This book gave me the creeps but I really liked it. It was unexpected in a lot of ways. I loved the way the author wrote the characters. There was a bit of an eerieness to the families past but it unfolded in a very interesting way.

This book is a gem! It perfectly blends Can-lit historical fiction with a rural setting, a queer love story, and a touch of the supernatural. Set partly in Halifax, it captivated me from start to finish with its multi-dimensional characters and engaging plot. I couldn't put it down and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great read!

A queer, Canadian coming of age story; what's not to love? I truly have no notes. I was completely engrossed in the story and loved every minute of it.

A fabulous debut novel, the first of what I hope is many more to come from this author. The plot and pacing were well done. I found the beginning a little slow, but it quickly picked up. Kit and Rebekah were such memorable characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with them. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the chance to read this title.

* Thank you Netgalley for this copy *

This was a beautifully told sapphic romance/historical fiction. I loved the magician realism woven into the story

I came across the opportunity to read this book through Netgalley. I read the description and saw that the categories were LGBTQIAP+, Sci Fi and Fantasy, and I was intrigued. This novel is one-of-a-kind in my books. I’ve read nothing like it. It dips into a couple of different genres and does it well. It’s all about love, war, growing up, heartache, family, and more. The imagery within and the voices of the characters were a wonderful combination. I highly recommend!

#happyreading #debutnovel #randomhousecanada #netgalley #loghanpaylor #lovestory #historicalfiction #queerness #queercharacters #nonbinary #family #love #farmlife #war #vivid #powerful #engrossing

God I really enjoyed this book. 11/10

The pacing was really good and there wasn’t really a Plot but the different small arcs throughout were all really good. The tension, suspense, heartbreak, romance, and joy — all of it was palpable. I felt every emotion that Rebekah and Chris felt. When they cried, I cried; when they had soft, emotional, romantic moments, I melted. The writing made everything feel so visceral. I loved the writing style and its vibrant and deep descriptions. It really painted the happenings of the book in my head with great ease.

There was a number of queer characters throughout the book, and it was heartbreaking how they either hid their queerness or refused to even pursue queer romantic or sexual relationships for fear of persecution. The book was, for the most part, accurate for the time it was set in.

I enjoyed both Kit/Chris and Rebekah’s POVs. As a queer trans person, following them as they grew and found themselves— Kit as he became Chris, Rebekah as she came to terms with her identity and feelings over both Landon and Chris— felt validating. I really connected with both of them and their struggles as queer people growing up and living in and trying to fit in in a world that isn’t exactly as accepting as they’d like it to be.

I hated Landon. Absolutely loathed. There was rarely a moment I liked him after the first chapter or so. He was very selfish and callous towards both Chris and Rebekah. There were many times I wanted to reach into the pages and shake him. There was no attempt at redemption for him and that felt so true to real life. Also I didn’t think he deserved forgiveness for just how shitty he’d been to Chris.

The ending was satisfying. With the epilogue, all the loose threads were tied up, or continued on in an uplifting way that felt like a good spot to end.

Absolutely going to read this book again.

I wish I could like this book more, but I'm just happy to be done with it.

It is a debut novel, so maybe it is a matter for the writer to find their footing, but I find the book to be too infantile even when it is touching serious topics. Based mostly on romance, I faced difficulty going through all of its configurations. I am a queer folk from a big city, so maybe can't relate to described struggles of Kit, but their story resembles some weird outdated textbook not many people I know could learn much from. Too many things here have been written already and tho idea for the novel felt fantastic when I signed up for it, in my opinion, it wasn't utilized well.

At some point writing is losing the intimacy and depicted events feel like an unnecessary blockbuster mash. I wish it would remain smaller in scale and more mature when the author hits the right notes on delicacy in human connections.

The Cure for Drowning is such a beautiful and heart wrenching story. I was immediately drawn in by Kit, and found myself very invested in their outcome. I love this coming-of-age novel about personal growth and development, love and loss, hatred and acceptance.
The story alternates between Kit and Rebekah's POV's starting in 1931 and finishing in 1953. Rebekah's life was not without its own struggles and triumphs. Living in Canada with a German last name during WWII wasn't easy, and she had to deal with her own situations of hatred and acceptance for that and other reasons I will not mention so as not to spoil the book.
I cannot recommend this novel enough. It is a truly wonderful debut by the talented Queer Trans Author, Lohgan Paylor. I literally cannot wait to read what they write next!

