🚢🇮🇹 Going Overboard by Portia Macintosh 🇮🇹🚢
Genre: Rom Com
Length: 272 pages
Pub Date: July 26, 2025
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books foe the advanced e-ARC of this book. The opinions stated here are solely my own.

Summary:
Jessa is newly single after her boyfriend broke up with her at their friends' wedding. Soon, her bestie, Kelsey, will be getting married following a five-day cruise to Sicily with all the close friends aboard... including Jessa's ex, Todd. After a mix-up with the wedding coordinator, Jessa is stuck sharing a two-bedroom suite with Todd and his gorgeous girlfriend, Nikki. Luckily for her, hot best man, Brody, is newly single and has been booked in her room. The pair decides to go full fake-dating to get back at their exes (Nikki is Brody's ex, too!). Hilarious antics ensue, but will Brody and Jessa be convincing enough in their charade, or will real sparks begin to fly?? Will anyone find out? And how will they get around having to share one bed?

Review:
This is a quintessential Portia Macintosh rom com. Perfect for the beach, and for a good laugh as the craziness builds from the fake dating of the two MCs. This is a great rom com for anyone who loves enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, one bed, closed door spice, and even a hint of sports romance, as Brody happens to be a professional cricket player! I loved how Jessa and Brody continued to grow closer as Todd and Nikki got more annoyed throughout the story. There were some great distractions moments that piled on and ended with a very HEA. I always look forward to reading this author's latest!

Cute read and good flow. I enjoyed the plot and the characters but think that some descriptions were a bit overused (I.e. Al being shirtless all the time, etc). Nikki also ended up being a bit of a caricature. Overall though, I liked the book.

Sweet, simple, and perfect for the beach

This was a cute and easy read — nothing groundbreaking, but exactly what I wanted for a lazy afternoon in the sun. The characters were charming (if a bit predictable), and the setting gave me all the summer vibes. The romance built steadily, with just enough tension to keep me flipping pages between sunscreen reapplications.

Some of the dialogue felt a little cheesy, and the plot was pretty by-the-numbers, but that’s kind of the point with books like this. It’s comfort food for your brain — warm, familiar, and low-stress. If you’re looking for something light and feel-good to toss in your beach bag, this will absolutely do the trick.

Loved it.
Always love Portia Macintoshs books!
The cruise ship setting was fun.
The nikki character was awful.
The time in your life when everyone is getting married and all that goes with that is so relatable.
Amusing read that leaves you with smiles and feel good vibes.

Absolutely loved this book! I’ve not fallen this hard for characters in a while. Such well written and well thought characters.

Brody is so likeable and you just can’t help cheering for Jessa. So many ups and downs but a lovely easy going summer romance that’s full of fun!

I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced release copy of this book. I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was an interesting concept and could see it being a Hallmark movie!

Going Overboard features a summer filled with Jessa's friend's wedding celebrations. Jessa gets dumped by Todd and a couple weeks later at another wedding she discovers that Todd has already moved on to a new serious relationship with Nikki.

Jessa's best friend, Kelsey, is also getting married. Kelsey, Neil, and all their closest friends embark on a cruise to reach the wedding destination. Lo and behold a "booking snafu" arises and Jessa finds herself in the same 2-bedroom stateroom as Todd and Nikki and Nikki's ex, Brody (Brody is the best man in the wedding).

I absolutely ADORED the cruise ship setting and I also enjoyed reading about Jessa's career as a home stager. That's about all I enjoyed about this book. I didn't really care about the characters. We hear MANY instances about how big and buff Al is, but we never hear anything about the other characters. Some of the shenanigans that go on in the book are funny, but most of it just felt petty and immature.

The part that I REALLY didn't like?
There's a part where Jessa tells Brody that she's worried about being left behind. He reassures her by telling her that it won't be long before Neil will prefer to play golf more than hanging out with Kelsey. Brody tells her that soon her friends are going to be begging her to rescue them from their new phase.

*ROLLING MY EYES*

Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review Going Overboard as an eARC.

Just wrapped up Going Overboard by Portia MacIntosh, and if you love fake dating, forced proximity, and delicious enemies-to-lovers energy, this one’s going to be your next obsession.

It all starts at a wedding—Jessa gets dumped during the first dance, and at that exact moment, cricket superstar Brody is being blindsided by his own girlfriend. Plot twist? Their exes are now dating each other.

A few weeks later, Jessa’s headed on a wedding cruise to Sicily, hoping to avoid drama. Instead, she’s stuck sharing a suite with her ex, his new girlfriend… and Brody. Thanks to a booking mix-up, the four of them are sharing a two-bed room. Total nightmare, right?

Jessa and Brody decide to hit back—with a fake relationship designed to make their exes jealous. But the more convincing they get, the more complicated things become. Suddenly, it’s not so clear where pretending ends and something real begins.

Jessa is impulsive, messy, and hilarious in all the best ways. Brody is reserved, grounded, and so unexpectedly sweet. Their chemistry is off the charts, and their banter is sharp. You’ll root for them from the first awkward meet-cute.

The cruise ship setting adds this perfect layer of tension—there’s nowhere to run, and everything feels heightened. Plus, dreamy Italian ports and late-night balcony scenes? It’s giving escapist romance in the best way.

