If you have an affinity for love affairs brimming with tempestuous intensity, then Closer by Jeffery Wiederkehr is certain to provide a profoundly captivating reading experience. With its scenic backdrop nestled in southern California’s beautiful desert, this tale delves into a profound exploration of yearning and the ultimate anguish of heartbreak. The characters, much like the landscape surrounding them, persistently seek profound and enduring nourishment in the realm of love, yet remain tragically “always and forever shattered.”

Through vivid imagery, intricate characterization, and bold sexual description, Wiederkehr builds a rich story of the complicated lives of his characters as they struggle with extremely real dilemmas. What transpires when the embers of affection for one’s spouse fade, replaced by an irresistible desire for a captivating and mysterious Other? Can one choose between true, passionate love and familial obligations, or does the heart relinquish such decisions? And what becomes of the lovers when their clandestine liaison inevitably reaches its bittersweet end?

In an era where many writers strive to cater to fleeting attention spans, it is truly refreshing to discover an author like Wiederkehr, who possesses a profound love for language and wields it with remarkable skill. Though some may find his prose occasionally bordering on the grandiose, it undeniably serves as a poignant vehicle for expressing the vast depths of the narrator’s emotions. For instance, one passage encapsulates the narrator’s turmoil vividly: “My hurt rips through the forest of my mind, leaving behind a trail of smoke and ash that suffocates me. I find myself immersed in visions of Bambi and Thumper, fleeing from my presence amidst an orchestrated cacophony of strings.” The scenes devoid of throbbing, burning, and dripping bodies occasionally feel somewhat secondary, seemingly existing solely to propel the plot toward the next passionate encounter. Even the depiction of seemingly mundane elements, such as the exterior of a house, brims with florid emotions, as the protagonist’s “gloveless hands unwittingly curse and taint the very grain of the wood.”

Closer by Jeffery Wiederkeh is well-written and adept at drawing a response from the reader. It describes the kind of depth of feeling for which every human yearns.

Pages: 299 | ASIN : B0C2W38XFZ