My word...I need a minute... DECEPTION is upon us all! Preconceptions have taken over! Lies have transformed truths. Sarah and Laura are butting heads and there can only be one winner, right?! Steve, Joe, Courtney, Jacob, Grant, or heck-Sherry..
Ok, Sheryl Browne - you get the crown for the day on this one!This book blew my doors in and took me hostage for the entire day. I'm not kidding!
I read this with so much intensity that I stumbled over myself and had to go back and re-read portions because I couldn't believe what I was reading.
First, let me just say I read the book titled, "The Whisper" and anyone who knows me knows I always save the best for last. A good book isn't always based on a cover, a premise, or even the writing but rather the journey.
In this case we have a book's journey that led us down this intricately detailed pathway landing us right in the heart of the most dangerous of situations.
Custody, support, divorce, and yes, the dreaded -step parenting- including co-parents.
What I loved about this book: EVERYTHING!
In fact, the closing author's notes really hit home for me and caused some triggers.
I have to be brutally honest: Sheryl Browne's words hit home. I'll quote it here: I think many of us tend to judge people by their appearance. Firstly, their physical appearance, the clothes they might wear. the 'self' they present to the world. We assess them by the way they speak, their mannerisms, their confidence or lack thereof. We make judgements based on information they might share about their life, their relationships, qualifications, career. If a person admits to being in an abusive relationship, would we perceive them as vulnerable? Would we think of them strong for ending that relationship? How would we judge a person who might withhold information precisely because they don't want to be judged? With suspicion, perhaps? Would we condemn our judgmental selves if we jumped to wrong conclusions? ...
Do our own preconceptions and life experiences come into play? As human beings, we send out so many complicated signals. Are we always reading body language and the signals a person is sending out correctly? If someone is hiding something, not making eye contact, is it because they are being deceitful, or are they simply shy or uncomfortable?
Go ahead, re-read that last sentence... I'll give you time.
As an abused woman, 47 years young, and single parent x 3 , of a spouse who repeated that abuse upon me, I stand here to tell you this is the first person in my 47 years that has figured it out.
When I was in court, the judges proclaimed me to be not credible and believable. I believe it's because of what Sheryl mentioned here.
People are so darn quick to rush to judgements, to feel as though they are qualified to make a diagnosis in a 5-10 minute first time connection. It's mind blowing that this continues today.
But I digress, we're in the midst of a nightmare as these couples battle it out for the sake of appearances and drama.
Who has Ollie's best interest in mind?
What is this overriding secret?
What about these invisible friends? Should we be concerned?
Can we ever get over the abuse? Will this cycle continue?
OMG!
For those who have never dealt this hand of cards let me remind you this is reality for many of us.
There's a reason I read this book slowly, meticulously, and carefully because I wanted to extract every bit of this situation.
Some people are inherently evil, callous, dark, and disturbing. Some parents will go to the end to protect their kids while others lack the skills to offer a child unconditional love, guidance, and support and instead infuse toxicity, hatred, vile, and anger.
Parents are supposed to protect not place their kids in harms way and sadly this story repeats.
Just when I thought I had this one wrapped up I found it sneaking off into another realm that even I missed.
For example, it starts off with a cat feud between these two women (the ex vs. the current gal) but then it slowly transforms into other avenues such as past childhood experiences, parental relationships, and even a horrific loss of a young man named Jacob who was a boy that was lost in all this mess.
Power, control, deceit, betrayal, lies...and more lies...You're not protecting when you lie, you're placing harm and yes, kids know all and tell all.
If I may be again brutally honest: I've never been more captivated by one book like I was with this one because the twists felt like the ladder that Steve supposedly fell from and it was brutal- bloodied-battered- and ultimately became defeated in the end.
Every time I crept up on the truth the rug was pulled out from underneath me. Over and over again.
Sheryl this is bloody brilliant!
Please do keep them coming...
Thank you to Sheryl Browne, the pub Bookouture, NetGalley, and Amazon Kindle for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
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