This is the second book I have ate up by Ms. Katelyn Doyle. This fun read begins with our main girl, Hope, going on a luxury cruise (mostly for the retired crowd) with her influencer bestie, Lauren, after having gone through a particularly shitty break up. There she meets Felix, a hot, British chef who has the best sense of dry humor. Their connection, banter, and tension had me swooning. I loved seeing both Hope and Felix be vulnerable with each other, given they had a finite amount of time on the trip. Things did get a bit deeper after they debarked the bubble of their luxury cruise ship. Overall, this was a perfect summer beach read. It has all the right elements, a dreamy setting, lovable characters, spice, and heart!

The narrators did a great job bringing the narrative to life. They were engaging and kept the story fun. The only cringey thing was often times the accents of the female narrator were kind of a miss at times. I would not say that it made it a bad listen at all, it was just slightly off-putting.

Total Dreamboat was a very cute book set in the Caribbean. I’ve been on several cruises so I could totally relate to the story. I didn’t quite feel the love connection between the main characters, but it was fine enough. I recommend this book to any of my friends who like cute romantic stories. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read Total Dreamboat!

4.25⭐️

A wonderfully charming love story to bring to the beach! You’ll love this book if you enjoy banter as foreplay (I literally LOLed a few times) and quirky romances with realistic roadblocks.

I listened to the audio for this one and I’m a little disappointed that I did. Total Dreamboat is told in duel narration and I did not love either narrator’s take the non-POV character, be it side- or opposing main. Duel narrators typically have some differences in side character interpretations, but I felt like they both had wildly different takes on the opposite main. I think this affected the emotional impact of some of the heavier scenes that span chapters because they didn’t always feel like the same characters.

However, the story is strong enough to push through and I had a really good time. This is a must read for all contemporary romance enjoyers this summer!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
* Lovers to enemies to lovers
* Meet cute on a cruise
* Meddling family and friend
* Fun summer romance
* Forced proximity in multiple instances
* Stranded together 😏
* Second (…and third) chance romance

I love the dual narrators, especially that Felix is an English accent. They both do well with all the voices.

How lucky is she to meet the son of a baronet! The beginning of this book is so fun and a fantasy of what many want to find on a cruise: a sexy chance encounter with someone that you can escape to enjoy fun in the sun…and under the covers at night 🤭

They escalate quickly and I’m here for the chemistry between them after a sweet date together. I was sooo glad it was mainly in his POV in that sexy accent. It’s especially emotional but fast since it’s his first time sober. They barely know each other but they’re rather candid and open with each other quickly.

What are the odds she runs into her ex on the same cruise?! I knew that it was a little TOO coincidental, so it seemed to add tension, but I’m not sure it was a good choice by the author. We already know it was a bad breakup, so for her to have to deal with him while trying to seek pleasure and fun with Felix was a little too much. And the other issues and conflicts they deal with halfway through would have been enough to cause that tension for the plot. The twist at the end made sense, but couldn’t Felix have found Lauren’s account on his own if he knew about them both? (Instastalking when first meeting someone is pretty common nowadays lol).

I did like how the book goes back and forth between the past when they first get on the cruise, and what happens when they get stuck after being left behind. It’s a good and humorous choice by the author to make this a fun summer rom com. The fact that they’re stuck together after such a problem of mistrust really set the tone for the plot for the second half of the book. They’re stuck together in such a beautiful and romantic location, and I really liked all the stops of the cruise because it reminded me of my own romantics cruises in the past. This time stranded together gives them a second chance and I really liked how they gave each other forgiveness and were willing to explore how well they worked together. His big jump to keep her was so sweet and romantic, it was spot-on for how their romance had started from the beginning. And I loved their HEA in the epilogue that they so deserved 🥰 This was such a fun summer read and I’m glad I got to listen to it in the audiobook option because it really added to my enjoyment!

I went into Total Dreamboat with zero expectations and enjoyed it so much! There's something about a romance at sea that is so irresistible to me. The chemistry between Hope and Felix felt natural and I enjoyed their banter. I've never heard of Katelyn Doyle before but am now excited to go back and read her first book. This is a fun summer read, especially if you're heading out on a cruise or visiting somewhere warm!

My Ratings:
🧍🏽‍♀️ 4/5 Characters
🌶️ 2.5/5 Spice
🎬 4/5 Ending
🧩 3.5/5 Plot
💫 4/5 Overall

Thank you to the publisher for an advance audiobook in exchange for my honest thoughts.

The cover and title didn't originally grab me, but after passing this book a few times, I read the description and thought oh this sounds like a good pallet cleanser. Well surprise....I loved it! I enjoy romance/chicklit, but sometimes find it all the same and get bored, but this one was refreshing. The characters, the plot, the relationships, both friendship and love.... Everything was good and sure it followed the romance novel timeline/theme, but felt different, more mature and real.
Katelyn Doyle writes great banter and character development. I laughed, I caught feelings. I thought the editing was perfect. There was enough description put into the plotline and characters that painted a picture without over excessive word vomit. Spice level was just right too for me. The mood was set, the chemistry felt and I didn't have to relive the same chain of events over and over.
The narrators did an awesome job too. Highly recommend the audiobook or if you want a cute, sweet, fun, at times serious romance read that will make you smile, this is an awesome choice.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc.

Hope has been through a bad break up and she's stuck in a low paying job she doesn't enjoy. When her influencer friend invites her on a free 10-day Caribbean cruise, she decides it'll be a nice break and opportunity to clear her head. Felix is a chef from London who joins his family on the cruise for his parent's 40th anniversary. The two meet on the first day at sea and it quickly develops into a fun vacation fling... until things go awry and they find themselves stranded together with no passports.

I read Katelyn Doyle's "Just Some Stupid Love Story" last year after grabbing it at the library on a whim and absolutely loved it, so I was excited when I found out she was coming out with another fun summer read this year. Without giving spoilers, I really enjoyed the way this story developed in the second half. It has a lot more depth than what I was expecting, and I appreciated that the story was just as much about each of them finding happiness for themselves as it was about them falling in love. The audiobook was also incredible! I thought the narration really added to the story.

This book was everything I needed it to be! I’ve found myself in a book slump - where nothing was hitting - and I was hoping to read/listen to something genuine that made me really feel something. Mission accomplished. This one made me feel ALL the things. And genuinely had me giggling out loud!

Total Dreamboat gave me actual butterflies throughout this book thanks to the banter and sharing of feelings between Felix and Hope. 🥰 They were absolutely adorable!!!! The spark between the two main characters really was palpable and felt so authentic. I just ate this Total Dreamboat up. Which, as I said, was the exact thing I desired. I just wanted a book to feel giddy about and to get lost in and this ABSOLUTELY delivered!!!

Another thing I loved? Any type of drama and/or third act breakup within felt deserved and realistic. The dialogue didn’t feel forced and each character voice felt unique. (Aside from the 👯‍♀️ which they were meant to feel homogeneous, I’m sure.) Speaking of the girls — I LOVED the relationships between Felix and his sisters. Their back-and-forth quips were some of the funniest parts of the book!!! (I’d sincerely love more books in this world to do with the sisters!)

I was so fortunate to listen to the ALC of Total Dreamboat thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for my thoughts. Kelli Tager and Russ Bain co-narrated it and my gosh… they were PERFECTION. Kelli brought so much emotion (the full range) to this role and had me tearing up and/or crying several times. She’s really good at evoking strong emotions. Russ brought so much charm and character to Felix. I couldn’t imagine having experienced this book without them!

A million thank you’s to Macmillan Audio 👏🏽 and to Katelyn Doyle for this absolute banger of a book. 🫶🏼

Utterly charming!

Hope and Felix meet on a cruise, have a fast and furious few days of an affair, then it all goes to hell in a hand basket - or, close enough. From crappy exes and international woes to meddling friends and families and “right person, wrong time” feel, it’s a beautiful love story.

As I’m going to write this review, I see that the author wrote another book that was released last June…that I also loved!
So, please keep your eyes open for more from this gifted author!!

