Not everyone that is single is ready to mingle…

Synopsis

Ruby may be young, free and single… but she’s absolutely not ready to mingle.

Ruby is happily sworn off men. There’s nothing she needs that can’t get from her friends, cat or, frankly, the wonders of modern technology. So when her flatmate tricks her into going on a singles cruise, she’s furious.

Thankfully, Ruby isn’t the only one onboard under false pretences. Cameron also had no idea what he was letting himself in for. So after Ruby and Cameron strike up conversation, they agree to platonically pair off, to protect each other from the flirtatious advances of the other guests – not to mention the matchmaking efforts of Barry, the enthusiastic host.

There’s just one problem. Cameron isn’t just in the same boat as Ruby – he’s also good looking, kind and fun. As they explore the picturesque towns of the Mediterranean, Ruby finds herself enjoying his company much more than she’d intended.

Can Ruby keep her heart safe, or will she be in too deep by the time the boat docks at its final destination?

My review

Ruby has been single for a while now, and she doesn’t mind at all. She enjoys her freedom, and loves living together with her best friend Sam and their lovely cat Samson. Going on  a cruise wasn’t exactly on top of her bucket – list, but to please Sam, Ruby decides to go anyway. But when she discovers that Sam tricked her, as the cruise is a single’s cruise, and there will be a lot of matchmaking taking place , Ruby is furious. It’s okay that Sam wants to finds someone, but why drag Ruby along too, knowing Ruby’s thoughts on finding a partner? When Ruby meets Cameron, and she hears that he was also tricked and just like her, isn’t looking to find a match, they come up with a plan. A plan that consists of have fallen for each other, escaping that way the matchmaking games of host Barry. However, keeping up the pretence also means spending time together. Time where the not – pair learn they have a lot in common, and where Ruby discovers that Cameron is great to hang out with. A friendship starts to form, yet can Ruby keep her heart also safe, as love is absolutely the last thing on her mind?

Normally, I am always very eager to Read the next great story of Phoebe MacLeod. But for this one, I was a bit wary. Not because I doubt this author’s talent, as she has proved already more than enough that she can write great stories.

But as the setting is a cruise ship, I thought that the storytelling would be very limited. Because how much can be happening on a ship? Then I realized, while reading, that of course the main characters would leave the ship at several occasions, for activities and discovering wonderful cities. Stupid me… 😊

As a serial – single myself, I could completely understand Ruby. Yes, doing things as a pair can be more fun, but being single isn’t bad at all. You can do what you want, whenever you want, without having to take in account someone else. And Ruby for sure has everything together, living with her best friend Sam, who drives Ruby crazy at times, and their lovely, amazing cat Samson.

I have to say, Ruby and Sam couldn’t be more opposite of each other when finding love concerns. While Ruby is happy with how things are now, Sam is desperately looking for her perfect match. And while sometimes I found her persistence a bit annoying, well, you can’t blame the girl for not giving up, even if her past relationships weren’t the best examples of what love should look like.

Ruby is not only a good friend, but also shows an amount of patience. Patience that perhaps I would not have, even if it’s my best friend testing it. Because Ruby agrees to be by Sam’s side after a few ideas Sam has got. Ideas that already from the start don’t seem that great ones, but also end up to be terrible ones! AS a reader of course it’s funny to read how Ruby and Sam get themselves in ‘trouble’.

It takes a while to read all the mischief Sam gets Ruby into, thus it also takes a while to finally get on the cruise ship. And knowing Sam better by know, I knew that something would be up, and that Ruby would even get angrier. Because when their adventure starts, we already know the pair of them so much better.

And of course Ruby is not agreeing on taking part of any of the matchmaking activities, no matter how much Barry The Host is trying to.

I was totally in her corner, because if you don’t want to find love, nobody should be forcing you, not even your best friend. Even if your best friend does not know all the reasons of your reluctancy.

I was happy for Ruby to find a kindred spirit in Cameron. And not just because I knew that he would be her love interest, but also because Ruby wouldn’t be on her own while escaping all the matchmaking.

Because Cameron is not looking for love either, for his own reasons. And finding himself on a single’s cruise is one thing, but a matchmaking one? Just like Ruby, he cannot wait to escape it all.

And just like a real romcom dictates, what better solution than faking to have fallen in love with each other?

But I liked reading how their first encounter is just the start of their real adventure. A real adventure that doesn’t just take place on the ship but also whenever the two of them get off the ship. And adventures they have!

Adventures that bring them even closer together, adventures that take them out of their comfort zone and even let them do something they wouldn’t never think of doing. Adventures that make them maybe see that even the most unexpected can happen, if you allow it to happen, and if you just dare.

Yes, this is a romance, but it also felt a story of growth. Because no matter how much Ruby tries to fight against her own feelings, she finds herself suddenly longing for what she resisted to hard. But not only that, Ruby also finally faces her past, and is able to finally open up and admit the pain she had to endure.

So while just maybe I had some hesitations towards this book, because of its setting, in the end I was happy that my belief in this author proved me right. This story shows us not only that love can be found in unexpected places, and even with unexpected people. But also that the past can hold you back, but that you have to find the courage to put it behind you. And even if I didn’t talk about it in this review, being you is more than enough, there is no need to pretend being someone else, someone ‘better’. The right person will appreciate you as you are.

And maybe, just maybe, I may start looking for single’s cruises myself? Because you never know what may happen? 😊