The Water is Wide

by Natalie Banks

Sarah Avery had spent years carefully re-constructing her broken life back together, after her husband Thomas, the love of her life, drowned 14 years earlier. When suddenly she comes face to face with a man named Collin, who is Thomas’ exact look-alike, on the streets of Wilmington, NC. She convinces herself that he is somehow, actually Thomas, come back to her. Yet in response, he has no recognition of her or their life together. However, the attraction between the two of them is powerful and immediate. But, even as Sarah finds herself falling in love with Collin, she is still haunted by questions about his true identity and the secret guilt she carries over Thomas’ death. And little does she know, Collin himself, holds some secrets of his own, that threaten to destroy everything they have together.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

250 pages, Paperback

First published November 9, 2017

About the author

Natalie Banks is a best selling & award-winning author, including, Best Indie Book of 2024 and The North Carolina Governor's Writing Award. She weaves characters with relatable humanity and stories that touch the heart and soul. She is currently working on a suspense novel set to release in 2025. When not writing, she spends time on the beach in North Carolina with her husband and dogs.

To find out more about Natalie Banks, visit her website NatalieBanks.net

And be sure to sign up for her newsletter to receive short stories and sneak peeks into her future novels!

Reviews

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet story about enduring love and twists and turns that you will keep you wanting to turn the page. The characters have faults and strengths that are so relatable, you'll fall in love with them. I loved that the plot was something different from other books on market right now. It's hard to put down!

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this down! In between reading I couldn't stop thinking about the characters. Amazing story and so well written! I can't wait for her next novel.

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished the last book I’ll complete for the year 2017! I am so glad that I ended the year with this book by Natalie Banks! This story had just the right amount of love and mystery and I finished it basically one sitting. (With the exception of the 3 chapters I read last night!) Before I started this book I had ideas of what I thought was going to happen... I was wrong. When I was a quarter through the book, and halfway through the book, I developed new opinions... and I was wrong again! And, when I finally got to that telling part, I had to read it twice just to make sure I knew what was happening! I can’t wait to read her next book!! I really enjoyed this book and think a lot of my friends will too! Sooo... get to reading!

[Kyla Corrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not one to read romance novels normally. But I completed this book in just two sittings. Everytime that I thought I had the plot/storyline all figured out there was a twist that made me doubt my conclusions. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. A totally enthralling storyline and enjoyable read.

[robin nutting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! The writer has the gifted ability to make you feel the very soul of her characters. The pain, the loss, the love. Can't wait to see what else she publishes.

[Hope’s Faves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing was descriptive and took me right to the place where the characters reside. I was so lost in the lives of Sarah and Collin, I couldn’t think about anything else. A fantastic love story. Right up there with the greats. Can’t wait to read her next novel.

[Charissa Argento · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in one day! I loved that it was set in Wilmington, NC it gave the story so much more character. I felt all the emotions that the characters were going through. This book is full of pain, loss, family, suspense and a lot of love.

[Cori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth reading!

I really enjoyed this book. It kept my attention from the time I picked it up. When I wasn't reading it I would find myself thinking of the characters.

[Debbie (Doc) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 star read from Natalie Banks! I loved both The Dark Room and The Water is Wide and can’t wait until she publishers another one. I sat down for an hour to read and ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. Both of her books are set in Wilmington, NC but each book is totally different. Normally, I have the entire premise figured out very early on, but not this time. I kept changing my mind and ended up pleasantly surprised. Right at the moment when I had an answer, I had to reevaluate and change my mind!

All of the characters were well developed, and I felt that by the end of the book Sarah was my BFF. This was such a fantastic love story that I did not want it to end. I will truly miss both Sarah and Collin. Family is so powerful! This is an emotional love story that proves love never dies. I highly recommend this book to all of my romantic book loving friends, but be prepared for some ugly crying!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not typically a fan of romance, but every once in a while a title will catch my eye and I'll take a chance; I'm so glad I did! In my mind this is just as much a mystery as it begins with Sarah who lost her husband to a drowning accident 14 years ago and then thinks she sees him in a crowd. Of course he was the love of her life and seeing those eyes again causes her to black out as she feels like she's been sleepwalking through life for all this time. No, it's not Thomas but clearly his
doppelganger named Collin, a real estate agent who is attracted to her. They begin dating but Sarah is reluctant as she feels she is betraying Thomas and her two grown sons are not happy that she has someone new in her life. Beyond just the fascinating plot are the themes of familial love, relationships, friendships, betrayal, and redemption. Keep the tissues handy as the end may knock you sideways! Now I will certainly read her other novels as this one's a gem!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this book because of the setting - Wilmington NC is a place I love and just naturally has a romantic vibe to it. The story captured me immediately. I felt for the heartbroken heroine, and was intrigued by the mysterious stranger in her life. The love scenes were just sexy enough, and I especially loved the epilogue. If you like romantic mysteries, Nora Roberts, Nicholas Sparks, etc., I recommend this read!

