Swept Away
by Beth O’Leary
Summary
What if you were lost at sea…with your one-night stand?
Zeke and Lexi thought it would just be a night of fun. They had no intentions of seeing each other again. Zeke is only in town for the weekend to buy back his late father’s houseboat. Lexi has no time for dating when she needs to help take care of her best friend’s daughter.
Going back home with a stranger seems like a perfect escape from their problems. But a miscommunication in the dark, foggy night means no one tied the houseboat to the dock. The next morning, Zeke and Lexi realize all they can see is miles and miles of water.
With just a few provisions on the idle boat, Zeke and Lexi must figure out how to get back home. But aside from their survival, they’re facing another challenge. Because when you’re stuck together for days on end, it gives you a lot of time to get to know someone—and to fall in love with them.
My Review
I really wanted to love this story. The premise—a one-night stand turning into a survival story at sea—had so much potential for emotional depth and thrilling moments. Unfortunately, while there were a few enjoyable aspects, the execution fell flat for me.
First, the highlights: I listened to the audiobook and genuinely enjoyed the narrators. The alternating dual POVs between Zeke and Lexi worked well, and both narrators had great accents and delivery that helped bring the characters to life. I also appreciated that the spice level stayed relatively mild—more PG-13 than explicit—and the open-door scenes weren’t overly detailed.
That said, the story itself felt a bit too convenient and, frankly, not very believable. For two people lost at sea, Zeke and Lexi always seemed to have exactly what they needed—food, tools, even time to lust after each other despite the supposedly dire situation. There was very little sense of danger or urgency, which made the entire ordeal feel oddly low-stakes.
The middle of the book dragged significantly. I kept waiting for something big to happen or for their rescue, but instead, it felt like we were just treading water (pun intended). Then, once the rescue finally did come, it felt rushed and abrupt. I would’ve appreciated an extra chapter or two to wrap things up and explore the aftermath more fully.
As for the romance, it leaned heavily on tropes like age gap (8 years), insta-love, and forced proximity, but I never really bought the deep connection between Zeke and Lexi. Their chemistry felt surface-level at best, and their constant fixation on sex felt tone-deaf given the dire circumstances. It was especially hard to take seriously when they’d known each other for barely two weeks and were still in survival mode.
Lexi’s age insecurity was mentioned a lot, and it became repetitive quickly. Her emotional attachment to Mae (a child she helped raise but isn’t hers) also felt unbalanced and borderline unhealthy. I understand the intent, but it didn’t sit right with me.
In the end, this book had the foundation for a more compelling and adventurous romance, but too many plot conveniences, pacing issues, and shallow emotional development held it back. A tighter narrative with more tension and better character chemistry would’ve made a world of difference.
While this book didn’t quite work for me, if the premise intrigues you, it might be worth giving it a shot; it could resonate more with you than it did with me. This was my first time reading Beth O’Leary, and although this one missed the mark, I’m not giving up on her just yet. I’m curious to explore a few of her backlist titles to see if her other works are a better fit for my reading taste.