“Powerful, Tender, and Smart!"— Meredith Hall, New York Times bestselling author"What an Incredibly Powerful Book. I Was Moved and Deeply Affected by it.

Brilliant!"—Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, Lambda Literary Award-winning author"A Gorgeous Adventure Through Courage, Trauma, and the Quests We Take To Make Ourselves Whole. "—Tessa Fontaine, New York Times Editor's Choice author Overwhelmed by traumatic PTSD flashbacks, a daring woman embarks on a five-year sailing odyssey to heal from her hidden past.

Her quest is to reach the Bay of Virgins in French Polynesia and overcome a childhood scarred by violence and her mother’s madness. Sailing her fragile boat beyond remote archipelagos she searches for the final missing piece of her story.

What she doesn’t realize is that in order to recover, she must first break apart. A tribe of badass characters guide Heidi Love’s journey of self-discovery, including a therapist who climbed to 24,000 feet on Mount Everest; a spirited transgender leader of a matrilineal society; an outrageous Marquesan warrior; and her risk-taking daredevil sidekick, Dennis.

Laughing at the Sky is an extraordinary true adventure of healing the emotional wounds of childhood trauma to realize bold dreams. For fans of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild and Tami Oldham Ashcraft’s Adrift, Heidi Love’s memoir powerfully captures the terror and triumph of a woman who risks it all on a life-threatening journey that will ultimately save her.

Advanced Praise“Few books have affected me as profoundly as Heidi Love’s memoir, Laughing at the Sky. Her true story of transcendence over childhood trauma via a daring five-year sailing journey to French Polynesia is both white-knuckle gripping and achingly beautiful.

It’s a journey no reader should miss. ” Nancy Crochiere, author of Graceland“Heidi Love’s engrossing and beautiful memoir parallels two treacherous journeys: the ocean-sailing voyage she’s dreamed of making since childhood and recovering from childhood trauma.

With exacting prose and profound insights, she shines light on the difficult passage women take as they transmute a history of terror into a present filled with joy. ” Mary Carroll Moore, bestselling author of Last Bets“In Laughing at the Sky, a strong and brave Heidi Love overcomes fear, adversity, and trauma on multiple levels to fulfill a lifelong dream.

Her raw, emotional, and gripping story is masterfully written and will touch readers in a profound way. It’s a powerful page turner and the best adventure memoir I’ve read in years.

” —Liesbet Collaert, bestselling author of Plunge: One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary“Heidi Love’s memoir is an intense, intimate look at trauma, healing, and the powerful journey between the two. As it weaves together a seafaring adventure along with a haunting past, it shimmers with courage, resilience, and inspiration.

”Ashley Davis Bush, psychotherapist and author of The Little Book of Inner Peace and Light After Loss“Heidi Love distills her life in episodes shrouded in undertones that enhance their potency. Her writing is beautiful, powerful, and compelling.

”Anna Moï, World Literature Prize–winning author of The Butterfly’s Venom and Riz noir“Heidi’s courage is a gift to all of us. Facing her past, following the sea’s call, and sharing her healing journey will undoubtedly inspire others to find their way to peace too.

”Captain Liz Clark, author of Swell: A Sailing Surfer’s Voyage of Awakening"In this beautifully written memoir Heidi Love navigates us along her journey of recovery and healing from childhood trauma, showing what it looks like to thrive. "Madeleine Black, author of Unbroken.