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Breaking the Ties That Bind
One young woman is about to learn what tough love is all about. . .Thirty-three-year-old Kendra Richards just can't escape her reckless mother's endless requests for money that will never be repaid. Again and again, Kendra rescues Ginny despite the advice of her own father a man who left Ginny and her cheating ways long ago. Kendra knows her mother is troubled what she doesn't understand is why she can't tell her no until she happens to meet psychologist Sam Hughes. . .
Smart and sexy, Sam offers Kendra the answers and the love and romance she's been looking for. She's finally happy until Ginny turns up for another handout. But this time the situation is desperate, and the stakes are higher than ever. Now, Kendra must finally decide if she's willing to lose everything for a woman who has nothing to give. . .
Praise for the Novels of Gwynne Forster
"Wise and wonderful as it points out, once again, the importance of honesty and appreciating what you have while you have it." "Publishers Weekly "on "A Different Kind of Blues"
"Touching, thought-provoking, and will make you think twice about ever keeping secrets from the one you love." Kimberla Lawson Roby, "New York Times "bestselling author on "If You Walked in My Shoes""
Smart and sexy, Sam offers Kendra the answers and the love and romance she's been looking for. She's finally happy until Ginny turns up for another handout. But this time the situation is desperate, and the stakes are higher than ever. Now, Kendra must finally decide if she's willing to lose everything for a woman who has nothing to give. . .
Praise for the Novels of Gwynne Forster
"Wise and wonderful as it points out, once again, the importance of honesty and appreciating what you have while you have it." "Publishers Weekly "on "A Different Kind of Blues"
"Touching, thought-provoking, and will make you think twice about ever keeping secrets from the one you love." Kimberla Lawson Roby, "New York Times "bestselling author on "If You Walked in My Shoes""
ebook
First published January 1, 2011
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65 people want to read
About the author
Gwynne Forster
70 books125 followersGwynne Forster (1922-2015) was the pseudonym of American novelist, short fiction writer, demographer, and sociologist Gwendolyn Johnson-Acsadi. Forster was best known as an early innovator of the African American Romance fiction tradition. Forster was a prolific writer who authored more than 50 books, as well as multiple studies in the field of demography. Forster won a wide readership with her novels and garnered awards, including the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and the Black Writers Alliance Gold Pen Award.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 29, 2015
I started this book last night with high hopes. This morning I figured I would finish it. I made it through chapter five, flipped to the epilogue and let the book go. As I read I felt like I was hopping from scene to scene and time to time. The hops weren't smooth. I was drug along, bounced around. For instance plans were made in one paragraph for something to happen on another day. In the next paragraph you found yourself in that day of plans. Sometimes I wasn't sure who was speaking. The story just didn't flow smoothly.
The story itself is what caught my interest. Ginny was nerve plucking, a mother who used her daughter without regard for the mother daughter relationship. She had not one maternal instinct. Despite her mother, Kendra had the love and support of her father and was able to get past her coat check job and find success. Later she begins dating a man who she thought she was not good enough for as a coat check girl. To be honest at chapter six I tossed in the towel. The story was okay. I just was not enjoying the read.
The story itself is what caught my interest. Ginny was nerve plucking, a mother who used her daughter without regard for the mother daughter relationship. She had not one maternal instinct. Despite her mother, Kendra had the love and support of her father and was able to get past her coat check job and find success. Later she begins dating a man who she thought she was not good enough for as a coat check girl. To be honest at chapter six I tossed in the towel. The story was okay. I just was not enjoying the read.
November 20, 2017
started off good but slow finish.
August 10, 2018
Loved the complex relationships throughout the book, especially Ginny and Kendra.
Kendra' s determination made this an inspiring read, the romance was a bonus.
Kendra' s determination made this an inspiring read, the romance was a bonus.
September 19, 2024
Writing is very elementary
October 30, 2011
Some say that family can be your worst enemy and in Breaking The Ties That Bind by Gwynne Forster readers will find out why. Kendra Richards is an employee at a well-known restaurant and saving money to pay for college. Kendra is pursuing a degree in communications. She has a wonderful relationship with her father but her mother is another story. Kendra wants her mother’s love so much that she makes bad decisions that she knows could hurt her in the long run. One day while at work she runs into Clifton Howell of Howell Enterprise and Kendra’s one act of kindness will change her life forever.
