‘Heart-wrenching . . . a story that needs to be remembered’ FERN BRITTON
‘Enthrallingly told . . . it’s extraordinary how despite everything hope for the future shines out’ RACHEL HORE
Liverpool 1940. Alice King stands on the deck of SS Carlisle, waiting to escort a group of children to Canada as overseas evacuees. She is finally doing her bit for the war.In London, as the Blitz bombs rain down and the threat of German invasion looms, Lily Nicholls anxiously counts the days for news of her son and daughter’s safe arrival.
But when disaster strikes in the Atlantic, Alice and Lily – one at sea, the other on land – will quickly become one another’s very best hope. The events of one night, and the eight unimaginable days that follow, will bind the two women together in unforgettable ways.
Inspired by a remarkable true story, The Last Lifeboat is a gripping and triumphant tale of love, courage and hope against the odds.
Praise for The Last Lifeboat
‘A journey into the worst hardships of war for two women . . . and yet throughout it is bathed in the warmth of love’ GILL PAUL‘I loved this absorbing, heart-rending story and cared so much about the vivid, courageous characters. Superb storytelling’ TRACY REES
‘Gripping, devastating, tremendously moving . . . a tale of bravery and remarkable endurance, the kindness of strangers, and the power of hope’ JENNY ASHCROFT
‘I was utterly engaged . . . the characters brim with life, the plot is elegantly handled and the writing is terrific’ LIZ TRENOW
‘Totally absorbing, heartbreaking and heart-stopping’ CELIA REES
‘Endearing characters, terrific plot, and a superb sense of time and place made this riveting book unputdownable. I loved it’ PATRICIA SCANLAN
‘Historical fiction at it’s best, The Last Lifeboat completely swept me away, leaving me breathless with emotion. A must-read’ CARMEL HARRINGTON
‘A devastatingly beautiful tale of survival and courage’ AMANDA GEARD
‘Broke my heart and then mended it again’ KATE THOMPSON
‘A story of courage and triumph against the odds, this is historical fiction at its best’MY WEEKLY
‘A heart-wrenching read’ ANTONIA SENIOR, THE TIMES
‘This earth-shattering novel is both harrowing and hopeful’ Woman’s Own
Genre: Historical
Praise for this book
"A searing, emotional, based-on-a-true-story tale of impossible survival and incredible hope aboard a single lifeboat adrift in a greedy, perilous sea. ... Gaynor's story is powerful not just in its closely researched adherence to astonishing historical truth, but also in the way she so richly imagines the emotions of both those aboard the doomed ship and those on land who made the wrenching decision to part with their children. You'll be on the edge of your seat as you root for a mother who's lost nearly everything, a courageous children's guardian finding her inner strength, and a ragtag group of survivors alone in the storm-tossed Atlantic." - Kristin Harmel
"A thrilling and atmospheric novel told with Gaynor's signature compelling storytelling. During WWII's British child evacuation, two families' destinies collide in an absorbing story about breathtaking survival, extraordinary perseverance, and the resilience of love. I felt every splash of the storm-ridden sea in the lifeboat, every unsinkable hope for a child's return, and every shattering loss. With Gaynor's wise insights into the human heart, prepare to lose yourself in this book." - Patti Callahan Henry
"In The Last Lifeboat, beloved historical fiction author Hazel Gaynor illuminates a little known incident from the Second World War: the sinking by German U-boat of a ship carrying children who were being evacuated from Britain. The book tells the harrowing story from the alternating perspectives of Lily, a mother in England faced with the excruciating dilemma of whether to send her children away, and Alice, who escorts the evacuee children and finds herself charged with helping a small group of them survive in a lifeboat for eight days after the ship sinks. With her trademark combination of meticulous research and gifted storytelling, Gaynor weaves a tale that is captivating, heartbreaking and unforgettable." - Pam Jenoff
"Hazel Gaynor's latest novel, inspired by a shocking wartime tragedy, captivated me from the very first page. Though propelled by a slew of twists and turns, at its core, The Last Lifeboat is a moving tale of love, hope, and fortitude in the darkest of times. A haunting, memorable read." - Kristina McMorris
"Emotionally riveting and beautifully told. The Last Lifeboat is an unforgettable story of survival, resolve, and the shimmering stubbornness of hope. You can count on Hazel Gaynor's gorgeous writing to carry you away and safely bring you back." - Susan Meissner
