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Mo Dearbadande: My Butterfly
***Warning*** This book contains intense scenes of physical, mental, and sexual abuse. It also explores sexual themes of a taboo nature. Please do NOT purchase this eBook if you find such content disturbing or offensive. However, if you enjoy a story about dealing with deep-seated issues, healing past hurts, and the positive transformation that ensues, please enjoy this most riveting tale!
Praise for My Butterfly "I devoured this book in just four short days. I must say, I'm very impressed with this submission as the first novel from SJ Byrne. I have read the works of several novice writers this year, and this by far stands out from the rest...This tale is not one for the faint of heart; it delves into the depths of the darkest aspects of the human psyche, without fear of restraint or taboo. But only with the exploration of the dark can one truly experience and appreciate the light. The fear, awkwardness, and hesitation of the main character takes a full grip upon the reader, as does her strength and growth."Heather Schucker
Another 5 star review... "This was an amazing book...the story flowed from one scene to the next. I was caught up from the very beginning, just couldn't stop reading! This author has a way of making you see just what she is writing about."dmslsfly "Lj."
Overview of My Butterfly An abusive marriage isn't all that uncommon; getting out of one after more than fifteen years is. Every survivor has their personal way of coping, Katherine Daniels uses the creative outlet of her art to heal scars that refuse to fade. Before she can be completely free, she must face the dark secret of a disturbing desire that was born within her destructive marriage.
More praise... "I'm absolutely fascinated. I've read other books that were supposed to be set in Scotland, but really, it could have been anywhere. This one brings the places alive like no other."Ana Easton
"I love this journey! Its full of emotion and innovations! A definite keeper I will return to read many times. Superb detail in the story telling. I am looking forward to the next one!!!"M. Sinemus
"Lovely story. I was moved at the end...I loved it. Breathtaking."Tanger
Praise for My Butterfly "I devoured this book in just four short days. I must say, I'm very impressed with this submission as the first novel from SJ Byrne. I have read the works of several novice writers this year, and this by far stands out from the rest...This tale is not one for the faint of heart; it delves into the depths of the darkest aspects of the human psyche, without fear of restraint or taboo. But only with the exploration of the dark can one truly experience and appreciate the light. The fear, awkwardness, and hesitation of the main character takes a full grip upon the reader, as does her strength and growth."Heather Schucker
Another 5 star review... "This was an amazing book...the story flowed from one scene to the next. I was caught up from the very beginning, just couldn't stop reading! This author has a way of making you see just what she is writing about."dmslsfly "Lj."
Overview of My Butterfly An abusive marriage isn't all that uncommon; getting out of one after more than fifteen years is. Every survivor has their personal way of coping, Katherine Daniels uses the creative outlet of her art to heal scars that refuse to fade. Before she can be completely free, she must face the dark secret of a disturbing desire that was born within her destructive marriage.
More praise... "I'm absolutely fascinated. I've read other books that were supposed to be set in Scotland, but really, it could have been anywhere. This one brings the places alive like no other."Ana Easton
"I love this journey! Its full of emotion and innovations! A definite keeper I will return to read many times. Superb detail in the story telling. I am looking forward to the next one!!!"M. Sinemus
"Lovely story. I was moved at the end...I loved it. Breathtaking."Tanger
376 pages, Paperback
First published August 23, 2011
9 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 31, 2022
This story captivates you from the start! Katherine goes through the worst horrors imaginable and when she has the courage and means to flee she does to Scotland. where her new life is about to spark when she meets Brandubh. well written engaging, emotional and more!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 18, 2016
S. J. Byrne’s My Butterfly tells a tale in several parts, starting with a scary scene of sexual violence and its aftermath. But the crux of the story is the protagonist’s road to recovery, beyond the confines of psychotherapy, away from the love of her daughter, and off among the lochs and castles of Scotland. Having been to Scotland, I truly enjoyed the author’s descriptions of familiar places. I found the dialog very convincing, well-rendered with accent and dialect, though not always easy to understand.
My Butterfly deals, not just with the fear engendered by violence, or the displacement of starting a new life, but also with issues of guilt and control. Some telling scenes reveal “the world is full of all manner sexual tastes an[d] many of them are misunderstood...” as Katherine explores the balance between pleasure and pain. Twin languages of art and romance are beautifully and evocatively rendered, with pleasing humor creating a convincing picture of two people falling in conventionally romantic, but unconventionally gratified love.
