Away With the Penguins is a charming tale of family, second chances, and well...penguins, from Hazel Prior.

“I must try to do something before it’s too late. Not just something with my money but something with my life, whatever dregs are left of it.”

Veronica McCreedy is a brusque, eccentric, and wealthy old woman who lives alone in a large house on the south west coast of Scotland, with only her ‘daily’, Eileen, and a part-time gardener for company. One evening her favourite television programme is replaced with a documentary about penguins, and inspired, Veronica makes an extraordinary decision that will change her life.

The story primarily unfolds from the point of view of Veronica, and her estranged grandson Patrick. Prior’s character development is skilful crafted, initially neither of the protagonists are particularly likeable, but as their pasts are revealed, and the story progresses, they become much more appealing characters.

Veronica’s adventures in Antarctica are delightful and poignant. The scientific team of Locket Island are rather horrified to have an octogenarian in their midst, but Veronica is unconcerned, and is determined to rise to the challenge, handbag on her arm.

Patrick is a bit of a loser, essentially unemployed and recently single, his first (second and third) contact with ‘Granny V’ does not go well, but he eventually redeems himself.

Unsurprising, Away With the Penguins includes strong messages about environmental issues, such as pollution, wildlife conversation and climate change, and of course, the importance of penguin research. I delighted in learning more about penguins, and the Adelie penguins in particular. Pip, the penguin chick that Veronica adopts, is an adorable element of the story.

An entertaining and uplifting story, Away With the Penguins is a lovely read, I finished the last page with a smile on my face, and hope in my heart.

Oh what a beautiful book!! It was in the category of 'can't put down' not because it was thrilling or keeping you guessing, just because it was beautifully written, humourous in parts, touching in others. There are characters you dislike, others you just love and others you learn to love.

I simply adored this book and would recommend it to anyone not matter what genre of book you normally read.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

A very quirky, unusual story about an 85 year old lady and penguins!

Veronica is a wealthy, fairly eccentric lady who doesn't particularly like people and hasn't anyone to leave her money to when she dies, and is wondering what to do with it.  She discovers a grandson she didn't know about, but decides he's not worthy of it, and so after seeing a program on the TV decides to leave it all to penguin research and flies out to the Antarctic and lands herself on the poor penguin scientists in the middle of nowhere with really basic accommodation, promising to leave her money to them if she can stay and see the penguins for a few weeks.

This was a very amusing, and slightly sad in parts, book with great descriptions of penguins that was really interesting.  I  haven't really thought that much about them before, but they sound like really amazing creatures.  Veronica is a formidable woman who is very hard to say no to so there are certainly some interesting parts of the story!  Her grandson also grew on me, as initially I found him irritating (worked one day a week/lived on benefits/moped around feeling sorry for himself/smoked cannabis), but he also ended up in the Antarctic and he turned out to be a nice guy.

I wasn't too sure I'd like the story to start with, but it grew on me as I got further into the book.  Something a little bit different that ended up a very enjoyable read.

Veronica's mind, at nearly 86, isn't what it use to be but she constantly assures herself that it is as sharp as it ever was. She lives in a rambling mansion and is extremely comfortable but she knows that she must start to make provisions of what will happen to her fortune after she dies. When she sees a random message on her mirror made with the colour of lipstick that she always carries with her, it intrigues her. Just one-word, Penguins. Then seeing a documentary with the renowned Robert Saddleworth about the demise of the penguins in Antarctica she feels she must do something about it. Of course, it isn't the first time she has had this thought.
Veronica asks her assistant Eileen to look into how to find long lost family members in a last attempt to discover if she has any living relatives anywhere to leave her fortune to and a door opens for her that she had never thought possible.
Oh wow! just wow! I have been blown away with this story, from first meeting grumpy old Veronica to the gutsy lady that I found out about through the pages. Her past, her family and tragic war years, the terrible things that were taken from her control and the love she had known. Veronica's life had been moulded from a young girl with cruelness but this lady would melt faster than any global warming could produce while she was away with the penguins.
There aren't many characters in the story to remember, each group belonging to a certain era. There is one thing for sure, it is never too late to change. I laughed at so many chapters with a lady that knew all the tricks in the book of how to get her own way. Being old does have its benefits when you know how to play a situation. I am bursting with the characters and story that I really hope you go on to read as it gave me that feeling in my tummy of going over a bridge. I have whooped and cheered. Just fabulous!
I wish to thank the publisher for inviting me to read and review this book through NetGalley via an e-copy, which I have reviewed honestly.

Thank you to Netgalley and penguin random house for a pre publication copy. In return for an honest review! #awaywiththepenguins #netgalley

Veronica McCreedy is an 86 year old millionaire who lives in Ayrshire, Scotland. She has no known family or friends but spends her day watching wildlife programmes and talking to her housekeeper, certainly not her carer, Eileen. Until one day her wildlife programme is not on and instead has been replaced with a Robert Saddlebow programme on penguins. This programme changes Veronica's life in her personal life and family life. Will she be able to make a once in a lifetime trip to Antarica? and Is she really alone with no living relatives?

Penguin random house came to me, based on my other reviews, to see if I would be able to review this book. After reading the description i felt i would try it out. Something i certainly don't regret.

Once opening the book it is a page turner. You are also learning something about each character or have a cliff hanger making you want to know more. I read this book in 48 hours. Any spare time i had i felt myself wanting to pick this book up.

I love how delicately the author has put this book together merging romance, womens fiction, non fiction and historical fiction together. Making a fabulously holistic book. That makes you cry, laugh and give empathy to all the characters. This book is a great cosy read and you never feel that you are missing anything from the story line allowing you to follow it through until the end with confidence.

Although their are some emotional subjects included in this book such as parents death WW2, adoption, drugs, climate change and teenage pregnancies. I do not feel this takes away from the cosy feel of the book and actually adda to much to Veronicas character. without her past diaries where a lot of the emotional subjects are i feel that the book would leave you and veronicas character lacking dimenson. Therefore it is a much needed part of the story.

Looking through goodreads i have noted that this book may have started life with the title "How the peguins saved Veronica." I feel this author made a good editing decision to change it to rhe current title which leaves more for the story to tell. Otherwise the ending is pretty much shown in the title. Great decision.

Furthermore this appears to be Hazel's second book. Wow for a author to ooze so much confidence through their writing Hazel is very talented. As well as being able to merge so many genres into one and doing it so well. The author and publisher should be very proud.

I would love a sequel to this finding out how Veronicas new life and thoughts carry her through her octogenarian years, how patrick and Terry get on and of course the Penguins. As well as to follow Daisy and family further hopefully to remission.

One last thing I would love Hazel to get facebook so i can interact with her and look out for any book signings further up the South West. Maybe she may even do a video for us.

Veronica McCreedy is 86, wealthy, living in a mansion in Ayrshire. She’s divorced and except for Eileen, her housekeeper, she has no – one. But she loves her Darjeeling tea, hates doors being left open and adores wildlife documentaries on TV. She has built a wall around herself but now, contemplating her life and wondering what to do with her money, she discovers there is a grandson, Patrick, living in Bolton. But as the first contact is rather disappointing, Veronica sets her mind on saving penguins and travel to Antarctica. But who is going to save whom? Veronica penguins or penguins Veronica?

I wanted to read this book so much not because – like so many of the other reviewers – of the penguins, though I must admit that it was also a very catchy angle, and if you think that the penguins are used as a metaphor or something, well, no, there are cute penguins overload, and I think it’s a brilliant idea! – so yes, maybe because of the penguins as well, but I also loved Hazel’s debut novel. I actually rated it with 5 stars, so am not sure what to do with this book as I enjoyed it even more than “Ellie and the Harpmaker”.

The story is told through Veronica and Patrick’s points of view, and the characters slowly but steadily grew on me, especially Patrick that, I must admit, probably misjudged a bit. Veronica was a brilliant character, a woman who really knew what she wanted. She was feisty, determined, persistent and actually very stubborn but in a way that was not so obvious. I mean, it was obvious that she’s stubborn, and she always got what she wanted, but she accomplished those things with a lot of charm. Oh well, OK then, she did whatever it took to get ahead but she didn’t hurt anybody, even if she took no notice of others’ opinions. It was simply somehow funny.
Throughout the story we also learn about Veronica’s past and see what it was that shaped her and made her the person she is now – lonely and harsh in judging. But she used to be so full of life and joy, and it was heart – breaking to see what has happened to her. However, deep down I always thought that she was always a good person at heart, it was life that simply stopped her believing in people, and she proved me right, giving the relationship with Patrick a chance, with the little help of Pip the penguin and the lovely Terry.
It’s very easy to make assumptions about Patrick, just like Veronica, and me too, but if you give him a chance, you’ll see there is so much more to him that meets the eye.

The writing style is so easy and chatty, and I liked it even better than in the first book – it simply seemed gentler and was so pleasant, as if the author has found her real voice this time, or felt more confident. It is vivid and warm, bringing the places and characters to life. The story is so well researched, the hard work that author put into it is evident and it paid off, as I truly enjoyed every single word and the descriptions of Antarctica, the conditions and the penguins were exquisite.

You actually don’t have to love penguins to adore this novel. This whole story oozes with charm and warmth and it was a lovely, warm and uplifting book about celebrating life and second chances, about love and loss and life altogether. It’s full of humour, but it is also poignant, so be prepared that you may shed a tear or two. There is also an environmental message in the book that I, as an animal lover, enjoyed very much, and I was truly quickly sold on Veronica because of her approach to animals. It is, without a doubt, one of the most delightful and cheerful and clever books I have read in a long time. Highly recommended!

What a delightful book! This is not my usual sort of story and I expected that it may be a too cozy for me but I enjoyed it enormously.

Veronica McCreedy is a well off but irascible divorcee living alone in a large and beautiful house in Ayreshire, Scotland. Her only contacts are her devoted daily, Eileen, and her gardener. She loves a good tea, has at least four good tea sets and insists that doors are kept shut. She knows her memory is fine because she can recite Shakespeare (as she keeps telling us) but she does need to write things down on her mirror and is then surprised the next day to find the note. Each week as she sits down to watch her favourite television show she is surprised to find that it has been replaced by a new show on penguins.

As she watches the show on penguins and the dedicated team in Antartica who want to save them, she reflects on what she has and has not accomplished in her own life.and on the importance of relationships to penguins. This leads her first to try to find a grandson she never knew she had. Then she decides that not only will she leave her millions to the penguin researchers, she will stay with them for three weeks, whether they like it or not - and mostly they don't.

Veronica's story tells us it is never too late - for life, love or adventure. And, as in climate change scenarios, the ripple effect of one person's actions can have consequences for the lives of many. I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hazel Prior for the free copy of this book. I've happily provided an independant review.

I was drawn to this book initially because my son has always loved penguins. This story has so much to recommend it.

The star of the show is, Veronica McCreedy, a virtual recluse, who feels at 85 years she still hasn't made her mark on the world and has lots to offer. She dislikes how she looks because inside she is vibrant and young. Her life is steeped in tragedy, which has contributed to her current reclusive state.

Patrick is at a particularly low ebb in his life, and he becomes introverted and prickly with others. The story unfolds from Veronica and Patrick's viewpoints, as they get to know each other. Through journals, we learn of Veronica's past life and find it has some similarities with Patrick's. Then there is a great adventure, which proves more significant than the geographical miles travelled.

The characters are believable and for the most part lovely. Everyone has their flaws but its this humanity that makes them relatable. Veronica's relationship with Patrick and the people she encounters on her journey of self-discovery are humorous, poignant and uplifting.

The plot flows and the storytelling is engaging. The conservation message is implicit in Veronica's quest for the penguins, Like so much in life, Veronica's life is enriched as she works tirelessly in helping the penguins and Patrick. This is an original, story which entertains, informs and motivates, It gives hope to those of us, firmly on the wrong side of fifty, that we are still important, and can make a difference.

I received a copy of this book from Random House UK - Transworld Books in return for an honest review.

Away with the Penguins is a charming and uplifting read that is food for the soul. Apart from simply loving the title (as well as being recommended by author Clare Mackintosh) the themes of this novel will resonate with many.
85 year old Veronica McCreedy is our heroine of this tale and lives alone, quite cantankerous, loves her Darjeeling tea and abhors doors being left open. I could immediately sense that beyond her rather gruff exterior lay the true Veronica and that there were events in her past that would reveal reasons for distancing herself from the rest of the world, mistrustful of others. I fell in love with this character very quickly recognising similar traits in myself. Over the years she’s built a wall around herself to prevent any further heartache but as the storyline unfolds it’s evident that it’s never too late to change. Discovering she has a grandson Patrick and watching a tv wildlife documentary about the plight of penguins proves to be life changing for Veronica. She’s determined to finally make a mark on this world and help save the species.
Written in an easy style, from the perspective of Veronica and Patrick, this a gentle yet captivating read about love and loss and friendship and reconnecting with our fellow human beings through nature. Who would realise that you can learn so much from penguins, least of all Veronica? She is a wily character as well as adventurous, slightly eccentric and of a hardy disposition who finds herself on a trip of a lifetime to the fictional Locket island, home to the Adelie penguins. I loved the author’s use of penguins, and one in particular, as a metaphor for all that Veronica has encountered and lost in life, which we learn about through the voice of Patrick, reading her long ago written journals. At the same time the author is conveying a timely and topical message about climate change and how humans are continuing to destroy the natural world.
It’s easy to make assumptions about Patrick, as does Veronica, but the further you’re drawn into the storyline the more you realise he has plenty of redeeming qualities and that maybe he too hasn’t had the easiest of times. Perhaps Patrick and Veronica have more in common than either of them initially thought.
It’s hard to decide which are my favourite parts of this novel but if I had to it would probably be those revealing Veronica’s life as a young girl. Plus we all need someone like Granny Veronica in our lives!
All the characters including the scientists examining penguin life and Eileen, Veronica’s long suffering carer are likeable and have something to offer Veronica,coaxing her out of her carefully constructed shell.
There is much humour in this novel too and the writing throughout is suffused with warmth and compassion. Away with the Penguins might be a tale to melt even the hardest of hearts (excuse the pun!) and I highly recommend.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

I adored Veronica, nothing better than a book about a feisty, independent woman and Veronica is definitely that. She (and the book) are just so well written, you go on her adventure with her and it’s funny, touching , poignant, it really makes you think and touches your soul. I think it could have left out the very last bit, but it’s a minor criticism, still a 5 star book and another of my top reads for 2020

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Veronica McCreedy lives in a mansion on the Scottish coast, she loves a good cup of Darjeeling tea whilst watching wildlife documentaries and she is never seen without her trademark red lipstick.

Although these days Veronica rarely sees anyone besides her cleaner Eileen; and with no friends or family she begins to ponder who she will bequeath her considerable wealth to when she dies.

But Veronica is about to make a decision that will change all of this, she’s about to begin the journey of a lifetime…

I requested this title from NetGalley on a bit of a whim. I hadn’t read anything by this author before but from reading the blurb I was hoping I was going to read a story about a woman with great gumption – and I wasn’t disappointed. Veronica was at first a rather cantankerous character, but as she embarks on her journey to Antarctica, we begin to see chinks in her armour. Veronicas teenage diary entries give the reader insight into the circumstances that have shaped the woman she has become.

I really enjoyed Prior’s writing style; I felt the story flowed very well. Sometimes I find books with multiple narrative strands can leave me feeling a little disjointed, but I’m please to say that wasn’t the case here.

This was a sweet and heart-warming story about how taking chances and opening your heart can change your life.

I downloaded this book because (1) a friend recommended it to me, (2) of the very clever title, and (3) the absolutely gorgeous cover. I am so glad I did. This book will definitely be one of my favourite reads this year. Think Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - but with penguins!

Veronica McCreedy is very wealthy, lives in a huge mansion in Scotland, is never seen without her ruby red lipstick and has a collection of very expensive handbags. She spends her days collecting litter from the beach ('People who litter the countryside should be shot'), watching wildlife programmes on TV, and bossing her much put upon assistant around. She's also 85 years old.

Realising that she has no family or friends to leave her fortune to, she tracks down her long-lost grandson. The meeting is such a disaster (for both of them!) she thinks she should just leave her money to the penguins. Or rather, the scientists who are studying them at a remote and poorly-funded research station in the Antarctica. And because Veronica is a sensible (stubborn, bloody-minded) kind of person, she decides to pay the research centre a visit before agreeing to part with any cash. Much to the horror of the scientists...

The story is told from the point of view of Veronica and her grandson Patrick, interspersed with short blog posts written by one of the scientists. Both Veronica and Patrick are brilliant characters with very strong, very different voices. Veronica, for example, turns up at the research station with all the correct gear, whereas Patrick just jumps on a plane and arrives in the Antarctic completely unprepared. The story is very funny, completely realistic and also poignant - especially during flashbacks to the 1940s, when Veronica was an unmarried mother. There is a serious message about climate change, lots and lots of penguins, and a cute little rescued chick called Pip. The only bit I wasn't keen on was the epilogue, because it tied up all the loose ends and I would have loved a sequel!

As you might have guessed, I absolutely loved Away with the Penguins. It deserves to be a huge bestseller because it is completely brilliant and utterly original. If you only buy one book this year, buy this one. I guarantee you will love it too!


*Published as How the Penguins Saved Veronica in the USA

Thank you to Hazel Prior and Bantam Press for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Oh how I loved this absolute gem of a book. Both heartbreaking and heartwarming, it had me transfixed. I got lost in the pages and totally immersed in Veronica’s story.

Veronica McCreedy is an eccentric, feisty, cantankerous, witty and unstoppable old lady. I just couldn’t help but love her and she quickly found a place in my heart. Her bad-tempered idiosyncrasies became endearing and I was sure she had a heart of gold hidden behind it all. When a locked wooden box containing her teenage diaries is found, Veronica’s poignant story is slowly unveiled and we finally learn what lies underneath those brusque layers she uses to protect herself.

Running parallel to Veronica’s story is her daring adventure to Antarctica to see the Adélie penguins. She became obsessed with them after watching a nature programme and decided she wanted to leave her vast wealth to the research programme. But she needs to make sure they are worthy of it, so she books a trip to see the penguins for herself; refusing to heed to frantic warnings of her assistant Eileen and the trio of scientists that it is too dangerous. I adored this part of the story - the different sides we see to Veronica's personality, her blossoming friendship with young scientist Terry, and the adorable rescued chick, Pip. I found myself in awe of Eileen’s spriteliness and determination, overcoming her age and the bracing conditions to have the adventure of a lifetime.

But behind the cuteness of this storyline is a serious commentary on climate change and our responsibility to save the environment and a number of earth’s most beloved species that are facing extinction in the near future. It is peppered with blog posts by Terry which are informative as well as entertaining. The author has clearly done her research and I know a lot more about climate change and penguins after reading this book.

The story is narrated by two very distinct voices and is filled with a rich, colourful and fascinating cast of characters. The cutest of these is without a doubt little Pip, and I now blame the author for the fact I really want a pet penguin! The investment, hard work and love that the author has put into this book is evident in the exquisite writing and attention to detail. I savoured every word, devouring this book while also trying to make it last as I dreaded parting with Veronica and the penguins.

Away with the Penguins is without a doubt the most delightful, joyous and uplifting book I’ve read so far this year, if not in a long time, and I have no doubt it will have a place in my top reads of the year. A lush blend of characters and storylines that is immersive and reaches into your soul and serves as a great reminder that it is never too late to have an adventure, try new things or make changes in your life. Whatever your reading preferences, I highly recommend this book. Just make sure to have lots of tissues and be prepared to fall in love.

Thank you to Bantam Press and Netgalley.

I loved this book. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. The main character Veronica looks an eccentric old lady at the beginning, but later, through her teenage diaries, we learn about all the losses and heartbreaks she had to suffer during the war. Luckily, she finds friends and family in the end.
The novel has a rich tapestry woven from the narrations of two characters, blog entries about penguins, and the diary entries from Veronica's past.
Apart from the story of Veronica the book has a very topical message about our responsibility to save our environment and our future by helping species in danger of extinction.
The book has a very loveable and interesting cast of supporting characters as well. Not to mention Pip the penguin chick who is a cutie.
I am happy to have read this book. I recommend it to everyone and I will look out for the next books of the author.

I was invited to read this book, and although I wouldn’t normally have chosen this book was so glad I read it! A charming and moving read that was both interesting and informative particularly as it contained fantastic descriptions of the very cute and lovable Adelie penguins of Antarctica.
Veronica the heroine of the book is a fiesty, independent, cantankerous old woman who illustrates that it is never too late to try something new or to make changes in your life or to form new relationships! Her relationship with pip is so sweet and adorable and the matchmaking that she orchestrated between terry and Patrick so subtle but so obvious! A really great read that also conveys a strong environmental warning to us all, would highly recommend this book!
Thank you net galley for this early read.

Loved this book loved the Penguins and most of all loved Veronica.She is 85 quirky hilarious and in love with penguins yes penguins.Veronica has a dilemma she is wealthy but who to leave her money to is the problems.I won’t give anything away read this book oy our will fal in love.#netgalley randomhouseuj

What a quirky and unlikely but thoroughly heartwarming story featuring cantankerous millionaire octogenarian Veronica, or as she prefers to be known Mrs McCreedy. This stubborn and particular woman shuns everyone and prefers to keep the world at arms length, by chance she learns about a penguin study in the Antarctic and decides it might be the ideal answer to what to do with her wealth once she passes. Her bloody mindedness about this leads to an incredible adventure. This is a glorious story with a fabulous main character who gets under your skin and who evolves beautifully as the story progresses.

What a beautiful story!
Realistic? Of course not, but we don't escape into fiction to read about real stories.
This is a heart-warming story set in one of the coldest places on earth.
Octagenarian Veronica McCreedy is not an easy person to live with or work for, but she is getting older and has an inheritance of millions of pounds.
Her journey uncovers her only living relative and a love for penguins she didn't think possible... as well as feelings which she tried to bury. Turns out the old woman has a long history which made her the person she is and it hasn't always been easy. But with a little penguin love... a lot can happen!

If, like me, you adore penguins, then Hazel Prior's moving and hopeful novel will be the perfect read, it has oodles of charm which had me dissolving into a gooey puddle with its joyous penguins and one special baby penguin in particular that manages to knit the together the humans that take care of him. 86 year old Veronica McCreedy is a very wealthy woman living in a coastal mansion, The Ballahays, in Ayrshire. She has been lonely and alone for a long time, with no family, divorced from a serial philanderer, her only human contact with Eileen who comes in to clean and do what is necessary. Veronica is contemplating her life and what do with her money, when a grandson is unearthed, Patrick, living in Bolton. Patrick's life has fallen apart, his girlfriend, Lynette, has left him for a racist brickie, leaving him gobsmacked, having to move, and financially poorer. However, Veronica's disappointment in Patrick knows no bounds when they encounter each other.

Veronica has very little truck with the modern world of pointless, vacuous celebrities, she is stubborn, determined, and seeking a mission to do good. Her one interest is wildlife documentaries, finding herself getting caught up with Robert Saddlebow's 'The Plight of Penguins', specifically the need to research the Adelie penguins of Locket Island in the Antarctic. A locket has a strong personal resonance for her, and she contacts the tiny 3 person team on the island, promising funding and requires them to provide living accommodation for 3 weeks. She takes absolutely no notice of their frantic efforts to dissuade her, for like the penguins, Veronica is feisty, persistent, and an unstoppable force of nature. Veronica in her youth was full of life, with a big heart, but losing her parents in WW2 at the tender age of 14, the loss of her baby, and her marriage drained her faith in people.

Cracks in her facade begin to appear as she connects with Terry with her penguin blog, and Pip, the baby penguin she saves, and perhaps, just perhaps, she has misjudged her weed smoking grandson, Patrick? Prior's writes a pitch perfect story with a central protagonist, Veronica, who will tug at your heartstrings, in a narrative where we learn of her past traumas during WW2 through the journal she gives Patrick. As she begins to question her harsh judgement of Patrick, and he gets to know his grandmother through her wartime years journal, their relationship with each other grows stronger, cemented by Pip, the other penguins and the lovely Terry. A gloriously quirky and life affirming story of hope that I cannot see anyone being able to resist, after all, who does not love penguins??? Many thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.

At first glance, this is not the type of book I usually read but I love penguins so took a chance and I'm so glad I did. The main character is just wonderful and the plot a delightful surprise.

Veronica McCreedy is a stubborn, curmudgeonly old woman living in Ayrshire. After a difficult upbringing in Britain during the war and then a childless marriage and divorce to a philanderer, she has kept to herself and made a lot of money but few friends. Although she has recently discovered a grandson called Patrick that she didn't know about, their first meeting didn't go well. She enjoys wild-life documentaries and is so taken with a series on penguins that she decides she needs to get up close to them to learn more about them.

This is a very enjoyable, charming story, alternates between Patrick's and Veronica's points of views. Veronica is one of those prickly characters who sneaks up on you until you find yourself cheering her on. Patrick may seem like a lost young man drifting through life, but there is so much more to discover about him as well. With a little bit of romance and a gentle environmental message, this is definitely one for the penguin lovers out there and for those who enjoy a heartwarming, feel good tale.