This is a good story of friendship.
The characters are all likeable. This book evokes many emotions.
A compelling read

A lovely, slow-paced, considered novel about the value of true friendship and taking the time to slow down and listen to everything around you. It's also about stopping what you're doing and paying attention to your inner self and what you really believe in.

Eve and Sally bump into each other on a towpath when they "rescue" a dog from a canal boat. Turns out the dog was not in need of rescue, he just wanted out of the boat. To cut a long story short, Anastasia's boat requires urgent maintenance, but so does Anastasia. So, Eve and Sally agree to take Anastasia's boat on a long canal journey to the boatyard while Anastasia undergoes treatment.

This is beautifully written, rich with interesting and realistic characters, and the pacing is just like a trip along a canal; slow, considered and without thrills or much tension. Make yourself a cup of tea and set aside some time to slow down and enjoy this lovely book. Feel your pulse slow and your breathing calm. A very rewarding journey, indeed.

An interesting read that I'm glad to have discovered. I'll definitely be seeking out more by this author. So funny!

On the day that Sally decides that she is definitely going to leave her husband and change her life she walks home along the canal towpath. Coming in the opposite direction is Eve, just made redundant from her high-flying corporate job and determined to change her life. Both try to rescue a dog they believe is trapped on a narrow boat and this chance encounter will provide the stimulus for a new beginning.
Although this is a very gentle book, it does explore some big themes. Both Eve and Sally are going through a mid-life crisis and this is explored in detail. I also loved the juxtaposition between both their lives, different but predictable, and that of Anastasia, a free-er spirit, and Trompette, her younger counterpart. Men are really a big feature here, the key male characters are all peripheral. This is a book for women of certain age but it is no less enjoyable because of that.

This book made me want to buy a narrowboat and set off for a vagabond life on the canals in the UK.

I didn't really know what to expect from this book, so just took it one page at a time - a bit like how Sally and Eve, the main characters in this book, took their unexpected narrowboat trip one day at a time. What I saw about this book before I started reading it was all the usual buzzwords: heartwarming, uplifting, inspirational, funny. And yeah, sure, whatever - I'm sure the book is all of those things. It just isn't what comes to mind when *I* think about it.

To me, this book is about relationships and about what matters. Not in the sense that the true answer to life is to run away on a narrowboat, but that life is complicated, humans are complicated, and people matter. It's about wanting to matter to other people and letting other people matter to you, and making conscious choices to LET it happen. Make futures where there is space for it.

It is also just a book about two women taking a narrowboat across the UK for another woman, with all the meandering that comes with it, and little and big dramas, other people and themselves, and a dog, and stories. It may sound terribly boring, and I'm sure that for some people it will be, but I actually really enjoyed this book: it's slow-paced and takes its time, but doesn't waffle on unnecessarily. I liked the slow reveal of the relationship structures in this book and how going on this unexpected trip afforded Sally and Eve (as well as Anastasia, though it was shown to a lesser degree) to develop their existing relationships in new ways along with building new ones.

also, ngl, I was holding out hope for a f/f HEA for Sally and Eve and I did think there were some strong hints and potential for their relationship to go that way. It didn't, and I'm not actually sorry for it, because it seems what I got instead was a found family, a queerplatonic relationship, perhaps, a group of people who have decided that they matter to each other and are willing to keep it that way. I like that.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Anne Youngson’s debut novel, Meet Me at the Museum, and was delighted to have the opportunity to meet her and have her sign my copy at Henley Literary Festival in 2018. I’m happy to say, Three Women and a Boat was an equal delight.

I loved the varied nature of the people Eve and Sally encounter on their journey, made up of what are described as “the picturesque, the not-quite-normal and the colourful“. Individuals such as Arthur with his peripatetic lifestyle, or Trompette and Billy who live aboard the narrowboat Grimm and entertain audiences with stories about canal history (one of which reminded me of Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse novel, The Wench Is Dead) or occasional ghostly goings on. And I mustn’t forget Noah the dog, the catalyst for bringing the three women together.

There is a real sense of community amongst the canal folk. “Known to each other, even if meetings such as this were occasional and occurred by chance. It was a community rooted in geography that was defined by its distance end to end rather than by boundaries round a fixed centre“.

It was fascinating to witness how Sally and Eve change over the space of a few weeks, finding within themselves a sense of purpose or the ability to exist in the moment that they hadn’t before. As Eve says to Sally, “You are the person you’ve always been, but that person is only now rising to the surface.” For example, Sally finds herself adapting to “canal time, where nothing is accomplished quickly, and times of arrival may be agreed in terms of a given week rather a given hour.”

