Cheryl Goldman is a stay-at-home mother of two: a boy, and a girl. Her husband, Kevin, is a successful businessman who owns his own marketing firm. From the outside, all looks perfect. Too perfect, perhaps. When we scratch the surface, we find Cheryl wearing too much makeup on some days and rather overlarge shades that make her look every bit the fierce diva. Yet, she's not.
Cheryl allows the unthinkable to happen more and more in her life. Her children watch her. Her BFF watches her. Her parents watch her. Yet, no one steps in...not even Cheryl speaks up for herself. Her daughter is disgusted. Her son is angry at both of his parents. Her father knows Cheryl's not trying to make any waves. Cheryl's mother? Thinks the world rises and sets on Kevin.
Will Cheryl wake up and realize she shouldn't be the object of abuse because someone else is having a rough go of it? Will her children forgive her? Or, simply walk away from it all?
Go behind the scenes of this upper middle-class African-American successful family and see how the foundation of things was set and how it all slowly unraveled.
I'll be honest. This book was difficult to read. Not because it wasn't well written. In fact it is well written. But it is a hard-hitting story about domestic violence in a supposedly lovely middle-class family. It was realistic and a little too raw at times.
From the first page we see the abuse going on and you have to wonder why this forty year old woman chooses to live with a man who abuses her in such a manner. Then we go back ten years and see the way their marriage and relationship begins the slippery slide into a horrible state. And then we begin to understand.
Does this book explain why some women stay in abusive relationships. Not totally. But you empathise with Cheryl right from the first page and you root for her and yell and pray that she will wake up and get out before it gets too late.
You probably want to know, is there a happy ever after for Cheryl? Not exactly but there is light at the end of the tunnel and there is a sequel which I haven't read yet but I'm hoping that Cheryl finally knows what it is to be loved by a good man.
If you enjoy women's or contemporary fiction then you should definitely check this out.
*Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by
She has recently embarked on an additional career as a
radio talk show host on WLVS Radio: Radio You Can Watch. She
has become one of their leading hostesses.
When B. Swangin Webster isn't writing, you can find
her reading one of her 300+ novels. Or, taking cooking classes.
When she isn't doing either of the above, you will find her at
grandchildren's football games, or watching her favorite football team: The
Dallas Cowboys (who, unfortunately, are not playing in the SuperBowl).
A key factoid to note.
B. Swagin Webster loves shoes that are 5” high, or taller. She wears a smokin’ hot pair each and every
day!
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Thank you for allowing me to stop by and for reading and reviewing my novel. I hope to see some of you on my travels around the 'world'
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