Still, love is a risk, and perhaps a holiday romance is all Katherine needs... just one of many sexual choices, where time takes away the chance to control what happens next. “The intimacy level of their relationship only deepened” says the author as the tale progresses, but will it last?
Not an easy read, nor a quick one, My Butterfly asks intriguing questions, invites the reader into scenes of both pleasure and pain, has great dialog once you get past the accent. It comes to a pleasingly satisfying conclusion too, as fate plays its part.
Disclosure: I won an ecopy a while ago and I offer my honest review.
My Butterfly deals, not just with the fear engendered by violence, or the displacement of starting a new life, but also with issues of guilt and control. Some telling scenes reveal “the world is full of all manner sexual tastes an[d] many of them are misunderstood...” as Katherine explores the balance between pleasure and pain. Twin languages of art and romance are beautifully and evocatively rendered, with pleasing humor creating a convincing picture of two people falling in conventionally romantic, but unconventionally gratified love.
Still, love is a risk, and perhaps a holiday romance is all Katherine needs... just one of many sexual choices, where time takes away the chance to control what happens next. “The intimacy level of their relationship only deepened” says the author as the tale progresses, but will it last?
Not an easy read, nor a quick one, My Butterfly asks intriguing questions, invites the reader into scenes of both pleasure and pain, has great dialog once you get past the accent. It comes to a pleasingly satisfying conclusion too, as fate plays its part.
Disclosure: I won an ecopy a while ago and I offer my honest review.
April 24, 2012
The novel begins with Katherine Daniels almost beaten to death by her husband. After waking from a three month coma she is left emotionally battered from a twenty year marriage. With the help of an aunt she decides to get away from her only known life and journey to Scotland for six months.
Katherine settles into a flat owned by her Aunt and becomes friends with Emily who lives in the adjacent flat. Emily turns out to be a wonderful and caring friend who shows her around Scotland. The use each other as an emotional sounding board which helps with a much needed inner healing. Katherine truly begins to heal when she meets photographer Brandubh Maclean who brings her through different stages of emotional and artistic healing.
This was an amazing read of artistic creativity, self help and what the power of true love can do. I also thoroughly enjoyed the descriptive Scottish language and the details of the Scottish countryside and castles.
Thank you to Goodreads for I received this book free through Goodreads First Reads.
Katherine settles into a flat owned by her Aunt and becomes friends with Emily who lives in the adjacent flat. Emily turns out to be a wonderful and caring friend who shows her around Scotland. The use each other as an emotional sounding board which helps with a much needed inner healing. Katherine truly begins to heal when she meets photographer Brandubh Maclean who brings her through different stages of emotional and artistic healing.
This was an amazing read of artistic creativity, self help and what the power of true love can do. I also thoroughly enjoyed the descriptive Scottish language and the details of the Scottish countryside and castles.
Thank you to Goodreads for I received this book free through Goodreads First Reads.
March 28, 2012
SJ Byrnes first book is an absolutely big surprise and a "must read".
My Butterfly/Mo Dearbadan de is absolutely exciting. It caught me from the very beginning and I couldn´t stop reading.
The psychological aspects are very good recherched and SJ Byrne managed it, to talk about taboos and to dive into the human psyche without confusing the reader. There is nothing but sympathy for her wonderful choosen and developed characters.
As a Scotland traveller I knew some of the locations of the story. The way of keeping the Scottish accent in the story and the virtual journey through Scotland warmed my heart and made me some kind of homesick. Finishing the book left a big space which other books barely could fill. The only thing you can do is, re-read that book until SJ Byrne will serve us with her next book.
Fingers crossed for this shooting star.
My Butterfly/Mo Dearbadan de is absolutely exciting. It caught me from the very beginning and I couldn´t stop reading.
The psychological aspects are very good recherched and SJ Byrne managed it, to talk about taboos and to dive into the human psyche without confusing the reader. There is nothing but sympathy for her wonderful choosen and developed characters.
As a Scotland traveller I knew some of the locations of the story. The way of keeping the Scottish accent in the story and the virtual journey through Scotland warmed my heart and made me some kind of homesick. Finishing the book left a big space which other books barely could fill. The only thing you can do is, re-read that book until SJ Byrne will serve us with her next book.
Fingers crossed for this shooting star.
