By Nat Luurtsema (author)
"In a nutshell: (the loneliness of the long distance swimmer) comedy – romance – synchronised swimming"
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Perfect for the summer holidays or as revision comfort reading, Girl Out of Water is a sparkling comedy, with a great central character. Lou is just about keeping her head above water: she’s lost her chance for Olympic swimming stardom after flunking the time trials and what’s worse, her best friend Hannah didn’t.
Now Lou is on her own at school with a sinking feeling – all that training hasn’t left room for much else. So when a trio of the school’s fittest boys ask her to help them develop a synchronised swimming routine for a TV talent contest, of course she says yes. Lou has a brilliant line in self-deprecation and the dialogue glistens; and if the plot is far-fetched, who cares when it’s this much fun.
Stars in her eyes, water in her ears, boys on her nerves... Lou Brown is out of her depth.A thoroughly British teen comedy starring a hilariously flawed heroine with a quip for every occasion - perfect for fans of Holly Smale, Rae Earl and Jenny MacLachlan. Lou Brown's life is going down the pan.
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Best friend Hannah sailed through the Olympic time trials and is off to her fancy-pants new swim training school, while Lou's own failure to qualify leaves her without a hobby - or a friend. As Lou tries to navigate her post-swim world, a chance encounter with three boys with stars in their eyes takes her life in a surprising new direction. One that leads to a crazy world of underwater somersaults, talent show auditions, bitchy girls and one great big load of awkward boy chat.
This irreverently funny debut by BAFTA-nominated screenwriter Nat Luurtsema is brutally honest and truly LOL - read it and weep (with laughter) by the pool. Family Traveller
...a brilliant, funny mix of swimming, boys, and a TV talent show. The Express
The ensuing drama is pin-sharp in its observation of teenage angst and pressures. A perfect summer read for teenage girls. Daily Mail
The Louise Rennison of the next generation. Rachel Kennedy, YA-BBERINGBOOKLOVER Blogspot
If you loved Four Weddings and a Funeral or Bridget Jones’ Diary then this book is for you. I really enjoyed this story and hope that Nat Luurtsema writes more in this vein. The School Librarian
I really enjoyed this book, as I personally understood the main character, Lou Brown. [...] Her funny, outgoing and bubbly personality has great effects on the reader. [...] I would definitely recommend this book to any reader of any age. Teen titles, reader review
Nat Luurtsema is a BAFTA, Royal Society of Literature and Royal Academy of Art nominee. She is an award nominated stand-up comedian, appearing on Channel 4, BBC3 and Radio 4, and taking ten shows to the Edinburgh Festival. Her sketch group, Jigsaw , had two series of their own show on Radio 4. She wrote a short film, Island Queen , which was nominated for a BAFTA, and she's since written/directed six more short films. She plays Talulah Bankhead in Florence Foster Jenkins and her first feature, Butterfly Stroke , starring Judy Davis and Florence Hunt, is out to film festivals in 2026.
Nat is the author of six books, and her second one, Girl Out of Water, is being developed for TV with the BFI.
And most importantly, she overthinks a lot less than she used to.
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Stars in her eyes, water in her ears, boys on her nerves... Lou Brown is out of her depth.A thoroughly British teen comedy starring a hilariously flawed heroine with a quip for every occasion - perfect for fans of Holly Smale, Rae Earl and Jenny MacLachlan.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Girl Out of Water and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old
Girl Out of Water features in the following genres: Featured Books for 13+ readers, Recommendations, Funny, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Recommended Children's eBooks, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Romance / Relationship Stories, Sporting Stories, Featured Books for 11+ readers
Ebook, Paperback. £6.99. Digital. Available Immediately. Country restrictions apply..
Girl Out of Water was written by Nat Luurtsema and published by Walker Books
£6.99. Digital. Available Immediately. Country restrictions apply..
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