Thursday, October 25, 2012

You Don't Know Me by Susan May Warren

About the Book
To everyone who knows her, Annalise Decker is a model wife and mother. She’s a permanent member of the PTA, never misses her kids’ sporting events, and is constantly campaigning for her husband’s mayoral race.
No one knows that Annalise was once Deidre O’Reilly, a troubled young woman whose testimony put a dangerous criminal behind bars. Relocated through the Witness Security Program to the sleepy town of Deep Haven, Deidre got a new identity and a fresh start, which began when she fell in love with local real estate agent Nathan Decker. Twenty years later, Annalise couldn’t be more unprepared for her past to catch up with her. When Agent Frank Harrison arrives with news that the man she testified against is out on bail and out for revenge, Annalise is forced to face the consequences of her secrets. Will she run again, or will she finally find the grace to trust those she loves most with both her past and her future?

My Thoughts
Anyone who hangs around this blog at all, probably knows that I am a HUGE Susan May Warren fan, so needless to say this book was pre-ordered ages ago. But then it came and I had a bunch of books I needed to get done so I had to put this one on hold. But last week I finally had the time (during a road trip) to dive into this book, and boy, was it AMAZING!!! I always know I'll love a Susan May Warren book, but this one went beyond my expectations!
For starters the Witness Protection angle was sheer genius! I haven't read any book like this one and it was so cool. I loved how the story started from Deirdre/Annalise's mom's POV. I have never really thought of how the family of a person in WitSec would feel, but SMW made your heart break for the mother. And from then on you were riding an emotional roller coaster. The entire book I felt like someone was squeezing my insides whether it was from fear, anger, love, confusion, sorrow, or happiness.
I really loved how well the message of grace was portrayed throughout the story. Especially how the author showed both God's grace and the human kind.
I'm not going to say anymore-so I can avoid spoilers-except that I really enjoyed this look at something that was somewhat unknown to me. And now that I have had a glimpse into this heartbreak  many people in America go through all the time I will not be able to be calloused to it anymore.
P.S. I love the cover!

About the Author
From Amazon:
"Growing up in Minneapolis and attending the U of MN, I learned to love city life, although I'm a woodsy girl at heart. Or maybe I'm an adventurer -- having lived and traveled all over the world, including Siberia Russia as a missionary for eight years. Probably that's why my characters can't sit still, and seem to get into one scrape after another -- they're too much like me! I love God, my family, my country, my church, and feel privileged every day to be able to write stories, that I hope inspire and entertain!"


2 comments:

SusieMay said...

Wow, your review really blew my socks off and blessed me! Thank you Abbi!!

Abbi Hart said...

@SusieMay-No problem! It's all true! Thank you for stopping by!

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