Holding Fast: A Memoir of Sailing, Love, and Loss

by Susan Cole

Readers Favorite Bronze Award for Non-fiction Adventure 2022
IAN Finalist for Travel/Nature 2022

"At once a captivating life story made up of a rich history, and a beautiful reflection on loves lost. Tender, moving and highly readable."
—Torre DeRoche, author of Love with a Chance of Drowning

"This book is one part "Hero's Journey" and two parts love story; an alchemy of high adventure and keen insights that will take your breath away and expand your capacity to love. Empowering, entertaining, and most of all inspiring. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I know you will, too."
—Brian Luke Seaward, author of Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water

HOLDING A Memoir of Sailing, Love, and Loss is the story of leaving everything behind to follow her husband's lifelong dream of sailing away. Many people dream of escaping reality but few actually go.

Blond, blue-eyed, irreverent John bursts into Susan's life in her twenties with a dream of sailing off. Susan dreams of settling down and doesn't want to go. A three-year voyage with their young daughter profoundly changes their lives. A gripping adventure story and an inspirational memoir of finding our power in the unlikeliest of places.

Genres: Adventure

257 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 23, 2022

Reviews

[Jessie hastings · Rating 5 out of 5]

A look into adventurous souls

Thank you to Mrs. Coke for sharing this memoir for everyone to enjoy. Most of the book is high adventure but also a hard and painful glimpse into the other side of living and dying. You feel her fear when sailing and sadness in loss. I quite enjoyed it.

[noorthebookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God @susancoleauthor this #memoire of yours had me crying buckets 🪣 of tears...!! It touched & played ▶️ with so many heartstrings & places... Grateful. I feel a lot lighter, now..

The genuineness, the honesty comes through..
It felt like i had met a close friend after ages & she's telling me her story..
An exciting, adventurous..filmi (like a movie script) 🎬 story.
You had my attention right from the beginning..n each word..each emotion of yours..held on to it..

A girl, 3rd child..an unwanted pregnancy..here you reminded me of my best friend during school..
Your dad was your universe..you lost him when you were 10..I lost mine when I was almost 9.. The repertoire you shared with your dad..reminded me of my beautiful & precious memories..and I was crying my heart away..
"Even now, saying that my father died is hard. Losing him was like falling off the edge of a cliff, a free fall with no hospitable landing. The center of gravity that had held me up, though I hadn’t noticed how central it was, had vanished. I could not make sense of it."
"I did not understand then that despite my valiant effort, I could not erase the pain of losing my dad."
Sadness & sorrow in your first marriage..left me feeling sad..
When you met John, it was the exciting part.. it reminded me of how I met my husband!
How you felt & what you went through..when John was stuck between you & leaving his first wife & kids..reminded me of a close acquaintance..
Your adventurous life..the anticipation..the fright to leave land..a house on land..your home 🏡 ..disclosing to your 10 year daughter about a life on water.. I literally held my breath reading it.
I loved the way you disclosed your feelings..truthfully & honestly..it comes through..

Your adventure, your life, your married life, your life on sea 🌊..was worth every minute I, as a reader spent reading & imagining it.

27 chapters, 261 pgs.
A fast paced, quick & an emotional read 📚.

A book, you cannot put down.
Loved it!❤ it has a map too!

#booktour

Thankyou dear Suzy @suzyapprovedbooktours for having me on this tour & giving me the opportunity to read this beautiful life/ memoir.

🦋 have you ever been on a ship?

Book description:
"At once a captivating life story made up of a rich history, and a

beautiful reflection on loves lost. Tender, moving, and highly readable."

-Torre DeRoche

Author of Love with a Chance of Drowning


"This book is one part "Hero's Journey" and two parts love story; an alchemy of high adventure and keen insights that will take your breath away and expand your capacity to love. Empowering, entertaining, and most of all inspiring. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I know you will too."

-Brian Luke Seaward

Author of Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water



HOLDING FAST: A Memoir of Sailing, Love, and Loss is Susan's story of leaving everything behind to follow her husband's lifelong dream of sailing away.


