Definitely recommend this book. Much like the sea she writes about, this story carries you along on a wave with unexpected adventure along the way and the technical side of swimming the channel. Very funny in places, and very emotional. A nice easy read

I enjoyed this book. I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started it. There were some very well developed characters and the story lines were not very predictable. It was an easy read for the most part. I would recommend this book to others.

Cordelia is approaching fifty and decides to take on swimming the English Channel. With every stroke Cordelia faces all the things from her past that has led her to taking on this challenge. This is her moment, but can she overcome what has always held her back and stopped her from achieving anything in her life so far.

This is an inspiring and hopeful story, tackling some big issues.

The chapters alternated between the present of Cordelia’s journey across the channel and the past, Cordelia reflecting on her life so far. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book as we got a better insight into how and why Cordelia is taking on this challenge in the first place.

I think Cordelia is a relatable character for many, there are aspects of her story that I think lots of people will be able to empathise with.

This is an emotional read by Janet Hoggarth, but also one of inspiration. Pick this up if you need a boost of confidence when, like many of us do, you’re not feeling good enough.

An amazing book: I loved the main female character, Cordelia; the book showed us Cordelia with all her faults, vulnerabilities and complexities she was so raw and well developed, I loved watching her growing and finding herself. I liked that, although there was a “love story”, that was not the main focus here. Other main characters in the book were also well developed and consistent. There were film references throughout (some I hadn’t watched, even though they were all classics!) and I liked that we came back to that through the book. Obviously the book is about Cordelia swimming the channel, but there is so much more packed in than whether or not she completes this challenge. This is a five ⭐️ from me.

I will add review on my insta account when my tour date is due: @ukbook_reviewer

This was such an inspirational and hopeful story that follows a woman named Cordelia as she trains to swim the English Channel. But it’s not just a story of the swim itself, it’s a study of one woman’s life, and it is filled with humour, sadness and hope.

Our leading lady was so relatable and inspiring. Like many of us, she has spent her life feeling like she was never good enough. She has a habit of leaving things undone, so “The Swim” becomes a sort of symbol of getting over those past failures. Can she prove to herself and those around her that she can accomplish something momentous?

Hoggarth expertly weaves Cordelia’s present with flashbacks from her past. We see the most important aspects of her life and what made her who she is, and why. We get everything from old friendships, employment roadblocks and failed relationships. The way the story is written allows the reader to understand all of the baggage Cordelia carries and why “The Swim” is so important to her.

Poignant, funny and complex, “The Swim” is more than just a story of self-respect or overcoming challenges; it’s about believing in yourself, doing things that scare you and personal growth. “The Swim” is an unforgettable read that left me feeling hopeful and inspired.

This was such an inspirational and hopeful story that follows a woman named Cordelia as she trains to swim the English Channel. But it’s not just a story of the swim itself, it’s a study of one woman’s life, and it is filled with humour, sadness and hope.

Our leading lady was so relatable and inspiring. Like many of us, she has spent her life feeling like she was never good enough. She has a habit of leaving things undone, so “The Swim” becomes a sort of symbol of getting over those past failures. Can she prove to herself and those around her that she can accomplish something momentous?

Hoggarth expertly weaves Cordelia’s present with flashbacks from her past. We see the most important aspects of her life, and what made her who she is, and why. We get everything from old friendships, employment roadblocks and failed relationships. The way the story is written allows the reader to understand all of the baggage Cordelia carries and why “The Swim” is so important to her.

Poignant, funny and complex, “The Swim” is more than just a story of self-respect or overcoming challenges; it’s about believing in yourself, doing things that scare you and personal growth. “The Swim” is an unforgettable read that left me feeling hopeful and inspired.

The Swim by Janet Hoggarth

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

Blurb

When Cordelia decides to train to swim the English Channel, she understands why no one believes she can do it. After a lifetime of never finishing anything, she doesn’t really believe she can either. But she’s determined to try.

As she strides into the Channel with hours stretching ahead of her, Cordelia swims against every milestone in her life so far. Every failed relationship, every friendship let go, every exam failed, every tricky job she quit. A life lived never giving it her all. Until now.

With every stroke, with every mile, Cordelia knows that this is finally her moment. Because if she keeps this promise to herself, if she doesn’t give up, nothing will ever be the same again.

And waiting in France is an unimagined future and someone who does believe in her…

My Opinion

The Swim was a pleasant book to read. This was my first book by Janet Hoggarth and it was such an interesting read – I really enjoyed the way that Janet told the story alternating between Cordelia swimming across the channel and her reflecting on her life. An entertaining book that I would highly recommend.

Rating 4/5

I really enjoyed this story. You switch between Cordelia’s challenging swim across the English Channel and her childhood and events in her life that have led her here. Difficult to read at times, hers wasn’t a happy childhood but her relationship with her cousin Derek lifted the gloom. A great read.

When Cordelia decides to swim The Channel in the last year of her forties, not everyone thinks she can do it, not even her Mum. Can Cordelia prove to her family and herself that she has what it takes?

I love the way this book is structured. It jumps between present day "Cordy" on her open-water swim, and Cordy in the past and the events that got her into swimming. The majority of the book is told from Cordy's perspective with a few chapters from some of the other characters.

