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Wild Water #1
Wild Water
The tragedy and comedy that is Jack’s life; secrets, lies and family ties.Jack Redman, estate agent to the Cheshire set. An unlikely hero, or someone to break all the rules? Wild water is the story of forty-something estate agent, Jack, who is stressed out not only by work, bills and the approach of Christmas but by the feeling that he and his wife, Patsy are growing apart. His misgivings prove founded when he discovers Patsy is having an affair, and is pregnant. At the same time as his marriage begins to collapse around him, he becomes reacquainted with his childhood sweetheart, Anna, whom he left for Patsy twenty-five years before. His feelings towards Anna reawaken, but will life and family conflicts conspire to keep them apart again? Wild Water is a complete novel. The story continues in Dark Water.
328 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 2012
About the author
Jan Ruth
20 books126 followersJan Ruth lives in Snowdonia, a mountainous area of North Wales, UK. Jan writes contemporary fiction about the darker side of the family dynamic, often blending life in rural Wales with a touch of city business. Her style is best described as fast-paced and realistic, with a sprinkling of dry humour.
The real story began at school, with prizes for short stories and poetry. She failed all things mathematical and scientific, and to this day struggles to make sense of anything numerical.
Her first novel – written in 1986 – attracted the attention of editor Anne Dewe, Andrew Mann Literary Agency, London. Dewe’s own company, Love Stories Ltd, was a project aiming to champion those books of substance which contained a romantic element but were perhaps directed towards the more mature reader and consistently fell through the net in traditional publishing. Summer in October was contracted immediately but sadly, the project failed to get the right financial backing and the company dissolved.
Many years later Jan’s second novel, Wild Water, was taken on by Jane C Judd Literary Agency, London. Despite Judd’s enthusiasm, the book failed to find the right niche with a publisher – one brave enough to expand on those established, traditional genre stereotypes. And then Amazon changed the face of the industry with the advent of self-publishing and Jan went on to successfully publish several works of fiction under her own imprint, Celtic Connections. After a brief partnership with Accent Press in 2015, Jan chose to return to the freedom of independent publishing.
Wild Water won the Cornerstones competition for the most popular self-published book in 2011, and Midnight Sky won the Romantic Review Magazine Award (2013). Silver Rain (2015) and Wild Water (2016) were both finalists in the Wishing Shelf Awards.
Jan’s books are available globally via Amazon as ebooks or paperbacks.
The real story began at school, with prizes for short stories and poetry. She failed all things mathematical and scientific, and to this day struggles to make sense of anything numerical.
Her first novel – written in 1986 – attracted the attention of editor Anne Dewe, Andrew Mann Literary Agency, London. Dewe’s own company, Love Stories Ltd, was a project aiming to champion those books of substance which contained a romantic element but were perhaps directed towards the more mature reader and consistently fell through the net in traditional publishing. Summer in October was contracted immediately but sadly, the project failed to get the right financial backing and the company dissolved.
Many years later Jan’s second novel, Wild Water, was taken on by Jane C Judd Literary Agency, London. Despite Judd’s enthusiasm, the book failed to find the right niche with a publisher – one brave enough to expand on those established, traditional genre stereotypes. And then Amazon changed the face of the industry with the advent of self-publishing and Jan went on to successfully publish several works of fiction under her own imprint, Celtic Connections. After a brief partnership with Accent Press in 2015, Jan chose to return to the freedom of independent publishing.
Wild Water won the Cornerstones competition for the most popular self-published book in 2011, and Midnight Sky won the Romantic Review Magazine Award (2013). Silver Rain (2015) and Wild Water (2016) were both finalists in the Wishing Shelf Awards.
Jan’s books are available globally via Amazon as ebooks or paperbacks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
August 26, 2013
Fast paced, intriguing, filled with love and drama. The story kept me reading from the very first page. The mélange of characters is exquisite--you want to dive into the book and give one of them a hug, or shake another in frustration. At moments I laughed out loud, or related to their pain. I particularly liked the description of the beautiful Welsh countryside. You can tell the author loves her native land, and writes about it with great affection.
The story is very fluid, making the reader turn the pages in anticipation. Ms. Ruth is a skilled writer, and a wonderful storyteller who gives us characters with deep emotions as well as a sense of humor. What more could you want from a good book?! The read was a pleasure, and I really didn't want it to end. Thankfully Ms. Ruth has other books, which I will immediately pick up. I suggest you do the same. I highly recommend it!
The story is very fluid, making the reader turn the pages in anticipation. Ms. Ruth is a skilled writer, and a wonderful storyteller who gives us characters with deep emotions as well as a sense of humor. What more could you want from a good book?! The read was a pleasure, and I really didn't want it to end. Thankfully Ms. Ruth has other books, which I will immediately pick up. I suggest you do the same. I highly recommend it!
September 15, 2012
This review for Wild Water is based on the recently rereleased edition in September 2012.
Chester, Conway and beautiful Snowdonia are the settings for this novel. The writer, Jan Ruth, has intimate knowledge of the area and transports her readers there with her rich descriptions resonant of this beautiful part of the world. From here she introduces her story through her unique characters, who very quickly feel like real people with the depth, quality and complexities of life problems they are faced with, situations which many of us will be only too familiar either in our own families and lives, or people we know of.
Meet Cheshire based Jack Redman, verging on middle age, a financially secure, independent businessman, relatively happy husband and father of three children (or is he?), the eldest an independent daughter now embarking on her own adult life and the reason in the first place that he married pregnant Patsy his wife. Patsy, the epitome of dissatisfaction and high maintenance. The sort of woman that many will take an instant dislike to, that plastic veneer of self that always looks after number one, that lacks real depth, care, consideration and compassion towards others. Two other children remain at home, Oliver, teenage son, very typical and easily recognised by those of us who have or have had lads of that age... with all the moods swings, contrariness, attempts at independence and asserting themselves, railing against authority an education and a future that his mother has planned for him. Then Lottie his young daughter, princess of her father's heart, typically normal, manipulative, loving, yet so easily hurt and damaged when her secure world changes overnight. My heart went out to her.
Change it does, when Jack finds his wife Patsy pregnant but with whose child. He finds himself in contact with Anna, his first love, still living in the Conway, Snowdonia region of Wales. Anna, who has her own teenage son, Josh, and a fiancé who is controlling and wants her to move from the area she loves and set up in business with him as he plans their future together. Anna, caring, loving, compassionate, naturally lovely and the opposite of Patsy in all ways.
Follow this rich story full of drama, pain, love to its end. Jan Ruth takes you on a journey with no certainty of a Happy Ever After story... but a realistic one that will tug your emotions in different directions for different characters. This is a lovely story, I would put it as Women's and contemporary fiction. It's the type of story and characters you won't want to leave and are sorry when at the end, the sort you would like to move on with and know in real life... well most of
Jan's characters anyway!
It is well written, has a good standard of English with earlier typos now edited out. In my opinion it is better than 4 star
and I would give it a borderline 5 stars. I recommend it to all who like to read about people and life, oh, and beautiful North Wales.
Chester, Conway and beautiful Snowdonia are the settings for this novel. The writer, Jan Ruth, has intimate knowledge of the area and transports her readers there with her rich descriptions resonant of this beautiful part of the world. From here she introduces her story through her unique characters, who very quickly feel like real people with the depth, quality and complexities of life problems they are faced with, situations which many of us will be only too familiar either in our own families and lives, or people we know of.
Meet Cheshire based Jack Redman, verging on middle age, a financially secure, independent businessman, relatively happy husband and father of three children (or is he?), the eldest an independent daughter now embarking on her own adult life and the reason in the first place that he married pregnant Patsy his wife. Patsy, the epitome of dissatisfaction and high maintenance. The sort of woman that many will take an instant dislike to, that plastic veneer of self that always looks after number one, that lacks real depth, care, consideration and compassion towards others. Two other children remain at home, Oliver, teenage son, very typical and easily recognised by those of us who have or have had lads of that age... with all the moods swings, contrariness, attempts at independence and asserting themselves, railing against authority an education and a future that his mother has planned for him. Then Lottie his young daughter, princess of her father's heart, typically normal, manipulative, loving, yet so easily hurt and damaged when her secure world changes overnight. My heart went out to her.
Change it does, when Jack finds his wife Patsy pregnant but with whose child. He finds himself in contact with Anna, his first love, still living in the Conway, Snowdonia region of Wales. Anna, who has her own teenage son, Josh, and a fiancé who is controlling and wants her to move from the area she loves and set up in business with him as he plans their future together. Anna, caring, loving, compassionate, naturally lovely and the opposite of Patsy in all ways.
Follow this rich story full of drama, pain, love to its end. Jan Ruth takes you on a journey with no certainty of a Happy Ever After story... but a realistic one that will tug your emotions in different directions for different characters. This is a lovely story, I would put it as Women's and contemporary fiction. It's the type of story and characters you won't want to leave and are sorry when at the end, the sort you would like to move on with and know in real life... well most of
Jan's characters anyway!
It is well written, has a good standard of English with earlier typos now edited out. In my opinion it is better than 4 star
and I would give it a borderline 5 stars. I recommend it to all who like to read about people and life, oh, and beautiful North Wales.
September 30, 2014
This is a thoroughly enjoyable read that, at times, I found hard to put down. Jack is forty-something, successfully running the Wilmslow branch of the family’s estate agency. He has it all, the big house, the Aston Martin, and is still good-looking and charming. But beneath it all, his life has reached a crisis - his wife is behaving strangely, his daughter is craving his attention, and his teenage son is struggling with school. Then his dad suffers a heart scare, and Jack travels to Wales to look after the office there, where he finds one of the clients is his childhood sweetheart, Anna.
Everything comes to a head at Christmas, and Jack has some tough decisions to make in this charming, funny, at times heart-breaking novel. You’ll find yourself willing Jack to make the right decisions, and really caring that he finds the happiness he deserves.
Jan Ruth manages to make you care for her characters, and skilfully contrast upmarket Wilmslow with the ruggedness of the wild Welsh countryside, bringing both to life. The relationships between Jack and his children are well-drawn, particularly between Jack and his youngest daughter Lottie - their conversations will make you laugh and cry.
Recommended - I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.
Everything comes to a head at Christmas, and Jack has some tough decisions to make in this charming, funny, at times heart-breaking novel. You’ll find yourself willing Jack to make the right decisions, and really caring that he finds the happiness he deserves.
Jan Ruth manages to make you care for her characters, and skilfully contrast upmarket Wilmslow with the ruggedness of the wild Welsh countryside, bringing both to life. The relationships between Jack and his children are well-drawn, particularly between Jack and his youngest daughter Lottie - their conversations will make you laugh and cry.
Recommended - I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.
October 16, 2015
Originally reviewed on http://beccasbooooks.blogspot.co.uk/2...
What drew me to this book was the blurb. To me, it sounded fantastic. I absolutely adore a novel that explores, in great detail, the breakdown and aftermath of a marriage/relationship. I love reading about second-chance love, characters who become reacquainted after years of being apart, but even more than that, I cannot get enough of a story that involves the dynamics of a family. I'm a HUGE family girl and for me, there's nothing better for me to sink my teeth into, as a reader, than a meaty novel dissecting a family, allowing me a clear and fantastically written insight into the ins-and-outs that other people outside of said family would perhaps have no idea about.
In Jan Ruth's Wild Water I was given exactly that. We're first introduced to Jack who is clearly having a hard time as the novel opens. He's stressed with work, he's suspicious of his wife Patsy, and right away, I was interested in the darker corners of their marriage. I wanted to know where these suspicious had begun and why, and Jan Ruth provided these answers for me. What I truly loved, and cannot praise enough, was Jan's ability to not only bring the issues in Jack and Patsy's marriage to the surface, but also the sheer depth of them, how deep the author was willing to traverse. I couldn't have felt closer to Jack's emotions if I'd wanted to. I was able to understand perfectly all of the 'whys' and 'hows' and 'whens', and although it was sometimes sad to read, I really couldn't wait to see where Jan would lead her characters. In fact, I was desperate to see where Jan would take them. I couldn't wait to get there and watch how the plot would unravel.
Alongside the captivating focus on the breakdown of Jack and Patsy's marriage, Jan included a secondary focus on their children (Lottie, Oliver and Chelsea), as well as on one of Jack's long-ago acquaintances Anna. I knew from the blurb anyway that Anna was at some point going to return to Jack's life, but I absolutely adored seeing how, and feeling the effects of her presence on Jack through Jan's gorgeous emotive descriptions. It was hard for me not to take sides within this story, especially as there are always two sides to take into consideration, but I really, truly felt for Jack within this novel. His struggle was put into perfect perspective, including each of the things he was juggling to try to stay above water. When the truth is revealed about Patsy, I was inched even closer to his side (metaphorically speaking, of course!). There was so much going on within this novel, and once I'd finished, I found myself marvelling at how Jan Ruth had managed to fit so much heart and feeling into only 271 pages.
I loved everything about the plot and pacing of Wild Water, although I do have to be honest and say that when it comes to real estate, I'm a bit clueless. I tried my best to familiarise myself with the terms used in regards to the business, and didn't feel like it was too difficult to understand what was going on which is always good. Nothing worse that trying to follow a plot and feeling clueless about what's being said/wrote, but I was thrilled to find that this wasn't the case with this novel. I found that it only added to the authenticity of Jack's life and career and it felt solid and real within the plot. I also feel that it told me a lot about Jack and his character, figuring out what made him tick and what made his stress. It seemed perfectly fitting for Jack's character and made him all the more believable to me. Alongside the deeper issues, Jan's romance was just superb, and seemed like such a stark contrast to the breakdown of his marriage. The progression and consequences of Anna returning to his life were beautifully achieved, and again, it tugged further through the novel.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my reading of Wild Water by Jan Ruth. I flew through it, utterly in awe of the gorgeous settings, descriptions and storyline that Jan provided me with. A beautiful novel that I'm so glad Jan got in touch with me about. Becca's Books is awarding Wild Water by Jan Ruth with FIVE GORGEOUS CUPCAKES!
What drew me to this book was the blurb. To me, it sounded fantastic. I absolutely adore a novel that explores, in great detail, the breakdown and aftermath of a marriage/relationship. I love reading about second-chance love, characters who become reacquainted after years of being apart, but even more than that, I cannot get enough of a story that involves the dynamics of a family. I'm a HUGE family girl and for me, there's nothing better for me to sink my teeth into, as a reader, than a meaty novel dissecting a family, allowing me a clear and fantastically written insight into the ins-and-outs that other people outside of said family would perhaps have no idea about.
In Jan Ruth's Wild Water I was given exactly that. We're first introduced to Jack who is clearly having a hard time as the novel opens. He's stressed with work, he's suspicious of his wife Patsy, and right away, I was interested in the darker corners of their marriage. I wanted to know where these suspicious had begun and why, and Jan Ruth provided these answers for me. What I truly loved, and cannot praise enough, was Jan's ability to not only bring the issues in Jack and Patsy's marriage to the surface, but also the sheer depth of them, how deep the author was willing to traverse. I couldn't have felt closer to Jack's emotions if I'd wanted to. I was able to understand perfectly all of the 'whys' and 'hows' and 'whens', and although it was sometimes sad to read, I really couldn't wait to see where Jan would lead her characters. In fact, I was desperate to see where Jan would take them. I couldn't wait to get there and watch how the plot would unravel.
Alongside the captivating focus on the breakdown of Jack and Patsy's marriage, Jan included a secondary focus on their children (Lottie, Oliver and Chelsea), as well as on one of Jack's long-ago acquaintances Anna. I knew from the blurb anyway that Anna was at some point going to return to Jack's life, but I absolutely adored seeing how, and feeling the effects of her presence on Jack through Jan's gorgeous emotive descriptions. It was hard for me not to take sides within this story, especially as there are always two sides to take into consideration, but I really, truly felt for Jack within this novel. His struggle was put into perfect perspective, including each of the things he was juggling to try to stay above water. When the truth is revealed about Patsy, I was inched even closer to his side (metaphorically speaking, of course!). There was so much going on within this novel, and once I'd finished, I found myself marvelling at how Jan Ruth had managed to fit so much heart and feeling into only 271 pages.
