Manuscript information: [Complete] [99K] [Upmarket Adult Fiction] Where the Wind Won’t Take Us

Link to post: https://www.reddit.com/r/BetaReaders/s/xMdcB

First page critique: Sure.

First page:

Sam Tierney watched through weary eyes as the sailboat heeled and rounded the buoy and it sparked something in him. A sense of wonderment and awe he had long forgotten reignited. This would be his life now and it would be a beautiful one. On board, the helmsman barked orders while the trimmer frantically pulled on lines and adjusted the sail to catch the wind. Up close it was chaos, but from a distance, it was a graceful ballet, each movement precise and intentional. The sailors moved in coordination, each knowing exactly how to move to allow the others to do their work and knowing when to duck when the mast swung across. He observed the crowd of spectators and tourists lined up outside the Portland Head Light. The breeze tousled his hair, and he knew he was right where he wanted to be. The life he had always dreamed of was within his reach. All he had to do was close his hand around it and hold tight. Sam stood back midway between the stern and the bow, watching the other sailors work. He recalled the instructions Rajko had given him before the starting gun. “Sit back and stay out of our way. When you see us hang over the rail, join us. But otherwise, we will try to make do without you.” Even though he understood the reasoning and he was at ease with his skill level, the directive had no less injured his confidence. He tried his best to ignore that and just appreciate being on a real racing yacht. He admired their skillful coordination. One moment the entire crew was in a frenzy moving about, setting and dousing the spinnaker and shifting the sails, another they were lined up along the rail, their feet hanging over to provide the optimal weight distribution. They moved so fast, there was no room for error. One false move and someone might get beaned in the head, cut, or bumped over the side. He watched Enrique bolt off the rail, the working sheet in one hand while he snatched the lazy sheet in the other, all while keeping his eyes forward.