I am definitely in the minority with my review of this book. Yes, it was sweet. But the connections with the characters were not there for me. Katie and her dog annoyed me. I am usually sappy when it comes to stories such as this, so I can only ascertain that the “fit” was not right for me. Thank you Netgalley and Atria for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is Allie Larkin's third book so I was excited to get a chance to read it since I really enjoyed all of her books. This book is about Katie who is divorced and moves back home with her dog Bark. When she gets back home, she moves in with her grandmother. Her grandmother, Nan, is very sweet and is delighted to have Katie back home.

Katie learns that Nan was a mermaid performer in her day. They decide together that they will contact all the "mermaids" in hopes of doing a mermaid reunion show. In the process, Katie discovers her ex is happily in a relationship and it breaks her heart.

After contacting all the mermaids and everyone loving the idea to get together, Katie contacts Luca. Luca was an old college buddy, that might have been more than a buddy. The relationship than is kindled between Katie and Luca will leave you at the edge of your seat throughout the book. Katie deals with old and new anxiety issues that develop along the way.

This is a great book and I would definitely recommend it!

Affecting ~ Poignant ~ Tender

tl;dr: The aches of youth become the pains of adulthood

Give this book a chance, I would say. The story is about healing and the pacing seems a metaphor for the speed at which old wounds heal. Somehow I was imagining a Shalvis style romance or maybe a dog book, but this book is really about learning to come to terms with yourself. There is a dog and a romance, but they are not really the center of the story. Instead, the main character, Katie, is seen as a woman dealing with an ugly divorce from a cheating husband. She needs to create a new life, but then finds she can't until the old one is dealt with. There is a tender, heartbreaking quality to the book. Katie is hard to follow in certain parts because her pain is so real, but that is a testament to Larkin's character development. I was pleasantly impressed by this book. It took the hard way to get to some real truths.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! Larkin writes another compelling read, and the story drew me in and held me. Highly recommended!

After her divorce, Kate and her dog Bark move in with her grandmother.
Although her grandmother raised her, Kate finds she doesn’t know much about her life even the fact that her grandmother was a mermaid in an underwater show. Kate gets involved in reuniting the mermaids and making costumes for them to put on a show.
She also reunites with her old boyfriend. All of the people surrounding, her including her dog, help her overcome her fears from when her father died in front of her when she was very young.

Four and a half stars: A beautiful book about conquering your fears, overcoming the past and finding a bright new future.

Katie chatters all the way to Florida to her beloved dark, Barkimedies. Katie is heading home after her divorce to live with her Grandma Nan. Katie has no idea what she will do, but she and Bark hope to do it together. Once she arrives home, Katie and Bark are still crippled with fear and anxiety, but they slowly begin to overcome their fears. Katie heals by sewing costumes for Nan and her friends so they can relive their glory days as mermaids. Bark takes baby paw steps as he learns to be a better dog. Will Katie and Bark be able to escape their fears?
What I Liked:
*I went into this one expecting it to be a nice romance, but I got so much more. This really isn’t a romance at all. Instead it is a book about conquering your fears, moving forward, finding your way and most of all about love and friendship. I loved this book.
*This is a book about growth. I loved following Katie as she worked to overcome her past. In the beginning she is a mess. Slowly as Katie spends time with her grandma and her friends, she begins to work through her fears and find her courage. It is a slow process, she fights hard, and in the end, she makes significant progress. It was a joy to watch Katie grow and evolve.
*I adored Nan and her friends. I hope when I am an old lady, I will have a zest for life like Nan. It was so fun seeing Nan reconnect with her old friends and relive her past. I loved following the women as they created the documentary. Such a joy.
*There is a tiny bit of romance, but like the rest of the book, it is more focused on friendship and healing. I liked seeing the old friends reconnect and find that spark again.
Bark is a treat. At first, he is this dog who has severe anxiety issues, but just like Katie, he learns to overcome his fears with some extra love. He was the perfect companion for Katie.
*The book ends on a positive note that left me feeling good. I hated to let go, but I was thrilled to see how far Katie had come. This book was a joy from beginning to end.
And The Not So Much:
*Even though I was not disappointed at all that this wasn’t a romance, I wish that there had been more development with the romance. I wanted to see it unfold more.
*I felt a bit cheated when it came to the big finale of the mermaid documentary. After all the buildup, I wanted to see it in action, but that doesn’t happen.

