Jill Tew has proven again how wonderful an author she is. An Ocean Apart is a breath of fresh air when it comes to dystopian novels with a beautiful setting that makes you want to travel the world just to find something like it. Her book is incredibly engaging and had me reading through the night and in my classes. Her characters are written well and make you feel like you truly know them; even the supporting characters feel full and alive. I recommend this book to anyone in a slump, just getting started, or just looking for their new favorite read.

I enjoyed reading The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew and knew I had to read An Ocean Apart. An Ocean Apart did not disappoint. The book is the Bachelor/the Selection meets Hunger Games. The world building in the book was great. There were some twists in the book. Eden, Henry and Theo...the tension who will she choose. I enjoyed all of the other female characters in the book during the competition of the book. The ballgowns in the book were amazing. Jill Tew will be an auto read for me. If you are looking for a YA dystopian book with diverse characters this is the book for you.

Jill Tew is quickly establishing herself as a FORCE in dystopian YA storytelling. AN OCEAN APART grabs you from the very first chapter and never lets you go. It's giving THE HUNGER GAMES on the high seas, and I loved EVERY MINUTE OF IT! Not only is the plot compelling and FUN, but Jill also hits when it comes to delivering poignant social commentary that reflects our current times. Also, Eden, Theo and Henry present a love triangle for the ages! Like she did with THE DIVIDING SKY, Jill Tew swung big on a sweeping dystopian romance, and she DID. NOT. MISS.

She will be a YA Queen in just a few years. Mark my words!

An Ocean Apart is reminiscent of The Selection series; however, it's a stand-alone book that adds in an eco-warrior element. Eden, the protagonist, is a Marsher who is trying to survive the harsh climate left behind in Miami after a devastating hurricane ravages the already savaged area. After a devastating accident threatens her adopted family's existence, Eden decides to join with The Ringleader, a mysterious rebel, to take on the Cruisers, the rich business people who live on cruise ships as a way to avoid the harsh mainland environments caused by the Cruisers' own mishandling of the land. Eden joins seven other young women who are all vying for the hand of Theo Desjardins, the son of one of the most powerful business people. As a Floridian who has endured multiple hurricane strikes, I felt the authenticity in the descriptions of the area and the ravages of the hurricane on the environment. I thought that this book did a good job with the enemies to lovers trope and that there were unexpected twists and turns. I look forward to adding this title to my high school library.

This was a solid story! Eden was a very likable MC and I found myself rooting for her instantly. The pacing of the story was fast paced and nice, although I think some of the characters could have been fleshed out more.

This story covers such important topics like billionaires causing harm to communities and the environment, obsession with social media, and selling yourself for corporations out of necessity (like with the ad watching).

I think two points that made me wanting more/something different is 1) I wish Henry was just Eden’s best friend and not a love interest. I felt the love triangle cheapened the plot and the characters. That leads me to 2) Eden became trusting of Theo and the cruisers way too quickly in my opinion. She has suffered because of them for most of her life and it just takes a month for her to think they’re “not all bad” ? I can appreciate the nuance but it wasn’t very believable to me. I also don’t like how Henry and the marshers were villainized for fighting back. Henry was treated as more in the wrong than Theo and his mother, by Eden. That perspective makes me uncomfortable when the marshers are being exploited and oppressed by the cruisers.

This book!! I loved every minute of reading this. There were scenes that had me giggling and others literally had my mouth agape. Jill Tew wrote a story that speaks to the harm of greed and the cost paid by the lower class. It's a story of Vengeance, love, hope, and retaliation.

The only drawback I have is some of the communication was too good to be true (could be my trauma kicking in lol). Which is a personal problem of mine and because of that I rate this book a 4.75.

I ended up really enjoying An Ocean Apart even though I don’t really like dystopian or love triangles, and therefore don’t read them all that often. I received the E-ARC, thank you to Jill Tew and Lyssa Mia Smith, and Netgalley.
Eden was a well written, great main character who didn’t complain about every small thing! She was resourceful and independent, had great development throughout the story, and at the end of it all had a good heart! Slightly more likeable than the typical dystopian FMC. The world building and descriptions of everything, especially the settings and outfits, which I very much appreciated, were fantastic! I wouldn’t have minded a little bit more character development, but none of them felt under developed in any way.
This is also an incredibly relevant story for our time- the parallels from our world to this future are startling. Even when the world is falling apart people are still way too obsessed with social media rankings and popularity. Celebrities and influential figures pretend to care about the environment and people in worse conditions then them, telling the world they do all these good things, but in reality, they aren’t doing anything at all except making the problem way worse. We live in an awfully materialistic world. And humanity seemed doomed to alway live like this.
On a more positive note, it was a very happily ever after, love conquers all ending, which again, I’m not complaining about, especially as dystopians can be very doom and gloom.
I have not read The Dividing Sky but definitely will, I’m very interested to see how the world in An Ocean Apart, particularly how it becomes at the end, transfers into that of The Dividing Sky, and pick up on all the Easter eggs!

Somebody give Jill Tew a crown because she is the rising queen of dystopian fiction. This book is phenomenal! It's so well written, from the characters to the descriptions to the world to the messaging. The love triangle, the ballgowns, the world building, the plot twists--this book is absolutely begging for a screen adaptation.

Highly, highly recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

All her life, Eden has experienced the struggle of a dystopian future where water is scarce and price is determined by the wealthy in their far off cruise ships. So when she gets a chance to humiliate the elite under the guise of wooing their favorite son, she jumps in eagerly.

I loved the characters and the setting, and would very happily read more set in this world!

n a climate-distressed future, a teenage girl joins a Bachelor-esque competition for an elite boy's love, hoping to stick it to the corporations that keep her community oppressed. She accepts help from a mysterious rebel figure to catapult her into the running and the world of the elite Cruisers, who wander the world free from the devastating consequences of their actions. But she risks more than she first bargained when her feelings for the heir set sail.

A nice inheritance of the legacy left by The Selection and The Hunger Games, with significantly more diversity! Jill Tew's novels excel as contributions to the YA dystopian canon. We'll never be done with swoony, tropey stories retold for readers who haven't had opportunities to see themselves reflected in a future that includes them, despite all its trials and tribulations. Fast paced plot, and some Capitol-worthy fashion to boot!

✨Book Review✨

Title: An Ocean Apart
Author: Jill Tew
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 352
5⭐️

Released October 14, 2025

An Ocean Apart is one of those feel good but gritty kind of stories!

With Black love and love triangles… and if you don’t like either, are you even trustworthy?!

The competition element gave red rising and The hunger games vibes, with its core dystopian sci-fi setting focusing on action or revolution, not romance-driven stakes.

If you liked…
✨The Parable series
✨Legendborn
✨Long Live
✨The Serpent and the Wings of Night
✨The Hunger Games series
✨Red Rising series


…You’ll love An Ocean Apart!

#UrbanFiction #historicalfiction #Sportsromance #Fantasy#suspense #romance #Thriller #Fantasy #SciFi #Dystopian #Romantasy #fiction #indie #indieread #readthistoday #readwithKC #ebook #boox #kindle #MoodReader #BOTM #bookreviewer #BookClub #ImmersionReading

What do you get if you take— the climate change ravaged world, massive floating cities (in cruise ships form) and fresh water as the rarest commodity— aspects of Waterworld. Add in a Bachelor-style competition to win the hand of the heir to the corporation-government-frankenstein, that controls all water. Plus, a love triangle for those of us heartbroken about Gale. And a rebellion led by a political agitator know only as the Ringmaster?

A dystopian romance masterpiece aka An Ocean Apart.

Here are some things you should know about me.
1. I’ve never left my dystopian era. You can catch me rereading my 2010s favorites on the regular — so this resurgence of dystopian romance? I’m sat ! (Did I use that right?)
2. Waterworld played on repeat in my house in the 90s.
3. I’m from Florida, previously studied Environmental Science, and am probably a little too excited about what happens when our sea levels rise (bc it’s going to happen).

Essentially I’m telling you this was the perfect book for me.

What’s to love…
- gorgeous setting & stunning prose
- WATERWORLD vibes
- Bachelor-style dating competition
- a love triangle, that will have you unable to pick a team!
- political intrigue
- TWISTY, binge-able, on the edge of your seat plot
- Grade A banter
- Realistic, yet hopeful portrayal of capitalism, greed, and corruption that mirrors our society with tummy aching accuracy.
- BIPOC cast of characters

What’s not to love…
- I actually can’t remember anything I didn’t love, I’m kind of obsessed.

I would like to thank Jill Tew, the publisher and NetGalley for sharing this advanced reader copy with me. It was an incredible ride, one I will not forget anytime soon! Love triangle on a cruise in a dystopian flooded world? Amazing!

Eden lives in Miami's flooded marshes, trying to survive alongside her best friend Henry. When Eden is entangled in the scheme of a rebellious mastermind, she ends up on the cruise of a lifetime, where socialites must compete in a televised dating competition and vye for Theo's attention, the dashing heir of a filthy rich corporation. Eden's plan is simple: win the prize money and Theo's heart, only to crush it. But her own heart deceives her, and she is faced with the only choice there ever was: Henry or Theo?

Gosh I loved this one so much!! From the rugged beauty of nature in the Marshes to the dazzling luxury of the Cruisers on the open sea, Tew knows how to deliver amazingly vivid and intricate worlds to us lucky readers!! I also loved all the main characters, they all have so much heart! The only thing I'd say is that Eden is one undecided person, which serves its purpose in a love triangle! Usually I can tell where it's going, but it took me a long time to figure that one out, which kept me turning pages nonstop!! So you can guess that the story was riveting to say the least! And of course the pace was electric!!

Now I'm sitting here waiting for the next Tew dystopian romance, and I swear I will go into withdrawal after reading The Dividing Sky and An Ocean Apart back-to-back! Also I'm sending this into the Universe but please, please make a movie out of this!!

Jill doesn't miss! Hunger Games x The Bachelor on a floating city? The premise is fantastic and Jill absolutely delivers. I was on the edge of my seat as Eden has to navigate the competition as well as her growing, real feelings for the "bachelor" she is supposed to humiliate and steal from. When the book started, Eden's life circumstances are so challenging and her anger is so real, I couldn't see how she could possibly fall in love with Theo. I knew that's where the book was headed, but I just didn't know how Jill Tew would pull it off in a way that felt authentic to Eden and her rage. But she did, she absolutely did! I was rooting for Eden and Theo the whole way. Also, this would make for SUCH a good movie or TV project. I would love to see this world on the big screen--the inside of my head felt too small.

I absolutely devoured this one! Loved the unique setting of the Marshes in former Miami, and the desperation of the inhabitants is palpable. And Eden was such a compelling protagonist. Her mission to get back at the "Cruisers" was thrilling, but what really hooked me was the unexpected connection she found with Theo. The dating competition premise is such a clever way to throw these two seemingly opposite characters together, and I loved their chemistry! This book is a great blend of dystopian world building and just the right mix of romance with some deeper themes about class and environmental justice. Highly recommend!

Thank you Random House Children's Books for providing this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hunger Games meets The Bachelor in an action-packed romance with a love triangle that will have your heart in knots.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jill Tew for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!


If you loved Tew’s The Dividing Sky, you’ll love An Ocean Apart. Swoonworthy romance, high emotional stakes, a tight plot, lush descriptions, and inextinguishable hope against an economically ruined America, this book is everything I’ve come to expect from Tew’s writing. Written with the raw authenticity of someone who’s worked in corporate America, this book manages to be brutally honest in its social commentary yet stubbornly hopeful shown in the love the characters have for each other, even across huge financial barriers and diverse backgrounds. In other words, this is cozy dystopian at its finest, inviting its young readers to think deeply about the patterns in our own society while encouraging change and giving hope for the future. I can’t wait to see what Jill writes next!

Jill Tew does it again with this totally addictive dystopian romance. I blew through the pages--who doesn't love a contest for the cute rich guy all backdropped by a more sinister world full of secrets?

5 ⭐ Thank you NetGalley, the Ballgowns and Betrayal Street Team, and Jill herself for the opportunity to read the eARC of this book.

Where do I even begin?! This book was everything to me -- a breath of fresh air. Tew really knows how to write YA Dystopian Romance and she does it so well. As someone who has also read her debut The Dividing Sky, I can tell she's grown even more as an author after reading An Ocean Apart!

Firstly, I love the way Tew writes setting/nature. Every time I read a book of hers, I feel immediately immersed in whatever setting the book takes place in. Her flowery and picturesque language does not go unnoticed. My mind leaves reality and easily dives into her fictional world.

I ate the plot of this book RIGHT up. If you love reality TV (especially dating competitions) but want to add the element of a dystopian world to it with high-tech innovations, then this book is ABSOLUTELY for you. I love the way Tew weaves her stories with many issues we face today in a capitalist society: greed, consumerism, lack of empathy, turning a blind eye, classism. It's always an interesting backdrop to the romance and I think it highlights how these are very real issues we face in the present day, even if the story is fictional.

Speaking of romance, I love the way Tew wrote this love triangle! I'm usually not fond of love triangles, but I think it really works for this book. Both Henry and Theo are very likeable love interests with characteristics and dynamics that make them likeable for different reasons. I was 80% finished with this book and still didn't know who Eden would choose and I LOVED that I couldn't really predict her choice that far into the story! Even when I did find out her choice, it made sense to me. I didn't find myself screaming at my eReader for what Tew decided to do. Brava!

The ending didn't feel rushed to me. It felt concise, but not rushed. In my review of The Dividing Sky, I did feel that the ending was rushed; so, as I said earlier, I really think the conclusion for an Ocean Apart shows an aspect of Tew's growth in the two years from her debut.

Overall, I had a blast reading this book! An Ocean Apart is exhilarating, dazzling, and swoon-worthy. From the descriptive beauty of the Florida marshes to the infiltration of a dating competition to the high-tech ballgowns to the Easter eggs from her debut novel, you are destined to have fun on the Desdemona. I think people of all ages can enjoy this book. I am so glad I could read an advance copy and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity. Y'all are not ready for the release of this story in October. Get ready. Maybe it'll even capture your heart the way it did mine 🩵🌊🫧💧

Jill Tew is the undisputed QUEEN of YA dystopian romance -- An Ocean Apart is yet another jewel of a book, filled with high-stakes action and rib-tickling banter and heartwarming romance. Eden and Theo are an absolute delight together, and the Ever After vibes of their dynamic is off-the-charts. An Ocean Apart is sure to delight readers of all ages -- and would be STUNNING as a film adaptation, by the way. Cannot recommend this enough!!!