- Details
- Published: 03 November 2023 03 November 2023
I really enjoyed Finding Jack and, as always, it is much harder to put this into words than if I had not been so keen. The main characters, Gennie and Jack, are such a pleasure to read – they both have troubled pasts, and a lot of adjusting to do, but cannot help but be drawn to each other.
Gennie and her daughter have moved back to Cornwall following the death of her husband. She has taken up a residential post on a farm, working for a charity set up by Marion to help disadvantaged young people. Marion’s son Jack, newly returned from Africa, is also working on the farm. A former soldier, injured in an explosion that killed his best friend, Jack is fighting his demons, but has not lost his humanity. He wants to be there for his daughter, and works hard to make the charity a success.
Gennie and Jack met briefly many years ago and had left a lasting impression on each other. They are very different people now, scarred by what they have been through, but the attraction is still there. Their relationship is portrayed in a realistic fashion, as they work through the obstacles that stand in their way. Finding Jack is a wonderful heartwarming story despite dealing with some very serious issues – the destructive power of addiction, human trafficking and slavery, grief, PTSD – but there is a lot of humour to balance it out. Highlights for me were the Cornish setting, the art classes and the cute dog that steals the show. This is the first book I have read by Sofia Due, but it won’t be the last. Thanks to The Book Guild and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.