The Wright Mistake by K.A. Linde

One of the things I look for in a story are characters who demonstrate growth as the story progresses and Julia and Austin were prime examples. Austin Wright is an alcoholic who fails to recognise the negative impact his addiction on his life.  Everyone around him knew of his addiction, but what they did not know was he drank to help alleviate his pain and guilt over a tragedy from his past. Alcohol was his crutch, and it was the only that seems to help him get through each day.

His actions, when drunk bordered on frustrating and immature, however when sober I saw a man who felt things deeply and who was thoughtful and caring. The struggles he faced with his addiction was heart breaking.  When he finally acknowledged that he had a serious problem, (This was after an embarrassing situation) I was a happy camper. That situation was the catalyst that opened his eyes to the self-destructive path he was travelling. His pain and fears were palpable and watching daily struggles was truly an emotional journey.

Julia Banner is the head of human resources for Wright Construction.  She has a thing for bad guys, therefore it was no surprise when she fell for Austin Wright.  She was running from something/someone but she would learn that no matter how far she ran she could not outrun her past.  What/who she was running from was made clearer as the story evolved. This revelation made me realise why she refused to sit by and allow Austin’s bad choices destroy her. She is a strong woman, but at times feelings of inferiority would surface. Her experiences played a significant role where this was concerned.

Austin and Julia’s relationship did not travel on an easy path.  Their journey towards their happily ever after was riddled with disappointments, pain, heartache and mistrust. Everything they went through was so real that I had no problem relating to them. Julia was the one person who made Austin feel alive, and he believed that as long as she was around he would not need to drink. Foolish thinking.

The Wright Mistake is a well-written story that deals with the issues of addiction and the effects it have on the addict and the people who love them. It demonstrated the destructive path that addicts follow and the consequences that arise as a result.  The story highlighted that acknowledgement of the problem is the first step to the healing process and that the addict needs to realise that it all starts with him/her.   I saw first-hand how weak addiction makes you and how your enemies uses your weakness against you.

Although the focus of the story was on Austin’s addiction and the effects it had on his relationship with Julia, there were other issues taking place. These issues added to the emotional aspects of the story and played a role in making this story riveting and entertaining.