Beth O’Leary delivers another charming and heartfelt read with *Swept Away*, a story filled with romance, self-discovery, and emotional depth. The characters are wonderfully developed, and the dual timeline adds an engaging layer to the narrative. O’Leary’s signature wit and warmth shine through, making this an enjoyable and touching read. While some parts felt a bit predictable, the emotional payoff was absolutely worth it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group, for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
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Two strangers find themselves stranded at sea together in this epic new love story by bestselling author Beth O’Leary.

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.
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I have loved every book I have ever read by Beth O'Leary, so when this one showed up on NetGalley, I was quick to request it, and I am so glad I did! The adventurous plot line of this book made this one a little different from her other novels, but all the elements that make her stories so enjoyable were still there. There was excellent character development and growth, which I really enjoyed. I am more of an open door romance fan, so the fact that this wasn't a super spicy romance had me giving it bonus points. And the addition of Eugene the Seagull (my dad's name is Eugene) filled the spot that a dog usually holds in some of my favorite romance novels.

There was one big twist at the end that was kind of a gimme, but it was still a good one, and the fact that I guessed it ahead of time didn't ruin it for me. And there was another twist that happened that I didn't guess that was handled in an unexpected and lovely way that kind of lent a redemptive arc to a relationship that I didn't expect to want so much. There was a lot of miscommunication, which often annoys me, but it was written well and not drawn out beyond the point that it was reasonable, so it didn't feel overdone.

Overall, I would say this wasn't my favorite of O'Leary book (I really loved The Flatshare, and it will be hard to beat that!), but I did love spending most of the day with Zeke and Lexi (and Eugene) as I read this one almost in one sitting.

ARC/ALC BOOK REVIEW

Swept Away by Beth O’Leary

Thank you, Berkley, for the free eARC of this book and another thank you to PRHA for the #ree audiobook! #berkleypartner #PRHAudioPartner

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.”

REVIEW: First, let me say that I really did like this book. However, I think the cover and marketing of it is a bit misleading to readers as to the content of the book. All that being said, that is not on the author.

This book was so much more than I thought it would be. It had moments of pretty harrowing adventure (and even life-threatened terror) woven in and between a romance storyline. As such, the characters both have a lot of growth, which was nice to see. These two had an instant connection, but that relationship really grows as they are stranded together for days.

I listened to the audiobook of Swept Away, and the narrators did an absolutely stellar job. Connor Swindells and Rebekah Hinds, I will listen to anything you narrate.

Overall, if you like adventure with a side of romance, this is a book for you. But if you have a feel of water or boating…stay away.

Publisher: Berkley, Berkley Romance, PRH Audio
Pub date: 4/1/25

I've loved all of Beth O'Leary's books, so I knew I would love this one too.
A misunderstanding after a one night stand leaves Lexi and Zeke stranded in the middle of the ocean. Lexi's best friend Penny has just sold her houseboat to Zeke whose father owned it when he was a child. But Lexi doesn't know this and takes Zeke there after Penny kicks her out of her house after a fight thinking she will stay there until Penny has cooled off. They then get confused about who is tying the boat to the dock and neither of them end up doing it. At first they try to remain friends through this terrifying ordeal (since they were both ok with a one night stand), but end up getting to know each other very well and falling for each other.
I really liked both Lexi and Zeke. Lexi is 35 and Zeke is 23, so at first Lexi is very self conscious about the age gap. They both have problems they are working through. Lexi lives with Penny after her mother brought her into the family as a child when her own family kind of disowned her. They are as close as sisters and Lexi is helping raise Penny's daughter May. Lexi has put her whole life on hold to help with May. Zeke has some family issues - he has always thought his father was not really his father, and he bought the houseboat back in the hopes that his father had hidden some sort of answers to all his questions somewhere in the houseboat. He also is not close with his 2 siblings who are very close to each other and has always felt lesser than them. They are smart and he likes to cook. He also spent several years being intimate with a high number of women for the wrong reasons, but he is trying to change this. Since there is nothing better to do when you are stranded in the middle of the ocean, Lexi and Zeke get all this aired out quickly and come to know each other very well in a short amount of time. Their relationship and chemistry felt really real and organic. They seemed to be a good match and grow together despite (or because of) this life or death situation.
The plot was not crazy. A lot of it was just Lexi and Zeke floating on a calm ocean. But I was never bored, not once. It was so easy to keep engaged in this story no matter what else I was doing. I loved watching this relationship blossom. I loved seeing how creative they could get trying to figure out how to ration their food and how to spend their time. There were some more exciting parts, like when they spotted a ship, or found an oil rig to kind of cut through the monotonous ocean, even though it didn't feel monotonous to me. They even found a stranded seagull and named it Eugene.
The emotion in this book was palpable, especially towards the end when they were starting to lose hope of being rescued or finding land. I could feel their boredom and their hope, and their fear and their blossoming love. I think that was one of my favorite things about this book. Every emotion seemed so real, I almost felt like I was stranded at sea too.
One of my least favorite tropes is the third act breakup. But it's actually done well in this one. It really made sense and didn't seem like it was thrown in there to be a cliche trope. I actually liked how it, even at the very end, forced these characters to grow and come to terms with some things. The only thing I disliked a tiny bit was how fast the ending went. I wish it had been a little longer of a part in the book.
Yet another happy check in Beth O'Leary adventure! Definitely check this one out if you're looking for a sweet romance with a life or death situation!

