It is always sad to read a tale of adultery, divorce and families torn in two, but Wild Water is heartbreaking.

And it’s the husband, Jack, who extends this book beyond the general, wife leaves husband, depression and right into heartbreak territory. He makes a joke, and you want to give him a sad pathetic kind of smile because he’s trying so hard. He loses his temper and makes another poor decision and while you can see the train wreck coming, your gut sort of aches for him anyway.  He helps his family along and you want to give him a hug because he’s managing to think of others even as he’s falling apart in all the ways a man can. Even when his childhood sweetheart arrives on the scene it’s hard not to cringe knowing that that this guy can’t possibly not screw something up.

Would I recommend it? This isn’t a light hearted romp in the hay romance, nor is it a drama with deep wells of prose.  This is something different, a blend of the two, that might have gone awry except for the emotion that Jan Ruth endows Jack with. Jack carries the story and while feeling as though I’ve given myself a sympathy ulcer while reading isn’t always the most enjoyable feeling, it’s undeniably a sign of an author who knows people. And what are books about, if not people?

This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.