4.25⭐🌶️

This was a fun mystery/romance novel that I was not expecting to enjoy as much as I did. The banter and chemistry between Isaiah and Poppy was cute, even though I think they fell for each other rather too quickly. Is it insta-love? Yeah, probably, but it didn’t feel rushed or ridiculous. The situation they were in and them being so transparent and vulnerable with each other did add depth to their relationship, so I didn’t mind them falling for each other in such a short span of time.

The mystery itself was pretty interesting, especially how Poppy was linked to the murders happening all around her. I’m kind of ashamed to say that I didn’t really know who the killer was, but I wasn’t surprised when they revealed themselves towards the end. 😅 But what I enjoyed most was the friendships and life lessons Poppy and Isaiah received during their time on the ship. I don't usually read thriller romance but this book was pleasant surprise.

Thank you netgalley for the arc

This was a fun book! There was a lot of things I liked and disliked about it.

I loved the characters. Poppy was a very heartfelt, kind of sad character. I loved the development of seeing her mask disappear as they got more into the murder mystery. She starts off cold-hearted, but it quickly thaws into who she truly is, a good person. Isaiah was very fun in the way of how clever and obsessive he is. I love how quick he can think on his feet. It gets them out of plenty of situations. He's very obsessed with any case he has and will solve it. It gives him more insight into how to get what he wants, as in knowing when and when not to push.
I loved the close door mystery aspect of it. They cannot escape because the murderer is on the ship. It made it more fun. Especially after we discovered the pattern of the killings.

I disliked the murderer. It felt like it came out of nowhere. She wasn't even introduced until close to the end of the book. It just felt like I couldn't piece this mystery together with the information given. I wish it would have been a different motivation too.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5 stars - Rom-com mystery thriller.

Pop princess Poppy sets sail on a two week cruise with her bodyguard Isaiah, and new friend Mina. It’s not long before the murders start and Poppy seems to be the intended target.

Lighthearted murderous fun, a totally unbelievable plot line paired with highly likeable characters, made this a very bingeable trashy read. I read after a high stakes fantasy so this was the perfect palate cleanser book, perfect for summer.

I would have like more scenes with the cruise amenities and the docking in Amalfi for the arm chair traveller within me but enjoyed trying to work out who the killer was - the person who I suspected was innocent in the end.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC.

When I read the blurb, I was expecting a lot from this book and unfortunately, it didn't deliver. Whether story-wise or writing-wise, the book fell short.

When it came to writing, it felt YA which definitely didn't fit in an adult book. There was excessive dialogue, taking over most of the book. Things that could be said in inner monologues were dumped in a long cringy info dump filled back and forth between the characters.

What made it worse was the fact that all the characters had similar voices, sometimes even saying or doing things that were unfit for their personalities.

The pacing was another issue. It took 50% of the book to get to the investigation!

The relationships between the characters were weird. Mina and Poppy meeting up and immediately plotting a murder together was just very unrealistic on every scale. That was not the only relationship that didn't make much sense to me; unfortunately, I enjoyed none. The characters themselves felt badly written. They had no depth whatsoever, and somehow, a simple conversation was enough to convince them to cover up a murder.

And why were both the FMC and MMC confessing to the crimes they did as if it was a casual Sunday at group therapy where everyone talks about their experience? It was just so weird.....

The FMC and MMC were so unlikeable, especially the MMC. The way he talked to the FMC during the first time they kissed was unsettling, especially since there was a lack of explicit consent that would lead to that kiss....

And then the romance.... I'm sorry but going from not trusting each other to being head over heels for each other in a few days, maximum one week.... Yeah, that definitely didn't work. As for the smut, it was painfully generic. It wasn't written to fit their couple dynamic at all. All in all, it felt badly written to me, especially since it was sometimes timed right after the murders...

Once again, thank you to the author, Lake Union publishing and NetGalley for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a 5-star read that I devoured in a single sitting—because who needs sleep when there are murders to solve?

The prologue immediately hooked me, and from that moment I couldn’t put the book down. Just when I thought I was clever and had figured out the twist, the rug was pulled completely out from under me. I quickly realised I had absolutely no clue where things were going, and that Kate Callaghan is truly the Queen of twists.

