“Lovely…Another heartening story about the possibility of striking out in a new direction at any age. It is also a soothing read, especially welcome in these anxious times.” –Christian Science Monitor From the author of Meet Me at the Museum, a charming novel of second chances, about three women, one dog, and the narrowboat that brings them together Eve expected Sally to come festooned with … Eve expected Sally to come festooned with suitcases and overnight bags packed with everything she owned, but she was wrong. She arrived on foot, with a rucksack and a carrier bag. “I just walked away,” she said, climbing on to the boat. Eve knew what she meant.
Meet Eve, who has left her thirty-year career to become a Free Spirit; Sally, who has waved goodbye to her indifferent husband and two grown-up children; and Anastasia, a defiantly independent narrowboat-dweller, who is suddenly landlocked and vulnerable.
Before they quite know what they’ve done, Sally and Eve agree to drive Anastasia’s narrowboat on a journey through the canals of England, as she awaits a life-saving operation. As they glide gently – and not so gently – through the countryside, the eccentricities and challenges of narrowboat life draw them inexorably together, and a tender and unforgettable story unfolds. At summer’s end, all three women must decide whether to return to the lives they left behind, or forge a new path forward.
Candid, hilarious, and uplifting, Anne Youngson’s The Narrowboat Summer is a celebration of the power of friendship and new experiences to change one’s life, at any age.
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A friend and I were chatting about books and decided we wanted to find a book about a middle-aged woman where the story did not center on a divorce, becoming a widow, or inheriting property/ business in some exotic locale that changes the woman’s life (nothing wrong with any of those–I love those stories; the point was something different). We came across The Narrowboat Summer and it fit the description perfectly. LOVED these characters and could relate to all three women. I had no idea about narrowboats (not a thing in California!) and loved learning this culture while watching these women grow and change and develop a beautiful friendship/family-ship. Beautifully done!
I’m not sure why this novel works, but it does. It’s about two women stepping out of their less than ideal lives and adopting/being adopted into a quirky little community as they pilot a narrowboat as a favor for a curmudgeonly old lady. The plot moves placidly and charmingly along, much as a narrowboat does, slowly revealing truths, accumulating depths, and eschewing sentimentality. Recommended for those who can appreciate a smart but quiet novel.
I needed an uplifting read, and this book came at a time when I needed it the most. Books are such a source of comfort and Anne Youngson’s writing of THE NARROWBOAT SUMMER brings a wonderful addition to the contemporary women’s fiction genre, full of characters that confounds how friendships blossom in the most unusual of circumstances that is perfect for any age.
I had never been on a narrowboat or even in a canal of sorts but the story did take me on this bit of an adventure amongst the stories behind the women, as they form this friendship, and as they share their struggles and difficulties in a hopeful, light hearted and many times what are you going to do but chuckle with what lives hands you.
I enjoyed each of the characters – Sally, Eve, Anastasia as well as all the other sub characters that meander through this journey and story in this narrowboat in the British canal.
A truly fantastic read I loved.
I loved reading The Narrowboat Summer by Anne Youngson! The idea of two women that leave all they know and are familiar with to immerse themselves in a unique way of life to help a stranger for summer is delightful. Eve and Sally meet by chance on a towpath one afternoon when they hear the terrible howling of a dog. They approach a narrowboat which is moored along a canal close to London, then discover a dog seems to be in distress locked inside the boat. What should they do? They break a window and let the dog go free. Then they meet the indomitable Anastasia!
This is the beginning of a summer for new friends, learning new skills, and adventure which takes Eve and Sally out of their comfort zones. They discover the boat owner, Anastasia needs help due to a health condition, so they agree to spend several months taking the boat for repairs. As they work the locks while going through the route of canals, they meet people who live a life of uncertainty but also seem to have a sense of inner peace and a slower pace of life.
Eve and Sally were both at a crossroad in their lives when they met that afternoon, and they did not expect to become friends. the women are learning more about their strengths and faults. One afternoon Eve asks Anastasia, does being a grown-up mean we are all doomed to be ordinary?
“No,” said Anastasia. “It means accepting we are all extraordinary in ordinary ways.” I enjoyed the interaction of the characters, the lessons they learned about themselves, and the strengths they developed. I was disappointed when the story ended!
Publication Date: January 26, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Three women meet on a towpath along a canal near London, strangers brought together by a howling dog in a narrowboat, all three at crossroads in their life. Anastasia, the boat owner, teaches Eve and Sally how to operate the narrowboat and trusts them to deliver it to the repair facility in Chester, over 200 miles north, a trip that would take more than six weeks. Six weeks that would change their lives.
The story reads like a narrowboat trip – slow, meandering, graceful & enriching. Along the way, Eve & Sally meet a variety of people, some of whom will become dear friends and some who will remain just people they met.
A perfect book club read – so many episodes ripe for discussion and consideration. I took a long time to read this book, not because it was difficult but because I wanted to savor each chapter. This is a book I will reread next summer and dream of my own narrowboat trip.
I received this book from BookBrowse. The opinion and enjoyment are my own.