Katelyn Doyle’s sophomore contemporary romance, “Total Dreamboat,” proves that lightning can indeed strike twice in the same place. Following her debut “Just Some Stupid Love Story,” Doyle delivers another irresistible rom-com that manages to be both deeply satisfying and refreshingly unpredictable. Set against the backdrop of a luxury Caribbean cruise, this novel transforms what could have been a predictable vacation romance into something far more nuanced and emotionally resonant.
The premise is deceptively simple: Hope Lanover, a struggling writer nursing a broken heart and creative drought, reluctantly joins her influencer best friend Lauren on a cruise designed for “mature” clientele. Felix Segrave, a successful chef and recovering addict, finds himself equally reluctant aboard the same ship, celebrating his parents’ anniversary with his family. When these two cruise-averse souls meet, sparks fly immediately—but Doyle ensures their journey is anything but smooth sailing.
Character Development: Flawed, Real, and Utterly Compelling
Hope Lanover: The Anti-Heroine We Need
Hope emerges as one of contemporary romance’s most authentically flawed protagonists. Doyle skillfully crafts a character who has lost touch with her former confident self, describing her transformation from someone who “used to be fucking cool” to someone crying alone in a Bahamian tourist trap. This isn’t the polished, put-together heroine of traditional romance; Hope is messy, financially struggling, and genuinely questioning her life choices.
What makes Hope particularly compelling is her relationship with ambition and failure. Her creative dreams have “flatlined,” and she’s watching her best friend succeed in ways she envies. Doyle doesn’t shy away from the ugly emotions that accompany watching others achieve what you desperately want for yourself. Hope’s jealousy, her defensive mechanisms, and her tendency to flee when confronted with genuine emotion all feel painfully real.
Felix Segrave: More Than Just a Pretty Face
Felix could have easily fallen into the trap of being the standard brooding love interest, but Doyle gives him depth that extends far beyond his “arresting face and dark tousled hair.” His history with addiction adds weight to his character without defining him entirely. His relationship with his family, particularly his sisters Pear and Prue, reveals a man who values connection but struggles with vulnerability.
The way Felix approaches his feelings for Hope—oscillating between intense attraction and self-protective distance—reflects someone who has learned to be cautious about anything that might destabilize his carefully constructed life. His decision to end things with Hope isn’t portrayed as noble sacrifice but as the complex choice of someone still learning to trust himself with happiness.
Plot Structure: Beyond the Typical Romance Arc
Doyle demonstrates remarkable structural confidence by literally stranding her protagonists together in Nassau—a plot device that could feel contrived but instead becomes the crucible that forces both characters to confront their fears and assumptions. The Paradise Fun Guest House sequence, where Hope and Felix must share a single bed in less-than-ideal circumstances, crackles with tension both sexual and emotional.
The pacing throughout the cruise portion is expertly managed, with each chapter alternating between Hope’s and Felix’s perspectives. This dual narration allows readers to see how differently the same events can be interpreted, particularly when it comes to the misunderstanding that temporarily derails their relationship.
The extended epilogue, set two years later, provides genuine satisfaction without feeling rushed. Hope’s success as a published author and their life running a Devon inn together feels earned rather than handed to them by authorial convenience.
Themes: Dreams, Class, and Authentic Connection
The Pursuit of Creative Dreams
One of the novel’s strongest thematic elements is its exploration of artistic ambition and the courage required to pursue creative dreams. Hope’s journey from blocked writer to published novelist doesn’t happen through magical inspiration but through the hard work of showing up to write every day, even when relocated to a cramped Brooklyn studio or a drafty English cottage.
Doyle understands the particular vulnerability of creative people—how external validation can feel like oxygen and how easily imposter syndrome can derail progress. Hope’s decision to quit her stable job and move to England to finish her novel represents the kind of leap that terrifies many readers, making her ultimate success all the more satisfying.
Class and Financial Reality
The novel doesn’t shy away from economic differences between its protagonists. Hope’s maxed-out credit card and $900 bank account create real stakes when she’s stranded abroad, while Felix’s family wealth (though not personally accessed) provides a safety net she doesn’t have. These differences could have been glossed over, but Doyle uses them to create genuine tension and misunderstanding.
The moment when Felix realizes Hope’s precarious financial situation—his visible shock and her defensive response—rings entirely true. Their different relationships with money reflect broader themes about security, independence, and what constitutes “enough” in life.