That feeling of peace, restfulness and the time to notice and appreciate things really comes across through what the author calls the ‘music’ of the canal. “All the whispers, gurgles, whistles, rustles, cries and songs of the water and the wildlife and the fringe of vegetation”. Of course, to begin with, it’s not all plain sailing (if you’ll forgive the pun) with Eve and Sally facing the challenge of navigating the Number One safely through flights of locks and long, narrow tunnels, not to mention retrieving items lost overboard.

Of course, none of these experiences would have been possible without Eve and Sally’s chance meeting with Anastasia. She is a wonderful character who, although appearing rather irascible to begin with, is revealed, as the book progresses, to be someone who has had a positive impact on the lives of countless others. “There was about Anastasia a certainty and honesty that stiffened you up, raised your standards, held you accountable. And without her, it might be impossible to maintain.” She brings the same steely determination and sense of independence to her own situation although even she is forced to accept the help of others eventually. I think Anastasia’s words of wisdom could justify a whole book to themselves but I particularly liked her observation that growing up is about “accepting we are all extraordinary in ordinary ways“.

The ending of the book is not so much a resolution of the story as much as a resolution by each character that different possibilities lie ahead for them. Three Women and a Boat is an enchanting story full of warmth and insight, perfect for those in need of an uplifting read or for fans of the TV series Great Canal Journeys.

Sally and Eve are strangers, both looking to change their lives, when they meet Anastasia, dog Noah and the Number One canal boat. They find themselves agreeing to take the boat up the canals from London to Chester, while Anastasia has treatment in hospital. Along the way, the two become friends and find out what they really want with their lives.

I loved this book. Yes, it’s a little preposterous, in that even an eccentric old lady like Anastasia would be unlikely to entrust their home to two strangers, with no idea how to cope with a canal boat, but that aside, it’s a great story. The characters they encountered along the way, especially Trompette and Arthur, were excellent side shoots to the growing affection between Eve and Sally. The beauty of travelling along the canals of England are there for all to see in the pages of the book, but the glamorous ideal is balanced with the realities of the sometimes hard existence on a boat. Billy’s stories about the canals were another fascinating insight into canal life.

A warm and enjoyable story, much appreciated.

EXCERPT: As they approach the moored boat, the sun inserts a finger of light between the clouds and it is all at once a lovely day, at that moment, on that towpath. At almost the same instant, when the two women are close enough to each other for a nod and a smile of greeting, if either or both of them thought that was appropriate - they are complete strangers, so it seems unlikely - at that precise moment, the narrowboat begins to howl. It howls as if it were a mezzo-soprano in mid-aria spotting her husband committing adultery in the stalls while being impaled from behind by a careless spear carrier. Both women stop walking.

ABOUT 'THREE WOMEN AND A BOAT': 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.

MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this meander along the canals in a narrowboat as these three women, all strangers to one another, come to terms with the changes in their lives. Although it could almost be Four Women and Two Boats as Trompette's life is also turned upside down and she eventually joins Anastasia, Eve and Sally.

What starts out as a chance meeting between two strangers attempting to rescue a hysterical dog, soon encompasses a third stranger, owner of said hysterical dog, and the chance to help one another out.

Sally has reached a watershed in her personal life. She is no longer able to go through the motions of being wife, mother, classroom assistant, and resident of 42 Beech Grove which, incidentally, has no Beech trees, let alone a grove of them or anything else. She has gone through life trying to work out what the person she is talking to wants her to say, and then saying it, forever being nice.

Eve has lost her job. She had thought that she was safe as one of an insignificant minority of women in her field of engineering. She has worked her way up from design engineer to team leader to project manager to director, and had begun to think that she belonged. Until she found that she didn't. Her career has kept her on the move, from one plant to another, one office to another, one project to another. She has managed her relationships in the same way, with her eye always on where she is going, never expecting or wanting permanence. She has always been in control, knowing her boundaries and parameters. Suddenly she is without this definition and finds it unsettling.

Anastasia is dying, or may be. She's not 100% sure. There's a chance that whatever is wrong with her can be made to go away, which will give her the opportunity to die of something else at a later date. But it's a complicated process, and she's not sure she has the stamina for it, and wonders if it might not, in the long run, be easier to die from what she has now. She needs more information, and while she gathers it she needs someone to take her boat on to where it's booked in at the dry dock for its annual inspection and cleaning.

And so the journey begins, populated by other people who drop in and out of the tale, Trompette and Billy, Arthur, Jacob and Vic, and Owen who all have equally fascinating stories of their own.

