The Children

Set on a cruise ship traveling between Algiers and Venice, this novel follows Martin Boyne, a bachelor in his forties, who forms an unlikely bond with the seven Wheater children. Orphaned by their parents' divorce and shuttled between households, the step-siblings have formed a tight-knit, independent unit led by the precocious and protective Judith. Boyne, initially amused by their chaotic freedom, becomes increasingly captivated by their vibrant, rule-breaking spirit, which contrasts sharply with the stifling propriety of the adult passengers.

Description adapted from Open Library ↗.