BEING RESCUED IS NOT THE SAME AS BEING SAVED.Jackson Levee, an ambitious young college instructor and novice poet, saves nine year old twin girls, Hadley and Haley, from drowning in the Gulf of Mexico. He writes a poem titled “After the Rescue” based on the incident and receives critical acclaim and a wide readership as the result of an appearance on a popular national television talk show. The … show.
The twins mature into beautiful but troubled young women. Jackson’s success leads him to a professorship at an esteemed university in the Carolina mountains where meets LaVeda with whom he has a temporarily happy marriage, but his ascendant star falls soon thereafter. Hadley marries a womanizer and discovers through a chance meeting that she is gay, loses the relationship, and sinks into alcohol and drug abuse. Haley suffers a depressive episode and afterwards begins an unfulfilling affair with her older supervisor, subsequently marrying an army reservist who is horribly wounded in the Iraqi War and whose PTSD threatens everything.
Through the years, the characters experience both exultations and discontent. When the three reunite after twenty-five years, a devastating event transpires, but those left behind struggle to realize their destinies and find redemption.
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“Our nature consists in motion; complete rest is death.”
-Blaise Pascal
Jackson Levee has written a poem about his harrowing save of nine year old twins, Hadley and Haley. Just merely saving them from drowning in the Gulf of Mexico will be a catalyst of many things to come in their lives.
“I think you’ve got something here. It’s lyrical, mature, in places even beautiful. I like how you used saving those twins from drowning as the basis of the metaphor. Plus you used the idea of twins metaphorically, too, of everything that can be rescued. And they’re alike but unalike. What are their mutual versus their individual futures? And what does come after the rescue? Future dangers and threatening events? Little did you know that when you jumped in the Gulf to rescue them, you’d end up with this? One of the best things about it is it really deviates from so much contemporary poetry. Good stuff, Jackson. Really. Anyone reading it wouldn’t think you were only twenty-six.”
Twenty five years of life does a lot for three people, especially when there is the issues of PTSD and depression involved. Both of the girls suffer from several depressive traits. They have a hard time with their love lives. Things just seem to be an uphill battle for all of them. Jackson isn’t immune either. He himself has difficult relationships and difficulty with accepting love. Does this one event change the whole course of life? Or was this a laid out fate for them from birth? They all will have some epiphanies, but will it be too late to make a difference for the rest of their lives?
Then when they get a chance, twenty five years later, to reconnect life throws another big curveball. How will they handle everything? Will it be the straw that breaks the camels back for them or can it strengthen them and they learn from it?
I don’t want to give away too much about what happens to them in the end. It is just too good to not read and find out for yourself. This was the first book that I have read by Douglas Wells, and I was impressed. I will definitely keep an eye out for more! I only marked four stars instead of five because I just had some issues with the flow of the book. There was A LOT going on. Each character could have had their own novel on what was going in in their lives, and it may be something that Douglas Wells could consider writing and expanding on in the future, and I would read it. I just felt like I didn’t know who to give my attention to at the moment, if that makes sense. Otherwise I really loved the story line and plot twists. I enjoyed that this book made me feel so many emotions while reading it as well. Good solid book to sit back and enjoy, maybe on a rainy day with a cup of tea!
5 Star
How We End Up By Douglas Wells
How We End Up By Douglas Wells Is a contemporary romance story.This is my first book by this author but it most definitely won’t be my last. I truly enjoyed this book. I was hooked from the beginning till the end. The characters are very true to life I connected with them and felt as if I was right there with them..This story will take you on a emotional rollercoaster ride but I couldn’t put this down once I started reading. This story is about three people who meet them go their separate ways for the past twenty five years. Jackson who is a college instructor saves two girls from drowning and goes on to write a poem about it.The poem makes him successful but things start to heat up with his mother.This is where their lives split.What happens with these three when brought back together because life happens I truly enjoyed this story and really enjoyed seeing(reading) how these characters find themselves throughout life.Llife is unpredictable and sometimes you get thrown some curve balls but I always say push through it and everything will be fine. I really truly f ed lt a connection to these characters. I cant wait to see what this author is is going to bring us next.I do highly recommend this Book especially if you want to see how everything works out.
****4 stars****
How We End Up by Douglas Wells
How We End Up is a 4 Star novel by Douglas Wells. This story is introspective and thought provoking. It describes Jackson as he saves two young twin girls, finds literary success as a result, then follows him and the twins, Haley and Hadley, and how their lives changed over time. This story definitely has ups and downs and takes you through where their lives have been after many years. The writing allowed style was good and allowed me to feel the emotional experiences of the characters and feel invested in their story. I liked how this story seemed to have a philosophical deeper side than some books I’ve read lately. It made for a very enjoyable read.
