AustLit

'What happens when your great Australian dream gets washed away? And then tries to drag your marriage down with it?

'Lismore resident Rob – a happily married empty-nester, enjoying his late middle age – has always defined himself by the quality of the roof over his head and the state of his family life. Solid. Safe. Stable. But when the 2022 flood hits, he and his wife Sal find themselves homeless, their lives now the very opposite of secure and predictable.

'While government and insurance investigations drag on, Rob and Sal are left with no choice but to rent while they wait to find out the fate of their badly damaged home. After a mix-up with contracts, they reluctantly agree to share a home unit in Ballina with strangers – a slightly older hippy couple, also impacted by the floods, who couldn’t be more different from their new flatmates. A two-bedroom, one-bathroom flat with very thin walls. Surely they can stick it out ... they’re all grown-ups, right? What follows are six awkward yet entertaining months spent dealing with one another’s personal quirks while waiting for life to get back to normal.

'Only life has bigger plans for all four of them.'(Publication summary)