Book Review:

Reading Sailing New Courses felt like stepping into a warm embrace. As Jill Parker, a 63-year-old retiree whose life had begun to feel a bit monotonous, I was thrilled to win an all-expenses-paid Mediterranean cruise. I envisioned this trip as the perfect opportunity for my husband, Eddy, and me to reignite the spark in our marriage. But when he chose DIY projects over sun-soaked adventures, I had to pivot and invite my sister, Diana, instead.

From the moment we set sail, I felt a rush of excitement and possibility. Diana, who had been reclusive since her husband's passing, needed this trip as much as I did. I hoped it would rekindle her adventurous spirit, and I wasn’t disappointed. The beautiful Mediterranean backdrop was captivating, and the cocktails at sunset were delightful, but it was our late-night heart-to-heart conversations that truly brought our bond to life.

The journey was not without its challenges. Life on a cruise can be unpredictable, and we both had to confront personal complexities and hidden emotions. However, those moments of vulnerability only deepened our sisterhood and added richness to our adventure.

Maddie Please has woven a tale that is both uplifting and genuine. I found myself laughing, crying, and ultimately embracing the idea that it’s never too late to chase happiness. This book is a heartwarming reminder that friendship and family can guide us through even the most turbulent waters. If you’re looking for a feel-good read filled with laughter, love, and second chances, I wholeheartedly recommend this delightful escape!

I have discovered recently that I absolutely adore books that centre on older ladies, and this book was no exception. Jill was just a perfect protagonist, I found her hilarious and sweet and really felt like I knew her by the end of the story. It was definitely a perfect summer read, super light and heartwarming too!

Wasn't really engaged with this book, but I don't know why. I was skipping pages and reading only a paragraph on a page and still able to keep up with the plot. I get the point of it being cheery, and an adventure for middle aged women (which I am) but it was on the boring side.

As a woman in her sixties this book was such a great fun read. Thought provoking and at times so true to life. Thoroughly recommend this empowering and at times reflective story. You won’t be disappointed

I do t think anyone looks forward to getting old, but this book does an amazing job of showing you how much there is too look forward to, even when you get older.

Diana’s husband doesn’t want to go on a cruise with her, so she decides to take her sister, Julie, instead. Both women are retired, and Julie’s husband recently dies. I have four sisters, and I can see myself going in a trip like this when I’m older. I love that although this book does focus on romantic relationships, it also discusses how important other relationships are as well. This book was just great!

3.5 stars
A fun read about a pair of sisters in their '60s on a luxurious Mediterranean cruise! Jill Parker is finding retirement a bit monotonous so she's thrilled when she wins a 10 day all-expenses paid Mediterranean cruise for two. When her husband, Eddy, admits that he would rather stay home and build a new patio then Jill invites her younger sister, Diana, who has become a bit of a recluse since the death of her husband five years earlier to come along instead. There's hijinx and laugh-out-loud moments both aboard the ship and in the ports as the two sisters discover that it's never too late for a fresh start or to add fun, adventure and perhaps even a little romance to your life. A lighthearted and life-affirming read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

In this fun and summery women’s fiction novel, readers join retired Jill Parker and her widowed sister Diana on an all-expenses paid Mediterranean cruise. Diana, reclusive since the death of her husband, has drifted apart from her sister Jill, and this cruise might be the push they need to rebuild their relationship and reconnect in a beautiful ocean setting. Meeting new friends and having adventures, Jill finally has a chance to see the world and Diana can redefine herself in her widowhood, and this cruise might just be the making of them. While not everything is smooth sailing in their personal lives and relationships, these sisters’ exploits may just help them figure everything out and solve their problems. Jill and Diana are extremely different characters and are by no means indistinguishable from each other, and readers will enjoy following their hijinks and seeing them reconnect on the cruise. The other characters in the novel are also unique, with quirky and fun personalities that mesh well with Jill and Diana’s interests and personalities. A fun summer novel with laid-back cruise and Mediterranean vibes, this is an excellent summer read about two sisters and taking that leap to rediscover themselves in a new stage of life.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wonderful book. I really enjoyed reading it!

I loved this story. It was funny and easy. I loved the two women going on a cruise and giving a great time and also discovering more about their relationships. Just brilliant. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

3,5 ⭐️

This was such a fun read and different from what I read normally. I really enjoyed the story and was invested from the beginning. The book contains a lot of details and I had the feeling that I was on that cruise with Jill, Diana, Evelyn and all the other people. There were so many beautiful quotes in this book and it made me realize that you learn to appreciate the things that you have once you have to miss those ‘little’ things. A must read for everyone who wants to escape reality and wants to be on a cruise for a while.

Quotes:
“Every journey has destinations of which the traveler is unaware”
“Never too late to start again, to find happiness and accept new challenges”
“You will never realize how strong you are until there is really no alternative”

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this arc.

Wonderful and quirky book about “woman older in age”. Maddie Please takes us on board a cruise ship with two older gals whose lives have been put into upheaval. Throughout this wonderful book the ladies go about finding oneself and learning to start anew again.

Jill and Diana are sisters in their sixties. Jill wins a cruise and on the encouragement of her husband invites her sister to join her. Diana is no stranger to cruising since her late husband used to be a cruise ship captain.

Old Girls on Deck follows these 2 sisters as they embark on this free cruise. They meet many colorful characters along the way. The story is light and cute, a quick and fun read. I laughed out loud several times following the antics of the sisters and the quirky people they encounter.

Too often middle-aged people, especially women, are invisible. I was happy to read a story that made these women and some of the other older women they encountered the star of the show.

As the sisters share their antics, they also rediscover each other and the joys of life. It was very sweet to watch them both come alive again in different ways.

Overall, a greatly enjoyed reading this sweet and funny look into the ways we can break out of the ruts we so often find ourselves.

Thank to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Blurb :
When retired Jill Parker wins an all-expenses paid mediterranean cruise for two she is thrilled! At 63 life in retirement has got a little bit bland for Jill and this might be just the holiday she and husband Eddy need to get the sparks back in their marriage.
But when Eddy admits he would much prefer to build his patio and look through the latest DIY magazine, Jill is left with only one other option – her sister Diana.
Diana has become rather reclusive since her husband, Caspar died, but perhaps this is the push she needs to bring some excitement back into her life, too?
Could this trip be just what both sisters need to reconnect and chart a new path for their futures?
Excited to be exploring new horizons and catching up, the sisters soon discover that not everything is smooth sailing on board. And as they enjoy cocktails together at sundown, they discover that they are both actually a little all at sea…

My Thoughts :
Always thrilled when I hear Maddie please has a new book out and Old Girls on Deck did not disappoint.
We meet sisters Jill and Diana, Jill is happily married to Eddy and they are both now retired.
Diana sadly lost her husband Casper a few years back, and has been trying to navigate life without him.
When Jill wins a competition for an all expenses paid 10 day Mediterranean cruise, she jumps at the idea of a break, but sadly Eddy isnt keen on going and she soon she asks Diana if she would come, as Diana is no stranger to a ship as Casper was once a Captain.
As they embark upon their adventure we learn more about the lives of the sisters and how Diana didnt always have it easy in the shaddow of her husband. Jill feels a bit left behind and bored in life but she soon misses Eddy and realises she loves him deeply.
All the whille Jill and Diana are having a whale of a time rediscovering themselves, they even get a cabin upgrade when the staff find out who Diana really is.
Maddie Please writes the best stories about the older generation and I love this, she puts the reader right there weather you want to be or not. I can certainly visualise and feel what their cruise was like.
An array of great supporting cast especially Evelyn who warmed my heart.
Overall a fun filled story with plenty of surprises and a few twists and turns along the way.
More soon Maddie Please!.

Old Girls on Deck by Maddie Please

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

When retired Jill Parker wins an all-expenses paid mediterranean cruise for two she is thrilled! At 63 life in retirement has got a little bit bland for Jill and this might be just the holiday she and husband Eddy need to get the sparks back in their marriage.

But when Eddy admits he would much prefer to build his patio and look through the latest DIY magazine, Jill is left with only one other option – her sister Diana.

Diana has become rather reclusive since her husband, Caspar died, but perhaps this is the push she needs to bring some excitement back into her life, too?

Could this trip be just what both sisters need to reconnect and chart a new path for their futures?

Excited to be exploring new horizons and catching up, the sisters soon discover that not everything is smooth sailing on board. And as they enjoy cocktails together at sundown, they discover that they are both actually a little all at sea…

My Opinion

Maddie Please is back with another brilliant book - our main characters are older but no less entertaining. Jill and Diana are sisters, but they have drifted apart. When Jill wins an all expenses paid cruise, Jill's husband suggests that she should take Diana along so the pair can reconnect.

