Today I’m joining the blog tour for Dark Clouds Bring Waters. My review is written with thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me on the tour and to the publisher for my copy of the book.

Blurb:

We all have questions for the dead…

Comedy writer Luke Jessop’s life is in stasis. He hasn’t written a word since his wife, Billie, died almost three years ago and on finding a pile of old letters from her ex, Adam, he has begun to wonder how well he really knew her. Embarking on a pilgrimage to Italy, Luke determines to piece together the full story about his wild and sometimes secretive love. But with Adam refusing to answer his questions and a flame-haired hotel guest threatening his fragile calm, can Luke finally face the truths of the past and learn to live again?

Review:

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Dark Clouds Bring Waters, but I’m so glad I have had the opportunity to read it. I found IR Ridley’s writing very poignant. He is a wonderful wordsmith and his description and turn of phrase will really strike a chord with anyone who has experience of the grieving process.

Dark Clouds Bring Waters is set in Recoli in Italy and I love the way that IR Ridley brings it to life for the reader. The views he paints with his words are absolutely exquisite and I was taken there as I was reading, able to fully immerse myself in not just Luke’s physical surroundings but his emotions too.

Dark Clouds Bring Waters is fairly short and this means it is more of a character driven story than a plot driven story. Despite the short length, IR Ridley has built the characters well and I enjoyed getting to know them, particularly Luke, with whom I shared a great deal of sympathy. Although Billie only appears in memories, I felt that the author gave me a really great sense of her personality and I found this intriguing. I really wanted to know what her life with Luke was like and what secrets she may have taken to the grave with her.

I love the way the author explores love, grief and relationships in Dark Clouds Bring Waters and I will be thinking about the messages within it for some time.

Dark Clouds Bring Waters is available from Amazon.

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