Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For a hopeful and hopeless romantic, it’s love at first sight—with a little twist—in a hilarious short story about finding Mr. Right by the USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game.

Rosie Whittaker and her sister are up for some Galentine’s pampering at a day spa. Getting locked inside a flotation tank is so Rosie. Enter a firefighter hero determined to pry this luckless pearl out of her high-tech shell. All Rosie has to go on is a dreamy voice and a flirty sense of humor. Remain calm, Rosie. This could be what you’ve been waiting for. Is this the man she’s waited for her whole life?

Sally Thorne’s Rosie and the Dreamboat is part of The Improbable Meet-Cute, irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. Let’s make a date of it.

When Bad Luck Leads to Good Chemistry

Rosie, who works at a cozy little plant shop, decides to treat her sister Bree to a luxurious Valentine’s Day spa experience. Bree has just earned a big promotion at her law firm, and although she’s the one with the higher salary and the more polished life, Rosie wants to celebrate her in a meaningful way. The sisters are inseparable, but Rosie can’t help comparing herself to Bree — the effortlessly beautiful, brilliant, put‑together one. Rosie, meanwhile, feels like the universe has her on a permanent slapstick setting. Even her ex-boyfriends seemed more dazzled by Bree than by her. And of course, true to form, she literally stepped into a bucket the day before. She can’t imagine anything like that ever happening to Bree.

So when Rosie loses an earring during one of their spa treatments, she chalks it up to her usual streak of chaos. But things escalate when they move on to the sensory deprivation tanks and Rosie’s pod refuses to open when she is done. Trapped, naked, wet, and spiraling, she’s convinced this is peak Rosie Luck. Fortunately, when the fire department arrives, the firefighter the others teasingly call a “dreamboat” is the one who stays by her side, talking her through the panic and keeping her grounded while they figure out how to free her without destroying the very expensive tank.

I genuinely enjoyed this novella, even though it felt like the entire story functioned as an extended meet‑cute — a delightful one, but still just the beginning of what could easily become a richer, fuller romance. There’s almost no actual relationship development and definitely no steam (unless you count the mist rising off Rosie’s tank), but as someone who adores that electric first meeting between characters, this hit the spot. I’m not a fan of second‑chance romances because they skip that initial spark, and this novella delivers that spark beautifully. Both Rosie and the firefighter are instantly likable, and their chemistry shines even in such a short format.

The audiobook is told entirely from Rosie’s point of view, performed by Bailey Carr (also known as Savannah Peachwood). Her narration is expressive, warm, and wonderfully natural. She brings Rosie’s humor and vulnerability to life and gives each character a distinct voice without ever sounding forced. Her performance elevates the story and makes the listening experience even more enjoyable.

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