Alice's Reviews: Swim

 Summary:  Ruth has left her job writing for a hit television show for reasons she’d rather not discuss and is supplementing her increasingly dwindling savings with freelance writing projects—namely, helping anxious high school students craft a perfect college essay and lonely souls craft captivating online dating profiles. When she’s not working, she’s swimming—lap after lap at the local indoor pool, in a desperate attempt to wash away the sting of professional failure and heartbreak that she can’t seem to shake. It takes an unexpected client to show her that appearances can be deceiving, and that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is simply dive back in. ~amazon.com

Review: Swim is a short story by Jennifer Weiner that was included in the book The Guy Not Taken.  It is also the inspiration for her newest novel, The Next Best Thing.  I purchased the short on Amazon for two reasons.  The first being the price:  At $1.99, you can’t go wrong.  (Although I do believe the Kindle edition is free right now.)  The second is I missed her.  I really did.  I love her writing style and her characters.  The way she infuses them with such realism they can be anyone you actually know or wish you knew.  Ruth is no different.

A car accident left Ruth was a facial scar that is the source of much insecurity and an unrequited love has left her broken hearted and jobless.  In an effort to get back on her feet, she takes a job as a college application coach.  This is the perfect antidote to remain hidden and anonymous until a two unexpected things happen to set her life going again.

I couldn’t remember if I read The Guy Not Taken already, but something about Swim was familiar to me.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Ruthie is one of my favorite Jennifer Weiner characters.  At the end this story, I got that effervescent burst that happens when I read something really good, really special.  Ms. Weiner was clever to release this short because I have already purchased The Next Best Thing.  I can’t wait to see what changes Ruth has in her future and how she continues to grow.

Final Take: 5/5