[Jesseca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great because it not only is an amazing love story, it also has some surprising twists! The writing is beautiful and the characters are relatable. I love that it’s set in the coastal south. I would definitely recommend to all of my reader friends. Can’t wait for her to release more books!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book. Love with interesting ways of not knowing how things may end. Keeps you on edge till the very end. Love the North Carolina setting and details . If you love Nicholas Sparks as I do , this will be another author you will love.

[Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super good book! Definitely a unique twist. Not many stories out right now like this one. Would read it again.

[Chasity K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an amazing, page-turning read. I enjoyed every moment of this book and was eager to find out what happened at the end.

[Adeena Syed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has driven me total nuts. Laughing, crying, sadness…this book is full of all kind of emotions and constant thrill. As the book started with Sarah walking down the street to meet her best friend over lunch and fainted and saw the those unforgettable blue of her dead husband I cannot help but think; oh man, this is one of those crying books and it was but I was so wrong thinking of it as a depressing book because it was absolutely not.
The story wasn’t fast nor slow, it was average going. I liked the writing style which something to say because I normally don’t at all like the first person narrative style but there was something in this writing; it was full of person’s emotions, helping the reader to understand the character, especially understanding Sarah, what she had gone through and all. And I think that’s what made Sarah so special all through the book, her depression and craziness and sadness and other thinking that she need help.
The characters were strongly made but none of them caught my individually. I rather love the couple in this story and that’s maybe because the love, emotions and bond the author put between the couples. Let it be Sarah and Thomas or Adam and Emily, I loved them and I was totally agreeing with them all the time which is really rare, me agreeing with characters.
The author was very very good in making reader feel exactly the way characters were feeling. I laughed a loud when they did, cried and laughed together and I think it was the first book that made me cry and laugh together on a happy occasion with Emily.
I thought that I knew how the book will end but as I progressed in my reading I got confused and gave up the idea and then it ended as I suppose it would but caught me complete off guard, Oh I just love when the author play these tricks with the readers.
Over all I loved the story and plot, though the character were not any special they all had a certain charm, especially Sarah. I’d definitely recommend this book to thise who love a ride of emotional roller coaster.

[Isabel Jolie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled on The Water is Wide by Natalie Banks without realizing it’s her debut novel. I finished the book in less than two days while on holiday. Banks weaves suspense and intrigue as chapters alternate between past and present. As the love story of Sarah and Thomas unfolds, we see her in the present, fourteen years after his death, a shell of the woman she once was. When she meets his doppelganger, old wounds reopen.

The character development pulls the reader in. Themes of love, suspense, and second chances are a draw, but for me, the underlying themes of redemption and familial love are the ones that have kept me thinking about this book days after I finished it.

Most of the story occurs in North Carolina, and as a NC native, I thought she also did a remarkable job with the description of our state. As a side note the heroine, Sarah, also happened to graduate the same year from the UNC Journalism school that I did. That never happens, right? Destiny. I’ll definitely be reading the remainder of Natalie Bank’s novels.

[Rachael Hevrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be so engrossed in a book that you become attached to a character you'll never know but feel as if you always did, is not a feeling I often feel when reading a novel. Natalie is so attentive to detail, especially with the relatable, authentic, humanity she creates in each of her characters.

Water is Wide is a novel that kept me locked in throughout the entire story with no "boring points" to patiently flip through. I'm thrilled to see what Natalie can accomplish in her future work. I'll be first in line for it all!

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I normally do not read romance novels, but purchased this title from the lovely author at a local wine tasting. I must admit that the plot had some neat twists and the characters were well developed. I like that she wrote from more than one character’s point of view. It has a lot of descriptions that refer to trendy styles and brand names, which I do care for. And I really didn’t like the main character. I thought she was weak and self absorbed. But, overall, the book held my attention enough that I read it in 2 sittings.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Avery was wrecked after she lost her husband Thomas in a tragic accident . One day, years later she runs across a gentlemen named Collin who could be husbands dobbleganger .

