The banter? Incredible. The hero? I would totally hang out with him. The main character’s decision-making? Yikes. Today I’m reviewing The Shippers by Katherine Center. I am a fan of Katherine Center, but this high-seas rom-com proved to be a bit of a bumpy ride for me. Here’s why it didn’t quite live up to her previous books that I loved, and why I’m still going to buy her next book anyway.
3/5 stars ★★★☆☆
To read the summary of details of the book
🌊 The Setting
- 🛳️ A Destination Wedding Cruise (An 8-day luxury cruise ship voyage out at sea)
🗺️ The Tropes
- 👫 Childhood Friends-to-Lovers
- 💁♂️ The “Wingman”
Genre: Romance / Women’s Fiction
From the publisher: NO ONE DOES SUMMER ROMANCE LIKE KATHERINE CENTER.
She wants him to help her woo someone else.
Genius. Foolproof. Can’t go wrong.
Published on: May 19, 2026
Pages: 336
Audio Time: 11 hours, 8 minutes
My Thoughts on The Shippers:
I tried something a little different this time. I read half of the book and listened to half of the book. I kept switching back and forth, depending on what I was doing. This review will be about both.
The Author’s Note:
I enjoyed the “Author’s Note” in the beginning. It lets us see a part of Center that isn’t always shared. She let us know that the couple will definitely get together in the end. Now, as someone who doesn’t even read the back covers of books to avoid spoilers, I was at first alarmed by her bluntness. Then I remembered that happily-ever-afters are the golden rule of the genre. It’s the comfort of a guaranteed happy ending, and I ultimately really appreciated her honesty about it.
The Setting:
I have only been on one cruise ship before, but it was a fun setting for this book. The characters couldn’t run away, and close proximity is a main player in the story. This added to the humor of the story.
The Characters:
This is where the book sort of lost me. I like that the main character was highly intelligent. JoJo, the main character, is a math genius. She was also entirely irritating to me. I love when authors makes female characters strong, independent women. JoJo, however, seemed way too dependent and made every wrong decision after another. It’s hard for me to like a rom-com when I don’t like the main character. I just wanted to keep shaking some sense into her.
Cooper, on the other hand, was adorable. There is nothing like having a best friend that will be there for you at all costs. I almost wished that he was the main character, instead of the other way around.
The Tropes:
This is just a “me thing,” but I am getting tired of the friends-to-lovers trope. It just seems overdone lately. I enjoy it more when it comes with more substance to the back story. I wish this had been built up a little more. I like rom-coms that aren’t entirely predictable from the very beginning. Yes, as Center herself reminds us in the intro, we always know how these books will end. But I just wanted a bit more dramatic substance while building up to that inevitable conclusion.
The Audio Performance:
The narrator, Patti Murin, is animated throughout the story. In my head, JoJo’s voice was a little softer, but that’s where audio can make things interesting. She does a superb job of making JoJo sound so frantic at times that it makes you laugh. She does a nice job of switching to the male voice, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if there were two people doing the audio. I tried speeding up the audio while reading along, but it made JoJo sound uncharacteristically angry. I would recommend listening to it at normal speed. The audio is produced well, and I think I enjoyed listening to it more than just reading at times.
My Rating of The Shippers:
I gave this three stars because I didn’t love or dislike the book. It was enjoyable, but not one of my favorite books by Center. It is a cozy read, and I was fine when it ended. There are some books where I’m incredibly sad to say goodbye to the characters, but this was not one of them. I will continue reading all of Katherine Center’s new releases, and I hope you will as well.
Where to Buy and Read More:
Purchase The Shippers here:
Hardcover
Kindle
- Read more of my book reviews: Visit my library
- Missed my Top Books of 2025? Check out the full list here
Looking for more rom-com recommendations based on The Shippers?
If you enjoyed this book, I highly recommend these other books:
- An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister | Buy on Amazon
-
- Ready my full review here
- Why I recommend it: I loved that the witty banter is backed up by a strong, realistic storyline showing just how cutthroat the academic world can be. Plus, Jonah has secretly loved Sadie from the very beginning, making for a beautifully satisfying, slow-burn romance.
-
- The Love Haters by Katherine Center | Buy on Amazon
-
- Read my full review here
- Why I recommend it: The Love Haters completely delivered. It is incredibly heartwarming and true to Center’s signature style, the characters are deeply relatable and you can’t help but cheer them on.
-
- Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score | Buy on Amazon
-
- Read my full review here
- Why I recommend it: I loved the laugh-out-loud humor and the back-and-forth banter between Naomi and the small-town characters. It’s the absolute perfect vacation/beach read and comparable to the fun vibe of books like The Rom-Commers (another favorite by Katherine Center)
-
Disclosure: Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and Katherine Center for my free copy and audio of this book. This is my honest opinion.
To learn more about Katherine Center
Leave a Comment:
Have you read The Shippers yet? Do you also struggle with books when you don’t love the main character, or can a dreamy hero like Cooper save the story for you? Let’s chat in the comments!
I would love for you to leave a comment!