#BlogTour The Wildwater Women by Ellie Wood

 It's my turn on the Blogtour The Wildwater Women by Ellie Wood.

About the Author

Ellie Wood was born and raised in the Lake District where she still lives. Passionate about the benefits of getting out into the wild, she’s swum and walked the landscape that inspires her writing since she was small. Follow @EllieWoodAuthor on Twitter

About the book

Sometimes the best things in life happen when you dare to get out of your depth. - Abby lives and works in the heart of the Lake District. She splits her time between bringing up her daughter, working in the Plum Pie Bakery – and dreaming of the time before her husband, Ben, left.

Lori is on holiday from the States, hoping to find her way to the lake that she’s looked at for years in a picture on her wall back home.

Rebecca is contemplating taking the plunge too. Despite her immaculate appearance Rebecca is keeping quiet about a childhood trauma which has left her scared of the water.

Clarissa is the founder of The Wildwater Women. An all-year-round open-water swimming veteran, and with a fearsome manner, she knows the lakes like no one else and her boundless energy defies her years.

Four women, all from very different lives, all with reason to step into the water and wash away their past. But will the friendship they build be enough to keep them afloat when they each must face their fears? 

Review

I read a story a few years ago that featured Wildwater swimming in it. I can remember thinking what a wonderfully adventurous thing to take part in. It's that element of excitement and overcoming of obstacles that leads the way in this story, which is one about sisterhood, women and the way they support each other.

Regardless of whether it is single mother Abby, Lori the tourist, Rebecca with the flawless exterior and crumbling interior, or the leader of the Waterwomen herself - Clarissa. Together they brave the weather, the environment, and of course the individual stressors of each woman to become one with nature - and a force of nature at the same time.

In this story the Wildwater swimming is symbolic in a sense that it becomes the tool, experience, event that gives each one of the women something very specific. It might be different depending on the person or the same and just open to interpretation, depending on the frame of reference.

Freedom, forgiveness, peace, acceptance of self, and learning to grip life by the hypothetical horns, but most importantly it's about learning to love themselves. I loved the way the author spun a delicate web of relationships and connections between the women.  Each one of them consciously or subconsciously supporting the other. Helping each other to confront fears, shame, embarrassment to ultimately be able to embrace the small moments of happiness and the beauty of life, and of course the environment.

I look forward to the next story Wood brings to the table. The way people, surroundings and emotions are woven to together to create a story with a strong heartbeat - well I think there is much more to come.

Buy The Wildwater Women at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperNorth pub date 28 April 2022. Buy at Amazon com. At Harper Collins.