The Shippers ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Shippers by Katherine Center
NetGalley

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.

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com

The How/Why: I saw this one advertised on SM. I like Katherine Center and follow her on IG. Last year I listened to The Bodyguard and liked it. (Review here.) Watch for it on Netflix later this year.
This one was still available for ALC on NetGalley so I submitted my request and it was approved by Macmillan Audio. 🎉

⭐⭐⭐⭐

🎉 Overall Enjoyment? 🎉🎉🎉🎉

🎣 Did it grab and keep my attention? 🎣🎣🎣🎣🎣

🗣️Would I recommend it to anyone? Yes ➕

🕮 Would I want a sequel? No ➖ but Grandma Dodie met a man on the cruise so that could be fun! 

📚 Would I want to read more books by this author?  Yes ➕

💣💥 📢 Content Warnings? None

🌶 Spice? No

🌪 Plot Twist? Yes, but more of a breeze than a tornado. 

👟 Pace? Good

💻 Tidbits ~ Cute story. I adore Katherine Center even more after listening to the author's note in the beginning. She gives a spoiler that there WILL BE a HEA. She calls it an enhancer not a spoiler! I’m totally on the same page (no pun intended) with her about LOVING spoilers and wanting to know how a book ends from the very beginning! It’s like we are both members of a secret club. Or maybe we should start one! Anybody else in?!

So the story... JoJo and Cooper. I'm Team Cooper!
JoJo's IQ is high. She's a math genius. For as smart as she is, she can't navigate (going with cruise lingo) relationships. I actually felt she was immature to the point that I double checked the genres to see if this was YA. Nope. 
Cooper was the perfect friend, there to save her and protect her. How could she not see that? I was starting to think she didn't deserve him because she was a little bratty. And by a little I mean a lot. But in the end, when the WHOLE story came out and truth be told, she did appreciate the things he did for her so I won't be the one to stand up and object and will forever hold my peace. 
I liked her big happy family. She had a very supportive sister, mother, and Grandma Dodie. Her father had some explaining to do to get back into her good graces. 

Favorite Quote: “She’s an interrupter and whatever she interrupts you with is never as good as what you were saying”.
This one hit home because *I* am an interrupter! Of course whatever *I'M* interrupting with IS not only good but important! 😉
Disclaimer: the book hasn't been published yet so quote is subject to change at final print.

I deducted one star for this highly intelligent woman acting like an immature brat for most of the book. SorryNotSorry. 

🎧 Narrator: Patti Murin 👍

🎧10:15 hours 🕮 336 pages

Not yet published. Expected May 19, 2026

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the free ALC in exchange for my honest review.

A round green and grey logo AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Extras - You might already know this but I didn't. I was curious about the title, especially when her sister said "the shippers are rooting for you". What is a shipper? I looked up the lingo. A "shipper" is slang for a fan who actively supports, advocates for, or desires a romantic relationship between two characters in movies, TV shows, books, or sometimes, real-life celebrities. Originating from "relationshipper" in the 1990s.
~TheMoreYouKnow! 

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