“You won! I have two tickets for the Valentine’s Inc. Singles Cruise in August. All expenses paid for you and a friend.”Elio~When I get a call about winning a cruise, at first I think it’s a scam, but when they start sending me the info—and the tickets—I realize it’s the real deal. My best friend was supposed to go with me, but when he dropped out at the last minute, I don’t want to go alone. … minute, I don’t want to go alone. Somehow he convinces me to call Lamar, the guy I went on one date with a few months ago and haven’t been able to get out of my head. Lamar agrees to go, and now I’m panicking because the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen is going with me… Me, the nerdy, dorky guy that’s so nervous I can hardly speak when I’m around him.
Lamar~
I’ve been working for Valentine’s Inc. for a while now, so I’ve been on a ton of dates. So many men, I usually forget them after a few days, and none that I want to date for real. But then there’s Elio. It’s been months, and the sweet, shy guy never called me, but I still find myself thinking about him. And then he contacts me, asking me to go on a cruise, and I jump at the opportunity. For one thing, I’ve never been able to travel, so I want the experience; for another, it’s Elio. I’ve been drawn to him since we met, and now I’ll have a whole week where he won’t be able to run from me again.
Maybe with a little luck, Elio and Lamar will find the one thing they didn’t know they needed: love.
Luck of the Ship is a standalone contemporary romance following Elio and Lamar (Dakota’s best friend from Color My Kiss). It is intended for adults 18+.
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If you’re looking for sweetness, subtle yet powerful chemistry, and soulmates look no further. There was very little relationship angst, a tragedy that was dealt with with love and concern, and an incredibly affectionate pair of men who both think they’re fishing in a pond they don’t belong. I really loved Elio and Lamar together. They were made of soft, cuddly love with just the right amount of passion to bring a bit of spice. The story was surprisingly long for one of these Valentine’s Inc. stories and what we got was a thorough relationship evolution with depth and all the bits in between and afterward that make a story complete.
Getting a second chance with someone you felt could have been more is always a chance worth taking, especially when it’s featuring two seemingly opposite men that clearly belong together. I really enjoyed the terribly shy Elio and how he blossomed under Lamar’s care and attention. Lamar was accepted for everything he is and finally found a partner that could give him all the stability and affirmation he needed. Their relationship was dominated by kindness and compassion. It wasn’t without steam though, in fact they were pretty combustible once they moved their relationship forward into a new level. It was super hot! As Lamar quoted, it’s always the quiet ones you have to watch out for.
I was pretty shocked at the addition of the grief. The related story, Color My Kiss, was similar in that it dealt with something rather heavy and Luck of the Ship is no different. It wasn’t out of place, it actually showed a completely different side to relationships and how we learn to lean on our partners when things aren’t all sunshine and roses. While the story didn’t take a dark turn, nor did it drag on and on, it was a subject that could have completely derailed the intent of the story; instead it added a layer of humanity and reality and fit surprisingly well in the flow of it all. It was a truncated timeline with dealing with the grief, so it wasn’t entirely realistic, but I think it lasted just long enough to show that even though hearts weren’t completely bared through words by that point, it was obvious that Elio and Lamar’s relationship was built on a solid foundation.
Overall I found this story incredibly sweet, a little long, but immensely enjoyable. This particular couple ticked so many boxes for me with their slight opposites-attract dynamic, the shyness, the earnestness, the chemistry, and all the cheesy love I could stand. It’s no wonder why I come back to these themed series again and again when so many of them produce such great stories.
Another great episode of the Valentine’s Inc. cruise serial that is very much worth a read!
The story was really sweet, the characters likable and relatable. Just what the doctor has ordered!
I absolutely adored this story. Elio is the lucky winner of 2 tickets to the cruise, unfortunately for him his friend can no longer go. Elio gathers the nerve to call Lamar and ask him if he would like to go instead. Lamar is thrilled to go, he had a great time with Elio on his date several months prior and can’t wait to see him again. The chemistry between them was there….no denying that. Elio was so adorable in his nervousness and awkwardness….I was rooting for him and Lamar to come together. Their story was so cute and sweet and I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend this book to all…well done!!!
*no spoilers*
This book fits the bill for a cute, fluffy rom com and I enjoyed every moment. Everything about this story is cute. From the plot to the characters to, well, everything else. There is a bit of an angsty part later in the book, but it helps develop the main characters and their relationship.
