This isn't my usual read but I wanted to explore the family dynamics and I found it a really heart-warming and easy read overall.

This was a great little book about three generations of women and them learning about themselves and each other over a summer.
Gabby is recently divorced. When she learns her mother, Ida, needs to have open heart surgery, she decides to take her 13 year old daughter, Juniper to live with Ida and start anew.
Ida and Gabby have always had a strained relationship. Ida is a former gold medal swimmer and over the summer she has goals to achieve with relationships with both her daughter and granddaughter.
This was a delightful quick read.

This book felt more like an outline than a full story. I enjoyed the Ida's character arc, but it felt rushed. The collateral characters didn't really contribute much to the story in a substantial way. I feel like the bones were there, but I needed more depth and complexity in these relationships to really become invested in them.

*I receieved this book as an ARC, and agreed to provide an honest review*

I usually love family drama but this one was a but boring. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it. Plot and character development lacking.

This is a story about mothers and daughters - their love, their failures, their healing, and their journey to be everything to each other while still being their true self.

Learning to Swim follows 3 generations of ladies in the midst of personal strife. Gabby, a late thirties soon-to-be divorcee who has decided to move across the country with her teenage daughter to care for her ailing mother. Ida, a strong willed former Olympic swimmer who struggles to connect with her daughter and hopes not to repeat the cycle with her granddaughter. Juniper, a teenager caught in the aftermath of adult choices who has her entire life uprooted. These three women must band together to support Ida during her heart surgery, Juniper through starting at a new school, and Gabby as she tries to handle it all while suffering emotionally.

While I enjoyed Learning to Swim and think it’s a poignant novel about the sacrifices and triumphs of being a mother and a child as well as the strength of female bonds, I didn’t necessarily love it. Beyond them being a family and dealing with some tough life situations, it was a bit of a boring read. Even when major events happened they felt subdued and had the same energy as mundane moments. I enjoyed Ida’s feistiness and Juniper’s coming of age woes but felt Gabby was underdeveloped. This is a very quick read though and has some lovely imagery. 3 out of 5 stars. Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

I loved it. It is a very well written, moving and heartwarming story of three strong women who happen to be the three generations of a family. I love reading about the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship and I also love older characters in books. This novel gave me all that and much more. I was really sorry when itended and I had to say goodbye to Ida, Gabrielle and Juniper. I will look out for the next books of the author. I can recommend it to everyone. You are in for a treat.

This was a wonderful, thought provoking, heartfelt novel. This book is about life and love and much more. I really appreciated each character in their own way and loved that they all had very distinct personalities and had something to learn from one another. There are traits in all three women that I have experienced in real life that just makes this book so relatable.

I really enjoyed this debut novel and hope to read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Egret Lake Books and Shayla Dugan for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this book is for girls with mommy issues (me). Learning To Swim is a coming of age novel featuring three women in completely different generations, a seventy five years old grandma, a mother in her late thirties and a teenage daughter. i loved Dugan's writing so much, the way she had blended the grief with the perfect balance of wit, it touched my heart.
Ida, Gabrielle and Juniper are wonderful, multifaceted and complex characters with their own struggles, desires and fears. personally, i was awfully struck by Gabby, it felt like the author was inside my head, attacking me at every point. the writing was beautiful, characters relatable and flawed and just the right symbolism of swimming. Gabby's biggest struggle with the fact that she and her mother both love each other and yet cannot understand each other to them finally understanding each other, that healed something in me and i thank the author so much for that.
one thing that this book further taught me was how saying “I love you but ...” actually feels to the other person through Juniper's monologue. trust me, i am never doing that again. i don't think i can forget about this book so easily.
— thank you net galley and the author for an advanced reader copy of the book in exchange for a honest review

Learning to Swim is a fantastic and heart warming story about three generations of women. Ida, the grandmother who was an Olympic swimmer who is now undergoing surgery and recovery. Gabby, a newly single mom trying to raise her teenage daughter after moving across the country. Juniper, the teenage daughter who's trying to fit in at a new school and navigate growing up. This debut novel is incredible and I found myself not wanting it to end!

Learning to Swim was a heartwarming story about three generations of women sharing a house for the summer. Ida is a former Olympic swimmer and now a mother and grandmother with a major surgery looming, while she is unwilling to give up the freedom she has always loved. Gabby is her daughter, who has come home to help Ida recover from surgery, but also to try to rebuild her life after her marriage has dissolved. And Juniper is Gabby’s daughter, thirteen years old and forced to move across the country and in with her grandmother, leaving her father and her friends all behind.

What I loved about this story was the resilience each woman brought to her own life and to her relationships, and the ways that their private griefs allowed them to connect with each other more deeply and to grow. The title was a gorgeous metaphor for all three, each at her own stage of life.

I really enjoyed this debut by Shayla Dugan and look forward to what else she writes.

Learning to Swim is a wonderful story that explores the complexities of family relationships. Through the lens of Gabrielle, Juniper, and Ida, readers are treated to a tale of love, forgiveness, and second chances. What I appreciated most about this book is its ability to balance humor with heartfelt moments, making it both entertaining and emotionally resonant. As someone who values stories about family dynamics, I found myself drawn to the authentic portrayal of the ups and downs of mother-daughter relationships. Learning to Swim is a great read that will leave you laughing, crying, and ultimately feeling uplifted by the power of love.

Hey there, bookworms! Get ready to dive into the pool of family drama with Learning to Swim: A Novel! Picture this: a spunky mom, a sassy grandma, and a bewildered teenager all trying to navigate the choppy waters of life under one roof. From laugh-out-loud moments to heartwarming revelations, this book has it all. Whether you're a fan of witty dialogue, touching moments, or just a darn good story, "Learning to Swim" has something for everyone. So grab your floaties and get ready for a wild ride with Gabrielle, Juniper, and Ida—you won't want to miss it!

What sets "Learning to Swim" apart is its exploration of the transformative power of empathy and connection. As Emma and Tommy navigate their shared journey of healing, they learn valuable lessons about love, forgiveness, and the importance of reaching out to others in times of need.

Overall, "Learning to Swim: A Novel" is a beautifully written and deeply moving story that will tug at the heartstrings of readers. With its compelling narrative and authentic portrayal of the human experience, it is a book that resonates long after the final page is turned. Shayla Dugan has crafted a powerful tale that reminds us of the healing power of compassion and the enduring strength of the human spirit.