Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “The Last Life Boat” by Hazel Gaynor, Berkley Publishing, June 13, 2023

Hazel Gaynor, the author of ” The Last Life Boat,” has written a captivating and intriguing historical fiction novel. The genres for this book are historical fiction, fiction, adult fiction, and drama. This novel is based on a true story of a young teacher that escorts evacuated British children on ships and boats. The timeline for this story is set during World War Two and takes place in London and at sea. One phase of evacuating children, when Germany was bombing London, was for parents to decide to send their children by boat to other countries. Some adults were the escorts. The author uses poetic licensing to include fictional characters. The author describes the characters as complex, complicated, and courageous.

In Kent, Alice King, a teacher, decides to become an escort for young children to evacuate Britain’s children by sea. In London, Lily Nichols is trying to decide about her children’s safety and decides that they will be safer at sea.

Unfortunately, a Nazi U-boat torpedoes the ship with the children. Lifeboats are dispensed, and chaos occurs. There is also a major storm at sea, with many losses. There is a question of recovery and how the ship could be unprotected.

This action-packed, suspenseful novel had me on pins and needles. Hazel Gaynor has done extensive research, and her writing is amazing, as are her vivid descriptions; I highly recommend this thought-provoking and memorable novel to others.