Swimming for Sunlight

Larkin enthralls with a revealing view of one woman’s life as she moves on after a painful divorce. Katie leaves Rochester, N.Y., with her fearful yet loyal dog, Bark, after she and her husband, Eric, divorce. She travels to Port St. Lucie, Fla., to live with Nan, the grandmother who raised her. Katie harbors distressing memories of her father’s death and her mother’s abandonment, and treasures the time she spent with Nan while growing up in Florida. Nan shares an album of old photos that show her working as a mermaid at a popular Florida underwater show, and her fond memories spark an effort to reconnect with her colleagues. Soon the aging former mermaids decide to put on a show as a fundraiser for the local community center. As Katie is a talented tailor and costumer, she is nominated to make the mermaid costumes. When Katie’s college flame, Luca, arrives to help film the mermaids’ reunion, Katie must decide whether she is willing to take a chance at rekindling their relationship. Emotional and heartwarming, Larkin’s touching story is complete with romance, nostalgia, and genuine friendship. Agent: Mitch Hoffman, Aaron Priest Literary. (Apr.)