Ginny Hunter never wanted to be a mother and is disgusted with the idea. She is a frustrated and miserable woman who loves making her daughter pay for being born. Ginny wants to be taken care of and will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Ginny’s actions start catching up with her and she has to make a decision on what to do when her well runs dry.
Clifton Howell owner and operator of a well known radio station, was surprised when a young woman returned an iPhone that he lost at a local restaurant. Clifton was so impressed that he gave her a job. What Clifton did not know is that he had just obtained a valuable asset to his business.
When Samuel Hayes, a college professor, meets Kendra Richards while he is a guest on a panel about parents and their children, his need to take care of her is overwhelming. Samuel wants to give Kendra the love that she wants and desperately needs. Samuel knows that Kendra has apprehension and must work through the baggage that is because of her mother before she can step into a committed relationship with him. Kendra does not realize a mature man like Samuel knows what patience means and is willing to work to win her over. Will he succeed?
Breaking The Ties That Bind is about letting go of all the negativity that is holding you back from reaching your potential. You have to eliminate things and people from your life and sometimes it is the people closest to you. The message of letting go is a process that is hard to accomplish but can be done. The characters in this story are believable but the storyline did not have an exciting twist or turn to me. I understand that people deal with overbearing parents all of the time and Ginny Hunter did take it to another level. On the other hand, I have read many books by this author and love her work but this one just did not work for me. I do recommend it to others.
Ginny Hunter never wanted to be a mother and is disgusted with the idea. She is a frustrated and miserable woman who loves making her daughter pay for being born. Ginny wants to be taken care of and will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Ginny’s actions start catching up with her and she has to make a decision on what to do when her well runs dry.
Clifton Howell owner and operator of a well known radio station, was surprised when a young woman returned an iPhone that he lost at a local restaurant. Clifton was so impressed that he gave her a job. What Clifton did not know is that he had just obtained a valuable asset to his business.
When Samuel Hayes, a college professor, meets Kendra Richards while he is a guest on a panel about parents and their children, his need to take care of her is overwhelming. Samuel wants to give Kendra the love that she wants and desperately needs. Samuel knows that Kendra has apprehension and must work through the baggage that is because of her mother before she can step into a committed relationship with him. Kendra does not realize a mature man like Samuel knows what patience means and is willing to work to win her over. Will he succeed?
Breaking The Ties That Bind is about letting go of all the negativity that is holding you back from reaching your potential. You have to eliminate things and people from your life and sometimes it is the people closest to you. The message of letting go is a process that is hard to accomplish but can be done. The characters in this story are believable but the storyline did not have an exciting twist or turn to me. I understand that people deal with overbearing parents all of the time and Ginny Hunter did take it to another level. On the other hand, I have read many books by this author and love her work but this one just did not work for me. I do recommend it to others.
July 8, 2012
Boy did I want to shake Ginny! This book will really stir up emotions and it's good to give your daughters so they will be grateful for all you do as a good mother.
I was talking to a young man on my job who said, "Grandmothers are in the clubs with their daughters because they thirty something and their daughters are twenty something. Everybody is looking for a man and no one is teaching the children left at home with baby sitters who are practicing how to become mothers at an early age just like the cousin who left them with her babies." I wanted to cry because he was detailing what he saw in the clubs and I could not denounce it because I don't go to clubs.
Nevertheless, Ginny was a prime example of a mother who should have been somewhere praying for her daughter to have the happiness she never knew. But hey how can you wish the best for someone else when you feel you've never had your chance at the best.
So by all means buy this book for the lesson; and what did I get out of it? Keep on being a mother that my children can depend on. I am not their dependant and whenever they do something for me, it's for me to show them just how much I appreciate them for thinking so much of me. Our children owe us nothing and we should all be grateful that God chose us to bring them into the world.
I was talking to a young man on my job who said, "Grandmothers are in the clubs with their daughters because they thirty something and their daughters are twenty something. Everybody is looking for a man and no one is teaching the children left at home with baby sitters who are practicing how to become mothers at an early age just like the cousin who left them with her babies." I wanted to cry because he was detailing what he saw in the clubs and I could not denounce it because I don't go to clubs.
Nevertheless, Ginny was a prime example of a mother who should have been somewhere praying for her daughter to have the happiness she never knew. But hey how can you wish the best for someone else when you feel you've never had your chance at the best.
