This is definitely a story about growth! Stellar and Lyle had a one night-stand and a year later they find their way back together again. Stellar went through a journey (professionally and personally) which was great to read. I really enjoyed that this was not only a story of Stellar’s romantic love but also how she forged a connection with her estranged sister! We all go through life-changing dynamics with friends and family and I think the author highlighted that very well. I liked the diversity of characters and their characteristics throughout the story as well.

I enjoyed lye and Stellar's story. The pace of the story was a little slow at times. I hope that sloane will get her own book in the future.

Trying to save herself and her home , ousted Dr Stellar Byrd must accept a job as a physician at a wilderness relationship camp. The Love Boat, headed by Lyle McHugh, is a prototype for healing relationships while white water rafting. Except- Stellar and “McHuge” have a past one night stand. As they work together to ensure the success of the camp, they learn about themselves.

I enjoyed the interplay among the characters esp the 2 main characters. Lots of fun lol moments along with the mystery of a possible sabotage.

This book was such an interesting experience, at first I really worried I would be fighting the urge to DNF the whole way through but after the first 25%, I really perked up when the guests arrived and there were more characters to learn about/interact with. Probably because I started out not really connecting with Stellar’s character, it felt like it was almost Too on the nose with her “grumpiness” but as the story progressed, it became really efficient as a means of predicting her behavior and knowing the justifications for her choices. Interestingly enough, Lyle had an opposite arc for me in that he started out pretty interestingly and fizzled out a bit towards the end for me and the biggest crime of his characterization was the “McHuge” nickname in my opinion.

That being said, Adding an extra star for Sloane, who I immediately loved and the other guests of The Love Boat who made this book a lovely experience afterall!!

This was a light read. The forced proximity and fake engagement is fun trope to explore.
I liked that the author addressed the impact of being overworked in the medical field, especially during 2020, the burnout and the lingering trauma, and how it affects building a relationship.
The story also tackled the unethical competition in small business sphere.

Things I appreciate about Maggie North's writing: She explores diverse characters and themes and places them in a beautiful West coast setting. Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with McHuge and Stellar and didn't quite understand their attraction and longing for one another, even with the forced proximity and their shared past (one night stand). Saying that, this story may work better with another reader!

After working as an emergency room doctor throughout COVID, Stellar is incredibly burned out - working to deliver food and supporting her best friend Lizzie through her first pregnancy. But when friend of a friend McHugh (who Stellar had a one night stand with) opens his outdoors relationship therapy, he needs an on site doctor. And it might give Stellar a chance to heal.

One of my favourite things about the great democratisation of romance novels is that we get to see so much less of the old style, rich people running through exotic locations and more of people writing about a variety of places they love and writing very specific stories. These characters are very much Canadian, and very rooted in the outdoorsy culture of British Columbia. I'm not someone who likes to hike, much less paddle or canoe, but I really enjoyed that this book gave me a chance to experience it without getting myself cold and wet.

This book also had a lot of thoughtful premises about COVID 19 and the real burnout that many frontline workers experienced. As a domestic violence advocate, it was different than being an emergency room doctors, but I could really relate to discussions about the trauma that comes from frontline work and the difficult relationship we often can have in exerting boundaries. And while this may make this book seem heavy, it's actually a book about people learning to find joy and lightness in each other and in the outdoors. I had a lot of fun with some of the clients of their business, the Love Boat, who run the gamut from someone you'd love to be on a trip with to someone you're still grumpy you were on a trip with.

I really was glad I read this book, and would recommend it to fans of Hannah Bonam-Young or Katherine Center.

I have read several Maggie North books. Her latest, The Ripple Effect was so much fun. What a good romcom.

I devoured this book! This is my first read for this author and I will definitely dig into her other books. The writing style just flowed for me, mix of self-reflection and dialogue that kept me reading. I love a good emotional journey, with banter and spice. Memories of their one night stand provided just enough teasers, this is definitely a slow burn in real time and so worth it! I so appreciate the nod to equity issues in the workplace and inclusion of neurodiversity. It's always nice to read a story that takes place in my backyard, the scenery and nod to nature was such a plus.

Who doesn’t love a fake engagement story! I enjoyed getting to see how this story played out. The author did a great job with building tension between Stellar and Lyle.

This was my first read my Maggie North and I really enjoyed out! A burnt out physician and a sunshine psychologist fake and engagement to save a therapy startup. Maggie and Lyle's story was amazing! I can't wait to read more!

5 stars!

Getting to read another book by Maggie North is a privilege, I swear! I was lucky enough to also be a part of receiving this book as a traveling arc, and I couldn’t help but annotate the hell out of my copy.

Stellar and McHuge were PERFECT! (Also loved the cameos we got from Liz and Tobin). I really appreciate romance stories that feel real. That I can look at and say “yeah, that is absolutely believable” and Maggie north delivers that feeling spectacularly in her writing. She gives us deliciously flawed characters that you can’t help but be endeared to. And I have to talk about the side characters that felt like leads in their own rights! I loved all the moments we got with the other members of the retreat so much - particularly the Lori storyline! Now I just need a bonus scene with Lyle being the best uncle to Jess at a backyard bbq with Tobin and Liz and Sloan!!

Maggie will never stop being an auto-buy author for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book.

I thought the premise of this novel was unique. Fake-dating is a common trope, but the way it was presented in terms of this whitewater-relationship camp was incredibly exciting. I had personally never heard of a wilderness relationship course structured like this before.

However, the novelty of the premise did not salvage the lack of depth with the characters. I didn't care for or connect with any of the characters. I thought the romance between them progressed at a not-ideal pace, and I just didn't think there was enough exploration of who they were to warrant the rapid progression into love. They both had single personality traits, and the way they handled the main conflict at the end wasn't my favorite.

Ultimately, I didn't find myself very invested in the novel, but it was definitely something different from romance novels I've read before.

And I'm out.

Maggie North’s The Ripple Effect is a poignant and beautifully crafted story about how even the smallest actions can create profound change. Through rich, evocative prose and multidimensional characters, North explores themes of connection, redemption, and the far-reaching consequences of our choices. A thought-provoking and emotionally resonant novel that lingers long after the final page—perfect for readers who love deeply reflective and uplifting fiction

This is such a good book and to be honest I wasn't sure about it to begin with, now that i've finished it I have to say i'm so glad i got the opportunity to read it, This is not your average silly romance and is quite tender and deep, I love the characters, how they have real world problems. I also appreciated the great representations in this story and felt I learned a little bit more from it

Highly recommend

The Ripple Effect is the second novel of Maggie North's that I've had the opportunity to read. It's a stand-alone book, but do yourself a favor & read Rules for Second Chances by Maggie North first to get more of the back story casually mentioned in The Ripple Effect.
This cute story carries a lot of emotions as you can't help but root for a happy ending in the romance between Stellar & McHuge. With the neurodivergent characters written into this story & their sexual preferences, I can understand this novel might not be enjoyed by everyone, but overall, it does have a good storyline & wraps up nicely for a sweet ending.
Thank you, #NetGalley & St. Martin's Press, for allowing me to read The Ripple Effect by Maggie North. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book on #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, but if you're a romantic at heart with a progressive way of thinking, please add this sweet romance story to your TBR list.

I love a grumpy sunshine when it’s the FMC that’s grumpy. McHuge and Stellar were so fun. McHuge was, you guessed it, a huge tree of a man that you just know gives the best cuddles in the world and Stellar is skittish and slow to give her trust. When they are thrust together on a joint mission to make sure their new venture, an adult summer camp to rehab relationships, their relationship is the one that takes the most surprising turn.

I spent the first part of January in a major reading slump - I couldnt get a single book to hold my attention for about two weeks until I picked up The Ripple Effect. I adored Maggie North’s first novel, and I was hoping this book would be just what I needed to reconnect with reading, and it was.
Stellar is a former ER doctor who left her career on some pretty dismal terms. She’s financially struggling and will do just about anything to stay in the town she has come to love, so she takes a job as a camp doctor at a new wilderness/relationship therapy start up. The problem? The founder of The Love Boat is psychologist Lyle McHugh, who she has avoided after a disaster of a one night stand the year prior. As they have to work together to make the camp a success, the more they can’t deny the attraction between them.
I love Maggie’s writing style, and it has only improved since her debut. This book was so heart-warming and was just the sweet romance I needed in my life with the perfect amount of spice. Stellar and Lyle’s relationship was complex and their connection was so deep. I love how they complimented each other and pushed each other to become better versions of themselves. I loved the camp setting and the psychology behind the experience for the campers. The side characters added so much fun and depth, especially Stellar’s sister. This book stole my heart.

I loved the premise of this book - a marriage whitewater rafting camp, where couples go to improve their marriage, while camping out for a couple of weeks, and learning to white water raft. The camp is lead by our main characters/love interests - former doctor and a psychiatrist.

I really wanted to love this, but I couldn’t get into it. Right from the beginning, there were so many little things that made it hard.

From the first chapter, a fundamental plot point was that she’s tiny, and he’s huge. This was repeated multiple times in nearly every chapter, and I found it difficult to get past it. Also, the FMC is very fuck girl vibes - I love a FMC that relies against the stereotypes, but it was a lot. She’s tough, she’s angry, she’s always fighting, and she calls all her friends Babe (and there’s a dog named Babe too).

I was excited to read a book which featured a heroine in her 30s. This is a great option for someone who loves a sunshine/black cat dynamic (Lyle isn't quite a golden retriever trope). There are times that the plot makes some odd jumps that were mildly jarring as a reader, but I enjoyed the overall flow and amount of plot that ends up happening in this story.