I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Initially, I struggled to connect with Alex and found her difficult, but as the story progressed, I understood her pain, political stance, and emotional complexity. The book does a brilliant job exploring layered friendships, healing, second chances, and personal growth. I appreciated the nuanced portrayal of relationships, not just romantic, but familial and platonic. Though some themes challenged my personal beliefs, I valued how the story encouraged empathy from a human perspective. The character development was satisfying, the pacing well-balanced, and the ending thoughtful and earned. A deeply moving and insightful read. I highly recommend.

The premise of this book was really intriguing to me, so I was excited to read it, but unfortunately it didn't work for me as much as I was hoping for. The book is definitely solid in terms of writing, and most of the character development, but I wanted more depth to the romantic relationship, and the reconciliation between the hero and heroine.

I wanted to love this so badly. It seemed like the perfect summer read with its gorgeous cover that screams ocean vibes. Unfortunately I struggled to connect with the main characters. Both the MMC and FMC were unlikable and very one dimensional. Neither felt relatable and the FMC was incredibly annoying with her “poor me” attitude.

The enjoyment in the book is the setting and the romance and an easy bit of escapism. This isn’t a book where a lot happens, it mostly tells the story of a group of friends going on holiday and a romance happening (of course more than that but I’m avoiding spoilers). Whilst there isn’t event after event happening it is a nice read. The setting is dreamy and it feels like you’re there with them by the sea on this luxurious holiday.

The characters are mostly likeable, although I’m not sure most of them liked eachother! I particularly liked Paul.

I would say the book is a tad too long for what happens but generally the book is nice to read, the romance is believable and not cringy. I think this would be a great holiday read by the pool.

Thanks to NetGallery and the author for an advanced readers copy

I hate to be hyperbolic (lol no I don't) but this is THEEEEE romance book of the year. Despite devouring Chelsea's first book, A Perfect Vintage, I was still surprised at how much I truly dove into this headfirst and loved every minute of it.

It's mature as fuck (not in the classic way of "the main character is over 50," but instead in the way of "everyone has been to therapy/has good reasons for what they do/is in their 30s") and that made me feel deeply invested in the characters and the outcome of their stories.

I felt like so much of the characters' backstories and depth were incredibly relatable as a woman in her 30s. Although I do not have rich friends like Alex does, her relationship with Paul and the embarrassment from her college years felt extremely familiar. More than anything, although everything about this book is fabulous - the setting, the friend group, the jobs - it felt like that elevated the story, rather than being unrealistic. It was escapism without fluff, a summery, beachy read without being forgettable. And damn, can Chelsea write a love interest - Danial's attractiveness JUMPED off the page. Need a movie of this, stat.

I will be a.) recommending this to my friends as the romance book they must read this year and b.) ready to read anything else Chelsea writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The High Dive is the perfect summer romance for anyone looking for a sexy, tension filled romance! The ending fell a little flat for me, I would have enjoyed if there was more to it after all the yearning back and forth, but overall enjoyed this book and will absolutely be recommending it!

Old friends reunite for a bachelor party aboard a luxury yacht sailing the Mediterranean, the descriptive text was written very well.
The storyline follows the history of each character, their personalities and friendships were complex and the atmosphere became tense and complicated.
I found it difficult to relate to Alex and Daniel as they fleshed out their relationship, they felt almost distant.
Alex and Paul had a better relationship, much more mature and comfortable. I wanted to feel more connected to the people involved, Alex was surely a confident woman who worried about being accepted by the group. This aspect of the story was somewhat confusing.
The cohesive aspect of the group as friends was strained, I didn’t buy into the closeness that should have been there. Alex needed to relax to enjoy herself more, the world she lives in was complicated enough.
There certainly was food for thought amongst the pages, the elite lifestyle and personalities is just the beginning!
Thank you to Orsay Press, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

🔥💔 *A Sharp, Sexy, and Smartly Political Second-Chance Romance* 💔🔥

*This yacht trip is no vacation—it's a collision course.* Alexandra Onassis and Danial Azad’s scorching history explodes back to life in this riveting, enemies-to-lovers romance that’s equal parts social commentary and emotional slow-burn.

Set against the glittering backdrop of the Mediterranean and dripping with tension—sexual, social, and ideological—this novel masterfully explores what happens when privilege, politics, and past wounds meet in close quarters. Alex is fierce, principled, and painfully relatable, while Danial is infuriatingly magnetic, making their every interaction sizzle with conflict and chemistry.

More than just a love story, this book delves deep into class divides, generational trauma, and what it means to fight for your beliefs—especially when love might be the ultimate compromise.

Perfect for fans of Sally Rooney, *The Summer I Turned Pretty*, and *The Hating Game*, this is a smart, emotional rollercoaster that stays with you long after the last page.

