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Full Steam Ahead by Valerie Chase
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Publication date: January 14th 2014
Series: Seaswept #1 
Source: ecopy from Author
Seven days aboard a luxury cruise.
The perfect getaway from it all.
At least, that’s what Georgia Cantwell is hoping for…
With her inbox filling with menacing emails, Georgia just wants to run away from her shattered life on her sorority’s winter break cruise. What she doesn’t need is green-eyed Jace McLaren seeing through her tacked-on smile and stealing her breath away with each tantalizing kiss.
Growing up with a father in jail, Jace knows from experience that if you’re going through hell, there’s no way out but through. He has always steered away from girls like Georgia with her ice-queen attitude, but she’s in real trouble, and despite himself he pushes past her walls.
As much as Georgia tries to ignore it, Jace won’t let her pretend with him. But she can’t tell him the truth. Her past would ruin his trust, her family, her future—everything.
But out on the open ocean, there’s nowhere to hide. And when Georgia’s secrets come tumbling out, it might take more than Jace to get her through the storm.
A yummy New Adult treat that takes place on a cruise. How awesome does that sound? Like tons of fun, right? But then you add in surprising depth and really wonderful romance that felt so natural to me and I was hooked. I stayed up until 3 am reading this book. On a work night. I love that the series is going to continue, but the next book is going to be Georgia’s friend, Yasmin’s story. I hope that Georgia and Jace show up a lot though because I am smitten with the two of them.
Georgia is the southern belle who is prim and proper on the outside, but she is crumbling apart on the inside. We know right off the bat that she has this big secret. Like blackmail worthy, big. But Georgia keeps everything to herself, even though it is visibly destroying her. I was dying to learn what her secret was, but Valerie Chase keeps us in suspense until almost the end of the book. She can’t keep food down, she has lost weight, and basically she is an emotional wreck. And the only person that cares enough to look past her walls and call her on her BS is Jace. A guy that until this cruise, was just a school mate acquaintance. There is a big group setting of college sorority sisters and frat brothers on the cruise so there were lots of secondary characters there to make things interesting, but the main focus on the story was definitely Jace and Georgia. Which was perfect for me, because I could not get enough of these two. They are seriously one of the most perfect couples that I have read about in a long time. I just lurve them!
Full Steam Ahead is told in dual narrative, which is my favorite way to read romance stories. I just getting both the guy and the girls perspective. Jace is a complicated guy too. He takes the time to really watch Georgia. And together, they each break down the other person’s walls. Georgia is just as good for Jace as Jace is for her. I thought the cruise was a fun setting for this steamy romance, but the character connection and emotional depth really bumped this book from good to great for me. I know it is early in 2014 but this is going to be a hard contemporary book to top. The writing is great, the characters are so fleshed out, and the romance is heartwarming. I want more Georgia and Jace! Valerie Chase is a new author that you need to read. Full Steam Ahead was a total hit with me.
Valerie Chase is a author of New Adult Romance. She currently lives in the Washington, DC area. Full Steam Ahead is her debut novel.As for her writing style, Valerie loves sexy banter and guys whose hearts are in the right place, even if their heads sometimes aren’t. She loves discovering strong, awesome characters, putting them in entertaining situations, and watching them argue their way to love.
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Shane Morgan
Great review. Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for participating 🙂
Cora Linn Ballantine
Fantastic review! Are you as excited for the next book as I already am?
I also stayed up until silly o’clock in the morning reading this, I couldn’t put it down!
Cora @ Tea Party Princess
Missie
Sounds like a good read – perfect for summer!
Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings
This sounds like a terrific and fun little romance without the drama and angst. I am always on the lookout for sweet and light so I am adding this to the list. Have a wonderful week!
Valerie Chase
Thank you for this awesome review, Michelle! I’m so happy that you enjoyed Full Steam Ahead! 🙂
Andrea @The Bookish Babes
The fact that you stayed up until 3am reading says so much. I’ve never read a book set on a cruise ship, but I love the sound of that!
Great review!