Book Review: An Ocean Apart by Jill Tew
An Ocean Apart by Jill Tew
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ARC Review: Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books | Joy Revolution for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Publication Date: October 14, 2025
Genres: Young Adult // Science Fiction, Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 🌶️ (Glimpses and Kisses)
Quick Thoughts: This was such a fun read! An Ocean Apart by Jill Tew is a captivating dystopian romance featuring a Bachelor-style dating competition in a climate-ravaged world. Perfect for fans of The Selection, The Hunger Games, and love triangles.
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Parental Abandonment (Minor)
Injury/Injury Descriptions
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Dystopian Settings
Bachelor Style Dating Competitions
Love Triangle
Hidden/Secret Identity
What is An Ocean Apart About? (Spoiler Free Summary)
An electrifying dystopian novel packed with a tantalizing love triangle, gripping political intrigue, and a Bachelor-style competition from the critically acclaimed author of The Dividing Sky, Jill Tew.
Eden Lowell has plenty to be frustrated about. In the flooded Marshes of former Miami, each day is about survival. Even her feelings for her best friend Henry are more complicated than they should be. Luckily, Eden knows exactly who to blame: the Cruisers, corporate elite who sail the world on massive ships instead of facing the environmental crimes they’ve committed on land.
When Eden learns that a Cruiser family is hosting a dating competition for their heir, Theo Desjardins, she seizes an opportunity. Aided by a political agitator known as the Ringmaster, she’ll infiltrate the competition, break Theo’s heart, and then steal his money for the Marshes. A perfect plan…
Until she gets to know Theo, who’s not only handsome but surprisingly kind…
As Eden drifts deeper down into the Cruisers’ world, the line separating truth and lies becomes murky. Torn between two identities, two loves, and two futures, will she choose the mission, or her heart?
Pre-Read Thoughts
I mentioned that I might be over the marriage or dating competition trope in my review of The Weaver Bride by Lydia Gregovic and I think I was wrong. I’ve enjoyed two dating competition books in a row.
I am also sucker for reality dating shows like the Bachelor and Love Island, so when I saw this was a dystopian Bachelor-style dating competition set on a cruise ship, I decided that I needed to pick An Ocean Apart up.
An Ocean Apart Review
This was such a fun read! The premise immediately drew me in - set in a world where the rich have fled the land to live on ships due to climate change, there's a Bachelor-style dating competition to be matched with one of the world's richest heirs. This story is filled with warnings about climate change and corporate greed, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking.
There was so much to love about this book.
Setting & World
The world-building was incredible - I could perfectly picture both the flooded Marshes and the glittering cruise ships. The way the author describes how climate change has literally divided society between those who can afford to escape to the seas and those left behind on flooded land is both haunting and believable.
Characters
The characters absolutely made this book for me. Eden is my ideal dystopian FMC - she's smart, strategic, and determined to fight for her people. Watching her navigate this dangerous game of infiltration was exciting, but what really got me invested was seeing her struggle when she started enjoying the company of the people she was meant to betray. The love triangle genuinely had me torn because both Theo and Henry were so likeable in their own ways. Henry represents home and loyalty - he's been Eden's rock through everything. But Theo surprised me with how genuine and willing to learn he was, despite his privileged background. I kept switching sides throughout the entire book and honestly hoped Eden could somehow end up with both of them.
The supporting characters were equally enjoyable. It would have been so easy to make the other contestants and ship staff into one-dimensional, flat characters, but they each had real depth and personality that brought such great energy to the story. Even though they were technically Eden's competition, I found myself rooting for them too. And then there's the mystery of who the Ringmaster is. I went through three different theories and still got it wrong!
What I Didn’t Like
I liked it for everything it was, but would have loved to have more of the story. The author created so much depth in the setting, the plot, and the themes explored, so much so that this could have been a duology or a series. For example, the competition scenes felt a bit rushed, and I would have loved to see slower relationship development. The ending also wrapped up a little too quickly for such a complex story.
So, Should You Read An Ocean Apart?
Overall this was a solid four-star standalone read! It was the perfect blend of romance, social commentary, and political intrigue.
I would definitely recommend for fans of The Selection and The Hunger Games.
Check out this review on Goodreads or Storygraph.
Happy reading!
Kim
An Ocean Apart FAQs
Some of the answers may be spoilers if you haven’t read it already. Proceed with caution!
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Yes. An Ocean Apart is a standalone, but it’s set in the same world as A Dividing Sky, another book by the same author.
These stories are completely separate so you don’t have to read one book to read the other.
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No. These two stories are completely separate so you don’t have to read one book to read the other.
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An Ocean Apart is a 1 🌶️ meaning there is no spice, but there is tension and kissing scenes.