Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “How the Penguins Saved Veronica” by Hazel Prior, Berkley Publishing, June 16, 2020

Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “How the Penguins Saved Veronica” by Hazel Prior, Berkley Publishing, June 16, 2020

Hazel Prior, author of “How the Penguins Saved Veronica” has written a heartwarming, memorable, and entertaining novel. The genres for this novel are fiction and women’s fiction.  The timeline for this story is set in the author’s present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters and events in the story. The story takes place in Antarctica and England. The author describes her colorful cast of characters as complex, complicated, quirky, and flawed. The most delightfully adorable characters are the penguins.

Veronica McCreedy is a feisty, stubborn, determined 85-year-old woman, who doesn’t think she has any family. Veronica is lonely at times, and starts watching a television show about Penguins in Antarctica, and arranges for her housekeeper to provide Veronica the information about transportation to visit with the penguins and the scientists. Veronica also finds out that she has a grandson Patrick. After locating him, she is extremely disappointed in him.

Veronica arrives in Antarctica properly dressed in the appropriate attire for the freezing weather. At first, she gets a chilly reception from the staff. Terry, the only woman is truly a penguin whisperer and introduces Veronica to the penguins. Veronica sees an abandoned orphaned penguin and insists that the team help rescue and take care of it.

Somehow by rescuing the penguin, and the way the other penguins survive enable Veronica to accept her past and move on to the future. She realizes that forgiveness and second changes are important.

I appreciate the author’s research into penguins. The author also discusses the importance of family, friends, belonging, love, and hope are. I would recommend this delightful and thought-provoking story.