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 reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Atria. Thank you.

I really loved Swimming for Sunlight because of the realistic way Allie Larkin portrays extreme anxiety and of the manner in which other characters accept and deal with the feelings that Katie experiences. The story itself is a loving tribute to Katie’s Nan and her friends, all former mermaid performers who gather together for a fund raising performance. And, there is Lucas, cinematographer and Katie’s true love who will steal your heart.

I enjoyed this book so much. I could relate on many levels to the struggles. Thank you Allie Larkin for a fantastic book. The characters and their struggles were true to life.

Allie Larkin is one of my favorite authors, so I was really happy to hear she was coming out with another book. Unfortunately, it wasn't coming out until April of 2019, so a little disappointed I was going to have to wait SOOOOOOO long. Then I was delighted when my daughter, a very informed librarian, let me know it was available on NetGalley now. I immediately downloaded it to my Kindle Fire and began reading. As with both her other books, there is an awesome story line with amazing characters. I loved it and was sorry to see it end. What makes a good book for me is that when I'm finished, I wish that the characters were real and I knew them. Such is the case with this book. I want to adopt the older women in this group as my grandmothers. So in April of 2019, I would recommend you get your hands on this book, but in the meantime read Stay and Why Can't I Be You? You'll be glad you did!!

Spoilers

Katie is getting a divorce and Eric her ex husband brings a date along for the ride. While realizing she could not have tryet harder to be a trophy wife like his friend eric,requests full custody of the dog,in the aftermath of her divorce Katie goes to Florida to stay with her Nan. Nan gets after Katie for letting eric get the house and everything.Bark,the dog has to get use to living with Nan.Katie has to get use to Nabs new health food kick.Nan use to be a mermaid in a show and Katie is searching for her old mermaid friends..Mo, Katies friend trys to help her out of divorce blues. Katies relationship with her Nan reminded me of my relationship with my granny. Katie love for her dog was endearing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for ARC - it was a surprisingly delightful book and I am proud to be able to review it.
I started this book with an apprehensive spirit to be honest - I was worried it was going to be a run of the mill romance novel. Thankfully I was wrong, it is a romance but it is also a bit of family drama, BFF reinforcement and an awareness raiser. I was happily proven wrong.
The fact that Katie starts off her story in the divorce court with the ‘new’ woman sat outside waiting for Eric to come out is traumatizing to say the least, she then travels to Florida to Nan’s house manifesting every form of neurosis possible. I have to admit at this point I wanted to give her a slap and tell her to get it together. She goes through all of her phases of grief and mourning in front of all the people who love her the most, and she shows every side of herself in stark reality - some nice bits and some not. Ultimately you realize she is grieving not only the breakdown of her marriage but every loss and hardship she has ever faced in her life. Some of Which are awful and lead to many facets of her neurological anxieties.
In opposition to Katie’s maladies Larkin give us Nan and her mermaids who are such a delight to behold., I literally wanted to be in that group of women, funny and eccentric in just the right way. Mo - oh Mo - she is by far my favorite. Old before her time, awkward and most of all loyal and honest. She is Katie’s BFF and her quips and responses were brilliant, some of her quirks and responses are laugh out loud material, I caught myself using her catchphrase ‘hilarious’ to describe her and also having to smile apologetically at people within earshot of me as I laughed at her and spoke out loud in response to her. Hilarious!
Obviously the romance side of things cannot be ignored and I must say Larkin wrote about it as realistically as possible for a fundamentally flawed Katie, no romance is going to be easy with someone who is always waiting for a bomb to drop. Luca is everything a broken woman needs and he is good for her and softens her as a character - which means you start to like her even more when you see her through his eyes.
I have already told everyone in my circles to keep their eyes peeled for this book when it is released. I am so glad I get to keep this merry band of individuals in my imagination, such angst and joy all in one place. A job well done to Allie Larkin and heartfelt thanks for the characters she shared with me.

Great light but meaningful reading. Allie Larkin did a great job of taking the reader into the world of a seniors' community in Florida, as a newly divorced young woman moves in with her grandma. We see Kate renew childhood friendships with her grandma's friends and with her own high school BFF. This book's a nice picture of the lives of active seniors and the sense of community and lifelong friendships they enjoy and offer to a needy younger woman - all set against a project to re-unite a group of mermaid showgirls.

Having parents the age of the seniors and children the age of the protagonist, I really connected with this book. The cultural references - especially the musical references - are spot on. I could "hear" the B-52s and other music mentioned in this book as I read along. This will be a great selection for book clubs and for beach readers.