A one night stand goes awry when the house boat Zeke and Lexi are staying on comes untied and they are swept out to see.

This was such a great read! I'm not gonna lie, I thought I was in for a forced proximity slow burn type romance (and I was ok with that,) but this was so much better than that! This was a tale of survival, overcoming demons, forgiveness, and more! I loved how Lexi and Zeke learn so much about themselves while taking the time to get to know each other. For two flawed characters, they were both incredibly likeable. There were a couple of intense scenes and quite a sense of impending doom which kept me hooked. I wasn't expecting the ending at all, but it was superb. I definitely recommend this!

3.25⭐️

This was very cute. I love the concept, swept out to sea on a house boat after what should have been a one night stand!

The characters were endearing and I enjoyed the dynamic between the two. The adventure and days at sea had me on the edge of my seat at times and I really did enjoy getting to know the characters.

That said the pacing was a bit off - the lost at sea part dragged on for quite some time and I found myself wanting to skip to the part where they got rescued - but then the ending post rescue felt a little rushed. I would have enjoyed this quite a bit more if we'd cut out 1-2 days at sea and added that time to the afterward.

My largest complaint about this book is that the MC mentions a relationship he had at 16 with a 28 year old woman. I get that technically 16 is the age of consent in the UK but it felt so icky to mention it, not talk about how fucked up that dynamic is, and then proceed to say "so you really do like older women" --- the whole exchange was off putting and almost made me put the book down completely. This easily could have been a higher rated book if not for this aspect.

Overall this was an enjoyable book!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

There was a lot about Swept Away that I really loved. The characters were interesting- from the age dynamic to both of their self esteem issues, it was interesting to see a romance bloom between them. The story takes a turn (and I obviously will not spoil it) that I am still deciding how I feel about. My initial reaction was utter disappointment, but I feel like the more I think about it the more I think the twist improved the story. However, I do think that as a result of this and some of the other plot twists, the secondary characters are less likable than they could have been, which is a disappointment but I guess more like real life. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

This book is heartwarming and engaging and it perfectly blends romance and adventure. The book is both witty and poignant, which drew me into the lives of the well-developed characters. The charming and realistic portrayals of the characters make it easy to root for them as they navigate the complexities of love and life. This book hooked from start to finish, making this book a delightful experience. One of the standout aspects of the book is the beautifully interwoven themes of resilience, hope, and the power of human connection. The plot twists are thoughtfully crafted, adding a layer of unpredictability that keeps the story fresh and engaging. While there are moments when the pacing slows, the overall narrative remains compelling and satisfying. I did find the middle to be particularly slow, with almost dragging at points.

This book is full of relatable characters that make this novel a must-read for fans of contemporary romance and uplifting stories.

Beth O'Leary's newest book is a bit of romance and bit of adventure and I am here for it.

Other than some pacing issues and a concern for an infected wound- it was easy to get lost at sea with Zeke and Lexi. Loved the forced proximity and reverse age gap situation as well.

Okay the plot of this book stressed me out so much but I loved every second. I thought it was going to be a lighthearted romcom but I should have known that Beth O'Leary does not play. This is a swoony contemporary romance but it's also a story of survival and self-discovery. And it's just superbly done. Like, that twist? That twist does SO much on the craft level. I was seriously in awe of how smart it was. It was doing so much work and doing it so seamlessly that I think it won't be obvious to readers why it's there but it was very clear to me and anyway I think Beth is brilliant and this book is fabulous.

This one is a bit silly as two people in the midst of a one night stand instead get swept out to sea on the houseboat they failed to secure the night before. However, it is still entertaining and romantic.
Zeke is in town to buy back his father's houseboat, looking for answers to his past that he suspects his father hid on the boat. Lexi, has had a fight with her friend, and seeks refugee on the houseboat as she was asked to leave her apartment. Zeke and Lexi hook up in the bar where Lexi works and they both think they are going back to their houseboat for a fun evening.
I'm not sure I really like either Zeke or Lexi. Lexi seems to have major issues being wrapped up in her friend and her friend's daughter's life that she is missing out on her own life. Zeke has lots of issues that has led to him living quite the promiscuous life. I really didn't relate much to either of them and I'm not entirely clear what they see in each other.
Anyway, overall this is a fun, if unbelievable, rom com as the two survive at sea together for over a week on a house boat in the middle of the ocean.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Swept Away intrigued me with the blurb and cover. When I started reading this story I couldn’t put it down. It flowed well. Great plot…great characters. Emotional moments and a great ending. There was a twist in the story that absolutely shattered me but in the end, love won! A Beth puts our heart back to whole.