December 6, 2011
Mo Dearbadan-de, pronounced Mo Jellan-jay, is Scots Gaelic for My Butterfly; a creature loved and admired for its abilities in self-transformation.
Mo Dearbadan-de crosses between contemporary romance and women’s fiction, broaching matters of the heart and the sensitive issue of domestic violence in a tale of self-discovery, forgiveness and sexual healing.
From her hometown in Southern Tennessee, to the rolling hills and glens of Scotland, Katherine Daniels explores the joy of falling in love with charismatic Brandubh MacLean, who understands her creative spirit and the fire burning within her. In his arms, Katherine owns her darkest desires and finds the strength to surrender unto forgiveness.
Mo Dearbadan-de crosses between contemporary romance and women’s fiction, broaching matters of the heart and the sensitive issue of domestic violence in a tale of self-discovery, forgiveness and sexual healing.
From her hometown in Southern Tennessee, to the rolling hills and glens of Scotland, Katherine Daniels explores the joy of falling in love with charismatic Brandubh MacLean, who understands her creative spirit and the fire burning within her. In his arms, Katherine owns her darkest desires and finds the strength to surrender unto forgiveness.
April 5, 2022
Where do you turn when love becomes twisted enough to kill and desire is darker than death?
Where do you go when those you consider family blame you for the volatile episodes in your relationship?
Far Far Away!
Grateful for her aunt's generosity, Katherine Daniels leaves her failed marriage behind and heads to Scotland.
Reconnecting with an artistic talent she'd abandoned under the tyranny of her ex-husband, Katherine begins a journey of healing and self-transformation.
Finding love wasn't on her agenda, but what do you do when it finds you? Though she embraces the man who quickly steals her heart,
she's harboring a secret that just may shatter her fragile new existence. Witness one woman's emergence from the dark night of her soul in My Butterfly.
Where do you go when those you consider family blame you for the volatile episodes in your relationship?
Far Far Away!
Grateful for her aunt's generosity, Katherine Daniels leaves her failed marriage behind and heads to Scotland.
Reconnecting with an artistic talent she'd abandoned under the tyranny of her ex-husband, Katherine begins a journey of healing and self-transformation.
Finding love wasn't on her agenda, but what do you do when it finds you? Though she embraces the man who quickly steals her heart,
she's harboring a secret that just may shatter her fragile new existence. Witness one woman's emergence from the dark night of her soul in My Butterfly.
November 11, 2012
Firstly, I have to say this book was beautifully written. I really liked the two MCs a lot and thought they were realistic characters who I could empathise with. The setting was gorgeous too. I REALLY want to visit Scotland now :)
I'm used to reading YA, so I found the pace a little slow for my liking and there was also quite a few adult love scenes that I skimmed. That is simply personal preference however and does not make this a bad story.
The only other thing I would have changed, was I found the Scottish dialogue slightly hard to read.
I would recommend this book to anyway who likes a story filled with romance, beautiful scenery and characters with depth.
I'm used to reading YA, so I found the pace a little slow for my liking and there was also quite a few adult love scenes that I skimmed. That is simply personal preference however and does not make this a bad story.
The only other thing I would have changed, was I found the Scottish dialogue slightly hard to read.
I would recommend this book to anyway who likes a story filled with romance, beautiful scenery and characters with depth.
May 28, 2012
This is a really well written book that normally I would have finished already but I'm caught up in a few other projects. At the beginning it was really difficult for me to read. It wasn't because of the writing, it was because of the images presented. I find it difficult to read scenes of spousal abuse.
Writing well evokes images within the mind, this book does that throughout from front to back. It will definitely carry you away. The images and scenes in Scotland are to die for, really wonderfully written. I'm really able to immerse myself in this story from a master story teller. Being a photographer, I could very easily see myself as the character (Brandubh).
Writing well evokes images within the mind, this book does that throughout from front to back. It will definitely carry you away. The images and scenes in Scotland are to die for, really wonderfully written. I'm really able to immerse myself in this story from a master story teller. Being a photographer, I could very easily see myself as the character (Brandubh).
September 21, 2012
Stayed up to finish! I wasn't close to the end. Very late/early, I yelled, "Find out what it means, you dope!" I don't get into a story like that often. There were fewer typos than I've encountered in most 'big publisher' books I've read in recent years. There were a few places it could be tightened a bit and I, personally, would have preferred accents be dealt with in another way, but I didn't stop reading and that's the bottom line. This story of healing and growth is a great romance and the author definitely conveyed the spirit and feeling of Scotland. Well done. Highly recommended. It was fun!