I loved everything about the plot and pacing of Wild Water, although I do have to be honest and say that when it comes to real estate, I'm a bit clueless. I tried my best to familiarise myself with the terms used in regards to the business, and didn't feel like it was too difficult to understand what was going on which is always good. Nothing worse that trying to follow a plot and feeling clueless about what's being said/wrote, but I was thrilled to find that this wasn't the case with this novel. I found that it only added to the authenticity of Jack's life and career and it felt solid and real within the plot. I also feel that it told me a lot about Jack and his character, figuring out what made him tick and what made his stress. It seemed perfectly fitting for Jack's character and made him all the more believable to me. Alongside the deeper issues, Jan's romance was just superb, and seemed like such a stark contrast to the breakdown of his marriage. The progression and consequences of Anna returning to his life were beautifully achieved, and again, it tugged further through the novel.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my reading of Wild Water by Jan Ruth. I flew through it, utterly in awe of the gorgeous settings, descriptions and storyline that Jan provided me with. A beautiful novel that I'm so glad Jan got in touch with me about. Becca's Books is awarding Wild Water by Jan Ruth with FIVE GORGEOUS CUPCAKES!
April 27, 2012
I read this book on holiday recently in just two days and I was so sorry when I reached the end. It has a realistic, un-put-downable quality, mostly due to its well drawn characters, background settings and Jan's expert story weaving, all of which drew me in from page one.
She has an excellent, easy writing style, which makes this book a total pleasure to read, so much so, you just have to keep on reading.
Initially, forty something estate agent, Jack Redman, did seem an unlikely hero to me, but I soon realised this guy was someone rather special. Indeed, I found myself hugely captivated by him and his developing marriage problems. I particularly loved his relationship with his youngest children, Lottie, an absolute sweetheart, and Oliver, a typical, slightly rebellious youth with lots of his father's charm. There are indeed some great dialogue scenes with them. Both children are so sensitively and humorously drawn, as is Jack's own character. They are all very real, full of depth and slightly flawed. And yet of course these flaws make them all the more believable and easy to relate to. The dogs, Benson and Hooper are lovable characters in their own right too.
However, I loathed Patsy, his typically, selfish, high maintenance, Cheshire set wife, who I knew had to come unstuck eventually! (No spoilers here!)
As Jack's marriage begins to collapse around him, his re acquaintance with his old childhood sweetheart, Anna, takes up momentum and gradually his feelings for her are re awakened. She is a lovely, warm, human character, whom you like immediately she's introduced into the plot, but will Jack eventually end up with her? You'll have to read the book to find out.
Much of the novel is set in North Wales, which is exquisitely described and adds so much to the poignancy of the storyline... all very visual and utterly captivating.
I so wanted to give this novel 5 stars, which by the way, I do not class as "chic lit" ... (It is far too deep and meaningfully character driven for that category!) ... but I personally only ever give 5 to a very exceptional book, which indeed "Wild Water" is, in its own way, because of Jan's masterful storytelling. However I did unfortunately notice a few small editing issues (grammar, punctuation etc.), but luckily it is so readable that I was able to easily gloss over them and they certainly didn't mar my enjoyment. Also sorry, Jan, I kind of guessed the denouement/outcome relating to the older daughter.
Highly recommended though, and I can't wait to read the follow up.
She has an excellent, easy writing style, which makes this book a total pleasure to read, so much so, you just have to keep on reading.
Initially, forty something estate agent, Jack Redman, did seem an unlikely hero to me, but I soon realised this guy was someone rather special. Indeed, I found myself hugely captivated by him and his developing marriage problems. I particularly loved his relationship with his youngest children, Lottie, an absolute sweetheart, and Oliver, a typical, slightly rebellious youth with lots of his father's charm. There are indeed some great dialogue scenes with them. Both children are so sensitively and humorously drawn, as is Jack's own character. They are all very real, full of depth and slightly flawed. And yet of course these flaws make them all the more believable and easy to relate to. The dogs, Benson and Hooper are lovable characters in their own right too.
However, I loathed Patsy, his typically, selfish, high maintenance, Cheshire set wife, who I knew had to come unstuck eventually! (No spoilers here!)
As Jack's marriage begins to collapse around him, his re acquaintance with his old childhood sweetheart, Anna, takes up momentum and gradually his feelings for her are re awakened. She is a lovely, warm, human character, whom you like immediately she's introduced into the plot, but will Jack eventually end up with her? You'll have to read the book to find out.
Much of the novel is set in North Wales, which is exquisitely described and adds so much to the poignancy of the storyline... all very visual and utterly captivating.
I so wanted to give this novel 5 stars, which by the way, I do not class as "chic lit" ... (It is far too deep and meaningfully character driven for that category!) ... but I personally only ever give 5 to a very exceptional book, which indeed "Wild Water" is, in its own way, because of Jan's masterful storytelling. However I did unfortunately notice a few small editing issues (grammar, punctuation etc.), but luckily it is so readable that I was able to easily gloss over them and they certainly didn't mar my enjoyment. Also sorry, Jan, I kind of guessed the denouement/outcome relating to the older daughter.
Highly recommended though, and I can't wait to read the follow up.
November 9, 2012
Apparently publishers were unsure where to 'place' this novel when they were offered it a few years ago - which simply confirms my opinion that publishers often get it terribly wrong - they really should have fought to the death over this one!
'Wild Water' is a truly delightful tragi-comedy that will draw you into its enchanting world from page one and keep you engrossed to the last page. I defy you not to fall a little bit in love with the long-suffering Jack Redman and positively loathe his selfish, ungrateful and avaricious wife. Life, work, marriage and kids chuck all the slings and arrows imaginable at poor Jack, but he fends them all off with consummate skill, keeping him out of the victim class and well up there with the best and most memorable heroes. I would really love a sequel featuring this engaging character. Oh, and the dogs of course, who become endearing characters in their own right - take a big bow-wow Benson and Hooper!
Jan Ruth is a writer at one with her characters and her landscape and her amazing talent as a story-weaver makes the reader grow to know and love both aspects with equal passion. Her writing is intelligent, humorous and skillful and her story flows so well that there is no place to say `well this is a good place to stop for today and pick it up again tomorrow' - you just have to continue reading.
Her style is very slightly reminiscent of Clive James in what I always considered his best novel ('Brilliant Creatures') but - and sorry Mr James, I love you to pieces - rather more approachable. It isn't too highbrow but at no time does it ever become trite or predictable (well, maybe with the exception of the obnoxious Philipe's true nature and his revelations at the end - but then I think that was cleverly executed dramatic irony and we were meant to guess those quite early on anyway).
This story entertained me thoroughly and delightfully from start to finish. So top marks, Ms Jan Ruth - I can’t wait to read more of your work.
'Wild Water' is a truly delightful tragi-comedy that will draw you into its enchanting world from page one and keep you engrossed to the last page. I defy you not to fall a little bit in love with the long-suffering Jack Redman and positively loathe his selfish, ungrateful and avaricious wife. Life, work, marriage and kids chuck all the slings and arrows imaginable at poor Jack, but he fends them all off with consummate skill, keeping him out of the victim class and well up there with the best and most memorable heroes. I would really love a sequel featuring this engaging character. Oh, and the dogs of course, who become endearing characters in their own right - take a big bow-wow Benson and Hooper!
Jan Ruth is a writer at one with her characters and her landscape and her amazing talent as a story-weaver makes the reader grow to know and love both aspects with equal passion. Her writing is intelligent, humorous and skillful and her story flows so well that there is no place to say `well this is a good place to stop for today and pick it up again tomorrow' - you just have to continue reading.
Her style is very slightly reminiscent of Clive James in what I always considered his best novel ('Brilliant Creatures') but - and sorry Mr James, I love you to pieces - rather more approachable. It isn't too highbrow but at no time does it ever become trite or predictable (well, maybe with the exception of the obnoxious Philipe's true nature and his revelations at the end - but then I think that was cleverly executed dramatic irony and we were meant to guess those quite early on anyway).
This story entertained me thoroughly and delightfully from start to finish. So top marks, Ms Jan Ruth - I can’t wait to read more of your work.
