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The Last Lifeboat
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Inspired by a remarkable true story, a young teacher evacuates children to safety across perilous waters, in a moving and triumphant new novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor.
1940, Kent : Alice King is not brave or daring—she’s happiest finding adventure through the safe pages of books. But times of war demand courage, and as the threat of German invasion looms, a plane crash near her home awakens a strength in Alice she’d long forgotten. Determined to do her part, she finds a role perfectly suited to her experience as a schoolteacher—to help evacuate Britain’s children overseas.
1940, London : Lily Nichols once dreamed of using her mathematical talents for more than tabulating the cost of groceries, but life, and love, charted her a different course. With two lively children and a loving husband, Lily’s humble home is her world, until war tears everything asunder. With her husband gone and bombs raining down, Lily is faced with an impossible keep her son and daughter close, knowing she may not be able to protect them, or enroll them in a risky evacuation scheme, where safety awaits so very far away.
When a Nazi U-boat torpedoes the S. S. Carlisle carrying a ship of children to Canada, a single lifeboat is left adrift in the storm-tossed Atlantic. Alice and Lily, strangers to each other—one on land, the other at sea—will quickly become one another’s very best hope as their lives are fatefully entwined.
Inspired by a remarkable true story, a young teacher evacuates children to safety across perilous waters, in a moving and triumphant new novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor.
1940, Kent : Alice King is not brave or daring—she’s happiest finding adventure through the safe pages of books. But times of war demand courage, and as the threat of German invasion looms, a plane crash near her home awakens a strength in Alice she’d long forgotten. Determined to do her part, she finds a role perfectly suited to her experience as a schoolteacher—to help evacuate Britain’s children overseas.
1940, London : Lily Nichols once dreamed of using her mathematical talents for more than tabulating the cost of groceries, but life, and love, charted her a different course. With two lively children and a loving husband, Lily’s humble home is her world, until war tears everything asunder. With her husband gone and bombs raining down, Lily is faced with an impossible keep her son and daughter close, knowing she may not be able to protect them, or enroll them in a risky evacuation scheme, where safety awaits so very far away.
When a Nazi U-boat torpedoes the S. S. Carlisle carrying a ship of children to Canada, a single lifeboat is left adrift in the storm-tossed Atlantic. Alice and Lily, strangers to each other—one on land, the other at sea—will quickly become one another’s very best hope as their lives are fatefully entwined.
371 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2023
804 people are currently reading
21047 people want to read
About the author
Hazel Gaynor
22 books3,910 followersHazel Gaynor is an award-winning New York Times and internationally bestselling author of historical novels which explore the defining events of the 20th century. A recipient of the 2015 RNA Historical Novel award and the 2024 Audie award for Best Fiction Narrator, she was also shortlisted for the 2019 HWA Gold Crown, and the Irish Book Awards in 2017, 2020 and 2023.
Hazel’s co-written historical novels with Heather Webb have all been published to critical acclaim, winning or being shortlisted for several international awards.
She is a regular speaker at literary festivals, co-founder of The Inspiration Project, and programmed and hosted a series of Historia Live events in association with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature in 2024. Her work is translated into 20 languages and published in twenty-seven territories to date. Her latest novel, Before Dorothy, the imagine life story of Dorothy’s Aunt Em from The Wizard of Oz, will be published in June 2025.
Hazel lives in Ireland with her family.
For more information, visit www.hazelgaynor.com
where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
Hazel’s co-written historical novels with Heather Webb have all been published to critical acclaim, winning or being shortlisted for several international awards.
She is a regular speaker at literary festivals, co-founder of The Inspiration Project, and programmed and hosted a series of Historia Live events in association with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature in 2024. Her work is translated into 20 languages and published in twenty-seven territories to date. Her latest novel, Before Dorothy, the imagine life story of Dorothy’s Aunt Em from The Wizard of Oz, will be published in June 2025.
Hazel lives in Ireland with her family.
For more information, visit www.hazelgaynor.com
where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,221 reviews
June 14, 2025
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This book was so terribly sad yet uplifting in its own way. I have never read any of Hazel Gaynor's work before and I am kicking myself for it. I loved this book so much. The story is told from two points of view. First, we have Alice who is adrift at sea in a lifeboat, she is waiting to be rescued with 34 other passengers...many of them children she is looking after. The other point of view is Lily, she is mom to one of the children in the lifeboat and has a daughter who was rescued and is on her way home.
The book is based on true events and that's what made it all the more harrowing. I just can't imagine having to live through that and what those poor souls went through. The author is a master at evoking the emotions of the time period and the events that happened during the war. Her descriptions of being lost at sea were spot on and I could taste the salt and smell the sea air. Gaynor's research was meticulous and her writing style was very engaging. I can't wait to check out Gaynor's backlist, she writes a compelling story. All. The. Stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
The Book Review Crew
This book was so terribly sad yet uplifting in its own way. I have never read any of Hazel Gaynor's work before and I am kicking myself for it. I loved this book so much. The story is told from two points of view. First, we have Alice who is adrift at sea in a lifeboat, she is waiting to be rescued with 34 other passengers...many of them children she is looking after. The other point of view is Lily, she is mom to one of the children in the lifeboat and has a daughter who was rescued and is on her way home.
The book is based on true events and that's what made it all the more harrowing. I just can't imagine having to live through that and what those poor souls went through. The author is a master at evoking the emotions of the time period and the events that happened during the war. Her descriptions of being lost at sea were spot on and I could taste the salt and smell the sea air. Gaynor's research was meticulous and her writing style was very engaging. I can't wait to check out Gaynor's backlist, she writes a compelling story. All. The. Stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
May 18, 2023
The Last Lifeboat draws on a specific event during WWII to craft a well researched and written novel. As part of Operation Pied Piper, children were not only sent from London to the English countryside, but also to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. This story covers a transport boat heading to Canada. Gaynor has written a compelling story of those on the boat and those still at home.
The story alternates between Alice, a young teacher looking to do something meaningful during the war who signs up to help transport the children, and Lily, the mother of two young children trying to make the decision of whether to send her children.
The SS Carlisle no sooner loses its convoy then it is torpedoed and sinks. Alice, six children and a handful of men make it onto a lifeboat. It’s a trial for Alice to keep the children distracted from the growing number of hours they’ve been adrift and the horrendous weather. Gaynor accurately presents the mercurial moods of the children- despondent one moment and then wondering if they’ll get to meet the king when they’re rescued. As the days go by and supplies dwindle, things become more and more dire. Meanwhile, Lily has been told her son didn’t survive and she is demanding answers.
While this is a book of fiction, Gaynor draws heavily from the torpedoing of The City of Benares in September, 1940. She has done her research well.
I applaud Gaynor for her ability to make some of the quiet moments mean the most. As when Lily remembers a small moment of life when all was right. Or Alice’s “encounter” with the whale.
Multiple characters, not just Alice and Lily, are fully fleshed out. My heart was in my throat waiting to see who, if any, would survive.
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for an advance copy of this book.
The story alternates between Alice, a young teacher looking to do something meaningful during the war who signs up to help transport the children, and Lily, the mother of two young children trying to make the decision of whether to send her children.
The SS Carlisle no sooner loses its convoy then it is torpedoed and sinks. Alice, six children and a handful of men make it onto a lifeboat. It’s a trial for Alice to keep the children distracted from the growing number of hours they’ve been adrift and the horrendous weather. Gaynor accurately presents the mercurial moods of the children- despondent one moment and then wondering if they’ll get to meet the king when they’re rescued. As the days go by and supplies dwindle, things become more and more dire. Meanwhile, Lily has been told her son didn’t survive and she is demanding answers.
While this is a book of fiction, Gaynor draws heavily from the torpedoing of The City of Benares in September, 1940. She has done her research well.
I applaud Gaynor for her ability to make some of the quiet moments mean the most. As when Lily remembers a small moment of life when all was right. Or Alice’s “encounter” with the whale.
Multiple characters, not just Alice and Lily, are fully fleshed out. My heart was in my throat waiting to see who, if any, would survive.
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for an advance copy of this book.
May 12, 2023
'Where is everyone else'?
1940 England and nightly German bombing raids have everyone living in a state of anxiety and fear for their family and children. In response, the government outlines a plan to evacuate children, by sea, to other Commonwealth countries, far away from war-torn Europe. Alice jumps at the opportunity to be an escort for these children. It's a welcome opportunity, to utilise her teaching skills and break away from her safe and mundane daily life. In another village, recently widowed, Lily anguishes over her decision to send her children away - to safety but away from her care. Assured of the 'seavac' ship's safety with a naval escort, the S S Carlisle departs Liverpool for Canada. Just days later, it is torpedoed and sinks. They may have escaped from the war in Europe, but their fight for survival has only just begun, 'impossibly lost in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, she never felt closer to the whisper of death...'.
'The Last Lifeboat' is told from the alternating perspectives of Alice and Lily. One living in the midst of a debilitating nightmare at sea, and the other feeling hopelessly alone in her anguish at home. Hazel Gaynor, inspired by real-life events, conveys a story that is harrowing yet uplifting. You can sense the cold sweat of fear and paralysing claustrophobia as the cloak of night smothers the hope of rescue, juxtaposed with the resilience to live another day. You feel the utter anguish of the families back in England when they learn of the ship sinking and with it, the hope of having kept their children from the dangers of war; their desperation to understand what happened.
Oh boy- I thought I’d read some great books so far this year but this one definitely nudges into a top spot. By the end, I had tears spilling over, yet I was also smiling. Gaynor does an excellent job articulating an emotional rollercoaster of a story. And, knowing it was based on true events, evoked a memorable, stand-out read for me. I haven't read books by Hazel Gaynor before, but after this one, she's definitely got a new fan.
1940 England and nightly German bombing raids have everyone living in a state of anxiety and fear for their family and children. In response, the government outlines a plan to evacuate children, by sea, to other Commonwealth countries, far away from war-torn Europe. Alice jumps at the opportunity to be an escort for these children. It's a welcome opportunity, to utilise her teaching skills and break away from her safe and mundane daily life. In another village, recently widowed, Lily anguishes over her decision to send her children away - to safety but away from her care. Assured of the 'seavac' ship's safety with a naval escort, the S S Carlisle departs Liverpool for Canada. Just days later, it is torpedoed and sinks. They may have escaped from the war in Europe, but their fight for survival has only just begun, 'impossibly lost in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, she never felt closer to the whisper of death...'.
'The Last Lifeboat' is told from the alternating perspectives of Alice and Lily. One living in the midst of a debilitating nightmare at sea, and the other feeling hopelessly alone in her anguish at home. Hazel Gaynor, inspired by real-life events, conveys a story that is harrowing yet uplifting. You can sense the cold sweat of fear and paralysing claustrophobia as the cloak of night smothers the hope of rescue, juxtaposed with the resilience to live another day. You feel the utter anguish of the families back in England when they learn of the ship sinking and with it, the hope of having kept their children from the dangers of war; their desperation to understand what happened.
Oh boy- I thought I’d read some great books so far this year but this one definitely nudges into a top spot. By the end, I had tears spilling over, yet I was also smiling. Gaynor does an excellent job articulating an emotional rollercoaster of a story. And, knowing it was based on true events, evoked a memorable, stand-out read for me. I haven't read books by Hazel Gaynor before, but after this one, she's definitely got a new fan.
August 29, 2023
3 stars
An informative and eye-opening look into an important part of history.
I enjoyed learning about the WWII CORB (children’s overseas reception board) organization. This British government organization evacuated children in danger of bombing and violence bringing them to live with families in other countries. British parents could register their children with the organization to send them overseas with a chaperone to stay with volunteer families in Canada, Australia and other countries to wait out the wartime threats.
Although this is a harrowing and horrific story, I didn’t feel the heaviness or emotion that should have been there. The story unfolded in a lighter, less gritty way which kept me from connecting and feeling invested. There was a “cuteness” to the writing and characters that didn’t work for me. I was interested and curious to learn about this time in history but had no connection to the characters. Were there emotional moments? Yes. Did this pull at my heartstrings like it should have? No. There were too many “cutesy” type moments which ruined the heaviness and reality of the times.
This novel also lacked atmosphere. I never felt the atmospheric pull of the story. This should have been enveloping me, making me feel lost at sea with the characters.
The characters felt cliche and the storyline somewhat predictable. Several times I felt bored and wanted to skim read pages to get to something that mattered.
Overall, I’m happy I read this to educate myself on a part of history I knew nothing about. However, I wouldn’t recommend it as I felt it was too light and cute to share the true reality of the times.
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!
An informative and eye-opening look into an important part of history.
I enjoyed learning about the WWII CORB (children’s overseas reception board) organization. This British government organization evacuated children in danger of bombing and violence bringing them to live with families in other countries. British parents could register their children with the organization to send them overseas with a chaperone to stay with volunteer families in Canada, Australia and other countries to wait out the wartime threats.
Although this is a harrowing and horrific story, I didn’t feel the heaviness or emotion that should have been there. The story unfolded in a lighter, less gritty way which kept me from connecting and feeling invested. There was a “cuteness” to the writing and characters that didn’t work for me. I was interested and curious to learn about this time in history but had no connection to the characters. Were there emotional moments? Yes. Did this pull at my heartstrings like it should have? No. There were too many “cutesy” type moments which ruined the heaviness and reality of the times.
This novel also lacked atmosphere. I never felt the atmospheric pull of the story. This should have been enveloping me, making me feel lost at sea with the characters.
The characters felt cliche and the storyline somewhat predictable. Several times I felt bored and wanted to skim read pages to get to something that mattered.
Overall, I’m happy I read this to educate myself on a part of history I knew nothing about. However, I wouldn’t recommend it as I felt it was too light and cute to share the true reality of the times.
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!
June 6, 2023
It was 1940 in London as the blitz was beginning, bombs were falling, shattering lives, homes and places of work, when the government came up with a scheme to evacuate children to Canada, Australia and other willing countries, for the duration of the war. Parents weren't allowed to go, but people were chosen who had the right references, to escort the children to safety. Alice King was a school teacher and librarian and longed to do something to help. When she heard of the evacuation process, she applied to be an escort of children, and was accepted. The day the SS Carlisle left the docks in London, Alice was on board with several children, two of them, Georgie and Arthur, were Lily Nicholls' children. Alice and Lily had met when she picked the children up, ready for the long voyage to Canada.