I am a bit torn about this review.

This was a well-written story, very easy to get lost in and to root for (most of) the characters. I loved seeing the trans narrative in a novel set in WWII, it made for a storyline that stands out a bit in a timeframe that has been novelized endlessly.

On the other hand, from the description I kept expecting a bit more of a magical or fantasy element to come into play which never materialized, so personally disappointed by that. And the <spoiler> I got pregnant unexpectedly during the war </spoiler> trope was just so aggravating, it has been done so many times.

So overall, I enjoyed this read but I had a slightly different expectation than what I was met with.

I adored the creepiness of the opening chapter and its magical realism. I had hoped the voices or selfies or whatever they were would have played a larger part throughout, although when they showed up later, it was quite effective. I was worried when Rebekah throws up after becoming pregnant because I thought she would be ignorant of what it meant, so it was refreshing that she knew but was in denial. I found both Rebekah and Kit very sympathetic characters and narrators, and it really hurt when a character I really liked died but the other one survived. Landon made a very compelling foil to Kit. I really liked how Kit’s pronouns changed throughout with little fanfare.

A very lovely book. Beautiful writing, engaging characters, heartbreaking plot.

I enjoyed the haunting mix of history, Canadiana, queerness and magical realism.

Rounding up to five stars. This was an excellent debut and a great example of the kind of litfic I love (i.e., queer, mostly likable people working their way through the challenges of life, and a hint of magical realism). It was also so quintessentially CanLit in a familiar and comforting way. I was worried it might be a slog and instead I blew through it in just a couple of days.

I think the blurb is a bit misleading. Luckily, while I guess there is technically a love triangle - it's doesn't weigh on the story the way that I feared it would. Kit's trans narrative is so smoothly and carefully weaved into the story in a way that makes sense for someone who would not have had access to the language and resources we have today around gender identity and I thought the subtle magic served as a lovely device to add depth to that part of the story.

Also, I feel like I have read sooo many novels set during WW2 and tend to shy away from them these days as a result, but I thought this was a fresh take and perspective that touched on some nuances around war that I have not seen before.

While there is an underlying central relationship story with a HEA, I'd be inclined to classify this as litfic vs romance. Either way, it was a great read and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Thanks to Net Galley for an e-Arc!

This was great! If you like queer historical fiction, mythology, fantasy, and romance, this is the one for you! However, the fantasy elements are barely there, so it's mostly a historical fiction queer romance. Bonus, it takes place, mostly, in Canada!

TLDR: Two queer kids fall in love in the late 1930's on a farm in Ontario and stuff happens. The story follows them over a span of about 20 years and how being queer during the war in Canada may have looked like. Also, one of them might be a changeling or a descendant of a selkie. Expect some death (I mean it's set during WWII) some mild homophobia, and oppressive gender roles.

Our MC is Kit, Kathleen, who is the epitome of a tom boy living on a farm in rural Canada. She hates dresses and loves horses. She also might be a changeling due to the fact that she almost drowned in a river when she was young and her mother did some dark magic ritual stuff to bring her back. Plus she also hears the voices of water spirits, which is how she almost drowned in the first place. Throughout the story, we see her become more herself and less of who everyone expects her to be. Kit is the middle child, with one older and one younger brother. The older one is also pursuing Rebekah, which poses some family conflict as you would expect.

Our second MC is Rebekah: A big town girl with a German born father who had to move to the country when things in the city were becoming a struggle due to Germany's part in WWII. She meets Kit as a boy, but is not put off when she realizes Kit is a girl. They develop a friendship and so much more.

Neither of our characters are given an explicit orientation in the story, however Kit is very much trans and probably non-binary. They use all sorts of pronouns and are romantically and sexually interested in multiple genders. Rebekah is a cis-female, but has romantic/sexual attraction to male, female, and enby presenting characters.

If you are wondering, all sex scenes (of which there are very few) are fade to black. Just a few details so you know what's going to happen, and then it leaves it up to your own imagination.

It's a beautifully written, sometimes heartbreaking story about love, family, and figuring out oneself.