Blond, blue-eyed, irreverent John bursts into Susan's life in her twenties with a dream of sailing off. Susan dreams of settling down and doesn't want to go. A three-year voyage with their young daughter to the Caribbean profoundly changes their lives. A gripping adventure story and an inspirational memoir of finding our power in the unlikeliest of places.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Authentic. Her memoir. As such, long and detailed for me such that I forgot the first part. I'm getting old. Very emotionally evocative. I am iving on the remote West Coast for 15 years. Sailing and boat ownership is not for the faint-hearted. People who sail will really enjoy these details. It protected their daughter from public school and gave her an example of authentic parents. Too many parents worry about not enough play dates. Don't worry. Living authentically is shaping the child into a productive adult. I recommend she give a copy to Psychologist Gabor Maté in Vancouver Canada!!! Reminder, the accent on the first syllable of his first name. I truly hope she gets this book exposed through him, because we are parenting in a creepy age! I want to say that unless child welfare catches you severely harming your child, they have no authority over you nor the child. I am saying this because I am/was a great single parent, and I didn't know my rights nor did she. As such, she was on the verge of being sex trafficked by them and RCMP, and it's not over yet. My hats off to you. I did wonder, though, that no mention was made about our Creator/Sunstainer's complete absence in the memoir, considering the subject matter of another of this author's collaborations. Brilliant.

I got the first part free via BookFunnel. Who knows what new authors have such hidden gems?

[Bookoholiccafe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holding Fast by Susan Cole is a touching memoir, unlike other memoirs I have read.

It is a touching story of a wife following her husband's dream of sailing.

Susan is in her twenties and likes to settle when she meets John. Thinking John's sailing adventure will fade after some time, Susan agrees to go on a three-year cruise with him and their young daughter. This was a voyage that changed their lives.

I like how inspiring their adventure story was, it is a stunning story of survival and adaptation.

[Dawnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan takes us on an adventure most people only dream of but she actually lived. A story of love. Susan follows her husband's dream of sailing. They leave behind traditional life and embark on an adventure with their young daughter. I love the sea and sailing to different places is so appealing to me. This is full of love and loss and I enjoyed this memoir. It's unusual and that really held me to it.

Dawnny Ruby
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting insight into sailing the Caribbean, surviving a hurricane, and moving on from sadness and forgiveness. Seems that Susan’s daughter, Kate, may have a story to tell too.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get me on a boat! (I don’t think I would like it but this made me want to go on an adventure)

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This debut memoir by Susan Cole is a good read and a deep dive into the world of her years living aboard a boat, finding interior strength she didn't think she had, and coming to accept and rise above great loss. There are lessons for all of us here, but more importantly, there's a trajectory of personal growth which rides upon the waves of the journeys Susan Cole and her family experience, tying Susan's early life and her sailing life together with a tight, coherent knot.

Susan grew up in Ohio near Lake Erie but was not a sailor. She had a complicated, unhappy relationship with her mother (continuing into her adulthood) and never felt sure of much in her life -- until she met her John. Her love for him pressed her into accepting challenges she never sought nor thought she could meet. Never expecting to live on a boat, never having wanted to live on a boat, Susan found herself not only living dockside but also on the open ocean, home-schooling their elementary-school-aged daughter and trying to balance a yearning for her previous life on land with her determination to make her husband's life goal of living a sailor's life come to fruition. And balance it she does, with vigor and love.

The learning curve was great and the difficulties many. Both Susan and John kept part-time jobs back home in the northeast, which meant time apart even while docked in various Caribbean locations. Although many of the actual storms they faced were faced together, there was one particularly nasty one Susan had to manage alone: hurricane Mitch. This was a particularly compelling and well-written portion of the book, when setting, emotion, and suspense came together in a big way. Separated from John, who was working away, and her daughter, who was spending time on a friend's boat across the harbor, Susan had to handle their boat (and their dog) all by herself in conditions she had never faced before. Likewise compelling, but in a much different way, was Susan's depiction ov of her husband's cancer diagnosis, treatment, and eventual loss to that disease. Again, sheer force of will and her love for John and their daughter keep her afloat.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it especially to those who are in love with sailing, themselves. I found myself wishing that I had more knowledge of sailing at times and wished there was a glossary of some of the sailing terms. Jargon use was pretty minimal, but sometimes I had difficulty picturing clearly what the various boats looked like (for example, what's a "ketch" and how does it differ from other boats?) and what various activities aboard looked like. I also had some difficulty with the passage of time, which I found a little frustrating. These aren't big issues which should keep anyone from enjoying the book -- as I said, I found this a pleasurable read -- but these two annoyances are why I chose (after a good bit of struggle) a rating of 3 stars rather than 4. Being able to visualize "where I am" with the author and to more firmly know the "when" are two of my personal needs; other readers may be far more forgiving than I am about such things.

Overall, I congratulate the author on an interesting memoir and recommend the book to those who enjoy personal stories of unique lifestyles and challenges accepted and met. This memoir will resonate with others who have lived aboard a boat, are recreational sailors, or who have dreamed of doing either or both, as well as anyone who has dealt with serious disease and/or deep loss. Book groups may also find this a good choice. There's a lot to talk about, for sure.

[Miss W Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holding Fast by Susan Cole is a well written memoir, quite different than most memoirs I have read.

It is more the story of Susan following her husband's dreams rather than her own and the adventure that it took her on.

Susan tells a strong story one of survival and riding the wave of the adventure that is life, no matter what path one chooses to take.

This was an emotional yet heart warming story that I really enjoyed.

[Carrie L. Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Memoir

I love sailing stories, and this one did not disappoint. I was mesmerized by Susan and John's bravery when they finally struck out on their own. Their choices for destinations and anchorages were very interesting.

[Matt McAvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always say that people write either for creative expression, to provide information or for purely self-therapy reasons; I believe this book falls very firmly in the latter of those three categories, despite its travel memoir element. It is surprisingly candid on the part of the author, sharing rather more than her family’s travel experiences the emotional ups and downs, the profound love and ultimately loss, not to mention regrets – and I get the distinct impression, without wishing to intrude, that there are a lot of those. I won’t lie, I spent large parts of the book judgmental about some of the decisions John and Susan made, particularly in relation to their daughter’s childhood; but I am also acutely aware that it is not my place to do so, and I haven’t the right. My general conclusion was that, far from being the fun, eye-opening expedition of colourful cultures and experiences, this book presented a tough and gritty life story. Susan holds little back as she literally pours her heart out on the page about their less than perfect early days together; the reasons they fled their life to travel; the unhappiness imposed on their daughter and, finally, the misery of the inevitable loss which is coming. In honesty, it isn’t easy reading, indeed quite hard at times, and the final quarter is so thick with uncomfortable realism that you can chew it; the end, when it finally comes, is a blessed relief – and is say that meaning no disrespect or apathy. On the contrary, we are all human and we all make our choices, which inevitably affect others; I in fact sympathize greatly with Susan, John and Kate to an extent; theirs is arguably a narrative of people who love each other dearly, yet each desire very different things for happiness in life, though they can’t bear to be apart; it would take a heart of stone or a distinct lack of insight not to sympathize with that.

I don’t wish to mislead with gloom, though; the family have some tremendous experiences on their travels, and Susan’s descriptions of the stops they make – Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico – are vivid and wonderful. But these parts are small; perhaps smaller than you might expect. Still, to embellish on them any more would have been, I think, to distract emotionally from – and not to mention risk trivializing – the real objective of the book: Susan’s self-help process. Writing this book was clearly an incredibly personal experience for her, and she has triumphed immensely. I genuinely hope its publication gives her the peace of mind it should. She hasn’t sugar-coated the book with fake glory of trips to exotic locations; her candour is admirable, in terms of the problems they encounter; the doubts they have; the labour this trip takes; and rueful decisions made before, during and after – I’ll be honest, Susan doesn’t present the journey as appealing in any way; she definitely hasn’t sold any envy to me. Additionally to her honesty, her writing is tremendous; she is a very fine, professional author, and I wish her outstanding success with her brilliant heart on sleeve memoir.

