Review: Float Plan by Trish Doller

  

Critically acclaimed author Trish Doller's unforgettable and romantic adult debut about setting sail, starting over, and finding yourself...

Since the loss of her fiancé, Anna has been shipwrecked by grief—until a reminder goes off about a trip they were supposed to take together. Impulsively, Anna goes to sea in their sailboat, intending to complete the voyage alone.

But after a treacherous night’s sail, she realizes she can’t do it by herself and hires Keane, a professional sailor, to help. Much like Anna, Keane is struggling with a very different future than the one he had planned. As romance rises with the tide, they discover that it’s never too late to chart a new course.

In Trish Doller’s unforgettable Float Plan, starting over doesn't mean letting go of your past, it means making room for your future. ~ Goodreads

Source: Library – Audiobook narrated by Sarah Naughton

 

I haven’t been this completely absorbed in a romance (or book for that matter) in a very long time. I immedietly connected to Anna and her grief over losing her fiance, Ben, to suicide and struggle to find a new future that doesn’t include him.

After a year of coasting through life, Anna decides to take their sailboat out intending to take the trip to the Caribbean that Ben had planned. But Anna didn’t absorb as much knowledge about sailing as she thought she did and the trip becomes dangerous and she hires Keane, a professional sailor, to help get her there.

 

💔        Heartbreak. From the very first page I felt like I knew Ben, understood what he meant to Anna, and was swept up with both their memories and the loss. Ben’s no longer alive but is ever present throughout the story and it was done in a really beautiful and respectful way, even as Anna moves on.

Adventure! Just as I was caught up in Anna’s changing emotions, I was just as excited and nervous about her trip – despite knowing nothing (or caring to) about sailing. The writing was so immersive, I felt like I was traveling right along with Anna and loved meeting the locals and learning about each new place she visited.

😍      Romance! Keane is such a stand up guy. Always giving Anna space when needed but support as well. He has his own struggles. He lost a leg in a sailing accident and although he still gets jobs in the field, he’s looked over for competitive sailing events – something he used to love. Their relationship evolves slowly but it was just as lovely to see them as friends and partners – exploring, sharing and having fun – as it was seeing them become more.

💀     Caution: As the one left behind – Anna experiences both anger and guilt about Ben’s suicide. So just a heads up if the topic might be upsetting for you.

🙌     Overall – Yes, there is a romance but Float Plan was about so much more and Doller allowed Anna the space to grieve and grow without pushing a romance narrative. Instead letting things flow naturally for a truly captivating story. My favorite book of 2021 so far - not that I've read much but I really loved this one!