In Man Overboard! a former college swimmer falls off a cruise ship and must keep treading water as memories and regrets wash over him.
Mark your calendars, LitStackers! Man Overboard! by Kathleen Rooney is in presale (the best time to buy a book), and ready to hit the bookshelf on July 7, 2026. Our anticipation is palpable. Published by Gallery Books | Simon & Schuster, this novel is already making waves with early readers. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s on the cover from the publisher’s official description to early reviews that will help you pre-order your copy ASAP. Let’s dive in!
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About Man Overboard!
Patrick “Kick” Kilpatrick hates the ocean. Has always been terrified of it. And now he’s in a real pickle.
Drifting alone in the sea after falling (or jumping? He can’t remember as the all-inclusive drinks on the cruise he was taking with his extended family were, well, inclusive) Kick must survive, breath by breath, hour by hour in the lonely sea.
As the waves crash over him, so too do the thoughts and memories of just how he got there. A Thanksgiving cruise with an obnoxious brother-in-law he has to bite his tongue to keep from screaming at. A father who gives the Great Santini a run for his money. And a mother who already left the family boat, so to speak, a long time ago. His family may be complicated, and the pains of life may seem unbearable—infuriating enough to leap from the deck—but maybe the will to survive is stronger.
Man Overboard! is an inventive, slyly hilarious, and inspiring novel about what it means to be alive, to stay alive, and what keeps us going no matter how choppy the waves of our journey become. Hold on for dear life!
Praise for Man Overboard!
“Normally a person falling off a cruise ship would signal the end of the story. In this slim, sly novel from the author of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, it’s just the beginning. Bobbing around in the ‘gooey soup,’ his life flashing before his eyes, Kick knows he only has one choice: to save himself. But how?”—The New York Times
“Man Overboard! is an absolutely original work of existential wonder. Funny, sad, playful, and, by the end, simply resonant.”—Daniel Kraus, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Whalefall and Angel Down
“Funny, heartfelt, and always charming . . . Man Overboard! is pure existential fun. The perfect summer read!”—The Chicago Review of Books
“Meditative and whimsical.”—Chicago magazine
“Man Overboard! is destined to be the best book of the summer. The magnificent Kathleen Rooney is back with a novel about “Kick” Kilpatrick, who finds himself at sea in every aspect of his life, except this time, he’s literally in the water. For readers everywhere who enjoy a cocktail and have endured vacation with a dysfunctional family. For those who have cruised with high hopes on the high seas, Man Overboard! is for you. Packed with hilarity and wisdom, I could not put it down. What a voice! Jump in! You will be happy you did.” —Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The View From Lake Como
“Each of Rooney’s enthralling novels are shaped by her astute insights, poetic descriptions, and sharp wit. This bravura survival tale is endearingly suspenseful, touching, and hilarious.”—Booklist
“If you’ve ever found yourself figuratively treading water, feeling adrift in the vast current of life, Kathleen Rooney’s smart, hilarious, and wildly inventive novel, Man Overboard! is for you. By combining the best parts of a gripping family dramedy with a sly mystery, Rooney has crafted a story that is wholly unique—a perceptive, heartfelt exploration about what it means to connect with each other, with our world, and with ourselves.”—Grant Ginder, nationally bestselling author of So Old, So Young
“This jaunty work of surrealism starts with a splash . . . it’s a hoot.”—Publishers Weekly
“A profound, hilarious and utterly charming novel. Rooney fearlessly explores what remains of a man when everything is stripped away, and offers a startling and deeply felt answer about the nature of forgiveness and grace.”—Kathy Wang, nationally bestselling author of The Satisfaction Cafe
About Kathleen Rooney, Author of Man Overboard!
Kathleen Rooney is the nationally bestselling author of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, as well as Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey and From Dust to Stardust. She has won the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize from Poetry magazine and the Adam Morgan Literary Citizen Award from the Chicago Review of Books.
Kathleen’s criticism can be found in The New York Times, the Star Tribune (Minneapolis), The Brooklyn Rail, Chicago magazine, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and beyond. She lives in Chicago with her spouse, the writer Martin Seay, and teaches English and creative writing at DePaul University.
You can connect with Kathleen Rooney on her website and on LinkedIn.
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Gallery Books | Simon & Schuster
ISBN Hardcover 9781668212387
Pub Date: July 7, 2026
LitStack Spots Other Titles by Kathleen Rooney
Here are a few other titles by Kathleen Rooney under the LitStack Spot that we are definitely adding to our TBR stack, including Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey, and From Dust to Stardust.
Other LitStack Resources
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