Utterly delightful, filled with humor and hurt. I was enthralled from the first page to the last. Another new favorite from Beth!

The cover for Swept Away immediately grabbed my attention it’s so pretty and romantic and I was excited to read it!

For the most part I enjoyed both characters and the instalove here surprisingly worked for me because of the forced proximity high-stress situation the characters were in.

Unfortunately a few things gave me the ick and one thing in particular was a dealbreaker for me. I’m sure the twist would have also bothered me if I wasn’t already bothered.

While I loved the concept for Swept Away, it didn’t hit the way I hoped it would.

**Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.**

What was supposed to be a one night stand turns out to be an exercise in trust and survival when the houseboat Zeke and Lexi were on drifts out to sea overnight.

Having read most of Beth O'Leary's previous books, I should know by now that she is well versed in how to navigate an emotionally intriguing story with wonderful characters. Still, I was a little weary of how this story was going to be pulled off. I'm over here thinking how improbable it is in today's technology enabled world to get lost at sea. Well, turns out, it's completely plausible and obviously possible. And I admit to my very short-sightedness where this story was originally concerned.

The mounting tension as each day passes and more and more unaccounted for issues arise was done so methodically well. It really makes you realize how many things we have (like clean drinking water) that we don't even think about but make a huge impact and when that's taken away can have big consequences.

I also liked the setup of Lexi and Zeke. Two people who are looking for nothing from the other person besides one night and then having to completely rely on this person for survival. Putting your trust and faith in someone you don't know and in the process getting to know and understand them. The rest of the world just kind of melts away and it's only Lexi and Zeke. I liked the pinpoint focus of everything revolving around Lexi and Zeke. I was completely caught up in their growing relationship and it's maybe because of this that I missed a gently laid out twist. I appreciate the dimension that this twist added to the story but it's difficult because it brings in that outside world which doesn't happen until close to the end and therefore might not get the full deserving attention.

Regardless, for me, I found this the most surprising of Beth O'Leary's books. Probably due to the fact that I was a bit skeptical of it. I do love to be proven wrong. Especially when it gets me a good read!

This was a cute and easy to digest read, with quite the quirky concept! After a one night stand, Zeke offers to walk Lexi home, only that option is obsolete, as they're stranded in the house boat they hooked up in! It accidently stranded them in the middle of the ocean. The premise of this makes for an incredible forced proximity, and quite a refreshing take on one of my favorite tropes. I struggled slightly with the insta love aspect of their relationship, but that's a personal thing for me, as it was still an obvious chemistry match between the two characters. If you're up for an adventurous love story with a surprise twist at the end, you'll really enjoy this.

4.5 rounded up

This was a ride!

That was the first line I found from the last review I had started writing for a the latest in a cozy mysteries series. If that was a ride, however, then this was, well, I shouldn’t say the Titanic, even though that’s the first thing that came to mind.

First of all, this is not a romcom. I’ve begun to think of a lot of modern romances as romcoms—especially when they all feature cute characters on the cover—but they tend to have a lot more turmoil than Nora Efron movies ever had. This is a lot. Sure, not everything is 100% plausible, and though some of those things were later satisfied by explanation, I wasted time thinking they weren’t plausible. If you aren’t a Brit, I recommend looking up pictures of what a houseboat or lifeboat look like. These houseboats are always in canals, not the open sea. Even though I should have remembered, I started out thinking of the mobile-home-raft hybrids in Seattle and blown up evacuation dinghies.

I loved most of this. It is about honesty, loving yourself, strength, and the fragility of life. I could only think when their health was threatened in various ways how that shouldn’t be happening in 2025 because of all our advancement in modern medicine. Then I thought about how many people are throwing away modern medicine every day because they think they know better than the brilliant people who have committed their lives to improving everyone else’s and, more importantly, they are building upon the research and successes and failures both they and all of the scientists who came before them had.

My feelings aside, these were too healthy, stable adults from a wealthy country, who, just outside the reach adequate fresh water, proper sanitation, and access to emergency medicine, had to forge ahead seeking a rescue, rather than recuperating. It is like being in a place where most of the people are starving. Except that those people have no hope of a rescue, whatever that would mean.

This is a fascinating and eye-opening story and quite unique in the modern day of very predictable romance tropes. You could not help but like both characters and I’m glad we could get into the heads of both of them rather than from just one of their perspectives. Just be prepared for some emotional turmoil.


Thank you to Beth O’Leary, NetGalley, and Berkeley Publishing Group for providing me with a free advanced copy of this ebook for my unbiased review.

#SweptAway #NetGalley

Loved. Did not disappoint.

Zeke and Lexi decide to have one night of fun. They head back to Zeke’s houseboat for a one night stand but the boat floats out to sea and they end up stuck on the houseboat in the middle of the ocean waiting to be rescued.

One of my favorite things about O’Leary’s stories is that there is always more to them than what you originally see. This books comes off like a silly forced proximity romance, but the characters have such depth and grow throughout their survival. There is also the expected O’Leary twist that hits you in the heart. I was a little disappointed in myself for not calling it sooner.

