Author: Jacqueline Friedland
Date/Time: Tuesday 08/11/2026 at 11:00 AM
Book: Breathing Under Water
Synopsis: A page-turning, big-hearted story about messy families, impossible choices, and human connection that sneaks up on you when you least expect it. 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. Jacqueline Friedland graduated Magna Cum Laude from both the University of Pennsylvania and NYU Law School. After practicing commercial litigation in NY and determining that office life did not suit her, Jackie began teaching Legal Writing and Lawyering Skills at the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in Manhattan and working on her first book in her limited spare time. Finally deciding to embrace her passion and pursue writing full time, she returned to school to earn her Masters of Fine Arts from Sarah Lawrence College, graduating from the program in 2016.
Restaurant: Litchfield Country Club
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