July 8, 2013
Wild water...emotions run deep.
I was lucky enough to have read another of Jan Ruth's books - The Long & Short of it (short stories and extracts from her novels). I started reading an extract from, Wild Water not knowing it was just a taster and after a few pages I was hooked - I had to find out where the story went!
I felt Wild Waters crosses genre. It is romantic, definitely not chick-lit or a Mills and Boon book, but certainly women's and contemporary fiction, and I have to say a great read for men as well as women as we see relationships from all sides.
The book is funny with tragic overtones, all carefully portrayed in the books characters...the long-suffering, big-hearted, and very special, Jack Redman and his ghastly, greedy and selfish but beautiful wife, Patsy. Then we're introduced to Jack's old flame, kind-hearted and captivating Anna, his brother the devilishly wicked Danny, Jack's two children and his workaholic father and long-suffering mother are just a few people you'll meet. Jan gives us colourful, rich characters that we've all met and love to either hate or adore. Their place in the book quickly makes the reader realise they are real people with the depth, quality and complexities of life problems many of us will be only too familiar with.
Jan Ruth has a real talent as a story-maker. I found her writing passionate, dramatic, and intelligent with a style easy to read.
Throughout the book I found my emotions being assailed in every chapter and I was not 100% certain there was going to be a neat and happy ending...you will have to read the book to check that out yourself! But if you like being taken on a roller-coaster journey with many surprises, then this novel could well be the one for you.
You'll be treated to good dialogue scenes, real and flawed characters, stunning settings - and all moving forward at a good pace.
Highly recommended and well deserving 5 stars - and one of the best books I've read this year. Well done!
I was lucky enough to have read another of Jan Ruth's books - The Long & Short of it (short stories and extracts from her novels). I started reading an extract from, Wild Water not knowing it was just a taster and after a few pages I was hooked - I had to find out where the story went!
I felt Wild Waters crosses genre. It is romantic, definitely not chick-lit or a Mills and Boon book, but certainly women's and contemporary fiction, and I have to say a great read for men as well as women as we see relationships from all sides.
The book is funny with tragic overtones, all carefully portrayed in the books characters...the long-suffering, big-hearted, and very special, Jack Redman and his ghastly, greedy and selfish but beautiful wife, Patsy. Then we're introduced to Jack's old flame, kind-hearted and captivating Anna, his brother the devilishly wicked Danny, Jack's two children and his workaholic father and long-suffering mother are just a few people you'll meet. Jan gives us colourful, rich characters that we've all met and love to either hate or adore. Their place in the book quickly makes the reader realise they are real people with the depth, quality and complexities of life problems many of us will be only too familiar with.
Jan Ruth has a real talent as a story-maker. I found her writing passionate, dramatic, and intelligent with a style easy to read.
Throughout the book I found my emotions being assailed in every chapter and I was not 100% certain there was going to be a neat and happy ending...you will have to read the book to check that out yourself! But if you like being taken on a roller-coaster journey with many surprises, then this novel could well be the one for you.
You'll be treated to good dialogue scenes, real and flawed characters, stunning settings - and all moving forward at a good pace.
Highly recommended and well deserving 5 stars - and one of the best books I've read this year. Well done!
July 20, 2014
Wild Water is a contemporary novel set in two main locations, Wilmslow, Cheshire and Conway, North Wales. Jack Redman runs a busy family estate agency. He's juggling jobs, with his father away from the Welsh office and his right hand lady about to leave his office in Wilmslow. Add to this he has three children and a high maintenance wife who is causing her own problems.
It's close to Christmas and Jack's Dad is stuck in Spain for a while longer after a heart flutter. Jack must head to the Conway office and look after a big potential sale. It turns out that the client is Anna Williams an old sweet-heart. Seeing Anna again drags up past memories and Jack enjoys the relief from his own life that the distraction that Anna provides.
Christmas is very strained for Jack. He has a seven year old, desperate for a puppy, a fifteen year old going off the rails at school and then his wife Patsy ups and leaves too. Jack's a complete mess and so is his life. His son Oliver runs away and turns up at Anna's. Jack finds himself confiding in Anna and worries he's on the rebound.
I wanted to say "Jack, Jack, Jack, what are you doing with your life?" But I also fell slightly in love the him too. The Welsh farmhouse, sounded very romantic, despite it falling to bits around their heads. I wanted to be on that Spanish holiday they took and I wanted to be a wedding guest and be the first one to throw some food. I loved the line in Jack's wedding speech "The only mistake is to stop loving." I shed a tear too. And if I could only speak Welsh I could pronounce Llyn Gwyllt which means wild water in Welsh, this book certainly had plenty of choppy waters before it completed it's tale.
This is the first book I've read by Jan Ruth and I look forward to reading some more.
It's close to Christmas and Jack's Dad is stuck in Spain for a while longer after a heart flutter. Jack must head to the Conway office and look after a big potential sale. It turns out that the client is Anna Williams an old sweet-heart. Seeing Anna again drags up past memories and Jack enjoys the relief from his own life that the distraction that Anna provides.
Christmas is very strained for Jack. He has a seven year old, desperate for a puppy, a fifteen year old going off the rails at school and then his wife Patsy ups and leaves too. Jack's a complete mess and so is his life. His son Oliver runs away and turns up at Anna's. Jack finds himself confiding in Anna and worries he's on the rebound.
I wanted to say "Jack, Jack, Jack, what are you doing with your life?" But I also fell slightly in love the him too. The Welsh farmhouse, sounded very romantic, despite it falling to bits around their heads. I wanted to be on that Spanish holiday they took and I wanted to be a wedding guest and be the first one to throw some food. I loved the line in Jack's wedding speech "The only mistake is to stop loving." I shed a tear too. And if I could only speak Welsh I could pronounce Llyn Gwyllt which means wild water in Welsh, this book certainly had plenty of choppy waters before it completed it's tale.
This is the first book I've read by Jan Ruth and I look forward to reading some more.
July 16, 2014
Writing contemporary family drama is probably the most difficult genre in which to achieve success, so it was a pleasure to find myself instantly immersed in the ever increasing disasters of Jack, the unlikely hero of “Wild Water.” Successful estate agents from the wealthiest part of Cheshire don’t come to mind as empathetic characters, but Jack works hard, cares about his family and has sufficient stress to justify his intermittent smoking habit. His faithless wife Patsy, however, is difficult to like. Her parental skills leave much to be desired and she always seems to be in search of better things.
And then the reader meets Anna, a quiet, artistic lady from Jack’s past who is trying to survive in an old, crumbling house in North Wales, by taking in guests. Like Jack, she has a teenage son, but her life is also complicated. She is warm, likeable and calm, in total contrast to workaholic, impulsive Jack. Their lives are entwined by Jack’s large complex family and ever more momentous events.
It is the strong characterisation which make “Wild Water” such an enjoyable read. Jack’s children, his mother Isabel and especially his brother Danny are all given clearly identifiable personalities and the possibility of new stories to follow. Some of their names, such as Chelsey, are stereotypical and the break-up of a family is almost normal these days but the twists and turns of the plot combined with the emotional response this invoked kept me turning the pages avidly.
Combining the beautiful description of the Welsh countryside with a roller-coaster storyline makes “Wild Water,” an ideal holiday read and I can’t wait to read the follow up, “Dark Water.”
And then the reader meets Anna, a quiet, artistic lady from Jack’s past who is trying to survive in an old, crumbling house in North Wales, by taking in guests. Like Jack, she has a teenage son, but her life is also complicated. She is warm, likeable and calm, in total contrast to workaholic, impulsive Jack. Their lives are entwined by Jack’s large complex family and ever more momentous events.
It is the strong characterisation which make “Wild Water” such an enjoyable read. Jack’s children, his mother Isabel and especially his brother Danny are all given clearly identifiable personalities and the possibility of new stories to follow. Some of their names, such as Chelsey, are stereotypical and the break-up of a family is almost normal these days but the twists and turns of the plot combined with the emotional response this invoked kept me turning the pages avidly.
Combining the beautiful description of the Welsh countryside with a roller-coaster storyline makes “Wild Water,” an ideal holiday read and I can’t wait to read the follow up, “Dark Water.”
March 11, 2016
For years Jack has been living a lie. Only Jack never knew it. When his life suddenly spirals out of control with his business, his wife leaving and his children falling to pieces all he can see are the lies and mistakes he’s made. This is truly highlighted when he sees his former love, Anna. His world only feels stable around her. This is particularly true when his wife drops the bomb that she is pregnant and his father becomes ill. Just when Jack feels like his life is straightening out everything he’s known and the choices he’s made are proven to have been manipulations and lies. Can Jack pull himself together? Will he and Anna have a second chance?
This was a wonderful novel illustrating how life can be unpredictable and has the ability to cripple you. Jack shows the reader that when life really nails you to the wall its all about how you cope with those moments. It was a definite roller coaster ride of emotions both good and bad. You truly feel for Jack and all of the things that keep flying his way. You will also loath his wife, Patsy. Jan Ruth’s ability to weave a fascinating story with such emotion and relatability is a true talent. This book is fantastic for a reader looking for an emotional ride that is realistic and engaging. I look forward to the next wonderful novel by Jan.
This was a wonderful novel illustrating how life can be unpredictable and has the ability to cripple you. Jack shows the reader that when life really nails you to the wall its all about how you cope with those moments. It was a definite roller coaster ride of emotions both good and bad. You truly feel for Jack and all of the things that keep flying his way. You will also loath his wife, Patsy. Jan Ruth’s ability to weave a fascinating story with such emotion and relatability is a true talent. This book is fantastic for a reader looking for an emotional ride that is realistic and engaging. I look forward to the next wonderful novel by Jan.
February 8, 2016
Wild Water has been such an enjoyable read. There is very little separating the fictional day-to-day existence of Ruth's characters from our own and therein lies the novel's charms. We all know people who may have gone through exactly the life's events that occurred within the novel. The theme itself is not unusual - a wronged partner, life regressing and then improving - but very quickly one becomes so invested in events that it is easy to read on. That's the sign of a naturally good storyteller. I found myself thinking of Joanna Trollope, of Mary Wesley, of Rosamunde Pilcher.
Ruth also has a subtle ability to manipulate emotion without overdoing it which enables one to read on without fear of emotional exhaustion.
In addition, Ruth's depiction of her setting shows her deep love of Wales. It drifts from her novel like a mountain mist and it's that great sensitivity that will encourage me to seek more of her books. Wild Water is a recommended read at 5 stars.
Ruth also has a subtle ability to manipulate emotion without overdoing it which enables one to read on without fear of emotional exhaustion.
In addition, Ruth's depiction of her setting shows her deep love of Wales. It drifts from her novel like a mountain mist and it's that great sensitivity that will encourage me to seek more of her books. Wild Water is a recommended read at 5 stars.
August 25, 2015
Another great story based on Jack Redman and his life. After reading Wild Water I was intrigued to see where Jan Ruth would take the characters too next and I was not disappointed at all. I can not wait for the next installment.
March 25, 2017
This is the first book in a three part series of Jan Ruth's books. After reading a previous novel of Jan's I was very happy to receive these three books. I love how vibrant the heather is on the front of this cover, it makes you want to snuggle up with a hot chocolate which is exactly what I did. This is a contemporary romance but so much more, I instantly fell in love with Jack and really hoped that his horrible wife Patsy would see the pain she had inflicted on their poor children. It is a heart wrenching story but I really did feel emotional for Jack and what happens.
November 28, 2015
Goes down as another off my 2015 Reading list – A book you started but never finished (I always finish books though so I’m twisting this a bit to a book I started but didn’t finish in a day instead).
Wild Water is definitely a more mature read. Really like the author’s rich style of writing and how she draws you into not just the story but also the beautiful landscape the characters are in. Proving that characters in their early forties can still act like teenagers and get the chance at a true HEA again after heartbreak even when they thought their time had come and gone.
Right from the get go you know that Jack’s wife Patsy has been playing away from home and it’s a pattern she has had all her life it seems! There are a few moments when you just want to step into the book and give her a slap for how she treats not only Jack but also her whole family. You are on tender hooks just trying to figure out whom she might be with and when Jack is going to find out. Even when you get a clue to whom it could be you are never quite sure whether to believe it as it would be the obvious choice or whether it could be someone out of left field you haven’t read about yet.
Jack thought they were a happy family – husband, wife, and three children – but not everything is quite what it seems. When his wife leaves – taking his youngest daughter with her – it pushes Jack into a dark place of drinking, but soon thoughts of a divorce / custody battle start to be his focus. From this he now has time to think about what makes him happy and that just happens to be about the time that his teenage love comes back on the scene – Anna. With seeing her again it starts to bring up memories of the past and he has to decide whether he wants to act on them as a way to bring closure to it or whether it’s that he wants to start something again fresh for a future.
The moment that Anna sees Jack again it brings back all her feelings which she thought would have been long gone by now. But even after all these years he still manages to affect her. With Jack taking over his father’s estate agents where she lives he is then the one dealing with the sale of her house. It brings him and his teenage son closer to not just her but her teenage son aswell. She can see that they are all bonding but she just has to decide whether to let her heart get involved again as she might not survive the blow this time.
The connection between the two main characters, Jack and Anna, is great. You can see the past feelings they felt for one another coming to the surface and that they are having a lot of ‘what if’ moments going round their minds of what might have been at the beginning of the story. As a reader you are right there with them in thinking about what their lives could have been like but know that things happen for a reason and what will be will be. They were meant to come back to each other as stronger people, ones who will be able to handle everything that gets thrown at them – which is a lot!
Family drama and chaos go hand in hand throughout this story. Building right up to the pivotal moment when every secret comes to a head. You can only run from them for so long before they come back to bite you in the arse. A beautiful story to get lost in, fast paced and intriguing with its realistic characters and atmospheric scenery. Would definitely recommend this author, as she is such a great storyteller.
I received this ARC from the author for my honest review.
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Wild Water is definitely a more mature read. Really like the author’s rich style of writing and how she draws you into not just the story but also the beautiful landscape the characters are in. Proving that characters in their early forties can still act like teenagers and get the chance at a true HEA again after heartbreak even when they thought their time had come and gone.
Right from the get go you know that Jack’s wife Patsy has been playing away from home and it’s a pattern she has had all her life it seems! There are a few moments when you just want to step into the book and give her a slap for how she treats not only Jack but also her whole family. You are on tender hooks just trying to figure out whom she might be with and when Jack is going to find out. Even when you get a clue to whom it could be you are never quite sure whether to believe it as it would be the obvious choice or whether it could be someone out of left field you haven’t read about yet.
Jack thought they were a happy family – husband, wife, and three children – but not everything is quite what it seems. When his wife leaves – taking his youngest daughter with her – it pushes Jack into a dark place of drinking, but soon thoughts of a divorce / custody battle start to be his focus. From this he now has time to think about what makes him happy and that just happens to be about the time that his teenage love comes back on the scene – Anna. With seeing her again it starts to bring up memories of the past and he has to decide whether he wants to act on them as a way to bring closure to it or whether it’s that he wants to start something again fresh for a future.
The moment that Anna sees Jack again it brings back all her feelings which she thought would have been long gone by now. But even after all these years he still manages to affect her. With Jack taking over his father’s estate agents where she lives he is then the one dealing with the sale of her house. It brings him and his teenage son closer to not just her but her teenage son aswell. She can see that they are all bonding but she just has to decide whether to let her heart get involved again as she might not survive the blow this time.
The connection between the two main characters, Jack and Anna, is great. You can see the past feelings they felt for one another coming to the surface and that they are having a lot of ‘what if’ moments going round their minds of what might have been at the beginning of the story. As a reader you are right there with them in thinking about what their lives could have been like but know that things happen for a reason and what will be will be. They were meant to come back to each other as stronger people, ones who will be able to handle everything that gets thrown at them – which is a lot!
Family drama and chaos go hand in hand throughout this story. Building right up to the pivotal moment when every secret comes to a head. You can only run from them for so long before they come back to bite you in the arse. A beautiful story to get lost in, fast paced and intriguing with its realistic characters and atmospheric scenery. Would definitely recommend this author, as she is such a great storyteller.
