Zeke and Lexi have a one night stand that turns into a 12 night stand when their houseboat becomes adrift in the ocean. They face several challenges while trying to survive with little food and water and no electricity or way to call for help. They do have lots of time in a small space to get to know each other and maybe fall in love.
I enjoyed the forced proximity and watching the relationship develop. Zeke was a pretty interesting male character and I liked seeing him grow. I still am not convinced 12 days is long enough to fall in love. There is a twist towards the end that I didn’t like and that took away from the book for me. Overall an enjoyable contemporary romance.

Lexi and Zeke hook up on a houseboat and find themselves lost at see the next morning. With nothing in sight and the awkwardness of the morning after the two are stuck trying to survive on the food and water that they have on board. The days pass, they face some dangerous situations but also find themselves getting to know each other, and developing some real feelings.

Great premise, right? Unfortunately there were just too many things that I found unrealistic. I couldn’t relate to their situation or understand their motivation. I was hoping for more humor, it was quite heavy at times making it hard to believe. It had some cute moments, and I am a huge fan of the authors work but this one isn’t for me.

2 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

3.5/5 ⭐️ (+0.5 for the reveal at the end)

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

After reading The No-Show around a year ago, I fully immersed myself in Beth O’Leary’s work. All of her stories are incredibly well written and bring out some of my favorite aspects of characters; all the rawest parts of them while navigating unthinkable or difficult situations that might occasionally bring out the best and worst in us. In that sense, Swept Away really takes that and runs with it. I honestly think my biggest gripe with this story is that after a while, the days feel very repetitive… Which I do rationalize IS the point, but I just found myself skimming a bit once we entered into the later half of Zeke and Lexi’s days at sea. Overall though, the dynamic between the pair justifies their feelings for one another in a big way that I think some other romances tend to lack due to what can sometimes feel like a forcing of the relationship, and this becomes all the more wholesome upon the ending. Interesting, suspenseful, and genuine.

I love Beth O'Leary's books because she writes such real, flawed and relatable characters and this book was no exception. This was such a fun premise and such an interesting take on "forced proximity". A one night stand on a house boat that gets swept out to sea - while it initially sounds like a romantic setup, this quickly turns into a tale of survival, overcoming trauma together, complicated family dynamics and finding your "person". While this was one "worst case scenario" after another - it was such an interesting look into how little certain "big" things matter when forced to contend with a potential life or death scenario. Its a little about survival, a lot about finding our inner strength and a lot about finding love amidst the unthinkable. This is perfect for those who enjoy forced proximity, age gap and mostly closed door romance (a few "fade to black" scenes).

Read if you like:
- Forced proximity
- Strangers to lovers
- One-night stand with consequences
- Survival romance
- Emotional healing after loss
- Dual POV
- Age-Gap Romance

Swept Away drops two very different people— at sea on a runaway houseboat after a spontaneous one-night stand. We meet Lexi who is dealing with the feeling of loss of a close friendship and closeness to her niece, Zeke who is battling demons tied to feelings of being different and the weight of family secrets.

Lexi, 31, who’s constantly putting others’ needs ahead of her own, cuts loose with her one night stand with Zeke and then learns all too well during their time trapped at sea that in order to take care of those you love, you also have to take care of yourself and allow yourself to have wants and needs met by others.

Zeke, 23, a wandering soul unwilling to settle down as he runs from his feelings of never belonging and wondering if his dad is even his dad, especially after the passing of his dad recently.

What starts as a lust-fueled encounter for them both, quickly turns into a survival story that forces both characters to confront past wounds, shifting life goals, and each other’s truths.

The tension is high, both in the romance and situationally with being lost at sea. The pacing is relatively quick moving from one anxiety filled moment to the next with the fears for them both due to being lost at sea and all the challenges they faced because of being stranded.

Thanks to Berkley and PRHA for my ARC and ALC of this one! If you like emotionally driven and high stakes romances I’d definitely recommend this one!

Huge thank you to @prhaudio @betkleypub @netgalley for an advanced audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story that sucked me in. A one night stand on a house boat goes awry when they are lost at sea. This is a harrowing tale at sea and I loved Zeke and Lexi and rooted for them.
Just when they are rescued and I thought the story was close to being done there was a huge twist that I never saw coming, which I always appreciate!

A one-night stand turns into a shipwrecked surprise when Zeke and Lexi wake up adrift on a houseboat. With no land in sight and only a few supplies, they must navigate survival—and their unexpected connection—while stuck at sea. Love wasn’t the plan…but neither was floating off into the sunrise together.

