Keep Me Afloat by Jennifer Gold is a heartwarming story following Abby through love, mixed emotions, loss, heartache, and learning to love and trust oneself. My emotions were all over the place and as I read the last few chapters I had tears pouring down my face. Truly an amazing and wonderful read that kept me intrigued the whole way through.

Wonderful novel!  I enjoyed the whole story. This was an emotional story about Abby and her husband Dennis. It explores the intricacies of their relationship. They have a safe and secure relationship but things begin to  change for Abby over the years. I enjoyed the way that Abby’s life was depicted, including her relationships with her parents and her closest friends. I was engrossed by this whole story and surprised at times along the way.

As a native from the Pacific Northwest, this book grabbed me from the beginning, Abby a marine biologist has created her dream career, but things change. Emotional, twisty and full of heart even when the emotions hit personally. I stayed totally invested to see where the MC Abby goes as she returns home to find its not like it once was. Gold is a brilliant author and I will read everything she writes. 5 stars.

I really loved this book. It’s a story of forgiveness, moving forward and second chances. The characters were great and I really liked the writing style. Abby returns home to a small town in Washington state after a career setback. She is a marine biologist and has to reassess her career plans upon her return home. I was fascinated learning so much about the Pacific Ocean and the many sea animals that inhabit it. Overall a really great book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Abby met Dennis during a car accident almost twenty years ago. Two months ago she was studying hump back whales in California. Bad news about the grants for work and pictures of Dennis bring her back home. Abby is haunted by the ghosts and husband she left behind . Abby met Dennis in high school but it wasn't love at first sight. The pace was good and I liked the characters. I liked Abby's journey to find herself in the world.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange of an honest review 💙
I don't really like reading books which revolve around grief and loss, but Abby's story connected with me in an unexpected way. Her journey to cope up with the stuggles in life made Keep Me Afloat such an impactful read. 
One of the best things about the book was the author's writing style. She made me empathize with Abby perfectly through her words. The marine biology facts were really interesting to read about too!
4/5 🌟 Definitely recommend!

In many ways, this title is a second chance romance. However, the primary target of Abby's love is not another person but herself.

Ms. Gold does a wonderful job weaving in some marine biology facts and lovely descriptions of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington with a little bit about Alaska and salmon as well.

Overall, a delightful story of finding oneself after hiding from the pain of the past.

Thank you to Kate Rock Book Tours for an ARC from the author for an honest review. 

A beautiful story of love, forgiveness, coming to terms with the things you have done to hurt others. An added bonus of the extra character found in the Pacific Northwest description. The marine life description was fascinating.

I feel like I can’t say enough about how much I loved this book, it’s definitely a contender for one of my most favourite reads ever. It was exactly what I needed to read during these crazy times. I’ve never not wanted a book to end so badly while also not wanting to put it down. This story is so beautiful, raw, heart wrenching & so well written✨

Keep me afloat tells the story of Abby, a marine biologist by trade who finds herself in her mid thirties, broke, not working in the field she loves and moving back to her hometown. The book flashes back and forth between 2011, where we learn about how her marriage first came to be and it’s subsequent downfall and 2018 where we witness Abby in present day.
I almost found this book to be therapeutic. I felt as though I was transported to the west coast in Washington state, where it’s set and could really visualize this story. I absolutely loved the wildlife aspect of this book, the whales were almost like an additional character and provided so much depth to the novel. Abby is a super relatable character, I could feel her pain and really sympathized with her. I’m truly so sad that this book is over😢 I 1000% recommend this book, 5/5⭐️ Also how beautiful is this cover 😍

I have to disclose that I read Keep Me Afloat, by Jennifer Gold, several weeks into the COVID-19 quarantine, and my impressions are probably impacted by that circumstance.  I found myself impatient the protagonist’s inability to move past the same old issues with three different men.  It seemed so lacking in perspective when so much death and disease is swirling around us.  Of course, the author did not write the novel under the same circumstances under which I read it.  On the other hand, I loved the author’s commitment to marine conservation and learned so much about whales and marine life. Her writing vividly captured the sensations of being on a boat, feeling the sprays of saltwater in your face, and the sight of those beautiful whales emerging from the water.  

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Gold breathes life into her characters. This was a very good read and had me captivated from the beginning.  
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I thought I'd enjoy this book due to my interest in whales and dolphins but the way it was wrote, I barely made it to the end.  First, I do not care for a story to flip back and forth in time.  For me, flashbacks take me away from the story. This was the first book I had read that had dates at the start of every chapter which meant I had to keep flipping back to see if I was going forward or backward.  In doing so, I kept losing the story line.  I enjoyed the story but it did drag and I felt there was a lot of information that could have been left out.  Finally, in the last few pages, we learn about the husband that we had waited on through out the book.  Sorry, but this one was not for me. Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing  for giving me the chance to read it.

