When Katie Wakes

I would call this a quick read, but definitely not a light one. How the author broke the cycle of abuse in her life with the help of the love of her dog, is inspiring. If you are a pet lover, you will totally understand her unconditional love of her dog and how the love of a pet can make you want better for yourself. It was interesting to see how Ms. Fowler would allow herself to be abused, but not ever allow her dog to be. The book explains well the psychology of an abused woman. I look forward to all her books.

Was a big fan of Remembering Blue, and this novel was equally as good. About a battered girlfriend struggling to escape her life with the help of her faithful companion, a labrador named Katie. This story comes with a happy ending, but not a cheesy one. Definitely worth reading.

I had to set this book aside several times because it was so painful to read. Connie May Fowler's story about her and her sister growing up as the daughters of an abusive alcoholic mother and their lives after their mother's death struck me as the most honest I have ever read. I could feel her hatred of living in an old travel trailer in Florida "like a blister...I wanted to pop it". Small details like her mother's purse having cockroaches in it are gritty and authentic. The girls had some relief from their situation early in childhood when they lived near the ocean. When the mother decided to move away from the sound of the waves, it almost seems deliberate, to eliminate any joy or hope from their lives. If anyone really wants to understand how it feels to grow up in poverty, they need to read this book. The details about eating beans, all the time, and the conditions in the apartment Connie and her mother moved into when Connie won a full scholarship to college all make me know that the author really experienced this. Her sister got married and got out, but starved herself of food even though she had escaped from her old life. Connie's mother died and Connie got a degree and was working as a bartender at Bennigan's, since an English degree is not as salable as an MBA. There she meets a washed-up radio personality who has burnt all of his bridges behind him. Connie's mother used to listen to his broadcast on the steps of the old travel trailer, and said if she were younger, she would marry that man. Connie, whose father died when she was young, thought she had found someone successful to guide and validate her. She fell for his con game and let him take over her life like a vampire. Connie's abuser was a textbook pathological narcissist. Jobless, impotent, and 30 years older than she, he found the perfect victim for his manipulation and bullying. I found myself actually crying out loud, "just leave him- run away". People who are successful and haven't been programed by their upbringing the way Connie was would have been able to leave as soon as the abuse began, but Connie's abuser was the exact mirror image of her mother. Before Connie's mother died in the hospital, she had to clean the hardened excrement off her mother. When Connie's new abuser drank while taking antabuse, she had to do the same for him. She was well trained for her role. The only love and success she knew was from a puppy named Katie she adopted and saved from the same poverty she had grown up with.

I have nothing but respect and gratitude for Ms. Fowler baring her soul to us and showing us what it truly means to triumph in the midst of so much pain and adversity. I, myself cannot imagine having to live through the horror that she has endured and then to want to relive it again by writing it, however, this book is a testament to her resilience. Connie Fowler's story may be difficult to swallow, harrowing to read, but ultimately it transcends all the violence and is so rewarding and courageous that it begs to be read and learned from. Connie May Fowler is a victim and ultimate survivor of alcoholism and domestic violence just as her Mother and Grandmother were before her. Despite her talents, education and past experiences, she finds herself trapped in the cycle of unspeakable violence and seemingly endless despair. She is drawn to a man who seems bent on destroying her both mentally and physically. That is, until she adopts a puppy that she names Kateland and the two of them develop a relationship the likes of which I have never experienced; they seem to draw strength from each other and actually live for each other and that is what Connie needs to begin to turn the corner and start living without fear. Ms. Fowler has a rare and wonderful gift for not only inspiring us but making us understand and for that I am grateful.

Connie is such a gifted author - I've read every single thing she's written and eagerly awaited this new novel. I wasn't even slightly disappointed. When Katie Wakes is a beautiful and poetic written presentation of Connie's experiences in living with and escaping from a violent man, woven around her history of being the daughter of a battered woman and a child abuse survivor. As you can well imagine, the book is filled with TRUTH. It is a survivors story written by someone with extraordinary writing ability. It's also just a GREAT READ - from beginning to end you feel your heart pounding right along with Connie and find yourself wanting to hug Katie and grab Mika. At the end you will rejoice with her and for her....