I received this ARC from the author for my honest review.
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October 8, 2014
Obviously, I was drawn by the title and that this novel was partly set in my beloved Wales, so there was the hook of these similarities. All similarities end there. This is right up to date, a contemporary romance which is so much more than the genre implies. It was totally engrossing, and yes, I really couldn’t put it down. I have the shadows under my eyes to prove it.
To say this novel exceeded any expectations is an understatement. I was hooked from beginning to end, so emotionally involved with the characters that I fell in love with Jack Redman and hoped his horrible, ruthless wife, Patsy, would die, or at least find a thread of moral fibre in herself and see the misery she was inflicting on their children. Yes, I know, it is ridiculous to feel so strongly about characters. It’s just a story! I admonished myself, every time I felt my anger rise as Patsy descended further down the road of destruction.
It is the mark of a talented writer to be able to create characters so real that you root for them, cry with them, fall in love with them or hate them, laugh out loud on one page ( I loved the humour running through this book), only to be moved to tears on the next. The author’s portrayal of the characters was truly masterful.
This story was all the more heart-wrenching for being firmly rooted in reality. What happens to Jack happens to many others, far too often. I know, because it happened to someone dear to me and twenty-five years on, he is still picking up the pieces. The ruthless and heartless Patsys of this world have a great deal of heartbreak to answer for.
The story; Jack Redman, funny, loveable, successful and wealthy estate agent, can feel the ground shifting from beneath his feet every time his wife looks at him with contempt or finds another reason to criticise him. He doesn’t know how, he doesn’t know why, but he knows something has gone badly wrong and all his attempts to put things right cannot halt the slide. As Jack’s life goes into meltdown and he risks losing everything and everyone important to him, the strain takes its toll, and Anna, his first love, is the only person keeping him sane. But she’d have to be mad to have anything to do with him again, after all these years, when he’d dropped her to marry Patsy, wouldn’t she? Besides, she is seriously involved with somebody else.
Great characters, great plot, page-turning suspense and all very well written. As I got near to the end of the book, I found myself torn between the compulsion to keep reading while not wanting it to end. Imagine my delight when I turned the last page and discovered there is a sequel - Dark Water! I’ve bought it already – that says it all, really. Wild Water has bagged a place on my top-ten-favourite-books-list for this year. Dark Water, here I come!
To say this novel exceeded any expectations is an understatement. I was hooked from beginning to end, so emotionally involved with the characters that I fell in love with Jack Redman and hoped his horrible, ruthless wife, Patsy, would die, or at least find a thread of moral fibre in herself and see the misery she was inflicting on their children. Yes, I know, it is ridiculous to feel so strongly about characters. It’s just a story! I admonished myself, every time I felt my anger rise as Patsy descended further down the road of destruction.
It is the mark of a talented writer to be able to create characters so real that you root for them, cry with them, fall in love with them or hate them, laugh out loud on one page ( I loved the humour running through this book), only to be moved to tears on the next. The author’s portrayal of the characters was truly masterful.
This story was all the more heart-wrenching for being firmly rooted in reality. What happens to Jack happens to many others, far too often. I know, because it happened to someone dear to me and twenty-five years on, he is still picking up the pieces. The ruthless and heartless Patsys of this world have a great deal of heartbreak to answer for.
The story; Jack Redman, funny, loveable, successful and wealthy estate agent, can feel the ground shifting from beneath his feet every time his wife looks at him with contempt or finds another reason to criticise him. He doesn’t know how, he doesn’t know why, but he knows something has gone badly wrong and all his attempts to put things right cannot halt the slide. As Jack’s life goes into meltdown and he risks losing everything and everyone important to him, the strain takes its toll, and Anna, his first love, is the only person keeping him sane. But she’d have to be mad to have anything to do with him again, after all these years, when he’d dropped her to marry Patsy, wouldn’t she? Besides, she is seriously involved with somebody else.
Great characters, great plot, page-turning suspense and all very well written. As I got near to the end of the book, I found myself torn between the compulsion to keep reading while not wanting it to end. Imagine my delight when I turned the last page and discovered there is a sequel - Dark Water! I’ve bought it already – that says it all, really. Wild Water has bagged a place on my top-ten-favourite-books-list for this year. Dark Water, here I come!
January 10, 2015
When Suzanne asked me if I wanted to read this book by a Welsh author I jumped at the chance and read it very quickly due to its easy reading style and active pace of the story which includes many twists and turns.
The story is predominately about Jack and interactions with his old friend Anna and his wife Patsy. Jack is a kind hearted man who is boss off the family firm Redman and Sons Estate agent and property management and he is liked and respected by his staff. He has a wife, Patsy, and three children Chelsey his oldest and no longer living at home, Oliver his teenage son and is younger 7 year old daughter Lottie. He loves his family very much and will do anything for his children. His parents Leo and Isabel live in North Wales and this is where he is told to go to take care of some business, whilst they are on holiday.
Whilst in Conwy Jack meets an old friend Anna that brings back memories of when he and she were teenagers and how he met his wife Patsy. He can see her love for the farm that she has inherited from her grandparents and tries his best to give the farm a fantastic brochure to get the best price.
There are lots of events in this book which upset and distress Jack and his family and I found myself wanting him to be happy and feeling sympathy and anger on his behalf. The change that occurs to me is for the best and I am so glad that the book ended the way that it did. Whether the correct choices are made along the way is hard decision for anyone to decide.
I will look out for more books by this author and want to read the follow up called Dark Water.[s1]
[s1]
November 23, 2015
Just about everything his life touches – work, his home life, his wife Patsy’s infidelity – leaves Jack Redman stressed. When he confronts Patsy, she says she wants a divorce and runs off, with their youngest child in tow, to live with her French lover Phillipe. While dealing with this major upheaval, Jack’s father sends him to talk to Anna Williams, a former girlfriend from long ago, about selling her farm. Thus, we have basis of the love triangle - Jack, Patsy, and Anna. Phillipe is, for most of the story, in the background and his character doesn’t really come into play until the later part of the book.
The characters are so well drawn; they came to life for me. Jack is somewhat of a tragic character that evokes the reader’s sympathy. Patsy is the easy to dislike. She fits the stereotypical idea of a wife who runs off with her lover, forsaking many happy years of marriage and family life. Without regard for her young daughter Lottie’s feelings or the feelings Jack and of the other members of her family, she uses the child as a pawn in the divorce. Anna is easy to like, she is a friend, a single mother, a caretaker of her farm, and finds that her long buried feelings for Jack are still burning strong.
Wild Water takes place, in part, in rural Wales, which the author describes in such vivid detail you can visualize the mountains, the farm, the beauty of the area as you read. The plot has a many elements seamlessly woven through it to keep you turning the pages. Well written so that fiction could be one with reality, Wild Water is the kind of book you never want to put down. It is the first of Jan Ruth’s books that I’ve read, and it won’t be the last.
The characters are so well drawn; they came to life for me. Jack is somewhat of a tragic character that evokes the reader’s sympathy. Patsy is the easy to dislike. She fits the stereotypical idea of a wife who runs off with her lover, forsaking many happy years of marriage and family life. Without regard for her young daughter Lottie’s feelings or the feelings Jack and of the other members of her family, she uses the child as a pawn in the divorce. Anna is easy to like, she is a friend, a single mother, a caretaker of her farm, and finds that her long buried feelings for Jack are still burning strong.
Wild Water takes place, in part, in rural Wales, which the author describes in such vivid detail you can visualize the mountains, the farm, the beauty of the area as you read. The plot has a many elements seamlessly woven through it to keep you turning the pages. Well written so that fiction could be one with reality, Wild Water is the kind of book you never want to put down. It is the first of Jan Ruth’s books that I’ve read, and it won’t be the last.
June 8, 2016
This book was entered and was a FINALIST in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Wild Water
Author: Jan Ruth
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 24
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Style: 10/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 24 readers:
22 would read another book by this author.
24 thought the cover was good or excellent.
10 felt the blurb was enticing.
12 thought the well-developed characters were the best part of the book.