Jennifer Gold did it again with her second novel!!  There are so many things I love about her books -- here are some -- her timelines -- one of the best writers as far as timelines go!!  Her quotes -- I wrote down so many quotes.  Her first line -- I'd love to ask her how long it takes her to write her first line.  Her endings!!  Always beautifully shocking!!

I wasn't sure what to expect with Keep Me Afloat by Jennifer Gold, but I am glad I gave it a shot. It was a well-thought out novel with a heart. I know our patrons will really like it, so we will order a couple copies for our library. Thank you!

Abby Fisher never planned to return home, but she's a marine biologist and her grant money ran out. She's home and needing to start over. The problem is that five years ago, she left her town after her marriage ended and her life was in shambles. Returning home isn't ideal, but she has no where else to go.



Back at home, five years has clearly changed her and those she loves. Her parents aren't the same. Her friends have moved on and are starting or trying to start families after building careers. She's still dreaming of a job that puts her out on the ocean and also pays a regular income. All of this starting over isn't going to be easy when she can't seem to let go of her past.



Keep Me Afloat drew me in. It's told in past and present. You get to meet Abby and her friends. You fall in love with her coastal town. You also slowly start to see what happened to change her life. Part of it ends up being a surprise that I didn't see coming. 



I found myself needing a few Kleenex as I reached the end of the story. It's touching, emotional, and completely addicting. I loved every minute of my trip to this coastal town and found myself longing for some of the espresso concoctions Abby got to enjoy. This is a fantastic story for the current self-isolation that many of us are experiencing.

This is a beautifully written story about a woman who strives to be a marine biologist and at the same time tries to be fully there for her love. Balancing life with family and a career can be challenging. The main character has made some mistakes which brought on some emotional baggage. Returning home to the beautiful Pacific Northwest to face the past from which she ran from has her seeing changes for her family, seeking redemption and forgiveness, and opening up to a second chance at love. I loved the description of the marine wildlife throughout the book and the secondary characters really brought this story full circle for me.

Keep Me Afloat was my very first of Jennifer Gold's. I can say that I'll definitely be reading more of her work.

it was a compelling story of love, forgiveness, and loss. This story is about letting go and forgiving yourself in order to move forward. The author did a great job telling the story using two timelines. At first, I was frustrated with Abby, the main character. I was not sure what to think of the story. But page after page, you get closer to finding out the reasons behind Abby's behavior. It was captivating; kept me up until the end.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union publishers for the free ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

It has been 5 years since Abby Fisher left her home town along the coast of Washington state, running away from painful memories.
But when her research work as a marine biologist in California comes to an abrupt halt, she feels herself drawn back home. And although she is happy and thankful to be reunited with her beloved parents and friends,  she soon finds herself fighting demons from the past.
In order to move forward she will have to look back, confront herself and heal.

I first heard about this book after reading a rave review on Instagram.
When finding out "Keep Me Afloat" was offered as a read now on Netgalley, I grabbed my chance.
After reading the first few pages I knew I made the right decision because the writing style sucked me right in.
I was a bit apprehensive when I learned that the story shifts between past and present. Thinking it might be confusing however, it wasn't at all! In fact, it worked really well.
Slowly but surely a true love story unfoldes with some serious challenges along the way.

What made this book such an amazing read was that I got a real good sense of the setting.
I would love to visit the Pacific North West of America myself one day and this book only confirmed that it is a place of outstanding natural beauty and  magnificent wildlife. 
As to the characters they were all so engaging, it was wonderfull to read about the special bond Abby having with her friends. They all had each other's back no matter what. Same goes for Abby's parents, such loving people.

The struggles Abby faced in terms of her love life and ambition were well described and I could really understand her dilemma. 
Another wonderful aspect of this book was Abby's passion for wildlife.
I particularly share her love of Orca's and I would love to go on a boat tour to see them in their natural environment. I kind of got a sense of that experience through the book which was great.

All in all this was an absolute 5 star read for me and I can't wait for the author's next book.
I'm sure it will have me hooked again!

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review

The book revolves between the past and present day. Abby became interested in marine biology when she first looked at a drop of water under a microscope.  She meets Dennis one night when she is in an accident and he comes to her aid.  

Fast forward to the time Abby fears she may lose Dennis to heart problems.  They eventually marry but Abby is torn between love for Dennis working a full job at a bank and the pull of the ocean.  

Time passes and Abby returns home to pick up pieces of her broken life.  She finds things are not as they seem

The author includes depth to the character of Abby and the indecision she goes through and beautiful descriptions of whales, and their ocean life

This book has all elements in it - love, heartbreak, mistakes forgiveness and second chances. Abby is trying the "Keep her heart afloat" as everything she once had, has left her and she is broken beyond repair. She finds courage and gains the confidence to fight through her way. Very much heartfelt and I could feel Abby through every step in the novel. You will feel a lot of emotions when you read this book, but disappointment is not one of them. 
Thank you NetGalley, Jennifer Gold and Lake Union Publishing for the reader's copy of this book. This review is my own and is not influenced in any way.