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Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite
The Captain’s Cook by Victoria Vanransom is a sweeping novel that blends adventure, resilience, and personal reinvention with hints of romance on the open sea. Readers are introduced to Jessica Kline, a chef who trades her crumbling life on land for a chance to cook aboard a yacht sailing across the Pacific. Armed with her father’s advice, ‘Cooking is about intuition,’ she uses it as an anchor for her new life at sea. Once on board, she meets Cliff Reed, the captain, who is seasoned in his skills but has a tragic past. The other crew members are an eclectic mix that make sailing more of an escapade, including Chaz, the abrasive second-in-command, Harrison, the steady deckhand, and Trinidad, the poodle. What begins as an escape quickly becomes a transformative journey, where isolation, unpredictable weather, and tense dynamics with the crew force her to face both external and internal troubles.
After finishing The Captain’s Cook by Victoria Vanransom, I can honestly say that if you’re looking for a story about growth, this one is for you. I appreciated that it’s not your typical romance, but the tension and pull between the two main characters is always present. I also enjoyed the nickname Jess has for the captain. The writing captures both the grandeur of sailing the Pacific—sunsets so brilliant it’s hard to see where the ocean ends and the sky begins—and Jess’s vulnerability about starting over, admitting she’s ready but knows it will take courage. Her life has completely changed by design; I think it's Captain Cliff Reed’s transformation that quietly sneaks up on you. Sometimes, when a person is ashamed of themselves, even when something isn’t really their fault, it’s hardest for them to accept change. He embodies that struggle. Both main characters are genuinely real and interesting, making for a compelling tale. I highly recommend it.
