In one fell swoop, Julia Fairfax leaves her career, breaks her engagement, and takes a job as a cook on a floating hotel traveling the waterways of England. Though Julia expects hard work, she figures her new life has to be simpler than her old yuppie lifestyle. What she doesn't realize is that her new boss expects the two of them to handle everything. And she never imagined she'd see Fergus aboard. Since Julia and Fergus were kids, Julia's meddling mother has said Fergus is perfect for Julia - and now he's gone and made himself indispensable. Even so, Julia's life is much simpler - that is, until she pushes her ex-fiancé into the canal, makes unforgettably passionate love with Fergus, and ends up pregnant. Then, just as Julia plans to perfect her skills for single motherhood, Fergus decides to work on his own as an involved father-to-be. Life Skills is a side-splittingly funny story, told with a light touch that makes you feel like you're sharing confidences with old friends.