Two romance novel book covers featuring couples on a cruise, with titles "Cruise Crush" and "Cruise Fling" by Kathleen Allen, with illustrations of ocean and cruise ships in the background.

The Pinnacle Series

Welcome aboard Pinnacle Cruise Lines, setting sail with sun, sea, and a spark you never saw coming…

Series Information

Series
The Pinnacle Series
Author
Kathleen Allen
Primary Genre
Romantic Comedy
Secondary Genre
Contemporary Romance / Vacation Romance
Books in Series
2 Published
Series Status
Ongoing
Series Type
Interconnected Standalone Romantic Comedies
Reading Order
Books Can Be Read Independently or in Publication Order
First Book
Featured Couples
AJ & DJ (Cruise Crush) • Andrea & Thomas (Cruise Fling)
Target Audience
Adult Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance, and Vacation Romance Readers
Setting
Pinnacle Cruise Line ships, tropical destinations, Caribbean ports of call, luxury vacation settings, and unforgettable adventures at sea
Core Themes
Love, connection, vulnerability, second chances, self-discovery, friendship, trust, letting go, and taking chances on unexpected romance
Popular Tropes
Vacation romance, strangers to lovers, forced proximity, unexpected attraction
Publisher
The Pinnacle Series Reading Order
Book Title
1 Cruise Crush
2 Cruise Fling
3 Cruise Craze — Coming 2027

Every voyage is different. Every couple has a story. And every horizon carries the possibility of something new.

For readers who love feel-good romance, irresistible chemistry, unforgettable destinations, and the escapism of writers like Emily Henry, Christina Lauren, and Tessa Bailey, The Pinnacle Series offers a first-class ticket to romance on the open sea.

Set aboard the luxurious ships of Pinnacle Cruise Line and in dazzling ports around the world, each novel delivers a fresh romantic journey filled with humor, emotion, unexpected attraction, and the kind of connection that can change everything.

Pinnacle Cruise Line has spent years perfecting the art of escape. Elegant staterooms. Exceptional dining. Endless ocean views. Exotic destinations. Nights filled with music, laughter, and possibility. Every voyage is designed to help people leave ordinary life behind.

And sometimes, that is exactly when extraordinary things happen.

Far from routines, expectations, and the responsibilities waiting back home, people become a little more willing to take chances. Conversations last longer. Walls come down. A stranger can become a confidant before the next port. A shared drink can turn into a late-night walk beneath the stars. A simple glance across a crowded lounge can become impossible to forget.

On Pinnacle, romance rarely arrives according to schedule. It might begin during a shore excursion that goes hilariously wrong. Over dinner with someone who was never supposed to be at the table. On a dance floor under a Caribbean moon. At karaoke after one drink too many. Or in the quiet hours after midnight, when two people finally admit the things they have been afraid to say anywhere else.

The characters of The Pinnacle Series board are carrying lives that are rarely as uncomplicated as the itinerary suggests. Then someone unexpected steps into their path.

Each standalone romance explores the exhilarating uncertainty of falling for someone when the timing may be completely wrong—and the connection feels completely right. Attraction collides with old wounds. Careers complicate desire. Past relationships refuse to stay buried. Expectations clash with reality. And a romance that was supposed to last only until disembarkation begins to raise a much more difficult question: What happens when the cruise ends?

Step aboard. Leave the ordinary behind. Take the chance. Because on Pinnacle, the next time love bumps into you, it might change the course of your life.

PRAISE FOR THE PINNACLE SERIES

  • Cruise Crush is a journey worth taking, especially for those who love reading romance novels with an added bit of spice!

    Shrubaboti Bose for The Feathered Quill

  • If you love rom-coms, flirty banter, “whoops I fell for him” plots, and cruise ship fantasies, this is for you. Perfect for beach reads, bubble baths, or days when your real life feels like a sad salad.

    Literary Titan

  • I love romance novels, but this one truly blew me away.

    Rabia Tanveer for Readers’ Favorite


Awards & Recognition

The Pinnacle Series has earned national recognition for its irresistible blend of romantic comedy, vacation romance, witty banter, and sizzling chemistry. Cruise Crush, the first novel in Kathleen Allen’s series, won the 2025 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal for Romance–Comedy and earned a Literary Titan Gold Book Award, while Cruise Fling continued the series’ award-winning tradition as a 2026 Readers’ Favorite Award Finalist in Romance–Sizzle.

Award Name Year What It Was For
Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards 2026 Cruise Fling — Award Finalist, Romance – Sizzle
Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards 2025 Cruise Crush — Silver Medal, Romance – Comedy
Literary Titan Book Award 2025 Cruise Crush — Gold Book Award for excellence in romantic comedy, characterization, humor, and storytelling
Literary Titan Book Award seal with gold star design
Silver circular badge with a laurel wreath, a book, and a heart at the center, with the text 'Readers' Favorite Book Award Winner' around the edge.
Black and white logo of the Rewards' Favorites Book Awards depicting a medal with a person reading a book, encircled by a laurel wreath, and the text "Rewards' Favorites Book Awards".

Books in The Pinnacle Series

Author

Kathleen Allen

Anchors aweigh, because her spicy contemporary romances are pulling out of port! The Pinnacle Series is filled with awkward situations, humor, exotic destinations, witty banter, and fiery passion. Pack your bags because her first novel, Cruise Crush, will be your ultimate vacation beach read!

Woman walking on a shallow, turquoise ocean shore under a blue sky with clouds