Book Review: Ship Happens by Mason Deaver

Official Synopsis: A year ago, Owen Henson had a close-knit group of friends who felt like family and a boyfriend who made his heart race just by walking into the room. But now? Everything's unraveling. His friends seem to be moving forward without him and his happily-ever-after shattered when Jacob packed up and left for a job in North Carolina.

The last thing Owen needs is for Jacob to waltz back into his life like nothing happened, showing up at the annual Christmas party looking just as annoyingly handsome as the day he left. Or for their friends to spring a surprise six-day, seven-night cruise up the West Coast to Alaska as a chance to bond. And how could Owen say no to that?

Now comes the hard part, proving to themselves, to their friends, and to Jacob, that he's moved on from their failed relationship. But when the two are thrust back together, so suddenly and lines begin to blur, Owen has to wonder if the feelings he still has for Jacob mean anything at all.

Or are these two men destined to fail one another all over again?

An emotional second-chance romance set on a breathtaking cruise, where two former flames must decide whether to let go or risk it all for a love that refuses to sink.

Owen Henson feels stuck when its comes to their job, their home and even where they are in moving on from their relationship that ended due to distance. Now his best friend is hosting all of them on a cruise as a 'last hurrah' before having a baby and planning gets harder. Now Owen and his ex, Jacob, are stuck on a cruise ship together for a week in a suite paid for by Owen's best friend and Jacob's sister. Owen goes back and forth with even going on the trip, where they fit in this group and if they will be able to spend time near their ex without feeling like they are being torn apart from the inside out. Jacob seems to be handling the breakup better, but when they keep getting stuck together they try to come up with a truce for the trip, not making either each other's lives harder, getting along for the sake of their friends, while also trying to work through the feelings they had for each other before.

Obviously when you are stuck on a cruise ship with an ex and your best friends, they are going to mettle and make sure to set you up to always be together, especially when they are hoping you two will work out your issues. Within the book, we mostly focus on Owen, and how they are feeling about the changes in their friend group and life. Owen wants to open his own tattoo shop, but the market isn't great for it and it would involve saving a lot more money then they have. Owen also finally feels like he found a family within this friend group, but now things keep changing and that seems to send his anxiety into a spiral. Owen also has arthritis, and I loved having some chronic illness representation within the story, especially something that is hard within the career Owen has as well. Owen has obviously been through a lot throughout their life prior to the book, having non-supportive parents for both his career and being trans. He is working through a lot emotionally, which causes him a lot of anxiety and overthinking when it comes to Jacob.

I have found that I really like Mason Deaver's adult novels and find the stories really compelling and overall believable. The way the books are written tend to feel like a story you could run into in real life, with someone who has a chronic illness and is trying to find a way to be healthy while doing what they love. Owen is working through trying to avoid flairs, while also having chronic pain and pushing through it. Owen also has supportive friends, who understand what he needs or when he might need a break. They understand him, and I really like seeing that on paper.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and the way the characters start to understand each other throughout the cruise and in general. I liked seeing the found family/friend group dynamic, especially in a more confined space. Owen's friends are supportive but also good at being real with him when things are getting to crazy in their brain. This book is a really great story with two transgender main characters who have different experiences in life and their transitions. It also has a great second chance romance, with two idiots who definitely still care about each other while trying to pretend they don't.

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars!

Ship Happens comes out August 18, 2026!

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