Floating Underwater

A mystical journey that will take its readers on a whirlwind tour of beautiful imagery and meaningful life adventures, Floating Underwater is the story about a woman named Paloma Leary who learns that she has some very special gifts to share with the world. The book starts with Paloma finding out she is pregnant for the third time and then miscarrying the baby for the third time as well. A sadness follows Paloma as the will to understand why this is happening to her becomes stronger and stronger. Paloma knows she has options, but what is the right choice for her and her husband, Reed? One thing that Paloma consistently worries about is that she is like her mother, Esther, whom everyone called crazy. Visions come to her just like they did to her mother. The story becomes even more intense as Paloma starts having more and more visions and even has an out-of-body experience. Intertwined with these visions is her relationship with neighbor Serena who is the daughter of Paloma’s boss at the flower shop she works at. Throughout the book, Serena tends to pop up, shouting wild sayings from the sidewalk, swimming and asking Paloma why she doesn’t believe in mermaids, and lecturing Paloma on what is real and what is important.

This book is wonderfully written in a lovely beach setting. As I was reading, I could hear the waves as they came to shore and could envision both Serena and Paloma swimming and running to shore, their hair wet with the sea.

There are many topics throughout Floating Underwater including the loss of a child, mother-daughter relationships, in-law relationships, the metaphysical world, and doing the right thing even when it seems wrong.

The characters in Floating Underwater are all given ample time throughout the book to develop and are all important to one another. The relationships are complex although there is love in each and every one of them. Even though I really liked the character of Paloma, I really enjoyed the magical character of Serena the most. Her carefree spirit and the way she speaks in a sing-songy tone are both innocent and wise at the same time.

Floating Underwater is the perfect book for someone looking for a bit of fantasy thrown into a realistic setting with realistic characters. Written with special attention to little details, this book is relatable, yet very special and is a one-of-a-kind read.