I am a sucker for the friends to lovers trope so when Peter and Maria’s romance was teased in the first two books, it just upped my anticipation. Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade is the third book in her standalone romance series about the actors of a popular cable show (think Game of Thrones-ish) and what happens when the show is over. This book takes us back to before the show started, to the day before Peter auditioned for the biggest role of his career and met a beauty in a hotel sauna. That beauty happened to be Maria. Full of angst, heartbreak, and true friendship, Ship Wrecked should be at the top of your wishlist this holiday season.

Peter is a fantastic character to follow. As a fellow awkward introvert, I identified with him on so many levels. Peter struggles with making conversation and initiating small talk with people he doesn’t know. As a result, he is usually on the fringes of his coworkers and only has one or two people he’d count as a close friend. Taking on a role that will leave him on a remote island a majority of the year with only one cast mate and the crew who will be filming them is daunting and lonely for someone like Peter. Then Maria steps in.

Maria is everything Peter is not. She’s bubbly, friendly, talkative, and outgoing. Everyone who meets Maria loves her. She’s one of those people that you can’t help but be drawn too. Unless you are Peter who Maria left with no note and no explanation after a fantastic night in bed