From the publisher:
“The wind is like a dance partner, always changing, always leading us in a different direction . . .”
When an ad for a luxury yacht searching for a chef crosses Jessica Kline’s eyes, she knows this it it: the chance for a fresh start. Broke, divorced, uninspired in her career, and unlucky in love in her late fifties, she finds herself at Marina del Rey’s California Yacht Club, staring down the Slow Dance as it waits to embark on a voyage to Tahiti and beyond. It is time for her interview to be the captain’s cook.
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Jess’s culinary skills aren’t in question. The real test is whether she’s willing to take the leap of rediscovery into unchartered waters-with no guarantee this time she’ll make it out unharmed. But as soon as Jess meets Captain Cliff Reed, she begins to get the sense she’s not the only one who’s been tossed around by life’s waves . . .
Once upon the high seas, Jess must balance her ship duties with navigating the unpredictable winds of the skies and her crewmates alike-her enigmatic captain not excluded. But as she becomes filled with the breath of adventure and the fire of renewal, she soon realizes that it will be up to her to find the courage to face what lies ahead with an open heart and a sense of wonder.
Vanransom’s debut novel unfolds like a sailor’s journal, charting a course from port to port, introducing an ever-changing crew, and weathering emotional and literal storms along the way. Jess Kline, a divorced woman in her fifties, is eager for a new adventure. A seasoned professional chef, she applies for a position aboard the Slow Dance, a large yacht heading for Tahiti. She joins Captain Reed, a charming, seasoned sailor with a reputation as a playboy, and his poodle, along with a crew of attractive young women, most of them novice sailors, which adds tension and unpredictability to the journey. As they cross the Pacific, each port of call is vividly described, along with the revolving door of crew members; however, the novel’s flow is occasionally disrupted by stilted dialogue. A slow-burning attraction builds between the Captain and his cook, but Jess values connection in intimacy, while the Captain resists commitment. Despite moments of jealousy and emotional turbulence, they eventually find common ground—and a happy ending.
VERDICT This detailed maritime journey may appeal to fans of nautical adventures and travelogues, but its slow pace and uneven dialogue may test some readers’ patience. Recommended only where there is strong demand.
©Library Journal, 2025
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE CAPTAIN’S COOK by Victoria Vanransom. Brown Books Publishing Group (September 30, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593639153. 368p.
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