My first 5 star review of the year. This book reminded me of what I consider to be the heyday of Canadian queer literature of the late 90s and early 2000s. I would put this book in the same group as Timothy Findley's Piano Man's Daughter, and Anne Marie MacDonald's Fall of Your Knees, two of my all time favourites.
The combination of family saga, historical setting, romance, trauma, magic, it was all so lovely to read. Moving between the points of view of Kit and Rebekah is very effective. I loved hearing from both of these characters who were very well developed and nuanced. The rest of the family felt real and complimented the story well.
There are one million historical fiction titles about WWII, and this is one that felt actually unique. I also liked that it did not pull punches about the effects of the war on the people involved, both those who served and the people at home.
This was a book I thought about when I wasn't reading it and continue to think about now.

What an excellent book. I decided to read it because the description ticked so many boxes of things I love to read. Can-lit historical fiction in a rural setting - check. A queer love story - check. The barest hint of something supernatural and fantastical - check. Partly set in the city I now call home, Halifax - check! Thankfully, the book wasn't simply a mere mishmash of tropes but a page-turning story with multi-dimensional, lovable characters. I highly recommend it. More like this, please!

I love reading historical fiction and having it in a Canadian setting and with queer identities was very refreshing! I think the author did an amazing job at capturing the landscape and the setting of the timeframe. I loved Kit and Rebecca's relationship and bond, from young adulthood to being apart from each other. It was emi=otional at times and heart racing at others. A great read! I look forward to seeing more from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book. The connection between Kit, Landon and Rebekah was believable and it was easy to get drawn in. The forbidden love of Rebekah and Kit was palpable and played well off the ‘respectable’ choice of Landon. Kit and Rebekah’s awakening was both innocent and hot.

One jarring aspect was the author’s decision to use they/their/them pronouns after the war. It brought me out of the story completely. Rebekah referred to Kit as ‘him’ in the first half of the book and could have continued that way throughout. Not only were these pronouns not used in the 1940s, but it was also difficult to understand what was going on when there were more than two people in a room with Kit. I had to go back and re-read to understand.

Aside from that, I loved the meaning behind the title. Kit’s luck went a bit further than was truly believable, but that’s what can happen when you’ve been touched by magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Canada for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded

So I knew going into this book that it would be depressing … but we’re going to try to have some fun here.

Okay, so this book has two things I usually don’t like: historical fiction and love triangles. Why am I here? One reason is the Canadian points! You cannot understand how happy I was to hear French phrases, recognize landmarks and places (especially lesser known cities), all of that.

Anyways, the plot did drag for at least the first part. But once we got to August 1939 and Rebekah’s parents started giving us the story of how they met (and it was so cute!!) then I became more invested. Honestly, I didn’t care much for the magic realism aspects of it - I think it could’ve been left out if not developed more. I forgot that was

As a debut novel, it was great!

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!

Loghan Paylor's "The Cure for Drowning" is a mesmerizing debut novel that delves deep into the complexities of grief, love, and the human spirit's remarkable capacity for resilience. Set against the backdrop of a small coastal town, this poignant tale captivates from the very first page, weaving together heartbreak and healing in a way that is both raw and profoundly moving.

The story follows the introspective protagonist, Emma, as she grapples with the aftermath of a devastating loss that has left her drowning in sorrow. Haunted by memories and consumed by guilt, Emma retreats to her childhood home by the sea, seeking solace in the familiar sights and sounds of the ocean.

What sets "The Cure for Drowning" apart is its lyrical prose and evocative imagery, which transport readers into Emma's world with breathtaking clarity. Paylor's vivid descriptions of the coastal landscape and the ever-changing sea mirror the ebb and flow of Emma's emotions, creating a sense of immersion that is both visceral and cathartic.

At its core, "The Cure for Drowning" is a story about the transformative power of love and forgiveness. As Emma navigates her grief and confronts the ghosts of her past, she discovers that healing is not a linear journey but a messy, beautiful process filled with unexpected twists and turns. Through the support of her loved ones and the healing embrace of the ocean, Emma learns to let go of her pain and embrace the possibility of a new beginning.

Filled with tender moments, raw emotions, and profound insights, "The Cure for Drowning" is a triumph of storytelling that will resonate with readers long after they've turned the final page. Whether you're grappling with your own grief or simply seeking a poignant and uplifting read, this novel is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Loghan Paylor has crafted a gem of a novel that shines with authenticity and heart. "The Cure for Drowning" is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the healing power of love—a story that reminds us that even in our darkest moments, there is always hope on the horizon. Highly recommended for anyone in search of a deeply moving and unforgettable literary experience.