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Allison Larkin

Internationally Best-Selling Author

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“Swimming for Sunlight hits all of the women’s fiction sweet spots: strong relationships that grow throughout the book, light romance, and a main character who is easy to root for. An excellent suggestion for readers looking for an engaging summer read.
—Booklist, starred review

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She’s a master at creating complex characters who feel like old friends and crafting situations that you’d swear really happened. In other words? I adored this book! Put Allie Larkin on your Authors to Watch List because she’s at the top her game.”
-Jen Lancaster, New York Times Bestselling author of BITTER IS THE NEW BLACK and HERE I GO AGAIN

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Larkin debuts with a funny and touching story about love, loss, and dog ownership.”
- Publishers Weekly

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swimming for sunlight

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Aspiring costume designer Katie gave up everything in her divorce to gain custody of her fearful, faithful rescue dog, Barkimedes. While she figures out what to do next, she heads back to Florida to live with her grandmother, Nan.

But Katie quickly learns there’s a lot she doesn’t know about Nan—like the fact that in her youth Nan was a mermaid performer in a roadside attraction show, swimming and dancing underwater with a close-knit cast of talented women. Although most of the mermaids have since lost touch, Katie helps Nan search for her old friends on Facebook, sparking hopes for a reunion show. Katie is up for making some fabulous costumes, but first, she has to contend with her crippling fear of water.

As Katie’s college love Luca, a documentary filmmaker, enters the fray, Katie struggles to balance her hopes with her anxiety and begins to realize just how much Bark’s fears are connected to her own, in this thoughtful, charming novel about hope after loss and friendships that span generations.

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Praise

"Larkin enthralls with a revealing view of one woman’s life as she moves on after a painful divorce. . . . Emotional and heartwarming, Larkin’s touching story is complete with romance, nostalgia, and genuine friendship."
-Publishers Weekly

"Swimming for Sunlight hits all of the women’s fiction sweet spots: strong relationships that grow throughout the book, light romance, and a main character who is easy to root for. An excellent suggestion for readers looking for an engaging summer read."
-Booklist, starred review

"Brimming with enchanting detail and heartfelt emotion.”
-Woman's World

"[An] insightful novel, which contains humorous selections to keep it light and fast moving."
-NY Journal of Books

"A great spring read."
-Marin Magazine

"There’s a new must-love dog in the neighborhood . . . [a] heartening and humorous tale."
-Diablo Magazine

"This novel of hope, loss and friendships—both human and furry—make for the perfect spring read."
-Dogster Magazine

"Allie Larkin knows her characters so well—and loves them so much. Reading Swimming for Sunlight is like visiting a real place, spending time with a real and really good friend."
-Rainbow Rowell#1 New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park

"With a light touch and a big heart, Allie Larkin has crafted a moving, humorous, and utterly absorbing novel about a woman who discovers that sometimes you need to take a step back to learn how to move forward. I fell in love with her witty, strong-willed, resilient characters — including Barkimedes, the rescue pup whose spirit sparks both joy and growth in everyone he meets."
-Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train

"Populated by vivid characters that include aging "mermaids" and a companion dog so endearing that I, a "cat person," was tempted to go find my own Barkimedes, Swimming for Sunlight is a rare thing: an intelligent, compassionate, entertaining tale that satisfies both the heart and the head. I loved this book and everyone in it!"
- Therese Anne Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of A Well-Behaved Woman

"Poignant and funny, touching and eccentric, Swimming for Sunlight is brimming with heart. A gem of a novel that will charm not only dog lovers, but anyone, anywhere who's ever felt a twinge of anxiety. In other words, all of us"
- Tish Cohen, author of Town House

"I loved every page of this beautiful, heartfelt book. Full of compassion, warmth, and charm, Larkin makes a complex story about anxiety and loss and female friendships at all ages feel both effortless and hopeful. I dare you not to hug this book when you finish."
- Julie Buxbaum, New York Times bestselling author of Tell Me Three Things

"A heartfelt and bittersweet ode to taking the long-view of life when we fall short of our own expectations, to choosing courage and hope in the face of disappointment and tragedy. This book was just what my soul needed."
- Julia Whelan, author of My Oxford Year

"Sweet, tender, and real, Allie Larkin's work is funny, endearing, and simply lovely time and time again"
- Taylor Jenkins Reid, bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

"A thoughtful, tender story about losing everything and starting all over again, Swimming for Sunlight reminds us of the joy that comes when we open our hearts to unexpected friendships."
- Ann Mah, author of The Lost Vintage

"In Swimming for Sunlight, Allie Larkin has written an absorbing, insightful tale of all the people and places in which we find strength. She's created a world I’d love to live in, full of vividly rendered characters who are as complex and resilient as they are big-hearted and funny. There is nothing like a great story, well-told; this is Larkin’s specific expertise.”
-Caroline Angell, author of All the Time in the World

