Title: The Shippers
Author: Katherine Center
Publication Date: May 19, 2026
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Format Read: Kindle e-ARC
Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction
Bridget Jones’s Diary is my comfort movie. I know it’s based on the novel by Helen Fielding, but the movie has always made me feel better whenever I was feeling low. The Shippers by Katherine Center, while still only a book, gave me that same sort of feeling.
JoJo has just left her fiancé at the altar in the most hilariously ridiculous way possible. Six weeks later, her sister is getting married on a cruise ship. As they prepare for the wedding, the women in her family decide JoJo has “imprinted” on her first kiss, a neighborhood boy who is newly divorced and also attending the wedding. So JoJo does what any sane person would do and plans to make him fall in love with her, with the help of her childhood best friend, Cooper. Things are still a little complicated with Cooper, who moved to London without a word four years ago. Needless to say, fake flirting and lots of catching up follow. Questions are asked, answers are given, and they change JoJo’s understanding of her own history.
This book was an absolute charmer. The characters are relatable and super easy to cheer on. Not just JoJo and Cooper, but also JoJo’s parents. And being perfectly honest, I adored her Grandma Dodie and her ironically named cousin Harmony, too. The banter is top tier, and the shenanigans and mishaps are laugh-out-loud funny. And the romance, ohhhh the romance. I am still re-solidifying from the puddle I melted into.
The big themes in this witty romance are vulnerability and self-worth, second chances, honest communication, healing old hurts, and figuring out what real intimacy looks like. That honest communication in particular deserves emphasis. Center’s prose is light, witty, dialogue-driven, and emotionally open. Her self-aware first-person narration through JoJo keeps the romance breezy without losing its heart.
I’m not going to lie. I really hope The Shippers finds its way to a screen. I really believe it could be my next comfort watch. Until then, though, it is a comfort read. I highly recommend this to romance lovers. It’s also perfect for readers who are newer to the chick-lit genre. It’s a solid example of what the genre can do. I hope you’ll love it as much as I did.
Nerd Rating: 🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓— A swoony, laugh-out-loud comfort read
Click here to learn more about The Shippers and Katherine Center.
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I read a digital copy made available by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, and this review reflects my honest opinion.
Great review Terry! I loved this book too. It is such a funny read!😁📚💜
Thank you so much, Susan! It really was. The humor and all of the swoony moments made it such a fun comfort read for me. I’m so glad you loved it too! 🥰