I am obsessed with penguins. They are my absolute favorite. So when I saw How the Penguins Saved Veronica on NetGalley it was a must read for me and thankfully the publisher granted my request. It is about 85 year old curmudgeon Veronica McCreedy. She lives alone in Scotland and is inspired by a documentary she sees on penguins. She gets it in her head that she must go to Antarctica to witness the research on the penguins first-hand with the hope that she will leave her fortune to the research project once she passes. It was an adorable story with quite a few chuckles. I think fans of Backman's Ove and Grandmother books would really enjoy this one. 4/5

Veronica is stubborn, quirky curmudgeon who won't let anything or anyone stand in her way. All of which make her a fun main character. My husband loves penguins, so I was excited about that angle, and I learned some things about them along the way. At the core, this is a heartwarming, well-crafted story about family.

I highly enjoyed this! I loved getting to know Veronica and all her quirks. She’s a stubborn go-getter who’s not going to let anyone stand in her way. But with the help of some adorable penguins and a few choice individuals, she comes out of her shell. The characters are all dynamic, unique, and incredibly well layered. And who doesn’t love a book about penguins?? If you’re looking for your next “beloved curmudgeon” story a la “A Man Called Ove,” this is it.

She's 85, has no family she knows of and has money to will. When she starts watching a nature program with penguins, she has an idea...

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published June 16th.

Right before she goes on her adventure, she finds out her son is dead but she has a grandson. She goes to visit him without warning and the visit doesn't go well. She decides to visit the penguins instead.

The scientists tell her not to come. There are no charming factors to living on an island in Antarctica. She shows up anyway and is totally charmed by the penguins. The food isn't great, neither are her quarters but she doesn't complain.

One night she sneaks out on her own and has an attack. They take her back to the shelter and call the doctor. They also let her grandson know. His boss fronts him the money to go visit.

She's in and out of consciousness and barely recognizes him, but he sits with her. He repairs a broken solar unit. Begins cooking, and it's good food! Soon he and she are spending time together.

He falls in love with the woman working with the penguins. When he's leaving with his Grandma, he asks her to come with him, but her life is with the penguins. That's OK, Grandma intends to leave him her money and then he can return and help her with the project. Everyone loves penguins...

You know you're into a good book when one of the main characters names his pot plants Weedledum and Weedledee, .85 year old Veronica realizes that time is running out, and with no one to leave her fortune to, she decides to visit a penquin research facility in the South Shetland Islands with a view to leave her fortune to further research. Her newly found grandson joins her there to try to develop their growing relationship. This is a heartwarming story proving it's never too late to find family.

i really enjoyed this book, a great one for reconnecting with family. Very enjoyable and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Aaaaahhhhhh!!! Perfection! I absolutely love this book! It’s rare that I fall in love with every character so much. But V is just amazing. The layers of her life are intense and believable. I kept picturing her as Judy Dench! And maybe Tom Huddleston as Patrick??? The penguin storyline is informative and fun. This doesn’t come out for a month but I’ve been yelling from the rooftops how much I adore it. Thank you for letting me read it!

Enjoyable and lighthearted. Veronica is 85 years old, most of the time with it, sometimes not. What she is however is wealthy, feisty, and still young at heart. Watching a series of documentaries on Penguins she decides to visit the island where they live before she decides to give her money to the project. During this same time she discovers she has a grandson. While At first meet she’s not at all impressed, their relationship starts to grow.
I love quirky reads like this with original plots.

I had no idea what to expect when I started this book. This author had a unique style of exposing the underlying complexities of the characters. She made me want to learn more about them. This is a very enjoyable look at relationships, love, and loss.

Veronica is an interesting octogenarian who on first meeting appears to be very cranky and unhappy. There are also fears voiced by her caregiver that she may be experiencing some dementia. She lives in a mansion in Scotland. She becomes very interested in penquins after watching a documentary describing a research project on Locket Island in Antarctica. Veronica is searching for something to inspire her...a mission...a place where she could make a difference. But before giving any of her money to the project she wants to make a three week visit to the island. The three scientists on the island try unsuccessfully to dissuade her from visiting....due to the living conditions being very primitive.

Veronica also discovers she has a grandson just prior to her trip to the island. She is very disappointed in Patrick, her grandson who appears to be on drugs, unemployed, and unrefined. To Patrick his grandmother appears stuffy, formal, and grumpy. Veronica does decide to send Patrick her teenage diaries. This gives Patrick and the reader a glimpse of Victoria’s tragic past.

During her trip to the island life changes for her, the three scientists, Patrick and a penguin named Pip.

I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this for an honest review.

This novel reminded me very much of the plot of the book and movie, Where Did You Go, Bernadette?

How the Penguins Saved Veronica is about an 85 year old woman who becomes intrigued by the penguins in Antartica and decides to do something drastic about it. A very light read, enjoyable.