3.75 ⭐️ Fabulous settings, well-drawn characters (tho some a bit insufferable at times ...), intriguing relationships. A. fun, escapist read.
The author's debut was such a wow!--enjoyed this latest but not as consistently captivating.
Still look forward to upcoming books!

With thanks to NetGalley, Orsay Press and Chelsea Fagan for this e-ARC.

This book was the perfect way to kick off summer! While I felt like the characters themselves could have used a bit more depth, I loved the discussion of social class and thought that was explored very well in this book. After reading A Perfect Vintage, I’ll pick up anything Fagan writes, and this was no exception!

vibes are really good. our protagonist, Alex, is an interesting character, if a little grating at the beginning, and our LI is really fun and works well with her. 4 stars, tysm for the arc.

I think this book just wasn’t for me. I didn’t find either character likable. I found their banter a bit exhausting. The book is well done for what it’s trying to convey but just not for me

The premise of this book was really good, and I was excited to read it. It didn't really deliver for me unfortunately.

Alex sucked. She thought she was better than everyone else because she wasn't rich but in the same breath kept saying she was below them because she was poor. I'm begging for you to pick a struggle. Also, she was SO defensive and confrontational to literally everyone. Someone would try and show they care? Shes mad because she thinks they're pitying her for absolutely no reason.

Danial (I pronounced it "denial" every single time I read it, and I couldn't stop) I think had the potential to be good. If this had been dual pov and we could see how desperately he was yearning, this could've been a 5-star book.

They have this whole dramatic decade long yearn-fest and we don't even get the reunion??????? He finally gives her a letter saying how much he loves her then we skip to the next day where they wake up together?????? There was no emotional payoff.

Overall, this book was well written, the setting was fun, and the background characters (especially Paul <3) had distinct personalities. I just didn't like how the romance played out.

ARC from NetGalley

First I’d like to than author Chelsea Fagan because I saw your book announcement almost two month ago and I needed to get my hands on your book one way or another. Secondly I’d like to thank NetGalley and Orsay Press for a copy of this eARC.

I’ll start this off by saying this isn’t typically my favorite kind of read to begin with, but having followed the author on social media for some time I knew I’d enjoy what she wrote. The fluidity of your words and how you weave together a realistic story full of life’s complexities is beautifully captured.

This is a tight, fun beach / vacation read, with rounded characters, all-consuming vibes, and more than a dash of relatable real-life problems to ground it.

It simmers, crackles, lets you sink in but never get too comfortable (it keeps you wondering, hoping, cringing), until the end. There's an elegant balance of warmth, wit, and tension.

I should preface this review by saying I don’t usually go for romances, so this book likely had an uphill battle to fight anyway. I went for it because I thought the idea of discussing class differences in the context of romance was intriguing. Unfortunately, I found the book a drag to get through. I can’t say that I’d recommend this even to romance readers because I imagine there have to be better romances out there.

My issues:
* An egregious amount of telling and not showing. The writing style felt almost YA in its insistence on spelling things out for readers.
* That being said, there was also a frustrating lack of background on major parts of the book. Alex is constantly complaining about her “friends.” They all seem to annoy her in little and big ways throughout the book, in both the present day and flashbacks. So why have they all maintained relationships and stayed friends for ten years post-college? It takes real effort to keep those relationships, and I cannot understand why Alex did so. I don’t believe that these people are friends.
* Also very little explanation on the enmity between Alex and Danial’s The reader spends the first 70% of the book not understanding WHY they hate each other. The reveal is ultimately anticlimactic. Their falling out is awkward and uncomfortable, but nothing that justifies a 10-year long beef.
* The book ultimately had very shallow and minimal discussions on class. Most of the conflict takes place in Alex’s head, which is not to say that it’s imagined, but that it’s Alex’s thoughts and observations. She notices or thinks to herself, “Wow, I’m so different from these ultra rich people.” But there’s very little direct class conflict between her and the rest of the group. There could’ve even been interesting conversations or relationships with the presumably less wealthy staff, but all we get is an awkward moment when Alex blurts out that she’s not as rich as her friends—and then she insists later that she talked to the staff all the time? Alex also displayed a myopic lack of introspection on her own privilege. While she might not have had yacht money, she attained an Ivy League education and seemed to have a stable, full-time job. There just wasn’t a lot said here besides: rich people have it pretty easy! More news at 10!
* The romance kind of came out of nowhere in my opinion. They went from hating each other to not. I didn’t find the relationship well-developed.

I'm on a camping weekend with my husband and kids and I'm actively neglecting them because I'm mentally on a yacht in the Mediterranean. I love the conflict and the angst in this one and I totally identified with the FMC as a fellow broke liberal with lots of animosity toward the wealthy. I don't usually enjoy time hops but this was done well. The spice could have been increased a few notches, but the simmering want was there without too much graphic detail and I suppose that's on par with our high brow characters. I found the author on Tiktok watching her non-author content and I really love seeing that she contains multitudes.

In The High Dive, Alexandra Onassis, a politically driven social media strategist, is forced to reunite with her old college classmate, Danial Azad, during a ten-day yacht trip ahead of their friends’ Mediterranean wedding. Once the only scholarship kids in an elite Columbia friend group, their dynamic shattered after one devastating night. Now on opposite sides of the economic and political spectrum, Alex and Danial must navigate lingering tension, buried feelings, and the stark realities of class and identity in this smart, emotionally layered novel. I loved it!

The High Dive is a captivating and gorgeously written novel that draws you in with its sharp wit, vivid settings, and unforgettable characters. Chelsea Fagan paints a world of opulence and escapism aboard a luxurious yacht, where every glittering detail feels effortlessly real. But beneath the glossy surface, what truly makes this story shine is the friendship between Alex and Paul—complex, intimate, and beautifully developed.

