The Escape Series (Books 1 - 3): Getting Lei'd, Cruising for Love, and Island Hopping: A steamy romantic comedy beach read romance series

Ann Omasta

Nov 2019 · More Happily Ever Afters

About this ebook

Recipe for a must-read series The Kindle Book Review calls “outrageously entertaining…”

Start with a jilted bride, a reality show starlet, and a workaholic. Add in a crazy grandma, picturesque island settings, and three handsome heroes. Read and enjoy!

Getting Lei’d: Jilted nearly-at-the-altar by text message. Honeymooning with her grandma. The resort's bartender may look like Jason Momoa, but Roxy is NOT interested.

Cruising for Love: A reality TV show looking for ratings. Kardashian wannabes on a cruise ship. What could possibly go wrong? Get swept away with Ruthie as she searches for true love on reality television.

Island Hopping: Lizzie is the workaholic everyone loves to hate. Shay is perfectly content basking on the beach. Can these two polar opposites find enough common ground to let their undeniable spark of attraction ignite?

These beach (or wishing you were at the beach) reads are loaded with opposites attracting, humor, and second chances at romance. Escape with them today.

Whisk your mind away to the islands now!

Ratings and reviews

This is a wonderful selection of love stories set in beautiful tropical island settings. I enjoyed thoroughly all 3 of the books. In the first one, we meet Roxy. As she is getting ready to walk down the aisle to be married to Gary, her betrothed, she suddenly gets a text from him. The wedding is off. Gary says he and Lizzie, the bride's best friend since they were children, are in love now. Devastated, the lovely bride, in her wedding dress, seeks the comfort of her grandmother known as Baggy, which comes from "Bad Grandma". Sister Ruth joins them and they take off in Gary's car. The plan Baggy hatches is to go on their honeymoon since the trip to Hawaii is booked and paid for. Thus begins a truly funny and romantic adventure on the Island for the 3 of them. Roxy has a fantastic time with a chauffeur, come bartender, come general handyman around the place. It is a beautiful romance that develops and the story is a wonderful read. I loved it a lot. I was really happy with that story but then I saw the second story, Ruthie's story, next. It is even funnier, involves another Fantasy Island tale around Roxy and Kai's wedding in Hawaii. This tale revolves around Ruth in that she is approached by a fellow who wants to do a film for the internet around her crazy accidental life. TJ overheard her telling stories about the funny accidents she had with her car. This leads to another hilarious tale following Ruthie on an Island cruise. It is another wonderful read, funny and with it's own Baggy influences in it too. I truly grew to love Baggy in this one. The third tale in this set is about Ruthie's wedding and is centered around Lizzie. Lizzie is approached by the film maker, TJ, to go to Ruthie's wedding and try to ensure it goes off without a hitch. Of course there will be hitches as that is what TJ likes to have. The biggest hitch is the large hurricane type storm heading toward's the Island on course to interrupt the wedding by hitting Antigua on Ruthie's big day! Another truly wonderful tale. I liked Ann's writing before I found this boxed set of three, but now I love her writings. These books are each a great read on their own. I think there would be some good ones to come out of Baggy's adventures too. Great reads, Ann! Wonderful comedic romances.

Getting Lei'd I thoroughly enjoyed this and would have happily kept reading if it was even longer. I adore romantic comedies. The more outrageously laugh-out-loud they are, the more I love them. And this book is one of the funniest things I’ve read all year. Straitlaced Roxy is a misfit in her mostly zany, definitely quirky, family. Kai’s an enigma; a strong silent type who’s keeping his secrets close to the vest. Watching as Kai and Roxy fell in love was utterly adorable. And the cast of eccentric secondary characters stole the show. There are even a few of the supporting cast I would love to see in stories of their own. Cruising for Love Reality TV is my guilty pleasure. After reading this book, I feel extra guilty about it now. I love a second chance, so I was particularly excited to see one of those hiding in Ruthie’s story. This book is filled with twists, surprises, and lots of funny moments. Unfortunately, it’s also got a heavy Mean Girl vibe that I wasn’t really a fan of. However, I adore the way the story wraps up – it’s perfectly Ruthie. Island Hopping This book starts out looking like a simple case of opposites attract, but Lizzie and Shay’s story is a little more involved than merely the driven Type-A city girl meets the laid-back surfer. Their misadventures are filled with snark and spice, and they show us Murphy’s Law hard at work. At the end of this trilogy I’m left wondering if the author has a bit of a vindictive streak with how ruthlessly she wields the question: “so what really is the absolute worst that could happen?” There are some seriously creative possibilities in answer to that question in here. I kind of hope we get to come back and visit these characters again sometime in the future. I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.

Book 1 starts with Roxy being jilted at the altar via text message saying that her groom has run off with her best friend. Roxy's grandma, Baggy grabs Roxy and her sister, Ruthie and they take off to enjoy the honeymoon in Hawaii that has already been paid for. While there Roxy falls for a man that she believes is only a bartender, Ruthie chases after the watersports coach and Baggy finds a man who may or may not be a spy. This book is fun and crazy and was a joy to read. I want a grandma like Baggy. Book 2 is Ruthie's story. Upon returning home alone, Ruthie is at a bar with friends where they are telling stories about all of her mishaps when a man comes up to her handing her a card and asking if she would like to star on a reality TV show. Ruthie's first mistake was agreeing to the show without really knowing what it was about and her next big mistake was signing all the paperwork without reading it in detail. Come to find out she is one of three ladies that gets married on a cruise ship and the show films all that happens before, during and after the weddings. Shortly after the wedding her groom takes up with one of the other brides and Ruthie is left at loose ends, so she decides to take in one of the shows and comes face to face with her high school crush. This reality show has more curveballs in it than a major league baseball game, you have no idea what is going to happen next. All I could do was keep reading and hope for the best. Baggy also makes an appearance in this book. Book 3 features Lizzie and Ruthie. Ruthie and her fiance decide to let the producer from the Cruising for Love reality series finance their wedding by televising it, too. T.J.(the producer) propositions Lizzie (Rosie's groom stealing best friend) saying that she needs to put her organizational skills to the test and come save Ruthie's wedding from all the obstacles that the producers are going to throw in their way. Lizzie only accepts because she wants to make amends for her part in Rosie's first wedding fiasco. After getting off to a rocky start with Ruthie, her parents and Baggy, Lizzie finally starts making inroads into gaining back their trust and love. She cements it even more after rescuing Baggy. Lizzie is very career driven and detail oriented which is great for helping to keep Ruthie's wedding on track, but isn't so great for her falling for Shay, whom she feels has no ambition. Between the antics of the TV show, the weather, the grandmothers' rivalry and a few other surprises one wonders if the wedding will be spectacular or one hot mess. Also, will everyone finally get their HEAs. Read the series and find out. I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the author

Ann Omasta is a USA Today bestselling author. 

Ann’s Top Ten list of likes, dislikes, and oddities:

1.     I despise whipped cream. There, I admitted it in writing. Let the ridiculing begin.

2.     Even though I have lived as far south as Key Largo, Florida, and as far north as Maine, I landed in the middle.

3.     If I don't make a conscious effort not to, I will drink nothing but tea morning, noon, and night. Hot tea, sweet tea, green tea––I love it all.

4.     There doesn't seem to be much in life that is better than coming home to a couple of big dogs who are overjoyed to see me. My other family members usually show significantly less enthusiasm about my return.

5.     Singing in my bestest, loudest voice does not make my family put on their happy faces. This includes the big, loving dogs referenced above.

6.     Yes, I am aware that bestest is not a word.

7.     Dorothy was right. There's no place like home.

8.     All of the numerous bottles in my shower must be lined up with their labels facing out. It makes me feel a little like Julia Roberts' mean husband from the movie Sleeping with the Enemy, but I can't seem to control this particular quirk.

9.     I love, love, love finding a great bargain!

10.  Did I mention that I hate whipped cream? It makes my stomach churn to look at it, touch it, smell it, or even think about it. Great––now I'm thinking about it. Ick!

** I would LOVE to send you a free copy of my novella, Aloha, Baby! Visit annomasta.com for details. **