September 4, 2012
I absolutely loved this book... it starts out with a bang and then mellows out as you learn and fall in love with the characters but then all of a sudden the story changes in a very unexpected way and I was riveted. I couldn't put the book down. Now that it's over I miss the characters, all of them.
I will say that some of the sexual encounters were difficult for me to get through but I understand the significance of them and because I loved the characters so much I wasn't about to put it down or skip over them.
Intense but wonderful.
I will say that some of the sexual encounters were difficult for me to get through but I understand the significance of them and because I loved the characters so much I wasn't about to put it down or skip over them.
Intense but wonderful.
February 27, 2012
A beautifully written, life affirming book!! Wasn't sure if I'd get into this book, not keen on reading about abuse of any kind. But this book is an exception. Wonderful story showing that even if you've known nothing but an abusive relationship, you can go on to love, and be loved respectfully and fulfill your dreams.
April 6, 2012
A deeply moving story of self-discovery forgiveness and healing after domestic violence.
June 11, 2012
Not for the weak of heart regarding sexual encounters, but the story line was interesting and compelling for me. Everything didn't clean up "nice", which is a a breath of fresh air.
May 27, 2022
If I had to pick just one word to describe this book it would be wordy. The descriptions of Scotland are beautiful and certainly piqued my interest in adding it to my travel bucket list, but there was just so much included in this book (not about Scotland) that I felt was just unnecessary.
This is a story of survival and finding oneself all over again, but after all the brutality, everything just came together too neatly, too quickly, and wrapped up with neat little bows.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a story of survival and finding oneself all over again, but after all the brutality, everything just came together too neatly, too quickly, and wrapped up with neat little bows.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 27, 2022
This book is very good and kept my mind throughout the book and enjoyed the different countries that were brought in the book. I like the different style in the book and am glad the characters got their happy ending even though were some sad moments in the book but able to bounce back stronger and able to get what both characters wanted in the relationship. Overall, it was a good book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 23, 2022
I would so love to hear Brandubh's accent!
This was an amazing story of a woman's journey from a hellish existence with an abusive husband to a life of freedom and love.
I would also love for an epilogue, to know what happened to Brandubh and Kat - it seemed to end rather abruptly (though happily).
Read this if you want to experience all the feels!!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was an amazing story of a woman's journey from a hellish existence with an abusive husband to a life of freedom and love.
I would also love for an epilogue, to know what happened to Brandubh and Kat - it seemed to end rather abruptly (though happily).
Read this if you want to experience all the feels!!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 26, 2022
This was such a great story.. A couple that you can instantly feel the sparks fly between them.. But Kathrine has a dark secret that keeps her from loving again however fate always has a way of changing things.. And with the desire for each other love is bound to happen..
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 28, 2022
The beginning drew me in and tugged at my emotions from the start. Afterward was a little slow, but very interesting. It is definitely worth the read, and will tug at your heartstrings.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 25, 2022
My Butterfly by SJ Byrne is a good, and enjoyable dark sexy romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 14, 2012
I think Macbeth might be the only Scottish literature I’ve ever read, and even that really isn’t Scottish, I figured I would give this book a try. Ok, I didn’t know Scottish women were so crazy about fashion and make-up and I didn’t know art was just a big deal, so I guess that’s cool to learn. Other than that this novel is a DISASTER. The dialogue written in Scottish dialect was so hard to understand; I finally understand why people have such a hard time reading Huck Finn. Besides not being able to understand the dialogue the plot is a tragic mess. There are dangling plot lines everywhere and not in the “ to be continued . . .” kind of way, just like forgotten about. This book sucks!
August 6, 2012
im sorry to say but this book was simply boring to me. not what i am normally into. it started off with a great strong base tine for the story but then it ws a smooth sailing. all the action was right within the first few pages so the rest of the book was flat. pretty much jus reading someones diary from their very relaxing vacation. it to me forever to read it cause of the scottish accent.
but i do have to say the writing was awesome. story was well told/written.
not a bad book at all just not something that im into.
i do not recommend this to anyone. sorry.
but i do have to say the writing was awesome. story was well told/written.
not a bad book at all just not something that im into.
i do not recommend this to anyone. sorry.
September 8, 2012
Ok I guess!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews