Synopsis:
Lights. Camera…Showmance!
From the moment Cleo met Lockie, her infuriatingly charming co-casting producer on hit reality show Welcome to Singledom, he’s been getting under her skin. Their job? Casting singles for the ultimate island romance. Their problem? They can’t agree on anything.
Now, the cameras are ready to roll, and the contestants—well, most of them—are en route. But when the threat of a tropical storm delays half the cast, launch night turns into a total disaster. With no Plan B, Cleo and Lockie are forced to step in as contestants. Just for 24 hours until the real stars arrive.
Simple, right? Except tensions are sky-high and sparks are flying for all the wrong reasons! All they have to do is couple-up and get voted off – but there’s a storm coming, so leaving the island might not be so easy. Cleo’s used to pulling strings behind the scenes, not falling headfirst into the drama.
But when the cameras stop rolling, will their fake fling fade with the credits—or could it be Cleo’s most unexpected plot twist yet?
Review:
The premise of having a reality show being the main driver felt unique and different. I am aware that a lot of it is scripted and not actually real and what is done in the background to make it entertaining was a nice side quest for me.
We meet Lockie (for whatever reason his name felt weird to me throughout the book) and Cloe on a scouting event for potential candidates on the show (with only one of them knowing that they work for the same company). There is some chemistry there, but not a lot (at least to me). When they run into each other at work the next day it is a bit awkward. The reality show is not doing well with ratings, and both have very different ideas about the candidates suited and what will increase ratings.
When a storm provides all contestants to arrive on time on the island, but filming needs to start, both get asked to participate as contestants. This leads to them spending more time with each other than expected and to a lot of challenging situations.
I enjoyed this one and there were moments in the book I found funny. Overall, I wasn’t fully on board with the chemistry between the two of them and falling for each other. I like them as a couple but did not love them. It was a quick read and if you are looking for a book that is more of a short entertainment and is not relying on the physical aspect, this one will be for you.
🌙 Recension: A Shore Thing by Portia MacIntosh
📚 Genre: Romance
📅 Release Date: January 26, 2026
📖 Publisher: Boldwood Books
📱 Read as: Kindle
📗 available in various formats
💸 I received an advance review copy for free , and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
🗣️ Language: English
📆 Pages: 260
⭐️ 3.5/5
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