Side Launch

by Laurie Fullerton

SIDE LAUNCH: A NOVEL begins when would-be Maine transplant Susannah stumbles across the forgotten, seen-better-days coastal town of Ossonet. There she meets Owen Dodd, who comes from a long line of wooden shipbuilders and whose family shipyard closed to wooden schooner building over seventy-five years ago. The two begin seeing each other, and within weeks, Susannah is spending most of her time at Owen’s tumbledown shipyard, intrigued by his plan to build a seventy-foot wooden schooner, using age-old shipbuilding techniques and traditions that few remember.

Susannah struggles to make a new life in the world of rural Maine, both at her job as a new newspaper reporter in nearby Clydebank and with Owen. Meanwhile Owen assembles a chaotic group of shipwrights linked to the region's maritime past—from the Caribbean, French Canada and the local MicMac traditions. This manly crew increasingly invites Susannah into their world of bantering camaraderie and passion for their shipbuilding craft. Over the course of a cold Maine winter—with the deadline to launch the schooner fast approaching—her life in the shipyard reveals surprising new discoveries and passions, driving a profound transformation in Susannah that mirrors the completion of the schooner.

Genres: Romance

183 pages, Paperback

Published May 23, 2025

About the author

Laurie Fullerton has had a long journalistic career, much of which has been spent as one of the few women covering the international world of yachting. Her sailing and travel writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The Seattle Times, The Toronto Globe and Mail and The Miami Herald as well as national magazines SAIL, Sailing World and SAILING. A first-time novelist, Fullerton has also published three travel guidebooks: Vacations in the Maritimes, New Caledonia, and The Philippines Handbook.

Reviews

[Bridgette · Rating 5 out of 5]

*well-written and easy to read
*emotional, heartfelt book
*kept my interest from cover to cover
*highly recommend

[Theresa Milewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a genuinely enjoyable read! It's one of those novels that manages to be both light on its feet and deeply rooted in place and craft. What starts as a fish out of water tale evolves into something richer, as the book digs into the traditions and techniques of wooden shipbuilding with a level of detail that feels authentic and fascinating—you can tell the author draws on her own familiarity with the subject.

What really stood out to me was how grounded the story felt. The camaraderie among the shipwrights, the grit of winter in coastal Maine, and the slow, not-always-easy growth of Susannah’s relationship with Owen all ring true. There's a real sense of transformation—not just of wood into schooner, but for Susannah herself as she finds a new rhythm in a world she never expected to be part of. Side Launch is the kind of book that makes you want to slow down, breathe in the salt air, and maybe learn a thing or two about what it takes to build something that lasts.

[Jennifer Ahmad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve won a few books from Goodreads and this is by far my favorite. Even though I know nothing about boats, this book was easy to follow and was well written.

With that being said, I couldn’t stand Susannah with Owen and she should’ve left him earlier. He was awful to her. I would have loved for Susannah to explore her relationship more with Kip since they had a deeper connection than her and Owen did. Overall still an excellent read.

[Greg Gillette]

For individuals who enjoy reading about wooden sailing ships of all descriptions, the book offers a concise description of the building process without being too technical for the average enthusiast. Highly recommended!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Goodreads Giveaway Win*

One sentence summary: a journalist stumbles upon a community of (handsome) ship builders endeavoring to bring to life ship-building in their small town in Maine.

Vibes: New England-y; nautical, romantic-ish, working class, small town cozy

Review: I started reading this book with my arms crossed. I was like, is this just a novel shoved into Laurie Fullerton's research in to ship-building. But the author thwarted by skepticism with every turn of the page. She gave depth to the characters in ways that avoided cliches. The book was romantic without being a romance. The protagonist felt real. She was likeable without being a saint. She made poor decisions that had me angry with her right up until the very end, as in the last paragraph. Good job, Laurie Fullerton, you got me.

[Heather Sinclair · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received Side Launch as a Goodreads giveaway for my honest review.

What I enjoyed:

1) Great plot, I loved the small town charm and history of ship building.

What was good:

1) The assortment of different characters and how the author highlighted their individual cultures.

What I didn't like:

1) The absolutely horrible sex scenes. Honestly these should have simply been cut out of the book.

Overall this was a solid book and had interesting parts. I did find it a bit slow of a read and was looking forward to finishing the book, hence how I came to 3 stars.

[Cyrus · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully immersive and deeply compelling novel that captures the spirit of craftsmanship, love, and personal transformation. Side Launch is richly written, emotionally engaging, and filled with vivid detail that brings its maritime setting to life. An inspiring and unforgettable story

[Laurie Fullerton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read more reviews of my novel here. Thank you! https://www.amazon.com/SIDE-LAUNCH-Ms...