⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (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!

what genre is this trying to be? a thriller with romance AND spice... bonus points for being set on a cruise ship, and it is well written, just a bit confusing/all over the place. characters were fairly likeable and the plot twist was guessable but fun!

First romance murder mystery! I wanted something a bit different and to help a reading slump. I loved this! The MCs were very likable and more than they appeared to be! I was hooked and enjoyed the turns and the romance!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
* Romantic suspense
* Murder mystery
* Spicy cruise romance
* Bodyguard x client
* Pop Star x Detective
* Forced proximity

Thank you to NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for this eARC!

I enjoyed that we got to know that both Poppy and Isaiah had ulterior motives, which made their interactions and quick chemistry together fun to read as the story went along. It was great that this was in dual POV as well. This was such a good mix of mystery, suspense, and romance! It kept me reading and I couldn’t put it down!

Poppy and Isaiah have sizzling chemistry and I liked that this book included some steamy scenes to show how their relationship progresses all the while the mystery of who is carrying out the murders is occurring. As they spend that time together it becomes more than lust as they genuinely care for each other and their safety. They also become more honest about themselves, leading them to trust in one another.

The mystery was really good and I didn’t suspect who it was and what their motives really were! It kept me guessing until the reveal at the end!

This was a fun book that you can honestly read in one sitting. It was a mixed of mystery, romance and spice ( I love how the author mentioned the spicy chapters at the beginning of the book in case someone would like to skip it). The story follows Poppy, the princess of pop and Isaiah, which is a detective. Isaiah believes that Poppy has some connection to all the people dying around her. So, in order to investigate further, he joins her on the cruise trip as her bodyguard. Until suddenly people start dying around them in the ship and Poppy's life is in danger. I also loved the chemistry they had thought the book plus the banter. I am a sucker for banter in books.

I will say that the beginning was interesting but, as the book continued I felt a bit bored which is why my rating is not a 4 star. I usually don't guess the twists which I love because I feel like this makes me like books more and I get impacted more. So, the twist at the end was a shocker to me !

Overall, this book was a fun read & definitely one you can binge read.

A.romance and a murder mystery. Poppy is on a cruise and someone is out to get her. Will Isaiah help her find the killer before it is too late? A great read.

I wanted to love this book-the synopsis had be intrigued from word one-unfortunately the book was a hug disappointment. Poorly written, with one-dimensional characters-it was a struggle to finish.

Kate Callaghan's The Situation Ship is a novel that deftly blends criminal suspense and romance, set aboard a luxurious cruise ship where glamour hides a serial killer. The plot follows Poppy Roe, a pop star with a traumatic past, and Isaiah Rivers, an enigmatic detective who becomes her bodyguard. The story promises intrigue, passion, and unexpected twists, with a premise that hooks you from the first pages.

Poppy Roe: She is a resilient and well-crafted protagonist. Her history of abuse under her aunt Martha's guardianship explains her distrustful attitude and ambiguous morality. Although she is responsible for several deaths, her motivation—survival and revenge—makes her empathetic. The biggest flaw, as you point out, is the speed of the romance between Poppy and Isaiah. While tropes like reluctant allies and forced proximity (they share a cabin) justify some attraction, the transition from "suspect" to "I love you" within a few days feels jarringly abrupt.

Characters like Mina (Poppy's best friend) or Joshua (an ally) are merely underdeveloped supporting characters. Mina, for instance, barely appears after the introduction, and her absence diminishes the stakes in the dangerous scenes involving her. Furthermore, some subplots, like the relationship between Davide and Sophia, are introduced without sufficient context.

The Situation Ship is a solid novel that truly shines through its blend of genres and its well-woven mystery. Its strengths—the intrigue, Poppy's moral complexity, and the claustrophobic atmosphere of the cruise ship—outweigh its weaknesses. However, the rushed romance and some unresolved plot threads detract from its depth.

Thank you Netgalley and to CallaghanWriter | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) as well as the author for providing me with this ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

I love cruises so as soon as I saw this book I knew I had to read it! I loved fierce Poppy and morally gray Isaiah. The pace of the book was perfect and it made me wanna come back for more, kept me reading. The banter...omg loved it. Overall great book.

grateful to NetGalley for granting me the e-ARC of this book.

this was a fast paced mystery romance with a simple and easy to follow writing style but some of it felt a little too outlandish and unrealistic. some of the plot lines were a bit too convenient and we were also left with some unanswered questions. that said, i like and enjoyed the characters and it was very fun trigger to figure the mystery out. i would definitely recommend this as a quick and easy palette cleanser in between harder books as there were dark themes but none of it was really expatiated on.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was my first romantic suspense novel and boy do I want to read more! We follow Pop Princess Poppy after her Aunt’s untimely death as she has been invited on the showstopping Cruise Ship The Midas. Whilst trying to find out what really happened to Poppy’s Aunt, Detective Isaiah becomes her bodyguard.

This novel has the perfect amount of story and romance. The forbidden love trope is key in this whilst also trying to work out who’s been killing the guests on The Midas!

Tropes:
❌ Off-Limits
🛌 Shared Cabin
🫣 Reluctant Allies
❤️‍🔥 Angst and Slow burn

A great summer read, maybe not if you are looking forward to your cruise 👀

4 ⭐️

Pros:
✅ Murder mystery with romance attached
✅ Pop star x Bodyguard
✅ Just enough slow burn without you getting frustrated- the highlights I have 🫠

Cons:
⭕️ I was shocked but not on the floor gasping with the reveal… maybe I now read too many

3 stars
While I did end up enjoying this book pretty well I felt that it started to drag around 60% of the way through so it was a bit of a struggle to make myself finish it. I will say though, I can tell that a lot of thought was put into this book with the playlist and guide to which chapters had spice but I personally would have like if there was a list of trigger warnings at the beginning and the chapters they would appear in since there was some very heavy subject matter discussed that I was not expecting. My biggest complaint is also the lack of chemistry between the characters. I just wasn’t really feeling much between the two main characters and the “best friend”? she wasn’t in most of the book like every scene she was gone for some reason and we never learned anything about her all we knew was her appearance and relationship with her boss. I would have enjoyed learning more about her and having her actually be in the book other than a few pages in the first and last chapters.
I will say though, as predictable as the killer was the plot twist at the end was definitely unexpected and this was overall a pretty good book.

