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The Improbable Meet-Cute #3

Rosie and the Dreamboat

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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.

44 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 23, 2024

4300 people are currently reading
18338 people want to read

About the author

Sally Thorne

9 books22.1k followers
Sally Thorne is the USA Today bestselling author of the office rom-com The Hating Game (2016). It is her debut novel that has sold in over twenty-five countries and is being made into a major motion picture, directed by Peter Hutchings and starring Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell. Filming wrapped in December 2020. It was named in the top 20 romance novels of 2016 by the Washington Post and was a top ten finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards romance category. The Hating Game has been cited as a book that has reinvigorated the romantic comedy genre.

Sally’s much anticipated second novel, 99 Percent Mine, was released on 29 January 2019 by William Morrow Books and debuted at #37 on the USA Today Bestseller List.

Sally’s third novel Second First Impressions is released AU/NZ 31 March 2021, and US/CAN 13 April 2021.

Sally lives in Canberra, Australia, with her husband- plus a pug called Delia and a horse called Louie.

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5 stars
14,879 (17%)
4 stars
24,569 (29%)
3 stars
29,650 (35%)
2 stars
12,260 (14%)
1 star
3,265 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,395 reviews
Profile Image for ♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus).
989 reviews4,897 followers
November 6, 2024
What the fuck even was this? Ugh. Gross. Puke. Ick. Scrub it off of me.

I'm sorry, no I'm not. This gave daddy and child vibes. So cringe and weird.

"My little Rosie Clam shell" and the baby talk? What even is that? 🤮



Up next! In The Improbable Meet-Cute Series… The ratings don't look so great on this one... 😩 I hope it's just as cute as the first two! 🥰💘🌹✨
Profile Image for lexie.
528 reviews548 followers
February 6, 2024
YO what is up with the bad reviews????? this was cute as hell! the banter was bantering! and i was giggling up a lil storm 🤭
Profile Image for rei ‧₊˚✩彡.
194 reviews596 followers
December 27, 2024
╰┈➤ 2 stars!

this was just… okay. i thought it was pretty mid, though. good thing it was short and didn’t take up a lot of my time!
Profile Image for aleksandra.
774 reviews3,723 followers
January 28, 2024
2/5

I forgot that Sally Thorne's writing is not for me. I guess I wanted to see if anything had changed. Unfortunately, it did not.
Profile Image for Courtney ✩.
272 reviews525 followers
February 8, 2024
★2 stars

HEADS UP SPOILERS if this doesn’t completely hide!!

Ugh this series started off so strong with books 1 and 2! And for a while, this one was doing okay. Very unique idea, meeting a guy while locked in a spa relaxation water chamber thing. And a firefighter??? OOOHHHHH MY 🥵🔥

Rosie and Leo’s banter was cute, but I could NOT get past the fact that this girl has been LOCKED IN A CAR TRUNK by bullies before, was completely traumatized from it, and seemingly acted just fine being locked in this water chamber?! I’d be straight up panicking to the point of drowning like what??? And I’m sorry, but no matter HOW MANY chemicals or whatever is in this water, there’s no way she’s coming out of there 3 hours later not looking like a fucking shriveled-up massively-expired prune. AND THEN she gets out, showers, and is once again fine??? AND DOESN’T WANT TO SUE even though the spa owner cared more about not damaging the chamber than getting her out?!?!?! Oh but it’s fine, they gave her a travel voucher, totally makes up for the therapy she’s going to need after this 🤦🏻‍♀️

Also could not find a single modicum of sympathy for Leo hating being called a dreamboat and repeatedly picked on by his coworkers. Boy may have been dreamy in the end but he severely needs thicker skin. Whiny white boy tears are severely unattractive 🙅🏻‍♀️



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Pre-Review:
This dreamboat better be dreamy !!! Or I'm 🤺🤺🤺
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for alli☀️.
671 reviews399 followers
January 23, 2024
I don't even want to talk about it😭. So here are just some parts of this 45-page short story⬇️.
——————————————————
“You're being real brave, sweetie.”
In a baby voice, I ask, ”Is my sister still there?” So is this like father and daughter type of romance😟?

“She’s fine. Brave little Rosie Clamshell.” He calls her kid and he talks to her like she’s a literal child😞.

“But Leo says I'm being very brave." Why would I say that, like a little kid? Because I know how Leo will respond, exactly as he does now, warm and fond and sweet.
"She's my bravest little clamshell trooper this side of the city." Can I throw up now?

Also, they are 25 and 27 years old!
Profile Image for Whitney Erwin.
300 reviews94 followers
June 22, 2024
I’m sorry but this was just bad! There’s no other way to say it. It was so corny and goofy. I rolled my eyes several times. I love Sally Thorne’s books but this one was just a solid no for me. I managed to finish it but man, it was rough haha
Profile Image for Rosh.
2,392 reviews4,956 followers
February 15, 2025
In a Nutshell: Finally a story that has a “meetcute” as promised. Gets a bit too cheesy in its dialogues, but after reading two 1-star duds in this series, this came as a huge relief. Will work well if you are looking for quick and mindless fun. (The word “mindless” is crucial to remember!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Plot Preview:
Rosie has always felt second best to her talented and smart elder sister Bree. They are still very close to each other. To celebrate Bree’s latest promotion, Rosie books an expensive package at an elite day spa, ready for a day of pampering. One of the treatments involves entering a shell-shaped flotation tank. The last thing Rosie expects is to be locked inside her tank. When firefighters are called to open up the shell, one of them seems to have a dreamy voice, a corny sense of humour, and a high flirtation quotient. Will this “Dreamboat” turn out to be the partner Rosie has been waiting for? (Yeah, yeah, I know… It is a rhetorical question!)

The story comes to us in Rosie’s first-person perspective.


This is the third standalone story in the 'The Improbable Meet-Cute’ series, described on Amazon as “irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it.”

As this is also the third story that I read for this series (after stories #5 & #6 and skipping #4), I realised one more thing the stories have in common: all are in first person and set on Valentine’s Day. So I guess I did pick this series up in the right month, even though I missed reviewing this on the big day.

Note: This review contains minor spoilers about the plot developments, but nothing you wouldn’t expect in a romantic story anyway.


Woohoos:
😍 Now this is a meet-cute! I love the build-up to their first interaction. I also love the fact that their connection starts without them being able to see each other – no insta-attraction nonsense.

😍 Rosie. A strong character who doesn’t allow her past pain to affect her sense of humour. A bit too goofy and clumsy as well, which makes her a fun protagonist for a romcom such as this.

😍 The story isn't immediately about the “dreamboat”. It takes time to show the sisters’ relationship also.

😍 The bond between the sisters – coming not just from a connection of love but also a wacky sense of humour. Reminded me of my sis and me.

😍 The depiction of Rosie’s secret feelings of inferiority next to her high-achieving sister – very realistic.


IDKs:
🤔 Much of the meet-cute involves flirtatious banter, which means a lot of conversation going back and forth. While the electricity between the characters is evident, the voltage is too high sometimes. Some of the dialogues are cringe-worthy in their cheesiness, though there are some really funny one-liners as well.

🤔 Bree is a mostly good character, but what sensible person leaves her sister in a traumatic situation and proceeds to complete her own spa treatment? It didn’t make sense, even given her reasons for doing so!


Mehs:
🙄 Isn’t it somewhat unprofessional for a firefighter to flirt so openly with a person-in-trouble while on duty? And then to keep complaining that his colleagues don’t take him seriously? Well, of course they don’t! You are kinda proving them right!

🙄 How is Rosie so calm after such a horrendous experience, especially given the incident in her past? Either Rosie or Bree should have gone wild at the spa manager after her release. Why is “Dreamboat” the only one showing anger? Oh and also, how come she is still bright and shiny after so many hours immersed in saline water? (I keep forgetting to leave logic outside!)


All in all, this was quite entertaining as long as you don’t overanalyse anything. The banter is cheesily cute, the lead pair has a strong character development, and even the story is interesting though so much of it has our protagonist locked inside a shell.

The story thus ends up thrice as good as the other two stories I’ve read so far in this series. But as both of those were only 1-star experiences, this isn't as big a compliment as it sounds.

