About the Book

Book: Love Overboard: A Novel

Author: Shannon Sue Dunlap

Genre:Christian Romcom

Release date: May 21, 2024

When four quirky friends retire on a never-ending round of cruises, their attire consists of more than floral shirts and gaudy skirts. Armed with walkie-talkies and battle plans, these relationship experts—who’ve dubbed themselves the “Shippers”—target whostess Lacey Anderson and director Jonathan King in their romantic schemes. However, the young couple is determined not to play along, having previously sailed the tumultuous seas of love only to witness their relationship crash and burn.

Boss matchmaker Emily Windsor has orchestrated multiple romantic successes, and these two upstarts certainly won’t get the best of her. The chemistry between Lacey and Jonathan is obvious, but the couple rebuffs every outlandish plot and “coincidental” meeting, forcing the Shippers to chart a new course to true love—all while inadvertently thwarting drug smugglers threatening to ruin their floating home.

Can they untangle the mess of romance and intrigue before it’s too late, or will their journey end in heartbreak and disaster? Shannon Sue Dunlap’s enthralling new series unfolds a tale where love, laughter, and danger converge in an entertaining maritime adventure.

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About the Author

Shannon Sue Dunlap lives in hot and humid Houston, Texas where she writes love stories with a laugh-out-loud center. She enjoys traveling around the world, singing tunes from classic musicals, and drinking Dr. Pepper. Shannon is a die-hard fan of of happy endings and believes God has designed one for each of us.

More from Shannon

My attention zeroed in on the tv screen where a darling elderly woman happily danced with a man in a captain’s uniform. The feature report told how she’d forsaken the nursing home and chosen to live her retirement on a cruise ship instead. Afterward, the wheels in my brain started to churn. What if there wasn’t just one woman, but a whole group? And what if they amused themselves by matchmaking the young people around them? Thus, the idea for Love Overboard started to form.

I related to my wandering heroines. Traveling is “in my blood.” I was three months old when my parents hit the road. (Or so they tell me. I really don’t remember.) It was the 70s and Dad was a traveling preacher called an evangelist. He and mom started out with their newborn baby in a Toronado Oldsmobile. And even after we made a permanent home in Virginia, they kept traveling.

No wonder my feet itch.

In those many journeys, of course there were books. Daydreams of detectives and western heroes and ladies in fancy dresses kept me company in the backseat. I’d finish the stack of novels I brought with me, and my parents would stop at whatever town we were near and look up a Christian bookstore to restock my supply.

Now, it tickles my fancy to think my stories might be keeping someone else company in their plane seat or deck chair. As I write, of course, I keep traveling. I’ve taught school in Botswana, driven on the left side of a rain-slicked Scottish road, twirled in front of Mr. Darcy’s Pemberly (the Colin Firth version), visited Prince Edward Island for the 100th anniversary of Anne of Green Gables, and been serenaded by an opera singer on a European river cruise. (I don’t mean in the audience. He took me from my seat, wrapped his arms around me, and let the crescendos fly.) Learning about the history of places and trying crazy new dishes makes life more interesting. The most unique thing I remember eating is Mopani worm in Zambia. (It tasted like crunchy dirt.)

As Love Overboard releases, I’d like to give a big shoutout to that daring little old lady that lent me inspiration. Perhaps I’ll follow her example when I reach my 80s. No matter how long is ordained for my time on this planet, I hope books and traveling will always play a part in my story.

MY REVIEW

This story is full of laughs, meddling and a group of four well meaning older women. They live on the boat and have appointed themselves matchmakers. The leader named Emily has her eyes set on matching Lacey and Jonathan. She will have her hands full with these two. Let the matchmaking begin!

The shippers as they are known as are ready to make a match. First they need to figure out why Lacey and Jonathan don’t want to be matched together. They’re past may help and they are determined to make this work. I bet it is pretty fun to live on a cruise ship like these four ladies do. There is always food available, lots of activities and stopping at the wonderful towns along their route. I don’t think I would have joined them when they went to get special pedicures. Special little fish nibbling on the soles of my feet would creep me out.

We mustn’t forget that there is drug snuggling ring going on. I couldn’t wait to see if I had picked the guilty person but with the twists in the story I didn’t figure it out. The author does a great job of developing characters that make us laugh as they continue to play matchmaker. There is a good faith element in the story which has a definite impact on deciding a relationship. Get ready for some fun on a cruise with meddling characters who mean well. The mystery is good and took me on a journey to discover that the guilty person was not anyone I would suspect. I wonder if there was a successful matchmaking on the cruise? Grab a copy and get ready to cruise along on this fun story.

When I read the author’s bio I was excited to learn that she lives very near me. Maybe someday I will be blessed to meet her. That would be so fun to talk to her about her creativity.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.