"Hazel Gaynor's novels have a way of gripping a reader's heartstrings, and her latest, The Last Lifeboat, is no exception. Inspired by the 1940 sinking of the SS City of Benares, The Last Lifeboat imagines what might have happened in a lifeboat lost at sea and the child evacuees onboard. Gaynor's latest is a glimpse into the anguish amid the families impacted by mass evacuations during WWII, but more than this, it is a story of bravery and surrendering to hope--especially for two women facing the most unimaginable of circumstances. A poignant, stirring tale. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time to come." - Sarah Penner
"A harrowing tale of one woman's survival in the Mid-Atlantic and another's refusal to accept the unacceptable news of her children. Hazel Gaynor brings us two courageous heroines in a gripping, historical pager turner, beautifully told with great heart and such vivid detail, you can practically taste the sea salt in the air. And the children--the children will stay with you forever as will this marvel of a novel." - Renée Rosen
"Everything you could want in a historical novel, and so much more: suspenseful, emotional, spellbinding. I read with my heart in my throat as Hazel Gaynor expertly swept me away into a mother's angst, a survivor's desperation, a child's innocence caught in the middle of a war. A triumphant, remarkable story from an author at the top of her game." - Jessica Strawser
"A thrilling and atmospheric novel told with Gaynor's signature compelling storytelling. During WWII's British child evacuation, two families' destinies collide in an absorbing story about breathtaking survival, extraordinary perseverance, and the resilience of love. I felt every splash of the storm-ridden sea in the lifeboat, every unsinkable hope for a child's return, and every shattering loss. With Gaynor's wise insights into the human heart, prepare to lose yourself in this book." - Patti Callahan Henry
"In The Last Lifeboat, beloved historical fiction author Hazel Gaynor illuminates a little known incident from the Second World War: the sinking by German U-boat of a ship carrying children who were being evacuated from Britain. The book tells the harrowing story from the alternating perspectives of Lily, a mother in England faced with the excruciating dilemma of whether to send her children away, and Alice, who escorts the evacuee children and finds herself charged with helping a small group of them survive in a lifeboat for eight days after the ship sinks. With her trademark combination of meticulous research and gifted storytelling, Gaynor weaves a tale that is captivating, heartbreaking and unforgettable." - Pam Jenoff
"Hazel Gaynor's latest novel, inspired by a shocking wartime tragedy, captivated me from the very first page. Though propelled by a slew of twists and turns, at its core, The Last Lifeboat is a moving tale of love, hope, and fortitude in the darkest of times. A haunting, memorable read." - Kristina McMorris
"Emotionally riveting and beautifully told. The Last Lifeboat is an unforgettable story of survival, resolve, and the shimmering stubbornness of hope. You can count on Hazel Gaynor's gorgeous writing to carry you away and safely bring you back." - Susan Meissner
"Hazel Gaynor's novels have a way of gripping a reader's heartstrings, and her latest, The Last Lifeboat, is no exception. Inspired by the 1940 sinking of the SS City of Benares, The Last Lifeboat imagines what might have happened in a lifeboat lost at sea and the child evacuees onboard. Gaynor's latest is a glimpse into the anguish amid the families impacted by mass evacuations during WWII, but more than this, it is a story of bravery and surrendering to hope--especially for two women facing the most unimaginable of circumstances. A poignant, stirring tale. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time to come." - Sarah Penner
"A harrowing tale of one woman's survival in the Mid-Atlantic and another's refusal to accept the unacceptable news of her children. Hazel Gaynor brings us two courageous heroines in a gripping, historical pager turner, beautifully told with great heart and such vivid detail, you can practically taste the sea salt in the air. And the children--the children will stay with you forever as will this marvel of a novel." - Renée Rosen
"Everything you could want in a historical novel, and so much more: suspenseful, emotional, spellbinding. I read with my heart in my throat as Hazel Gaynor expertly swept me away into a mother's angst, a survivor's desperation, a child's innocence caught in the middle of a war. A triumphant, remarkable story from an author at the top of her game." - Jessica Strawser
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