by Darlene Winston is a beautiful story that follows one woman’s fight for her marriage despite the machinations of an interfering mother-in-law. The idyllic marriage between two successful professionals is threatened by the husband’s scheming mother and their trust in and rapport with each other is sorely tested by the challenges which alter the dynamics of their family. Their young children are caught in the conflict and may be the biggest losers in the tug of war between a wife and her husband’s mother. Will faith be enough to save the marriage or will the ‘other woman’ succeed in her goal to destroy the relationship?
This lovely romance showcases the challenges faced by a strong professional woman who must fight against her husband’s conditioned response to his mother who objects to the relationship. I enjoyed the portrayal of the close and supportive relationships within the respective families even as I sympathized with the heroine’s difficult situation with her mother-in-law (that I fear is familiar to many wives). I was a little disturbed by the length of time that the resolution took despite the realism of the situation but I think that the author does a wonderful job of displaying the emotionalism inherent in the various conflicts that epitomize the issues that result from judgemental family members. This heartwarming story is a tribute to the power of faith and the importance of understanding underlying motivations before making judgements.
Fortunately, my relationship with my own mother-in-law is not at this stage but I certainly could recognize certain elements which are probably familiar to women everywhere who must deal with the close relationship that some men have with their moms. I recognize that the very patterns of accommodation and spoiling that were formed in this early relationship are what benefit me when my hubby does things to cherish and spoil me (no, you don't hear me complaining about that, lol). Naturally, there is a bit of jealousy when a new woman comes into his life...and yes, I had my fair share of (and occasionally still do) tug-of-wars for his attention as we worked out the parameters of our relationship. Ms Winston does a beautiful job of portraying the various elements that go into making a successful marriage flourish and the strains that can be exerted by the juggling act of balancing work, family and personal desires. I am not usually a fan of women's fiction stories but I thought this was a very enjoyable story filled with a positive message.
I had the privilege of editing this story which has been reworked and re-released and I thank the author for allowing me to learn more about honing her craft as we worked together.
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Don't forget, cozy mystery author Duffy Brown has a giveaway and a fun post on both this blog (link) and on the blog, Reviews By Crystal (link).
Oooo this does sound like a good read. I myself have never had to experience the mother-in-law issues but I have seen others go through different situations.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the story itself, I thought it was an enjoyable read that I could really relate to. And, you are lucky if you haven't butted heads with your MIL!
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