Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Shippers by Katherine Center Narrator: Patti Murin
Published by MacMillan Audio on May 19, 2026
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Life Fiction
Length: 11 hours, 8 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: NetGalley
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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 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.
The Shippers has a cruise ship setting. JoJo is the maid of honor for her sister’s wedding. I’m not going to be spoilery here but even if you look at the blurb, everything is about JoJo and her childhood best friend, Cooper. Cooper who she hasn’t seen for 4 years because he ghosted her and moved to London.
JoJo and her sister believe she has intimacy issues, which leads to a weird chase of a neighbor boy Finn, she had a crush on as a child. JoJo also thinks maybe she got some issues from her father, who is never there, always at work. I found Jojo kind of immature and shallow at the start. She wants to have a great relationship but not do any of the work, primarily because she is not really into the guys the world would think she should want.
It’s obvious to me from the start that she is attracted to Cooper and her issue is she isn’t over him and the other guys are all boring and selfish, especially compared with Cooper. So I felt sort of mad that when she does get back to time with him, she has him be her wingman, instead of trying to figure out what happened. I know it means she might have to be vulnerable but he’s already been out of her life the past 4 years. It does give them time to reconnect though.
The Shippers is a big character development for several people and that’s a good thing. The path is a bit wacky for me. But the emotions were real and I was touched by the ending.
Narration:
Patti Murin seems to narrate many of this author’s books, so I have listened to her before. I appreciated the emotion she brought to the characters. None of the voices pulled me out of the story, but they were distinct and felt comfortable. I listened at my comfortably 1.75x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Katherine Center
Katherine Center is the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away, the upcoming Things You Save in a Fire (August 2019), and five other bittersweet comic novels. Six Foot Pictures is currently adapting her fourth novel, The Lost Husband, into a feature film starring Josh Duhamel, Leslie Bibb, and Nora Dunn. Katherine has been compared to both Nora Ephron and Jane Austen, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” Katherine recently gave a TEDx talk on how stories teach us empathy, and her work has appeared in USA Today, InStyle, Redbook, People, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, Real Simple, Southern Living, and InTouch, among others. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her fun husband, two sweet kids, and fluffy-but-fierce dog.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 26-Audio
- 26-COYER
I’m listening to this now so I’ll be back.
I look forward to your thoughts.
I am looking forward to The Shippers and will listen to it. Glad you liked it. I am not that fond of wacky but some of the recent books I have been reading are in that vein. Not that into cruises either, but we shall see!
I like Cooper and the HEA. I hope you enjoy it.
Jojo definitely tried my patience in this one. I enjoyed the story overall, but like you, it wasn’t my favorite from Center.
Totally agree.
A cruise??? Okay! I’m intrigued!!!
yes it’s kind of like a locked room mystery but this is a romance.
I’ve enjoyed this author, and really want to read this, especially now that I’ve been on a cruise. Great review!
Thanks Lisa. I have usually enjoyed this author.