The epilogue is one of the best I’ve ever read!!!
This book does include a couple from a previous book; it’s Michele Notaro’s book in the original Valentine’s Inc. series. This book can absolutely be read first or as a standalone; there aren’t any spoilers or missing details. Happy reading!
Sweetness!
A very very shy, introvert Elio. A sweet, happy and confident escort Lamar who just got humiliated by one of their clients at the dating service Valentine’s Inc.
Without him knowing it, his best friend Kota entered Elio and himself into a contest to win a cruise sponsored by Valentine’s Inc. And guess who won? Right, Elio! Elio didn’t want to go but Kota made him swear that no matter what, he will go. Due to a last minute cancellation by Kota, Elio had to look for another plus one. The best friends thought of who can accompany Elio, thus Lamar came to mind. Elio and Lamar went on a date a few months ago, and they clicked.
Lamar has just been humiliated by one of his clients, more of harassed actually, verbally abused. He hasn’t been feeling good about himself because of this. When Elio called him and invited him to be his plus one in the cruise he won, at first he wasn’t too sure, but then he agreed, what could possibly go wrong, right? Elio was shy, cute and sweet!
Could these two individuals who are quite different from each other clicked it really off when in close proximity for a week? Their confidences had been destroyed a few times, can they handle more if ever? In this love story, you see two lovely characters navigate their insecurities individually and together come out of it more confident and stronger! Lovely characters, idealic and romantic setting, quirks and sweetness. Elio and Lamar are both very sweet, loving and thoughtful people, even out of their depth in relationship stuff, they try to do what is right and always in consideration of the other person.
I enjoyed reading this sweet enchanting MM romance. It has a entertaining, well-written plot & it is about two interesting characters (Eilo & Lamar) who fall in love. There are character crossovers from previous books but this book can be read as a standalone.
It is about: a rather shy young man (Elio) wins a cruise & when his best friend (Soren) is unable to go with him, Elio decides to ask a guy (Lamar) with whom he had a date with a few months previously, naturally Lamar agrees when he realizes there is nowhere for Elio to run to on the cruise.
There is: drama, friendship, attractions, longings, devastating news, heartache, emotional turmoil, comforting support, love, happiness & a satisfying conclusion.
This was a very sweet and fluffy story, low-angst and full of gooey romantic moments. Elio and Lamar are both gorgeous characters. Elio is a little awkward, reserved and insecure, and utterly captivated by the bubbly and outgoing Lamar. Both are extremely sweet to each other, especially Lamar who stays by Elio’s side when he is sick or going through a difficult time. I was glad that the overall happy and lighthearted tone of the book wasn’t weighed down in this instance with unnecessary drama or angst. A great, feel-good read!
[I received an advanced reader’s copy from the author in exchange for my honest review].
“My god, he was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. He was bigger than me, more muscular than me, fiercer than me, and yet, his eyes held a softness I just wanted to reach out and touch. They pulled me in, and I wanted them to. I wanted to be pulled in by this gorgeous, amazing man.”
This is the kind of dreamy phrases and paragraphs you’ll find reading Luck Of The Ship by Michele Notaro.
This is the sweetest book she has ever written. The main characters, Elio and Lamar,are the cutest and most adorable men. Elio so shy and Lamar a big softie under the self-assured exterior. Both hoping to someday find their soulmates but never really expecting to find them…definetely not when they agreed to go on a cruise together.
What should have been only a week turns into dating, slowly developing into more. There are some bumps in their road to ever after, but they keep a strong hold onto each other,their love becoming steadfast and unwavering.
I love Elio and Lamar. I wanted to snuggle up with them,smother them with kisses and hug them better when they were sad. I’ve been either awwww-ing over their cuteness or fanning myself all through the story,and always with a steady smile on my face.
Being happy at the end of a book is the best thing and Luck Of The Ship really gave me that. It’s definitely a must read!
Luck of the Ship by Michele Notaro is the fifth book in the multi-author series Valentine’s Inc. This is such an adorable sweet and fun read. I love Elio and Lamar. They were sweet together, fun to read about and also sexy. This story made me smile and was a great addition to this series. Loved it!
I received an advanced reader’s copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.