So by all means buy this book for the lesson; and what did I get out of it? Keep on being a mother that my children can depend on. I am not their dependant and whenever they do something for me, it's for me to show them just how much I appreciate them for thinking so much of me. Our children owe us nothing and we should all be grateful that God chose us to bring them into the world.
July 15, 2012
Kendra is a 30-something woman, working a dead-end job at a restaurant. She desperately wants a career in communications and has finally scraped together enough money to enroll in college. Her main problem is her mooching mother, Ginny, who does nothing but beg Kendra for money and will go through any means to get it from her. As Kendra's career and relationship dreams start to come true, she wonders if she will ever be able to break free from Ginny or if she will always be holding her back.
I've read a few Gwynne Forster books and I've noticed they are all quite similar in that she has a very old-fashioned way of writing. The way the characters speak is really not how people of today speak and that's kind of hard to get used to while reading. The characters always seem a little too impersonal and it's hard to really feel connected to them. I didn't really connect with Kendra at all, or feel sorry for her when it came to Ginny. The romance that she has with the college professor was just kind of meh to me, as was the whole book.
I've read a few Gwynne Forster books and I've noticed they are all quite similar in that she has a very old-fashioned way of writing. The way the characters speak is really not how people of today speak and that's kind of hard to get used to while reading. The characters always seem a little too impersonal and it's hard to really feel connected to them. I didn't really connect with Kendra at all, or feel sorry for her when it came to Ginny. The romance that she has with the college professor was just kind of meh to me, as was the whole book.
August 3, 2015
This book had a very interesting story line. I liked the plot about the delicate relationship between a mother and daughter. I found that some of the activities of the mother toward the daughter were a bit far-fetched and unrealistic. The daughter's response to the mother was at times unrealistic and not very convincing. I struggled to get through the text as some of the language seemed not to be genuine. Many of the conversations between the characters in the story seemed disconnected. I found myself rereading several paragraphs often trying to connect a previous activity to the next. This was a very difficult read. I did not enjoy the language of the book. This was my first read by this author and most likely my last.
January 16, 2013
Thanking God that I don't have a mother like Ginny. The main character in the book, Kendra, is trying desperately to get her life back on track after dropping out of college to only end up working at a dead end job. Kendra caught a couple of lucky breaks that put her life on that right track. Kendra's only problem is her mother Ginny. Ginny is a self absorbed person who feels like everyone, especially her daughter owes her everything she needs and wants.
February 5, 2012
Kendra Richards is a tormented soul with the favor of God upon her life. Like many of us, she has to make some conscientious choices about some people in her life. Those choices will either allow her to flourish, or solidify her demise.
Although there were some typographical and grammatical errors in this book, I highly enjoyed it and do recommend it to lovers of the Christian Fiction genre.
Although there were some typographical and grammatical errors in this book, I highly enjoyed it and do recommend it to lovers of the Christian Fiction genre.
January 5, 2013
For the most part this book was just okay. I had a hard time getting past the mother, Jenny treating her only daughter so badly and how Jenny felt like her daughter, Kendra owed her something. Jenny was so used to everyone catering to her that she felt like everyone should provide for her, she didn't want to work. It was to much.
August 12, 2015
I enjoyed this book. Kendra sometimes got on my nerves bc she enabled her mother at the expense of herself. Even though I hope that nobody will expectations mother like Ginny, it's still the truth. The manipulation, need to control and be center of attention is overwhelming. Not to mention the side effects of neglect. Many won't understand, but so many will.
February 1, 2012
This was one of the worst-written actually published books I've come across in a long time. I felt like I was reading somebody's badly put together creative writing class work. What can I say? It was available as an eBook at the library. >.<
August 7, 2013
Ginny kind of reminded me of the rotten twin in "Whatever it Takes." Although I enjoyed the book and plan to read more from this author I hope the characters won't all be of similar demeanor from book to book.
August 15, 2012
Good story about how the ties a parent can have on you even when they mean you no good but your love for them make it hard to not let them mistreat and misuse you.
March 17, 2013
not captivating
August 24, 2014
Good book and easy read. The story line between mother and daughter may have been over the top but people who have dealt with family dysfuntion can relate.
November 25, 2019
Didn't realized that I listened to this book before until I heard the first chapter. I kept on listing to it because I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. the audiobook version is great...
September 2, 2024
This book is luke warm at best, 6 hours in and I’m still trying to figure out the point. It just drags and I’m bored so i DNF
December 16, 2012
It was OK.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews