10 Romance Books to Read on Your Next Cruise
There is something about reading a romance novel at sea that just works.
Maybe it is sitting on the balcony with nothing but blue water stretching to the horizon. Maybe it is finding a quiet spot on the pool deck with a drink and a book. Or maybe it is that wonderful realization that, for the next seven days, your biggest decision might be whether to read another chapter or head to dinner.
If you are packing for a cruise and looking for a romance novel to bring along, here are ten books worth considering. Some take you to tropical destinations, some deliver adventure, and some simply make great vacation reading.
And yes, I am putting one of my own books on the list. I think you’ll understand why.
1.
Love, Uncharted
— KJB Alan
I’ll start with the obvious choice for a cruise.
Love, Uncharted is the first book in my Uncharted Horizons series, a slow-burn romance inspired by real Southern Caribbean cruising.
Olivia Carter isn’t looking for love when she boards a cruise ship. Neither is Lance Donovan. What begins as an unexpected connection develops against a backdrop of sea days, Caribbean ports, dinners, conversations, and those moments that seem to happen differently when you’re far away from everyday life.
One of the things I wanted when writing Love, Uncharted was for the destinations to feel authentic. That’s because much of the inspiration came from places I’ve actually visited and experiences I’ve had during years of cruising.
If you’re reading it while sitting on a cruise ship yourself, even better.
Best for: Readers who enjoy slow-burn romance, mature characters, cruising and relationships that develop through conversation and shared experiences.
2.
The Unhoneymooners
— Christina Lauren
Olive and Ethan aren’t exactly thrilled about spending time together, but circumstances send them on what was supposed to be someone else’s Hawaiian honeymoon.
You can probably guess that things don’t go according to plan.
It’s funny, romantic and filled with vacation atmosphere, making it an easy book to disappear into while you’re sitting beside the pool.
Best for: Readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers romance, humor and tropical settings.
3.
People We Meet on Vacation
— Emily Henry
Poppy and Alex have been taking summer vacations together for years, despite being very different people.
Then something happens between them.
After spending two years apart, they agree to take another trip together and try to repair their friendship.
Travel isn’t simply the backdrop here. It’s part of the relationship, which makes this an especially appropriate vacation read.
Best for: Readers who like friends-to-lovers stories, witty dialogue and relationships that develop over time.
4.
The Layover
— Lacie Waldon
A flight attendant planning to leave her career takes one final trip and ends up spending considerably more time than expected with a coworker she doesn’t particularly like.
Then comes an unexpected layover in Belize.
It’s light, travel-focused and easy to read, which checks a lot of boxes when you’re looking for something to throw into your cruise bag.
Best for: Readers who enjoy workplace romance, travel mishaps and tropical destinations.
5.
Shipped
— Angie Hockman
This one earns its place on a cruise-reading list for an obvious reason.
Henley Evans and Graeme Crawford are workplace rivals competing for the same promotion. Their jobs eventually send them on a cruise through the Galápagos Islands.
Competition, travel and romance follow.
Reading a romance involving a cruise while you’re actually cruising adds another layer of fun.
Best for: Readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers stories, workplace competition and cruise settings.
6.
The Spanish Love Deception
— Elena Armas
Catalina needs a date for her sister’s wedding in Spain.
Unfortunately, the man who volunteers is Aaron Blackford, the coworker she would rather avoid.
You can see where this is going.
It’s a longer romance, which also makes it a good choice if you’ve got several sea days ahead of you.
Best for: Readers who enjoy slow burns, fake dating, workplace tension and destination romance.
7.
Float Plan
— Trish Doller
This one has a different emotional tone.
Anna sets sail on a Caribbean voyage that had originally been planned with her fiancé. She eventually hires an experienced sailor, Keane, to help her continue the journey.
What follows combines grief, healing, romance and island travel.
The Caribbean setting makes Float Plan particularly interesting when you’re sailing through the region yourself.
Best for: Readers looking for an emotional romance involving healing, sailing and Caribbean islands.
8.
Something Wilder
— Christina Lauren
This isn’t your traditional sit-on-the-beach romance.
Lily Wilder leads tourists on treasure-hunting adventures through Utah when a man from her past unexpectedly appears as part of one of her groups.
From there, the story turns into a combination of romance and adventure.
It’s a good choice if you want your vacation reading to move a little faster.
Best for: Readers who like second-chance romance, adventure and a bit of treasure hunting.
9.
The True Love Experiment
— Christina Lauren
Romance novelist Felicity “Fizzy” Chen finds herself participating in a reality dating show created by documentary filmmaker Connor Prince.
The setup provides plenty of humor, but underneath it is a story about relationships and what people actually want from love.
It’s another easy vacation read when you want something entertaining between ports.
Best for: Readers who enjoy contemporary romance, humor and unconventional dating stories.
10.
Book Lovers
— Emily Henry
Nora Stephens works in publishing and knows all the romance-novel clichés.
Then she heads to a small town with her sister and repeatedly encounters Charlie Lastra, an editor she already knows from New York.
Rather than pretending romance tropes don’t exist, Book Lovers has fun with them.
And there is something particularly satisfying about reading a book about people who love books while you have nowhere you need to be for the afternoon.
Best for: Readers who enjoy clever dialogue, publishing-world characters and romance that plays with familiar tropes.
The Best Cruise Book Is the One You Actually Want to Keep Reading
I have spent a lot of days at sea over the years, and one thing I’ve learned is that cruise reading is different.
At home, there is always something else demanding your attention. On a ship, you can find a chair overlooking the ocean, put your phone away and disappear into a story for a couple of hours.
That’s one reason travel became such an important part of my Uncharted Horizons series.
The destinations aren’t simply scenery. Travel changes the characters. It puts them somewhere unfamiliar, gives them time together they wouldn’t normally have and creates opportunities for conversations that might never happen back home.
Perhaps that’s part of why romance and travel fit together so naturally.
So before your next cruise, leave a little room in your suitcase—or on your Kindle—for a good love story.
And if you’d like your book to take you on a cruise while you’re already on one, Love, Uncharted might be a good place to start.
Fair winds and good reading.
KJB Alan
Author of the Uncharted Horizons series
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