Stepmother - Pub Week Review & Giveaway

Stepmother tells the story of Marianne Lile, who met a man, fell in love, got married, and arrived home from the honeymoon with a new label: stepmom. It was a role she initially embraced—but she quickly discovered she was alone in a difficult situation, with no handbook and no mentor. Here, Lile describes the complexities of the stepmom position, in a family and in the community, and shares her experience wearing a tag that is often misunderstood and weighed down by the numerous myths in society. Candid and poignant, Stepmother is a story of love and like, resentments and exasperation, resignation and hope—and a story, ultimately, of family.

Did you ever read a book and think … I swear this book was written about me!  Marianne couldn’t have portrayed my life better if I was the main character of the story.  Finally, a book that I can TOTALLY relate to!  Let’s be honest, being a stepparent isn’t as rosy and sunny as the Brady’s made it out to be.  Don’t get me wrong, it can be at times, but there is a whole other side to blended families.  And to hear Marianne’s portrayal of it was not only spot on, but it was honest and refreshing. 

Thirteen years ago I married my husband.  He had two children from a previous marriage, as did I.  For the most part we all got along, but there were times when it was a struggle.  We all want to think that all rules apply to everyone, regardless of if it’s your biological child or step-child.  (And, speaking of the word step, it’s one that I’ve tried to keep out of my vocabulary.  To me, it was just another way to isolate.)  But, for us, there were times when I would think a child should be treated a certain way and he would think differently … and vice versa.  It’s times like these where we would like to be PC and say we will parent the children the same.  But the reality was, the biological parent had the final say in how the biological child got treated.  End of story.   

Marianne tells her thoughts on being a stepparent, being thrown into a whole other family, and how she dealt with it.  She writes in such a way that, even if you aren’t a stepparent, you still feel like you can relate to what she’s been through; or know someone who can!

Purchase the book at:

Amazon

About the author:

I’m a mom, stepmom, and now an author at She Writes Press.

I am also a graduate of Colorado College and in a former life worked as a lobbyist for health related interests in Washington D.C. and Olympia, WA.  I put political issues aside to raise kids – my husband’s and our own.  The culmination of that 20 year plus “project” resulted in a memoir, Stepmother.

You can often find me in my Seattle neighborhood walking our 120 pound Bernese Mountain dog and our 13 pound Lapso Apso mix.

Connect with the author at:

Website * Facebook * Twitter

BookSparks is giving one lucky

Winner a print copy of

Stepmother by Marianne Lile

a Rafflecopter giveaway