Originally published as The Blue.
Lana and Kitty leave England behind and go backpacking across Asia. In the Phillipines they meet the crew of the yacht The Blue. They join the crew and spend several weeks sailing from island to island, spending time swimming and sunbathing on gorgeous beaches in between their work. There’s one important rule for the crew: no relationships with another crew member. But Lana falls in love with one of the guys and they keep their relationship a secret.
When one of the crew members disappears after he tried to kiss Lana when they were chatting, Lana starts to question what happened, which leads to her leaving the yacht. Kitty stays behind on The Blue while Lana takes a flight to New Zealand and waits for the yacht to come back there.
However, when The Blue gets to New Zealand, she’s empty and the crew are nowhere to be found. Lana goes to the command centre and waits for news while thinking back on her time on the yacht.
I liked this book, but I was expecting more… I thought the ending was a bit meh but enjoyed the comradery between the crew members of The Blue – and the description of their travels. I thought that the book wasn’t quite finished yet. What happens to Lana and Kitty? What happens to Lana and her lover? I need to know!!
Read for the Shelf Reflection Reading Challenge 2026
Prompt 42: A book that takes place on a boat
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️