Release date: May 19, 2026
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Narrator: Patti Murin
Synopsis:
After a whole lifetime of being bad at love, JoJo Burton decides to solve her intimacy issues once and for all at her sister’s destination wedding on a cruise ship. With the help of a little pop psychology, she diagnoses herself with a fixation on the neighborhood guy who was her her first crush and first kiss (and who just happens to be a newly-divorced wedding guest ), and she decides to woo him during the cruise for some long-delayed closure. Only problem is, her sister’s a little busy being a bride at the moment—so JoJo ropes in her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, to be her wing man. Cooper: who RSVPed no, but then showed up, anyway. Cooper: who left town without a word four years earlier and moved to London. Cooper: who was, if she’s honest, the worst heartbreak of JoJo’s life. It’s bliss for her to see him again, and it’s agony, too—and the more they team up for Project Conquest, the more she obsesses over questions she can’t bring herself to ask.
Shipboard antics ensue in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance—as JoJo and Cooper fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, treat sunburns, get jealous, rescue each other over and over, and finally, at last, figure it all out in the most blissful, swoony, romantic way.
No one does summer romance quite like Katherine Center. THE SHIPPERS will take readers on the cruise of a lifetime in a story awash with romantic longing, top-notch banter, long-held secrets . . . and true love rediscovered.
Review:
Katherine Center really does write books that feel like bottled sunshine, and The Shippers was exactly the kind of charming, funny, summery escape I wanted on audio. The cruise ship setting gave the entire story such a light, vacation like energy, and while the premise is definitely a little silly in the best rom com way, it completely works because of the warmth and heart underneath it all. From fake flirting and slow dancing to shared cabins and years of unresolved feelings, this is the kind of friends to lovers romance that leans fully into swoony comfort while still delivering emotional payoff.
The true standout of the audiobook, though, is Patti Murin’s narration. She is insanely talented, and listening to her perform this story genuinely feels like being treated to something special. Her delivery is so animated, expressive, and full of personality that every scene feels elevated. She nails the humor, the awkwardness, the longing, and all the little emotional moments that make Katherine Center’s stories shine. Even when JoJo occasionally tested my patience early on, Patti’s performance kept me fully invested, and thankfully JoJo really grew on me by the end. Her character arc felt authentic, and watching her slowly work through her insecurities made the romance even sweeter.
And Cooper? Absolute dream hero material. Soft, supportive, patient, and quietly romantic in a way that made him impossible not to adore. He’s such a cinnamon roll of a hero, and the chemistry between him and JoJo felt effortless once the story settled into their dynamic again. The Shippers is cute, heartfelt, funny, and incredibly easy to binge—basically the perfect audiobook to throw on when you want something comforting, summery, and full of romantic tension with a satisfying emotional core.
Overall rating: 4/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
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