Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Nathan Kappas, newly promoted to second engineer on the cruise ship Sapphire, has eyes only for the vessel he’s about to board. He literally runs into Harper Quade, a singer and dancer hired to entertain passengers. Harper has always wanted to travel, and working onboard the Sapphire keeps him away from his abusive ex-boyfriend. As they sail to Hawaii, Tahiti, and other exotic destinations, Nathan and Harper soon share a cabin and a deepening connection, which surprises Nathan, who generally prefers the predictability of machines to people. But an employee who feels jilted when Harper gets promoted harasses him, and Harper’s dangerous past refuses to let him escape. Harper might not be as safe on the Sapphire as he assumed, but Nathan will do anything to protect him.

First edition published by Silver Publishing, 2011.

 

Book Review

Often people struggle through life with the feeling that something important is lacking. Yet, at the same time, they try to convince themselves things are ok or worse yet, think their life is as good as it's going to get. When someone reaches this point, they need help seeing beyond it and the best motivation I can think of is falling in love. When that special someone comes along, everything takes on a new meaning. When you can see your potential through loving eyes, it encourages you to strive to see what your lover does. You want to be better, not just for yourself, but for each other. Through their unconditional love, Nathan Kappas and Harper Quade of 'The Ship Engineer' by Serena Yates, gain the courage to reach for new heights, not only to improve their relationship, but to better themselves as well.

Nathan is competent, serious, intelligent and detached. From the beginning, he seems to be holding back, not allowing himself to feel emotions. He thought that made things easier for him, but it only isolates him more. Nathan is quite capable in his position of ship engineer, but is weak when it comes to interacting with others. He thinks people are too unpredictable. Unlike the elements of his job which remain constant; people are always changing. When Harper enters his life, he shows Nathan how important it is to learn to interact with others, which leads to a happier life for both of them.

Harper's bubbly personality is infectious. I loved him immediately. He's kind, loving, intelligent and ambitious; however, his kindness is sometimes misconstrued as weakness, causing others to take advantage of him. Until he meets Nathan, he's never had anyone appreciate how truly special he is. No one before Nathan provided him with the healthy emotional support he needs to thrive. The love affair between Nathan and Harper is poignant and passionate. Their trysts are not only very fervent, but are tender and loving as well.

Serena's descriptions of life on a cruise ship were informative, properly setting up the scene, without being overly detailed. I loved her accounts of the beautiful sights and sounds Nathan and Harper experienced on their tours, so much in fact, that I wished I had been there with them.

The second release of this story is as good as the first, which I originally read in 2011. The story is very similar to the original, but the subtle changes Serena made with this version gave the story a smoother pace and clarified dialogue and circumstances, making it more descriptive and easier to follow. The relationship between Harper and Nathan seemed even hotter and more emotional than before. I was, again, impressed with these men's ability to trust so easily considering that neither of them had had that experience before. Rereading the book reinforced how supportive and nurturing Harper and Nathan were to each other. I also appreciated the examples of the characters before and after they became a couple. For example Nathan's encounters with the children; one before being with Harper and another afterward. His different reaction between what happened before and after made it quite obvious that Harper had helped bring out Nathan's good side.  

For those of you who haven't read the story, I'd like to recommend that you do so, especially if you like a good romance with great characters, and a happy ending. I also recommend to those who read the original to read it again. I enjoyed the story even more this time than the first and you may do so as well. Thanks, Serena!

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 125 pages/41884 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	13-May-2015
Price	$4.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/the-ship-engineer-by-serena-yates-2641-b