Girl Underwater: A Novel

Girl Underwater: A Novel

An adventurous debut novel cutting between a competitive college swimmer's harrowing days in the Rocky Mountains after a major airline disaster, and her recovery supported by the two men who love her--only one of whom knows what really happened in the wilderness.   Nineteen-year-old Avery Delacorte loves the water. A sophomore on her university's nationally ranked swim team, she finally feels popular and accepted -- especially by Lee, her kind and outgoing boyfriend.   But everything changes when Avery's red-eye home for Thanksgiving makes a ditch landing in a mountain lake in the Colorado Rockies. There are only five survivors: Avery, three little boys, and Colin Shea-- the teammate Avery has been avoiding since the first day of freshman year. Faced with sub-zero temperatures, minimal supplies, and the dangers of a forbidding nowhere, Avery and Colin must rely on their talents, willpower, and each other in ways they never could have imagined.   Yet when Avery emerges from her ordeal alive, terrified of the water, conflicted by her emotions, and evasive of her memories, she must face the harrowing realization that rescue doesn't necessarily mean survival. Praise for  Girl Underwater “Your first must-read beach book of the summer.”  -- Oprah.com “The riveting drama is sure to keep readers up into the night devouring each and every twist and harrowing scene.” -- RT Reviews “A romantic thriller full of raw and conflicting emotions…a roller coaster full of frustrating, exciting, heartwarming and heart-wrenching moments that leave surprises at every turn.” -- Deseret News "As a former competitive swimmer and the recipient of a medical degree, first-novelist Kells amply demonstrates her technical knowledge, lending realism to the story...The story ably demonstrates that survival is not just physical, but also mental and emotional." -- Booklist "Skillfully interspersing flashbacks with current events, debut novelist Kells has written an absorbing tale that will grip anyone who enjoys survival stories or psychological dramas." --  Library Journal  (starred review) "Kells's visceral story is quite memorable and eminently readable." --  Publishers Weekly "With its subzero temperatures that will make you reach for a blanket and a wounded but never weakened heroine, Kells' assured debut is a winner." --  Kirkus "What if the most devastating moment of your life was also the beginning of something beautiful?  Girl Underwater is a compelling coming-of-age love story that will have you rooting for its teen narrator, a girl who survives a disaster, and finds herself trapped between a traumatic past and a fragile future. Trust me--dive in!" –Jodi Picoult, New York Times Bestselling author of The Storyteller and Between the Lines   “A powerful love story embedded in an action-packed tale of survival. Even as the characters are fighting for their lives, it’s impossible to turn away from the breathtaking range of emotion they reveal.” –Tracey Garvis-Graves, author of On the Island and Covet Claire Kells was born and raised outside Philadelphia. She received a degree in English from Princeton University and a medical degree from the University of California. Currently in residency, she lives and works in the Bay Area. This is her first novel. 1 I’ve always loved the water. My earliest memory is opening my eyes in my neighbor’s pool and seeing the world through this different state of being. It shocked no one when I begged for swim lessons at the age of three—far younger than my older, more adventuresome brothers. When my mother saw me flying off the high dive the summer before kindergarten, she was horrified but not surprised. She wanted to ban me from the pool for a week, but my dad had a different idea: put her on the swim team. After the crash, my instincts changed. Even the smallest children know not to breathe underwater, but somehow, my mind railed against everything I’d ever known. I thought it was permanent. I thought fear was forever. 2 The security line proceeds in its usual torturous fashion: in stops and starts, other people’s luggage tumbling at my feet. After thirty minutes of halfhearted apologies, one of the TSA checkers waves me over. He holds up my Massachusetts license and smirks. “You sure this is you?” “Yep.” I force a smile. That picture isn’t my proudest moment: blond hair wild and windblown, eyes bloodshot, freckled skin paler than a baby’s butt. It was February, the week before midterms. Never get your driver’s license issued in February. “You’re a brunette now.” “Yep.” Precious seconds tick by. “Okay,” he says, handing it over. “You pass.” I take my license and head for the closest lane. A family of six squeezes in right in front of me, juggling Uggs and Disney backpacks and a whole assembly of umbrellas. A toddler empties his pockets and fifty pennies scatter on the floor. I scoop them up while his parents chase down their other kids. Five interminable minutes