The High Dive is so perfect for summer! Loved the yacht and all the rich people and how it combined with real life issues with politics.

This is the perfect read in that it somehow is very escapist (they’re on a yacht in Capri) but also very realistic (main character Alex is not rich, very down to earth, and messy - like a real person is). I love a romantic storyline that is built on simmering tensions and yearning and this delivered. It also has class dynamics, complex family and friend relationships, and character growth. Highly recommend you pick up a copy and take it to the beach or the pool.

The High Dive was absolutely exquisite. I was hooked in immediately which is not common for me, and quickly found myself picking up the book any free moment I had. Any romance that is both steamy and intelligent is a winner in my book, and this was just that. The writing is mature and refined, and I appreciated that this wasn’t a story littered with tons of romance troupes for the sake of troupes. The only thing that would’ve made this book better is if it was longer!

This was a really well rounded romance! Especially strong character writing, including the protagonists and the side characters, and the themes they explored. The Mediterranean vacation setting was the cherry on top.

This is the perfect summer romance! I loved the Fmc. Dialogue and internal monologue was thoughtful instead of vapid. Would definitely recommend!!

Unfortunately I had a hard time getting through this book as I didn’t care for any of the characters. It was also frustrating that the backstory took such a long time to unfold. It might have been more interesting if we found out sooner why the main characters hated each other and would have built the sexual tension. Instead it felt more like the FMC was being gaslit.

10 out of 10!! I loved this from beginning to end. There is so much sizzling tension in this book, what I’m beginning to think might be Chelsea Fagan’s specialty.

I always love flashbacks or dual timelines in a book, so that element of the story really worked for me. It was great to get glimpses of all of these characters as they were ten years ago, and how they have, or haven’t, changed since their college days.

If there’s one thing Chelsea is going to do, its give us atmosphere. Her writing really pulled me in and made me feel like I was summering on a fancy yacht right along with Alex and Danial.

I loved our two main characters. They had a lot to learn from each other and take accountability for, and they did all of it. I saw a lot of growth in both Alex and Danial over the course of the story, which made the ending that much more satisfying.

Another banger from Chelsea - I’ll now be anxiously awaiting any news of a third book!

Alex and Danial have a friendship/rivalry going back to their college days. And from the beginning, we get a dual-timeline leading up to the event that results in their estrangement. And at the same time, we see them on a yacht on the Mediterranean on a fabulous bachelor trip for their friends, falling for each other against a stunning backdrop. This book had me grabbing it by the lapels shouting, "Tell me what happened!" I loved the setting, Alex's relationships with her mom and her best friend Paul, the absolute angst of a second chance at love. I both didn't want it to end, and was also racing through to find out what happened next. And for anyone who has followed Chelsea Fagan through The Financial Diet, she also does an excellent job with Alex's experience with her extremely wealthy friends and how that class difference affected her relationships. I was really excited to read this ARC and would absolutely read more from this author in the future.

I really loved the setting of the book, it felt like a vacation that I’ve only ever dreamed about. Chelsea’s writing is so real and raw. It had romance, but it wasn’t in your face. The summer vibes were perfect and I flew through this! This brought me out of a massive reading slump. I can’t wait to read more from Chelsea!

The High Dive is the sexy and luxurious escape we all need!! A juicy beach read set in the Mediterranean with discussions of politics, family dynamics, and wealth/class.. thanks, I’ll take six.

The characters were bratty and annoying at times, but I think that was exactly who they were supposed to be. The setting was gorgeous and allowed me to imagine myself on this trip with everyone. I felt for Alex, most of the time. Her and Danial are hot hot hot!!

Chelsea, please give us a sequel focusing on Paul!!!

Loved the setting of this book! This story felt like a dream vacation though certain moments were more like a nightmare trip! So at times it seemed kinda like a White Lotus story. I related to Alex a lot when it came to being around her rich friends. Not only did she want to fit in so badly but she also resented them for what they had especially because they’ve never really known or understood another life since they were all born into a family with wealth except Danial. Danial and Alex definitely had some animosity between them but only because there was a true connection between them first. This definitely created some great tension and yearning which I believe are the foundation for a great romance! If you agree then I think you’ll enjoy reading The High Dive this summer!

The High Dive felt like a vacation I wished I could take. Fagan’s writing felt so visceral at times, I could taste the salt water (and the cocktails). Having never been on a yacht I could picture it all vividly. It’s something Fagan does masterfully once again. This book felt like class, but not of superiority, it felt like falling into an old flame I wish I had. The contrast of the then/now timelines is a tool I love time and time again, and the way it was used in this book made me ache for the characters as I read. The only complaint I had about this book, was that I wanted more of it. I could have read another few hundred pages on these characters. I can’t wait to read the next romance Fagan puts out.