Rating: ★★★★.5
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Katherine Center
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: May 19th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

One of the hottest, fastest-rising rom-com stars delivers her latest swoon-worthy novel about a destination wedding on a cruise ship.

After a whole lifetime of being bad at love, JoJo Burton decides to solve her intimacy issues once and for all at her sister’s destination wedding on a cruise ship. With the help of a little pop psychology, she diagnoses herself with a fixation on the neighborhood guy who was her her first crush and first kiss (and who just happens to be a newly-divorced wedding guest ), and she decides to woo him during the cruise for some long-delayed closure. Only problem is, her sister’s a little busy being a bride at the moment—so JoJo ropes in her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, to be her wing man. Cooper: who RSVPed no, but then showed up, anyway. Cooper: who left town without a word four years earlier and moved to London. Cooper: who was, if she’s honest, the worst heartbreak of JoJo’s life. It’s bliss for her to see him again, and it’s agony, too—and the more they team up for Project Conquest, the more she obsesses over questions she can’t bring herself to ask.

Shipboard antics ensue in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance—as JoJo and Cooper fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, treat sunburns, get jealous, rescue each other over and over, and finally, at last, figure it all out in the most blissful, swoony, romantic way.

No one does summer romance quite like Katherine Center. THE SHIPPERS will take readers on the cruise of a lifetime in a story awash with romantic longing, top-notch banter, long-held secrets . . . and true love rediscovered.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the audiobook and St. Martin’s for the the gifted ebook.

WELL I HAD A GOOD TIME.

This book found me at just the right time when I needed a sunshine filled romcom and Katherine Center delivered. It’s got the quirky writing I leaned right into and a humorous story full of heart and joy.

The FMC, JoJo, made me struggle just a bit because there were one or two small plots that didn’t work for me, but I digress, I was here for the rest. I LVOED the banter between her and Cooper. Gosh, it was sassy and smile inducing and I’m sorry, how could you not see from 10 miles away that Cooper is madly in love with JoJo??? We love a man who yearns.

There’s plenty of wedding shenanigans, cruise ship antics and drama throughout. I really liked the sub plots as well. I liked the conversations and themes and the supportive nature of JoJo’s family. This has a lot of those hallmark *romcom* moments that always bring me joy (one bed, stuck in a stairwell…you know you want to know more).

Also the audiobook! Stellar as always. The narrator does an amazing job. I loved it. JoJo’s character was brought to life beautifully. And don’t miss the special note from Katherine Center either.

Overall audience notes:

• Contemporary Romance
• Language: low
• Romance: kisses
• Violence: low
• Content warnings: kidnapping & child abuse (recounted), sexual harassment and attempted assault

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