Breathing Under Water

"Breathing under Water combines the intrigue of Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies, the pacing of Lisa Jewell's The Family Upstairs, and the glimpse inside the elite athletic world of Alena Dillon's The Happiest Girl in the World." --STARRED BOOKLIST REVIEW

"A touching novel about unexpected connections and found family. Leo's growth and change are paramount, and he feels like a real person, not a token." --KIRKUS REVIEWS

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.

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