I haven’t read many suspects-to-lovers romances, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’ve definitely found a new favourite trope. The mix of romance, mystery, humour, and shocking turns was perfectly balanced and kept me invested until the final page.

This was a fantastic read, and I can’t recommend it enough for fans of twisty romantic mysteries.

I don’t know why, but the final twist for this kind of fell flat. I was super excited about the way the book started (they say the first line can make or break a book and I feel like that prologue was incredible - if I’m honest, I want to read more of that story).

There wasn’t any one thing that turned me off as I was reading. Maybe the problem is that I started at such a high and everything sort of fell shorter of that initial excitement for the story.

Spoilers past this point, will try to keep vague, but read at your own risk:






I can suspend a lot of disbelief, but how does someone who has been drugged and drowned have the capacity to do what she did?

Also, at the end, there is just zero world in which both of them leave her alone at the same time. Knowing she’s being hunted?

The Situation Ship // Kate Callaghan

Thank you Independent Book Publisher’s Association, @netgalley & @katecallaghan for the arc! This book is OUT NOW (July 27 2025) - on KU.

The Deeper You Sink, The Darker It Gets…

Pop star Poppy Roe’s glittering life of fame takes a sinister turn when she finds herself trapped in a nightmare aboard a luxurious cruise ship. As her every move is monitored by a sinister stalker, the ship becomes a hunting ground for a relentless predator. In a desperate bid for survival, Poppy turns to enigmatic detective Isaiah Rivers, also a passenger on the ill-fated voyage. Haunted by his own demons, he never expected to get caught up in a web of danger on the high seas. Determined to protect Poppy, he joins forces with her, seeking to unravel the twisted secrets that lurk beneath the ship’s glamorous façade. Amid the horrifying murders, a thrilling romance blossoms, intertwining their fates in a dangerous dance of trust and vulnerability.

As danger lurks on every deck and passions ignite, Poppy and Isaiah must navigate a treacherous sea of suspicion and desire. Will they unmask the killer before the final note of their haunting melody?

✨Tropes & Themes✨
Detective/Bodyguard X Pop Star
Cruise Ship
Murder Mystery
Opposites Attract
Shared Cabin
Reluctant Allies

This book contains mature content not suitable for those under 18. This is a stand-alone novel with mentions of trauma, stalking, murder, emotional and physical abuse which may be triggering.

Includes spice 🌶️

I love a good romantic suspense and murder mystery 🤌🏼 this was very unique with the cruise ship setting! 👏🏼
I definitely need to read ‘Not Another Rockstar’ from this author, too! 🔥 — another romantic suspense.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3 ⭐️ / 1.5-2 🌶️

There was many things done right with this book. I found the plot thrilling, the twists and turns exciting, and the overall premise very engaging! A murder mystery, who-done-it plot with the FMC as a suspect and the MMC as the investigator? LOVED THIS!

But what I found fell short is the romance side of things. There was a little flirting prior to the inevitable “screw it” moment when Poppy and Isaiah kiss etc. But all of the romance felt like an afterthought or rushed. It’s due to this small short coming that kind of became disengaged towards the last 75-80% of the book. I did finish it thought! And even though it is a HEA, the ending felt too abrupt too.

I think, ultimately, what Poppy and Isaiah lacked is on-page chemistry. Take Mina and Eckells (side characters) for instance, they had palpable chemistry that you could basically feel radiating through the pages. So, I know the author is capable of writing it!

Unfortunately, despite loving the murdery suspense plot, the execution of the romance aspect had me rate this book 3 stars!⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

3.75 ✨
1.50 🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for this eARC!

Overall: This is a cute romance with a mystery! As a mystery/thriller and contemporary romance girlie, this was really fun! I did find some parts of the book to be much slower than others. There were also moments where it was hard to follow what was going on.

Tropes:
💙 pop star x detective
🩷 murder mystery
💙 third person dual POV
🩷 forced proximity
💙 slow burn
🩷 off limits

Bookish Thoughts: This book started off so strong for me. I greatly enjoy contemporary romance and rom-coms as well as mystery/thrillers, so I was really looking forward to this one! The hook brings you right into the thick of it and makes you want to dive into Poppy’s entire backstory.

