A lovely romance for non-romance people. A plucky, smart, ambitious, and pithy novel about lost complicated love. New favorite romance writer!

A modern day Pride and Prejudice readalike! I am a sucker for an enemies to lovers trope and this author does it well. When college friends are reunited for a posh wedding Mediterranean yacht cruise, Alex, who has always been odd woman out because of her humble upbringing, now has to face Danial and how they left things upon graduation along with all the drama that the two week trip holds.
It's really the perfect summer read-the setting is such a vibe, the drama of a barely making it Alex trying to keep up with her uber-rich friends and the dash of politics makes it super relatable too.

The High Dive is a great book for getting back into the rhythm of summer reading. Set against the backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea during a college friend’s bachelor party, Alex and her friends work through issues from both the past and present.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a quick, easy read. That said, I didn’t find the main character particularly likable. Alex was often very set in her ways and seemed unwilling—or perhaps unable—to view situations with any nuance, seeing things only in black and white. Personally, I think this reflects a stereotype of left-leaning women that isn’t helpful to keep perpetuating in mainstream media.

I did enjoy the book, but I wish there had been more nuance written into the main character’s thought processes.

I really wanted to 5-star love this book. I've been following Chelsea Fagan on her Financial Diet social media channels for years and was so excited for her when she started publishing fiction. While I liked this book better than her first novel, I could not sympathize with the protagonist. Her ethos was supposed to be for the working man, but she spent an absolute fortune to buy clothes and get primped to spend time pouting on a yacht with her rich college friends. Simultaneously trying to fit in with them while actively avoiding them because she despises the rich. It made it very hard to like her and very hard to get on board with the relationship she had with the love interest.

It did get me out of a months-long reading slump so, there's that.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Chelsea strikes again! Normally I have a hard time with enemies to lovers - the stakes need to fit just right, and she struck gold with Alex and Danial’s dynamic. I found a lot to love about them as characters individually, but I do think the resolution felt, at times, half baked. Also, I LOVE Paul, perhaps to the detriment of the main characters. I would read a whole other book about him finding his way in life after calling off the wedding.

Overall, very intriguing and delightful book that I will recommend!

Two sides of the same coin, Alex and Danial reunite after 10 years at a friends bachelor trip across the Mediterranean. Confined to small quarters and passion as a driving force, 10 years of assumptions, regret and contempt come into play with these two protagonists. These strong feelings make for an electrifying connection that jumps off the page as you read their witty banter and quips. Chelsea Fagen truly captures Alex’s struggle to feel like an outsider while simultaneously being a part of the privileged world. My favorite aspect of the story unfolds when Alex takes responsibility and embraces her confidence in living her life according to her values. Accountability is equally as sexy as the moment we finally get acquainted with the mutual attraction experienced by our two protagonist. *STEAMY* to say the least and also highlight intimacy and vulnerability that comes along with it. Lastly the friendship love shared between Paul and Alex is extremely special in my POV. The intimacy of navigating a longer term friendship is something I enjoy. their love for each is on full display as they aim to support each other’s happiness in life. I have reread that last few chapters now twice and wish I could read this book for the first time again. Bravo to @chelseafagen and cheers to a great book tour.

Chelsea has done it again! Written another European summer romance novel for the liberal millennials to pine over. Though the miscommunication trope is one of my least favorite, making a little bit of the middle of this book, quite a slog to get through at some point… It still came out on top because of her absolutely endearing capacity to understand human emotions and personal growth. Honestly, I just wish we had more of the Greek setting that wasn’t confined to a yacht that the main character complained about the whole time… Otherwise it would have been the utterly atmospheric perfect read.

This book was truly so wonderful! It made for an incredible summer read and I flew through it in just a few short days because I couldn't put it down! The story follows Alex as she attends her best friend's bachelor party on a yacht through the Mediterranean. The trip includes their friend group from their days at Columbia, including Danial, who she hasn't spoken to in 10 years. The book was the perfect blend of heart wrenching romance and an insightful social commentary on wealth/class and its impact on self perception.

The TENSION! Alex and Danial have the most delicious chemistry! The forced proximity of being on the yacht was done so perfectly. I loved getting the flashback chapters of their days in Columbia and how it gave us a window into their friendship before they stopped speaking. The way these two longed for each other makes for a sizzling slowburn!

Within "The High Dive", Chelsea does a phenomenal job exploring how our wealth and social class impacts our actions and self perception, especially when there are wealth disparities within a friend group. Alex's feelings of being an outsider while spending time with her ultra-elite friends both as a college student and now as an adult were explored in a nuanced manner.

Chelsea's writing style was so beautiful to read. Her description of the lush yet ancient setting of the Mediterranean was so captivating. I loved watching Alex develop throughout the book and seeing her and Danial's relationship evolve.

"The High Dive" is the perfect blend of smart and sexy and makes for the ideal book to jump into summer with!