I'm not a romance reader kind of guy. Natalie banks managed to warm my heart with this debut novel. I was so entranced by the characters i just couldn't put the novel down until i was finished. And let me tell you, the ending was bloody brilliant
Everytime I thought I had an idea with how the story was going, I was wrong .
Truly an interesting read, and I definitely recommend it !

[Su's Reading Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing story with a touch of twist.. I enjoyed a lot reading this book.. this one differs from other typical love stories.. when you love your family you can do anything beyond the limit just to make sure that they are safe.. I love the plot ,I love the story and I love everything about this book. highly recommend..

[Mike He · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Water is Wide is a beautifully written romance novel with an interesting and unexpected ending. I would be interested in reading a sequel to Natalie Banks' story, how Sarah and Thomas would live together after all things that happened, and, especially how they would deal with the insurance claim secured after Thomas' "mysterious death."

[Horsecrazygirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Water is Wide is an amazing story about love, family and healing. It’s a story that will warm your heart and give you chills. I personally would recommend it for anybody! I couldn’t stop reading until I finished it and wished there was more!! Can’t wait for more by Natalie Banks!!

[Gemma Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read - Natalie has a talent for weaving characters together and creating a tantalising bond between the reader and story that makes you not want to put the book down.

A must read!

[Robbie Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read a book in a while. Started reading this book though and can’t keep my eyes off it! A great book from start to finish!

[Telma Rocha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Gripping Page Turner!

What if that someone closest to you died, and 14 years later you meet his identical lookalike and sparks fly once again. How would you react? What would you do?

I finished this one over the course of two days. The anticipation of needing to know the truth - is it really him the supposedly dead husband, or just someone who looks a lot like him - was keeping me from doing anything but read until the end, until I found out the truth for myself. This book will have you questioning time. Is 14 years really that long, long enough to forget someone you once loved more than life? Or is time measured differently - through our own emotions, our own ways of healing...only time will tell.

I really enjoyed the story, the characters, and all the drama that they brought to the book.

A great read!

[T. Rosado · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

This should have been a compelling domestic drama/mystery/thriller, but what was absorbing in the beginning chapters, lost steam shortly after and became muddled with extraneous and irrelevant side stories, as well as the unconvincing ending of the main story.

The Water is Wide had a potentially exciting premise, but some of the execution was wasn’t well thought out. There were uncharacteristic reactions, redundant dialogue, and foreshadowing that left little to the imagination.

This was the author's debut book. I read her most recent release a few months ago and can see a marked improvement regarding content editing.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

alright don't know if I liked the way it was written kinda basic... but the lot twist was like kinda good hahah

[Amanda Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not usually into romance novels, but this one had me hooked from the beginning. There was enough mystery to get me intrigued in the plot. Read this book in 3 days because I couldn't put it down and kept thinking about the characters when not reading it. Very well written and easy, relaxing read.

[Amy Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled across the blurb for The Water is Wide on Facebook and immediately looked it up. I won't lie, the cover didn't do much for me at the time but there was just something about it that kept calling to me. I finally got the opportunity to dive in and holy smokes, I didn't want it to end. When people tell you they start to slow down on their reading because a story is THAT GOOD and they don't want to reach the end, this is, in fact, what happened with me. The more I read, the more I wanted to push it away. And while I had to know how it ended, I kept wanting the story to go on and on forever.

The author sort of bounced back and forth with past and present scenes which were clearly recognizable at the beginning of the chapters. This style added depth to the story and to me, was exactly what was needed so that the reader got a full understanding of what was happening.

I instantly liked Sarah and Thomas. The way they met and fell in love, the few bumps in the road with her parents, the immense love they had for one another, Banks set the foundation for this story to grab hold of the reader and suck them in. When tragedy struck, I was literally on the edge of my seat. I couldn't believe such a model family deserved something so awful to happen to them.

The struggles that Sarah endured were real and heartbreaking. I hurt for her, for her sons, for her to find peace again. Who knew that years later, she'd run into someone that could put that spark back into her life again. The story surrounding Collin Young is brilliant and I almost felt like he was too good to be true.

Character development is critical in stories like this one and the author nailed it perfectly. Let me just say, for this to be a debut author, Natalie Banks created a beautiful masterpiece with The Water is Wide and I'm so glad I gave this story and this author a chance! It had everything--love, suspense, heartache, second-chance, intrigue. The author covered it all and done it well. Great job on this amazing story that is going to stay in the back of my mind for a long time. Five well-deserving stars!!