Like Water Rising tells the story of a grieving couple who, in the wake of their toddler’s tragic death, attempt to save their disintegrating marriage by canoeing the treacherous wild miles of the Lower Mississippi River. When they crash and become stranded, they need to work together to survive, but first, they must reckon with past betrayals— and their understanding of love and commitment.
Parenthood has been hard on Gretchen and Jake’s marriage. Work is hectic, schedules are crammed, and sometimes it feels like they haven’t had a real conversation in weeks. But they’re making it work. They’re mostly happy. Then their daughter dies in a tragic accident, and the small strains on their relationship are buried beneath a torrent of grief, anger and mutual resentment.
A year later, their marriage is on the brink of collapse. Gretchen doesn’t know if she’ll ever love Jake the way she once did, but the prospect of another loss leaves her desperate. In a last-ditch attempt to reconnect, she drags him on a trip from his bucket list: canoeing the treacherous wild miles of the Lower Mississippi River— some of the most remote nature in the United States.
When the astonishing beauty of the wild miles lures them into an uncharted back channel, they crash— injuring Jake and tearing a hole in the canoe. Stranded, they need to work together to survive. But first, they’ll need to acknowledge the secrets that drove them apart, and the reasons they blame themselves— and each other— for their child’s death.