Want an escape from reality but a tropical cruise isn't in your calendar or budget? Read Hearts Aweigh by Shannon Sue Dunlap! It's my second voyage with a foursome of spirited septuagenarians, and I enjoyed it as much as the first. It can be read as a standalone, but why miss the humor and heart of Love Overboard.
Both books features three plot components:
- a group of matchmaking senior citizens (the "Shippers") who live on a cruise ship
- a crew member who's looking for love
- a mystery to solve
Abby O'Brien overflows with energy and affection for the young passengers she cares for in the ship's childcare center, but she longs for a husband and her own children. So she enlists the Shippers to help her find the love of her life, and she eagerly goes on every date they arrange. However, her availability is limited when she serves as a private nanny to the five-year-old daughter of a demanding passenger - who happens to be the estranged son of Daisy, one of the Shippers. Abby has a list of ideal characteristics for her Mr. Right - will the Shippers find her perfect match?
I liked Abby and her ability to relate to children; she was the ideal character to help Madeleine break out of her reserved shell. I also enjoyed getting to know the Shippers better, especially Daisy whose toxic marriage harmed her relationship with her son Spencer. The romance plot uses the grumpy/sunshine and forced proximity tropes well, the mystery added intrigue to the story, and a thread of Christian faith is woven throughout. The plot took a couple of turns I didn't expect which made it more interesting than a predictable romance, and the ending makes me hopeful for a third story in this delightful series.
Thank you to Kregel Publications and JustRead Tours for the review copy of the book; all opinions are my own.
Both books features three plot components:
- a group of matchmaking senior citizens (the "Shippers") who live on a cruise ship
- a crew member who's looking for love
- a mystery to solve
Abby O'Brien overflows with energy and affection for the young passengers she cares for in the ship's childcare center, but she longs for a husband and her own children. So she enlists the Shippers to help her find the love of her life, and she eagerly goes on every date they arrange. However, her availability is limited when she serves as a private nanny to the five-year-old daughter of a demanding passenger - who happens to be the estranged son of Daisy, one of the Shippers. Abby has a list of ideal characteristics for her Mr. Right - will the Shippers find her perfect match?
I liked Abby and her ability to relate to children; she was the ideal character to help Madeleine break out of her reserved shell. I also enjoyed getting to know the Shippers better, especially Daisy whose toxic marriage harmed her relationship with her son Spencer. The romance plot uses the grumpy/sunshine and forced proximity tropes well, the mystery added intrigue to the story, and a thread of Christian faith is woven throughout. The plot took a couple of turns I didn't expect which made it more interesting than a predictable romance, and the ending makes me hopeful for a third story in this delightful series.
Thank you to Kregel Publications and JustRead Tours for the review copy of the book; all opinions are my own.