The Carlisle was being escorted by a flotilla of vessels, including Navy warships, and once they'd reached the limit of convoy escort, the warships peeled away, leaving Carlisle vulnerable. It was during the hours of darkness when a violent storm had hit, that the ship was torpedoed, the twelve lifeboats were cast into the sea with people tossed into the waves. The conditions were horrific, but surely they would be rescued soon, those survivors who'd managed to stay on the lifeboats? Once daylight arrived and the storm lessened, only one lifeboat was left, floating on the sea. What would happen to the people desperately clinging to life on that lonely lifeboat?
The Last Lifeboat is a phenomenal read by Hazel Gaynor, which I was completely involved in. Inspired by the true events of the SS City of Benares which took evacuated children to Canada, it was interesting to read the author's notes about part of the second world war which I wasn't aware of. So well written I felt I was part of the story. Emotional, heartbreaking but heartwarming, the trauma that everyone went through was horrific. I felt so close to little Billy Fortune, to Arthur, and the other children. An exceptional read, The Last Lifeboat is one I highly recomend.
With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
The Carlisle was being escorted by a flotilla of vessels, including Navy warships, and once they'd reached the limit of convoy escort, the warships peeled away, leaving Carlisle vulnerable. It was during the hours of darkness when a violent storm had hit, that the ship was torpedoed, the twelve lifeboats were cast into the sea with people tossed into the waves. The conditions were horrific, but surely they would be rescued soon, those survivors who'd managed to stay on the lifeboats? Once daylight arrived and the storm lessened, only one lifeboat was left, floating on the sea. What would happen to the people desperately clinging to life on that lonely lifeboat?
The Last Lifeboat is a phenomenal read by Hazel Gaynor, which I was completely involved in. Inspired by the true events of the SS City of Benares which took evacuated children to Canada, it was interesting to read the author's notes about part of the second world war which I wasn't aware of. So well written I felt I was part of the story. Emotional, heartbreaking but heartwarming, the trauma that everyone went through was horrific. I felt so close to little Billy Fortune, to Arthur, and the other children. An exceptional read, The Last Lifeboat is one I highly recomend.
With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2023
Alice King lives in Kent, the school she taught at was closed due to the war and she’s been volunteering at the local library. Alice likes to read, the only traveling and adventures she’s experienced have been found between the pages of books. After seeing a spitfire crash, Alice applies to be an “Auntie” or a chaperone for children being sent to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Jamaica as part of the governments Children’s Overseas Reception Board. The CORB is planning to send twenty thousand children to safety and they need teachers, clergymen, and healthcare workers to accompany them on the sea voyage.
Lily Nichols is a widow, she lives in London and has two children Georgie and Arthur. When the blitz begins, Lily is terrified her children will being hurt or killed and she has to make an extremely difficult decision. Lily is notified that Georgie and Arthur application is successful and they will be going to Canada aboard the S.S. Carlisle. Crossing the Atlantic is dangerous, the German U-boats are patrolling the ocean and everyone is assured it’s safe because they are part of a large convoy.
Told from the points of view of the two main characters Alice and Lily and their lives will be connected by a terrible tragedy.
I received a copy of The Last Lifeboat from the publishers in exchange for an honest review and Hazel Gaynor was inspired to write her latest book based on true facts and it looks at the Second World War from a different perspective. In 1940, the British government didn’t know if the German army could be stopped, they were poised to take the Channel Islands and England might be next. Parents had to make the tough decision to send their children overseas, they had no idea the ship the wasn’t going to be escorted the entire way to Canada and the British navy’s procedures if it was attacked.
Alice found herself aboard a cramped lifeboat for days, with six children, crew from the ship, the cook and a stowaway. A story about fighting to survive, being exposed to the elements and rough seas, having to limit food and water intake, keeping up morale, not knowing if they would be found and never giving up. The poor parents in England being notified that the S. S Carlisle had been sunk, they had no idea what had happened to their children and the situation was looking grim. Both the CORB program and the Mass-Observation record where everyday people wrote down their thoughts and experiences during World War Two in a diary, were two things I had never heard of prior to reading Ms. Gaynor's moving and heartening novel. Five stars from me, one of the best books I have read this year and you won't regret buying a copy.
Lily Nichols is a widow, she lives in London and has two children Georgie and Arthur. When the blitz begins, Lily is terrified her children will being hurt or killed and she has to make an extremely difficult decision. Lily is notified that Georgie and Arthur application is successful and they will be going to Canada aboard the S.S. Carlisle. Crossing the Atlantic is dangerous, the German U-boats are patrolling the ocean and everyone is assured it’s safe because they are part of a large convoy.
Told from the points of view of the two main characters Alice and Lily and their lives will be connected by a terrible tragedy.
I received a copy of The Last Lifeboat from the publishers in exchange for an honest review and Hazel Gaynor was inspired to write her latest book based on true facts and it looks at the Second World War from a different perspective. In 1940, the British government didn’t know if the German army could be stopped, they were poised to take the Channel Islands and England might be next. Parents had to make the tough decision to send their children overseas, they had no idea the ship the wasn’t going to be escorted the entire way to Canada and the British navy’s procedures if it was attacked.
Alice found herself aboard a cramped lifeboat for days, with six children, crew from the ship, the cook and a stowaway. A story about fighting to survive, being exposed to the elements and rough seas, having to limit food and water intake, keeping up morale, not knowing if they would be found and never giving up. The poor parents in England being notified that the S. S Carlisle had been sunk, they had no idea what had happened to their children and the situation was looking grim. Both the CORB program and the Mass-Observation record where everyday people wrote down their thoughts and experiences during World War Two in a diary, were two things I had never heard of prior to reading Ms. Gaynor's moving and heartening novel. Five stars from me, one of the best books I have read this year and you won't regret buying a copy.
June 10, 2023
5 this is what historical fiction should be stars!
I love this author and I adored this book! Hazel Gaynor is a winner for me. This was book #7 of hers for me and she is on my auto-read list. She has a beautiful way of bringing characters to life through historical events. I rooted for these characters, and they feel very authentic.
There are two parallel stories happening here. It’s 1940 when we meet Alice King, a young teacher and librarian. She has been challenged to do something more than be a librarian and contribute to the war effort. She decides to head off to escort British children across the ocean to safety. It is feared that there will soon be an invasion and sending children to Canada, New Zealand, and Australia would be safer.
How difficult would it be to send your children away? Lily Nichols is faced with this agonizing choice as bombs continue to rain down on London. She chooses to trust her government and signs up for transport for Arthur and Georgie.
The S.S. Carlyle (inspired by true events) escorting children and other passengers to Canada, is torpedoed by a U-boat after being safely escorted to what were believed to be safe waters. Passengers have a chaotic escape off the boat.
The rough conditions the passengers endured were so well described, it made me chilled and anxious, and I worried that they would never be rescued. Alice ends up in a lifeboat with six of the evacuated children, a few other men, and the ship cook. This is not what she had in mind at all when she signed up. She tries to keep up everyone’s spirits on limited food and water rations. They are adrift at sea for days.
Another fascinating element in the book were the short passages called Mass Observation that many British citizens submitted. I found that these really contributed to the story and added another layer of authenticity.
Hazel Gaynor is a master of storytelling and I would highly recommend this one!
My thanks to Berkley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one.
I love this author and I adored this book! Hazel Gaynor is a winner for me. This was book #7 of hers for me and she is on my auto-read list. She has a beautiful way of bringing characters to life through historical events. I rooted for these characters, and they feel very authentic.
