Reviewed by Lucinda E Clarke for Readers' Favorite

Facing Fear Head On, edited by Jackie Parry and Shelley Wright, is a collection of anecdotes from forty-five women who all have a story to tell about the fear they have experienced while living and travelling on the water. From a narrowboat on the European canals, to intrepid round the world solo sailors, they all have one thing in common – fear. There is fear of capsizing, drowning, freezing at times of crisis, collisions, night watches, engine failure, running aground, sinking and just about anything that could go wrong while surrounded by miles and miles of empty sea. Each of the women shows amazing courage in facing up to their quite rational fear and overcoming it. Without exception, they refused to allow their fear to prevent them from stepping back onto their boats and casting off. Utilizing a variety of coping mechanisms, their stories show honesty and courage and the reader cannot help but admire them.

I could so relate to the forty-five authors who tell their stories in Facing Fear Head On. I felt their worries, their feelings of terror, uncertainty and insecurities as I lived on a boat and share those feelings in bad weather. Boating is either heaven or hell with nothing in between. All of these women showed courage above and beyond, and has been brave enough to share this with the world. While in many cases their male partners remained cool, calm and collected, were they as laid-back as they appeared? Do women have more imagination, can they see the dangers more clearly? Whatever the reason, every time they stepped off the shore, they were facing their fears and this is the definition of courage. An easy read and well edited, I would recommend this book to anyone who is considering leaving land as it is also packed with lots of sensible advice and coping mechanisms for virtually every occasion when something could go wrong. I wish I had read it before I sold up and went to live on my yacht. Well deserved 5 stars.