Swept Away
Beth O’Leary
Pub: 4/1/25
3.5☆

What if you were lost at sea…with your one-night stand?

If you’re in the mood for an adventurous romance… This story delivers on emotional depth, character development, and a totally unique premise. I adore adventure mixed with romance and give me all of the forced proximity. I really enjoy Beth O’Leary’s books, her writing and her characters. But with all of that said, this one just wasn’t my favorite. I’ve seen a ton of rave reviews though so definitely check it out for yourself.

Read if you like;
🛥️ Lost At Sea Adventure
🛥️ Age Gap Romance
🛥️ Dual POV
🛥️ Forced Proximity
🛥️ One Night Stand

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the free book.

3.5 ⭐️s rounded up!

First things first, the cover is stunning and deserves all the love! Also adding points for Eugene the Seagull, aka the best character! The premise of this book is so interesting and unique so I was excited to dive into this story!

This book had a lot that pulled me in! The characters arcs were well done and felt like a natural progression in the story. I honestly thought both the MMC and FMC were going to be shallow and insufferable, but throughout the book they grew on me. I loved seeing Zeke come to terms with his relationship with his dad and learning about his healing journey. It took Lexi a while, but her co-dependency and boundary issues were eventually addressed as well.

The way the survival aspect was written really worked for me too. Was it perfectly realistic? No. But it kept me on the edge of my seat after the first few days at sea. I thought it would be monotonous, but most of the time I was just wondering how they’d manage things.

The romance was super sweet. I wouldn’t call this a slow burn romance, because it’s like 12 days, but the buildup feels similar. Zeke and Lexi definitely trauma bond, but there is genuine affection too. They have plenty of time to get to know each other while stranded in the middle of the ocean. 😅

There were a few things that didn’t work for me in this book. No spoilers, but I didn’t love the plot twist at the end. It just isn’t my kind of drama. It just made me dislike the best friend a whole lot right at the very end. 🤷‍♀️ There was also a very glossed over mention of a relationship between a 16 year old Zeke and a 28 year old woman. This was kind of thrown out there as a way of saying “haha he’s always been into older girls”. Pretty sure that’s just abuse. 😬 The pacing of the book definitely dragged at first, but towards the end I was flying through it.

Overall this is a fresh take on some new tropes, and even if not everything worked for me, I still had a good time!

Big thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy! 🩷

4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Swept Away just dethroned Flatshare as my favorite by this author. I expected a rom-com—what I got was raw survival, deep emotion, and a love story forged in the unthinkable. Some moments hit as hard as Tom Hanks losing Wilson in Cast Away.

Lexi and Zeke barely knew each other before fate threw them into a life-or-death situation. Forced to rely on each other, they emerge not just as survivors, but as something more—two people bonded by an experience that reshapes them. Their love isn’t built on grand gestures or perfect moments; it’s forged in desperation, trust, and the kind of connection that only comes from facing death together. When everything is stripped away—when there’s nothing left but fear, instinct, and each other—what remains is real, unshakable, and true.

This book is intense and beautifully written. It doesn’t just tell a love story; it throws you into it, making you feel every moment of fear, hope, and longing.

