Finding Jack

"Finding Jack" by Sofia Due is an engaging and emotionally charged contemporary romance. Due's storytelling is poignant, weaving a tale of love and second chances. The characters are relatable, and their journey of self-discovery and healing is beautifully portrayed. The novel captures the essence of connection, hope, and the power of the human heart. This is a heartwarming and captivating read for fans of love stories with depth.

I loved this book devouring it in one weekend, I will be on the lookout for more by Sofia that’s for sure! Thoroughly recommend

What a great journey this book was. Not in the pack-your-bag-we're-off-on-an-adventure sense, but in the unpredictable, pushing the reader to grow along with the characters. I am all for this second type of travels, myself. We meet Gennie, recently widowed, single mom of Alice, picking up the pieces of her life and trying to make sense of it. She's not your typical, relatable main character (not to me, in any case) that you'd normally expect - she's flawed, oddly self-centered despite working a selfless job at a home for foster children. She's private, introverted and at times judgmental. I found it especially difficult to bond with her in the beginning, but I still wanted to be there for her. Who knows how you will react when your life is turned upside down? I loved that she takes time for herself too, Gennie goes to an art center to paint! Where she meets Jack, the butt of the village gossip and her employer's son. Incidentally, Jack is also her what-if, the road-not-taken romantically from her past. Like her, Jack is a flawed, baggage-filled character, the kind of person your mom would advise you to stay away from in real life. If Gennie hadn't known him from before their paths separated, I would have honestly rooted for them to stay apart. Finding Jack is about how Gennie starts to heal from her wounds by having Jack in her life once again. Their reconnection is labored, gradual and intense. I loved that they don't dive blind into their newfound relationship, instead slowly making space for them in their lives and in their individual healing processes. By Finding Jack, Gennie not only finds also herself, but higher purpose, because, while this book is tagged as Romance and Women's Fiction, some of the other underlying topics are more serious and enrich the story in the most wonderful, heart warming way. Easiest five-star rating this year. Great thanks to The Book Guild and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own

This novel is wonderful, absolutely wonderful. It’s warm and heartfelt and I’ve not come across as imperfect a romantic hero as Jack in a long time. He’s so flawed, and messy and tormented and difficult. He’s also a tease, and hardworking, and funny and gorgeous. He’s a returned soldier, an alcoholic, riddled with survivor guilt, and anger and all the demons. And yet…. Gennie has survived the death of alcoholic husband, is raising her young daughter and trying to keep it all together. She’s defensive, but not closed off. The absolute last thing she needs is Jack. And yet…. Sophie Due has lots to say in this romantic novel – about war and the damage it does to both civilians and soldiers, about young adult refugees, love, and marriage, and relationship breakdowns. But also about family, and community and how healing comes in unexpected ways. There's a lot going on, and well drawn support characters, plenty of action, good communication and an HEA. If you want to read a romance that’s tender, and awkward, but also very very real, this is a cracker! Highly recommended. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC.

An ex soldier caught in a roadside bomb, who struggles daily with the effects of this and the loss of his friends? This is Jack's story, but it's identical to what happened to my partner when he was serving in the military the only differences being he was in Germany and suffered complex spinal injuries. I've never read a book by Due before and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to thanks to Rachel's Random Resources. The characters are relatable and broken but as they say 'broken crayons still colour' and everyone deserves the chance to be happy. Finding Jack is a beautifully written contemporary romance that will tug at your heartstrings and play with your emotions. I'm a sucker for a second chance romance and kept everything crossed that there was going to be a HEA. Definitely a storyline and characters to become emotionally invested in, even if it was a bit close to home in places.