This is a charming story of unexpected friendship, kindness, and how helping others can help you to find your own way. I loved the characters, all of them. Each one fits into the story as snugly as a jigsaw piece into a puzzle, and each enhances the other. I loved Anastasia's feistyness, Sally's kindness, Eve's determination. Three Women and a Boat made me think about the disparity between how we see ourselves, how others see us, and how we think others see us. It made me think about a lot of things, like how easy it is to bury our essential selves under our day to day commitments, and how important it is that we don't lose our essence.

Three Women and a Boat is a lovely read. Don't rush through it. It's a book to linger over, to contemplate. It's a book that will engender many emotions as you read, and one that is pleasing, satisfying and comforting. And along the way you will learn a little of the history of narrowboats and the British canal system.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.2

#ThreeWomenandaBoat #NetGalley

'Being grown up doesn't mean that we are all doomed to be ordinary. It means accepting that we are all extraordinary in ordinary ways.'

THE AUTHOR: Anne Youngson worked for many years in senior management in the car industry before embarking on a creative career as a writer. She has supported many charities in governance roles, including Chair of the Writers in Prison Network, which provided residencies in prisons for writers. She lives in Oxfordshire and is married with two children and three grandchildren to date.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Three Women and a Boat by Anne Youngson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

This is - on the face of it - a lovely gentle read but, trust me, there are many hidden depths!

Sally, Eve and Anastasia are unknow quantities to each other; for differing reasons, they are all at a crossroads in their lives. Anastasia, fiercely independent, finds herself in need of some help as she faces a life-saving operation. Sally and Eve, each for their own reasons, would like to get away from it all. Perhaps they met for a shared purpose?

A very enjoyable read which will draw you in to the lives of these three women and you may very well find yourself in a reflective mood as you progress through the book. Written with warmth and humour, this is one of those stories which makes you begin to think you are a part of it. First of all we find out what the characters are doing with themselves now and then, as the story unfolds, we get to know each of them more intimately. Beautifully written, this is a wonderfully honest, heartwarming tale which kept me in it's thrall until the very last page. I can see that it perhaps won't be for everyone but personally I found it to be a rather soothing read and one I'm happy to give 4.5*.

This is a charming story about three women; Eve; Sally and Anastasia who have all reached a crossroads in their lives. Eve has just been made redundant from her high-flying job, Sally has decided that her marriage has pretty much run its course and the fiercely independent Anastasia is facing a medical and possibly life changing challenge. Happenstance brings them together on a canal towpath where Anastasia has moored her barge. This meeting leads to Eve and Sally, accompanied by the redoubtable terrier, Noah, on a barge journey from the south to the north-west of England to deliver Anastasia’s narrowboat for repairs, while she receives medical treatment. As they travel the waterways they learn a lot about each other, Anastasia, the other characters they meet along the way and most importantly, the power of female friendships.

This is a lyrically told tale with beautiful descriptions of the waterways they navigate and the surrounding countryside and cityscapes. The characters grow, develop and change as the journey progresses. They meet the mysterious Arthur and the hippy-ish Billy and Trompette all of whom have a connection with Anastasia.

The narrative is entertaining and there is humour and pathos. I became really fond of all the characters with their foibles and strengths. There is nothing fast paced about this novel, it is as gentle as the wash the narrowboat creates as it makes its leisurely journey along the canals. This is a perfect novel for fans of Rachel Joyce, Ruth Hogan and Gail Honeyman.

Thank you to NetGalley and DoubleDayUK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this book particularly as we go on a barging holiday each year and have travelled to Chester. A really lovely gentle tale, exploring the relationdhip between three unlikely women and of course Noah- Anastasia's dog. There are adventures with other along the way and the one thing they all have in common is the formidable Anastasia.. Thoroughly enjoyable and was sad to get to the end. Can see the possibility for a sequel!!

'Three Women and a Boat' is a heartwarming tale of three women having an adventure on a narrowboat called The Number One. I loved the characters, and reading about their journey - both on the boat, and also metaphorically. This would make a good, escapist, lighthearted book club read. Something a bit different,

I love books about female friendship, and this was a great one. Charming writing, good story, and characters. Would recommend!
Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

This was a slightly diffferent type of book for me, I was intrigued by the blurb so decided to give it a go! I was particularly interested in the life of the narrow boat dwellers as I enjoy campervanning and thought there would be some similarities but it seemed to highlight more the history of the canals which was interesting but not really my cup of tea!
The relationship between Eve, sally and Anastasia and how it developed and flourished demonstrated the power and impact of female friendships no matter what age you are or from what background.An interesting read that I felt finished rather abruptly.
Thank you net galley for this early read.

I loved this book. I was curious about it as its about Narrowboats but I loved how the relationships unfolded. Good story and makes you think