7 felt the author’s no. 1 skill was working with speech.
2 felt the ending was not as strong as it could have been.
Readers’ Comments
‘Jack is a pretty good hero for this book. I liked that he was a normal fellow with normal problems. But the author effectively shows how a perfectly normal life can fall apart. I don’t know why, but the author’s style reminded me a bit of Dick Francis. He also delivered fantastically interesting characters which, at first glance, don’t seem interesting at all. Over all, a very enjoyable read.’ Female reader, aged 59
‘A lovely Welsh setting for an engrossing family drama. It could happen to any of us which is why the reader can easily relate to the story.’ Male reader, aged 41
‘I liked the witty undertone. The language style is excellent: not purple prose but not dry and cold. The author works particularly well with speech. I liked Jack and his outlook on life: keep slogging on.’ Male reader, aged 62
‘The story of a broken family and a man who’s trying to find his way through all the mess. An absorbing read.’ Female reader, aged 44
‘A totally engrossing, powerfully written family drama. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Wild Water
Author: Jan Ruth
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 24
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Style: 10/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 24 readers:
22 would read another book by this author.
24 thought the cover was good or excellent.
10 felt the blurb was enticing.
12 thought the well-developed characters were the best part of the book.
7 felt the author’s no. 1 skill was working with speech.
2 felt the ending was not as strong as it could have been.
Readers’ Comments
‘Jack is a pretty good hero for this book. I liked that he was a normal fellow with normal problems. But the author effectively shows how a perfectly normal life can fall apart. I don’t know why, but the author’s style reminded me a bit of Dick Francis. He also delivered fantastically interesting characters which, at first glance, don’t seem interesting at all. Over all, a very enjoyable read.’ Female reader, aged 59
‘A lovely Welsh setting for an engrossing family drama. It could happen to any of us which is why the reader can easily relate to the story.’ Male reader, aged 41
‘I liked the witty undertone. The language style is excellent: not purple prose but not dry and cold. The author works particularly well with speech. I liked Jack and his outlook on life: keep slogging on.’ Male reader, aged 62
‘The story of a broken family and a man who’s trying to find his way through all the mess. An absorbing read.’ Female reader, aged 44
‘A totally engrossing, powerfully written family drama. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
October 1, 2014
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.
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.
May 17, 2014
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.
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.
Read
May 28, 20164.5 stars: I wasn't sure if I'd get through this book as the first few chapters seemed too chaotic to me, but it drew me in and in the end I really enjoyed it. It is a pretty intense family drama and in some ways, the conflicts are a bit stereo-typical, but there is magic in some of the characters and this really draws the reader in. Quirky Lottie and teenaged Oliver are two captivating and very real children who give their own dimension to the story. Then Hilly is wonderfully earthy, and as for the dogs, I just wanted to curl up with Benson and feed shoes to Hooper myself. The relationship between Anna and Jack was very moving with both passion and humour, but on its own it wouldn't have been enough for me, so these other characters (and the dogs were full of personality) rounded it out. Above all, I loved the setting in Wales and its wild beauty. The turbulent drama takes place against the majesty of north Welsh, an area I know and Jan Ruth has captured it perfectly. It imbues the story with a very strong sense of place and for me, this is the book's most special feature - this and the dogs ;) I was hovering between 4 and 5 stars, not because I didn't love it; I did. It was just the beginning, so I've plumped for five on the rating and 4.5 total.
August 25, 2013
This is the first of Jan's books I have read and I have to say I'm already looking forward to reading more.
The characters in Wild Water are so realistic you could imagine buying real estate off Jack, eating cakes and gossiping with Anna & Hill and wanting to smack some sense into Patsy. Jan's vivid descriptions of the locations help bring the story to life and reading Wild Water it's like the movie is playing in your head.
Wild Water is the story of over worked Real Estate Agent Jack Redman, who suddenly finds his idyllic life falling apart around him. Just when all seems to be lost bumping into his childhood sweetheart Anna things start to look up for Jack. But life is never that easy and this story will take you on the emotional rollercoaster of Jack's life.
Wild Water will have you holding your breath with anticipation of what will happen next, and sometimes wanting to give some characters a good "clip across the ear" - just like your own family.
I thoroughly enjoyed Wild Water and look forward to reading more of Jan Ruth's stories in the near future. While ultimately it is a love story - you wont be embarrassed to let your mum borrow it after you have finished.
The characters in Wild Water are so realistic you could imagine buying real estate off Jack, eating cakes and gossiping with Anna & Hill and wanting to smack some sense into Patsy. Jan's vivid descriptions of the locations help bring the story to life and reading Wild Water it's like the movie is playing in your head.
Wild Water is the story of over worked Real Estate Agent Jack Redman, who suddenly finds his idyllic life falling apart around him. Just when all seems to be lost bumping into his childhood sweetheart Anna things start to look up for Jack. But life is never that easy and this story will take you on the emotional rollercoaster of Jack's life.
Wild Water will have you holding your breath with anticipation of what will happen next, and sometimes wanting to give some characters a good "clip across the ear" - just like your own family.
I thoroughly enjoyed Wild Water and look forward to reading more of Jan Ruth's stories in the near future. While ultimately it is a love story - you wont be embarrassed to let your mum borrow it after you have finished.
July 8, 2014
Wild Water by Jan Ruth
This is the first story that I've read by Jan Ruth and it won't be the last.
A well written story aimed at the female reader, this is not a light and frothy tale but it does have moments of humour and lightness in it. Jack Redman is a troubled soul, he's a 40 something chain smoking Estate Agent with troubles aplenty. His unfaithful wife Patsy has the morals of an alley cat, maybe I'm judging her a little harshly but I found her despicable. She's a very manipulative woman and I felt that Jack deserved better.
As Jack's past meets his future in the form of old flame Anna and as old feelings are reawakened. Jack has has certain choices to make. Nothing is ever as straight forward as it seems and secrets that had been kept for years can and often do get broken when you least expect it.
With believable characters and great descriptions of the countryside, the reader could almost believe that they where there. I was definitely involved in their lives for a few days while reading it.
The book is available as a Kindle read.
This is the first story that I've read by Jan Ruth and it won't be the last.
A well written story aimed at the female reader, this is not a light and frothy tale but it does have moments of humour and lightness in it. Jack Redman is a troubled soul, he's a 40 something chain smoking Estate Agent with troubles aplenty. His unfaithful wife Patsy has the morals of an alley cat, maybe I'm judging her a little harshly but I found her despicable. She's a very manipulative woman and I felt that Jack deserved better.
As Jack's past meets his future in the form of old flame Anna and as old feelings are reawakened. Jack has has certain choices to make. Nothing is ever as straight forward as it seems and secrets that had been kept for years can and often do get broken when you least expect it.
With believable characters and great descriptions of the countryside, the reader could almost believe that they where there. I was definitely involved in their lives for a few days while reading it.
The book is available as a Kindle read.
October 31, 2014
I have never read any of Jan's books before, but what a find with this one! In one way it tells an age old story of the proverbial love triangle, but what I loved so much about this book was the sense of lives spiralling so out of control so quickly and yet it almost seems as if there is no way this can be avoided. The central male character (Jack) was one with whom you would instantly sympathise, he is essentially a good guy struggling to keep it all together in the face of adversity, but not surprisingly falling apart for no other reason than being human.
The story is fast paced, and told with empathy, warmth, sharp humour at times, and a real understanding of the emotional wrangle that lives seem prey to fall into. I read it very quickly, and as the story reached its dramatic climax, I was left staring at the last page woefully realising it had ended. What a cliffhanger though, left with no option than to buy the sequel. How very clever of you Jan, although I have to add that I will be very happy to do so!
The story is fast paced, and told with empathy, warmth, sharp humour at times, and a real understanding of the emotional wrangle that lives seem prey to fall into. I read it very quickly, and as the story reached its dramatic climax, I was left staring at the last page woefully realising it had ended. What a cliffhanger though, left with no option than to buy the sequel. How very clever of you Jan, although I have to add that I will be very happy to do so!
March 31, 2016
I loved this book! Visiting Jan Ruth's website, I knew immediately that her work would appeal to me, and I was absolutely right! This was the first book I have really enjoyed for quite a while, and I shall jump online and buy #2 immediately after writing this review.
