The Shippers, Katherine Center
The Shippers, Katherine Center
List: $26.99 | Sale: $18.89
Club: $13.49

The Shippers
A Novel

Author: Katherine Center

Narrator: Patti Murin

Unabridged: 11 hr 8 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/19/2026


Synopsis

One of the hottest, fastest-rising rom-com stars delivers her latest swoon-worthy novel about a destination wedding on a cruise ship.

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 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.

Shipboard antics ensue in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance—as JoJo and Cooper fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, treat sunburns, get jealous, rescue each other over and over, and finally, at last, figure it all out in the most blissful, swoony, romantic way.

No one does summer romance quite like Katherine Center. THE SHIPPERS will take readers on the cruise of a lifetime in a story awash with romantic longing, top-notch banter, long-held secrets . . . and true love rediscovered.

About Katherine Center

BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of over half a dozen books, including How to Walk Away, Things You Save in a Fire, and What You Wish For. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” Her books have made countless Best-Of lists, including RealSimple’s Best Books of 2020, Amazon's Top 100 Books of 2019, Goodreads' Best Books of the Year, and many more. Bestselling author Emily Henry calls her summer 2022 book, The Bodyguard, “a shot of pure joy.” The movie adaptation of Katherine’s novel The Lost Husband (starring Josh Duhamel) hit #1 on Netflix, and her novel Happiness for Beginners is now a Netflix original starring Ellie Kemper. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two kids, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.

About Patti Murin

Patti Murin is an acclaimed, Audie Award–nominated audiobook narrator celebrated for her vibrant, emotionally resonant performances. She has brought to life bestselling novels written by blockbuster authors Christina Lauren, Katherine Center, Jodi Picoult, among many others. Known for her sharp comedic timing and ability to embody complex characters, Patti specializes in contemporary romance and women’s fiction, and would love to explore all of the genres. She is a self-proclaimed and proud book nerd who routinely reads 200 books per year for pleasure. She is also a highly lauded musical theatre actor who originated the role of Princess Anna in Disney's Frozen on Broadway, and took a turn in the bubble as Galinda in Wicked. Keep an eye out for her on the Hallmark Channel in one of the many movies she has made!


Reviews

There are currently no user reviews for this audiobook.

Quotes

"Center employs the forced proximity trope to excellent effect in bringing these two back together, and the characters’ sparkling banter effortlessly captures their long-standing intimacy. It’s a joy to watch their friends-to-lovers journey unfold." —Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

“Catnip for romance fans. As Center reveals in an author’s note at the beginning, “Spoiler: This book will end well.” The destination may not be a surprise, but the journey is a delight. A fun, positively frothy friends-to-lovers romance.” —Kirkus Reviews

"Center (The Rom-Commers) has a signature rom-com voice and offers plenty of banter that her fans adore. Readers who have already fallen in love with her previous works will find this a winner too." —Library Journal

"A charming escapist romp. Readers are hungry for fun rom-coms, and best-selling Center has become the go-to source." —Booklist

“Katherine Center is a pro at crafting sweetly cozy romances all but guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings, and her latest is no exception.”—Marie Claire

“Another of my favorite rom-com writers, Katherine Center, is here to provide our beach bags with some tropes for summer. This one takes place on a cruise ship and I’m not mad about it.”—Scary Mommy

“Sign up for a romance novel that combines a wedding, a long-lost best friend and a cruise.”—Today.com“The wedding romance you need.” —People.com