Reviews ~ Wild Water and White Horizon by Jan Ruth

The often irrational ties that bind people together form the basis for this intertwining story of personal relationships and of what happens when life spirals out of control. Jack Redman knows that his marriage is heading for disaster and when he becomes reacquainted with his childhood sweetheart , Anna, he soon realises that everything he once knew to be true is about to change forever.

Set against the backdrop of rural Snowdonia, with occasional forays into the heart of the upmarket Cheshire set, this story really grips from the beginning. There is much to take in, from the heartbroken angst of a marriage gone wrong, through to the emotional realisation that a lost love can never be a forgotten love.

This intelligent read had me hooked from the beginning, I found that I couldn’t put the book down and wanted to read on to find out what would happen next. There is a poignant realism to the story which keeps the momentum going through to the very end and as a genuine empathy with the characters starts to develop, they become people you really care about. The skilful manipulation of the story line and the author’s unique way of bringing her characters to life makes this one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a long time.

The story opens with a wedding but as the possibilities of love and happy ever afters start to falter, three couples are faced with the realities of life in more ways than one. Tina, Daniel, Linda and Victoria are old friends, but time has changed the focus of their lives until one fateful year when their stories collide and coalesce and life for all of them will never be the same again.

Set against the majestic background of Snowdonia, the skilful absorption of the beautiful Welsh countryside into the narrative sits comfortably alongside the close examination of personal relationships. What I loved most about the story is the way in which the author gets right into the heart and soul of what makes people tick. Totally unpretentious, these characters could be people you went to school with and the situations they find themselves in are done in such a considerate way, that I genuinely began to care what happened to them all.

This story grabbed my attention from the very beginning and held me in its grip until I had read on, in the space of a couple of afternoons, to its timely conclusion.

About the Author

Jan Ruth writes contemporary fiction about the darker side of the family dynamic with a generous helping of humour, horses and dogs. Her books blend the serenity of rural life with the headaches of city business, exploring the endless complexities of relationships.

My thanks to the author for sharing her books with me.

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