When 21-year-old Ruby Free accepted her dream role with the RSPB in 2021, she had no idea just how profoundly her life was about to change. The job took her from the familiar landscapes of south-west England to the windswept and remote Rathlin Island, a breathtakingly wild outpost off the County Antrim coast in Northern Ireland. Home to more than 250,000 seabirds, it’s one of the most untouched and diverse habitats in the UK and N.Ireland.

In this passionate and heartfelt nature memoir, Ruby recounts her unforgettable time living among puffins, razorbills, and kittiwakes, an experience that reshaped her understanding of wildness and deepened her connection to the natural world. From encounters with curious seals to dolphin sightings from her front door, her story is one of wonder, discovery and personal growth. 

Perfect for readers who enjoy environmental memoirs, British and Irish nature writing, and books that blend wildlife conservation with personal storytelling, this is a perfect celebration of wild beauty and a quiet, powerful call to preserve it.