In her mid 30s and trying to make sense of her floundering relationship, Regina is restless. Throwing caution into the wind, she books herself a one-way ticket to the Caribbean and joins the crew of a small, vintage racing yacht to satisfy her growing appetite for adventure.
Once aboard the old yacht in Antigua, Regina and her fellow crew members work tirelessly under the watchful eye of its cantankerous owner, as they prepare for the passage back to Australia.
During a sultry sunset party on a clifftop, Regina encounters an alluring man. When her sailing trip is abruptly cancelled, Regina sets course for Europe aboard another boat, leaving the budding romance in her wake.
Released from former ties and without a home, Regina returns to the Caribbean. She moves into a rustic shack and as the only white resident in the tiny community, she must forge a new path.
A new life beckons, but are her dreams worth abandoning the comfort and security she has back home?
This is a true story of Regina's wanderings in the Caribbean, her passion for sailing and the unexpected, of love lost and found, and her search for freedom.
Industry Reviews
2022 CIBA Hearten Book Awards LONG LIST
2023 Next Generation Indie Book Awards FINALIST, genre memoir (other)
Meyer capably sifts her dreams of travelling the world with the realities of her experiences, and the end result is an appealing, down-to-earth account that makes her equally genuine and inspiring. - BookLife Prize
Change of Course is an uplifting and courageous account of Regina's journey to find purpose in her life. Her honesty and integrity shine through as she literally sets sail for new horizons and takes us along for both an inspiring and emotional ride. - Helene Young, award-winning author
Change of Course is a treasure trove of good features. Regina Petra Meyer engages the reader by exposing her deepest thoughts and sentiments about personal matters such as feeling a genuine sense of belonging and being entirely accepted as a white woman in Antigua, which has a mostly black population. Change of Course was both entertaining and educational. It's the kind of book you'd be happy to have in your collection. - Foluso Falaye, Readers' Favorite
The book is revelatory in its persuasive suggestion that we all find satisfaction and personal growth in different ways and that the pursuit of dreams is never foolhardy. It's about what is possible if we surrender. - Barbie Robinson, Living Arts Canberra