The Girl on the Boat is a slight departure from Wodehouse’s usual style. For one, he interjects as the author in many places when narrating the story. Nothing wrong in that, but it is worthy of a mention. This is comedy anchored purely on romance. The protagonist, Wilhemina “Billie” Bennett falls in love, gets engaged and disengaged with an alacrity never heard of or seen before. Sam Marlowe, one of Billie’s betrothed, mops and moans uncharacteristically before stepping up to the challenge of winning Billie’s love for good.

The story begins in New York, develops in SS Atlantic, and ends in the English Country house Windles, with the long culminating chapter in the thick of the night providing the situational humor Wodehouse is well known for. All in all, hard to give more than 3 stars for this romantic comedy that straddles the pond.