Hope is pretty much out of hope.
She was in a serious relationship that broke up almost a year ago…and she’s still not sure why. One thing she does know, she’s NOT getting involved with anyone seriously ANY TIME in the near future.

She’s a writer in NYC who has been unable to write for some time now. And her ‘job’, well she does it, but her boss is NOT nice…at all. And it does not really involve writing… books. She feels like she is never ‘off’…
So when her BFF invites her on an all expenses paid cruise, well… how can she pass that up?
Her friend is a well known influencer who posts EVERYTHING… 😮 but, kind of in a funny, tongue-in-cheek way.

Felix is a pretty well known chef. In England. He’s a pure workaholic! So when his parents invite all the kids on a cruise, well…he’s disappointed them so many times in the past that he feels like he HAS to show up for this one. After all, it’s their anniversary…and it’s a big one!

And what happens as they board the cruise ship? Their eyes lock!

Hope figures, well, she can have some fun! He’s handsome… and lives far away. What’s there to lose?
Felix sees a beautiful woman and is smitten! But, he’s had some real hardships in the past too! So, he’s not getting INVOLVED!!

And I’m going to 🛑🛑 STOP 🛑🛑 right there!

What’s that old saying? We make plans and God laughs? !!!

This one was adorable! Cute! Sweet! Sad. Heartbreaking. Sassy. Fun. Comical! Just about any adjective you can think of! It hits ALL the marks!

4 1/2 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 for me, happily rounded up to 5!

#TotalDreamboat by #KatelynDoyle and narrated beautifully by #KelliTager and #RussBain.

*** RELEASE DATE IS COMING UP SOON, SO LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON JUNE 24, 2025!!! ***

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudiofor an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
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Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

When Hope is invited to go on an all paid for luxury cruise vacation with her influencer best friend, she jumps at the chance. She meets Felix, a recovering alcoholic chef on vacation with his family and the two instantly hit it off. After a fast fling in the first few days of the cruise, things implode and they find themselves stranded together and as they put aside their differences to get out of a sticky situation, they realize they may have to harshly judged each other.

Total Dreamboat was such a fun summer read. It has all the vacation vibes, and the banter between Hope and Felix is top notch. I also really appreciated the recovering alcoholic rep and felt like this was handled well in the book. Hope's overworking tendencies also felt real and relatable. The conflict of the story felt slightly produced, but made for some fun antics. Bonus points for the mention of staying at Atlantis in the Bahamas being a dream to every girl who grew up watching Mary Kate and Ashley movies and Holiday in the Sun imprinting on us at a young age.

Tropes
* Vacation Romance
* Summer Reading
* British MMC/ American FMC
* Forced Proximity
* Third Act Breakup
* Recovering Alcoholic

4.5 stars

This had a solid premise and moments that pulled me in, but it just didn’t fully land for me. Some parts felt slow or flat, and I never really connected with the characters like I wanted to. On top of that, I didn’t like the narrators they made it harder to stay engaged, which definitely affected how I felt about the story overall.

It wasn’t a bad read, just not super memorable for me.

Hope is feeling stuck in a dead-end job and reeling from a breakup, so when her influencer BFF whisks her away on a luxury cruise, she says yes. Cue tropical views, buffet lines, and… Felix 😍

Our charming, pub-owning Brit enters stage left, and this shipmance? UGH. I was rooting for them the whole time. From flirty banter to surprise depth, I was laughing, blushing, and yes — lowkey tearing up at that epilogue 😭❤️

This book had all the ingredients:
💘 Swoonworthy love interest
🌊 Cruise ship chaos & hilarity
💫 Second chances & self-discovery
😂 Laughs, feels, and a HEA that delivers!

If you love books that make you feel like you're on vacation and like your heart’s growing three sizes, pick this one up immediately.

Very sweet story!

Hope Lanover’s life is falling apart. She broke up with her boyfriend and things aren’t going well at work. When her best friend, a lifestyle influencer, invites her on a 10 day cruise, she jumps at the chance to get away. In the ticket line, she locks eyes with Felix Segrave who is on this cruise with his family to celebrate their parent’s anniversary. For a few fun filled days, Hope and Felix enjoy the island stops, dance lessons on board, and tasting all the gourmet food. A romantic fling is just what they both need right now. But all goes awry the day Felix sees an online post that destroys his trust in Hope. And to add insult to injury, the former lovebirds find themselves stranded in the Bahamas, depending on each other until they can be rescued. Can they find that spark that they had in the beginning of the cruise?