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of this book tells exactly what this memoir is about. Susan tells of her married life of 46 years with her husband, John. Most of these years are spent on a boat either sailing or living in a variety of ports.

The majority of the book tells of the three years when Susan, John, and their then elementary school age daughter, Kate sail the Caribbean.

I’m not a sailor and even though I live only a block from a lake that feeds into the Saint Johns River in Florida, we have never owned a boat. But this book, full of adventures and love absolutely had me spellbound.

I loved Susan’s rich descriptions of the the vessels they commanded, the ports they stayed in, and the people they meet along their journeys.

I was awed and jealous at the same time of the life experiences that these folks have had.

I felt like Susan was an old friend and she was chatting about her escapades during the reading of this book.

At the end of the book when Susan is describing John’s health decline, I honestly felt like I was losing a friend and mourned the loss of a salty sailor.

This was a great memoir that I would highly recommend which will quench your sense of adventure and also shares the story of a steadfast and quiet love.

[Linda Zagon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan Cole, Author of “Holding Fast A Memoir of Sailing, Love, and Loss” has written an intriguing memoir that reads almost like a book of fiction. This is one memoir that is loaded with adventure and information. The author has written a book about love, family, friends, and the passion of fulfilling one’s dreams. The author, her husband, and young daughter spend several years sailing and living. There are also some lovable pets.

Susan Cole’s husband had always dreamed of living on a boat and sailing the world. Susan wanted to see her husband’s dreams come true and compromise and accompany him, although she had to take medication to prevent motion sickness. With their daughter, they sailed for several years, homeschooling and having worldly adventures. The author vividly describes storms, hurricanes, and damage to the boat/s.

The trials and tribulations at sea could be symbolic of many of the trials and tribulations that one has in life. This is a well-written story that I would recommend for other readers.

[Lisa Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir is a love story between two courageous people and their love of adventure that eventually includes their daughter too. Written from memories, photos, journals and other paperwork it details their amazing life together and I loved reading about their journey. The map in the front of the book is a beautiful illustration of their travels.

Life on the water is such a unique experience and I enjoyed reading about all of the highs and lows. There were moments of such love written into this book and I'm so glad Susan wrote and shared their story with us. I would like to read their daughter Kate's perspective someday as a child growing up surrounded by love and water. A fascinating life indeed.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Paulina Bellantonio · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written memoir about a life of adventure experienced by two people (and then three when they have a daughter).

It was heartwarming, and did I cry? Well yea! Crocodile tears as they say!

They embark on an unimaginable adventure sailing to the Caribbean and spend many lovely years together spent on boats of all kinds! It’s a story of their love, their adventures, and eventually of her husband’s loss.

The author’s writing is engaging, and so authentic. Could I have embarked on this kind of adventure and thrown caution to the wind? Definitely not, but that’s what made this book so incredible. I admire her courage in living it and appreciate her sharing it with the world.

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨!

A beautiful written story about dreams, love and loss that captivated me completely.
I was impressed with Susan and John’s story and the adventures they lived during their sailing journey. A wonderful and engrossing read about true love.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Reviews and Susan Cole, Author for this gifted copy.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦: 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘪𝘳𝘴, 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘚𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcof...

[Jane Ellyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Stumbled upon it when researching sailing stories. Wonderful insights into the joy and challenges of living a nomadic life on a yacht. Enjoyed the way the story was sometimes told through the daily log, particularly entries were made by the author's daughter Kate. I also loved travelling with them vicariously to exotic places in the Caribbean and South America. Highly recommended.

[Kristyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not read this book fast enough. I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn’t fiction. This beautiful memoir is full of amazing sailing adventures, bravery, as well as the inner turmoil we all face when confronted with family decisions. I couldn’t put it down. Thank you Susan for sharing pieces of your life with us.

Thank you for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review

[Marlena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holding Fast is a thrilling adventure story (I couldn't put the book down) and a profoundly honest love story simply and beautifully told.