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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I received an advanced copy of The Waves! And let me tell you….this book does NOT disappoint. It has everything a great romance book should. The characters are well developed. The struggles the characters face individually and together are things that everyone can relate too. I love Amy Matayo so much. Amy’s books always trigger a sense of hope in me. In my darkest days….her books are a shining light. This book is no different. Thank you Amy!
I was able to receive an advance reader copy of The Waves and finished it in two sittings. I have read all of Amy’s books, but there was something different about this one. I enjoyed the depth of the characters and the internal struggle both were dealing with in their personal lives. Each character reminded me of someone in my real life and I liked watching how things could play out in a fantasy book world. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next in the series.
I couldn’t put it down! I enjoyed the characters in this book. Amy Matayo does a great job of entertaining us in her books.
I loved this book! Enough so that I read it in two sittings…I would have preferred to finish it in one but momming is important. Cannot wait for the next installment in the series. Great job Amy Matayo!
Have you ever felt abandoned, left behind, lost? These are all the feelings the two characters in this book feel.
In so many ways Dillion feels like her whole life has been one big abandonment after another, from her family, dates, and now the cruise ship. Will she ever survive this?
Liam didn’t plan on getting abandoned on an island with the one girl his brother is obsessed with. But now he needs to fight the feelings of being left behind and the feelings he has for Dillion. This really wasn’t what he had planned for this trip.
Amy Matayo is a wonderful author. She spins a tale so smoothly and artfully that I felt every rock of the waves, every thirst for water, and hungry for food. I keep thinking about coconuts, bananas, and fish. I also wanted to hear the sound of waves crashing and feel sand beneath my feet.
There’re even some deep thoughts throughout this book. Here is one quote I loved:
“People see us how they want to see us, which leaves them blinded to what’s really in front of them.”
When I started this book I truly couldn’t stop until I finished the whole thing. Wow! It’s that good!
I was given this book by the author for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
This is the perfect contemporary romance vacation getaway! Granted, things sure do not go as planned, but that’s like life. I really liked the relatable main characters and disliked some side characters (ha!) But Dillon and Liam were the perfect mix to keep me rooting for them. I laughed a few times and could swear I heard the waves crashing on the shore and felt the sun kissing my skin. I wanted to get back to reading anytime I had to set it down. I can’t wait for the next book! Amy Matayo never disappoints and she is one of my favorite authors!
I received an advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
I absolutely loved getting to meet the characters in this story. I found both characters to be believable and I enjoyed getting to know them. Having lived in Nashville for a little while, I could relate the parts of the story that shared what it’s like to live in that city. The internal dialogue in the story also kept me engaged and helped me see the characters for the depth of who they were and made them more relatable. This story shared the fine line that sometimes happens between families as we want things for each other that aren’t always what the other person wants. I think Matayo demonstrated that beautifully. I’m excited to read the next story in this series!
I received a copy of this book from the author. This review is my own, honest opinion.
I went on my first cruise just over a year ago and I’m sooo happy to report that nothing like this happened to me. Phew! Matayo drew me right into this story, evoking emotions I wasn’t expecting to feel and delivering a powerful escape with exactly the right amount of romance, adventure, and fear.
Dillon has a big, caring (almost too much) family, and her mother especially is determined to see her married off. This family cruise gets to be too much and Dillon goes off by herself for a little excursion. Luckily for her, her cousin’s best friend, Liam, jumps in the boat at the last second and they find themselves lost at sea.
I honestly can’t imagine the terror, the intense sun, and the unknowns that Dillon and Liam experienced and I had to keep reminding myself–this is fiction. I loved the way they worked together to survive and especially the way they were both able to explore their tentative feelings with the influences of well-meaning family and friends. But yikes!
Amy Matayo is the type of author who somehow manages to completely transport me from the comforts of my couch to a whole new world, all through her ingenious words, descriptions, and characters. I was knocked flat out with the world’s nastiest cold while reading this, yet for a few hours, I was drifting in the tropical sea, being burnt to a crisp by the glorious sun, and getting to know a deliciously handsome man. Maybe it’s time to get working on that bikini body…
Content: mild romance (swoony); mild moments of danger/peril; mild+ language
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
The Waves by Amy Matayo is an unconventional romance. Readers of contemporary romance will absolutely fall in love with this book. It has everything— heartbreak, calamities, adventure. Best of all, the chemistry between Dillon and Liam make them one of my favorite couples of all time. Their dialogue is so real it truly brings the story to life. Ms Matayo is a skilled storyteller. Pick up this book! You will not be disappointed. I received a digital copy of this book from the author with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
Entertaining nightmare! I can’t imagine being stranded on an island- it seems like it would be an adventure, but the author did a great job of portraying the realities of such a dangerous situation. The complex dynamics of Dillon and Liam’s tenuous relationship are explored as they fight for survival… and often with each other. The narrative of their thoughts was a bit edgy at times, but realistic for the lifestyle and values of the characters. They have a great give and take as they learn to communicate and deal with the frustrations they experience. I enjoyed reading about the transformation they undergo through their shared experience and the aftermath of their connection. I don’t want to give anything away, but it was an entertaining read and unlike anything I’ve read lately! I think fans of contemporary romance will love it.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
It’s not often I can read a book in less than a week. This book had my full attention from the time I started reading. What a fantastic story – totally different than anything I’ve read before. I loved seeing how the characters dealt with the frightening situation they found themselves in, and how it impacted their relationship with each other. If you’re looking for your next beach read, this is it! I’m now eagerly anticipating the next book in the Love In Chaos series!
