Review
by Deb Czajkowski
For the past ten years, Mary Morrissey has been living a
lie. If she were truly honest with
herself, the previous ten years had been a lie as well. To be fair, over the
course of the first decade she was only lying to herself. For the second
decade, she has been lying to her husband.
Lying by omission, lying because she is afraid her secret will destroy
her perfect life, shattering the life of her dreams.
Mary was nineteen when she first met the charismatic Landon James,
a young attorney with great political aspirations and an admitted personal
commitment phobia. Still, he quickly became Mary’s addiction, rendering her
incapable of resisting his charms and the intermittent presence in her life,
holding Mary hostage for ten years−and beyond.
Then, when Mary was twenty-nine, she met Tom who, after only
three months of dating, asked Mary to marry him. And so began the life of her
dreams: a loving husband who is committed to her, followed by the births of two
daughters and twin sons. Finally, a happily-ever-after for Mary? Not exactly.
Mary has a secret, one that has tormented her for the past
ten years, one huge enough to blow her happy world apart. During each of Landon
James’ political campaigns, Mary has held her breath, waiting, watching,
wondering. Just as Mary finally thinks
she’s home free, that her secret will remain hidden, the damning truth is
suddenly brought to light. And the fall-out is every bit as devastating as Mary
feared.
To err may be human and to forgive may be divine, but does
that apply to a ten year cover-up of betrayal and heart-break? Is forgiveness possible when the hurt is so
personal, so deep? Will this
far-reaching revelation destroy forever Mary’s family, her dream? Can addiction
be conquered or will that hold remain eternally to taunt and tempt?
Are you obsessed with washing your hands? (Maybe a little.)
Are your cupboards stocked with a six-month supply of food? (I’ll admit to
three months.) Do you frequently have to feed your need to read?
(Definitely!) Addictions? Maybe. But generally
speaking, most people would probably consider such behaviors to be pretty
harmless.
Serious addiction is certainly front and center in author
Jennifer Handford’s book, Acts of
Contrition, primarily the extensive effects of Mary’s addiction to
Landon. Alcoholism, the Morrissey curse,
is also given weight. Unless you have personally seen the costs of addiction,
it’s often hard to comprehend its reality. In Acts of Contrition, Jennifer Handford honestly and convincingly
illustrates that fierce and sometimes brutal pull. But she also beautifully couches her story
with abiding faith, family love and loyalty, and unfathomable forgiveness.
While Acts of Contrition
is not a light-hearted story, actually painful at times in its realism and rawness,
I highly recommend this incredibly well written book. If you cannot relate to Jennifer Handford’s
characters and their issues, then you can count your blessings. And that alone is worth this read.
Purchase the book at:
About the Author:
Jennifer
Handford is the author of Daughters for a Time, an acclaimed novel that has
sold more than 100,000 copies. People Magazine hailed it, "A wrenching,
resonant debut about infertility, cancer and adoption. Grab your hankies."
In 2010, Jennifer was one of three first-place finalists in the Amazon
Breakthrough Novel Award contest. Jennifer is currently teaching writing at
American University. Her second novel, Acts of Contrition, was published in
April 2014.
Connect with the author at: