When a fresh start is what you need, but you get catapulted back into your past

Synopsis

How do you get over the loss of your husband? And not only your husband but your home too and all the trappings of your old existence?

Gennie moves back to Cornwall in search of a fresh start. Working for Marion’s children’s charity seems perfect. Tucked away in the countryside, close to an artists’ community, it’s a place for Gennie and her daughter, Alice, to rebuild their lives in peace and quiet – until ex-soldier Jack comes along with the same idea in mind, a face from the past, forcing Gennie to confront things she would rather forget and igniting fears of another turbulent relationship.

Involving herself with Jack and his problems is the last thing she needs, not now she’s made new friends and opportunities are opening up again, but can either find happiness and a new direction without the other?

My review

After losing her husband, Gennie decides that it’s time for a fresh start. Together with her daughter Alice the move back to Cornwall is made. As the two of them are living in the countryside, Gennie working for Marion’s children’s charity and living close to an artists’ community, it for sure is the perfect place to live in peace and quiet.
But Gennie’s peace and quiet is disturbed by the return of ex – soldier Jack, who is looking after exactly the same thing.
As Gennie and Jack have a history, it’s forcing Gennie to confront her past and her fears. But will her fears and Jack’s issues be too strong to find happiness once again and perhaps together?

Before I start talking about the book itself, I somehow feel that I should warn you in a way. Because while the title may be ‘Finding Jack’, I feel it doesn’t do the book any justice. And that is because this isn’t the search for Jack, but more the search for yourself, facing your demons, your fears. And only after finding your peace and quiet, in the place you live but also in your heart, you can open up for someone else in your heart.

I always find it inspiring if someone decides to start afresh. And in Gennie’s case it’s even more admirable. Because after losing her husband in a terrible way, both the before, the during and the after were gut – wrenching. Yet Gennie finds the courage to take her daughter to Cornwall and start all over again. And not just anywhere, but she will also start working for a children’s charity.

Gennie shows an hesitant resilience. Yes, she wants to start all over again, but she is still searching for the exact details of how she wants to achieve that happiness with her daughter. And slowly, sometimes even against her own wishes, she starts to find those (little) things in life that bring her joy.

Yet in order to find joy, Gennie also has to face those things that took her joy away somehow. And with the return of Jack, it for sure brings Gennie back down into the rabbit hole. In the sense that Jack is anywhere but in his happy place yet. While Gennie is taking steps forward, Jack isn’t there yet by far.

And because of the history Gennie and jack have, due one holiday meeting together, and Jack being Marion’s son, their paths keep on crossing.
The differences between the both characters, them having a  different state of mind, are so (even painfully) obvious.

I could also understand Gennie, as she doesn’t want to open that dangerous can once again, as it cost her already so much effort to overcome it once.
It was easy to comprehend why Gennie wanted to keep her distance from Jack. But on the other hand, in order for Jack to beat his own demons, he needs someone in his corner too…

But in this book we don’t only see the troubles the main characters are having, or how they are overcoming the troubles and finding happiness again. There is also a great sense of community, especially in Marion’s children’s charity.
The way the children are being helped, accepted, handles with care, but also giving them a home, a sense of belonging.
And with Gennie and Jack both looking after those poor children, brings them even closer together.

The author shows us that people have a great resilience. But also that not everyone has that in the same amount. Some may struggle for a longer time with their demons.
For one reason or the other, the fight we all have to fight is one we have to do it on our own, but it helps to have someone that understands us, even if they have an initial sense of self – preservation. And that is not because of selfishness, but because the hurt they have already faced is too hard to face once again.

Yet when it’s the right person, and with taking baby – steps, one at the time, even the ugliest demons can be faced and defeated. And that will only bring more happiness and joy in our lives, if only we dare to open up ourselves once again, and not let fear hold us back.