Beth O’Leary is a master at writing what seems like a romance book on the surface but is really a book that hits you with twists and turns. The plot twist at the 80% mark literally had me gasping.

I loved Lexi and Zeke. They felt real and there’s nothing like some out of control forced proximity and a reverse age gap. I loved how they also helped each other work through the parts of themselves they didn’t love.

“‘That's not why I feel lucky’. 'It's you,' he says, 'by the way. It's less cute if I spell it out, but I feel like if I don't, you'll tell yourself I'm talking about something else.'

“I want to touch her all the time, but especially when she does this - when she looks at me in a way that makes me see myself differently.”

This book had me so engaged.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for the ARC.

This book felt like a season of Survivor, it was action packed with anxiety inducing levels of thrill. In saying that, if I was stuck on a boat with a one night stand I’d have no idea what to do either.

As for the romance? I’m not a big fan of the instant love trope (I call a week pretty ‘instant’) so this was annoying, though I did like the characters. They connected well, it was a fun story with quite a bit of depth to it.

There was one pivotal scene towards the end which had me GASPING, I was like wait what did I just read — had to go back and make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. Without that plot twist the book definitely would’ve fallen flat for me.

Overall, I liked it, but I didn’t love it. A fun and entertaining read but nothing to run home about.

Thanks Hachette and NetGalley for my arc!

This was my first book by Beth O'Leary, and I will absolutely be reading more from her! Her writing style is so engaging and fun and I loved how down to earth her characters are.

If you’re a fan of the forced proximity trope, this book is for you! How much more forced proximity can you get than literally being stranded on a houseboat together in the middle of the ocean?

While I enjoyed the book overall, I did feel that it was missing that high-stakes, life-or-death element that could have taken the story to the next level. Instead, the focus is on the characters and their emotional journeys, and I appreciated how the story stripped everything back to reveal who they really are at their core. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the ending or how Lexi reacted to the events near the conclusion but this didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.

All in all, I’d absolutely recommend Swept Away to anyone who loves lighthearted, character-driven romance with a bit of emotional depth. It’s a charming and fun read with great chemistry between the leads and a lot of heart.

Tropes to look forward to:
🌊 Forced Proximity
🌊 Reverse Age Gap
🌊 He falls first
🌊 One night stand

3.5 stars rounded up 💜

Oh my gosh, I am so sad this book is finished! To be honest, I would love a sequel. This was a beautiful story of love, challenging stereotypes and leaning into the difficult cards life throws at you.
Our MFC was a selfless, caring woman who deserves the world and I’m so glad our MMC came along and became her landing place. He is the epitome of healthy masculinity. The development of their love for one another was beautiful and I felt part of it as a reader.
The twist towards the end completely threw me and I’m so glad the story ended the way it did. That epilogue? It made all my dreams for this couple come true and I’m sitting here crying as a result. What a beautiful book. Ps, I put Onyx Storm down just so I could come back to this story and I’m glad to say it was so worth it.