Book Review: Love With a Chance of Drowning

Torre DeRoche left her native Australia for Los Angeles with a plan: “I kept my plan simple: leave my comfort zone, work in a foreign city, enjoy some uninhibited fun, and return home in one year.” But, surprise, surprise, that plan didn’t quite work out.

Love With a Chance of Drowning is the story of how her plan took a big long detour. She met a man from Argentina, fell in love, and then (as of course makes sense when you’ve just started a new relationship) joined him on a 32-foot boat for a sailing adventure from California to the remote islands of Oceania.

DeRoche uses a sense of humor and humility to weave the details of the ups and downs of new love, sometimes harrowing adventures of life on the sea, and joys of exploring remote destinations into a funny and heartwarming memoir where the reader also learns a thing or two about life on a boat.

Although the main setting for the book is their boat, Amazing Grace, there are some great descriptions of some of the small islands they visit–you will definitely wish you were on a beach with a bowl of tropical fruit as you read about their destinations.

The author does not read the book herself for the audio version, but the narrator does an excellent job of conveying emotion with humor and keeping listeners engaged.

If you’re considering a long-term sailing trip, going on an extended adventure with a new love, want to explore remote destinations, or if you enjoy thoughtful funny memoirs (this–and her follow-up book–were featured in our list “Travel Changes You: 20 Books and 20 Movies About Self Discovery,” too), you’ll enjoy Love With a Chance of Drowning.

It’s also a great choice for a book club; check out our Book Club Guide for Love with a Chance of Drowning.