This was such a sweet and compelling story! I flew through the book, about a woman joining her father (with whom she has a tenuous relationship) on a cruise after the death of her mother.
Smith delves into topics of grief, family expectations, self determination and fate with such heart. It was pretty easy to see how things would end, but I enjoyed the journey in getting there. I also thought the characters were wonderfully fleshed out, and I really felt for Greta and her father in their grief and hope.
The tone of the story has a slight YA feel (which makes sense, as this is Smith’s first ‘adult’ novel) and is very similar to her other book I have read, This is What Happy Looks Like - which also features a famous person thrown into the mundane, and would be a great read alike. This novel would also be great for fans of The Happy Ever After Playlist or The Simple Wild, with similar themes on family, grief, and star crossed romance.
Lastly, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Lucy Knisley’s excellent graphic memoir, Displacement, wherein she is the unwitting family member that is deemed the appropriate escort for her frail and aging grandparents on a cruise. I would highly recommend it as a complementary read to this book. The tone is completely different and it’s pretty emotionally raw, but it also explores fate, family, the idea of seeing our elders for who they are, and not just how they affect our lives (also while stuck on a ship).