Swimming for Sunlight is a delightful book. This is a book about growing, changing, overcoming fear and friendship and love. There is so much to love about this book. It is a lovely, positive feel good read that left me wanting more! Definitely read this one!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

Swimming for Sunlight presents a wonderful portrait of the lives of active seniors, their lifelong bonds and the awareness of community they enjoy. Being a senior myself, I really connected with this book. It stirred up a multitude of emotions, pulled at my heartstrings and demonstrated how extremely important family and relationships are. As with her other books, Allie Larkin presents us with an awesome story line and amazing characters with struggles that are true to life. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely recommend it. I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of this book.

Rich in details and brimming with emotions, this book pulled me in and captivated my attention each time I picked it up to read. It pulls at your heartstrings as protagonist, Katie, and her dog, Bark, help each other with anxiety issues, and as Katie helps Nan reunite with her friends from the past to become a beautiful group of senior mermaids. A wonderful, light, and poignant read.

I loved this book! Anyone who loves someone who has anxiety issues or panic attacks needs to read this wonderful novel about friendships, broken hearts, and the power of family and love. Keeping within the dialogue, Larkin has deftly portrayed exactly what the build up to panic looks and feels like, and why no rational argument or platitude will stop it. And then she introduces a wonderful, neurotic dog who has a few lessons of his own to teach. If you love spunky old ladies, self-described misfits, and artists, you'll love this book.

Katie Ellis is recently divorced and moves in to her grandmother’s house in Florida along with her dog Bark. She has a great deal of emotional baggage to work through between the circumstances of the divorce and coming back to Florida where her dad had died. She is amazed to find out though discussions with her Nan that she used to work as a mermaid in an underwater performance. Out of the the discussion comes the decision to reunite the old performers and make them mermaids again. Katie can handle the costuming as she used to make stage costumes but will need help taking some pictures. She tries to track down her old friend Luca for some advice...and as he is between projects he shows up ready and willing to lend a hand.
Loved Allie’s earlier work ‘Stay’ and it was a title we often recommended to readers. ‘ Swimming for Sunlight’ will definitely be recommended as well.

After her divorce, Katie and her dog Bark head back to live with her grandmother, Nan. where Katie finds a completely new grandmother. Nan is now on a health kick and looking better than ever. She has a group of friends who are also working with a personal trainer and eating healthy. Gone are the comfort foods that Katie is craving. Along with her is Bark, her rescue dog. This puppy has plenty of anxiety issues as does Katie. However, now the challenge begins when Nan has a desire to gather her old friends who were once in a mermaid show, underwater swimmers. With Katie helping her, Nan wants to have a reunion show...the challenge -- Katie has a crippling fear of water.

Allie Larkin gave us a lovely story, one I enjoyed and would definitely recommend
.
My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I became a fan of Allie Larkin after reading her first novel, “Stay.” Any author who has a dog as one of a novel’s major characters is a fan of mine. In “Swimming for Sunlight,” Katie and her dog, Bark, help each other cope with anxiety issues after Katie faces life after divorce. She moves back in with her grandmother (the delightful Nan) whom Katie helps reunite with her friends from the past to become a beautiful group of senior mermaids. At the same time, Katie’s best friend from college (Luca) and potential romantic partner helps Katie on a documentary about the senior mermaids as Katie wrestles with her own insecurities and anxiety related to watching her father die as a child. This novel is a wonderful, light, and poignant read with a wonderful set of characters who will resonate with readers after the book is finished. I laughed out loud many times because of the characters’ (and Bark’s) antics. I highly recommend this novel to any reader who seeks a story that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. My thanks also to Atria and the author, Allie Larkin.

Can we say COVER LOVE! This is the most captivating cover! I am a fan of all genre's but I will say sappy romance is not my favorite, and I was hesitant to read this book at first, but this is not that type of book at all.

The author delves into friendship, love, fear, anxiety, and HAPPINESS in this lovely novel.
The rescuse pup Bark and the grandmas are well written characters and the story is not one I will soon forget.

This is a lovely novel that gave me all the feels and emotions and made me take a deeper look at my own relationships. If a book can not only provide you with the pleasure of reading it but also provide some self reflection, you know its a winner!

This is one of the best novels I’ve read in quite a while. I especially loved the many variations of friendship that were woven into the story lines and all of the characters. I loved Kay’s interactions with her grandmother Nan as well as Nan’s friends. There is much wisdom here about grieving and ways to let go of the past when it’s dragging us down. Loved the romance also, and felt privileged to feel and watch Kay’s emotional changes throughout the book in relation to Luca.

Would love to someday read a follow up novel focusing on Mo and Danny!

Also, I thoroughly enjoyed the creativity expressed through Kay, Mo, Luca, and all of the mermaids.

Will buy this book and recommend to friends when it comes out.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The hardest reviews are the ones where I'm middle of the road on a book.. I LOVE Allie Larkin so was SO excited to read this. I loved the interaction between Kay and Mo and I wish there was more of it in the book. At times I was left feeling frustrated with Kay's decisions but at times I understood her difficulties. I personally didn't relate as much to her relationship with Nan's friends and at times found those story lines slower but at times they were charming. I could completely relate to Bark's issues and as always, loved the dog element in the book. Overall I liked this book but didn't feel it was as strong as Larkin's first two books. I will eager look forward to her next book though!

Katie goes back to live with her grandmother when her own divorce is finalized. She brings her best friend, her dog, Bark.

Katie has major anxiety issues. She owns up to some responsibility in her divorce because she pushed her husband away when things got hard.

The only ones she’s always trusted are her grandmother, her dog, her best friend Mo and her grandmother’s circle of friends.
So when she’s hurting, she goes home for comfort.

She isn’t expecting to see her grandmother super skinny and on a health kick.

Katie’s anxiety causes panic attacks at times. And she’s been afraid of the water for most of her life after her father’s death.

So her grandmother’s history as a live mermaid was never much discussed. But when her and Nan start talking about the old days, NaN mentions her old life and friends she hasn’t seen in years.
Katie decides to help reunite Nan’s mermaids, she is even making them gorgeous mermaid costumes.

She has good intentions but her anxiety is a constant battle. For instance, she loves her dog Bark so much. Bark has anxiety too and Katie would do anything to ease it. But at a certain point, you have to notice that Katie’s anxiety over Bark is probably making him worse.

I personally have a cat with anxiety issues, so I can relate to how they need special treatment that someone else might not understand. But it would be heartbreaking to think the way you handled it was making it worse rather than better.

This book felt really heavy at times. I couldn’t read entire panic attacks written word for word here. There were lines I had to skip when Katie repeatedly detailed her fears about Bark. I don’t have anxiety issues but Katie made me feel borderline panicked myself when I read some of her diatribes.

I assumed the author might also deal with anxiety issues because this seems like a topic you’d be more inclined to represent properly if you’ve gone through it yourself.

I had to take a break a little ways into the book, maybe around the 40% mark. It’s not anything that happened in the story, I just felt bogged down and needed a happy story to break it up for a bit.
But I did resume the story and I did finish it. I was glad to see Katie the rest of the way through this journey.

I got to read an early edition ebook from NetGalley. Thanks!

What first got my attention to this book was of course the cover! That sweet little pup on the cover stole my interest :).

I cannot say enough good things about this sweet sweet novel! This was the perfect book to come into my life right now!

If you're thinking this is going to be a romance novel.. you're completely wrong. Allie Larkin explores love, friendship, overcoming your fears, anxiety, and happiness in this beautiful novel.

Between the fury rescue pup Bark, the mermaid team of hip grandmas, to the loving, complex, and resilient set of characters this is one book that you want to get your hands on! You will not be disappointed! I highly recommend.

4.5 mermaid sun stars!

Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date: 4/23/19
Published to GR: 12/23/18

Swimming for Sunlight by Allie Larkin is a story of love, loss and renewal. It is set in Florida in modern times. Katie is a divorced costume designer and she and her rescue dog bark are moving back in with her grandmother in Florida. Katie tried to save her father from drowning when she was nine and lives with the guilt and a fear of water. Her dog, Bark, also has fear issues. They quickly get involved with grandma, Nan’s friends who are former mermaids. They begin to plan a reunion and fundraiser and convince Katie to create their costumes. How will she test the fabrics underwater? Will she be able to attend the show?
I loved this book. There was so much emotion coming through the characters. I could feel Katie’s fear and frustration with herself and Bark. I wanted to hug her and try to make it better. Nan and her friends try to help but not always in the best ways. Bitsy is so sweet and offers Katie support tough she is hurting herself. I can just imagine myself meeting this group of sometimes shocking old ladies and having a great time with them. There is so much love and healing that this book is not sad. At times it is absolutely hilarious! I give this book 5 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was fully captivated from page one. This book spurred a range of emotions for me. Family and relationships are majorly important. I want to spend more time with these characters! Thanks to Atria and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A wonderful book that makes you root for the characters and it's full of emotion.
I was moved and rooted for the characters.
I loved the style of writing, the cast of characters, both human and canine, and the plot was engaging.
I will surely look for other books by this writer.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for this ARC