This one has some surprises and won’t be for everyone, but it completely captivated me. If you’re looking for a romance that goes beyond the ordinary, Swept Away delivers.

this is totallyyyyy on me for not reading the synopsis but judging this book by the author, as i have heard nothing but good things about beth o'leary so i decided to check out her latest release. i think this one personally was not my cup of tea, as forced proximity on a boat in survival mode stresses me out more than it romances me and i finally had to dnf it 😔i will, without a doubt, still read more from her as well as recommend this for people who find this intriguing!

Thank you for the free book @penguinrandomhouse and @berkleyromance! #penguinrandomhousepartner #berkleyIG #BerkleyBookstagram.

So this book gives me Survivor and Titanic vibes and I binged it super quickly. This book comes out April 1st, friends! (Next Tuesday!!)

I always expect a Beth O Leary book to deliver in terms of emotional depth and character development and this was another good book of hers!

Basically we have two strangers who only wanted to have fun for a night. They ended up in having a one night stand in a houseboat. Morning comes and all they just wanted was to get back to their own lives when they found out that the boat wasn’t tied to a dock and now they’re lost at sea!

This was definitely an interesting plot but definitely a slow burn one since 70% of the book was spentwith them stranded on the boat. So definitely the book’s focus was more on the two leads getting to know each other more, surviving elements and close boat sinking calls, eventually to the two of them falling in love with each other.

There was a little twist in the end when they eventually found out more about each other when they were eventually rescued and I wanted it to badly to be a paranormal twist but it wasn’t 😂

As for the spice level, hmmm maybe a 2🌶️? It’s very mild. After the one night stand scene, I think there’s only 1-2 more short spicy scenes after that.

💭 Will you survive being lost at sea?
☕️ I honestly probably wont 😅 the cold will unalive me alone

Thank you @PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook and to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for the complimentary ARC. 🛥️

“There’s something so grounding about a child. Their needs are so immediate, and they’re so physical—scuffed knees, sticky fingers, tangled hair. It’s easier to be present in the here and now when there’s someone beside you who knows no other way to be.”

Lost at sea together, will these two hearts—who never anticipated more than a one night stand—find harbor in each other?

4.5 stars! I absolutely ADORED The Flatshare and am so happy that I loved this one almost as much. It is a romance, sure. But with the twist of the added drama of a one-night stand turned forced proximity…on an unmoored boat. Woah! Such a fun new take on your typical romance.

Also the idea of floating in the ocean, stranded on a houseboat, is utterly terrifying to me so these two are some badass characters. Oomph.

Narrated with 2 narrators, one each for Zeke and Lexi, the audiobook was awesome! I loved the accents and it helped me get so invested in their love story. I highly recommend it!

“Trust me, even if you can’t trust yourself yet.”

⭐️: 5
🌶️: 1

⛵️ forced proximity
⛵️ one night stand
⛵️ reverse age gap
⛵️ adventure packed

I love to go into a book blind, especially where my favorite auto-buy authors are involved. So when I dove head first into Swept Away, all I saw was a cute, colorful cover with two lovebirds on it. But boy, did I not expect the gut wrenching, nail-biting, and often times traumatic, story that unfolded. So my advice to you is, yes yes absolutely yes read this one, but don’t go in blind.

This may be Beth’s best work to date. It is so very clear that she outdid herself with this story and pushed the boundaries on her own writing. It was raw and vulnerable, and many times I cried as if I were too 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 on the Merry Dormouse.

🌶️ = closed door

♥︎ Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publishing and Beth O’Leary for the ARC of Swept Away.

The premise from this one sounded super interesting! The idea of being trapped with your one night stand is hilarious and I think could have led to some really exciting interactions. I do think this fell a bit flat for me overall, I didn’t feel particularly drawn in by either of the characters. The age gap (and discussion around it) didn’t work for me either, I felt like the FMC talked about it weird at times.

This book was a wild ride. Obviously the title tells you they've been swept away out to sea but the reality of their circumstances adds so much more to it. I don't typically love a one night stand but this book has such a twist to it that it intrigued me.

I really loved how these two worked together to get through such an impossible situation. I also really liked that at various points they took turns helping and caring for each other. The forced proximity made things really interesting as they had a lot of time to really get to know each other.

