Review: Love Hopes
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 10, 2014
What a mess!Oh, no, the novel itself isn't a mess, but the story is, if that makes any sense. Yet, that's how life is sometimes--downright messy--and we, no matter who we are or what belief systems we adhere to, have to find a way to deal with it. In Waters Fall, Becky Doughty handles messy subjects entangled within a crumbling marriage, and she does so with honesty, without sinking into vulgarity.What I liked most about this novel were the uses of imagery, which began right off the bat. You'd almost expect to feel drops of water sliding down your skin, as though you've been submerged into the story, which is not at all a light read. There were moments of humor, mostly from Jake and Nora's children, but then even that reprieve dwindled away as the story got heavier.I did empathize some with both Jake and Nora in the beginning, but it wasn't long before I didn't like either of them, as they were soon showing the worst of themselves, again and again. The constant roller coaster, the couple going spitefully back and forth about who was to blame for what. It's like I just wanted to scream out, "Yes! You're both right, and you're both wrong! Don't you see by now that all of the accusations and insults get you, your marriage, and your family absolutely nowhere? Unless 'worse off' is a destination." I might have been just as worn out reading as they were living, but I can't say the roller coaster was unrealistic. That, unfortunately, is often how human beings deal with one another.It's a mess.But, thank God, there's hope. If a pendulum swings in one direction, it'll surely swing in the other, on its way to finding the center again, even if you have to hold out a minute for it. I held out for hope with this story, and I first sensed it the best when Nora finally came to the realization of Whom she missed the most.Love is patient. Love is kind. Love hopes._______________I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.