Heather’s Bookshelf: Soft as Water
Author: B. Robert Conklin
Released: 02/29/24
Genre: Suspense
“It amazed him how cheaply a dead person’s life cost and how eagerly he had stepped into his new identity. As Alan Paxton, he had played by an orderly set of rules. His life was more laid out, more rigid—with home and hearth, wife and child—as though plotted on a Monopoly board.”
“Soft as Water” introduces Will Archer, a father and husband who was recently involved in an accident that resulted in the deaths of an innocent woman and child.
Will is guilt-stricken from the accident and the actions that led to it. In a misguided form of atonement, he leaves town, abandoning his own wife and child under the presumption that he doesn’t deserve to still have his own family. Staying hidden and seeking employment doesn’t offer a lot of options. Will finds himself in a small town, renting a space that’s rumored to be haunted by the saxophonist inspiring his new place of work.
A coincidental meeting with the mortality-obsessed daughter of the same saxophonist places Will in the middle of a family feud. Essence Warner is alluring, mysterious, and sexy. Will finds himself drawn to the young woman and the need to find the truth behind what really happened to her parents. Will he be able to reconcile with his family? Will he find out the truth? Or will he succumb to the same fate as those around him?
Trigger Warning: violence, death, murder, suicidal ideation, sexual situations, rape, reference to drug use, racist symbols, adult language
Overall, I enjoyed this story. It is a deceivingly complex tale about repercussions for past actions of both self and family. Examining past mistakes and the possibility of redemption also provide a consistent thread throughout the story. Will Archer is NOT a likable protagonist. He abandons his family when he can’t handle the consequences of his actions and proceeds to make selfish decision after selfish decision with little concern for anything or anyone besides his new love interest. Essence offers a little more sympathy due to her family circumstance and the war between her grandmothers, but her self-destructive behavior does little to add to her likability. There are some things that happen to Essence in this story that seem a little too horrific and therefore out of place for the tone of the rest of the tale. While Will and Essence are very well developed, many of the ancillary characters that play a large role throughout the story are not so detailed. This results in less of an emotional connection to events that occur. The ending wraps everything up nicely with no loose ends. It felt like a complete and well thought-out ending and left me satisfied with the resolution of the story.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A complex tale of guilt, family, and redemption. Unlikable characters deter a bit from the importance and poignancy of the underlying themes within the story.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with B. Robert Conklin
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here
Interested in submitting your book for review? Visit my review page for guidelines and submission requirements.