This felt immersive—not in the near-death-at-sea kind of way—but in how the setting and stakes mirrored the emotional work of building a relationship. I liked it. Zeke and Lexi’s backstories made them feel realistic and lived-in. I normally avoid one-night-stand tropes, but here, it sadly made sense.

The story felt fresh (maybe I just need to read more survival romances?), and that uniqueness alone kept my attention. I can see why this would be five stars for some and four for me—just a matter of personal preference when it comes to some plot and character elements. But the writing, creativity, and anticipation will definitely hook any romance lover.

The audiobook is excellent- highly recommend this format!

I picked this up because The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary is one of my favorite romances (definitely read this if you haven’t yet!) and while Swept Away didn’t wow me like that one, I’m excited to see what Beth does next, especially with Berkley!

Perfect for you if you like:
Only two (present) characters
Near death experience romances
Deciphering through their pasts
British romances
Unique found families

Similar to:
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
The No-Show by Beth O’Leary
One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

⛔️fade to black romance
⚠️lost at sea with threat of death, cut wound, previous death of parent, head trauma fall, near death experiences, parental infidelity (past)

Based on the cover alone, one might think this is a comedic tale of two strangers who expected a one night stand ending up floating away to open sea for a bit before getting rescued. It started out great, but the vibes took a turn from what I expected to be more of a romcom to more of a survival story. I did enjoy it, but I found myself more anxious about certain parts of Zeke and Lexi's experience which made it difficult for me to bask in what should have been swoony moments between the two. I felt the ending was very sweet though.

I love O’Leary’s previous books and jumped at the chance for this ARC. This one is a little different from her other books. It’s a little slow moving, a little serious and some adventure. I had a hard time warming up to Lexi the FMC but instaloved Zeke! There is a lot of chaos going on within the book and it strays from the typical romcom cozy vibes. I genuinely was left wondering how they would end up getting rescued. It’s not as witty as her other books either which was a disappointment. There’s a heartwarming ending though that stole my heart. Overall a pretty good read!

What to love:
•forced proximity
•one night stand
•age gap
•boating
•found family

Do I have a problem with age gap romances as long as they are consenting adults? No. Do I care if the MMC is older? No. Do I care if the FMC is older? Also no. But I do draw the line when things like “he’s just a kid, I have to be the adult”, “he looks so young”, and “she thinks I’m too young to show her a good time”. This because a perverted fetish and it’s an absolute no for me. Write an age gap romance if you want but please do not make it extremely creepy. After this, I’m not sure I want to read any more of this author’s work.

Swept Away is the story of a one night stand on a house boat that becomes unmoored and lost at sea. Limited food, limited water, no way to contact anyone, leaks in the boat, injuries, weather. This situation had it all - high stress mixed with a sweet romance. I was so into this story. So attached to these characters. Both the man and woman had chapters so we could see both points of view. My heart pounded and melted so many times. What a unique way to tell a love story.

3 stars.

"Swept Away" by Beth O'Leary was a mixed bag for me. I have loved O'Leary's past works and will continue to read her books in the future, but this one wasn't my favorite. The book takes quite a while to get going, leaving me wanting more from time to time. The best part of the story is the chemistry Zeke and Lexi gain as they get to know one another while stuck out at sea on a houseboat. They have a lot of great banter with one another, even when they are in dire straits and in a perilous situation. O'Leary's humor shines through in this story, even when I was on the fence about what I was reading. I also liked that this was an age-gap romance where the FMC is the older person in the pairing. Even though Zeke is in his early 20s, he is written as a more mature character, and he felt a lot older than his years would suggest... maybe it's all of the trauma. I feel like I liked Zeke more than I did Lexi. We get to know a lot about them individually because they are stuck on a boat with nothing else to do, so we learn about their innermost struggles, turmoils, and tribulations. I don't think I really believed in their love story because it felt more like trauma bonding than a full-fledged romance. I did enjoy the mix of romance and at-sea tension, but I found the premise unique but a bit outlandish at the outset. Despite having a premise where the characters are literally fighting for their lives on multiple occasions, the tension never felt quite as palpable as it could have or as I hope it would be. Still, this is a quick read that doesn't really overstay its welcome.