There are two parallel stories happening here. It’s 1940 when we meet Alice King, a young teacher and librarian. She has been challenged to do something more than be a librarian and contribute to the war effort. She decides to head off to escort British children across the ocean to safety. It is feared that there will soon be an invasion and sending children to Canada, New Zealand, and Australia would be safer.
How difficult would it be to send your children away? Lily Nichols is faced with this agonizing choice as bombs continue to rain down on London. She chooses to trust her government and signs up for transport for Arthur and Georgie.
The S.S. Carlyle (inspired by true events) escorting children and other passengers to Canada, is torpedoed by a U-boat after being safely escorted to what were believed to be safe waters. Passengers have a chaotic escape off the boat.
The rough conditions the passengers endured were so well described, it made me chilled and anxious, and I worried that they would never be rescued. Alice ends up in a lifeboat with six of the evacuated children, a few other men, and the ship cook. This is not what she had in mind at all when she signed up. She tries to keep up everyone’s spirits on limited food and water rations. They are adrift at sea for days.
Another fascinating element in the book were the short passages called Mass Observation that many British citizens submitted. I found that these really contributed to the story and added another layer of authenticity.
Hazel Gaynor is a master of storytelling and I would highly recommend this one!
My thanks to Berkley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one.
July 4, 2023
The Last Lifeboat by Hazel Gaynor writes a wonderful book of heroic efforts to save children in 1940 taking them to Canada to safety. The nazi’s torpedo the S.S. Carlisle carrying many of the children. Children that the parents were told would be escorted to Canada. They would be safe, were not. 6 children, 1 woman and several men get into a lifeboat. A boat that was said did not make it. One mother refuses to give up looking for her child.
Such a well research story. Many tears but happiness too.
Such a well research story. Many tears but happiness too.
June 22, 2023
Imagine that you are in the Mid Atlantic in 1940 on a life boat and no one is looking for you!! 💦🛶 It's terrifying, unbelievable and yet it happened.
I went into this book completely blind. I saw the mystifying cover (which I love) and saw that it was written by Hazel Gaynor. I skimmed the premise of the book I didn't read any reviews except I read one of my GR friends review after I was done. I called the library, added to my Libby app immediately because I knew anything by Hazel Gaynor is going to be great!! I was extremely excited when it popped up on Libby on June 13,2023!! That's the day it was released!!!
I finished this amazing book yesterday and am still trying to figure out how to write a review worthy of this incredible story. Well, here it goes. I was completely glued to it and couldn't put it down! I also listened to the audiobook, which is a first time for me! I have a really wonderful friend who only listens to audiobooks and he said that the narrator can make or break the book. I listened and read it just so I didn't miss anything. This narrator,in my opinion,was fantastic! I read it in a few days.
In 1940, Kent, we have Alice King a schoolteacher who is more comfortable around books than anything else and lives a safe and comfortable life. She's not a risk taker. During WW2 the schools are closed due to air raids and bombings. She wants to do something for the war effort. Alice joins CORB ( children's overseas reception board) they are looking for schoolteachers, clergyman and anyone who can be trusted with taking care of children who need to travel overseas for safety and live with a host family who will care for them until it's safe to go back to England. Children were sent to Canada, Australia,New Zealand,South Africa and The United States! I knew that children were sent away during WW2 but I never knew that a lot went overseas.
In 1940, London we have Lilly Nichols. Lilly is young mother of two children Georgie and Arthur. Her husband was killed in the war. She has to make the impossible decision to send her children or keep them home. Eventually, she sends them on the SS Carlisle which is going to Canada. Alice is assigned to take care of George and Arthur along with other children. The SS Carlisle is torpedoed by a Nazi U-boat in the Mid Atlantic on September 17,1940. Alice and Lilly are pulled together for life because of this tragedy.
It only took a half hour for the ship to sink. All the life boats were deployed. Horrifyingly, Alice, 6 children including Arthur, and 29 other adults are sent adrift in the ocean on a life boat and no one is looking for them!! How can this happen? Do they survive? Is anyone rescued??
This is based on a true story. I didn't realize that I wasn't breathing until I finished it because I was totally immersed in this wonderfully written and unbelievable story! I didn't know at the time I was reading/ listening to the book that the Titan was lost in the Atlantic Ocean. I found out a day later,on Monday. Let's hope and pray that the five people aboard are found alive.💙🙏🕊️
I extremely highly recommend this emotionally moving book to everyone. If you only read one book this year,I hope that you'll read this one.... you won't be disappointed. I'd love to give it so many more than 5 shiny stars!!!
I went into this book completely blind. I saw the mystifying cover (which I love) and saw that it was written by Hazel Gaynor. I skimmed the premise of the book I didn't read any reviews except I read one of my GR friends review after I was done. I called the library, added to my Libby app immediately because I knew anything by Hazel Gaynor is going to be great!! I was extremely excited when it popped up on Libby on June 13,2023!! That's the day it was released!!!
I finished this amazing book yesterday and am still trying to figure out how to write a review worthy of this incredible story. Well, here it goes. I was completely glued to it and couldn't put it down! I also listened to the audiobook, which is a first time for me! I have a really wonderful friend who only listens to audiobooks and he said that the narrator can make or break the book. I listened and read it just so I didn't miss anything. This narrator,in my opinion,was fantastic! I read it in a few days.
In 1940, Kent, we have Alice King a schoolteacher who is more comfortable around books than anything else and lives a safe and comfortable life. She's not a risk taker. During WW2 the schools are closed due to air raids and bombings. She wants to do something for the war effort. Alice joins CORB ( children's overseas reception board) they are looking for schoolteachers, clergyman and anyone who can be trusted with taking care of children who need to travel overseas for safety and live with a host family who will care for them until it's safe to go back to England. Children were sent to Canada, Australia,New Zealand,South Africa and The United States! I knew that children were sent away during WW2 but I never knew that a lot went overseas.
In 1940, London we have Lilly Nichols. Lilly is young mother of two children Georgie and Arthur. Her husband was killed in the war. She has to make the impossible decision to send her children or keep them home. Eventually, she sends them on the SS Carlisle which is going to Canada. Alice is assigned to take care of George and Arthur along with other children. The SS Carlisle is torpedoed by a Nazi U-boat in the Mid Atlantic on September 17,1940. Alice and Lilly are pulled together for life because of this tragedy.
It only took a half hour for the ship to sink. All the life boats were deployed. Horrifyingly, Alice, 6 children including Arthur, and 29 other adults are sent adrift in the ocean on a life boat and no one is looking for them!! How can this happen? Do they survive? Is anyone rescued??
This is based on a true story. I didn't realize that I wasn't breathing until I finished it because I was totally immersed in this wonderfully written and unbelievable story! I didn't know at the time I was reading/ listening to the book that the Titan was lost in the Atlantic Ocean. I found out a day later,on Monday. Let's hope and pray that the five people aboard are found alive.💙🙏🕊️
I extremely highly recommend this emotionally moving book to everyone. If you only read one book this year,I hope that you'll read this one.... you won't be disappointed. I'd love to give it so many more than 5 shiny stars!!!
April 12, 2023
The Last Lifeboat is an incredible, harrowing story that celebrates the incredible capacity that ordinary people have for love and hope, even in the most dire of circumstances. Hazel Gaynor is a master of weaving carefully researched historical fact and with very real human emotion, bringing to life the little-known story of the "seavacuees" with vivid detail. A breathtaking novel that should not be missed.