Recently I have read a few books by Maddie Please and they are just lovely. With all of the drama, it was difficult to know where this book was going to go next. This book will have you laughing out loud at some of the antics the sisters get up to. Pack your bags and join the cruise - you won't regret it.

Rating 4/5

I’ve read a couple of novels by this author and always found them to be lighthearted, warm and entertaining. Her latest novel, Old Girls On Deck, certainly lived up to its predecessors as we follow Jill and her sister Diana as they embark on a ten day cruise. They may be in their sixties, but these two certainly know how to have fun. This is a great beach read that I can highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author for the chance to review.

EXCERPT: I picked the phone up without looking, I assumed it was Diana; she phones me at least once a day, usually about something unimportant, but it's nice to hear from her anyway. At least I get an idea of her mood. Since she was widowed, she's doing very well, but I know she must be very lonely. There have been a lot of unhappy, tearful calls over the last five years, which more often than not saw me in my car going over to try and help. Her new neighbour, Tom, seems to have developed a bot of a crush on her recently. He's always washing out her recycling bins and offering to trim her hedges, so to speak.
'Ahoy there! Everything okay?'
'That's the correct answer!' said an excited voice and then there was the sound of cheering and explosions and car horns and I nearly rang off because I thought it was a nuisance call . . .

ABOUT 'OLD GIRLS ON DECK': When retired Jill Parker wins an all-expenses paid mediterranean cruise for two she is thrilled! At 63 life in retirement has got a little bit bland for Jill and this might be just the holiday she and husband Eddy need to get the sparks back in their marriage.

But when Eddy admits he would much prefer to build his patio and look through the latest DIY magazine, Jill is left with only one other option – her sister Diana.

Diana has become rather reclusive since her husband, Caspar died, but perhaps this is the push she needs to bring some excitement back into her life, too?

Could this trip be just what both sisters need to reconnect and chart a new path for their futures?

Excited to be exploring new horizons and catching up, the sisters soon discover that not everything is smooth sailing on board. And as they enjoy cocktails together at sundown, they discover that they are both actually a little all at sea…

MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this book about two sisters in their sixties going on a cruise together. This is another book to add to the great number of enjoyable titles about older women learning to have fun, and becoming wiser while they do so. I guess we all like reading books which feature our own age groups, and it is great to see so many fun and touching books written to please our generation.

Personally, I would love to cruise the Mediterranean, but not on a huge ocean liner. All those people! But all those people provided much light entertainment in Old Girls on Deck. There is a great mix of characters from the absolutely delightful eighty-something-year-old Evelyn to the boring pests who tend to tag along, hopefully, and are sure you should be grateful for their company.

I liked the ways both Jill's and Diana's personal growth is stimulated on the cruise. Diana has been something of a recluse since the death of her husband Casper, while Jill has felt somewhat stuck in a rut with her husband Eddy.

There are the usual high-jinks and laughs I have come to expect from Maddie Please's books which, in Old Girls on Deck, includes getting lost while out sightseeing and missing the boat!

If there is one thing that I can take away from this book it is, and I quote directly, the world is full of kind people. They just don't make it into the news. And exciting and outrageous things can happen at any time.

⭐⭐⭐.6

#OldGirlsonDeck #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Maddie Please was born in Dorset, brought up in Worcestershire and went to University in Cardiff.

After a career as a dentist Maddie now lives in Devon with her exceptionally handsome and supportive husband. They have 4 adult-ish children all of whom have left home and are probably rather surprised by all this. She did warn them.

Maddie is a voracious reader, and would enjoy hoovering, defrosting the fridge and cleaning the windows but unfortunately she doesn't really have time. She is very disciplined and sensible about her writing and she likes to write every day because it gets her out of doing the ironing.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Boldwood Books via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Old Girls on Deck by Maddie Please for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Jill’s in a rut. She doesn’t even listen to Radio Wonderful anymore, she’s in such a rut, but she doesn’t know quite how to go about changing things up. She answers the phone “Ahoy There” as always, thinking it’s her sister, but lo and behold it’s not her sister, but it is in fact Radio Wonderful calling and she’s won a Mediterranean cruise for two. Her husband Eddy would rather stay home and build the patio he’s been promising to build now that he’s retired and suggests that Jill take her sister Diana, who’s life has been in a bit of a tailspin since the death of her husband Casper. So it’s time they both have some fun and step out of their comfort zones and build the bond again as sisters, as things were relatively strained while Diana was married to the controlling Casper. But now both women have the opportunity to face things in a new light-for Jill it’s her humdrum life and the state of her marriage and for Diana it’s the chance to come out from the shadow of her husband and be her own person, all while enjoying all the benefits of the cruise ship and the gorgeous Mediterranean stops. There’s loads of on board activities-their less than successful attempt at chocolate making and line dancing had me chuckling, and Diana’s being pursued by the ship’s photographer was a fun little romantic addition to the story.
The story is fun, but there’s lots of reflection too. And when the cruise comes to an end, you’ll be left with a tear in your eye in, a smile on your face and a reminder that it’s never too late to enjoy your life or to have a fresh start. A great summer read.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