A true romance.

Highly recommended.

Another home run by Beth O'Leary. This story follows our two leads after a one night stand goes wrong and they end up lost at sea (what a plot!). I love both of the characters so much, they're lovable and I appreciated that their love story wasn't linear (or without its bumps). The concept of this book was just so original I found myself recommending it to people and it isn't even out yet. I hope that when this hit shelves it is met with the praise I think it deserves.

The cover for this one and the premise really appealed to me. Unfortunately, this is not a fluffy fun romcom, there are some truly heavy topics and just some things that rubbed me the wrong way. The fact they haven't showered in days and hook up that just doesn't work for me. There's just so many unrealistic things that don't work in this one that I can't get past.

this was a cute read but unfortunately I just didn’t connect with the characters well, and I am not a fan of the reverse age gap. I did really like the whole concept of this story though!! I was very invested in the story for about 40% of it and then it just kinda fell off for me. But if you want a fun romance with lots of adventure and forced proximity, I think you would enjoy this⛵️⛵️

I have really enjoyed Beth O’Leary’s previous works so I was delighted to have received an ARC of Swept Away. This book immediately gripped me and I read it in one day. Lexi and Zeke were interesting characters and I liked the seeing how the experience of being “swept away” in the house boat brought them together. Both protagonists had a lot of growth and I liked the twists and turns of the novel. Their bond, particularly post- house boat was compelling and I was so happy with the ending. Overall a great story read!

Beth O'Leary delights again with her latest - this time she combines a lost at sea survival story with a forced proximity romance that sounds like it shouldn't work, but totally does. Zeke and Lexi have great chemistry and learn to trust each other and work together to survive on a houseboat that holds memories for them both. The novel was sweet and suspenseful and totally immersive.

I really liked this book. After the first few chapters, this book really took off. I could not put it down. The characters were complex, and I loved the development of the relationship with Zeke and Lexi. This was my first book my Beth O'Leary, and it won't be my last. This was a very quick read and I enjoyed the story.

*Reverse age gap
*Forced proximity
*One night stand

Thank you Netgalley, and publishers for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Oh how I love Beth OLeary! This book had me hooked from the beginning. I don't recommend reading it while on a cruise! lol. The twist at the end was just so frustrating to me!! It was too hard to believe, but I loved that we got such a unique story.

Swept Away is a feel good romantic adventure that I absolutely adored! The setting was so beautiful and really added to the story. The chemistry between Lexi and Zeke was magnetic and I loved how everything came together in the end. I highly recommend Flatshare and all of O'Leary's previous books for a great romance that you will greatly enjoy!

I was dreading that this would be a literary remake of "Overboard" or similar. But no...the danger is real and yet the romance works. Refreshingly different from the usual romance fare.

This is a prime example of why we should not judge a book by its cover. I went into this expecting a steamy, romantic take on the forced proximity trope and those expectations left me feeling confused. This book's cover is going to have it next to fluffy, spicy reads when it should really be in the general fiction section. Readers should expect to feel more reflective and, honestly, a bit sad as they read about Zeke and Lexi's "adventure". I found myself feeling forlorn and fatigued reading this- which makes sense for a lost at sea novel. But I read this book because I wanted to be swept up in the romanticism promised on its cover. I think this is a worthwhile read but the marketing is very misleading and disappointing.

What a gorgeous, gut-wrenching, high-stakes story. I read the flap copy and was immediately hooked, but gave little thought to what it actually would mean for the characters to be lost at sea. O'Leary took great care to make it as painful and healing as possible, never shying away from the trauma while also creating space for romance to blossom.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I liked the idea of this book more so than the execution. A one night stand on a houseboat doesn’t end because the boat gets swept out to sea while the pair are asleep. The cover and synopsis make it seem like a romcom, but it was a much heavier story than that. The emotions felt very real and overall it was different from anything I’ve ever read!

Some aspects of the plot simply didn’t work for me. His family’s deepest darkest secrets are hidden on the houseboat with them in the middle of the ocean? They haven’t showered in 10 days and yet still want to hook up WHILE the boat is rocking in the middle of a storm? It was just a bit much at points. Too much of it was simply too outrageous for me.