Amy Matayo is a gifted storyteller. After reading several of her books, I was excited to dig into this one. It did not disappoint, and I could hardly put it down for the day and a half it took me to read it. I thought the story would be predictable at the start, but the author made it anything but predictable. A beautifully written story of love and loss and how our own perspective matters so much. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. I was provided a copy of this book by the author. All opinions in this review are my own.
Enjoyed this book so much, I read it twice. 😉
If you’re on vacation, sitting poolside or on the beach somewhere, or even on a cruise… this book is a must-read. It’ll enhance the vacation experience, I promise.
And if you’re not currently on vacation? Or you’re stuck in the snow-belt somewhere with no sand in sight, like I am? Read it anyway. Because The Waves will transport you to an island of run, adventure with a little bit of suspense, and romance.
Matayo’s setting is engaging, the characters are memorable, and the story is not your typical “stranded on a tropical island” tale. So wherever you are, whatever season…grab a bottle of coconut water or a banana smoothie and prepare to relax and enjoy.
You know what? I wish I had time to go back and read this book again right now. As I sit here thinking about this book and what I want to say, all I really want to do is read it again. I could probably just leave it at that for a review, don’t you think? Because nothing says “I love this book” better than wanting to read it again.
I am an Amy Matayo fan. She writes books that fall right in my sweet spot. Her characters have depth and personality. In fact, this book has a whole load of memorable characters but I especially loved how Dillon and Liam learn about each other and rely on each other through a very frightening experience. A deserted island sounds so perfect and romantic but when you are actually stuck there reality is just a tad different. I hope I never know that personally!
This book played out like a perfect movie in my head. I loved it. And now I want to go to the beach. Or on a cruise. Or maybe I just want to read this book again! This book is available on Kindle Unlimited if you have that!
Content: mild peril, kissing
– I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Waves could’ve been a tired shipwreck cliche. It could’ve been a shallow sex romp or a melodramatic survival story. It’s none of those things.
Instead, Amy Matayo draws the reader in with well-developed, relatable characters so real you feel as if you know them. They go through all the physical and emotional highs and lows you’d expect when they they find themselves stranded on a tiny Caribbean island.
The dramatic circumstances keep Dillon and Liam’s growing feelings from being an insta-love story. On the contrary, their affection seems completely natural – at times selfless and tender but sparked by attraction.
On top of its page-turning appeal (How will they survive?), the reader is treated to some thoughtful insights about human nature – how we’re quick to make faulty assumptions, how fear of being wounded can lead to loneliness, and how sometimes it takes an extreme event to move us out of our comfort zones.
An all-around super enjoyable read!
I received a review copy from the author. All opinions are my own.
Amy Matayo’s latest book doesn’t disappoint. After ending up on the same cruise with Dillon’s large, somewhat overbearing extended family, Dillon and Liam find themselves in quite a predicament. Dillon, desperate to get away from the crush of well-meaning family who really want to see her married, heads off on an excursion not authorized by the cruise line. Liam, who has feelings for Dillon but tries to ignore them (because his brother Chad really carries a torch for Dillon), won’t let her go on the sketchy excursion alone, and joins her. The excursion guide leaves them stranded in the middle of the ocean, and they make it to a small island. They have to work together to survive, with limited resources, and they discover that adventure doesn’t always mean fun.
This is a story of making the best of a really bad situation. It’s a quick read, and one that draws you in. Ms. Matayo doesn’t coddle her characters or make things all sunshine and roses. Dillon and Liam read as real people, with real issues, and there are moments you aren’t really sure how things will turn out. I enjoyed this book, and I’d recommend it if you like adventure, suspense, and romance.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author. All opinions expressed here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t like.
Amy Matayo did not disappoint with her new book that I could not put down. Its a lovely story of two people that fall for each other but are also trying to protect their hearts and not jump in too quickly. They are forced to jump in when they get stranded on a deserted island. It had me swooning and left me wanting more from these two very relatable characters. I loved this book and can’t wait for her next release.
This was my first book by Amy Matayo and it definitely won’t be my last! I wasn’t sure how an entire book could be written with only two characters who were stranded, but she did a wonderful job of really making you feel what they were feeling and putting you right there with them! I loved this book and can’t wait for the next one to come out! I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
I have never disliked anything ever written by Amy Matayo, however, I think this may be my favorite! I know, I know, I’ve probably said that with every book she releases, but I mean it this time! Best part is that it is a series.
I love all of Amy Matayo’s books. Although this particular story wasn’t my favorite, it was a very good, entertaining read. I am looking forward to the next book in this series. I received an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.