If you love a book with plenty of twists and turns and adve ture I think you'll love this one.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Thank you Berkley Romance for my digital ARC! I felt like this story was just okay. When the main plot focuses on a one night stand turned into the house boat floating away and the two are stranded out at sea, you’re super limited to the events/storyline imo. It was cute & yes I’d recommend for a cute quick read, but it won’t stick with me forever.

Maybe Beth is just an okay author for me - I felt the same way about the road trip in the summer…. We’ll see if I give it another go in the future.

I am a sucker for lost at sea plotlines so I was very eager to dive into Swept Away!

Lexi and Zeke hook up after meeting at Lexi's bar in town and end up spending the night on a houseboat. In the morning they discover not only do they both think the houseboat is theirs but that it's also at sea, the power is out and they have no way of communication with the outside world.

While I really liked some aspects of this book I felt that the main hook of the story, being lost at sea, is kind of lost? There was no real sense of planning, urgency or anything that would really be happening if this was the case.

Overall I did enjoy the story but I think it would have been stronger had there been more emphasis on being lost at sea.

This was my first book by this author, and I already know it won’t be my last! The concept hooked me right away—a romance with survival elements woven in? That is exactly the kind of unique, high-stakes storytelling I crave, and this book delivered in so many ways.

Romance novels often follow a formula—predictable, safe, comforting. And while I love that familiarity sometimes, there’s something so refreshing about a book that dares to break away from the norm. This one had depth, emotional weight, and an intensity that kept me fully invested from start to finish. I think that’s something Beth excels at—she doesn’t just write love stories; she writes experiences that make you think and feel deeply. Her writing has this immersive quality that pulls you in, making the characters and their struggles feel so real.

Lexi and Zeke were both incredibly relatable and likable. Their individual personalities, their pasts, their walls—it all made sense within the context of the story. And even in those moments where I felt at a distance, I never stopped rooting for them.

A lot happens in this book, but it never felt overwhelming or rushed. The pacing was just right, keeping me engaged without dragging anything out unnecessarily. And the length? Perfect. Long enough to feel fully immersed, but tight enough to hold my attention from beginning to end.

This was such a refreshing read—equal parts romantic, intense, and thought-provoking. I can already tell Beth is going to be an author I reach for again and again!

I love Beth O’Leary’s writing and unique stories. I was so excited to read ‘Swept Away’ and I’ll be honest. It started a little rocky for me; but the more I read, the more I got into it and the more I enjoyed the story.

Lexi and Zeke had one night together on a houseboat. What neither of them expected was to get stranded on said boat out on sea. Honestly I can’t even imagine this. How frightening. Through this experience, they get to know one another on a different level. They start to fall for one another.

When things start to settle, secrets come out that change everything. There was a bit more drama at the end then I would have liked, but the way it unfolded worked with the story. I was satisfied with the ending and loved both Lexi and Zeke.

I’m still chasing the book high that The Flatshare and The Switch left me with all those years ago. Those two books solidified me as a forever fan of Beth’s works. Unfortunately, I haven’t connected with a book of hers much since those two. I went into Swept Away cautiously optimistic, hoping to love it. And for the most part, I really enjoyed it!

Beth has a beautiful way with words and I always love her male heroes; Zeke was seriously top tier. I loved both character’s emotional journeys and the concept was immediately attention grabbing. I will admit that I wasn’t a huge fan of the third act drama, but the resolution was great. Overall, totally recommend if you love romance with a survival twist, age gaps, and following both POVs.

A one-night stand on a houseboat by night, stranded at sea by morning! 🛥️

The premise here sounded like a really light and fun rom-com, but it was more of a contemporary romance with pretty high stakes. This was totally my fault, but because I went in expecting something else, it wasn’t quite what I was in the mood for. The first 3/4 of the book was high stakes with some life or death situations, which was too far into the book for my personal preference. This period of isolation did lend to a deep connection between our MCs, but I was more pulled into the last quarter of the book when the “real world” was back in play. Other than that, my eyebrow was raised at one very casual reference to a relationship our MMC had with a 28-year-old woman when he was 16. 🤨 I very much hope this is changed in the final copy given there was no additional discussion around how inappropriate it was. All in all, this was an average read for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for a complimentary advance copy of this eBook, out 4/1/2025.

This was such a surprise in a great way! The adventure vibes, the romance, it blended together so well. I think it's the perfect way to spend a weekend!

Thank you so much to Berkley for the ARC!

4/5