August 1, 2023
It’s always such an amazing pleasure to read of things you never knew. This book provided me with that pleasure.
More review to come!
More review to come!
June 13, 2023
Another Hazel Gaynor masterpiece you won’t want to miss.
Alice King and Lily Nichols had never met until the day Alice volunteered to be an escort for her children and other children on the SS Carlisle (SS City of Benares) from London to Canada.
The SS Carlisle was surrounded by a convoy of Royal Navy ships that were to protect the SS Carlisle from German U-boats, but the ship was torpedoed and sunk. Where did the convoy go?
This left everyone scrambling to the lifeboats as they watched the ship sink along with those who didn't make it out.
What horrible news for the parents whose children were on the ship.
There were no other lifeboats in the water except Lifeboat Number 12 that had been miscounted and mixed up with another lifeboat that was thought to have been rescued.
How did the other lifeboats make it to safety or did they?
Why are they the only lifeboat in this vast ocean?
We follow Alice, the children, and other adults as they wait for a rescue boat for eight days in the rough waters.
THE LAST LIFEBOAT is based on true events and tells us this heartbreaking story through Ms. Gaynor's marvelous research and writing style.
You won't want to stop reading to see how it all turned out.
You will cry and cheer along with the characters when they are rescued and as some of the children are reunited with their families.
You will also cry for those who perished.
You will find lots of interesting information about what is kept in a lifeboat for emergencies.
This is another event I was not aware of....were you?
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
Alice King and Lily Nichols had never met until the day Alice volunteered to be an escort for her children and other children on the SS Carlisle (SS City of Benares) from London to Canada.
The SS Carlisle was surrounded by a convoy of Royal Navy ships that were to protect the SS Carlisle from German U-boats, but the ship was torpedoed and sunk. Where did the convoy go?
This left everyone scrambling to the lifeboats as they watched the ship sink along with those who didn't make it out.
What horrible news for the parents whose children were on the ship.
There were no other lifeboats in the water except Lifeboat Number 12 that had been miscounted and mixed up with another lifeboat that was thought to have been rescued.
How did the other lifeboats make it to safety or did they?
Why are they the only lifeboat in this vast ocean?
We follow Alice, the children, and other adults as they wait for a rescue boat for eight days in the rough waters.
THE LAST LIFEBOAT is based on true events and tells us this heartbreaking story through Ms. Gaynor's marvelous research and writing style.
You won't want to stop reading to see how it all turned out.
You will cry and cheer along with the characters when they are rescued and as some of the children are reunited with their families.
You will also cry for those who perished.
You will find lots of interesting information about what is kept in a lifeboat for emergencies.
This is another event I was not aware of....were you?
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
June 24, 2023
This was a true story which made it more interesting and quite sad. A slow start and it did take awhile to get going but, once it did I enjoyed it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
June 18, 2023
I'm so bored! I really wanted to fall into this, but it isn't happening. DNF @ 34%.
June 25, 2023
Anyone who reads WWII historical fiction or non-fiction will know about children in London being sent off to the country to escape the blitz. Perhaps not as well known is the story of children being shipped off to other countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc. This fictional story is based on one such voyage. The British evacuee ship SS City of Benares was torpedoed by a German U-Boat in the mid-Atlantic in September 1940.
The first hundred or so pages gives the back story of mothers grappling with the decision to let their children go and the character of librarian Alice King (based on real life Mary Cornish) who in an effort to do her part feels what better way than to become an escort in charge of children embarking on a voyage taking them away from the war.
The story is told from the perspective of the mothers at home and the passengers on the ship.
POV #1 - the mothers having had to make the heart-strings bursting decision to put their children on a boat to cross an ocean. Then the bad news!
POV #2 – the children and adults caught unawares when the ship is torpedoed and those who make it into the last life boat and their eight harrowing days at sea.
The author has captured the emotional turmoil of the mothers at home and the slapping of waves on the lifeboat as adults and children are tossed to and fro one minute determined to be stoic and the next dropped into the depths of despair. The author has managed to put the reader right in the lifeboat with them.
This is my 5th book by Hazel Gaynor and none have disappointed.
The first hundred or so pages gives the back story of mothers grappling with the decision to let their children go and the character of librarian Alice King (based on real life Mary Cornish) who in an effort to do her part feels what better way than to become an escort in charge of children embarking on a voyage taking them away from the war.
The story is told from the perspective of the mothers at home and the passengers on the ship.
POV #1 - the mothers having had to make the heart-strings bursting decision to put their children on a boat to cross an ocean. Then the bad news!
POV #2 – the children and adults caught unawares when the ship is torpedoed and those who make it into the last life boat and their eight harrowing days at sea.
The author has captured the emotional turmoil of the mothers at home and the slapping of waves on the lifeboat as adults and children are tossed to and fro one minute determined to be stoic and the next dropped into the depths of despair. The author has managed to put the reader right in the lifeboat with them.
This is my 5th book by Hazel Gaynor and none have disappointed.
January 23, 2023
THE LAST LIFEBOAT is 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.
August 18, 2023
It’s 1940 and the war is raging. Lily Nichols has bravely agreed for her son and daughter, Arthur and Georgie, to be evacuated to Canada on board the Carlisle. Her heart breaks as she bids them farewell, not knowing when they will be together again.
Alice King is their escort, she will be responsible for their safety and well being, along with several other children. She is nervous herself, but determined to play her part in the war effort and understands how scared and homesick these children will be.
Then disaster strikes. A torpedo hits the Carlisle in the Atlantic. What follows is terrifying, heartbreaking, unimaginable. Alice is far, far away from Lily, but their lives are bound together by the children and their determination to never give up hope.
This book absolutely ruined me. Wonderfully well written, I was caring about these characters from the off, which made their story all the more emotional and dramatic. I don’t want to give the story away but I will tell you that I cried and cried, tears pouring down my cheeks as I frantically turned the pages.
It made me appreciate the true horrors of the second world war, how long it went on for and the sacrifices men and women made during that period of time.
An utterly brilliant book, realistic, authentic and so moving. And based on a true story, which makes it all the more powerful.
Alice King is their escort, she will be responsible for their safety and well being, along with several other children. She is nervous herself, but determined to play her part in the war effort and understands how scared and homesick these children will be.
Then disaster strikes. A torpedo hits the Carlisle in the Atlantic. What follows is terrifying, heartbreaking, unimaginable. Alice is far, far away from Lily, but their lives are bound together by the children and their determination to never give up hope.
This book absolutely ruined me. Wonderfully well written, I was caring about these characters from the off, which made their story all the more emotional and dramatic. I don’t want to give the story away but I will tell you that I cried and cried, tears pouring down my cheeks as I frantically turned the pages.
It made me appreciate the true horrors of the second world war, how long it went on for and the sacrifices men and women made during that period of time.
An utterly brilliant book, realistic, authentic and so moving. And based on a true story, which makes it all the more powerful.
June 9, 2023
Initial Thoughts
This was excellent! I thought that this was a wonderful story only made more amazing by the fact that it was based on a very similar real-life event. At the beginning of WWII, some British families made the tough decision to send their children to other areas to live so that they would be safe. Lily, a recent widow, is one of the mothers to send her two children to live with a family in Canada. Alice takes on a role to help get the children to their destination. When the ship that they are on is hit by a German torpedo, Alice finds herself on a lifeboat with 30 other people including 6 children. I felt this group's determination to survive and felt that Lily's actions were equally moving. The story was almost impossible to put down once I started reading. I listened to the audiobook and though that the narrator did a fabulous job with this story.
Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon.
This was excellent! I thought that this was a wonderful story only made more amazing by the fact that it was based on a very similar real-life event. At the beginning of WWII, some British families made the tough decision to send their children to other areas to live so that they would be safe. Lily, a recent widow, is one of the mothers to send her two children to live with a family in Canada. Alice takes on a role to help get the children to their destination. When the ship that they are on is hit by a German torpedo, Alice finds herself on a lifeboat with 30 other people including 6 children. I felt this group's determination to survive and felt that Lily's actions were equally moving. The story was almost impossible to put down once I started reading. I listened to the audiobook and though that the narrator did a fabulous job with this story.
Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon.
October 26, 2023
Please excuse me as I do my best to put my love for this book into words. Anyone else struggle with that like me? I truly believe book/stories find us just when we need them most. I had several available to me from my library and my gut told me this was the one to read. I was able to tuck away, shut the world off for a few days and be swept away into the most beautiful story. This book is TOUGH to read, but so important. It reminds me of another one of my favorites this year: Beyond That, The Sea. If you really want to learn more about this part of history, I'd encourage you to read this wonderful story. These characters will live forever in my heart, especially Alice. What a lady she was and I could relate to her in so many ways. My hero! The days I spent with these characters inside that lifeboat are some I'll never forget. Sorry to gush, it's just that good.
June 14, 2023
Inspired by the sinking of the SS Benares, The Last Lifeboat is a harrowing and compelling story of survival, endurance, and hope.
Determined to do her part in the war effort, Alice, a school teacher, decides to volunteer as a chaperone in the evacuation of children from England. Lily is one of the mothers who decides to evacuate her children aboard the SS Carlisle (the SS Benares renamed). The chaperones and 100 children are aboard the ship when it is torpedoed by a Nazi U-boat. The Last Lifeboat is the imagined story of survival and hope under the most dire conditions.
“Buoyed by the bright morning, she gathers up the tattered fragments of hope the storm had torn from her in the night, and stitches them together into a patchwork of detmination and belief; a blanket of courage big enough to cover them all.”
Most of this story takes place in the lifeboat as these survivors fight for their lives and cling to hope. It’s emotional, compelling, harrowing, and inspirational. They encounter storms and rough seas, experience mental health challenges, endure the elements, and are gradually weakened by hunger and thirst. Brilliantly written with vivid details, it can be an emotionally difficult and heavy read.
In addition to the hardships, we also see sacrifice, leadership, compassion, nurturing, bonding, hope, and friendship. There’s a lot to love and admire about our main character, Alice.
One delightful element of the story is the surprising relationship that develops between two of the survivors. I can’t spoil it though!
Although a difficult and gritty read, The Last Lifeboat is a page-turner and has earned 5 Stars (one of my few this year) and secured a coveted spot on my best-of-year list for 2023. If you can endure a survival story, this is one of the best!
Content Consideration: grief, death, child death, suicidal ideation, suicide, medical content, survival situations
Thanks #NetGalley @BerkleyPub for a complimentary e ARC of #TheLastLifeboat upon my request. All opinions are my own.
For more reviews visit my blog www.ReadingLadies.com where this review was first published.
Determined to do her part in the war effort, Alice, a school teacher, decides to volunteer as a chaperone in the evacuation of children from England. Lily is one of the mothers who decides to evacuate her children aboard the SS Carlisle (the SS Benares renamed). The chaperones and 100 children are aboard the ship when it is torpedoed by a Nazi U-boat. The Last Lifeboat is the imagined story of survival and hope under the most dire conditions.
“Buoyed by the bright morning, she gathers up the tattered fragments of hope the storm had torn from her in the night, and stitches them together into a patchwork of detmination and belief; a blanket of courage big enough to cover them all.”
Most of this story takes place in the lifeboat as these survivors fight for their lives and cling to hope. It’s emotional, compelling, harrowing, and inspirational. They encounter storms and rough seas, experience mental health challenges, endure the elements, and are gradually weakened by hunger and thirst. Brilliantly written with vivid details, it can be an emotionally difficult and heavy read.
In addition to the hardships, we also see sacrifice, leadership, compassion, nurturing, bonding, hope, and friendship. There’s a lot to love and admire about our main character, Alice.
One delightful element of the story is the surprising relationship that develops between two of the survivors. I can’t spoil it though!
Although a difficult and gritty read, The Last Lifeboat is a page-turner and has earned 5 Stars (one of my few this year) and secured a coveted spot on my best-of-year list for 2023. If you can endure a survival story, this is one of the best!
Content Consideration: grief, death, child death, suicidal ideation, suicide, medical content, survival situations
Thanks #NetGalley @BerkleyPub for a complimentary e ARC of #TheLastLifeboat upon my request. All opinions are my own.
For more reviews visit my blog www.ReadingLadies.com where this review was first published.
June 25, 2023
The Last Lifeboat
By: Hazel Gaynor
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gaynor always engages me in every book she writes. The details, characters and storyline always have me hooked from the start to finish.
I chose this one for my local bookclub and hope they enjoy it as much as me.
1940 in Kent, Alice is a bookworm who loves adventure fulfilled stories. A plane crashes near her home and she wants to do her part as Germany invades her homeland. She starts the process of evacuating British children to safety.
Meanwhile in London Lily has a home and children, but when her husband gone she makes a decision about her children hoping they will be safer.
After a brutal attack of a ship carrying children leaves only one lifeboat, these women’s life’s will intersect to keep these children safe.
#bweklwy, #thelastlifeboat, #hazelgaynor, #historiclafiction, #stamperlady50, #bookreview, #booksconnectus, #bookstagram
By: Hazel Gaynor
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gaynor always engages me in every book she writes. The details, characters and storyline always have me hooked from the start to finish.
I chose this one for my local bookclub and hope they enjoy it as much as me.
1940 in Kent, Alice is a bookworm who loves adventure fulfilled stories. A plane crashes near her home and she wants to do her part as Germany invades her homeland. She starts the process of evacuating British children to safety.
Meanwhile in London Lily has a home and children, but when her husband gone she makes a decision about her children hoping they will be safer.
After a brutal attack of a ship carrying children leaves only one lifeboat, these women’s life’s will intersect to keep these children safe.
#bweklwy, #thelastlifeboat, #hazelgaynor, #historiclafiction, #stamperlady50, #bookreview, #booksconnectus, #bookstagram
July 30, 2023
The Last Lifeboat by Hazel Gaynor is an amazing story of courage and resilience. I don’t know why I haven’t read other books by this author, but I am looking forward to reading more.
Inspired by the true sinking of the SS City of Benares, in WWII. Alice King signs up with CORB (Children’s Overseas Reception Board) as a volunteer escort to accompany children sailing to Canada to escape the war in London.
The ship, SS Carlisle, is torpedoed and thus the harrowing tale of survival in the seas aboard a lifeboat begins. A compelling read that stays with you after the final page.
Inspired by the true sinking of the SS City of Benares, in WWII. Alice King signs up with CORB (Children’s Overseas Reception Board) as a volunteer escort to accompany children sailing to Canada to escape the war in London.
The ship, SS Carlisle, is torpedoed and thus the harrowing tale of survival in the seas aboard a lifeboat begins. A compelling read that stays with you after the final page.
