The Sailor (Alpha Cove 2) by Susan Stoker-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 3, 2026

Like his brothers, Zach Young has recently moved home to Maine after the untimely death of his father. In addition to helping his mom maintain Lobster Cove, the family’s beloved property, the Navy cook has big dreams of opening his own restaurant…but, for now, has reluctantly settled for a lobster shack. Not exactly what he had in mind, though a new lobsterwoman in town has made his daily trips to the docks worthwhile.

Having been literally bullied out of her last port city a little farther down the coast, Marit Phillips isn’t in Rockville long before the familiar grumblings begin…hardened lobstermen thinking a petite woman can’t possibly do the job, no matter how experienced. Fortunately, her new boss judges her based on work ethic…and the handsome cook who visits their boat every day? He seems to see things in Marit that even she doesn’t.

But as much as Zach builds her up, there’s another man in town, his polar opposite, trying to tear her down. And he proves more determined than the couple thought possible…

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REVIEW:THE SAILOR is the second instalment in Susan Stoker’s contemporary, adult ALPHA COVE erotic, romance series focusing on the Young brothers: Linc, Zach, Chad and Knox (all former members of the US armed forces) in Lobster Cover, Maine. This is thirty year old, former Navy chef turned cook Zach Young, and lobster woman Marit Phillips’ story line. THE SAILOR can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual omniscient third person perspectives (Zach and Marit) THE SAILOR focuses on the building romance and relationship in the wake of the return of Marit Phillips to Rockville, Maine. Having spent most of her adult life working on the lobster boats, Marit’s return is met with misogyny and discrimination by her fellow lobstermen, so much so that Marit’s life is often threatened just for working the boats. Meeting and falling in love with former US Navy chef Zach Young, finds Marit looking forward to her own happily ever after but all is not well when our heroine is targeted for sins of the past.

The world building focuses on discrimination and misogyny in the lobster trapping industry so much so that our heroine will be targeted on more than one occasion. From sexism to bad luck, to blame and hatred. Marit faces down those who believe women should not be allowed on the boats, men who are determined to take her down.

The relationship between Marit and Zach is a lust to love romance in which Zach knows immediately Marit is the woman he forever wants. Marit has spend most of her defending herself against cruelty and intolerance, and in this, our heroine is hoping to find some semblance of peace with our story line hero. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

WE are reintroduced to Zach’s brothers, all former members of the US armed forces; Chad and Britt (The Soldier) #1, Linc, Knox, and their mother Evelyn; Marit’s fellow lobstermen Jonah and Eliot; boat owner and lobsterman Lucas Pearson. The requisite evil has many faces.

THE SAILOR is a story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control discrimination and bigotry, acceptance, family and love. The character driven premise is edgy and dramatic; the romance is seductive; the characters are desperate, determined and charismatic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy