Monday, August 29, 2011

LOST EDENS: A REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

  GIVEAWAY ENDED
LOST EDENS
BY JAMIE PATTERSON

ABOUT THE BOOK:
For Jamie Patterson, the end of her marriage is signaled by betrayal and abandonment. When estranged husband Ben asks to live with Jamie again, she ignores her instincts, her family's concern, and her friends' doubts and sets about making a perfect home in a California beach town.

What follows in 33-year-old Patterson's debut reads more like a mystery (or a horror story) than an account of a relationship ruptured by infidelity. As Jamie's carefully titrated efforts walk a tightrope between wishful fantasy and cruel reality, we watch: enraptured, enraged, and endeared by this fearless yet fragile young woman who must end one way of life to forge a new one.

"Lost Edens" from Flight Creative Media on Vimeo.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jamie Patterson is a writer, teacher, runner, and dog owner who has been writing since she was 9-years-old as the "kids corner" reporter for the Tangletown News in Minneapolis. Since then, she has written her way through life in four states and two continents and has completed four marathons. She is now an academic editor and lives in Minneapolis with her dog, Huey. This is her first book.

MY REVIEW:
Jamie Patterson’s LOST EDENS is a true story drawn from Jamie’s personal experience of the break up of her marriage and one that many people would benefit from reading. Besides being a writer, Patterson is also a teacher, runner, and a dog lover. She spent almost a decade trying to please everybody and always putting herself last. Jamie describes how very much she wanted her marriage to work and the great lengths she went to in order to make it happen. What she didn’t realize at the time is that no matter how desperate she was, or what all she did, there would never ultimately be the fairy tale marriage she dreamed of.

Domestic violence and spousal abuse is very difficult to read about but even harder to recognize by outsiders and most often by the partner who is involved and in denial. In all of Jamie’s efforts to please her husband, it becomes evident to readers that the undercurrent of low self-esteem is prevalent even though Jamie is not aware of it. As most do, she took the blame on herself but emotional and verbal abuse can be harder to acknowledge than even physical abuse.  The cost of such a relationship is devastating. In Jamie’s case, she had separated from her husband for a while but when he asked if he could come back, classic to this type of abuse, Jamie ignored family warnings and her own deep seeded denial. Jamie once again believes that making a perfect home in a lovely beach town will enable the couple to make things work this time. What happens after this is eye-opening to readers and Jamie alike as reality hits home in more ways than one. From Jamie’s point of view, it took a long time for her to find herself and that was only after her husband was gone. I found myself very relieved at the end of the book but wondered what inner scars might Jamie still have left to deal with.

Jamie Patterson is a fine writer and she has courageously shared her story. It is one that demonstrates how emotional abuse can eat away at one’s spirit until they finally break. It is so hard to recognize but looking back, easy to now see how manipulative the other party can be. When Jamie finally came to terms with the fact that her life was centered on her husband, it was a very important step in her recovery. This is a book that anyone who is in such a deadly relationship, or knows someone who is, should read. Even if you are not, it is a fascinating story and one that leaves you thinking long and hard about the inner selves of people we think we know but perhaps do not, including one’s self.
 
GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO STEPHANIE, LITERARY PUBLICIST 
AND FRIEND, I WAS ABLE TO GET HOLD OF A
GALLEY OF THIS BOOK AND NOW AM PASSING
ALONG ONE COPY TO A VERY LUCKY READER!
 
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!


HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY:
COMMENT ON WHAT YOU READ ABOVE AND SIMPLY TELL ME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND WHY YOU WOULD LIKE A CHANCE TO WIN THIS BOOK

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK AND LEAVE A LINK THAT I CAN FOLLOW 

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON A CURRENT GIVEAWAY OF MINE THAT YOU HAVE ENTERED. IF YOU COMMENT SEPARATELY ON EACH YOU HAVE ENTERED, YOU WILL EARN AN ENTRY FOR EACH ONE

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FIND INTERESTING ABOUT THIS AUTHOR, JAMIE PATTERSON, BY CHECKING OUT HER WEBSITE HERE
GIVEAWAY ENDS 
6 PM, EST, SEPTEMBER 15
 GOOD LUCK!

131 comments:

Amy (ArtsyBookishGal) said...

This book sounds intriguing because it's a memoir, and it sounds like it's a well-written one at that. I'm always interested in books on divorce...probably because I'm trying to make sense of the break up of my parents' marriage.

Amy // amyismyfriend at aol dot com

Amy (ArtsyBookishGal) said...

Tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/ArtsyBookishGal/status/108033395916939264

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Amy (ArtsyBookishGal) said...

I learned that she has a very adorable little girl named Siena and lives in Minnesota!

Amy // amyismyfriend at aol dot com

Amy (ArtsyBookishGal) said...

1 AUGUST FACEBOOK

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heavenisabookstore said...

Sounds like a tough thing to live through, let alone write about. Looking forward to reading.
heavenisabookstore@gmail.com

lag123 said...

This book sounds very touching. I am sure that many will benefit from reading this

lag110 at mchsi dot com

debbie said...

I have known many woman who have lived through this. The most dangerous time for a battered woman, is actually after they leave their abusers.
I would like to see what gave her the strength to leave her husband.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

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Unknown said...

I love reading true stories.I love to know what happened when her husband moved back in. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

holdenj said...

Jamie's posts on her website about Minnesota Nice and the State Fair are perfect!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

This sounds like a very thought provoking story.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Margie said...

This sounds like a very difficult book to read, even though I don't know anybody who has gone through this. I am interesting in knowing how she healed after this ordeal. Thanks for the giveaway.
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Margie said...

I was interested in the author's comments about her preparation for the Twin Cioties Marathon.
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petite said...

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Pamela Keener said...

Unfortunately I know and can understand Jamie's situation because I too have lived it.
I would love to read this book.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

ann said...

Sounds like a great read for me. Many I know have gone thru similar situations to.

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ann said...

She has a little girl whose name is Siena

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ann said...

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Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/108263765614669825

(\___/)
(='.'=)
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alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

Reading about spousal abuse is one thing in fiction but totally horrifying as a memoir. Not sure if I would be able to read it.

(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
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bison61 said...

a true story drawn from Jamie’s personal experience-wow, I want to read this book

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

Linda Kish said...

I think it is very brave for Jamie to write her story. I hope it helps others. I would like to read it and share in her healing.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I enjoyed the Grammar Battles on her website.

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Jolee said...

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mamabunny13 said...

Sounds interesting.
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Misusedinnocence said...

I am always looking to read more Minnesota authors and this sounds like a really good book.

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Nancye said...

I would like to win this book because it sounds very interesting because it is based on the author's real life experiences.

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Nancye said...

After visiting Jamie Patterson's web site I learned that she has lived in "four states and two continents and has completed four marathons."

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