Against My Will Book Barrage and Review

Today I host Ben Berkley on my Blog. Never heard of him before this Review and hope it will not be the last. 

It was truly a honor to read his Novel 

'Against my Will'. 

Written with sensitivity and compassion.

Title: Against my Will

by Benjamin Berkley

Published: Frederick Fell

Pages: 247

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Woman's Fcition

Buy Links

Amazon

All information was gathered from Amazon and Goodreads

Blurb

Rose is a young girl and has just been liberated from a Nazi death camp. As she is convalescing in the hospital, a nurse hands her a journal and suggests that she records her experience before she forgets. Rose says that she will "never forget." 70 years later, her grand -daughter Danielle discovers the journal entries. Danielle is struggling in an abusive relationship. And the two lives intersect. This is the story of survival, self- discovery, justice, and ultimately about love.

ABOUT AUTHOR BENJAMIN BERKLEY

Growing up in Long Beach, NY, young Ben Berkley was fascinated by daily black-and-white re-runs of the TV lawyer show Perry Mason. After getting a B.A. in Speech and Hearing from Adelphi University in Garden City, NY, Berkley earned his law degree from Western State University in Fullerton, CA. For the past 34 years he has conducted a busy general practice which includes divorce, estate planning, family law, social security disability appeals and bankruptcy. His books include Before You Say I Do Again, A Buyer's Beware Guide to Remarriage; My Wishes: Your Plan for Organizing and Communicating Your Family's Needs; The Complete Executor's Guide and Winning Your Social Security Disability Case. His debut novel, Against My Will, was published in September, 2012. He also writes a blog for the Huffington Post.

My 5 Star Review

The book begins and ends with a wedding. But in between the two ceremonies lives were lived filled with trails, growth and maturity.

I truly enjoyed this book as it captivated you and held your attention through out the struggles of two women as well as several others. Mixed together to give you a broad perspective of the issue at hand. So sincere and heart warming as you get to know them in their daily lives. Filled with love and loving care for every one around them.

Rose and Danielle, grandmother and granddaughter sharing similar experiences but under different times.

Danielle is a young Jewish woman, just passed the Bar exam of New York. Standing on her own legs but still under the thump of her father who thought he knew best. Forcing her into marriage with Jacob, a man she never loved. Raping her at the end and she left for Los Angeles. Rebuilding her life one day at a time. 

Rose which as a young girl of six ended up in the concentration camp in Austria, separated from her family and raped by the commandant of the camp. Irene a young woman who took her under her wing but at the end was parted when her role in feeding the Jewish people was discovered. Parting them for life but never out of mind.

Irene's impact into Rose life vibrating throughout her life time pouring over Danielle's live in a continuous thread. 

Leaving us with two quotes and a song I felt to add in my review.

"Save a life. Seed a generation"

"Give while your hands are warm"

The story is set in three parts so that you could get a clear picture of every woman involved as time passed. Never boring you with to much information as told in a continuous flowing story. Well written with a important message until the end. Filled with compassion and a sincere heart, not over dramatize it that it fills you with bitterness, but rather with empathy for all characters involved.

The story begins with Danielle, a strong woman that could take care of herself but at the end had to bow her knee at her father's wants, following traditions but at the end she had to take the ultimate step and walk away from an emotional abusive marriage that ends with a rape. Getting on a train that would set her life in a new direction and meeting Cliff Warner. Compassionate and much in love with Danielle.

As she grow through her To do List we see how she made way for herself, making the decisions to change everything about her in a good way. Living on her own, getting a pet, her own battles against weight issues and falling in love with this sweet man, Cliff.

Her healing so swift that when Julia Ribbons marital rape file was handed over to her, she could handle it with tenacity as she fight for this woman that was willing to go through all the public scrutiny and a counselor steam rolling over Danielle standing up for what is right and win the case. The detailed court case taking you into the heart of the courtroom to experience the anguish and sweet victory. 

But what stood out the most was the meeting with Irene at the age of 100 saying thank you for her unselfish attempts to safe her Nana, receiving the biggest gift that was a silver thread throughout this wonderful book.

A truly heart felt book I can recommend to all Woman's Fiction Readers.

"Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika

Tumbala, Tumbala, Tumbalalaika

Tumbalalaika, shpil balalaika

Tumbalalaika freylekh zol zayn"

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for a chance to win a copy of this great book.

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