As the mystery starts to unfold, and relationships start to form, you really get drawn into trying to figure out the source of all the crime. I think having a detective main character really helped to feel like you were getting enough detail, asking the right questions, and working through the timeline. The found family (friend group) aspect was very sweet. I really enjoyed the relationship building between all of the characters.

The book really started to lose steam for me when Poppy and Isaiah were off the ship and in Italy. Phoebe and Axel, whom they meet up with, are not bad characters. It was just so slow and difficult for me to follow what was going on and why it was relevant for the story. It took me a few days to read these few chapters, because I kept getting distracted or couldn’t focus because this part of the story just wasn’t holding my attention.

I felt like the ending came up really quickly after such a slow-moving section of the story. I’ll definitely be interested to read other reviews to see how other people perceived the back half of the book, or at least the part of the cruise starting with Italy.

In the end, I think the book has a good story. It could have potentially just been a bit shorter, which would have strengthened it for me. I would recommend this one overall, and would also read other books by this author.

The Situation Ship – What a Fun Read!
This was such a fun and unique story! I really enjoyed the cruise ship setting. It made for the perfect backdrop to this murder mystery/rom-com mashup.

The main characters, Isaiah and Poppy, had great chemistry and banter that kept me hooked the whole way through. I also loved the friendship between Poppy and Mina, it added a really heartwarming layer to the story.

And I have to say, I was so excited when Axel and Phoebe from Not Another Rockstar made an appearance toward the end! I loved how everything was interconnected, and it was such a nice touch for fans of Kate Callaghan’s previous books.

Thanks so much to Kate Callaghan and NetGalley for the ARC!

*3.5*

After the death of her iconic actress aunt, popstar Poppy Roe decides to step off the spotlight for two weeks and head on a luxurious cruise. Days before boarding, she's alerted that her manager and boyfriend are plotting to kill her, so she hires a new assistant and bodyguard. However, the bodyguard happens to be a detective investigating Poppy for multiple murders.

The Situation Ship hooked from the first chapters. It's a fun, enjoyable read, with lots of murder and questions to answer. A good mix of mystery, romance, and comedy. It had the vibes of movies like Murder Mystery, including the appearance of an F1 driver! The characters were (generally) entertaining and realistic for the novel's world.

Near the end, after about the 70% mark, it started to get somewhat cheesy and annoying. The killer and big reveal made sense but were not mind blowing. I was able to guess the killer beforehand but not their reasoning, and once we got the monologue explanation it just didn't hit as it could have. I also wished there was more atmosphere descriptions. We're in a crazy, luxurious cruise that only the very elite can board but we don't get a lot of imagery besides gold.

Additionally, what annoyed me and impaired my enjoyment of the book the most is that we're introduced to characters from previous books! I know interconnected characters is somewhat expected in romance these days, but there was no indication that this is the 3rd (!) book in a series. Having them here not only completely spoiled me for their own book, but also felt cheap. It felt like I should've already known these people, should've already known their personality, should've been rooting for them all to be the best of friends of ever. But I didn't. And without all that context that I was missing, those characters just came in and stuck around and I had zero feelings for them. I truly felt left out for a few chapters.

But as I mentioned before, this was a fun and enjoyable read & I'd be happy to read the other books by this author (once I forget the massive spoilers I just read lol)

This was a fun read. Murder mystery, cruise ship and romance. A perfect blend. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

I have to admit that I loved this mix of romantic comedy and thriller. The story mainly takes place on a cruise ship where a pop star, Poppy Roe, is surrounded by a murder. Her bodyguard, aka Detective Isaiah Rivers, is trying to unravel an open case that is somehow connected to Poppy.

Both main characters have trust issues, and through a necessary conversation, they eventually become allies. What they couldn't help was slowly fall in love with each other amid the crime scene.
The story was admittedly a little confusing at first, but after a while, once you understood who was who and who they were connected to, it was really fun to read.

I can only recommend it to anyone who loves this type of book.

A huge thank you to @CallaghanWriter for the Advanced Reader Copy of The Situation Ship: A Sizzling Summer Romantic Suspense!

