Rating: 
Summary: Won't leave you feeling blue
Review: Before I wrote my review, I wanted to see what others had to say and I was very disappointed in those that gave this book poor ratings. Fran gives us insight into the fear of the unknown, strength to persevere and courage to do what you have to do to survive again some really difficult odd. This book really opened my eyes to not just because of the content but because of the reality. We often times want the happy ending to all stories but that's not reality either is it? We walk around day after day and refuse to acknowledge that there are evil people doing brutal things to other. Because it does not affect our 'world' it seems like a bunch of fiction. However, this is not just fiction or words on a page...this is someone reality. I would recommend this novel to women and men, whether they are in a relationship such as this one or not. Someone else's 'testimony' can save lives. I would not want something like this to happen to my siblings or relative or friends or even aquaintances and in order to help stop this type of brutality is to educate one another. Take the blinders off! Other books I'd recommend: Bark of the Dogwood You Remind Me of Me Children's Corner by McCrae A Child Called it by Pelzer All are great, but buy B&B first for a really great reading experience.
Rating: 
Summary: A Lifetime Movie in book form
Review: Fran Benedetto has been married to a NYC cop for many years. Together they have a son together. And that's the only reason she claims she stays with her husband Bobby...because he beats her horribly. After one beating, she has decided she has had enough and with the help of a woman she met at her nursing job, she flees to Florida with her ten year old. She tries to start a new life, but she's always waiting for Bobby to find her. And that's what kept me reading. It wasn't exactly a great work of literature or anything, but it was a quick disposable read touching on a serious topic.
Rating:
Summary: Quindlen is right on point!
Review: Fran escapes a life with Bobby - her once-loving husband who began physically abusing Fran until she was so hurt that she decided it wasn't fair for her, and her son, Robert, to stay in Brooklyn. She leaves to set up a new life in florida provided by Patty Bancroft, who helps battered women using her very explicit insturctions of "dos" and "dont's" of what one does as they create a new identity. Fran Benedetto becomes Beth Crenshaw, and her son is Robert Chrenshaw. As the story unfolds softly, the reader is taken in by the people she meets and their family tragedies, which we all deal with at some point in our lives and "Fran" (or Beth) begins to see she is not the only one with heartbreaking hidden secrets. Each day Beth Creshnaw lives is like walking on eggshells, and the reader turns the pages quickly to see if anything will break as she works to reclaim her life.
Rating: 
Summary: I know I should give this a positive review .. but ...
Review: give me a break, what a short sighted and basically unlikable protaganist. I mean this girl, yes she may have suffered an abusive relationship, but, she looks down on the people that want to help her AND worst of all really expresses a doubt that when her son grows up and beats his wife, well, she won't really care since it's been done to her.
Some people interpret this as tragic, I interpret this as stupid, shallow and with no redeeming grace. I mean why write about her 'that bites the hand' that feeds her mentality... I have never read an Oprah's book club selection before ... well ... nuff said !
Rating: 
Summary: gripping!
Review: I have enjoyed Anna Quindlen's non-fiction for years, but prior to this I had not read any of her novels. I was not disappointed. This is the story of Fran, a woman who is escaping her abusive marriage with her young son. Fran, a nurse, feels that her husband's violence has escalated to the point where her life is in danger and because he is a police officer the justice system cannot help her. So instead she changes her name and with the assistance of an underground group, creates a new identity. The book is the best when taking about Fran's old life, her new best friend and new boyfriend, do not have the same feel of reality that the characters from her old life, such as the husband, the mother-in-law, and her sister, do. The back of the paperback edition also gave the reader strong hints as to what the ending would be, taking away some of the novel's supsense. On the whole, I like the book and it is my favorite so far of all of Oprah's selections.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the usual suspects . . .
Review: My first thought on reading the description of this book was, "Oh, no. Here we go again. Another 'Look at me, I hurt'" type of book. "Abused woman barely escapes." That type of thing. Boy was I wrong! Anna Quindlen has given us a rare look into the life of a victim with "Black and Blue." What might have turned into a made-for-TV-movie type of book in any other author's hands turns to gold in this riveting tale or abuse, dysfunction, and psychological horror. I also initially thought that making the main character's husband a cop was, well, a bit of a cop-out (sorry). But Quindlen manages to bring even this to a new level. This is just a great book and I highly recommend it. Would also recommend another wonderful (though disturbing) book that I recently came across. "The Bark of the Dogwood" by Jackson McCrae. Equally well written and on the same level as this one.
Rating:
Summary: Real Intensity
Review: This book is so intense and so real. No one truly understands what happens in an abusive relationship, except the one who is on the receiving end of the abuse. I could not put this book down, I was there with the character taking every slap and punch with her. This book is not for someone who is looking for the Disney Ending. If you're looking for a book that will not "pull the wool over your eyes" you've definately found it.
Rating:
Summary: domestic violence from a putlizer prize author
Review: this is a book written by a Pulizer prize winning journalist..translation: her writing is good of course, but you can tell she has not lived domestic violence, nor worked closely with DV programs; so is you want a fictional story of abuse with good writing, this is good. If you want a more realistic story with more emotional depth (not journalistic) from the characters, this is not it. I bought it immediately when it first came out years ago, and was dissapointed with the domestic violence content. I must still give it four stars for writing (3 1/2 isn't available
Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended.
Review: This is a fascinating, well-written book, but an intensely disturbing subject matter. I found it very hard to put down, the tension and suspense was rivitting.
The reader knows that eventually Bobby will find Fran/Beth and Robert. I found myself growing impatient with all the details and pages filling up the space until he does - in that respect, I felt the book would have been better had it been faster-paced, and a bit shorter.
I don't want to spoil the ending, so all I'll say is that I found it surprising and unsatisfying - I had trouble coming to terms with it, especially since I'm a sucker for happy endings. (A sequel would be nice to tie up the lose ends.) I also had trouble understanding Fran's continued lust and attraction towards Bobby after everything he did to her - it's like she never let go of wanting him even after she tried to move on. This made me wonder about her level of committment towards her second husband.
Still, though, it is a very good book! Very though-provoking, and one that stays with you long after you finish reading it.
Rating:
Summary: Reveals a life I'd like not to experience
Review: This was such a wonderful story about a subject that I have little knowledge, and one that I thought would be very disturbing, spousal abuse.
Frances Bennedetto, a nurse, is living with her husband, Bobby, a NYC cop, who has abused Frances since they dated. Bobby grows angrier as time goes on, and takes it out on his wife. Bobby, an undercover narcotics officer is angry at a lot of things, and Frances is only grateful that he has never hit her in front of their son, Robert. After 17 years Bobby delivers the blow that sends Frances packing. Knowing that Bobby will be able to find her, she and her son assume new identities and take up residence in FL.
The bulk of the book deals with the new life Beth, aka Frances, and Robert have established. It's a very sweet and compelling story in and of itself. You do keep waiting for Bobby to pop into the story, and just when it seems that Beth, aka Frances, has fully established herself in her new life, and Robert has adjusted well, Bobby does come back. The ending leaves enough unanswered questions to keep the story in your mind, but answers others that you'd hope would come true and is very fulfilling.
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