This is my first try of Sally Thorne's writing, and she seems quite good. I would surely like to try her full-length novels.

Basically, a nice one-time read. A bit too cutesy, but can work in the right mood, i.e. when you are looking for sheer entertainment and promise to leave your sensible side outside the room.

3 stars.


This standalone story is a part of the ‘The Improbable Meet-Cute’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
Profile Image for Christy.
4,548 reviews35.9k followers
February 5, 2024
3.5 stars

It’s been a while since I’ve read something Sally Thorne has written and I remembered how much I love her writing! I do wish this was longer, it was cute but so short that I had trouble connecting with the characters. It felt like the novella was just one scene and I wanted so much more! Still, overall I liked this one and hope Sally puts out a full-length romance soon!
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Bailey Carr
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 1h 14m



Profile Image for Ceecee .
2,746 reviews2,311 followers
February 11, 2024
2.5

Really enjoyed the first two Improbable meets Cute short stories but this one 🤦🏼‍♀️. It was utterly cringe especially the dialogue and the humour (if you can call it that, more like cheesy ripe Camembert) was the I guess you had to be there kind. Next?
Profile Image for Kaceey.
1,516 reviews4,539 followers
February 10, 2024
3.5🌟
Book three of the short story collection The Improbable Meet-Cute.


A trip to the day spa leaves Rosie in need of a rescue….

Not a favorite of the series so far. The banter between the main characters just felt off. No smiles or tears from me.😕

On the positive side, loved the audio production! Well done!🙌.

Next up… Drop, Cover and Hold On!🤞

Profile Image for ✨ A ✨ .
444 reviews2,270 followers
June 5, 2024
this was weird and chaotic - which is exactly what i love about sally thorne.
Profile Image for Celia {Hiatus until August}.
750 reviews140 followers
February 10, 2024
description

•| ⊱✿⊰ |• 2,9 Stars •| ⊱✿⊰ |•

Rosie goes to a spa with her sister on Valentine's Day.
The fancy tub breaks, and they have to call the firemen.
Leo is the one who stays with her and try to calm down.
They fell in love with each without even see one another.

description
Profile Image for Madison Warner Fairbanks.
3,416 reviews496 followers
January 22, 2024
Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne
Improbable Meet Cute Collection. Contemporary romance novella with a Valentine’s Day kick off.
Rosie Whittaker takes her sister to an exclusive spa for a day of pampering. When Rosie gets stuck in a flotation tank, it’s just another typical twist of her luck. Until a hot fireman distracts her with his laughter and silliness while everyone else figures out how to pry her lose.

A touch of adorable repartee with a bit of serious chatter, but mostly a dream and hope that their experience today might mean a possible future together.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I purchased the entire collection for those moments that need a bit of joy, faith, and hope.
Profile Image for Hannah B..
1,176 reviews2,160 followers
February 2, 2024
Rosie and the Dreamboat, Sally Thorne
Narrator: Bailey Carr

This one is was cute! I like that Sally wrote it after being in a sensory deprivation tank herself. I would’ve liked a little flash forward epilogue, but they were on the same page together for most of the novella so we did get a good sense of their chemistry.

✨Valentine’s Day
✨Local plant lady
✨Dreamboat firefighter
✨Forced proximity
✨Damsel in (naked) distress

Narrator performance: I know Bailey Carr from A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (loved!) so it was weird to not think this was YA, but I love her voice and she always gives a good performance. The was the first single POV/single narrator story of the anthology.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 0🌶️/5

CWs: Trapped in small space, Bullying (past, recounted)


I received an ALC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
Profile Image for Danielle.
1,217 reviews625 followers
February 5, 2024
Improbable meet-cute continues. ❤️ This was an okay quick read! 👍
Profile Image for ❋ Booked Out Today ❋.
274 reviews55 followers
January 10, 2025
⭐️3⭐️

Rosie and the Dreamboat

Plot:
Rosie Whittaker gets trapped inside a flotation tank at a spa, only to be saved by a charismatic firefighter. As they connect over the surprising situation, Rosie starts to wonder if he might just be the man she's been waiting for all along.

My Thoughts:
My plot is pretty much the whole story. Ahah. You’re welcome. Not much storyline other than that. Pretty much just dialogue. I love the story idea and I’ll probably never be able to use a floatation tank in my lifetime. So thanks I guess.
Profile Image for anouk♡ semi-hiatus.
381 reviews6 followers
April 3, 2024
there must be something wrong with me because I’m really enjoying these smut-free, sugary sweet novellas 🩷🍬
Profile Image for Dawn  Solaris.
85 reviews258 followers
May 26, 2025
★彡 1 star 彡★

➷ If I hate you just enough? Consider this book recommended ᐠ( ᐛ )ᐟ

Don’t be shy, it’s super short and cringy ( •᷄ᴗ•́) I promise you’ll come out crying for your therapist alive…
Profile Image for Izzie (semi-hiatus) McFussy.
711 reviews63 followers
February 11, 2024
Loved!💝 Loved!💝 Loved!💝 Deep down I’m an old fashioned girl who loves an old fashioned romance. Rosie and Leo listened, talked, supported each other, and shared the same kind of humor, albeit in an unconventional setting and within a limited amount of time. That’s my kind of sexy! Leo was definitely book boyfriend material. *sigh* However, I don’t begrudge Rosie a thing. They were perfect together.
Profile Image for Holly.
355 reviews127 followers
February 2, 2024
"Leo says I’m being very brave.” Why would I say that, like a little kid? Because I know how Leo will respond, exactly as he does now, warm and fond and sweet. “She’s my bravest little clamshell trooper this side of the city.”

It was shooting for rescuer/rescuee and landed on parent/toddler 🫤
Profile Image for addie! .
168 reviews437 followers
July 13, 2024
⁀➷ ★
🩰

✦ Forgot how shit of a writer Sally Thorne is, always projecting her tiny, clumsy, short babydoll x hot, strong, muscular, manly man kinks.
Profile Image for Marianne.
140 reviews26 followers
February 21, 2024
Honestly, It was fun to read but it didn't make sense!!! It was too much fiction.
The way they got together or what I think it was at least, wasn't convincing. If you know what I mean!!!😂😂
Profile Image for Regina the Constant Reader.
396 reviews
February 20, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Kindle

Book #3 of The Improbable Meet-Cute Collection

Unlike the first two books in this collection nothing in this story resonated with me, but it was cute. My first time reading this author and it was enjoyable enough that I’ll check into other books she has wrote.
Profile Image for Lorena ♡ (semi-ia).
468 reviews466 followers
February 15, 2024
kinda weird and so very chaotic that it was hard to keep up with rosie and leo's conversation... but i liked it. it was all over the place but in a charming way, it worked for me 🤸‍♀️
Profile Image for megan ◡̈.
856 reviews597 followers
January 24, 2024
what a meet cute!!!! i absolutely adored this there’s seriously crack in this novella collection
Profile Image for earth to vivie' .
223 reviews127 followers
February 11, 2024
“𝚖𝚛 𝚑𝚞𝚜𝚋𝚊𝚗𝚍, 𝚒 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚎’𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚞𝚙.”

🌷: ̗̀➛ don't get me wrong i don't hate it, it was cute but 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘺 cute and not 𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘦 cute, i don't really like Sally's writing style, it just not for me but still this was an 'okay' read
Profile Image for Auudreads.
182 reviews37 followers
December 15, 2024
ೃ⁀➷5⭐️

43 pages’ book ? And this can be SO good ???
What do they put in these authors’ tea ?

That was such a cute and funny romance book (can I call this a book ?). Leo was such a cutie to Rosie and it made my heart bursts into love pieces, not exaggerating, never

Rosie is feeling just less than her sister and for good reasons. She has always been treated that way. Now Mr. Husband showed her who he couldn’t stop talking to. Who he didn’t notice and who he wanted to bring on a date.

What triggered me is the sister leaving Rosie alone with him so she can have a chance with him. Like she thinks that if she stays, he’ll have eyes only for her so she needs to leave? That some narcissistic sh*t 😭

Anyways, I enjoyed this and I recommend it if you want a very quick cute read (less than a hour)🩷🎀
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