**The Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller**

**Winner of the Nero Awards Gold Prize Book of the Year**

**A Barack Obama Book of the Year**

An extraordinary true story of shipwreck, survival and love

'An enthralling, engrossing story of survival' Bill Bryson

`An absolute jewel of a book' India Knight

`A gripping tale of adventure' Elizabeth Day

`An extraordinary survival story' Sunday Times

Bored of 1970s suburban life, Maurice and Maralyn plan their escape: sell the house, build a boat, set sail for New Zealand. Then, halfway around the world, their beloved boat is struck by a whale and the pair are cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Alone on a tiny raft, their love is put to the test. This is a book about human connection and the human condition; about how we survive - not just at sea, but in life.

`This skilful storytelling drew me in.very touching indeed' James Rebanks

`With the adrenaline kick of Jaws . . . A remarkable portrait of a marriage kept afloat against the odds' Financial Times

`This dramatic, profound human story is so beautifully told. I really could not put it down' Nina Stibbe

A Guardian, Observer & Waterstones Non-fiction Book of the Year

**Readers Adore Maurice & Maralyn**

`A riveting tale of survival . . . and of the power of love when all appears lost'

`A mind-blowing story of resilience and love in the face of adversity'

`The very best kind of true story, and beautifully written'

`I couldn't put this book down'

`I was absolutely hooked from the outset'