Trade paperback. After reading, I am offering this one to GorgeousGlo to continue her stalled bookray/ring.

Welcome back to the Black and Blue Bookray! Please see the following link for details on this previously stalled ray: Black and Blue Bookray by GorgeousGlo

As always, another great choice of book by GorgeousGlo - I believe we have the same tastes in books! This one was definitely a page turner, especially at the end although I absolutely hated the way it ended because at that point, I had become so attached to the characters I had to keep telling myself that it was FICTION, just FICTION. LOL! That said, I know that there are real women out in the world dealing with the real problem of domestic abuse so it could very well have been a true story. Ms. Quindlen's characters are well developed and easy to fall in love with, or dislike, whichever the case may be. The only real problem I had while reading this book was the fact that the main character (this book is written in the first person style) tends to jump right into flashing back to her previous life without any warning. At times the story felt disconnected or jerky in parts.

I am mailing this one on to LyekkaMarengo on my next bi-weekly mail run (approximately 10th). Queensknob asked to be skipped.

Mailed March 9th. Enjoy!

03/12/2006 Arrived safe and sound in PA yesterday. I have 1 1/2 books before this one.

Although the content matter was very disturbing this was a compelling read. The characters were well drawn and you seemed to understand them even if you thought you would never let yourself be in that situation. I think that is the hardest thing about abuse, although you thing you would never let yourself be in that position, it is impossible to say. Thanks for the ring

Mailed on to purplerosebud in the UK .

Thanks for this book which arrived today. I do have a couple of books in front to read but I'm glad the bookray got up and running again!

An excellent read! As others have said it is so well written that you believe the story is real and not fiction because we all know that situations like this do happen. I'm not sure what I feel about the ending but I found it difficult to put down as I couldn't wait to find out what happened. I'm very glad this bookring got up and running again as it is well worth reading.

I will be sending it on it its travels very soon.

18.5.2006 I received the book by mail from purplerosebud, thank you! I have a few other bookrings before this plus I recently moved, so it might take a little while before I get around reading this one. Sorry in advance.

20.3.2010 Wow, it took a while before I got around reading this book! I really, really like Quindlen's writing style. Even though the subject was really sad. Quindlen had been able to write the story as if it was no fiction. It certainly was an intense story right from the beginning and you kept turning pages hoping for the best, but fearing for the worst. The end wasn't like I expected - either really happy or really sad one. I guess that makes the story even more real, more like the life really is.

Oh, my! I'm overwhelmed that you would send this all the way from Finland. Thank you so much, my BCer friend!

It's not likely I'll have time to read this any time soon. Sending it along as a trade with another BCer.

Thanks, valpete!