Pop star Poppy Roe’s glamorous life is turned upside down when a stalker begins hunting her aboard a luxurious cruise ship. With a string of murders unfolding around her, she must rely on brooding detective Isaiah Rivers to help unmask the killer before it’s too late.

This book was the most fun romantic suspense I’ve read all summer. With the perfect blend of slow burn, forced proximity, an irresistible anti-hero, and a twist of revenge—all wrapped in a gripping mystery—it checked every box for the ideal beach read. The spice? Absolutely on point. The suspense? Kept me turning pages way past bedtime.

This was my first read by Kate Callaghan, and I’m officially hooked—I’ve already ordered two more of her books!

*This review also submitted to Goodreads!

Thank you to the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for providing me with this ARC. If I weren't so busy, I would have finished this in 1 sitting. It was captivating and kept my attention the entire time. It was hard to put this book down to be a real adult at times. This is the first mystery romance I have read, and I think I've just discovered a new favorite subgenre for myself! I truly had no idea who the true villain was until it was revealed, and who doesn't love a good bodyguard romance? 4.5 stars!

This was fun! I loved the banter between the two main characters and just overall mysteriousness throughout the story! Looking forward to future reads from this author.

A popstar and a detective on a cruise ship? Count me in. If you want a steamy getaway read, with a hint of whodunit cozy murder mystery, then be sure to add The Situation Ship to your library.

Without a doubt, this novel offers a great premise, but story fell flat with the delivery. I didn't like the writing style and how each scene is filled with dialogues which I find bland.

Despite it, I still like that it's far from the usual books I pick up and I’m surprised to be proven wrong with my hunch. I thought I got it all figured out, but there’s more drama and woah moments to uncover, and still entertaining enough to read until the end.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#netgalley #thesituationship

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 out of 5 stars)

This one surprised me in the best way! The Situationship is like if a murder mystery, a forced-proximity romance, and a high-stakes cruise thriller had a love child, with an Irish accent. And honestly? I was here for it. I went into this blind thinking it would be a cute romance, and I was wrong, in the best way.

We follow Poppy Roe, a pop star trying to escape her grief (and her fame) with a quiet cruise getaway. Except... this cruise is anything but relaxing. Murders start happening. Weird symbols show up. And Poppy finds herself stuck in a cabin with Isaiah Rivers, a moody detective who’s initially there to investigate her but quickly gets wrapped up in something much deeper.

The chemistry between Poppy and Isaiah is electric. Is it insta-love? Yeah, kind of. But the situation is so intense, with both of them emotionally raw and constantly in danger, that it actually worked. I liked how open they were with each other, even while they were still figuring out if they could trust one another. The banter was fun, the tension was high, and their moments together definitely leaned into the spice.

The murder mystery was engaging, if not totally shocking. I didn’t guess the killer, but once the reveal happened, it all made sense. The claustrophobic cruise setting added an extra layer of suspense, and I loved how the glamour of the ship clashed with the dark, dangerous stuff happening behind the scenes. The story also touches on fame, trauma, and identity in a way that added some unexpected depth.

If you like romantic suspense with strong characters, a splash of danger, and a dash of emotional growth (plus some solid tropes like shared cabins, bodyguard romance, and broody detective energy), give this one a shot. It’s not perfect, but it’s a highly enjoyable ride. Just maybe don’t read it on a cruise. 😅

A big thank you to NetGalley and CallaghanWriter | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book and the way the characters interacted with each were pure genius. Each character were devised and well written. The plot itself was absolutely perfect for my type of genre and I'm so glad that I was given a chance to request it as cosy crime is one of my favourite genres. I did not know that it was connected to another but it didn't matter as the characters were of cameo appearance. Thank you again and can't wait to read more crom netgalley and from the author.

This was a fun palette cleanser! I always love a good romantic suspense and especially one set on a cruise because who doesn’t love isolated areas with no means to escape and there’s a killer on the loose? I thought the mystery was very well thought out and even down to who is behind it but I felt as though the romance let it down a bit. While it’s enemies to lovers, there are elements of insta love/lust and they switch out very quickly from enemies to lovers. While I don’t mind this, it felt as though their personalities did a whole 180 and was a bit jarring to read about how they’re all of a sudden past the enemies aspect. Other than that I really enjoyed the suspense aspects, backstory and the overall story!