12 Boat Romance Books You’ll Want to Read All Summer
I don’t know what it is lately, but if there’s a boat in the book description, I’m reading it. Yachts, cruises, sailboats, people getting stranded at sea, yes, please.
Something about being out on the water just feels right for summer reading. Maybe it’s the sense of escape, maybe it’s the forced proximity, maybe it’s that every maritime romance has a little bit of chaos built in. Either way, if you’re fully in your boat era like me, these are some of the ones I think are worth checking out.
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Boat Romance Books Set on a Yacht
Moti on the Water by Leylah Attar
Moti’s summer plans involve surviving a wedding cruise with her chaotic family and seducing the best man. Instead, she ends up falling for the yacht’s quiet, swoony chef, and unraveling everything she thought she knew about herself.
Grab Moti on the Water on Amazon
Broken French by Tasha Boyd
An impulsive job as a nanny on a billionaire’s mega yacht turns into something much more when Josie finds herself drawn to the moody (and very hot) widower she now works for. Set in the South of France and full of tension.
Love, Lists and Fancy Ships by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
Jo is a yacht stewardess trying to finish her “30 by 30” list after a huge personal loss. But when she kisses a stranger to check off one of her goals, her summer starts heading in a direction she never expected.
Grab Love, Lists and Fancy Ships on Amazon
Boat Romance Books Set on a Cruise
Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson
Micah’s old band is getting back together for a one-time performance on a cruise, and so is her connection with her former best friend. Quiet pining, music tension, and just the right amount of angst.
Grab Never Been Shipped on Amazon
Wilder by Rebecca Yarros
Paxton Wilder is a chaos demon in board shorts, and Leah is the unlucky scholarship student assigned to tutor him during a nine-month study cruise. High drama, extreme sports, and a romance that’s both intense and messy.
Caribbean Crush by R.S. Grey
They were enemies back in the day, now they’re trapped on a cruise ship with a shared work assignment and unresolved tension. Lots of banter, lots of heat, and a tropical setting that makes everything feel twice as intense.
Grab Caribbean Crush on Amazon
Sailing Romance Books
If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair
Josie agrees to help her brother’s grumpy hockey player best friend recover from an injury. One thing leads to another and they’re stuck on a sailboat together heading down the coast. Enemies to lovers with a slow emotional thaw.
Grab If All Else Sails on Amazon
The Slow Burn in Polynesia by Liz Alden
A sailing YouTuber nursing a broken heart meets a shy fan on a boat in Tahiti. Think quiet moments, gentle trust-building, and long days in the sun. It’s low conflict and super tender.
Grab The Slow Burn in Polynesia on Amazon
Float Plan by Trish Doller
Anna sets sail solo in the Caribbean to cope with grief, but ends up hiring a sailor to help her finish the trip. Grief and hope are both baked into the story, and the romance unfolds slowly and believably.
Shipwrecked Romance Books
Swept Away by Beth O’Leary
One night. One kiss. And then they wake up stranded at sea. This one blends survival, awkward tension, and a growing connection that neither of them saw coming.
Lovewrecked by Karina Halle
Stranded on an island with the grumpy best man from her sister’s wedding? Yep. Daisy’s got the worst luck, but also possibly the best timing. This is funny, messy, and hot in all the right ways.
The Trouble with Paradise by Jill Shalvis
A singles cruise goes sideways when a storm leaves everyone shipwrecked. There’s a love triangle, a hot doctor, and a mystery brewing on the island. Campy but fun.
Grab The Trouble with Paradise on Amazon
Final Thoughts
Being isolated with someone, whether it’s intentional or not, makes everything feel more intense. These stories are perfect for summer reading, whether you’re actually by the water or just wish you were.
And if you’re in the mood for more, I’ve got full book lists for yacht, cruise, sailing, and shipwrecked romances. Let me know which vibe you’re into most… or if you’ve got a favorite I missed.
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