One thing that really stood out was the friendship. Jessa’s bond with her best friend Kelsey is a highlight—supportive, honest, and so real. The entire friend group adds a layer of warmth that keeps everything grounded.

And for readers of Portia MacIntosh’s earlier books, seeing Kira and Al pop up again was such a fun surprise. It made the whole story feel even more connected and rewarding.

Portia MacIntosh just doesn’t miss. Her writing is clever, heartfelt, and consistently addictive. Going Overboard is the kind of book you finish in one sitting and then immediately want to reread. Add this to your summer stack—it’s a must.

3 stars! Going Overboard by Portia MacIntosh is a lighthearted romantic comedy with a chaotic, cruise ship twist. Jessa is abruptly dumped by her boyfriend Todd mid slow dance at a wedding, only to discover a week later that he’s already with someone new... Nikki. When Jessa crosses paths with Brody (Nikki’s ex) at another wedding, the two hatch a plan to make their exes jealous. The banter between Jessa and Brody is sharp and genuinely funny; I found myself laughing out loud more than once. I also really appreciated the minimal spice, which is surprisingly hard to find in books these days!

The plot leans heavily into the “ex wars” concept, which starts to feel repetitive. There’s a lot of PDA, boat puns, and over-the-top antics that, while intentionally cringy, can wear thin. Most of the characters come off as immature, which made it harder to fully invest in their journey. The romance is a super slow burn, only really heating up in the final stretch. That said, it’s a fun, escapist read with some memorable laughs. Just don’t expect much emotional depth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book!

An entertaining, funny & delightful romance! The reader will find themself loving all the creativity & humor that takes place, along with all the feel good vibes of this relaxing summer read. As Jessa & Brody partake in a fake dating arrangement for some fun revenge on their exes (who are now dating each other!) the laughter begins with some of the craziest moments, activities & interactions. While Jessa & Brody have no way to avoid their exes, they decide to make the most of being stuck on the cruise deciding on a little revenge plan - a fake relationship. They do or say everything romantic to drive their exes crazy. Eventually, Jessa finds that spending all this time with Brody & getting to really know him has her wondering if her feelings are really fake anymore.

A fun and breezy romance story. And of course it has a happy ending. I stayed up late on more than a few nights because I had to read the next chapter — and the next one after that. A fun beach read.

Another thoroughly enjoyable read from Portia MacIntosh! While this novel may not have delivered the same vivid sense of place as some of her previous works, it more than made up for it with its trademark humour and charming character dynamics.
The story is peppered with those delightfully quirky moments that you come to expect—whether it’s a surprise push into a fountain, a case of mistaken identity involving a valet, or the hilariously silly games that unfold. These scenes are not just entertaining, they’re memorable, and they consistently bring a smile to your face.
What’s most comforting is knowing that with MacIntosh, the fun never stops for long—there’s always another feel-good adventure just around the corner. A lot of fun, light-hearted escapism, and a reminder of why she remains a go-to author for a reliably uplifting read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

3.75/5

This was the perfect summer read for me. It had me giggling, twirling my hair and kicking my feet at points. I enjoyed the romance between the two MCs and thought they had good chemistry and banter. (I sound like i’m on love island). Perfect for anyone who wants an easy, (but enjoyable) light, summer read!

This was the perfect summery beach read.

I loved Jessa and Brody. Their meet cute was funny, and their banter throughout was perfect. I enjoyed reading their journey from faking dating and doing things to make others jealous to realising they no longer cared about getting even and starting to enjoy each other's company and seeing a future together.
Their friends were also well-rounded fun characters to read.

The vibes
🛳 Fake dating
☀️ Forced proximity
🛳 Wedding
☀️ Only one bed
🛳 Banter
☀️ Cruise ship/Italy setting

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review:
Going Overboard had me giggling, swooning, and kicking my feet like a lovesick teenager. Jessa is my new favorite hot mess, and Brody? Golden Retriever vibes with a heart of gold—yes please.

The banter? Top tier. The chemistry? Off the charts. The cruise ship setting? A+ chaos. This romcom is hilarious, heartfelt, and hotter than a poolside margarita. I devoured it in one sitting and would 100% jump overboard for these two.

Thank you NetGalley and [publisher] for the ARC—I’m obsessed!

I really, really struggled with this book. I wanted to really like it and like the main characters, but I struggled with the way it was written. When the characters weren’t talking, it’s like the narrator was addressing me as though *I* was then a character in the story. I couldn’t get past it and it really tossed me the entire story. I liked the development of the FMC and how she combatted her true problems, but it just wasn’t for me overall. I do appreciate the opportunity to read!

Ok this book is a must read! I was in a slump and this book was soo good. So light hearted so quick. Forced proximity , fake dating who fall for each other! Alittle bit of drama but an amazing stable friend group that backed the MMC up ! And Brody Ryan swoon worthy !

This is a lighthearted and flirty fun summer romance. It is a fake dating trope but it didn't have as much of a build-up as I would've preferred. Still a cute and easy read

A cute lighthearted summer romance. This is my first book by Portia MacIntosh and will not be my last. It is a funny fake dating situation with a great location on a cruise ship! I loved the relationship between Jessa and Brody, they had great chemistry instantly with A+ banter. 3.5⭐️/5

cute, lighthearted romance with some great vibes and some interesting feels. would definitely recommend. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.