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'A rollicking story of love and adventure ... This is a fresh take on historical fiction; enjoyably witty and playful' - The Times

'The compelling story centres on a dairymaid starting a new life and brilliantly depicts the dark life of drunken sailors and their brutal hardships' - Sunday Telegraph

'An utterly transporting depiction of life above, and below, deck' - Vogue

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Sarah Waters meets Carol Birch in a breathtaking story of love, adventure and identity

Louise Fletcher, a young dairy maid on an eighteenth-century Essex farm, has long been warned of the lure of the sea – after all, it stole away her father and brother. But when she is offered work as a maid in the naval port of Harwich, she leaps at the chance to see more of the world.

Fifteen-year-old Luke has been press ganged and sent to sea on board the warship Essex. Aching for the girl he left behind, he must learn fast if he is to survive. Louise and Luke's new worlds are dangerous and exciting, and when they collide the consequences are astonishing.

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'Worsley does just what a great historical novelist should do: she inhabits her characters without strain, without fuss, but with obvious assurance, making them and their period feel utterly close and convincing' - Sarah Waters

'If you like romance you'll love this debut novel by Kate Worsley. A gripping and touching tale' - Sunday Express