Zeke is like this perfect man. Well, not in your stereotypical pulled together suave man, but in an emotionally self-aware and willing to change kind of way. He definitely has his flaws but he is so willing to look at them head on and make changes. It was extremely attractive. Lexi is a little rougher around the edges. She’s a bit more damaged and struggles to make growth as easily as Zeke does. I guess my only issue with this book is that I wish there had been a little more exploration into Lexi’s background and issues. Zeke’s were more fleshed out which maybe is why it made his growth feel a little more genuine.

I was so surprised that I enjoyed a book stuck on a houseboat for almost its entirety. I kept expecting to get bored but O’Leary kept it exciting without making it feel unrealistic. It also had an element of a slow burn, even though it takes place over about two weeks. I just truly cannot think of what I’d want more out of this book.

This was a knock out of the park for me. I loved Zeke and Lexi, which is important since the whole book is just the two of them. This might be one of my favorite of her books. It was so unique from many romance centered books I’ve read and I devoured it in 2 days. I still think The Flatshare is the place to start with her novels, but if that one doesn’t strike your fancy you should definitely pick this one up.

I love basically everything Beth O'Leary writes (except for one or two exceptions, which we don't need to discuss lol), and so it was for this book. This is a pretty ridiculous premise, which is sort of O'Leary's calling card, and as in her other books she somehow makes it work. Lexi and Zeke have a one-night stand on a docked boat, but when they wake up they realize the boat has come loose and they are adrift at sea with no land in sight. They have to come together and figure out how to survive, all while getting to know each other and - of course :) - falling in love.

This book was definitely more serious and stressful - and certainly darker - than I expected. I deeply loved it, but just be warned it is not a frivolous lost at sea story, but instead a harrowing journey really getting into how you would survive if you were in the middle of the ocean for days on end on a houseboat that had not sailed in years. Lexi and Zeke are both incredibly lovable, and we see them just white-knuckling it and figuring out each problem that comes their way, all the while also trying to get rescued. This book has O'Leary's signature banter and soft relationship growth, and getting both Lexi's and Zeke's perspectives really helped me feel invested in both of them. I also appreciated that we got to know both of them as they got to know each other, and that O'Leary didn't rush the connection between them (of course the actual time that passes is not very long, but the challenges they face and the conversations they have made it all seem earned real). I always like when a romance takes the time to help the characters grow in all aspects of their lives, not just romantic, and so I loved that aspect of this book too. Overall, one I really enjoyed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book threw me for a loop. I love Beth O'Leary and her romances, and I knew there had to be some sort of deeper feelings situated in this but I wasn't prepared. Lexi and Zeke are stranded on a houseboat in the middle of the sea, with no land in sight. Their journey is harrowing and the things they learn about themselves as well as each other are eye opening. They were only meant to be a one night stand, but even without the trauma they endured, Zeke knows there is something about Lexi he can't forget.
If you are a BOL fan, this one is not going to disappoint. If you haven't read her before, buckle up and just jump in.
Thanks to Berkley, Netgalley and Beth O'Leary for an early copy.

If you like survivor stories, you have to read this! Lexi and Zeke are lost at sea on the defunct houseboat where they were having a one night stand. They get to know each other as their most vulnerable selves while trying to survive. Then they have to figure out how to survive back in the real world (this is a romance so of course they are rescued). An amazing, adventurous love story.

Zeke and Lexi find themselves in the middle of the ocean on a houseboat with no phone reception, a dead battery and no means of navigation. They’re essentially strangers but now must rely on each other to survive.

Swept Away was brilliant! There was something magical and magnetic between Zeke and Lexi from the start, but facing the trial together cemented their bond. Having nowhere to go, they shared their deepest feelings, insecurities, fears and dreams. I was on the edge of my seat with some of the things that happened, worried about their survival!

Beth O’Leary is famous for her surprise twists and there was one here that reshaped things. I did suspect long before it was revealed. It did make things messier and complicated but didn’t change my love for the story from beginning to end! I will say that I was more than a little miffed with Penny.

One night stand… followed by twelve days stranded at sea? Say less. This book had me from the premise alone, but it was the execution that really blew me away (pun intended).

Beth O’Leary delivers a hilarious, heartfelt, and surprisingly beautiful survival romance. The banter is chef’s kiss- witty, sharp, and genuinely funny. The chemistry between the characters is undeniable, and the close proximity situation? Peak tension. You can practically feel the salty air and hear the waves as they try to navigate the wild circumstances they’ve been swept into (literally).

The setting, a houseboat adrift in open water, somehow never gets stale. It’s described with such clarity and atmosphere that even though they’re stuck in the same spot, it always feels fresh and compelling. There’s trauma bonding, for sure, but also emotional growth, moments of vulnerability, and a slow-burn trust that builds under intense pressure.

There’s a major plot twist near the end that I did not see coming. I wasn’t totally in love with how it played out, but I respect the risk, and it added another layer to an already rich story.

This book has heart, heat, humor, and high stakes. If you’re into banter-filled survival stories with real emotional depth, you’re going to want to get swept away too.

