Dillon Hayes is twenty-eight and single, an unfortunate status her overbearing family is determined to fix. So when she’s stuck on a cruise ship for a seven-day reunion with the lot of them, she’s desperate for any escape she can find, even if it means partnering with a sketchy stranger for an off-the-beaten-path snorkeling excursion. After her mother’s last matchmaking attempt, Dillon is more … than willing to trade all her good sense for a few hours of solace.
Liam Gamble is stuck in the middle of family vacation hell. The worst part: it’s not even his family. This will be the last time he ever accepts a free-vacation invitation from his best friend. At this point, he’d be willing to hand over his life savings to get off this crazy ship. So when he catches one of his friend’s cousins sneaking off board, he decides to join her, hijacking her private excursion and nearly blowing her cover. If she gets to leave, so does he.
But what starts off as a secret escape turns into a very real nightmare when their shady tour guide leaves them stranded on an uninhabited island with nothing but the clothes on their backs and no idea how to keep themselves alive.
As hours turn into days, and the weather proves as threatening as their need for food and water, Dillon and Liam must join forces and rely on each other if they have any hope of seeing their families again. Funny thing: sometimes in life, the end of the rope is when you discover everything you value has been in front of you all along.
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The Waves, by Amy Matayo, is an engaging book that offers a riveting tale of adventure, survival, and romance. Told beautifully through the first person perspectives of the two main characters, this novel is very well-written and thoroughly engrossing. It is fast-paced and utterly entertaining. From the first paragraph to the last, this book easily held my attention with its gripping plot, integral setting, and genuinely likable characters.
In The Waves, Ms. Matayo draws the reader fully into the story with her incredibly immersive style of writing. Her attention to sensory details makes sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures vivid and real. Page after page, Ms. Matayo skillfully builds and maintains believable suspense and that is truly thrilling. Throughout the novel, the characters are expressive, multi-dimensional, and unforgettable. Furthermore, the settings are artfully detailed bringing a fresh perspective to oceans, islands, and even sand.
Ms. Matayo is certainly a talented writer with a tremendous gift for storytelling. The Waves is a remarkably enjoyable novel that will linger long in my memory. I enthusiastically recommend this book to all readers who enjoy clean romance that is as captivating as it is clever.
*I was given a copy of this book by the author/publisher. A review was not required. The review I have written contains opinions that are entirely my own.
4. 5 Stars
Despite grieving her third failed relationship in the past year, Dillon agrees to join the family (the ENTIRE family) on a cruise to celebrate her grandparents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary. But too much not-at-all subtle attempts at matchmaking haver her seeking solace and peace on a private excursion.
When Liam discovers Dillon’s venture, he goes along for the ride. One that neither of them expects will leave them stranded in the middle of the ocean.
As Dillon and Liam fight to survive, moments of despair overwhelm them but there are also open and honest conversations and examinations that bond them closer.
Amy Matayo delivers a story with both humor and a deeper message of finding worth when all hope seems life and discovering what is held dearest when all the distractions and noise is stripped away.
I am already anxiously awaiting the next installment in Matayo’s Love in Chaos series because The Waves was read in one sitting.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
I pre-ordered this book and could hardly wait for it to be on my Kindle. I fell in love with Amy Matayo’s writing several years ago when I read End of the World. She creates characters that you will fall in love with and think of them as family members or friends. You’ll remember the characters names months or years after you finish the books.
Dillon is an amazing character, who is funny, feisty and strong. Her mom makes life interesting and miserable at times. She wants her daughter to marry and have kids and is very vocal about it, which leads to embarrassing and frustrating situations. While on a huge family/friends cruise vacation she has an argument with her mom and when the ship docks she decides to put a little space between them. Instead of going with her family on a planned excursion, she impulsively decides to go snorkeling with only a guide. Which brings me to Liam.
Liam has had a crush on Dillon for a while but has to be careful because his brother thinks he’s love with her too. Liam and his brother catch her before she steps on the boat with the guide and it’s Liam who winds up going with her, thankfully! It’s scary to think what would have happened to her if he hadn’t insisted someone was going with her.
Liam is absolutely wonderful, you couldn’t ask for a better guy. He’s the perfect book boyfriend! One of the coolest thing is that after they were stranded by the guide while snorkeling and it took HOURS to get to the island……he could have ranted and raved at Dillon but he didn’t, he kept her alive.
I loved how they worked together to survive on the island. It wasn’t one-sided with him doing everything, it was both of them working to help the other survive. They wouldn’t have made it through everything without each other.
There was unbelievable chemistry between them, it was really hot. Lol But as with all of Any Matayo’s books they are clean but never boring. There is a little language but nothing really bad.
This is book one and I hope the next book is about Teddy. I was really intrigued by the best friend of Dillon and roommate of Liam, infact one of the best scenes involved him near the end of the book.
I LOVED this book and I plan to read it again and again.
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed you wanted to just run away? Or maybe you took it one step further and really stepped away into seclusion. What would you find on the other side? Would you begin to realize all the good things you felt overwhelmed by and begin to miss them?
Amy Matayo’s new book, The Waves does just that. Imagine trying to just get a break for a while and end up stranded on an island. Fighting for survival becomes a completely different concept where you never know what you might find out about yourself.
I love reading Amy Matayo’s books, she has a wonderful skill with creating stories that hit you right where you need to feel it. There is some light-hearted laughter and some times for more serious topics and concern. This book played well with both and kept my brain asking for more, what’s on the next page. I definitely couldn’t put this down. Another great book!
I was provided a copy of this book by the author. All opinions in this review are my own.
Wow! I really liked how getting stranded on an island can certainly change one’s perspective on what is truly important in life and what is not. Who you really miss and why, and missing just the basic necessities we take for granted every day can make a person really thankful when they get home.
Dillon wants to run away from her family and her life. She seems to attract all the wrong men and usually ends up broken hearted by the end of the relationships no matter how long or short they are. Enter her family, especially her mother, who would really like to see her married, and they just won’t stop. Going on a cruise to please her grandparents does not seem like a good idea especially when all the matchmaking relatives will be there.
Liam is invited on this cruise along with his older brother by Dillon’s rock star cousin. Thinking it might be nice to get away and for free he has not quite prepared himself for the adventure that awaits him.
I liked Liam and that he was really a great guy to stick by Dillon when she decided to stray from the others. I am not sure I would be able to survive on a deserted island, but I liked how real author Matayo kept everything. The fight for survival and for food, trying to find shelter from the sun and storms, the bugs, and any number of ways one could come to harm. I felt like I was on the island with Liam and Dillon.
Not only must they survive but they must work together to make it. Their perspectives come into much clearer focus and love for family trumped everything. I really felt for Dillon’s parents as well, especially all the worry and stress they had gone through over their lost daughter.
If you are looking for a little island fun, adventure, romance, and family drama: then The Waves might be just what you are looking for.
I received an advanced copy from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
“I don’t want to be lonely.”
“I don’t want to spend my life pushing people away and never truly being known. I have blown my chance with everyone else I’ve ever known, but I’m not going to blow my chance with Liam.”
Dillon Hayes comes to this conclusion after she and Liam Gamble have been stranded on a deserted island. During this time of struggling to remain alive they both realize that they couldn’t have chosen anyone better to be with!
This is the first book that I’ve read by author Amy Matayo and she has created two very likeable characters for The Waves, the first book in her new series Love in Chaos. Dillon and Liam are both flawed but they are both decent human beings who are looking for love and commitment. Their time together has some laugh-out-loud moments but there are times of reflections as they consider what they want for the future. They also experience some feelings of sadness when they are rescued and are forced to return to the real world. Dillon and Liam share an incredible chemistry but the author avoids graphic details in showing how they view each other and how they react to each other physically.
Many of the feelings that all of us have experienced are part of this story: insecurity, fear, loss, and love. The Waves is a book that will appeal to readers who enjoy contemporary romantic fiction.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book and these are my honest opinions.
This was such a fun book and unique storyline. I loved being part of the journey of getting to know each of the characters even as they were getting to know themselves— and one another — on a much deeper and more meaningful level. Stripped of all of their pretense and walls of protection, and in the midst of crisis and deprivation, we begin to see the “real” Dillon and Liam as their fears and insecurities are put aside to reveal a deeper strength of character in each of them — and a growing bond that may ultimately be impossible to break.
I highly recommend this book and, as it is the first book in a new series by Amy Matayo, I look forward to hearing more about Liam and Dillon and, hopefully, get to read Chad’s and Teddy’s stories as well!
I was given a pre-release copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. The thoughts and feelings expressed are definitely my own.
This book made me so crazy happy! I loved every second of it. Seriously, if Amy Matayo wrote a dictionary, I would probably read it because she can make anything worth reading. I love how she makes characters that are flawed but you love them anyway. How does she do that? The romance gave me all the feels and i was rooting for them the whole time. The only negative would be that every time Dillon was eating ice cream, it made me have to eat some(but is that REALLY a negative?) I cannot wait to read the rest of this series.
I received an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.