A review by jessicabeel
Love Overboard by Ada Barumé

slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

I really wanted to like this book - life at sea working on a private cruise with an enemies to lovers trope sounded amazing.  However, this book was slow to get into and the characters didn't feel 3 dimensional.  Honestly, the book felt more about growing up than romance.

The main characters, Jack and Sofia, run hot and cold all through the book -- without a rational reason, but at the end of the book, they are in love after 15-ish days.  They aren't really enemies at the beginning; Sofia just seems to dislike Jack for his appearance of being an white American playboy.

For anyone with triggers, a possible sexual assault/rape/drugging of Sofia and her former coworker happens on page but in the past.  I understand that this situation is the reasoning behind her dislike of Jack; however, I disliked that Sofia didn't recognize that a partner not getting your consent (because you are drugged, drunk, or whatever - and let's face it from the description in the book she was unable to consent) is not consent and is not okay -- even if you wanted to sleep with the partner. 

This books just tries to do too much - enemies to lovers, past sexual trauma, a possible other crew couple, crew drama, family drama.
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