Writing Style: Witty, Warm, and Wonderfully Observant
Doyle’s prose sparkles with the kind of observational humor that makes ordinary moments memorable. Her description of Hope’s mascara-streaked breakdown at Señor Frog’s manages to be both funny and heartbreaking. The dialogue crackles with personality—from Lauren’s influencer speak to Felix’s dry British wit to the Segrave family’s affectionate banter.
The author has a particular gift for physical comedy, whether it’s the conch shell incident that brings Hope and Felix together or Hope’s various misadventures throughout Nassau. But she never lets the humor undercut the emotional stakes; instead, it serves to make the characters more relatable and their eventual happiness more earned.
Supporting Characters: A Full Ensemble
Lauren: Best Friend Goals and Flaws
Lauren could have been a stereotypical influencer caricature, but Doyle gives her genuine depth. Her loyalty to Hope is unquestionable, even when her methods are questionable. The Instagram posts that cause major drama between Hope and Felix stem from Lauren’s genuine desire to help her friend financially, not from malice or thoughtlessness.
The Segrave Family
Felix’s family provides both comic relief and emotional grounding. His sisters Pear and Prue are delightfully meddlesome, and their obvious affection for Felix helps readers understand why Hope falls for him. The family’s warmth contrasts beautifully with Hope’s smaller support system, showing what she gains by joining their fold.
Areas for Improvement
While “Total Dreamboat” succeeds admirably overall, there are moments where the pacing stumbles slightly. The resolution of Hope and Felix’s major conflict feels somewhat rushed—his sudden understanding that Lauren’s posts were meant as jokes could have used more development. Additionally, some readers might find the speed of their reunion and subsequent engagement unrealistic, even within the heightened reality of romance fiction.
The cruise setting, while well-researched and vividly rendered, occasionally feels like a convenient plot device rather than an integral part of the story. The various excursions and ship activities sometimes feel more like location scouting than necessary plot points.
Emotional Impact: Hearts and Tissues Required
Doyle excels at emotional payoff. Hope’s breakdown in Nassau isn’t just about Felix—it’s about everything she’s lost and hasn’t found. Her tears in Señor Frog’s represent grief for her younger, more confident self as much as heartbreak over a week-long romance.
The moment when Hope and Felix reunite in Devon carries genuine weight because both characters have grown independently. Hope has proven to herself that she can write, can take risks, can build the life she wants. Felix has learned to expand beyond the safe confines of his London routine. Their reunion feels like two complete people choosing each other, not two halves seeking wholeness.
Similar Reads and Recommendations
Readers who enjoy “Total Dreamboat” should seek out:
- “Beach Read” by Emily Henry – Another novel about a blocked writer finding inspiration and love
- “The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren – Features enemies-to-lovers in a tropical setting
- “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry – Explores the complexities of friends-to-lovers
- “The Hating Game” by Sally Thorne – Workplace enemies-to-lovers with similar wit
- “One to Watch” by Kate Stayman-London – Reality TV romance with body positivity themes
- “Shipped” by Angie Hockman – Cruise ship romance with professional rivals
Final Verdict: A Romance Worth Boarding
“Total Dreamboat” succeeds because it trusts both its characters and its readers. Doyle doesn’t offer easy answers or perfect people; instead, she provides flawed individuals learning to be brave enough for love and ambitious enough for their dreams. The novel’s strength lies not in its tropical setting or meet-cute potential, but in its understanding that real love requires genuine growth from both parties.
Hope’s journey from crying in tourist traps to celebrating at her book launch party feels earned because we’ve witnessed every step of her transformation. Felix’s evolution from rigid routine to embracing uncertainty resonates because Doyle shows us the work required for such change.
This is romance fiction at its finest—emotionally honest, genuinely funny, and ultimately hopeful about love’s ability to inspire us toward our best selves. Whether you’re a romance devotee or a skeptical newcomer to the genre, “Total Dreamboat” offers the kind of reading experience that reminds us why we pick up books in the first place: to believe in the possibility of transformation, connection, and happily ever after.
The novel stands as proof that Katelyn Doyle is a romance author to watch, capable of delivering both the satisfying conventions readers crave and the emotional depth that elevates the genre. For anyone seeking a smart, funny, and ultimately moving love story, “Total Dreamboat” is definitely worth the voyage.