I really enjoyed this book. It was so descriptive I almost felt like I was on the cruise too!

The audio narration was fantastic performed by Kelli Tager and Russ Bain

Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author for this ALC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on June 24, 2025

“It’s not healthy for you to work so hard at something you hate.”

It was a fun romance novel, which obviously takes place on a cruise ship.

After a bad break up, hope agrees to go with her best friend on a cruise for a fresh start. She wasn’t expecting to meet a guy that could be the man of her dreams. She also wasn’t expecting her piece of trash ex to show up on the cruise ship with his grandmother, claiming his being on the cruise was a coincidence.

After a series of unfortunate events….will Hope find her true love!?! I mean it’s a romance novel so we know how this goes.

This was a fun and lighthearted books with some great personal growth thrown in.

A fun beach read for sure.

3.75 stars

This audiobook is the perfect book for summer and I really enjoyed it! It was a fun, cute ant enjoyable listen.

One of the things I loved most about this audiobook was the dual narration. Both Kelli Tager and Russ Bain were new narrators for me, and they did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life. Their performances definitely added to my enjoyment.

The plot itself was unique and entertaining. My main issue though, was that I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between the two main characters. While I liked them individually, I just wished there was more of that spark. On the flip side, I definitely appreciated the spice in the story.

Listen if you enjoy:
* cruise ship romance
* a British tattooed MMC
* sobriety representation
* forced proximity
* dual pov

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of this audiobook. I voluntarily listened and gave an honest review.

Hope desperately needs a vacation: her relationship ended and her career plateaued, so when her bestie influencer invites her to a luxury cruise “to look for a rich husband,” she gladly accepts. Little did she know, Felix and his family would board the cruise ship as well. The two hit it off during the ten-day trip around the Caribbean, but after a series of unfortunate events, they find themselves stranded in the Bahamas. Will their fling also end in shipwreck?

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book! Being on the cruise ship was such a unique spin on the #ForcedProximity trope, and the excursions afforded by a cruise only added to the thrill of the fling. I give major props to both Kelli Tager & Russ Bain, who had to be masters of an American (generalized), American Southern/twang, British, Bahamian, and other dialects as part of the story, and it truly added to the storytelling experience! This is such a fun beach read that will surely inspire you to look for love on a cruise!

Reviewed as part of #ARC from @NetGalley. Many thanks to @Macmillan.Audio for the opportunity to read and review.

Read this book if you like:
💂 proper banter (and tons of different accents in the audiobook)
🛳️ cruise ship romance (maybe #DoctorOdyssey?)
📼 Mary-Kate & Ashley’s iconic "Holiday in the Sun"

Spice warning: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ moderate

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This review will be posted to Instagram @AutobiographiCole on or around the release date!

4.5 stars, rounded up.

This books is delightful, a perfect summer read!

We start in the middle of the story with something terrible happening, then flash back to the beginning and learn how we got there. I loved this because it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the events leading up to that point!

Both Hope and Felix embark on a cruise somewhat unenthusiastically, but when they meet each other, their vacations turn around for the better. When their vacation fling turns sour and they are left stranded, they have to work together to overcome a whole host of problems.

I loved the lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers storyline, unique forced proximity setup, and all the crazy things that happen in this book!

I received an ALC of this book, and I enjoyed the narration from both Kelli Tager and Russ Bain. The audio production is high-quality and made this book even more enjoyable to read!

Read this book if you like:
- a tattoed MMC
- a British MMC
- a vacation fling
- Going on a cruise
- Worst-case scenarios while traveling

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the free ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Fun listen! The narrator also made it easy to listen! An original rom-com that I really enjoyed! This would make for a great summer beach read/listen.

The narration was fantastic and the story line was so original! I loved the plotline though the romantic conflict felt a bit forced after they were stranded together. It felt like too many break ups before the happy ending.