Swimming to Lundy

A poignant and inspiring story from multi-million-copy bestselling author Amanda Prowse about how it’s never too late to follow your dreams and find your way back to happiness.

Tawrie Gunn feels stuck. She’s spent her whole life in the same seaside town with her beloved Nana and grief-stricken mum, all of them still reeling in different ways from the tragic loss of Tawrie’s dad at sea. Desperate for a change, she challenges herself to take up wild swimming—every morning, no excuses, from March till September.

Daring to take the plunge with the ‘Peacock Swimmers’, Tawrie feels alive in a way she’s never known. Suddenly it seems she might be able to step outside her comfort zone after all and let life surprise her—perhaps even dream of a future beyond the shores of Ilfracombe? Especially when, one day, she spots a man in a pink linen shirt who seems as eager for a new start as she does.

But it turns out taking risks on land is a little different from wading into the sea. Can Tawrie face her fears head-on and find her way to happiness? She knows it’s never too late to pursue your hopes and dreams, but it might be easier said than done…

Amanda Prowse is an international bestselling author of thirty-one novels, including the chart-topping No.1 titles What Have I Done?, Another Love, My Husband’s Wife and The Girl in the Corner, which have sold millions of copies around the world.

Other novels by Amanda Prowse include A Mother’s Story, which won the coveted Sainsbury’s eBook of the Year Award, and Perfect Daughter, which was selected as a World Book Night title in 2016. Amanda’s seminal first non-fiction work, The Boy Between, co-authored with her son, was also selected to be a World Book Night title in 2022.

Consistently dominating the contemporary and literary fiction bestseller charts, along with several other genres, Amanda has been described by the Daily Mail as ‘the queen of family drama’. Well known for her empathy and positivity, Amanda’s second memoir, Women Like Us, was launched to critical acclaim and received thousands of five-star reviews.

Published by Lake Union, Amanda is the most prolific writer of bestselling contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also consistently score the highest online review approval ratings across several genres.

A popular TV and radio personality, Amanda has appeared on numerous daytime ITV programmes. She also makes guest appearances on BBC and independent radio stations, including LBC and Talk FM, where she is known for her insightful observations and infectious humour.

A keen supporter of libraries and library services, Amanda is a proud ambassador for The Reading Agency, where she works tirelessly to promote access to books and adult literacy.

Amanda’s ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them, and tales that fill your head so you can’t possibly read another book until the memory fades.