Uncharted Waters - Sally Hepworth

Author: Sally Hepworth

Series: Getaway #1

Genre: Contemporary Drama

Rating: 2.75 stars.

A short story about relationships and complications.

Introverted Ella dreads boarding the Lady Emerald (“a charter that's a wellness retreat on water”) alone. While this is her sixth time aboard the liner, it is her first time alone as her husband Max was stuck at the work at the last minute. There are seven more guests on the charter, but as most are couples, Ella ends up with the only other passenger travelling alone, Chloe, who is newly single and has taken a break to recover from her broken heart. The bond between the two women is almost instant, and Ella finds her charismatic companion irresistible. However, all good things do come to an end, and in this case, it is a unforeseen secret that shatters Ella’s composure. What was that secret, and how will things progress aboard the ship? Read and find out.

+ The title is apt for the story. Not only does it hint at the setting of the plot, but it also reflects several novel events that take place in the plot, as many of the character dive into “uncharted waters” during the course of the story.

+ Despite being just 49 pages long, the story allows its characters to make an impact as they are sketched fairly well within their limited page space.

+ Again, despite the short length, all the tracks are tied together neatly. There are no loose ends.

- This is classified as a mystery-thriller. It was more of a contemporary drama.

- The “twist” was predictable. I don’t enjoy “thrillers” where I am not surprised even once.

- The writing didn't keep me hooked.

Regardless of the tiny length, there are some truly impactful lines in the content. I loved the below two:

“Nothing worthwhile happens in the comfort zone.” – So true!

“Women were twice as likely to bond over mutual dislike than over shared passion.” - I don’t know how far this is true but it certainly is an interesting thought.

I picked it up only for the author. I must admit, I have never read any of her works and thought that this would give me a good glimpse into her writing style. In that sense, I am satisfied because I am a character person, and she sketches realistic characters in situations that you can empathise with. I will judge her “thrill skills” only after reading her full-length works, because this little story certainly doesn’t do her reputation any favours due to the utter lack of edge-of-the-seat moments.

This book is part of the Getaway collection and is available to Amazon prime subscribers.