Select language, opens an overlay

Comment

Cdnbookworm
Feb 20, 2014Cdnbookworm rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This novel had a mesmerizing storyline that caught me and didn't let me go. I ended up reading this in just a few short hours. Jillian Kane is a successful architect, with a doting husband who loves to spend time with their two kids. But that is just how it looks on the surface. Her husband Gordon is a police officer with a controlling nature, where he is the one who calls the shots. He is charming and gregarious, but behind closed doors he uses his physical strength and threats to control her behaviour. Jillian longs to break free as she fears she will be killed if she doesn't, but she fears what he will do to the children. As she tries to make a break for it, his manipulations work only too well and she looks like the one in the wrong. As his threats escalate and she realizes what he is capable of, she takes a chance and makes a run for it with the kids. But without a plan or money, how can she make a go of it. Jillian finds support where she didn't expect it, and realizes a hidden strength in herself that pushes her forward in her fight to live her own life without fear and in her children's best interests. But even then, she will need to be smart and careful and even then there are no guarantees. This is an interesting look at appearances and manipulative behaviour, and grew from an experience the author had with a friend who claimed to be abused by her husband. She began to wonder what someone who knew a woman really well could make others believe by using her weaknesses and taking advantage of social expectations.