The protagonist is sixty-three year old Jill, and I warmed to her almost immediately. I found her humorous, and I enjoyed the way she talked to the reader. At the start of the book, Jill won a Mediterranean cruise, and decided to take her sister Diana with her. I was excited to follow the two of them on their adventure.

I found this a lovely humorous read, with lots of fun, lively characters to meet along the way. The dialogue made me chuckle, and the story was quite heartwarming too. This book did make me smile, so I would recommend it for one of those days when you just need a little lift, or find yourself in the mood for a light, entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Jill doesn’t even listen to Radio Wonderful any more – in fact, there are a lot of things she doesn’t do any more, her life in a definite rut that she lacks the energy to change. But she doesn’t check who’s calling when picking up the phone, answers with her usual “Ahoy there” thinking it’s her sister, and finds she’s won a Mediterranean cruise for two in their on-air competition. Husband Eddy would rather get on with building the patio he’s been promising her since he retired – so she decides to go with sister Diana, whose life has rather lacked direction since losing her husband Casper.

It’s time for them both to have some fun – starting with an incident with the balloon arch as they get on board, through all the various on board activities with ample quantities of food and drink, and on their excursions ashore. But it’s not all a laugh a minute – there’s plenty of time for sisterly bonding too. For Jill it’s an opportunity to consider the state of her marriage and how humdrum their life together has become – for Diana it proves to be a chance to blossom away from the considerable shadow of her husband and her part in his former career.

Their individual journeys are really engaging, and both women were particularly easy to identify with. Jill’s first person narration – her distinctive voice endlessly entertaining – was peppered with observations about later life that rang true on so many occasions. One that particularly hit close to home for me was about the fear of stepping outside our comfort zone becoming greater with age, perhaps because we become more aware of potential problems and dangers, and the fear begins to stifle us – it made me SO glad I’ve been brave enough to book my own cruise experience, and I plan to enjoy every moment as much as Jill and Diana did. And they really had the most fantastic role model in the friend they found on board, Lady Evelyn – she might be in her eighties, but certainly knows how to have fun.

The author recreates the whole cruise experience quite wonderfully – all the on board activities from the lectures, through their less than successful attempts at chocolate making and line dancing, and the evening shows led by the irrepressible cruise director Dicky. There’s the range of people aboard that everyone who’s ever cruised will recognise – especially those who are best avoided. And, of course, the ever-present ship’s photographer to capture the highs and lows – and the radio station certainly want as many pictures as possible of their winners having a good time – although there are times when they have reason to be rather glad he’s around.

Yes, of course, there are lots of laughs – but a fair bit of drama too, some unexpected romance, and more than a touch of poignancy as both women grow and change and become more comfortable with what their futures hold. The whole story is beautifully told – no shortage of fun, but lots of opportunities for reflection too. And, when the cruise is over, what a thoroughly perfect ending – leaving you with a tear in your eye, a smile on your face, and a nice warmth around the heart.

This was a book that any reader would enjoy, but particularly those who are a little older – I thought it was the perfect reminder that there’s fun to be had whatever age we might be, and that it’s never too late for the excitement of a fresh start. Just wonderful – and one that everyone should add to their summer reading list.

This was another delightful read by Maddie Please that I thoroughly enjoyed. I’ve read a few books by this author and have found them very entertaining reads. This one was based around 2 sisters who head off on all expenses paid cruise around the Mediterranean. One of the things I love about this author is she bases her characters on women in their sixties . And whilst I’m not of that age yet it makes a lovely change to the usual age bracket in books of women in their thirties and forties. It shows that women can still have lots of fun and laughs at that age also. I loved the way the relationship developed between the sisters as the story progressed. They met another lady on the cruise who was older than them and I thought she was an absolute darling of a character. A fabulous read with a perfect ending.