Author: Diane Michaels
Publisher: MiddleRun Press
Publication Date: January 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN
Description: Who a harpist brings with her on a four-month long gig aboard a cruise ship: Her best friend. A lock-picking pianist. And a blow-up doll.
Who she leaves behind…
When Ellen’s boyfriend Josh goes on the road with a Broadway touring production, Ellen takes to the high seas. Can tropical destinations, a busy performance schedule, and cheap booze in the crew bar distract her from the heartache of her separation from Josh? Or will her mother’s devastating news and her best friend’s antics send her overboard?
My Thoughts: Ellen is back and she’s taking her harp and hitting the high seas! I really enjoyed this one more than the first one. Why, you ask? Because there was no Monica! Amber was there, but she actually turned out to be a decent character, so I warmed up to her more than I did in the first book.
This book takes place approximately one year after the first one ends where we find Ellen and Josh together and he is leaving on a four-month Broadway tour. Chloe steps in and announces she has acquired a gig as a musician on a cruise ship and got Ellen a spot too. What’s not to love about this scenario? Josh will be gone anyway. Who wants to spend the winter months in New Jersey when you can be on a cruise ship heading to the warmer tropical climates? Besides, the ship will return to New York once a week, so Chloe and Ellen can touch base with Gwen. Win, win if you ask me.
Ellen’s frustration at having a relationship with Josh on her phone only when she can get a signal builds and though I understood why she felt the way she did, I felt like she wasted too much time agonizing over it. Her time could have been better spent enjoying herself on the cruise. Food, drink, fun…
Though some new characters were introduced that added an interesting dimension to the story, I still enjoyed tagging along with Ellen and Chloe and didn’t really feel connected to the others.
My Final Verdict: Overall, I found this sequel to be very enjoyable. The author creates an amazing setting with the cruise ship that I feel was very well researched. The characters were easy to connect with and the story flows smoothly. Fans of stories with interesting locales should give this one a look as well as fans who enjoy a happily ever after.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Ellen at Sea from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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