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After the Wedding: A true story of hope, love, ... and fear.
A young couple meet and fall in love. There are warning signs of trouble ahead, but doesn’t love conquer all? That is what every couple hopes. They marry. On the outside, they look like a happy, respectable couple; the wife goes to church and the husband goes now and then. But in the home, there is violence and drunkenness.
Longing for a better life, they leave Scotland and start again in South Africa. It’s an adventure! They must work hard to survive, for they have no family to support them. But the domestic violence continues and there is nowhere for her to run to. The husband loses his job because of alcoholism. His violence in uncontrolable. Her life is in danger. She can’t kick him out, can she? He will be homeless. What will she do?
Longing for a better life, they leave Scotland and start again in South Africa. It’s an adventure! They must work hard to survive, for they have no family to support them. But the domestic violence continues and there is nowhere for her to run to. The husband loses his job because of alcoholism. His violence in uncontrolable. Her life is in danger. She can’t kick him out, can she? He will be homeless. What will she do?
271 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 6, 2023
62 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 2, 2023
Each to his own
Whilst this might have ended having a good storyline I’m afraid I bowed out on page 18 due to the constant references to Christianity, I did skip through to see if it was just a part of setting the scene and it would ease off but it didn’t seem too, I’m sure that’s my failing not the writers
Whilst this might have ended having a good storyline I’m afraid I bowed out on page 18 due to the constant references to Christianity, I did skip through to see if it was just a part of setting the scene and it would ease off but it didn’t seem too, I’m sure that’s my failing not the writers
January 8, 2024
This book brought out so many feelings for me.
First off, I want to say that this man was a despicable barely human. Unfortunately, during that time period, "man" was still considered so much higher than women and this comes through clearly in the book. I kept having to remind myself that the generations were different then, not to say that family violence does not exist today though.
Eileen, as a young working woman, applied Christianity to EVERYTHING - to the point where it felt almost "holier than thou". I think the price she put on Christianity was a big reason she met John and ended up where she landed.
In fact, when she first met John, her comments made it obvious she did not particularly like him as he was not Christian enough (if only she had kept to that), instead she kept forcing religion on him and this would be a theme that would repeat often between the two.
Yet, why on earth would you date him and marry him and then basically proceed, for the entire book, to NEVER open your mouth - not for voicing an opinion, not for saying "no I don't want to marry you", not even for telling someone else about the violence in your home? It was so frustrating to read.
Throughout the entire book, she never defends herself and everyone around her dominates her, in fact, at one point towards the end of the book she actually says something like "i never seem to speak up for myself" REALLY!!??
The role of Christianity played a huge part in this story and it was painfully obvious that church and praying was something to pull out only when needed. For example Eileen trots out religion but when her husband John does something like stealing, she conveniently puts her beliefs on a shelf. When her daughter's friend says that John molested her, Eileen does nothing about it - does not confront him and does not even ask the child to tell her what happened (if anything, but why would this child say something like that if it were not true).
One of my pet peeves are couples that have horrible marriages, yet, continue to make babies. Why, oh why did they have 3 kids? - these poor kids were suffering from PTSD and by the way, if John molested this little girl, don't you think he could have done the same to his own daughter? In fact, their daughter speaks up as an adult and STILL nobody listened, certainly Eileen did not want to hear it, better to pretend its not there. The same way she accepted the cycle of being hit by John, who in turn , would then apologize and do it all over again and again.
I won't even bother talking about that horrid John - he got the ending he deserved.
The writing was very encompassing and Eileen did not shy away from writing about all of it - that is a brave thing to do. Her story brought out so many feelings for me and that is the sign of a good story, in my opinion.
I hope Eileen and her children have gotten the peace they were looking for.
First off, I want to say that this man was a despicable barely human. Unfortunately, during that time period, "man" was still considered so much higher than women and this comes through clearly in the book. I kept having to remind myself that the generations were different then, not to say that family violence does not exist today though.
Eileen, as a young working woman, applied Christianity to EVERYTHING - to the point where it felt almost "holier than thou". I think the price she put on Christianity was a big reason she met John and ended up where she landed.
In fact, when she first met John, her comments made it obvious she did not particularly like him as he was not Christian enough (if only she had kept to that), instead she kept forcing religion on him and this would be a theme that would repeat often between the two.
Yet, why on earth would you date him and marry him and then basically proceed, for the entire book, to NEVER open your mouth - not for voicing an opinion, not for saying "no I don't want to marry you", not even for telling someone else about the violence in your home? It was so frustrating to read.
