If you’ve read the synopsis, you’ll already be aware of the general storyline and that having a relationship with a passenger is completely taboo for Australian cruise line worker, Kelsey. Her reason for working in a different hemisphere from her family soon becomes clear, and it’s obvious that she is focused on making enough money to make her mum comfortable in retirement. This really resonated with me, and I was in full support of her plans for the future.
Ari seemed completely closed off to romance and focused purely on business. He had agreed to travel with the ship and work as a mystery passenger, observing what was happening on board. Although he was a senior member of the board, his face was unknown to the workers, so there was no risk of him being identified. The only risk was to his heart once he met Kelsey.
I’ve already mentioned that this is a spicy romance, but there is so much more to the story than their raw chemistry. Learning more about the hierarchy on cruise ships and the strict rules prohibiting fraternisation with passengers made me realise that ‘The Love Boat’ was not a reliable research tool!
Whilst the story takes us to at least one of the ports of call, we are able to explore life away from the ship and realise that their casual hook-ups had evolved into something distinctly different from what either of them was looking for.
The moral of this review is that you shouldn’t dismiss a racy storyline because the romantic elements may be just what you need. I would certainly recommend this one.

4 stars. Fun!

”You think we only get one go at this?”

Aussie girl Kelsey works on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean. One day she meets charming Ari who is a Greek accountant. But actually his family owns the ship and Ari is investigating undercover why the ship is not cost effective.

And ooooops - they have one night together - and then another. And another...

The third act crisis could be seen coming, as Ari was not telling Kelsey about his true identity. But his groveling and grand gesture were actually very fun to watch. I enjoyed this book quite a lot, it was quick and easy to read, fluffy, fun and steamy. Perfect palate cleanser!

WHAT I LIKED: The cruise ship as a setting. The Mediterranean, I could almost see the beautiful views and feel the warm breeze!

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: The predictabililty - one could see the third act crisis coming.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Pov: dual, 3rd person
Heat: open doors
Pacing: instalust
Communication: miscommunication
Third act: break up
Ending: HEA (and a cliffhangerish epilogue from the pov of Ari's brother)

Main characters:
* She works on a cruise ship, he is CFO
* Alpha Hero
* Millionaire
* Opposites attract

What?
* Forbidden love
* Forced proximity
* Grand gesture
* Groveling
* One night stand turned more

Where?
* On a cruise ship in Mediterranean
* Traveling together
* Workplace romance

Drama?
* Difficult past
* Secret identity

Other vibes:
* He's a widow

This book is the perfect mix of steam, drama, and heart. Ari, a billionaire in disguise, and Kelsey, a tough but vulnerable waitress, have amazing chemistry. Their romance feels intense yet sweet, and the Mediterranean cruise setting adds to the charm. A fun, sexy read that kept me hooked!

Undercover Billionaire is cocktail waitress Kelsey Armitage and broody billionaire Ari Callisthenes story.
Kelsey needs her job on board Callisthenes cruise ship because her ex took everything from her and now she needs to build her bank balance and her trust before she looks for a relationship. One night is all she is prepared to offer….
But when a mysterious passenger offers her a drink she falls hard and fast and is powerless to resist him. Breaking the rules and risking her job is not what she had in mind but resisting her heart is becoming harder to do with each meeting she had with Ari the heir to the geek shipping line who is working undercover on board his own ship.
The chemistry is sizzling, the banter is witty and the characters are easy to bond with. Undercover Billionaire is a well written, entertaining read.

I really enjoyed this book and read it in a couple of sittings. It was the perfect escapist and spicy read! Loved the cruise ship setting and the characters.

Secret billionaire on a cruise ship!

Widowed billionaire shipping heir Ari Callisthenes was being forced by his family to take his first vacation in three years so he decided to use the time to find out why his family’s cruise ship Hellenic Spirit was losing money by sailing as Ari George. But he never expected to be brought back to life by Australian bartender Kelsey Armitage.

Kelsey was working on the Hellenic Spirit to save up the money to be able to take of her mother and avoiding the guests on the ship because they were only there for a short time but there was something about Ari George that made her change her mind about opening her heart to a possible future if he can grovel enough!

Yes, there is plenty of groveling at the end of the story because Are finally realizes how much he messed up!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wham bam and just what I needed! If a Billionaire book ever goes wrong in my experience I have to question what the author was on.

Was this fast paced? Usually I’d be like no, gimme more but this hit the spot from beginning to end.

It did what it needed to do. Characters were straight to the point, predictable but again it was just what I needed. I tried to be annoyed at how quick they seemed to be in love but I couldn’t find it in me.

This was surprisingly less spacey than I expected, which left a decent amount of space for a plot!

Review posted on March 14 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

While I’ve never been on a cruise myself, Amy Andrews’ writing made me feel as though I had. Her prose is beautiful, and I enjoyed seeing both Kelsey and Ari’s points of view as they navigated real-life challenges—such as future family responsibilities and the endless cycles of grief after losing a loved one.

That said, while I appreciated the writing, I can’t say the same for the plot. Ari’s guilt seemed to revolve more around forgetting his late wife rather than the fact that he was actively lying to Kelsey. It wasn’t until much later in the story that he truly acknowledged the weight of his deception. When he finally confesses, Kelsey rightfully breaks up with him—but instead of respecting her decision, he essentially stalks her for months until she gives in and admits she loves him. The ending didn’t make much sense to me, and the random Cinderella comparisons felt out of place.

Overall, while Amy Andrews’ writing is undeniably strong, the story itself felt incomplete and rushed toward the end.

As expected from a billionaire romance. This is a quick, steamy read that is enjoyable. Liked the dynamics and chemistry between the FMC and MMC.

Undercover Billionaire is a good read for a cruise. Kelsey's and Aris story is perfect a a short holiday fling.

This was a delightful sexy quick read. Thoroughly enjoyed. Amy Andrews can certainly write a sexy novel. What a wonderful way to pass some time. It was like a modern Cinderella story with Kelsey getting the prince. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The title basically gives away all of the plot. Ari is a billionaire undercover on a cruise ship, where he meets this girl that turns his world upside down. For me it was missing the depth of their conversations, but in this type of genre I wouldn’t expect anything else from the book. It is a light and easy one day read, spicy and romantic.

*Dual POV third person

Ari Callisthenes, a grieving man who has been mourning the loss of his wife for three years, embarks on an undercover mission aboard one of his family’s cruise ships. His brother believes that this adventure might help him move on. On his first day on the cruise, Ari meets Kelsey Armitage, an Australian bartender with a guarded heart. Kelsey has been hurt by love before and is hesitant to commit to anything serious. However, when she returns his wallet to his cabin, they are instantly drawn to each other.

Ari and Kelsey are both likable characters who are struggling to overcome their past losses. They must learn to trust each other and open up to the possibility of a deeper connection. If you enjoy fast-paced, steamy romance novels with a strong emphasis on instant attraction, this book is sure to captivate you.

I received an arc of this book for my honest review

I enjoyed this entertaining undercover boss romance with its added boss-employee, forbidden workplace romance, hidden identity and grumpy-sunshine tropes, the cruise ship setting and steamy love scenes. The characters were likable and I instantly fell for the sweet, sexy yet broken cinnamon roll hero Ari, however I grew quite annoyed with Kelsey‘s stubbornness and her bitterness. The immediate attraction and sizzling chemistry between the two were palpable from the beginning and it was heartwarming to see Ari open up to life and love again.

Widowed Aristotle Callisthenes aka Ari George, a member of a wealthy ship-owning family who has led a reclusive life since the death of his wife, is assigned to go undercover on one of their ships that makes losses and investigate the deficiencies. When Ari meets bartender Kelsey, he is immediately attracted to her.
Kelsey Armitage has been working on the cruise ship for years to earn enough money to fulfil her and her mother's dream of owning their own cottage. After the painful experience with her fraudulent ex, she no longer lets men get close to her, but she finds herself irresistibly drawn to the passenger Ari of all people. Although she never breaks the rules, she embarks on a forbidden fling with him...

I recommend this lighthearted, quick to read book to anyone who likes hidden identity, grumpy-sunshine romance novels with secrets and plenty of spice and am already looking forward to the story of Ari's playboy brother Theo.

I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.

I thoroughly enjoyed this Cinderella story. It was fun that the backdrop was on a ship. I loved that Kelsey didn't know Ari's true identity even though it caused friction later. I'm convinced they wouldn't have given each other a chance otherwise. And most importantly, I loved how Ari woo'ed Kelsey once she did find out his identity. I would have loved to have gotten more of them once they were together for real. Fun book!

Omg this book!!! Read in 9 hours. I was unable to put this book down. It was too addictive. If your going to read make sure you have time to read it in one sitting because you'll need to. It's too good not to. Kelsey and ari's story is written with the perfect amount of story and spice to keep a smut book interesting. I'm hoping there's a follow on for theo and Tiffany now as I would love to hear about their story.

Not my usual sort of read but having received an advanced copy from the publisher it would have been rude not to read it . It’s a nice enough story , not too long , but I did feel that the actual characters could have been developed more ,less focus on the sex . I found the lengthy detailed descriptions of their liaisons boring after a while and skipped through them, personally I would have preferred more ‘story’ . It was a quick read and for that I was grateful, nice ending but predictable.

Really enjoyable secret billionaire romance.

"Nobody had ever kissed her like this. So...needy. Greedy, desperate kisses. Suffocating her with their urgency."

When Aristotle Callisthenes goes undercover on his family cruise ship as Ari George, he didn't count on being drawn to bubbly cocktail waitress, Kelsey Armitage. As a widower, he never thought he'd find another great love but Kelsey knocks him sideways. Kelsey has been badly burnt in love. She's knows that fraternising with the guests is forbidden but there's something about Ari that is irresistible. When she finds out his secret, she can't help feeling that she's been burnt again.

"He wanted this woman. Forbidden or not. Morally ambiguous or not. Risky or not. It made no sense. It just was."

This story was full of sunshine, spice and escapism. I enjoyed the clandestine nature of Kelsey and Ari's relationship and how their connection was much more than a cruise fling. Kelsey breathed new life and hope into Ari's life. His grand gesture made the romantic in me swoon! Fab little read.

Undercover Billionaire is a spicy billionaire romance about forbidden love, sudden love and a strong longing for another person.

It is a short, quick read. I liked the storyline - cute and for most part a fantastic openness between the two MC - the strong independent MMF and a smoking hot billionaire MMC. Besides that, the book is filled with steamy moments.

The book is written in third person which is not my favourite, but it doesn’t take away from the sweet story.


Tropes: Greek, billionaire MMC, secret identity, forbidden relationship, cruise ship life,

This is a fun, entertaining, spicy, quick read. Ari and Kelsey are interesting, relatable, intriguing, wounded, complicated, strong, caring, tough exterior, complex, entertaining characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.