"I instantly fell in love with this narrator—who’s brave, funny, feisty, tender, and, most of all, relatable. She handles a seismic change in her life with rapier-sharp humor and grace, proving that life’s curveballs can be processed with love and laughter—and the often-underestimated power of the companionship and loyalty of animals. Katie's next chapter in life takes us on a wild, waterpark ride, addressing losses in her past, the surfacing of a college flame, and a grandmother you'll wish was your own. Add to this Larkin’s descriptive writing—which sparkles on the page—and you have a gem of a novel."
- Lolly Winston, New York Times bestselling author of Good Grief and Happiness Sold Separately

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why can't I be you

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At one time or another, everyone has wished they could be someone else. Exploring this universal longing, Allie Larkin follows up the success of her debut novel, Stay, with a moving portrait of friendship and identity.

When Jenny Shaw hears someone shout “Jessie!” across a hotel lobby, she impulsively answers. All her life, Jenny has toed the line, but something propels her to seize the opportunity to become Jessie Morgan, a woman to whom she bears an uncanny resemblance. Lonely in her own life, Jenny is embraced by Jessie’s warm circle of friends—and finds unexpected romance. But when she delves into Jessie’s past, Jenny discovers a secret that spurs her to take another leap into the unknown.

 

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Praise

"Allie Larkin’s latest, WHY CAN’T I BE YOU, is an engaging and smart novel with rich characters.” – SheKnows.com Red Hot Book of the Week

“This is a fun and quirky read for anyone who always wondered what it would be like to live life in someone else’s shoes. Readers will likely identify with the main character, and will definitely enjoy the crazy ride along the way thanks to Larkin’s breezy and light writing style.” – Romantic Times Book Review

“The wonderful dialogue and character development make it easy to get swept up and wonder not who would I rather be, but what am I holding back?” – The Gazette

“Allie Larkin provides an unexpected and completely fresh take on the familiar theme of mistaken identify in WHY CAN’T I BE YOU. She’s a master at creating complex characters who feel like old friends and crafting situations that you’d swear really happened. In other words? I adored this book! Put Allie Larkin on your Authors to Watch List because she’s at the top her game.” – Jen Lancaster, bestselling author of JENERATION X

“Allie Larkin’s latest explores an intriguing question: What if you could shed your own life, and step into someone else’s? WHY CAN’T I BE YOU is a thoughtful and compulsively readable examination of identity, friendship and trust – and what happens when all three spectacularly collide.” – Sarah Pekkanen, bestselling author of THESE GIRLS

“WHY CAN’T I BE YOU explores the brilliant notion that it’s not until we’ve let go of who we think we should be that we can discover who we actually are.” -Amy Hatvany, USA Today Bestselling author of OUTSIDE THE LINES

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Stay

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Savannah “Van” Leone has loved Peter since the day they met. The problem is, Peter has loved Van’s best friend, Janie, since the moment they met. And now they’re walking down the aisle, with Van standing nearby in a Halloween orange bridesmaid dress, her smile as hollow as a jack-o-lantern. After the wedding, Van drowns her sorrows in Kool Aid-vodka cocktails and reruns of Rin-Tin-Tin, and does what any woman in her situation would do: She buys a German Shepherd over the internet.

The pocket-sized puppy Van is expecting turns out to be a clumsy, hundred-pound beast that only responds to Slovakian. Van is at the end of her rope—until she realizes that this quirky giant may be the only living being who will always be loyal to her, no matter what. And thus begins a friendship that will alter Van’s life in ways she never imagined.

Joe leads Van to Dr. Alex Brandt, a rugged vet with floppy blond hair and winning smile. But just as things are starting to heat up, the newlyweds return from their honeymoon, forcing Van to decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to have everything she ever wanted. Warm and witty, poignant and funny, Stay marks the arrival of an irresistible new voice.

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Praise

"So sweet, so funny, so doggone delightful." - Claire Cook, bestselling author of Best Staged Plans and Must Love Dogs

"Delightful! Both dog lovers and the pooch-free will enjoy this novel of friendship, love, and healing." - Susan Elizabeth Phillips, New York Times bestselling author of What I Did for Love 

“Feel-good debut novel…” - People Magazine

“Larkin makes writing look easy… Stay has everything a summer read needs: humor, heart -- and, endearingly, buckets of dog slobber.” - The Miami Herald

“A charming tale of love, loss, discovery, and healing.” - Modern Dog

“Van provides a front row seat to some strong emotional healing. Readers can't help but to root for Van to the very end.” - San Francisco Book Review

“It's Gilmore Girls meets Marley & Me in this funny and compelling debut.” - Library Journal

“A charming debut…. Smart and with emotional depth, this is a cut above.” - Kirkus Reviews

"With humor and exceptional charm, Allie Larkin's story of a heartbroken young woman and the arrival of a clumsy four-legged friend who brings new meaning to her life is simply wonderful. Stay is a treat of a novel that must be shared with every girlfriend who has ever loved and lost." -Beth Hoffman, New York Times bestselling author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

