A pandemic causes the United States to separate from America. In a novel.

Protagonist Polly Nader agrees to time travel to work for a megacorp, in order to secure treatment for per boyfriend, Frank. The megacorp, being a soulless megacorp, sends her to a time five years after the time she'd signed up for, landing her in 1998 Galveston, Texas, where she is meant to work restoring furniture for hotels and the tourism industry. She and Frank had a planned meet-up spot and time...in 1993, and in a Galveston that looked a little different in 1981 than it does in 1998.

Given our current state, the politics of the pandemic and its 1998 aftermath are super compelling, but An Ocean is really a meets/loses/gets back love story. Polly and Frank's relationship is believable and even relatable, if you're the emotionally distant one with a loving partner.