Kate is the one author that I have followed from that first book at the beginning to now. It has been so great to watch her grow and expand as an author. The Situation Ship was a departure from what I would say has been her norm the last couple years, and I am here for it. When I tell you my jaw dropped at the end of the Epilogue I am not exaggerating. Not only was this a fun little murder mystery aboard a cruise ship (legit my worst nightmare) but it also had Callaghan's signature wit and banter between our two love interests. Also the ending was fantastic, was I shocked at who the murder was no.... but did I call it..... also no! So well done. I also want to give a shout out to the dedicated page that tells readers which chapters to skip if they are not into spice in their books. I think this was a really considerate more on the authors part and wish more would do so. That way the non spice readers could enjoy the story parts in the books so many love.

Engaging mystery that kept me guessing until the very end. Particularly apt as I was on a cruise while I read it

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a mystery and romance on a cruise ship with characters that have electric chemistry between the two them. A very easy read that keeps you guessing until the very end whodunit.

⭒ Rating: 4.2
🌶️ rating: 0.5 / 3

Promote a book as a mystery romance and I’m sold. Add in the fact that it’s a summer romance set on a cruise ship, and it’s from an author that I’ve never read before, but have been meaning to check out, and there was no way I wasn’t reading this. So I did and it was a lot of fun!

I honestly loved getting to learn a lot about the happenings of a cruise, like it literally put me there on the cruise with these characters. Something that I’m actually terrified of doing but sort of want to do one day and reading this book just made me want to do it more.

When it came to the characters, honestly my heart hurt a lot for our heroine’s family situation. She had lost her parents very young and everyone that was a part of her close circle since then was complete trash, serves everyone right for ending up where they did. So having a new friend and a bodyguard (even though he was suspicious of her before they even met), but having him there, caring for her beyond a professional capacity, it just made me happy for. Getting to watch them solve a mystery together, and fall in love was just so fun! They kinda made the perfect couple.

I also really enjoyed our hero’s friends. They appeared once the cruise reached its destination and we got to meet this couple that apparently have their own book already. I really liked them and got super curious to read how they got together, so I just might one day. They sound like a lot of fun too. But I do kinda want to read what’s coming next because those two, AHH. I need to know how they end up together hehe because that guy is DOWN BAD and the girl acts like she wants nothing to do with him beyond their professional connection. I need to know!

This author gets my approval ahah, and this won’t be the last time I read her, especially if her other books have the same vibe as this one! I’m always here for a mystery romance. If you’ve read this author before, do tell me what book I should read next.

 
𝜗𝜚 Tropes: cruise vacation, hero has a plan, bodyguard romance, forced proximity, one bed, mystery romance, blue collar hero,

I requested this read heavily based on the adorable cover and I appreciate NetGalley and Kate Callaghan giving me the opportunity to enjoy this eArc. The prologue was super interesting holding me right away. I appreciate the author adding in where the spicy chapters are so you have the opportunity to skip as well giving it a nice touch. I love a dual pov giving different perspectives and leading you to make your own observations and determinations along the way. It was a fun read I was not super into it as I got further in but I did not feel compelled to dnf.

Quick Summary: A twisted suspense romance mystery/thriller

My Review: The Situation Ship by Kate Callaghan is an adult mystery/thriller/romance fiction novel. It is scheduled for release on 7/27/25.

About the Book: "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.

In a desperate bid for survival, Poppy turns to enigmatic detective Isaiah Rivers...

Amid the horrifying murders, a thrilling romance blossoms, intertwining their fates in a dangerous dance of trust and vulnerability.

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?"

In My Own Words: A morally gray pop star with a tragic past joins forces with a troubled anti-hero who is set on implicating her, in order to solve a glam wham, high seas murder mystery.

My Final Say: Right out of the gate, this story had me in its clutches. The course that it took quickly drew me in. I wanted to know what had shaped the lives of the main characters. As each cast members connection to the leads came into play, I wanted to know more. More about their motivations. More about their aims. More all the way around. I needed to find out what was what was what. As the twists and turns were revealed, the plot thickened, as they say. I was thoroughly entertained.

I would adore listening to this as an audiobook. The story has movement and intrigue, as well as character identities that are textured and colorful in the way I want to hear brought to life.

This was my first time reading this author's work. She has a very attractive writing style and interesting character perspectives. If this is her norm for novels, then count me in! I would definitely read more. In fact, I think this novel has room to expand into a series. (Wishful thinking on blast.)


*** Potential readers should be mindful of any and all author/publisher content warnings. This novel is not intended for underaged readers. It contains mature content. ***


Other: Indicated tropes and themes ->

🪸Cruise Ship

🌊 Angst & Slow Burn

🪸Murder Mystery

🌊 Off Limits

🪸 Anti Hero

🌊Shared Cabin

🪸 Revenge

🌊 Reluctant Allies

🪸Detective X Pop Star


Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Cover: +
Content Warning: Yes
Triggers: "Trauma, stalking, murder, emotional and physical abuse"

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (CallaghanWriter | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles), and to NetGalley. Thank you so very much for providing access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. It was pleasure to review this work. I totally enjoyed the experience. I look forward to reading more from this writer.