July 10, 2023
Another fantastic historical fiction novel based on real events that saw the S. S. Carlisle, a transport ship taking children from England to Canada during WWII get torpedoed by a Nazi U boat.
While many died, a few were rescued and miraculously one life boat of survivors managed to hold on. Told in alternating perspectives from one of the women on the boat helping to keep the children calm and the mother of one of the boys presumed dead but actually stranded at sea.
Moving and great on audio. This was fast paced and hard to put down, filled with memorable characters and amazing acts of perseverance. Recommended for fans of books like Surviving Savannah, Dead wake or Salt to the sea.
While many died, a few were rescued and miraculously one life boat of survivors managed to hold on. Told in alternating perspectives from one of the women on the boat helping to keep the children calm and the mother of one of the boys presumed dead but actually stranded at sea.
Moving and great on audio. This was fast paced and hard to put down, filled with memorable characters and amazing acts of perseverance. Recommended for fans of books like Surviving Savannah, Dead wake or Salt to the sea.
June 8, 2023
The Last Lifeboat is inspired by the true story of the sinking of the SS City of Benares, a ship carrying child evacuees from England to supposed safety in Canada in September 1940.
Opening with a dramatic scene in the aftermath of the torpedoing of the ship (named the SS Carlisle for the purposes of the novel) by a German U-boat, the book follows a small group of people, including a number of children, who find themselves adrift in a lifeboat. Amongst the group is Alice King, a young teacher acting as one of the escorts to the evacuees, and the lone woman in the lifeboat. Over the next few days, we follow them as they encounter storms, endure hunger and thirst, and are gradually weakened by exposure to the elements. The scenes are so vividly imagined that you really do feel you are experiencing it all alongside them. As their hopes of rescue begin to fade, their experience becomes one of grim endurance and a daily struggle to survive that takes a mental and physical toll.
For Alice, delivering the children entrusted to her care to safety becomes a personal mission, something to cling to during the dark times, and one for which she is prepared to sacrifice herself if necessary. ‘Buoyed by the bright morning, she gathers up the tattered fragments of hope the storm had torn from her in the night, and stitches them together into a patchwork of determination and belief; a blanket of courage big enough to cover them all.’
Alternating with the dramatic and absolutely gripping scenes aboard the lifeboat, we witness the anguish of the recently widowed Lily who made the difficult – and lonely – decision to place her son and daughter aboard the ship thinking this was the way to keep them safe from the increasingly heavy bombing raids on London. It turns out to be anything but. When news of the disaster is made public, she remains determined not to give up hope that her children may have survived or to stop pressing the authorities to continue the search for that last lifeboat.
Like the author’s earlier book, The Bird in the Bamboo Cage, The Last Lifeboat shines a spotlight on the courageous exploits of women in wartime. But it doesn’t ignore the ‘ordinary’ women, those women described as ‘the quiet essential backbone of the war on the home front’. There are some interesting male characters in the book and I liked the fact that they display a heroism that is rooted in moral principles.
There are emotional scenes towards the end of the book and if you can read them without reaching for the tissues then you must have a heart of stone. Personally, I would have been happy for the book to end at the final chapter with its moving last paragraph. However, the epilogue’s message that relationships formed in times of disaster may have enduring bonds is an uplifting one.
The Last Lifeboat is an utterly immersive story that is at times heartbreaking. It also demonstrates, as if we needed reminding, the horror of war and its indiscriminate nature. At one point a character asks, ‘What on earth are we doing to each other?’ But what also shines through is the resilience of the human spirit.
Opening with a dramatic scene in the aftermath of the torpedoing of the ship (named the SS Carlisle for the purposes of the novel) by a German U-boat, the book follows a small group of people, including a number of children, who find themselves adrift in a lifeboat. Amongst the group is Alice King, a young teacher acting as one of the escorts to the evacuees, and the lone woman in the lifeboat. Over the next few days, we follow them as they encounter storms, endure hunger and thirst, and are gradually weakened by exposure to the elements. The scenes are so vividly imagined that you really do feel you are experiencing it all alongside them. As their hopes of rescue begin to fade, their experience becomes one of grim endurance and a daily struggle to survive that takes a mental and physical toll.
For Alice, delivering the children entrusted to her care to safety becomes a personal mission, something to cling to during the dark times, and one for which she is prepared to sacrifice herself if necessary. ‘Buoyed by the bright morning, she gathers up the tattered fragments of hope the storm had torn from her in the night, and stitches them together into a patchwork of determination and belief; a blanket of courage big enough to cover them all.’
Alternating with the dramatic and absolutely gripping scenes aboard the lifeboat, we witness the anguish of the recently widowed Lily who made the difficult – and lonely – decision to place her son and daughter aboard the ship thinking this was the way to keep them safe from the increasingly heavy bombing raids on London. It turns out to be anything but. When news of the disaster is made public, she remains determined not to give up hope that her children may have survived or to stop pressing the authorities to continue the search for that last lifeboat.
Like the author’s earlier book, The Bird in the Bamboo Cage, The Last Lifeboat shines a spotlight on the courageous exploits of women in wartime. But it doesn’t ignore the ‘ordinary’ women, those women described as ‘the quiet essential backbone of the war on the home front’. There are some interesting male characters in the book and I liked the fact that they display a heroism that is rooted in moral principles.
There are emotional scenes towards the end of the book and if you can read them without reaching for the tissues then you must have a heart of stone. Personally, I would have been happy for the book to end at the final chapter with its moving last paragraph. However, the epilogue’s message that relationships formed in times of disaster may have enduring bonds is an uplifting one.
The Last Lifeboat is an utterly immersive story that is at times heartbreaking. It also demonstrates, as if we needed reminding, the horror of war and its indiscriminate nature. At one point a character asks, ‘What on earth are we doing to each other?’ But what also shines through is the resilience of the human spirit.
June 25, 2023
World War II is underway and children were being sent away to other countries for their safety. Lily Nicholas had thought to keep her young children with her despite the perilous events surrounding them. However, bombing in England has become far too regular and she makes the decision to send her children to somewhere safe.
Alice King has taken on the duties to escort children to different countries. When the ship that Alice and the others are on is torpedoed, those who survived are evacuated to lifeboats. Alice and a small group of children get on what is the last lifeboat.
In this emotionally riveting story, readers see things from both Lily and Alice’s points of view. Lily is understandably anxious about the fate of her children and Alice is focused on keeping the children on her lifeboat safe with hopes of rescue. They have eight days of unspeakable horrors and danger while desperately awaiting rescue.
What an incredible novel. Although this is a fictional story, by reading the author’s note at the end of the book, readers can see the amount of research that went into writing this compelling novel, as well as the history of the true events with the organization that got over 20,000 children out of London during the war.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Alice King has taken on the duties to escort children to different countries. When the ship that Alice and the others are on is torpedoed, those who survived are evacuated to lifeboats. Alice and a small group of children get on what is the last lifeboat.
In this emotionally riveting story, readers see things from both Lily and Alice’s points of view. Lily is understandably anxious about the fate of her children and Alice is focused on keeping the children on her lifeboat safe with hopes of rescue. They have eight days of unspeakable horrors and danger while desperately awaiting rescue.