The writing is witty, easy-to-read and laugh-out-loud funny. There are so many nostalgic references. I was born in the 90s (so two decades after Cordy) but it was still so relatable and fun to read. (Who remembers dialling 1471/ 1571 off the landline to see who had called/ left a message when you were out?! What a throwback!)

Cordelia's difficult relationship with her Mum, and the familial relationships with her brother and cousin are realistic. Desi, her cousin, is wonderful! He supports Cordy through so much and is a real gem of a character. Cordy isn't always likeable and is definitely a flawed protagonist but this emphasised how no matter what's come before, we can all work to turn our lives around and learn to find happiness where we are.

This book has strong themes such as family dynamics and how parents affect their children; coming-of-age; teenage worries; how our formative years define our paths and second chances later in life.

The one downside I have to this book is the theme of disordered eating that is peppered throughout. I know this could be seen as a spoiler but I really think it could've at least been hinted at in the blurb, as it can be such a big trigger for readers. Some of the descriptions were graphic and if I had known, I wouldn't have picked up the book. That said, it added a lot to the story and really helped me understand the rationale behind Cordy's decisions; and is definitely a sign of 90s/ 00s diet culture that a lot of us grew up with.

The Swim is a fun, enjoyable and inspiring read, that is perfect for summer.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC!

The Swim” was a tough read for me. I truly hoped it would be a fun, reflective read. But unfortunately it was a slow read. I truly wanted to like the characters but it was a struggle. Maybe you will read and find some inspiration. I do thank NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this arc.

Cordelia is living an aimless life, never quite breaking free from her mother's influence and her own self-esteem issues. That is until her cousin challenges her to swim the English channel. The book follows Cordelia as she swims from England to France, as she tackles the challenges and also reflects back on her past. I loved how the writing wove movies throughout Cordelia's memories. Despite a majority of the narration being done through Cordelia, I also really liked how well the other characters were developed. However, like a lengthy swim, the pacing of the book is slow. Perhaps this is so the reader can feel Cordelia's fatigue? Perhaps it is just because this is a character driven story? Either way, don't expect bit twists and turns, just an enjoyable look at Cordelia and her world.

I really enjoyed this book. While Cordelia is swimming the channel you get flashbacks for her life. I loved the flashbacks but also seeing where her life actually ended up going in the present. This was a very entertaining but thought-provoking book. The things that you say to children can have such a strong impact on them. I love how Cordelia ended up doing what she wanted and needed to do for herself. This does have some heavy topics and so I recommend that you check trigger warnings or content warnings. I think that while they topics are heavy it helps open up for conversations about the issues that were addressed.

A really lovely read! I loved the characters or Cordelia and Desi. The concept was brilliant too. Highly recommended.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Cordelia is engaging, refreshing, and inspiring. Others have commented on her life choices, but they did not bother me as I found them to be very realistic.
I’m not sure that we needed chapters from other viewpoints; Cordelia carries the story perfectly well on her own. The pacing felt a bit slow, and the novel could have been tightened during the editing process. This is my primary complaint. For example, some of the discussion about Cordelia’s disordered eating could have been trimmed.
The structure of this novel and the way we continually dip back into Cordelia’s past almost as if her life flickers across an imaginary screen, works beautifully. The stream of consciousness style is a perfect fit for this type of story.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

Cordelia's life is complicated and she needs a challenge/needs to see something through to completion. So why not swim across the English Channel?
I loved this book. I was cheering for Cordelia and also felt like I could feel the cold water, the jellyfish, and all the drama that would go with trying to swim across the Channel.
The book delves into her childhood, her parents divorce, the pressure her mother put on her, her cousin who is a life-line for her, and her true love David. I loved the alternating chapters of present day and flashing back to various times in Cordelia's childhood, adolescence, post-high school, and her adult life. The ending was heartwarming and I was so happy that Cordelia was happy and that, after all of the challenges she'd gone through, that she found happiness.
I will definitely read more books by Janet Hoggarth.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

I resonated a lot with Cordelia while reading THE SWIM. There were so many things I loved about this story:
* the 80s and movie references
* the fact that the main character, Cordelia, was middle-aged and nearly 50 was ... so refreshing
* her hitting rock bottom and urging herself to do something positive for herself even though she's failed many times before

The things I did not love as much:
* her two life-changing decisions - IYKYK - seems she has regrets and I wish at least the second time she would have taken a chance
* the length of the story
* the chapters that were from other characters' points-of-view
* the focus on her eating disorder (too lengthy)

I also would have liked to have read more about Cordelia's training obstacles before the actual swim.

I think a lot of us middle-aged folks look back and have regrets and there are those of us like Cordy, who have a hard time completing goals. Your late 40s and early 50s are a time of unwanted reflection. Seriously, nobody really wants to become that age and look back on mistakes, regrets and unfulfilled wishes. So I appreciated that she tried something extreme and completely out-of-the-box for her. I just thought that was a concept that many of us would like to do, but just don't have the motivation to do it.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an e-copy of THE SWIM to read.

I rate THE SWIM four out of five stars.

so how can you tell a story when a woman is swimming the channel? well this is how. because along this woman's swim we DO learn her story. as she goes through her life that has been far from easy we are being told about all her years. and in reflecting on them all as she swims there is a flow and motion to them. she cant escape them and she can only swim through them and with them.
her life has not been easy. infact id say give this poor girl then woman a break please someone! but the way she thinks and processes them i thought were really real. and all the things she has been through perfectly explained the woman she is now or the woman people deem her to be. this isnt a woman who never finishes, who isnt committed or is lazy. this is probably a frightened young girl in pain who grow into a woman of such. who has been through things in life that led her to here. and i was rooting for her all the way. i wanted her so much to achieve her goal but also rooting for her to swim through what she needed to in order to literally come out the other side.
a good book. its didnt feel rushed but it didnt need to. the pace is of a gentle current. as it guides you along you are taken in by all the characters and i appreciated how some of the subject matters were handled.

I’m often drawn to novels related to swimming, and I picked this up because I enjoyed the storyline of a woman nearing fifty, who has never confronted a challenge in life she hasn’t shrunk away from, who takes on swimming the English Channel.

This was an interesting stream of consciousness novel following Cordelia’s life and her present struggles in swimming the Channel. The details of the rigors of the swim appear well researched, and I enjoyed following along on the mental stamina required for such a challenge.

Throughout the novel, she is determined to “replay” films in her mind, but is instead drawn into the films of her own life, and the swim allows her to reflect on her childhood, adolescence and adulthood. This worked well, and I enjoyed the writing. The main issue is that I did not care for Cordelia and her life choices, so I wasn’t as invested as I could have been. But the flow of this well-written story still kept me involved through the end. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Introspective but too slow and long

Forty-eight-year-old Cordelia has never completed anything in her life and has nothing to mark as her achievement. With support from her cousin, she swims the English Channel, hoping to finish it and prove herself.
During the hours of swimming, Cordelia thinks about her life from her childhood, the insecurities, taunts, failures, self-sabotages, and everything she quits when it gets hard. As she swims toward the other end, Cordelia knows she can grasp her future with both hands and spend it with someone who believes in her.
The story comes in Cordelia’s first-person POV with a few random chapters from others’ third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
I was tempted by the premise of a woman with past trauma taking up such a challenge to prove her worth to herself first. Naturally, her past wouldn’t be easy, and as expected, it wasn’t.
The first-person POV does a good job of taking the readers into the MC’s mind and the mess inside it. The narrative style is a bit chaotic initially, but you’ll get used to the pattern. Though I haven’t watched the movies she mentions, I could understand their significance in her life.
The pacing is super slow, which works in the first half. However, the second half feels stretched beyond its limit. Many times, I caught myself looking at the % and wondering when we’ll get to the endpoint. The book could have been 30-40 pages shorter. This would have made the whole concept more effective, too.
There are many hard themes here – fat shaming, dysfunctional families, selfish mothers, toxic relationships, bulimia, body dysmorphia, self-destruction, mental illness, racism, homophobia, AIDS, bullying, generational trauma, and many more.
This is a heavy read, and as more details are revealed, it gets heavier. That’s okay to an extent. It is good to wind the key and keep the reader in a state of suspended tension for the MC. However, over-tightening the key and repeating the pattern after it has been established works in reverse. That’s what happened in the second half. I first thought this would be a 4.5-star read, easily.
The MC is not exactly likable. She is flawed and has a truckload of trauma to process, which she refuses to do. While the swimming does bring some growth in her arc, there isn’t a lot of progress. In a way, this is realistic. People don’t change so quickly after all. But as a reader, it doesn’t feel frustrating. Of course, there were so many instances when I wanted to hug her younger version.
The side characters are decent. Derek/ Desi, the cousin, stands out for being the one person who stood for the MC despite everything. I really liked that guy. David was okay. He tried his best.
We get random third-person POVs from around 45%. While Desi’s POVs were useful and David’s POV was necessary, I can’t say the same for the others. These felt more like a way to provide the missing detail. But we already have too much information!
The book ends on a hopeful note, and we can only hope the MC won’t revert to her self-destructive ways. At least, we won’t know if she does!

To summarize, The Swim is a slow-paced, introspective, and heavy read about coming to terms with one’s past trauma. It is a good book.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

So, I picked up The Swim because the idea of someone deciding to swim the English Channel on a whim sounded kinda wild and inspiring. Cordelia, the main character, is like that friend who always starts a new hobby but never sticks with it—until now (it’s me, I’m the friend). Props to her for actually going through with something for once.

The story dives deep (pun intended) into her past, and while it's cool to see her growth, some parts felt a bit slow. Like, I get it, she's reflecting on her life, but I found myself zoning out here and there.

Also, there are quite a few characters introduced, and I had a hard time keeping track of who's who. Maybe it's just me, but I was like, "Wait, who's this again?" more times than I'd like to admit.

That said, the themes of self-discovery and pushing oneself are solid. If you're into stories about personal growth with a side of swimming, this might be your jam. Just be prepared for a slower pace and a bit of character confusion.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.