In the Same Boat: The BRAND NEW sunkissed fake dating romantic comedy from multi-million bestseller Portia MacIntosh for 2026

Sometimes the only way forward is to rock the boat...

Sammie’s life is all about work, routine and stability. She needs to get back out there and start having fun, but then her mum turns up needing somewhere to live, and it’s seriously harming Sammie’s dating game. So, in a moment of desperation, Sammie takes her to an over-fifties singles night, hoping a little romance might encourage her to move out and move on.

There, Chrissy meets Hank. Unfortunately, he also comes with Nico: his sarcastic, frustratingly attractive son, who Sammie clashes with instantly.

Sammie assumes she’ll never see either man again. Until her mum surprises her with a luxury holiday to Monaco... aboard Hank’s yacht, with him and Nico. Trapped at sea with two loved-up parents and a man who gets under her skin, Sammie agrees to a ridiculous plan: she and Nico will pretend to be a couple so their over-the-top affectionate parents will back off.

But somewhere between fake flirting, forced proximity, and sun-soaked days at sea, pretending starts to feel dangerously real. And when the truth finally comes out, Sammie has to decide whether she’s ready to stop steering away from the things she really wants.

Praise for Portia MacIntosh:

'Smart, funny and always brilliantly entertaining, every book from Portia becomes my new favourite rom com.' Shari Low

'A joyful blend of wit, warmth, and swoon-worthy tension. Portia MacIntosh is a must-read voice in contemporary romantic comedy who kept me reading past my bedtime.' Camilla Isley

'I laughed, I cried - I loved it.’ Holly Martin