Throughout the entire book, she never defends herself and everyone around her dominates her, in fact, at one point towards the end of the book she actually says something like "i never seem to speak up for myself" REALLY!!??
The role of Christianity played a huge part in this story and it was painfully obvious that church and praying was something to pull out only when needed. For example Eileen trots out religion but when her husband John does something like stealing, she conveniently puts her beliefs on a shelf. When her daughter's friend says that John molested her, Eileen does nothing about it - does not confront him and does not even ask the child to tell her what happened (if anything, but why would this child say something like that if it were not true).
One of my pet peeves are couples that have horrible marriages, yet, continue to make babies. Why, oh why did they have 3 kids? - these poor kids were suffering from PTSD and by the way, if John molested this little girl, don't you think he could have done the same to his own daughter? In fact, their daughter speaks up as an adult and STILL nobody listened, certainly Eileen did not want to hear it, better to pretend its not there. The same way she accepted the cycle of being hit by John, who in turn , would then apologize and do it all over again and again.
I won't even bother talking about that horrid John - he got the ending he deserved.
The writing was very encompassing and Eileen did not shy away from writing about all of it - that is a brave thing to do. Her story brought out so many feelings for me and that is the sign of a good story, in my opinion.
I hope Eileen and her children have gotten the peace they were looking for.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2025
Goodness me what a rollercoaster. First off I must say this woman and her children suffered beyond imagination at the hands of her husband.
Other than that It's fascinating for all sorts of reasons - not least of which it's terribly written but also 'not put downable'.
Time is a mere construct, you think you're reading about a brief period to suddenly learn we're ten years down the line. Even sentences madly conflict with one another, one second she's being chucked across the room and in the next breath she's taking about a grand day out.
And if ever I wanted my lack of faith vindicated, this book does it. Ultimately I'm pleased this poor woman found comfort in her religion but her blind faith cost her dearly.
Other than that It's fascinating for all sorts of reasons - not least of which it's terribly written but also 'not put downable'.
Time is a mere construct, you think you're reading about a brief period to suddenly learn we're ten years down the line. Even sentences madly conflict with one another, one second she's being chucked across the room and in the next breath she's taking about a grand day out.
And if ever I wanted my lack of faith vindicated, this book does it. Ultimately I'm pleased this poor woman found comfort in her religion but her blind faith cost her dearly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2023
A woman’s strength and fear
A sad story of a woman living with a man who never loved her or their children who wouldn’t accept his own failings. It wasn’t just her story, it was the story of alcoholism, fear and betrayal, I was reading about friends I know and the lives they’d lead at the hands of their abusive husbands. How they still make excuses although divorced or the husband died.. “he was a good father, he tried his best, drink was the other woman”. Enabling an alcoholic doesn’t help anyone. Death seems to be the only release. Sad but compelling read.
A sad story of a woman living with a man who never loved her or their children who wouldn’t accept his own failings. It wasn’t just her story, it was the story of alcoholism, fear and betrayal, I was reading about friends I know and the lives they’d lead at the hands of their abusive husbands. How they still make excuses although divorced or the husband died.. “he was a good father, he tried his best, drink was the other woman”. Enabling an alcoholic doesn’t help anyone. Death seems to be the only release. Sad but compelling read.
May 3, 2023
Horrible book.
July 9, 2023
not for me
I put this book down,too depressing for my liking,never read the end I just hope things got better for her.
I put this book down,too depressing for my liking,never read the end I just hope things got better for her.
June 20, 2024
Highlighting a woman’s strength and fear! Very deep and moving book. At times I became frustrated when reading parts and thinking go just leave! But the ending, I became emotional. Very good book
June 22, 2024
Inflicted
I don't know if this lady was a saint or foolish,how did she keep believing this man is totally beyond me
I would have had him gone long agot
I don't know if this lady was a saint or foolish,how did she keep believing this man is totally beyond me
I would have had him gone long agot
December 23, 2024
No real ending
A woman’s miserable life from start to finish. I didn’t see the point of any of it. It was basically the same chapter over and over again.
A woman’s miserable life from start to finish. I didn’t see the point of any of it. It was basically the same chapter over and over again.
February 17, 2025
very good
Has it’s up and downs but a good book to read very interesting but what a vile husband and the hell she went through
Has it’s up and downs but a good book to read very interesting but what a vile husband and the hell she went through
July 28, 2024
This was a great book. A little repetitive but interesting story
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews