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The Swim is the latest novel from author Janet Hoggarth to be published via Boldwood Books.
Everything is about to change for Cordelia Franks – she just doesn’t know it yet.
When Cordelia decides to train to swim the English Channel, she understands why no one believes she can do it. After a lifetime of never finishing anything, she doesn’t really believe she can either. But she’s determined to try.
As she strides into the Channel with hours stretching ahead of her, Cordelia swims against every milestone in her life so far. Every failed relationship, every friendship let go, every exam failed, every tricky job she quit. A life lived never giving it her all. Until now.
With every stroke, with every mile, Cordelia knows that this is finally her moment. Because if she keeps this promise to herself, if she doesn’t give up, nothing will ever be the same again.
And waiting in France is an unimagined future and someone who does believe in her…
Janet Hoggarth’s The Swim is a quietly powerful, introspective novel that charts one woman’s literal and emotional journey across the English Channel—and through the waters of her own self-doubt. Cordelia Franks, a woman used to backing out of challenges, finally decides to dive in—both into open water and into her past. What unfolds is an inspiring, slow-burn story of resilience, reckoning, and ultimately, reinvention.
The structure—interweaving the swim with flashbacks—works well to build emotional depth and show the evolution of a character reclaiming her agency, one stroke at a time. The setting is vividly described, and there’s something compellingly meditative about the swim itself acting as both a plot device and a metaphor.
Where the story could push further is in pacing and emotional tension. While the inner reflections are poignant, they occasionally drift into repetition, and a few of the past relationship threads could have been explored with more complexity to pack an even stronger emotional punch. The ending also wraps up a bit neatly, considering the realism of the journey.
The Swim is a heartfelt and empowering read that champions perseverance in the face of lifelong doubt.
You can get a copy of The Swim here!
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