Alex is a standout protagonist: intelligent, flawed, magnetic, and deeply relatable. Her inner life is richly drawn, making her emotional journey both compelling and authentic. The dialogue throughout is razor-sharp and emotionally charged, building a slow-burn romantic tension that is as satisfying as it is restrained. Every character feels fully alive, with layers of nuance that make even fleeting moments resonate.

Fagan has written a story that is as introspective as it is glamorous—one that lingers long after the final page. Highly recommended for fans of character-driven fiction with bite and heart.

The High Dive exceeded my expectations so spectacularly. Beyond being beautifully written I really enjoyed the way the author incorporated so many real life elements into this romance.

I could really relate to the whole “difference of political opinions” as well as different social statuses and how they can inevitably complicate friendships and relationships. It made the whole book read like a “true life event”.

The romance was done so elegantly and clean. That being said it still had some of the most profound tension and chemistry I’ve read to date. Alex and Danial will have a special place in my heart forever.

Side Note: The book does take a minute to get into. It is slow paced. But I promise you it is so worth reading. The payoff is 👌👌👌.

Thank you Netgalley and Chelsea Fagan for the ARC copy. The thoughts and opinions above are my own.

Such a page turner! This book ties up politics, wealth, and relationships in a beautiful sea-blue ribbon. Our MC Alex finally goes OOO from her political communications job at the Worker’s Horizon Party to celebrate her best friends' bachelor party and wedding. Reuniting with her college friends for a yacht trip around the Mediterranean means confronting extreme wealth and the crush she never truly got over.
I can see some readers not liking how much money is featured in this book, but for me it kept it grounded. It also helped me to better understand Alex's character and why she makes the decisions she does. I also really enjoyed the political aspects; how *can* you enjoy such a lush and expensive yacht trip that few can even dream of while working for workers rights and calling out the rich?
I found the romance a bit unrealistic but it didn't stop me from enjoying it.
The only regret I have is not lying out in the sun while enjoying this. Overall it's a fab summer read!

An analytical and political hotspot of summer, love, and the repercussions of past mistakes and current ones. Fagan is an introspective writer with a sharp outlook on the complexities of the middle class and the wealthy and she doesn't hesitate to explore the complexities of both even if one of them often receives heavy criticism from her. Although the writing in this book is intellectual, sharp, and bold the storyline itself, in the romantic sense, is a bit unbelievable and random. I didn't feel strongly connected to the characters due to this writing style, though I know these characters will heavily appeal to the millenial demographic, especially those who work in corporate America.

I had a great time reading this book. I was engaged with wanting to know where the story was going to go, if the main characters would work out their differences. I kept wanting to sneak in pages any chance I could and finished it in 3 days. (Would have been sooner had I not had work.

This felt like it should be first person but it’s written in third person. It felt like I was in Alex’s head, feeling her emotions, more than anyone else. We followed her around more than anyone else.

Alex has a lot of hang ups on not being rich. There was zero self-development around that. In the end she was still insecure about it. The incident that set this all up set 10 years prior was overblown. It didn’t seem nearly bad enough to warrant avoiding someone for 10 years.

Such a perfect summer read. Appreciated the discussion of wealth and class disparities among the friend group; felt very realistic and pertinent to today. Alex’s struggle to balance her successful career and what she believes her friends’ view of success to be was something I think a lot of people could relate to. The relationship at the center of this book was full of tension and played out in a satisfying way but my favorite relationship was between Alex & Paul. Their dynamic as friends mirrors some of my own friendships in a way that I don’t always see in books. The natural chemistry and love between the two is so evident. It shows the importance of platonic love especially when you don’t have the romantic love to fall back on.

First of all, this was a page turner. I loved the cast of characters and wanted to know how everything was going to work out. Second of all, I wasn’t fully rooting for this couple (I still enjoyed them) but I turned it around toward the end and I feel like that takes a lot of talent! I loved seeing both Alex and Danial’s growth and their acceptance of themselves so they could accept each other. They felt like real people with realistic problems. I’m also so happy Paul left Guy! He deserves better.

I couldn't put this book down! I appreciate the complexity of the characters while also keeping the romance alive. Chelsea does any excellent job of juggling real life problems while also creating a escape from the world... The tension between the main characters could be cut with a knife. & the setting of yacht and the Mediterranean only adds to the fun of the whole story. A great book to read this summer while at the beach, pool, or just in a lawn chair in the backyard. Brava!

Thank you for the chance to read this early!
I LOVED The Perfect Vintage, so I knew Chelsea's writing style was going to be right up my alley. The prose is rich, the dialogue is so snappy, and the life observations are always so stark and dripping in reality. This is no exception: we follow Alex as she embarks on a lavish vacation with the one who got away to see her best male friend get married. It is slightly dual timeline (a few past plotlines to explain Alex / Danial falling apart) but mostly travels around the mediterranean exploring love and wealth.
First, the wealth / politics subplot: I thought this really worked. I'm from the Philadelphia suburbs, so the ties to PA were very strong and the duality of wealth classes and its impact on relationships was refreshing but rooted so strongly in truth. As someone who went away to college with people wealthier than me, this felt at times like looking into a window into my past.
I LOVED Alex/Paul's relationship. I loved seeing an unbalanced relationship outside of cis stereotypes. I thought the friendships were really well developed.
Most importantly the romance: the spice is relatively minimal, but the tension between Alex and Danial was really wonderful. The chemistry is intense even if its slow burn, and watching them have their second chance: perfect.
Such a great read, especially for the kick off to summer.

A great summer read! Full of tension, idyllic locations, and complex characters all while covering topics of complex social, class, and family dynamics in an interesting and entertaining way.