"I cannot wait to read more from Allie Larkin - an effervescent new voice in fiction. Witty, sweet, and strikingly real, Stay is for any woman who has ever experienced heartbreak or loss and needed a friend to lean on. I loved every word!" -Beth Harbison, New York Times bestselling author of Shoe Addicts Anonymous and Hope in a Jar

"I'm madly in love with this big-hearted, charming keeper of a debut about love in all its forms, including the four-legged kind. Allie Larkin has a special and original voice." -Melissa Senate, author of See Jane Date and The Secret of Joy

"Wow! This book blew me away. Sharp. Smart. Observant. Buzzing with romance, friendship and heart. Most of all, incredibly well written. Stay is sure to become the new favorite among Emily Giffin fans. Enjoy!" -Sarah Strohmeyer, author of The Cinderella Pact and The Penny Pinchers Club

"Charming, witty, and surprisingly touching, Larkin deftly examines what it means to be family. A pleasure from start to finish, but buyer be warned: after closing the final pages of this compulsively readable novel, you might just find yourself ordering a one hundred pound German shepherd from the internet." -Julie Buxbaum, Author of The Opposite of Love and After You

ALlie Larkin

Allie Larkin is the internationally bestselling author of the novels, Stay, Why Can’t I Be You, (Dutton/Plume) and Swimming for Sunlight (Atria/Simon & Schuster). Her short fiction has been published in the Summerset Review and Slice Magazine. Her nonfiction essays are included in the dog anthology, I’m Not the Biggest Bitch in This Relationship, alongside Chelsea Handler and Annabelle Gurwitch, and Author in Progress, a how-to guide for Writer’s Digest Books. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, with her husband, Jeremy, and their fearful, faithful German Shepherd, Stella.
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Okay, fine. Her jacket is reversible and we kinda Okay, fine. Her jacket is reversible and we kinda match. I admit it. Alright? We all knew this was coming. None of this should be a surprise to any of us. #dailyroxydog #huskychihuahua #dogjacket #peoplewhomatchtheirdogs
Just a dog in a puffy jacket that matches her lawn Just a dog in a puffy jacket that matches her lawn chair. And she likes it! #dailyroxydog #chihuahuamix #ilovemydog
We are in the habit of starting and ending our day We are in the habit of starting and ending our days side by side in our lawn chairs, while the light rises or dims. It’s still chilly at the outer edges of the day. Sometimes Roxy shivers. I bought her a sweater, but she won’t wear it. Sometimes I try to wrap her in my jacket, but she’s not having that either, so I throw her ball and try to get her run and then she comes back to her chair, warm for a little longer. #dailyroxydog #huskychihuahua #dogssittinginchairs
“I got a secret I should tell. I’m going up to “I got a secret I should tell. I’m going up to heaven in a split pea shell.” ~ @petermulvey43 Words Too Small to Say
Happy as a dog in a freshly dug nap hole. #dailyro Happy as a dog in a freshly dug nap hole. #dailyroxydog #huskymixesofinstagram
I saw this little dresser at my favorite magic ant I saw this little dresser at my favorite magic antique store sometime in November and didn’t buy it. But then, of course, I kept thinking about her. She’s the perfect size for my office, and I found those drawer pulls hilarious. When I finally went back in December, I told myself I was shopping for wall art, because I assumed she would be gone. But she was right where I’d seen her last: balanced on another dresser with boxes of old picture frames and tchotchkes piled on top (the true mark of a magic antique store). I didn’t even realize she had a towel rack — that she was a wash stand, not a dresser — until I asked about the price, said I’d take her, and my favorite magic antique store person asked if we needed to unscrew the towel rack to fit her in my car. I suspect this little sweetie is not from the days of necessary wash stands so much as from a country kitchen in the 80s. She was in rough shape, and not made from wood worth stripping and re-staining, but her price reflected that. I had to disassemble that door and put it back together, but I’d been in the market for some experience working with old furniture, and she made me feel brave about trying. I thought about painting her something more neutral, but I’m so glad I didn’t. She deserves to be pink. She’s not perfectly painted and needs a few touch ups. I learned some things about chalk paint and finishes. The drawers stick a bit. Eventually, I’d like to line them with fabric and when I do, I might plane the edges to smooth things out. But goodness, I love her in a way that I wouldn’t if I hadn’t spent time cleaning away her cobwebs and scrubbing the grime from her hilarious drawer pulls. She’s also become a little shrine for the book I’m working on, which makes me love her even more. I’ve always been a person who sees some soul in certain things, and I’m learning to cherish that idiosyncrasy, because there’s so much joy to be found in a brave little toaster or an underdog wash stand. We’re not here in the world for all that long. We may as well love some bright little things. #furnituremakeover
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