A Zibby Owens Most Anticipated Book of Summer 2026 The current is threatening to pull them under. Berry thought she had it figured out—juggling her vice-principal role while raising her sixteen-year-old autistic son, Leo. But when a promotion opportunity collides with her family's deepest needs, she must confront whether she's been fighting the wrong battles all along. McKenna is drowning. Between caring for her grandmother with dementia, losing her swimming scholarship, and facing homelessness, the college student's carefully constructed world is crumbling. Her only lifeline? Teaching swim lessons to children with autism—including Leo. As these two women's paths converge in the most unexpected way, they discover that sometimes the people who need saving the most are the ones who end up saving you. A deeply moving exploration of motherhood, sacrifice, and the extraordinary connections that emerge when we're brave enough to let others see our struggles. 'A thoughtful and compassionate exploration of caregiving, ambition, and the ripple effects of loving someone with profound needs. This is a layered, emotionally resonant novel that will give book clubs plenty to discuss.' -- TRACEY GARVIS GRAVES, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl He Used to Know 'This big-hearted novel grabbed me from page one and didn't let me go. Jacqueline is a master of writing characters so real, it feels like they could walk out of the book and right into your living room--and she's done it again.' -- COLLEEN OAKLEY, USA Today bestselling author of Jane and Dan at the End of the World 'Jacqueline Friedland has done it again. With her signature mix of empathy and deft plotting, she takes us inside the lives of characters holding fast to their place on the margins until you are breathlessly rooting for them with every turn of the page.' -- NICOLA KRAUS, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nanny Diaries and The Best We Could Hope For Jacqueline Friedland is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of historical and contemporary women's fiction. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, she earned a law degree from NYU and a Master of Fine Arts from Sarah Lawrence College. Jackie regularly reviews fiction for trade publications and appears at schools and other locations as a guest lecturer. She lives just outside New York City with her husband, four children, and two dogs. Connect with her online at jacquelinefriedland.com; Facebook: @JacquelineFriedlandAuthor; Instagram: @jackiefriedland; X: @jbfriedland