British author Ann Youngson was 70 years old when she published her first novel, Meet Me at the Museum, a touching, hopeful story about a blossoming relationship between a museum curator and a farmer's wife. In her sophomore effort, The Narrowboat Summer, Youngson delivers another moving, thought-provoking novel that again brings together unlikely souls whose bond helps them transcend the limiting boundaries of their lives.
In a "town not far from London," three middle-aged women meet by chance. Strong-willed Eve, a single career gal, is squeezed out of her 30-year job at an engineering firm. On her way home from work, she unexpectedly crosses paths with Sally, a compliant, kindly wife and mother, wearied by her indifferent husband and grown children. The two women hear a dog barking furiously from a boat on the canal. When they join forces and investigate, they meet Anastasia, the normally self-reliant boat and dog owner, who is facing a crisis of her own. She's sick and needs life-saving treatment, but her houseboat also needs to be piloted down the canal in order to be inspected and repaired. The three strangers, each at a crossroads, figure out how to help one another.
Newfound friendships, self-discovery and unexpected challenges force the trio to recalibrate their respective lives. Along their journeys, they encounter a host of quirky, colorful characters, some of whom are also in the same "boat," emotionally. Youngson, a heartfelt storyteller, takes readers on a charming excursion that provides a comforting, tender escape. --Kathleen Gerard, blogger at Reading Between the Lines