How We End Up by Douglas Wells is a thought provoking dramatic read that delves into the dark places of life and drags the things hiding there into the light. Jackson wasn’t much of anything in his life. He had pretty much zero ambition in college and he was at best an okay poet. When he saves twin girls from drowning and writes a poem about the experience he doesn’t expect much to come of it. When his story and poem are featured on a national talk show however his entire world changes, follow along with Jackson and the twins he saved as they try and navigate the rough waters of life and discover who they were truly meant to be. This book is well written with characters that are believably damaged. We get to see them succeed and fail, to rise above and to hit rock bottom. The plot was well thought out and the pace was well set and maintained. A solid four star read from a talented author.
How We End Up by Douglas Wells
4 Stars!!!!
This is a new author to me and also a new out of my norm genre. This book makes one really think about consequences and fate. I found the book to be quite interesting and different. Looking at the characters over the time span and seeing how each one was effected by their actions and descions.
It was quite interesting to see how both the girls turned out and how each one had a very eventful life. It was a bit emotional for me to see just how much they sort of went through and how their lives didn’t really go to plan as their childhood dreams. This book just brings you to realise that our lives are really what we make of them. If we don’t really try or if we just give up at the first big hurdle or settle for second best then we really do reap what we sow. I found this book to be very well written and thought provoking. I would like to read more from this author in the future.
How We End Up by Douglas Wells
Four Stars
How We End Up is the new book by Douglas Wells. This is the first book I have read by this author, and although it is not my usual genre I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. This story features Jackson Levee, a 26 year old college teacher and a poet at heart. While walking on the beach, he comes across a mother screaming for help, her children are stuck in a rip tide. Jackson saves the nine year old twins, Hadley and Haley, and writes a poem about the rescue. The poem brings him fame in the form of a book deal. The story tells what happens to the three main characters over the next twenty five years. Each character has their ups and downs as they individually navigate life as best they can. This book was an interesting read and I will definitely be following this author to see what he has in store for us next.
How We End Up
By: Douglas Wells
5 out of 5 stars
The story How We End Up by Douglas Wells is a book the I enjoyed reading. It is the story that starts with Jackson Levee saving two twin girls from drowning. It then tells what happens in their lives for years after that. This includes times of joy and also of sadness. Times when they struggle and times of success. It is a book that had my emotions going up and down while reading. I loved reading about the main characters of Jackson and the two girls that he saved. Jackson is a writer and teaches a class at college. After he rescues the girls, he is not only seen as a hero, he also writes a book that makes him famous. The lives of the two girls that he rescues both take different paths however no matter what the other is doing they have a strong love for each other and when one is in need of help the other is there for them. They were rescued from the hands of death, however, are they now “drowning in the life that they are leading?” Read this book out the road that each of them takes and where they end up. This story grabbed my interest from the very beginning and I didn’t want to put it down until I had read the last page. There are also other characters that are part of the main characters lives and I enjoyed reading about how they interact with them. This is the first book that I have read by the author and it will not be the last. I look forward to reading more of his stories.
How We End Up by Douglas Wells is what I would consider a deep, but enjoyable, 4 star read. The idea that things aren’t always rainbows and butterflies after you receive a second chance truly shines through in this piece of writing.
I enjoyed the complexities of each character as the stories progressed and while each has their trials and tribulations, each was relatable and there wasn’t one I didn’t like.
The writing flowed well and evokes several emotions. I would definitely explore more of Douglas Wells’ writing in the future.
How We End Up by Douglas Wells
4 Stars
This was my first book by this author and what a book it was. It took me just a bit to get hooked but once I was I didn’t want to put it down. I got so invested in all of their lives that I couldn’t wait till it was each ones turn to be front and center. This follows 3 main characters and a couple others thrown in here and there.
The three became connected during an accident that could have turned tragic, it follows each of them through the years and through all their trials and tribulations.
It makes you think while your reading about how things can happen in your life and where you end up because of these things, I was a bit underwhelmed at the ending, I don’t know what I was hoping would happen but it did end keeping with the tone of the story.
I truly enjoyed this story, there were some twists and turns along the way and I really liked the fast pace of the storyflow.
I will definitely be looking to see what else this author has available.
4 Stars
“Being rescued isn’t the same as being saved.”
How We End Up is an interesting and thought-provoking story by Douglas Wells. Mr. Wells is a new to me author whose book was recommended in my book feed. I was intrigued to say the least, so grabbed it to see where the author/story would take me.
Jackson Levee is a college instructor and an aspiring poet who saves 9-year-old twin girls from drowning. He then writes a poem about the experience which propels him on to great success. The girls grow up and life throws them various curveballs and they have struggles which are overwhelming at times. There are issues with betrayal, depression, sexuality, drugs- and more, which test them time and again. We follow along while their stories develop and experience a lot of the ups and downs along with them.
Twenty-five years after the rescue, they are reunited- only to have a shocking event occur that will leave them struggling to overcome and come to terms with it all.
The author examines a few sensitive topics but does so in a considerate, but realistic and informative way. Mr. Wells has a dynamic style to his writing that makes for a compelling read.
I am happy I took a chance on this book and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Thank you, Mr. Wells!