptions of the town and its festive atmosphere create a cozy ambiance. The audiobook, narrated by Maria Marquis, is well-paced and brings the characters to life.

If you're looking for a light and enjoyable holiday listen, Santa Overboard is a perfect choice. It's a cozy read that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

Make Waves Press | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks, NetGalley, and the editorial team - thanks for giving me the opportunity to review an audiobook ARC of this publication!

For more reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!

#SantaOverboard #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

This was a cute little listen and I enjoyed the narration but it wasn't anything special for me. It was a cute little holiday listen but I felt like (and I typically feel like this with novellas) that I couldn't really connect with the characters. Overall I would give it 3/5 stars. It was an easy and funny holiday listen!

Thank you NetGalley and Make Waves Press for the audio arc!
I didn’t particularly like any of the characters and Deke and Katie’s relationship really lacked a spark. It was an easy, quick listen with a fun premise. But I walked away just feeling meh - I’m not disappointed I read it by any means, but it won’t be one I remember a year or two from now.

Feel good, super short small town romance. Second chance at love with some contemporary mid life crisis vibes weaved in.

Narration was good, story was cute but just okay for me.

Thank you to Make Waves Press and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Katie lives outside DC on the Potomac. She’s the captain of the Christmas boat parade and runs into Deke, a scientist. They’re excited to hang out around the holidays, but Deke has to go to the Galapagos for work. Will they have a holly jolly Christmas?

Thanks to Net Galley, Make Waves Press, and Carolyn McBride for the ARC!