Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
56 used & new from £0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Life Skills
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images
Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

Life Skills (Paperback)

by Katie Fforde (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
Price: £5.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £2.00 (25%)
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Want guaranteed delivery by Tuesday, July 7? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
23 new from £2.10 32 used from £0.01 1 collectible from £3.25
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover £18.99 £16.14 15 used & new from £0.01
Paperback 46 used & new from £0.01
Mass Market Paperback 14 used & new from £0.92
Audio Cassette (Audiobook) 2 used & new from £24.99

Frequently Bought Together

Life Skills + Artistic Licence + Highland Fling
Price For All Three: £16.77

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: Life Skills by Katie Fforde

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Artistic Licence by Katie Fforde

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Highland Fling by Katie Fforde

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    Eligible for FREE UK delivery on orders over £5 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Rose Revived

The Rose Revived

by Katie Fforde
4.4 out of 5 stars (7)  £5.99
Artistic Licence

Artistic Licence

by Katie Fforde
3.8 out of 5 stars (12)  £5.99
Living Dangerously

Living Dangerously

by Katie Fforde
4.1 out of 5 stars (21)  £5.49
Highland Fling

Highland Fling

by Katie Fforde
3.6 out of 5 stars (18)  £4.79
Wild Designs

Wild Designs

by Katie Fforde
4.2 out of 5 stars (10)  £5.99
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd; New Ed edition (4 May 2000)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 009928023X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099280231
  • Product Dimensions: 20 x 13.1 x 3.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 26,298 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #11 in  Books > Romance > Classic & Contemporary Authors > Fforde, Katie

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Product Description
A combination of overwork and jet-leg propels Julia Fairfax into becoming engaged to a golf-playing wine buff called Oscar. But when she realises that she has fonder feelings for his adorable Labrador than for Oscar himself, she is forced to confront the fact that there is something drastically wrong. Ditching her fiance and jacking in her job, she decides to revolutionise her life. Her new career as a cook on a pair of hotel boats is certainly a departure, and teaches her more about life than how to get a couple of narrow boats through a lock. But even afloat, Julia's past catches up with her. Not only must she contend with the persistent Oscar (not to mention his frightful mother and her own mother's determined matchmaking), but also the arrival of her childhood enemy, the enigmatic Fergus Grindley.

About the Author
Katie Fforde lives in Gloucestershire with her husband and some of her three children. Recently her old hobbies of ironing and housework have given way to singing, Flamenco dancing and husky racing. She claims this keeps her fit.

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Life Skills
54% buy the item featured on this page:
Life Skills 4.0 out of 5 stars (10)
£5.99
Living Dangerously
14% buy
Living Dangerously 4.1 out of 5 stars (21)
£5.49
Wild Designs
11% buy
Wild Designs 4.2 out of 5 stars (10)
£5.99
The Rose Revived
10% buy
The Rose Revived 4.4 out of 5 stars (7)
£5.99
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

10 Reviews
5 star:
 (5)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars definitely not one of her best, 25 Nov 2002
This book follows the usual Katie ground of (normally thirty something) heroine having a life change for one reason or the other and breaking new ground and like all her books is a pleasant read but, and this is a big but, there is one major problem in this book for me - that Julia's life change to working on the canal boat is prompted by a male junior being promoted over her and given charge of the department she's created, which is just about as open and shut a case of blatent sexual discrimination as you can get. So instead of flouncing out and handing in her resignation why doesn't she threaten to sue her boss? As it stands it just wasn't credible, even if she was unloading an unwanted fiance at the same time. Also not credible is her not being able to drive when she works for a country estate agent - it's an essential requirement for the job and it honestly isn't likely thaat she'd be relying on taxis. otherwise this was a pleasant enough read, though i did find Julia generally a bit irritating and wondered why Fergus put up with her. Living Dangerously and Wild Designs are still Katie's best - if you haven't read them yet, do it now.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction to Katie Fforde, 11 April 2002
By Eileen O'Brien "one opinionated chick" (Amherst, NH, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Picked this book up in a Wal-Mart in Northwest Michigan, of all places, not knowing it was Brit chick fiction, as I call it. I was immediately captivated, and stayed up all night to finish it! "Life Skills" made me want to be on the boat with Julia, maneuvering the canals and putting up with the weirdo guests. The author writes so well, I found myself seriously wishing the tale would never end. I'm hooked on Katie's fiction now! My latest trip to London in February 2002, I bought all her paperbacks! Sadly, I breezed through them like a hot knife through butter and am anxiously awaiting her next. This little gem, though, was a splendid introduction to Katie Fforde's seemingly effortless writing. Lots of fun!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Could have been funny but didn't quite make it, 23 May 2005
By Wicked Woman (Cheshire) - See all my reviews
Oh dear! If only the characters had been believable this could have been such a lovely story.

Katie, the central female character, decides to chuck in her job and ditch her fiancée to go in search of pastures new. Looking for a complete change she applies for and gets the position of cook onboard a hotel canal boat.

Running the boat is a poor little rich girl called Suzy who really doesn't know her windlass from her gunwales. Together the two girls somehow manage to make a go of the business and everything's pretty much hunky dory.

The problem is, this is supposed to be funny but isn't. There are a few scenes that could have been hilarious if they'd been better written but most were very clichéd - I felt I'd read them before and not only once, either.

Katie, once a high-flying estate agent somehow knew enough about cooking to cater for 8 people to hotel standing and yet she cannot drive. How often do you come across an estate agent that doesn't drive? Very odd!

I've no idea what drives Oscar, the ex, to keep coming back for me and as for Fergus, a man who Julia seems to despise for no good reason, how he puts up with our so-called heroine is nothing short of a mystery to me. The poor guy must be a glutton for punishment, that's all I can say.

This is a light-hearted read that you'll easily finish in a day or two so is suitable for travelling or beach literature. Just don't expect it to be a laugh-a-minute and remember that the characters are as fictional as they can get.

Comment Comment (1) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Low on realism and excitement, high on predictability
If you're reading a lightweight `30-something woman doesn't know where she's going in life' novel, you generally know what to expect. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Smurfy

5.0 out of 5 stars Not the best Fforde, but still 5 stars
Katie Fforde turns a great tale - there's not a bad book in her bunch. However, Julia isn't as loveable as Fforde's other heriones. And that's OK, I suppose. Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent lighthearted read!
A real holiday read. Funny if a little predictable its a great book perfect for the beach
Published on 11 Jul 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars A book you'll feel comfortable recommending to a friend.
It's easy and light but obviously written by someone who knows how to string words together, project images, and with insight into what makes real people tick.
Published on 12 Jun 2000 by jan@minshull.demon.co.uk

5.0 out of 5 stars A good read for a summer's afternoon
I have read all of Katie fforde's books to date and enjoyed them all. This latest one is I think going to be my favourite - it has a good story, believable characters... Read more
Published on 22 Jul 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars An easy read for lazy days
Life Skills was, like all Katie Fforde books, full of humour, pathos and unexpected twists.

The book is based around the character of Julia Fairfax, who decides to change her... Read more

Published on 21 Jul 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars Fforde returns to the carefree canal life!
As in The Rose Revived, Fforde makes canal barges the setting for this new novel. The heroine is fleeing a dreary fiance and a sexist boss, and becomes the low paid cook for two... Read more
Published on 28 Jun 1999

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject








i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Health & Beauty at Amazon.co.uk

Elemis Resurface and Renew Skin Care Gift Set of 4 Products
From soap to shavers, massagers to mascara, stock up on your daily essentials or truly pamper yourself.

›Discover Health & Beauty

  

More From Katie Fforde

Highland Fling

Highland Fling by Katie Fforde

'The romance fizzes along with good humour and is a good, fat, summery... Read more
£7.99 £4.79

 

Boys Smell

Lynx Africa Body Spray and After Shave Gift set
But we make sure they smell good...

›Discover male grooming at Amazon.co.uk

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates