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Three Women and a Boat

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

A hugely charming, genuinely uplifting story that shows it's never too late for new adventures and unexpected friendship - for fans of HAROLD FRY, DEAR MRS BIRD and THE LIBRARIAN.

Meet Eve, who has departed from 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: defiantly independent narrowboat-dweller, suddenly vulnerable as she awaits a life-saving operation.

Inexperienced and ill-equipped, Sally and Eve embark upon a journey through the canals of England, guided by the remote and unsympathetic Anastasia. As they glide gently - and not so gently - through the countryside, the eccentricities and challenges of canalboat life draw them inexorably together, and a tender and unforgettable story unfolds.

Disarmingly truthful and narrated with a rare, surprising wit, THREE WOMEN AND A BOAT is a journey over the glorious waterways of England and into the unfathomable depths of the human heart.

© Anne Youngson 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

 Action & Adventure Family Life Fiction Friendship Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Holidays World Literature Heartfelt Feel-Good England

Critic reviews

A gentle meander down England's waterways with bittersweet charm
Life-affirming and funny
A tender story of friendship amidst the challenges and glory of canal-boat life
A joy to read
Gentle and charming. A chance to think about what really matters
A voyage of discover at @3 mph
A tender story of female friendship
Anne Youngson's witty and elegant novel is a celebration of friendship and a timely reminder that it is never too late to take on a daunting (but life-changing) new challenge
All stars
Most relevant
This is a captivating well written story which makes it one of those books that you will want to read again and again .I didn’t want it to end!

It’s just one of those books ...

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lovely writing, enjoyed the descriptions, the characters were delightful, story line simple but very interesting

lovely

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I loved the story and the characters - so real. I shed a tear at the end and many smiles throughout.

A heartwarming story of letting go and finding oneself through new friends, adventure, illness and canals.

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love this story of two women who's lives are changed by another who will not change ! lovely easily followed story .

women changing mundane

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I loved this story and immediately wanted to volunteer to do the same! I'd love a follow-up to find what happened next, but it would have to be a different narrator...

The narrator's woodenness, her lack of nuance and emotion, almost got the better of me and I nearly didn't finish the book. It's only because I'm print disabled and had no other choice but to listen that I did finish it - which only goes to show what a great story it is.

inspiring story

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