Glamorous, sexy read. Alexandra Onassis was a scholarship kid from Upstate New York that went to Columbia University. She found a great friend group in her time there but they came from very different social economic backgrounds. Ten years later, one of her besties is getting married. This is being certified on a 170 ft yacht for a two week trip through the Mediterranean. The setting and set up is so well described in the book. You feel as though you are sunning yourself with them. Alex has some unfinished business with one of her college friends, Danial. Could this be a friends to lovers situation… must read to find out! Witty dialogue and fun characters lead to a great read. Highly recommend this one for beach bag!! Thank you to NetGalley and Orsay Press for this advance read!

I loved this one more than her first book! It was the perfect escapism novel. I want to be on a yacht with rich friends! Loved all the flashbacks. Perfect summer read!

This was so entertaining. I enjoyed the blend of politics and financial literacy. The characters were lovable, and the dialogue made it tough to put downd. I finished it in approximately 3 days.

I think I need a sequal focused on Paul. His friendship with Alex made this billionaire romance so fun. Somehow, they were both toxic and wholesome, and I couldn't get enough of them.

And the romantic letter from Danial to Alex? It tied everything together so seamlessly in the end. 💌

Thank you NetGalley and Orsay Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The High Dive- let me start by saying I LOVED the cover. I am loving the trend of authors/publishers utilizing talented artists to design the cover. I am over the flat, boring, faceless characters on romance book covers. This cover is done by the amazing artist Elizabeth Lennie. It is stunning and eye-catching. I would buy this book for the cover alone. This is my first book by Chelsea Fagan, and I really enjoyed her style of writing. I felt vested in Alex's friend group and loved her best friend, Paul. I found it difficult to grow an attachment to Danial, which frustrated me as I read. I thought the dialogue amongst the friend group was spot on and felt believable. This was a great read and I enjoyed it but wish I was sucked in a little bit more. Perhaps there was a bit too much tension between Alex and Danial. I plan to look for more books by the author. Thank you to Chelsea Fagan, Orsay Press, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I never thought a friends to enemies to lovers romance could bring tears to my eyes, but these characters got me. I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this book as someone who doesn't usually like romance, but this book should be on everyone's summer reading list.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Chelsea Fagan, and Orsay Press for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Dare I say, book of the summer??? 4.5 stars that I'm rounding up to 5! I am a huge fan of Chelsea Fagan's content online and ate up her first novel, A Perfect Vintage, both when it was released 2 years ago and again last summer when I reread it. I am thrilled to report that I loved The High Dive even more! Fagan is a spectacular writer whose settings leap off the page with transportive descriptions and dimensional characters. Her writing is at times almost melodic, and I was totally engrossed in her alluring descriptions of the Mediterranean. Although the friendship aspect of this story is complicated, I really enjoyed the wide cast of characters. They were all so individual, and the dual timelines in the "Before" and "Now" enhanced the history of each character and their overarching story together. While the book does center around Alex and Danial's romance, I found that my favorite was actually the friendship between Paul and Alex. The love that was present between them was lovely and was a grounding connection point between Alex and the group. I would have liked to see a bit more connection between Alex and the group because at times, I felt that her longing to be in the group was at odds with who she was as a character (especially given her moral/political stance vs others in the group that were wealthier). My main issue with the story was that this is honestly not a very likeable friend group as a whole, and I didn't always buy their connections/closeness overall. I would have liked to see the secondary story lines develop a bit more or certain characters maybe be a bit more palatable in order to understand the draw of them to Alex. However, I think Fagan does a great job of writing well-rounded, very human protagonists and explores the nuances of how complicated adult friendships over many years can be. In regards to the romance, all I can say is: HOT!!!! This book is SO sexy, and the tension between Alex and Danial was as scorching as the Mediterranean sun. I love enemies-to-lovers, and I enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve over many years and over the trip. Who knew taking body shots could be so sexy?! Again, I have a bit of complicated feelings about their sometimes seemingly differences in how they navigate the world of wealth and politics, but Fagan does highlight important context in each of their backgrounds that makes the story more understandable. There were multiple moments in this book that I will be thinking about for a while to come, and I already can't wait to dive back in to the world of The High Dive!

Chelsea has the ability to not only transport the reader to lovely and swoon worthy destinations, but create dialogue that is relatable as a woman to themselves and to others. After reading this book, it makes me want to book a cruise with my best gals and talk about everything from guys to botox.

This story gives VERY Gossip Girl summer vibes. Thing one big yacht, with a full staff and a multi day trip in the Mediterranean sea. Big thank you to Netgalley, Chelsea and the publishing team at Orsay Press for the eARC!

What to Expect:
Enemies to lovers
Prior Friends to lovers
Wealthy College Kids and their journey to adulthood
Single POV
Past + Present Story Telling
Very not wealthy Dan meets wealthy Serena Gossip Girl vibes
3rd Act Breakup
LOADS of Drama
LGBTQ Relationship Secondary Story

NOTE: There are discussions of gaslighting, verbal abuse and a toxic LGBTQ relationship in this book.

