The Shippers: A Novel
May 2026 · Sold by St. Martin's Press
star
10 reviews
Ebook
336
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
About this ebook
One of the hottest, fastest-rising rom-com stars delivers her latest swoon-worthy novel about a destination wedding on a cruise ship.
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 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.
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 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.
One of the hottest, fastest-rising rom-com stars delivers her latest swoon-worthy novel about a destination wedding on a cruise ship.
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 shi...
Discover more
Ratings and reviews
10 reviews
Paula Pugh
- Flag inappropriate
May 19, 2026
An absolutely fantastic story. Friends to lovers through a perfectly hilarious route, full of twists, turns, and just plain delightful events, and some not so delightful events. I found myself championing for Cooper through the whole story while feeling the crazy notions of Josie. Told in first person, Josie’s perspective is sometimes funny, sometimes not. This is yet another Katherine Center jewel. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book.All thoughts and opinions are my o
Linda Brown
- Flag inappropriate
May 19, 2026
Loved it!😍💕💋 From the fiasco wedding opening to the end, I was all in, along for Jojo's journey & search for the man she could resist running from. The writing is no frills, constantly moving & all to a deliciously satisfying end. Cooper, Jojo's friend from childhood who pops unexpectedly back into her life, was a cinnamon roll type who after four years of ghosting her, just pops up to be her wing man & it was obvious she needed him to stay! A sweet romance with some frogs on the way to HEA!
Karen Gagnon
- Flag inappropriate
May 19, 2026
I was completely captivated by this hilarious, moving, and addicting, best friends to lovers romance! I absolutely adored JoJo and Cooper, all their delightful family and friends, the laugh-out-loud banter, the entertaining and/or awkward (cover-my-eyes) scenes, and the beautiful story filled with so much heart. The description says it all, so I just want to add that the author executes this story so beautifully that I could NOT put it down, completely devouring every word.
About the author
KATHERINE CENTER is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including Happiness for Beginners, The Bodyguard, and The Rom-Commers. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. The movie adaptation of Katherine’s novel Happiness for Beginners is a hit Netflix original movie starring Ellie Kemper. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two kids, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.
KATHERINE CENTER is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including Happiness for Beginners, The Bodyguard, and The Rom-Commers. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. The movie adaptation of Katherine’s novel Happiness for Be...
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
