A jaunty rollick of a coming-of-age comedy of errors aboard the high seas

This was my eighth book I chose via the Reedsy Discovery program, for which I am the single approved reviewer for this new book. This review also appears on Reedsy.

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The Premise

At 23, Bianca has done little of interest in her life in a small English village, but she’s finally about to put her past to shame by climbing aboard the Lady Anne for a six-month cruise around the world. Here, she will be the assistant and second-in-command to the cruise director Cynthia. It is the chance of a lifetime to get a whirlwind tour of the world, hopping off in many ports, hobnobbing with celebrity guests, and fabricating a career in entertainment out of thin air and her dazzling personality.

The problem is, she had no idea her job would include just about everything under the sun, and every turn she makes seems to be thwarted by her general talent at making a mess of things. Through her friendships, romance, and career calamities, we get a genuine behind-the-scenes look at the cruise ship crew’s lifestyle, and a throwback to a simpler, sweeter time of nautical life.

The Pros & Cons

This was a jaunty rollick of a coming-of-age comedy of errors aboard the high seas.

From the opening scene that introduces us to our unlikely heroine, it is evident that she’s bitten off far more than she can chew. The vacation-esque dream career is quickly crushed by her new boss’ clarification:

Your role is to play the vital cog between many different wheels, the missing piece of the jigsaw, so to speak. You need to know not only the ship, but the workings of each and every department inside and out.

It’s a tall order, but Bianca steps up to the challenge. At her side are her new friends Max and Maddie, veteran crew members who soon show her the ropes.

From the crew bar and mess hall, the tiny shared cabins, disgusting crew member initiations, and the nonstop schedule of events, we get a glimpse behind the scenes at the throbbing underbody of a cruise that requires a well-oiled staff to keep it running smoothly.

Their on-shore excursions delve into the native attractions at each port, bringing a wealth of enjoyable experiences ranging from wildlife encounters, extreme sports adventures, and the commodification of sex in different lands.

And of course, there are parties galore both on and off the ship — once you know how to keep it under wraps. As Max warns, every day is a “reset” button:

You can party like it’s Friday any night of the week, just be up, bright and breezy the next morning, every morning.

Still, the fact that it’s a job and not a vacation never leaves us, particularly as it pertains to the strict rules. No late-night frolicking (else the “Hit Squad” will get you fired!), no fraternizing with guests (even if they vehemently insist on fraternizing with you!) — and not to mention, of course: no embarrassing your boss or your department (the latter of which she can never quite seem to get the hang of!)…

At the heart of it, cresting the wave to break the novel’s surface, there is a yearning for Bianca to experience a great love, as she stumbles her way through celebrity come-ons, awkward dates and a swoon-worthy developing romance with a ship’s officer.

At times, the novel does feel like “vignettes” of the author’s past personal experiences rather than a fully-fleshed fiction. This can be distracting for some used to the typical plot arc, or alternatively it may infuse the additional appeal of real, lived experience — I’ll leave that up to the reader to decide.

Conclusion

I personally enjoyed this novel because I am an avid cruiser currently missing my yearly vacation fix due to the pandemic, so I was intrigued to read something that brought back some of that feeling for me. In that regard, it certainly does not disappoint.

As we follow Bianca through friendship frictions, romantic mishaps, and career trials and tribulations, the allure of the seafaring cruise ship is a nostalgic pull to the innocence of a pre-Covid nautical life in the late 1990s.

Bianca’s coming-of-age journey as she finds her sea legs in an entertainment career aboard the high seas is amusing, enjoyable, and worth the read. I would recommend to anyone, especially female readers in need of a nice, light read, and I look forward to more from this author.

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