My Thoughts:
Right off the bat I am going to say I have no past knowledge of this author. I didn't read or know about previous books of hers, That said I gave this a 3 stars because I just really struggled not to DNF it. I love a good summer romance based in Europe. The idea of this book really sounded absolutely lovely. There were just some things that didn't resonate or that I just struggled to read through. More of annoyances. So let me start with those items.

My Dislikes and annoyances: Main character and protagonist Alex makes me want to loose my mind. She has such a victim mindset through this whole story it made me want to DNF it. She is 32 years old... this is emotional stuff she should have gone through and dealt with in college. 32 is too old to be woe is me all the time. She spends a lot of this story going back and forth about her insecurities both financially and physically, but she also spends a lot of time being stuck in the past. She is constantly hung up on stuff that happened a decade before the current events. It just REALLY became more annoying than anything.

Also if she isn't happy or constantly comparing her financial situation then/now with who are suppose to be her best friends. I mean WHAT?! 32 and still trying to conform who you are and where you come from to be friends with people.... it doesn't make sense. Why not find happiness in life. Why not find new friends?! I mean she is living in a big city full of PEOPLE! She could easily make new friends that fit her life and the lifestyle she can afford! If this friend group are TRUE friends they won't care! Much like secondary character (her best friend) Paul. He doesn't care!

Also the toxicity of this relationship that builds and unfolds through the story between Alex and Danial made me want to scream. After the incident on the boat where she leaves.... I stopped reading for a day. So you're 32 and ran from your problems instead of dealing with it? Unreal. I am also just not a fan of 2nd act or 3rd act or 4th act breakups. It is so toxic. Also when they finally get together just feels weird. Not organic at all. It just didn't feel right to me.

Last thing, the relationship that Paul is in is VERY toxic. From the start I really struggled with a lot of the conversations between him and his partner. I once was in a relationship like that and it not only isn't healthy but leaves long lasting marks of trauma.

All in all I just didn't love the underlying stories and the characteristics of some of the main players in the story.

That said, each character was well written. You understood the past and present storytelling of the main and secondary characters. The overall story I could have really loved if it was written with a bit more maturity. less woe is me and more I am an adult woman who can handle my shit. It just wasn't really for me.

Synopsis:
As the only scholarship kids of their elite group at Columbia University, their heated dynamic was scorched forever by one fateful, awful night just before graduation. And in the ten years since, Alex and Danial have been on radically different paths: she crafts social media campaigns for an ultra-progressive political party; he’s a rising star at a notoriously savage private equity firm. But when two of their college friends decide to tie the knot in the Mediterranean — and to host their old crew on a ten-day chartered yacht trip beforehand — Alex must finally face Danial, and the sobering reality that she’s now the only middle class outcast in this ultra wealthy club.

When her ideals start to clash with her most intimate desires, Alex must learn to swim in emotional waters that are as unfamiliar as they are undeniable.

Chelsea Fagan does it again. The yearning I felt in this book. I don't even know how to describe it because it's not quite a second chance romance because they didn't have a first chance.

Alex and Danial were friends in college until they weren't. But they were still a part of the same friend group and when Paul is having a week long bachelor party on a boat they're reunited. Drama, steam, and nostalgic memories ensue.

I highly highly recommend.

Definitely enjoyed, I think slightly more than her first romance book even. I loved the elements of finance & politics, made it more interesting than a typical romance. As a woman in politics myself, I found it a little unrealistic to have most characters supportive of her political job, but it’s nice to think that they would be! Overall great second novel from Chelsea.

"The High Dive" by Chelsea Fagan is the kind of book that sneaks up on you. On the surface, it’s a lush, sun-soaked romance set on a Mediterranean yacht, but underneath the glitz is a sharp, emotionally honest story about class, ambition, friendship, and the deep messiness of rekindled love.

Alexandra and Danial’s dynamic is electric, complicated, frustrating, and completely absorbing. Fagan writes them with such nuance that I found myself rooting for them even when I wanted to shake them. The dialogue is razor-sharp, the emotions are raw, and the tension simmers from beginning to end.

What really impressed me was how Fagan explores class differences—not just in wealth, but in how people move through the world. It adds a layer of realism that most romances skip, and it makes the stakes feel incredibly grounded. The writing is lyrical but never overdone (okay, maybe the word “exquisite” pops up a *bit* too often 😅), and the setting is vivid enough to make you feel sunburnt.

My only real critique? The ending felt a little rushed. After such a slow build, I wish we had a few more beats of resolution. Still, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the journey.

If you love messy, deeply felt stories with smart commentary and just the right amount of longing, this one’s for you.

This was a fun, quick beach read. I’m not sure how believable it was, but I don’t necessarily need my books to be believable. I loved the friendship between Alex and Paul. The setting was top notch for an armchair vacation. The then and now was fun. The depictions on race and class were interesting. This will be a great summer book for so many people and I really love how quick of a read it was.
Thank you so much to Chelsea Fagan, Netgalley and the publisher for the EARC in exchange for an honest review.