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A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 – SPORT

‘Incredibly moving and inspiring’ Gabby Logan

‘It’s brilliant – I loved it’ Lorraine Kelly

‘Brilliant … impressive and vividly told’ The Times

‘Louise is such a positive and uplifting presence. Her fearlessness should inspire us all’ Susanna Reid

‘A celebration of the strength, power and determination of women’ Giovanna Fletcher

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JOIN LOUISE MINCHIN ON 17 EXHILARATING ADVENTURES WITH TRAILBLAZING WOMEN WHO ARE BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS, SMASHING RECORDS AND CHALLENGING STEREOTYPES.

‘To get to the heart of who these women are… I decided to do it the way that I know best, by taking part, spending time right beside them to experience the things they love.’

Driven to bring more attention to female stories of courage and endeavour, Louise Minchin pushes herself to the extreme and embarks on thrilling endurance adventures with trailblazing women.

She freedives under the ice in the dark in Finland with Cath, the first woman to swim a mile in the Antarctic Circle; she cycles across Argentina with Mimi, one of the world’s most famous female endurance runners; and she swims from Alcatraz with Anaya and Mitali, two young sisters who have braved the shark-infested waters over 70 times.

With her natural empathy and sense of humour, Louise forms close bonds with 18 incredible women. She explores what drives them and how they find the resilience and determination to go on despite life’s setbacks. Lizzie overcame a life-threatening illness and now paddleboards whilst cleaning up the planet with her community; Rhian set up a charity in the face of grief and fundraises through hikes; and Zee took up rugby alongside her busy nursing career and motherhood.

Louise reminds us of the bravery inside us all, and how essential it is to celebrate women’s achievements. Prepare to be touched and inspired by these fearless women.

Publisher Review

Prepare to be blown away... the most incredible examples of girl power. * Judy Murray OBE * Incredibly moving and inspiring... Louise perfectly tells the stories of powerful and intrepid women... a reminder of what women can do and how enormous our untapped potential is. * Gabby Logan * Louise is such a positive and uplifting presence. Her fearlessness should inspire us all. * Susanna Reid * Wow - I loved this book. What a wonderful celebration of women's courage, resilience and endeavour. * Dame Kelly Holmes * Terrific. An inspiring, expansive exploration of adventure seeking. A call to arms for women to chase the best versions of themselves. I loved it... Not only is it a cartography of wonderful women to discover, it's a manifesto for change that will seep into different areas of life. * Irenosen Okojie MBE, writer and Women's Prize for Fiction 2023 judge * A celebration of the strength, power and determination of women. Reading these stories will leave you feeling inspired while dreaming up your own challenge to tackle. Life is for grabbing, and these women do just that. * Giovanna Fletcher * An entertaining rollercoaster... it took me to places emotionally I now long to go physically. ... A deep dive into the limitless strength of the female spirit. * Lorraine Candy, Sunday Times bestselling author and journalist * A truly remarkable collection of stories from incredible women... their adventures are an inspiration to us all. * Sir Chris Hoy * This brilliant book reminds us we are all capable of so much more than we believe. Completely inspiring. * Bryony Gordon * A special book... a beautiful exploration of what it means to be fearless... Fabulous outdoor adventures to inspire us all to get outside and have fun... Keep this book to hand when you need a dose of inspiring female courage and resilience. * Julia Bradbury * Every day working alongside Louise felt like an adventure with an extraordinary woman. She is as amazing and just as inspirational as the women she writes about. * Dan Walker * I was thrilled to read Fearless. Every one of the nineteen women featured in the book (and I'm including Louise herself) is an awe-inspiring role model in her sport (or sports) of choice. Their stories will take your breath away. * Eleanor Oldroyd, sports broadcaster * Wow. What an incredible book... So many remarkable and inspiring stories. Thoroughly engaging and deftly written. * Giles Paley-Phillips, author and podcaster * A perfect antidote to any time you think you can't keep going. Whilst it features incredible feats of determination and tenacity, Louise as the author experiences each of the gruelling challenges alongside the women. As a reader, it means you're transported through each and every challenge, uphill struggle and feat. It's such an inspiring read and sends a message to us all that nothing is impossible. * Nicola Rowley, author and podcaster *