Book Reviews

Book Blurb

There’s nothing like a cruise to help spark romance, but sometimes hidden depths hide in more than just the ocean.

Devin Walker inherited his family’s culinary ability in full measure, but he also has a keen desire to see the world. Working on a cruise ship seems like the ideal solution, so he accepts a job as a bartender on the luxurious Poseidon’s Pearl, hoping to work his way up to the kitchen and the job of his dreams.

Triton Lines executive Paul Bailey is quiet and unassuming, and the car accident that cost him his leg also shattered his confidence. He doesn’t think he’s attractive to other men anymore, and Devin is eager to show him just how wrong he is. Their chemistry is amazing, and their attraction seems destined to deepen into something more—but Paul has a secret that might sink their passionate affair before it ever leaves port.

 

 

First edition published by Dreamspinner Press, November 2018.

 

Book Review

Shipboard romances have a charm all their own, but the one at the center of this very entertaining novel has a few twists. First there are the complex main characters, one of whom, Devin, is an ambitious cousin of the Walkers in books one and two, while the other, Paul, is a man dealing with having lost a leg in an accident. Then there is the touch of corporate intrigue due to the fact that Paul is trying to assess the cruise ship’s performance as part of his taking over the company from his father – but nobody on the ship is aware of his heritage. By the time you add the exotic setting and a few surprises to these secrets, the result is a touch of suspense, a touching romance, and an ending that could not have been better designed to make me a happy reader.

Devin wants to be a chef and eventually own his own restaurant, but he has a far way to go. Since he also wants to get out of Texas after his latest, very painful breakup, accepting a position on a cruise ship seems like the ideal job. Unfortunately there is no need for a sous chef when he joins, so he has to start working as a bartender. He is pretty good at his job, both the bartending part and the dealing with customers part, so his dedication gets him noticed when management is looking for someone to liaise with Paul to ensure he gets to see all he needs for his assessment.

Paul may be in line to inherit the top position in his family’s business, but he has lost a lot of self-confidence since his car accident. He can’t see himself as attractive, so has pushed his personal life to the back burner – until he meets Devin and begins to reconsider. Except he can’t. One problem is the fact that his inspection, performed on his father’s behalf and meant to help him learn about the “front line” of the business, means he has to remain detached. But the second problem is that nobody on the ship, and definitely not Devin, knows that he is the future CEO since he is using a fake last name. Staying incognito makes sense initially, and not telling the entire truth is not necessarily an issue, but once Paul and Devin become closer, Paul is no longer comfortable and feels as though he is lying about his identity.

Devin and Paul hit it off before they know the roles they are to play during the cruise, and their physical attraction only gets stronger when they spend more time together doing their jobs. As is usually the case with secretive people in relationships, Devin and Paul face a few obstacles. The ethical implications of getting involved with a coworker are not that easy to deal with, but they manage. The secrets Paul has been keeping and Devin’s ambition, which means he needs to stay on the ship, are much harder to overcome. There are a few other issues as well, and the author did a good job keeping me in the dark about if and how these two men were going to create their own happy ending.

If you like romances with complications of the professional as well as the personal kind, if cruise ships and shipboard romances are your thing, and if you’re looking for an entertaining read in an exotic setting, then you will probably like this novel.

 

 

 

 

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Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novel, 181 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	31-August-2020
Price	$4.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Solace-Walker-Boys-Book-ebook/dp/B08GKVM98M