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Verdict: A breezy, low-angst vacation romance on Bonaire: Morgan, a newly full-time author stuck with a case of writer’s trickle, falls for Ash, the single mom renting across the shared yard, and her dive-mad ten-year-old son Jake. Readers love the island setting, the diving and Jake; critics found the characters thin and the leap from fling to forever far too fast.
Best for: Readers who want a light beach read, a sweet kid and a strong sense of place.
Heat level: 🌶️🌶️
Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.5/5 — a 4.07 Goodreads average across 178 ratings, 3.79 on StoryGraph from 14 reviews, and 4.2 stars across 289 Amazon ratings)
Tropes: Neighbours, vacation fling, single mom, low angst, travel romance, found family.
Diving In is Sage Donnell’s 2021 contemporary lesbian romance. Morgan has finally had enough success as an author to write full time, so she heads to Bonaire to write, and mostly ends up diving while the words come slowly and painfully.
It holds a 4.07 average across 178 Goodreads ratings, with 73% of them four or five stars, 3.79 on StoryGraph from 14 reviews, and 4.2 stars across 289 Amazon ratings.
What Is Diving In About?
Ash and her son Jake have had a rough couple of years. When a windfall comes her way, Ash takes Jake on the diving trip he has always wanted, and moves into the rental across the yard from Morgan.
Morgan is entirely too attractive, friendly and competent, and Ash feels bumbling next to her. But as they dive together and bond over being Jake fans, the vacation fling starts to seem like more.
What Works in This Book
- Bonaire: Readers who had never heard of the island finished wanting to go.
- Diving: One reader who has dived Bonaire says divers will love it and that the town description made them long for another trip.
- Jake: Several readers call the boy a bonus, funny and loving and not spoiled.
- Low angst: Readers looking for something light after a heavier book found it ideal.
Book Synopsis
An author who came to write. A mom who came to reset.
One shared yard, and a very persuasive ten-year-old.
My Review
This is a pleasant, easy book that knows what it is: a summer-vacation read with an idyllic setting and a romance that grows as much through family activities as through date nights. Readers enjoyed watching Morgan earn Jake’s trust and then Ash’s, and how warmly she welcomes a child into the package. One fan recommends it for a warm summer night in the garden with a cold beer, and that is exactly the mood.
The complaints are consistent. A couple of readers found the relationship moved from meeting to love to marriage extremely quickly, with sudden transitions. Others found the characters two-dimensional, the family activities and diving descriptions slow if you are there for the romance, or noticed Jake’s age changing through the book. One reader wondered how either woman could afford such a long holiday.
My honest note: A sunny Kindle Unlimited escape, not a deep one.
| Element | In Diving In |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Morgan (author) & Ash (single mom) |
| Core tropes | Neighbours, vacation fling, low angst |
| Setting | Bonaire, Caribbean |
| Heat level | 🌶️🌶️ |
| Length | 209 pages (Kindle edition) |
| Series | Standalone (Puppy Love couple cameo) |
| Content notes | Difficult recent past for Ash and Jake |
How Spicy Is Diving In?
Mild. With Jake so central to the story, the romance stays gentle, though readers disagree on how steamy it gets.
The angst is very low; the main hurdles come from turning a holiday fling into a family.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want a sunny, zero-stress single-mom romance. It is on our single mom lesbian romance list.
You may want to skip it if: you need depth or a slower-built romance.
In short: Sun, sea and a speedy romance.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 40% five stars, 33% four, 20% three, 5% two and 1% one.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): Bonaire first. Second, Jake. Third, low angst. Fourth, the diving.
What readers argue about and complain about: The rushed relationship, above everything. Second, thin characters. Third, slow family-activity stretches.
The comparison worth making first: Changing Tides, another island romance with a fresh start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Diving In set?
On Bonaire, the Caribbean island near Aruba and Curaçao known for its diving. Several readers say the book made them want to visit, and one calls it a travelogue as much as a romance.
Is Diving In angsty?
Very little. Readers repeatedly describe it as low or zero angst, with a few bumps once the fling turns serious.
How spicy is it?
Mild. One reader describes the encounters as PG, especially with ten-year-old Jake so involved in the story, though another mentions some steamier moments.
Is it connected to other Sage Donnell books?
Yes, loosely. The couple from her novel Puppy Love makes an appearance, but Diving In stands alone.
Is Diving In on Kindle Unlimited?
Yes, when we checked, or $4.99 to buy on Kindle.
If You Loved Diving In, Read These Next
Try Donnell’s All This Time, or the cosy Teaching Hope. Browse our single mom list or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
Diving In sets out to be a light vacation romance with a family at its heart, and its setting and Jake deliver. What holds it back is a relationship that races ahead of its characters. A pleasant beach read. Check Diving In on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, Diving In ranks as a fair single-mom pick — sunny, light, fast.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ 4.07 average across 178 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 73% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 3.79 on StoryGraph from 14 reviews
- ✓ 4.2 stars across 289 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★☆☆ 3.1/5
- ✓ Vacation fling
- ✓ Very fast
- ✓ Sweet
- ✓ Family-focused
Characters ★★★☆☆ 3.3/5
- ✓ Morgan
- ✓ Ash
- ✓ Jake
- ✓ Two-dimensional for some
Writing ★★★☆☆ 3.2/5
- ✓ Easy read
- ✓ Travelogue
- ✓ Diving detail
- ✓ Age inconsistencies
Emotional Impact ★★★☆☆ 3.2/5
- ✓ Fresh start
- ✓ Found family
- ✓ Low angst
- ✓ Light
Heat Level ★★☆☆☆ 2/5
- ✓ Mild
- ✓ PG for one
- ✓ Disputed
- ✓ Adult
Ending ★★★★☆ 3.6/5
- ✓ HEA
- ✓ Fast marriage
- ✓ Standalone
- ✓ Sunny
Re-read Value ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ On Kindle Unlimited
- ✓ $4.99 Kindle price
- ✓ 209 pages
- ✓ Beach read
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