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sk24's review against another edition
3.0
2.5/5 stars
This book surprised me. I knew generally what it was about, but the twisted way in which Joe abused Alice surprised me. It was horrifying to read about and to realize that people actually go through such things.
I found the story to be interesting and I appreciate Alice sharing her story with the world. However, I found it to drag in parts (especially near the end) and I just wasn’t fully captivated by it. I know that she’s not a professional writer, but she did have help from an established writer, so I feel I can judge this like I do any other book. There were also several editorial errors throughout the book, which always irks me, especially when it has gone through a publishing house.
While I connected with Alice and sympathized with her, I was disappointed with the execution of the story.
This book surprised me. I knew generally what it was about, but the twisted way in which Joe abused Alice surprised me. It was horrifying to read about and to realize that people actually go through such things.
I found the story to be interesting and I appreciate Alice sharing her story with the world. However, I found it to drag in parts (especially near the end) and I just wasn’t fully captivated by it. I know that she’s not a professional writer, but she did have help from an established writer, so I feel I can judge this like I do any other book. There were also several editorial errors throughout the book, which always irks me, especially when it has gone through a publishing house.
While I connected with Alice and sympathized with her, I was disappointed with the execution of the story.
maccymacd's review
3.0
I finished this book in just over one sitting. How horrendous. What an excruciating experience for this poor girl.
Alice has a fantastic job in an art gallery when she is introduced to one of the Senior executives there, named Joe. Recovering from a sticky breakup, Alice is flattered when Joe invites here out for a drink one night. Within a very short space of time the pair are living together and everything is blissful. That is, until Alice leaves her phone unlocked one day, and Joe finds out that before they met, Alice had an affair with a married man. All hell breaks loose. Joe is abusive, manipulative, psychopathic and just pure evil. He abuses Alice over an over again, forcing her to keep apologising for what happened before they met. He makes her do horrible things, such as shout in a full restaurant that she is a wh*re, get on a train to her parents house, then calls her back again just as she reaches there, as well as making her throw away all her jeans because she wore a pair when she started seeing the married man. By the time Alice's family and friends have a rough idea what is going on, they can't do anything, because Alice is not in a position to help herself. A really horrible and upsetting account of domestic and mental abuse by a pathetic speciman that calls himself a man. So glad that Alice was able to get her life back together at the end.
Alice has a fantastic job in an art gallery when she is introduced to one of the Senior executives there, named Joe. Recovering from a sticky breakup, Alice is flattered when Joe invites here out for a drink one night. Within a very short space of time the pair are living together and everything is blissful. That is, until Alice leaves her phone unlocked one day, and Joe finds out that before they met, Alice had an affair with a married man. All hell breaks loose. Joe is abusive, manipulative, psychopathic and just pure evil. He abuses Alice over an over again, forcing her to keep apologising for what happened before they met. He makes her do horrible things, such as shout in a full restaurant that she is a wh*re, get on a train to her parents house, then calls her back again just as she reaches there, as well as making her throw away all her jeans because she wore a pair when she started seeing the married man. By the time Alice's family and friends have a rough idea what is going on, they can't do anything, because Alice is not in a position to help herself. A really horrible and upsetting account of domestic and mental abuse by a pathetic speciman that calls himself a man. So glad that Alice was able to get her life back together at the end.
danireads1225's review
4.0
This book was so well written. It's a true story but the way it's written flows so well.
The story itself broke my heart. This poor girl went thru so much and was so brain wanted by her supposed boyfriend. Her family and friends kept trying to reach out, seeing what he was doing to her. The sad thing is they only saw the emotional and financial parts.
Great read, but if domestic abuse is a trigger for you, please don't read it.
The story itself broke my heart. This poor girl went thru so much and was so brain wanted by her supposed boyfriend. Her family and friends kept trying to reach out, seeing what he was doing to her. The sad thing is they only saw the emotional and financial parts.
Great read, but if domestic abuse is a trigger for you, please don't read it.
mftaylor's review against another edition
1.0
First of all, I know this book is based on a true story and what this woman went through is unimaginable but the book itself wasn't for me. I found it repetitive, I was getting upset with both characters way too often (him for what he did and her for staying for so long), and then the ending wasn't as I had imagined or hoped. It was a book that I couldn't wait to finish, but not in a good way.
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