Thank you to NetGalley, Beth O'Leary, and Berkley Publishing Group for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Although Swept Away is labeled a romance, it is so much more than that. Zeke is in town to buy back his father's boat. Lexi is busy in life helping her best friend take care of her daughter. When she meets a handsome stranger in town, she is up for a one night stand on her sister's houseboat. After their night together, they get up the next morning afloat on the ocean with no working motor, and very few provisions. For twelve days, they are adrift. They spend a lot of time sharing secrets and getting to know one another. They also have to survive a couple of accidents, all while trying to find another boat or someone to rescue them. Once back on land, can the relationship they began drifting at sea, become something real? This is a story of dealing with life's issues. There is some grief, secrets, personal growth, romance and survival. This was a tense adventure, with situations that could have turned out very differently. I liked both Zeke and Lexi, and I wanted them both to find their place and a happily ever after. They were smart and resourceful, having to survive and deal with things that happen on the open water. I don't want to give the story away, so all I will say is if you enjoy a story with great characters, lots of tension, adventure, friendship, developing romance, with that third act break up, then Swept Away is the book for you.

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

If you loved this book, I love that for you. But I did not. I have read one other book by this author and also didn’t love it, but I definitely got swept away (har dee har har) by the cover and the synopsis. I just didn’t vibe with it and the sequence of events really stressed me out. It felt so realistic and completely unrealistic. It just wasn’t the book for me. I think i’ve learned that I just don’t mesh with this author and that’s okay! I hope it finds the right reader.

Synopsis:

“What if you were lost at sea…with your one-night stand?Zeke and Lexi thought it would just be a night of fun. They had no intentions of seeing each other again. Zeke is only in town for the weekend to buy back his late father’s houseboat. Lexi has no time for dating when she needs to help take care of her best friend's daughter.Going back home with a stranger seems like a perfect escape from their problems. But a miscommunication in the dark, foggy night means no one tied the houseboat to the dock. The next morning, Zeke and Lexi realize all they can see is miles and miles of water.With just a few provisions on the idle boat, Zeke and Lexi must figure out how to get back home. But aside from their survival, they’re facing another challenge. Because when you’re stuck together for days on end, it gives you a lot of time to get to know someone—and to fall in love with them.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Concept—Forced proximity on a boat! How interesting and high stakes.

The Emotional Depth—I liked my romance to contain a layer of emotional depth amidst the fun tropes and swoony moments. This definitely delivered.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

The Execution—I’m having a hard time articulating why exactly, but it felt like the structure just didn’t work and some of the things that happened gave me whiplash.

The Characters—I didn’t like them 🙈

The Twist Ending—I mean, I will say my jaw dropped. But it didn’t work for me!!! Kind of gave me the ick.

Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating: 2/5 Overall Rating: 2/5

Content Warnings:

blood, injury and injury detail, death of a parent, pregnancy, fire and fire injury

I've loved quite a few of O'Leary's books but actually DNFed her last release - for whatever reason the story just wasn't clicking for me and I haven't felt pulled to start it again. I was really hoping to get back on track with her for this novel and I'm happy to report that happened!

The story follows Zeke and Lexi as they deal with the aftermath of a one-night stand. They realize when they wake up in the morning that the houseboat they were using has somehow gotten untied and was swept out to see. They don't have power, they're running out of food, and - to top it all off - they literally don't know each other at all.

Obviously the premise alludes to a bit of a survival story but for some reason I didn't realize how intense it would be! I kind of just assumed they'd get rescued in a few days but there was actually a lot of peril and accidents to deal with. Some early reviews had folks unprepared for this and it affected their enjoyment, but I still really enjoyed it. It's just not a straightforward fluffy romance.

The ending had some twists that I didn’t see coming (which makes me feel like an idiot because maybe they were obvious?). It took a little while to get on board with those reveals but I was pretty pleased by the end of the book with how everything turned out. This was a super emotional kind of read with a heavy focus on family.

Overall, the plot was super unique and interesting to read. I kind of thought I’d get bored with the two of them being trapped on the boat, only able to talk to each other, but it was easy to keep reading.

Review will be posted on 4/11/25

Lexi and Zeke had an incredible one-night stand, but it was more than they bargained for. While on Zeke's father's houseboat, they don't pay attention and when they wake up, they are miles from land. The boat left the dock in the fog without them knowing it and now they are stranded at sea. At first, this sounds romantic. However, as time goes on, they realize that this is a perilous situation. Not to mention, Lexi's best friend and her daughter will be desperate to know what happened to her. Without cell service, and the water reserves dwindling, panic ensues. In the midst of all this, Zeke and Lexi come to realize that they share feelings for one another; it's more than just a one-night stand. If they can make it out of this, will they be able to make it in the real world? Beth O'Leary's Swept Away is an engaging romance, but one that doesn't feel balanced enough as the stressful situations abound.

