**THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER**
**WINNER OF THE NERO AWARDS GOLD PRIZE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024**
**WINNER OF THE NERO AWARDS NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024**

An extraordinary true story of shipwreck, survival and love

''An enthralling, engrossing story of survival'' Bill Bryson
‘An absolute jewel of a book’ India Knight
‘A gripping tale of adventure’ Elizabeth Day
‘An extraordinary survival story’ Sunday Times

Bored of 1970s suburban life, Maurice and Maralyn plan their escape: sell the house, build a boat, set sail for New Zealand. Then, halfway around the world, their beloved boat is struck by a whale and the pair are cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Alone on a tiny raft, their love is put to the test. This is a book about human connection and the human condition; about how we survive – not just at sea, but in life.

‘This skilful storytelling drew me in…very touching indeed’ James Rebanks
‘With the adrenaline kick of Jaws . . . A remarkable portrait of a marriage kept afloat against the odds’ Financial Times
‘This dramatic, profound human story is so beautifully told. I really could not put it down’ Nina Stibbe

A Guardian, Observer & Waterstones Non-fiction Book of the Year