My God this book was so much more than I thought it would be. Gripping and exciting I cannot wait to read more from this author in the future.

"Swimming with Ghosts" is a page-turner of domestic suspense where families try to outdo one another through the swim league of their children. The characters are richly drawn and there is a secret and legacy that haunts the two closest friends and their families. In its wisdom and satire of the mothers who compete for facebook posts, it reminded me of "The Lifeguards" in the best way. Funny, tender, and. heartbreaking, I highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A neighborhood swim club is ripped apart by jealousy and betrayal in the heartbreaking Swimming with Ghosts. Swim team organizer Gillian Cloud has been a part of the River Run club since childhood. Her unemployed husband Charlie has now volunteered himself to be team coach, replacing Gillian as the most important Cloud at River Run. His transformation from a chubby, unhappy real estate agent to a fit, muscular coach with a gleaming shaved head has not gone unnoticed. Kristy Weinstein, Gillian’s best friend, becomes obsessed with him. Nothing good can come of this. On the night of the final party of the swim season, a storm of emotions and events will forever change lives.

Swimming with Ghosts emphasizes the way early traumas have affected both Gillian and Kristy. Generational alcoholism has ravaged Gillian’s family and caused her to live behind a carefully constructed façade, surpressing emotion. Kristy’s longing for love and attention has made her a different kind of addict, full of manic and dangerous passions. While the conclusion is unexpected and satisfying, the themes of Swimming with Ghosts stay with you long after the final page. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Turner Publishing Company and Michelle Bradman for this ARC.

I love the idea of this story and I know all about team sports and drama with parents so this felt familiar at times and very relatable. Brafman does a great job with the main characters and I felt immersed in the story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Three stars!