Many readers have issues with the age gap between Lexi and Zeke, but it didn't bother me as much. I did enjoy their relationship; however, I felt it fell flat at times. It lacked that spark I was expecting based on O'Leary's previous novels. On the other hand, I did think the setting of a houseboat was very original and I liked that aspect of the story until things started to go badly. There were too many stressful situations (lacking water, a festering wound, etc) that took a day in the sun, to much more serious concerns. I also felt like there was a coincidence in the story revealed later on that didn't entirely work for me. I had a hard time suspending my disbelief. So, all in all, Swept Away was just an ok read for me.

This book is a unique blend of survival and romance that had me completely hooked. Despite it being a romance and I knew that a happy ending was imminent, I was still on the edge of my seat!

What starts as a one-night stand turns into a gripping fight for survival at sea. Lexi and Zeke, seemingly total opposites, form a deep bond as they face one life-threatening challenge after another.

This isn’t your typical forced-proximity romance. While there are lighter moments, the story leans into emotional growth and raw honesty of the characters, which, for me, felt even more realistic given the high-stakes situation.

The twist near the end was completely unexpected and added another layer of intensity, however I thought the journey to get there was well-crafted and satisfying.

The dual POV added depth, giving insight into how both Lexi and Zeke were evolving through their experience. Some readers might view their connection as more bonding as a result of shared trauma than romance, but the emotional weight and stakes still made this a thought-provoking and memorable read for me.

I found the story to be a complex mix of tension, tenderness, and reflection—it will make you think (and maybe never want to go on a boat again).

Many thanks to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the eARC.

This book. Wowsa. We have now been gifted with the most dangerous bang that has ever danger banged. Other than two people going at it in the middle of a hostage shoot out, I can’t think of a more specific way of “fornicating in the face of death” than what this book delivered to us. I feel like I have been blessed by the book gods, bc Smutty loves a good danger bang.

Zeke is a reformed man-slut from London who is at the coast buying back his dad’s houseboat that he sold years prior after his dad’s death. Lexi is a townie who’s mom had purchased said houseboat and now she is crashing at it not knowing it was recently sold. The two meet at a bar, get the hots for each other, return to said houseboat and make some waves if you catch my drift. The following day they wake up to find that, oopsie daisies, the houseboat has come untied and now they are adrift at sea…and that’s when the book really becomes enthralling as these two one-night-stand strangers have to work together to stay alive. While they vow to not bone anymore, as each day passes they get hornier and hornier for each other…which is saying A LOT bc they are unbathed and injured and hairy and they must both smell like a giant decaying fish decked out in old hockey gear. True love doesn’t have olfactory nerves, guys. Anyway- there are so many hazards and threats sandwiched between Zeke and Lexi actually getting it on that your dopamine receptors will be happily engaged for the entirety of the book.

I loved this. Please sail on over to your local bookstore and get yourself a copy!!! It’s so so good.

Smut- 2.1 stars (add a star for ‘mayday mating’)
Romance- 4.3 stars
Story- 4.7 stars
Imperiled intercourse- 18.2 stars

This doesn’t make me happy to share that I didn’t like this one. I love the author, always seek to enjoy her romance novels but the couple drove me bonkers in this. Immature and annoying (sorry!!! I feel so bad being honest) … if it’s your first with the author, go to her backlist, she’s got some gems.

Or maybe it’s a me thing.
Probably a me thing.

Sorry to the author! And so appreciative to the publisher for trusting me with an e-arc. This is the first by the author that I didn’t love. I’m not going to post it on my Bookstagram because I don’t want people to not try for themselves.

I so enjoy Beth O'Leary's books. Her books are always warm, unique, and like a big, cozy hug. Swept Away was no different. It's fast-paced and, well, not to use a bad pun, but you get swept up in the storyline.

The idea of being swept out to sea with your one-night stand seems like a nightmare, and I think it is for Lexi and Zeke. But, as they spend more time on open water, they start to open up to each other in ways most people take years to do. I liked the premise and found this surprisingly emotional.

Highly recommend if you're a Beth O'Leary fan!