Sometimes I read a book, and I am like, has this author hijacked my head and learnt every quirk and character trait I possess to create the perfect book for me, and this is one of them.

Laurel is such a well-written female character, and I think she is a true reflection of how a lot of women in this world feel: that giving into love sometimes means you have to put other wants and desires on the back burner. She felt relatable and honest, and while she was independent and an overzealous planner, she didn't come across as a caricature.

Nick is swoon-worthy and has real depth. His struggles with grief come at a time when so many people are also dealing with the same, without being able to truly connect.

This was such a beautifully written book, and I had the pleasure of reading it. The pace made sense, the character development was wonderfully handled, and the emotional impact hit me in all the right spots.

I didn’t think I would read any more books taking place in the pandemic. After living it and reliving it in fiction so many times, I was ready for a break. With that said, I’m glad I made an exception for this book.
This book finds its home in a range of tropes, from a meet cute, to friends, and finally to the ending we all needed. What probably would have been written as taking place on a deserted island can now take place anywhere- in the pandemic. I appreciate how it controls some aspects of the story, but it isn’t the whole story. I think this author could have written in lots of other places and times and the story would still work quite well.
I enjoyed having the dual POV- makes me more invested in both characters.
The writing was mainly fun and light, making for an enjoyable read.
Recommend

Kindly received an ARC copy from NetGalley for an honest review

Any Port in a Storm by Danielle Smyth

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5

🍂 Friends to lovers
🍂 Romance in academia
🍂 Forced proximity
🍂 Second chance
🍂 Dual Timeline

Any Port in a Storm was such a lovely academia romance novel that I consumed within two days. Having a story set during the covid pandemic instantly brought me back to 2020 where the world of academia changed so much.

I instantly fell in love with Laurel's story and I know a lot of us could easily relate to being stuck in a dorm or inside our houses unsure of what would happen next. Danielle does a wonderful job of reminding readers that romance happens anywhere, during anytime, and when you least expect. The friendship and romance between Nick and Laurel is everything. <3

If you are looking for a romance where the love story is between two inspiring and smart academics, this is the book for you!

Thanks again from NetGalley and Danielle Smyth for my e-arc copy of this book. It is expected to be released on September 23, 2026!

I love a beautiful romance and this book was exactly that! I could relate so much going though the panic myself and the various feelings associated with it. I really enjoyed Nicks characters as well. A gory love story to get lost in! Highly enjoyed

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Absolutely loved this book. Chef’s kiss. 🤌🏻

Any Port in a Storm is a heartfelt, emotionally rich romance that completely pulled me in from the beginning. The story is told through a dual timeline, which I wasn’t sure I would love at first, but it ended up working beautifully. It felt cohesive, added so much depth to Laurel and Nick’s relationship, and kept me completely engaged.

Laurel is such a well-written female character. She felt honest and incredibly relatable—an educated, fiercely independent woman who has strong beliefs about what she wants from her life, while still figuring out how those beliefs fit into love and relationships. I really respected the way she learned to put herself first and communicate that loving someone didn’t have to mean sacrificing her career or the future she wanted.

And Nick. 🫠 So swoon-worthy. But what I loved most was that there was real depth to him beyond simply being the romantic lead. I absolutely adored him and could not get enough of Laurel and Nick together.

There is so much witty banter, and the yearning in this book is to die for. The friends-to-lovers and forced-proximity elements were so satisfying, and the backdrop of academia and the uncertainty of early 2020 added another layer of realism and emotional weight to the story.

I read this in about three days because I genuinely could not put it down. I loved the characters, the writing, the chemistry, and the emotional depth. This is exactly the kind of romance I’m always hoping to find.

Five very easy stars. 🤍

Thank you to Astralumen Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a well-written, decade long friends to lovers romance that really just hits home. I love the dual timelines, it actually gave me People We Meet On Vacation vibes in that sense. Really, really well done.

I didn't realize this was going to be about covid and quarantine, which is totally on me based on the blurb and I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it since it wasn't that long ago. But this felt so real and really captured what we all went through collectively.

Nick and Laurel were such likable, easy to root for characters. I just loved them.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher, and Danielle Smyth for allowing me to read an early copy of this story.

There is something so special about a romance where the relationship has history before the romance even begins, and Any Port in a Storm really delivered that for me.

Laurel and Nick have spent years building a friendship, and I loved watching their relationship slowly shift into something more. The dual timeline worked really well because we got to see how their connection developed and understand why these two have such a hard time admitting what they feel.

The romance was my favorite part. The tension, the missed opportunities, and all the little moments between them had me completely invested. And Nick I absolutely loved him. He was caring, patient, and supportive without ever making Laurel feel like she needed to give up her own goals for him.

I also really appreciated Laurel’s journey as she figured out what she actually wanted for her future. Her story felt like more than simply falling in love, which made the romance even more meaningful.
This was such a sweet, emotional, and satisfying friends-to-lovers romance. I laughed, I swooned, and I was rooting for these two the entire way through.

Thank you to NetGalley and Astralumen Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Any Port in a Storm by Danielle Smyth is a lovely story, and in a way, is a love letter to life during a world changing event. Some readers may be quick to avoid stories set in 2020 and use the reasoning that reading is supposed to be an escape from reality, but I truly do not think this book should be missed.

Nick and Laurel are two very well written characters, and I enjoyed every page with them. The two are very caught up in a cycle of “what if something bad happens?” And “what if something amazing happens?”. They are also, at times, frustrating. Wonderfully frustrating. Their relationship throughout the timeline of the book is laid out so well, and I truly think readers will appreciate how they meld together. I didn’t want the end of the story to come as soon as it did though, I wanted just a little bit more of their time.

You can tell how much love the author put into this story, how much thought there is in each character, and the details that really made the story feel like pages ripped from someone’s lockdown story. I feel lucky to have come across Any Port in a Storm.

This is such a sweet story, I really enjoyed Nick and Laurel's relationship dynamic! I love how much history they had before they ever fell in love, I couldn't help but think of Emily Henry's People We Meet on Vacation, such an iconic friends to lovers romance! I think they were so easy to root for, too. Just so lovely.