Wild Water #1 is written with deep and humorous empathy, primarily for Jack and Anna and the complicated situations they find themselves in, but even for Patsy, Oliver and Lottie. Every character in this story stands out for who they are, and the novel's pace varies tremendously, seeming to reflect the stress-levels being felt by each character at the time.
The dialogue is clever and witty, with a fair smattering of expert vitriolic timing thrown in. The rural settings and liberal inclusion of animals added yet further to the depth of feelings expressed. When all seemed lost at 98%, I began to wonder if I'd have to wait until book 2 for the happy ending, but there it was on the last page! Masterful - thanks, Jan!
Wild Water #1 is written with deep and humorous empathy, primarily for Jack and Anna and the complicated situations they find themselves in, but even for Patsy, Oliver and Lottie. Every character in this story stands out for who they are, and the novel's pace varies tremendously, seeming to reflect the stress-levels being felt by each character at the time.
The dialogue is clever and witty, with a fair smattering of expert vitriolic timing thrown in. The rural settings and liberal inclusion of animals added yet further to the depth of feelings expressed. When all seemed lost at 98%, I began to wonder if I'd have to wait until book 2 for the happy ending, but there it was on the last page! Masterful - thanks, Jan!
January 8, 2013
This is the first of Jan Ruth's novels I read. I heard about her in a local newspaper, and having just had a kindle for Christmas and living in the area she writes about I decided to download her first and second novel (the only two out at that time).
I was immediately drawn into Jack's world, fell a little in love with him and Anna and her dogs. Loved reading the descriptions of the countryside, being able to picture the familiar places. Hated certain characters too, and was willing Jack to do what I thought he should.
It is a lovely book, I raced through it as it's such a page turner and then felt a bump as realised it was done! I returned to the characters in my mind for a while afterwards as I had carried them with me while I was reading it, always a sign of a good read to me, and something I've now come to expect from Jan Ruth's books.
I have also learned we have the same taste in men - I always fall for her leading ones :)
I was immediately drawn into Jack's world, fell a little in love with him and Anna and her dogs. Loved reading the descriptions of the countryside, being able to picture the familiar places. Hated certain characters too, and was willing Jack to do what I thought he should.
It is a lovely book, I raced through it as it's such a page turner and then felt a bump as realised it was done! I returned to the characters in my mind for a while afterwards as I had carried them with me while I was reading it, always a sign of a good read to me, and something I've now come to expect from Jan Ruth's books.
I have also learned we have the same taste in men - I always fall for her leading ones :)
October 2, 2012
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Wild Waters indeed, 2 Oct 2012
By Alexx
Amazon Verified Purchase(What is this?)
This review is from: Wild Water (Kindle Edition)
Jan Ruth delivers again. On the strength of White Horizon I bought Wild Water and loved it almost as much. At first I thought Patsy couldn't be true to life and on the day I finished it I heard about a real person who was just the same, if not worse! Jack, driven, bighearted, naive in love but astute in business and a wonderful father, captured my heart. Anna was just as lovable, and the chemistry between them bound the book together. Anna's farm in North Wales was a character in its own right. I could smell the mountains, the rain and hear the birds and the wind. Truly evocative description of a special sanctuary. Jack's qualities were evident but what I particularly liked was his dry humour. It frequently got him into deep (wild?) water. I could identify with that! a recommended read.
Wild Waters indeed, 2 Oct 2012
By Alexx
Amazon Verified Purchase(What is this?)
This review is from: Wild Water (Kindle Edition)
Jan Ruth delivers again. On the strength of White Horizon I bought Wild Water and loved it almost as much. At first I thought Patsy couldn't be true to life and on the day I finished it I heard about a real person who was just the same, if not worse! Jack, driven, bighearted, naive in love but astute in business and a wonderful father, captured my heart. Anna was just as lovable, and the chemistry between them bound the book together. Anna's farm in North Wales was a character in its own right. I could smell the mountains, the rain and hear the birds and the wind. Truly evocative description of a special sanctuary. Jack's qualities were evident but what I particularly liked was his dry humour. It frequently got him into deep (wild?) water. I could identify with that! a recommended read.
July 24, 2013
read this book on holiday, absolutely loved it.it is full of emotion, made me laugh, made me cry.
jack is a lovely man, who is married to a high maintainance wife, i though a nasty woman who didn't deserve him.
he meets up with an old flame, she is lovely, will he leave his wife or not, i wont say.
i would not say this book is 'chick lit' because i think it is much nicer than that. it is a book for all ages, even men would like it.
this book has love ,hate, affairs, humour and sadness. the mention of snowdonia and surrounding areas is an added bonus,
i didn't want to finish the book as i loved every page. it is on at a fantastic price at the moment. i was captivated from start to finish, download it, you will love it. so pleased i found Jan ruth, i now have another of her books,Midnight Sky, which i will start to read as soon as i finish my decorating. WELL DONE JAN RUTH. RECOMMEND this book 100% xxx
jack is a lovely man, who is married to a high maintainance wife, i though a nasty woman who didn't deserve him.
he meets up with an old flame, she is lovely, will he leave his wife or not, i wont say.
i would not say this book is 'chick lit' because i think it is much nicer than that. it is a book for all ages, even men would like it.
this book has love ,hate, affairs, humour and sadness. the mention of snowdonia and surrounding areas is an added bonus,
i didn't want to finish the book as i loved every page. it is on at a fantastic price at the moment. i was captivated from start to finish, download it, you will love it. so pleased i found Jan ruth, i now have another of her books,Midnight Sky, which i will start to read as soon as i finish my decorating. WELL DONE JAN RUTH. RECOMMEND this book 100% xxx
March 20, 2016
Jack is a successful business man, however he is not so successful in his home life, wife Patsy has started to behave differently and there is a distance growing between them. Jack's life gets even more complicated when through his business he meets up with his childhood sweetheart Anna who he had left broken hearted years ago. He stills feels bad about hurting her and the decisions he made in the past.
Wild Water is a family drama that is emotionally charged when a family reaches breaking point. It shows the effect on all the family and how difficult relationships can be. There is a sadness to the story and a lot of regret and hurt. There is also a chance of hope, a romance and new beginnings. The story is written well and the long chapters, if you are like me and do not like to put a book down before a chapter ends, will make you work your way through the story fast and before you know it you are a good way through this incredible story.
Wild Water is a family drama that is emotionally charged when a family reaches breaking point. It shows the effect on all the family and how difficult relationships can be. There is a sadness to the story and a lot of regret and hurt. There is also a chance of hope, a romance and new beginnings. The story is written well and the long chapters, if you are like me and do not like to put a book down before a chapter ends, will make you work your way through the story fast and before you know it you are a good way through this incredible story.
February 24, 2014
I've just finished WILD WATER by Jan Ruth and I’m in the afterglow of a very good book.
Wild Water is a story about a family experiencing strife, joy, tension, a breakup and a woman from the past entering the story to save Jack, the husband. That is a very over-simplified version of a truly wonderful read. Find out for yourself and you’ll be happy you did.
The dialog is perfect. Jan Ruth has a real talent for writing words that pull you into the story. She put me in the same room with the characters.
Another great part of this book is the story takes place in Wales. A place I know little about but have always know I would like to visit. I can now visualize the countryside, feel the cold wind and the beauty of the summers.
I highly recommend Wild Water and its author to anyone who enjoys reading about real life and taking part in a story.
WILD WATER goes on my favorites list!
Wild Water is a story about a family experiencing strife, joy, tension, a breakup and a woman from the past entering the story to save Jack, the husband. That is a very over-simplified version of a truly wonderful read. Find out for yourself and you’ll be happy you did.
The dialog is perfect. Jan Ruth has a real talent for writing words that pull you into the story. She put me in the same room with the characters.
Another great part of this book is the story takes place in Wales. A place I know little about but have always know I would like to visit. I can now visualize the countryside, feel the cold wind and the beauty of the summers.
I highly recommend Wild Water and its author to anyone who enjoys reading about real life and taking part in a story.
WILD WATER goes on my favorites list!
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