The one night stand trope can be hit or miss for me, but I love what Beth O’Leary does with it in her new adventure romance, Swept Away, when Lexi and Zeke, the couple in question, wake up from their one night stand stranded at sea on an idle houseboat. With minimal provisions and no way back to land, this duo are forced to work together to find a way to survive until they can figure out how to get back home.

I really loved the survival aspect of this story. We already knew Lexi and Zeke had amazing chemistry from their one night stand, but they also just made such a great team and it was just really impressive watching them come together and do whatever needed to be done to survive. Both of them were so strong and resilient, and I felt like they also just both really balanced one another out in terms of strengths and weaknesses.

As dangerous and terrifying as some moments of their ordeal were, this is still a romance book so there were also some sweet, tender, and flirty moments as well. I’ve always loved the way O’Leary writes her character’s banter and it was just as wonderful as always here with Lexi and Zeke and had me chuckling to myself several times. Both characters also experience quite a bit of personal growth both as a result of their experience and as a result of opening up to one another.

4 1/2 stars

The pacing is a bit off in this book but I think people will find characters they can relate to! Complex characters, romance and adventure!

A miscommunication and one-night stand between strangers leads to Lexi and Zeke stranded at sea on a houseboat. Both thought they had tied up the boat, but upon waking the next morning, all they can see are miles of sea. Together, the two must figure out how to survive and return home.

This was a cute story, albeit not my favorite of the author’s. I went into the book blind, based on my love of some of the author’s previous novels {especially The No-Show!}, and I think this one just wasn’t the best fit for me. It’s an interesting premise, but I think with them being stuck on a boat for the majority of the novel the plot got a bit slow. I do think the pacing picked up towards the later chapters, and I really enjoyed this portion of the book. Overall, this could definitely be a fun beach read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for my gifted e-copy!

Forced proximity romance.

Our two main characters are "swept away" when the rigging of the house boat they are on gives way and they wake up to find themselves lost at sea. Armed with their wit and a bag of random groceries, they survive 12 days on a rickety vessel.

Since this is a romance and not an adventure/thriller, there is very little peril and we focus on love and found family. And, boy, do our characters get "swept away" once again, this time emotionally. Zeke and Lexi have that insta-love, expected from the forced proximity. I understand that they point of the book is showing how people can get carried away with their emotions, but Lexi's attachment to her friend's child was off-putting and maybe unhealthy. And I couldn't help but think if the genders were swapped on the relationship with a significant age difference that there would be some outrage. I mean, he was a boy.

So yes, characters get swept away with their emotions, the magical rickety boat provides, and we get a happy, blended family at the end. A fun, summer vacation romance of a book.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review. This book definitely put me in the spring mood as this story takes place of being stranded at sea and surrounded by water. This is a perfect spring break/beach read if you are wanting to get swept up or should I say swept away in a forced proximity romance where Zeke and Lexi are stranded in a houseboat at sea.

Ehhh, this was so far-fetched that it was difficult for me to truly enjoy. An older woman has a one night fling with a younger man, they go back to his boat, which due to a miscommunication is not tied properly, and they wake up swept out to sea. What follows honestly felt a little like nonsense to me. I did not find it realistic so I struggled to get invested in the characters' lives. I found that the age gap was too much of a focus, where normally I wouldn't be bothered by it, the thoughts felt inappropriate considering the actions. That being said, it was a quick read. I never considered putting it on the DNF list as it was entertaining, I just wish there was a little more substance and that their relationship seemed a little more realistic. 
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

First off, I must give credit where it’s due—the author did an incredible job crafting a scenario where the boat drifts away. The FMC & MMC... These two are imperfectly perfect, especially when they’re forced into survival mode, stranded at sea for days. Imagine being stuck in close quarters with your supposed one-night stand? The chaotic and realistic vibe continues throughout the book with moments that felt raw and stressful—like not having access to Google when someone gets injured while adrift in open waters. It kept me on the edge of my seat, turning pages to find out what would happen next. Oh, and if you think their love story ends once they’re back on solid ground… lol, think again This book is packed with sarcasm, humor, the ever-relatable "wait, I’m stranded with my one-night stand??", and that irresistible forced proximity tension. It’s impossible not to root for these two, and I loved every moment of it!

Beth O'Leary definitely has her fans. Her earlier books include The Wake Up Call, The Road Trip, and The No Show. Here she again offers a novel that her fans may want to read. At close to 400 pages it will offer escape for a bit.

Take two people who meet and don't really expect to spend a lot of time together. They have their differences, starting with their ages as Zeke is almost ten years younger than Lexi. However, what is likely to have been one night together transforms when the houseboat they are on (readers will find out why) goes out to sea. Uh-oh. What will happen as they wait/hope for rescue? That's the premise here.

Follow Zeke and Lexi over the next twelve days. Imagine what it would be like to spend that amount of time in a confined space with a person that you don't really know. Will they be swept away both on the boat and by falling in love?

Readers will hope that everything works out for these two. Read the book to find out what happens.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

I loved the new @betholearyauthor romance novel! 🩷 it’s Survivor but with your one night stand, and it’s wonderful and I love Zeke, he’s my new book boyfriend 🔥😍😏 I’ve read all of Beth’s books and just adore them all!