What an incredible novel. Although this is a fictional story, by reading the author’s note at the end of the book, readers can see the amount of research that went into writing this compelling novel, as well as the history of the true events with the organization that got over 20,000 children out of London during the war.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
June 13, 2023
⭐️RELEASE DAY TOUR REVIEW⭐️
THE LAST LIFEBOAT
by Hazel Gaynor, Berkley
SYNOPSIS
Inspired by a remarkable true story, a young teacher evacuates children from England under siege, to safety across perilous waters, in a moving new novel that presents a fresh take on WWII.
MY THOUGHTS
I knew a ship was torpedoed taking children from embattled WWII England to what was hoped to be safety elsewhere, but Hazel Gaynor made me feel I was right there in a lifeboat afterward, amid terror and the churning ocean. She also presents this harrowing story from the POV of an anguished mother on shore, who knows the ship with her daughter went down, but not if her beloved child survived.
Hazel does a magnificent job of telling this nail-biting tale, giving us a deeply personal look of what it's like for citizens to live during war. As with the very best books, THE LAST LIFEBOAT made me ask, "Would I have their courage?" It also left me in tears while giving me much-needed hope. A triumph!
Thanks to author Hazel Gaynor, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
#thelastlifeboat #hazelgaynorauthor #berkleypublishinggroup #NetGalley #wwiihistoricalfiction #taraoconnor #childrenevacuatedduringwar #differenttakeonwwii #bookstagramcommunity
THE LAST LIFEBOAT
by Hazel Gaynor, Berkley
SYNOPSIS
Inspired by a remarkable true story, a young teacher evacuates children from England under siege, to safety across perilous waters, in a moving new novel that presents a fresh take on WWII.
MY THOUGHTS
I knew a ship was torpedoed taking children from embattled WWII England to what was hoped to be safety elsewhere, but Hazel Gaynor made me feel I was right there in a lifeboat afterward, amid terror and the churning ocean. She also presents this harrowing story from the POV of an anguished mother on shore, who knows the ship with her daughter went down, but not if her beloved child survived.
Hazel does a magnificent job of telling this nail-biting tale, giving us a deeply personal look of what it's like for citizens to live during war. As with the very best books, THE LAST LIFEBOAT made me ask, "Would I have their courage?" It also left me in tears while giving me much-needed hope. A triumph!
Thanks to author Hazel Gaynor, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
#thelastlifeboat #hazelgaynorauthor #berkleypublishinggroup #NetGalley #wwiihistoricalfiction #taraoconnor #childrenevacuatedduringwar #differenttakeonwwii #bookstagramcommunity
March 17, 2023
Historical fiction at its best!! "The Last Lifeboat" is a gripping story inspired by actual events of a ship carrying evacuated children being torpedoed during WWII on their way to Canada. Told from two different points of view, one a mother, Lily, who is trying to keep her children safe, and another a school teacher, Alice, who wants to do something to help the war effort. Lily makes the difficult decision to send her children to Canada. Alice decides to volunteer to escort the children on board the ship to help them arrive safely. Little do they know that their lives are going to change in ways they never thought possible.
This is a unique story about survival and courage as not much is out there about children being taken overseas during WWII to escape the war. I did not want to put this book down as I had to know what was going to happen to Alice and the children in the lifeboat. A truly remarkable and emotional story!
Thank you to Berkley Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
This is a unique story about survival and courage as not much is out there about children being taken overseas during WWII to escape the war. I did not want to put this book down as I had to know what was going to happen to Alice and the children in the lifeboat. A truly remarkable and emotional story!
Thank you to Berkley Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
September 18, 2023
"Children's Overseas Reception Board" (CORB) was an evacuees program for young British children to sail to Canada and Australia at the onset of World War Two. Ms. Gaynor's characters are fictional, but her novel is based on actual events.
Alice King, from Kent, is single and is well read. Her world revolves around books. But now a war has been declared, and Alice wants to do her part. She volunteers for the CORB to escort children, by ship, to Canada. The assigned ship is the SS Carlisle.
Widowed Lily Nichols has two children, Arthur and Georgie. At first Lily is reluctant to send her children away; her husband was killed a few months prior during a gun training excise for the military.
All the parents were guaranteed that the SS Carlisle would sail with a military escort until it was deemed safe for the Carlisle to sail on ahead to Canada without the escort. But this promise was not carried out by the escorts.
The SS Carlisle was torpedoed by a German submarine in September 1940. A vast majority of the children and crew were lost. However, Alice King and her two charges, Arthur and Georgie were among the survivors who successfully made it to a lifeboat. Their assigned lifeboat, number 12, would be stranded in the Atlantic for eight days before they were rescued.
Ms. Gaynor's novel was well researched on the actual sinking of a CORB ship, SS City of Benares.
Alice King, from Kent, is single and is well read. Her world revolves around books. But now a war has been declared, and Alice wants to do her part. She volunteers for the CORB to escort children, by ship, to Canada. The assigned ship is the SS Carlisle.
Widowed Lily Nichols has two children, Arthur and Georgie. At first Lily is reluctant to send her children away; her husband was killed a few months prior during a gun training excise for the military.
All the parents were guaranteed that the SS Carlisle would sail with a military escort until it was deemed safe for the Carlisle to sail on ahead to Canada without the escort. But this promise was not carried out by the escorts.
The SS Carlisle was torpedoed by a German submarine in September 1940. A vast majority of the children and crew were lost. However, Alice King and her two charges, Arthur and Georgie were among the survivors who successfully made it to a lifeboat. Their assigned lifeboat, number 12, would be stranded in the Atlantic for eight days before they were rescued.
Ms. Gaynor's novel was well researched on the actual sinking of a CORB ship, SS City of Benares.
October 2, 2023
This book was very good! It begins with a ship sinking and children frantically being sent to lifeboats. A young teacher, named Alice wants to do her part to help with the war effort. She decides to be a chaperone for the many children that are being evacuated from the war and bombings going on in London.
Lily is a young widow with 2 children. She faces the tough choice of keeping her children with her in London or sending them on a ship bound for Canada. A German U boat torpedoes the ship they are sailing on, and it sinks. The children along with a few adults fight to survive in a lifeboat at sea.
Alice helps the children who are stranded on a lifeboat reach safety.
I highly recommend this book.
Lily is a young widow with 2 children. She faces the tough choice of keeping her children with her in London or sending them on a ship bound for Canada. A German U boat torpedoes the ship they are sailing on, and it sinks. The children along with a few adults fight to survive in a lifeboat at sea.
Alice helps the children who are stranded on a lifeboat reach safety.
I highly recommend this book.
October 20, 2023
I am overcome with emotion as I finish this book, tears of joy and sadness mingling with so many other feelings. I am in awe of Hazel Gaynor’s unrivaled talent at immersing me in a time and place; at bringing characters to life that I instantly cared for, worried about, and in equal parts celebrated and mourned with. Alice, Lily, Arthur and all the rest are characters who I will always remember and treasure. This is a harrowing yet beautiful story of war, sacrifice, and heroism—people living through the darkest of times, sometimes with little hope they’ll survive, but still fighting through their worst fears. . There is a rawness to this book, grief and despair sometimes knocking them down. But there is also great beauty, as they find strength and resilience, as they witness beauty and love, hearts swelling with gratitude and the gift of a second chance. I’m not sure how I’m going to let go of these characters and their stories, so I think I’ll probably go back and read some passages over again. What an incredible book—I feel lucky to have read it, and I thank Hazel Gaynor for writing it.
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