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Katie Fforde

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Life Skills Paperback – July 1, 2004

by Katie Fforde (Author)

4.3 2,476 ratings

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Athletic, outdoor type, good cook, good with people, wanted for work on the canals....

Newly not engaged and suddenly out of work, Julia Fairfax needs a new direction. The classified ad that catches her eye sends her on a delightful, hilarious adventure along the English canals on a rickety old hotel boat. Among the twists and turns, Julia encounters
a passel of persnickety guests, an irritating ex-boyfriend, the challenges of cooking in a galley kitchen the size of a closet, and a whole lot of rattling tea cups. Add some frighteningly narrow bridges to steer through, and you've got the makings of an unforgettable journey.

Part romp, part romance, part step-by-step guide to how not to see England's scenic canals, Life Skills will delight fans of intelligent romantic comedy, as well as anyone looking for a few tips on staying afloat.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A stylish contemporary love story.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Charming and captivating.” ―Library Journal

“Witty, original...perfect.” ―Booklist

About the Author

Katie Fforde, a London Times bestselling novelist, lives in Gloucestershire, England. Her novels include Love Letters, Wedding Season, Restoring Grace, A Perfect Proposal, and Practically Perfect.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition (July 1, 2004)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0312263538
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312263539
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.79 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #838,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #22,532 in Romantic Comedy (Books)
- #86,939 in Contemporary Romance (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.3 2,476 ratings

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Katie Fforde

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Dear readers, thank you for visiting my Amazon Page.

I live in the beautiful Cotswold countryside with my family, and I’m a country girl at heart.

I first started writing when my mother gave me a writing kit for Christmas, and once I started I just couldn’t stop. Living Dangerously was my first novel and since then, I haven’t looked back.

Ideas for books are everywhere, and I’m constantly inspired by the people and places around me. From watching TV (yes, it is research) to overhearing conversations, I love how my writing gives me the chance to taste other people’s lives and try all the jobs I’ve never had.

Each of my books explores a different profession or background and my research has helped me bring these to life. I’ve been a porter in an auction house, tried my hand at pottery, refurbished furniture, delved behind the scenes of a dating website, and I’ve even been on a Ray Mears survival course.

I love being a writer; to me there isn’t a more satisfying and pleasing thing to do. I particularly enjoy writing love stories. I believe falling in love is the best thing in the world, and I want all my characters to experience it, and my readers to share their stories.

I love hearing from all my readers on Twitter @KatieFforde or on Facebook at facebook.com/KatieFforde

Customer reviews

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Customers find the book easy to read and enjoyable. They appreciate the humor and banter. However, opinions differ on the story quality - some find it creative and enjoyable, while others feel it's superficial with one-dimensional characters.

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Readability Humor Story quality

11 customers mention "Readability"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it a fun, lighthearted read that is easy to relax with. It's a good beach book and one of their favorite authors.

"...a previous book of hers on that type of water and this one was every bit as good. The banter can get hilarious...." Read more

"I enjoy this author the story is lighthearted read, a good beach book. I would recommend this author I have read most of her books." Read more

"...I certainly did not find the background appealing. Fforde is good writer but this is not her best work, despite some good dialogue." Read more

"...I laughed out loud during all the good bits. I even wanted to jump into the book and dunk her ex just for being unsufferable...." Read more

3 customers mention "Humor"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor. They say the banter can be hilarious.

"...The banter can get hilarious. Even the stuffy old matriarchs with their huffing around will make you laugh." Read more

"I always enjoy the subtle humor, the colorful characters, and the creative storylines of every Katie Fforde book!..." Read more

"laugh out loud funny, great read......." Read more

5 customers mention "Story quality"3 positive2 negative

Customers have different views on the story quality. Some find it enjoyable with colorful characters and creative storylines. Others feel the characters are one-dimensional and not believable. The background is also not appealing to some readers.

"...the subtle humor, the colorful characters, and the creative storylines of every Katie Fforde book!..." Read more

"...I certainly did not find the background appealing. Fforde is good writer but this is not her best work, despite some good dialogue." Read more

"This is a fave of mine for Katie affords. A fun, lighthearted read!" Read more

"...Not the least bit believable. Big waste of time and money." Read more

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SalukiAlum
Life Skills
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2024
Verified Purchase

Miss Fforde puts you back on a canal boat in England. I had enjoyed a previous book of hers on that type of water and this one was every bit as good. The banter can get hilarious. Even the stuffy old matriarchs with their huffing around will make you laugh.

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Kindle Customer
Katie FForde is a great read
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2013
Verified Purchase
I enjoy this author the story is lighthearted read, a good beach book. I would recommend this author I have read most of her books.

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Kindle Customer
A favorite author
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2025
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I always enjoy the subtle humor, the colorful characters, and the creative storylines of every Katie Fforde book! And I have always wanted to cruise down a canal on a narrow boat.

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Anne Grime
not her best work
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2024
Verified Purchase
Somehow kind of superficial, the characters rather one dimensional. I certainly did not find the background appealing. Fforde is good writer but this is not her best work, despite some good dialogue.

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Kindle Customer
Fun
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2024
Verified Purchase
I read this several.years ago before Kindle, I enjoyed it just as much the second time. It was fun to learn about narrow boats, canals and locks. The characters are charming, except for the couple who aren't and who doesn't enjoy a good love story? Katie Force is a favorite of mine, I used to order her books from England as at TBE time most were not available here.

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Amazon Customer
Delightfully sweet.
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
Julia is someone you can pull for, especially after she has quit her job and dumped her fiancé. She is determined to reinvent herself and finds a job completely opposite of what she is used to. Young women, not relying on men to run a business is a nice example of today's world.

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TA
laugh out loud funny, great read....
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2017
Verified Purchase
this was my first Katie Fforde book. I laughed out loud during all the good bits. I even wanted to jump into the book and dunk her ex just for being unsufferable. I have read tbis book so often, I had to buy a sevond copy. I also want to run away and work on a barge.

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Nomajuba3
Katie Fforde entertains again
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2018
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Better than many TV series!

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Gary
Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 20, 2025
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A great read my Mum said

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Alfonso Parrilli
Arrivato puntuale
Reviewed in Italy on January 12, 2019
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Arrivato nei tempi stabiliti.

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Gege
ok
Reviewed in Germany on February 13, 2015
Verified Purchase
alles in Ordnung - und weitere 16 Wörter finde ich einfach zu viel- überdenken Sie doch bitte mal diese Vorgabe

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Dewitte Aurélie
Un très bon roman
Reviewed in France on June 12, 2014
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Un très bon roman faisant parti de mes préférés parmi ceux de Katie Fforde. L’héroïne nous entraîne dans le monde des bateaux.

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BananaTricky
Summer romance on a narrowboat, vintage Fflorde
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 3, 2020
Verified Purchase
Julia realises she is playing life so safe that she has practically sleep-walked into marrying a man she doesn't love and actually doesn't really like very much. When she loses out to a promotion she richly deserves to a helpless man, she receives no support from her boyfriend Oscar who agrees with her boss (one of his golfing buddies) that incompetent men should be promoted over capable women. Julia ditches the man and the job and resolves to do something completely different, her eye is caught by an advert in The Lady for cabin crew for a narrowboat and thus starts her new adventure.

Pardon the pun, life isn't all plain sailing. Julia's new boss Suzie is a charming Sloane Ranger type (do we call them that anymore?), a bit of an airhead who has always been supported by daddy's money and doesn't have any normal life skills (like cleaning toilets or frying eggs). The other crew member is a surly man who refuses to do anything other than tinker with the engines and then leaves them in the lurch when the first passengers are about to arrive.

Luckily Julia and Suzie are rescued by the serendipitous arrival of Julia's childhood arch enemy Fergus, with a book her mother wanted him to deliver. Julia might dislike Fergus, especially since his mother and hers have been matchmaking them since they were eight years old, but he is certainly a handy man to have around the narrowboats and the passengers love him.

I read a review which said that 'although all of Fforde’s novels feature the same plot and are achingly middle class, they are usually a nice relaxing read' and I couldn't agree more, especially about the achingly middle class bit.

This was first published in 1999 and it reflects some of the attitudes of that time (although TBH I don't think even then people were as strait-laced about unmarried women having children as this book would have you believe) as many other readers have mentioned. But if you can accept that then this is a lovely gentle romance, with a host of eccentric and lovable passengers, a stalwart hero to whose virtues Julia is wilfully blind and the glories of the English countryside.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Book

5.0 out of 5 stars Arrivato puntuale

5.0 out of 5 stars ok

5.0 out of 5 stars Un très bon roman

4.0 out of 5 stars Summer romance on a narrowboat, vintage Fflorde

Book

Arrivato puntuale

ok

Un très bon roman

Summer romance on a narrowboat, vintage Fflorde