The Butterfly Groove: A Mother's Mystery, A Daughter's Journey

by Jessica Barraco

In 1999, as a twelve-year-old girl in sunny Southern California, Jessica Barraco loses her mother, Dianne, to cancer complications. Not knowing much about Dianne’s past, Jessica grows more and more curious about her mother’s story each year—especially because her immediate family does not seem to know much more about her mother than the Internet does. A decade after Dianne passes away, now armed with a journalism degree, Jessica unlocks a memory of her mother telling her that she loved her old ballroom dance partner, and she sets out on a two-year quest to find him—along with anyone else who can tell her about Dianne. Part mystery, part coming-of-age story, The Butterfly Groove is a heart-warming exploration of how our pasts tell our truths, and how love survives us all.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Mystery, Biography, Amazon, Romance

207 pages, Paperback

First published August 4, 2015

About the author

Journalist by heart, marketing professional by day, and writer by moonlight, The Butterfly Groove: A Mother’s Mystery, A Daughter’s Journey is Jessica’s first book. A graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Jessica published her first newspaper article at 19-years-old. Writing for Elite Daily, 944 magazine and The Denver Post, Jessica spent three years working at HarperCollins Publishers across all of its imprints, working on both nonfiction and fiction books. Her writing idol, Nora Ephron, once spoke words that she lives by, “Be the heroine in your life, not the victim.” A member of the Communications Committee of Girls Write Now, a NYC mentorship non-profit, and Southern California native, Jessica lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Unsolved ☕︎ Mystery · Rating 4 out of 5]

- My Description -
Jessica was only 12 years old when her Mother died.

Dianne Barraco passed away at 49 years old.
She was taken away from Jessica and her family way too early.

Dianne was born in 1950. She was a child of the 50's and 60's.

She was so full of fun and light.

Many years after her Mother's death, Jessica wanted to piece together mysteries of her Mother's life.

Dianne met many friends over the years. Notably, Donna, Frank, and Bill.

Donna her best friend she had known since elementary school.

Frank was her ballroom dancing partner, then later was her love.

Bill was a hero who died in the Vietnam war while saving his comrades.
Bill was to marry Dianne later but died before that happened.

Later, Dianne met and fell in love with Ray Barraco. They married and had 2 girls.

Dianne died way too young but she sure left a legacy behind.

- My Review -
I can't imagine not having my Mother here with me. She's my best friend.
I call her as soon as I wake in the morning. I call several times through-out the day just to check in.
My mother is getting older now. She'll be 68 in January. After she had multiple heart attacks, she had open heart surgery. She was given a triple by-pass 7 years ago. She's doing great now. I still worry. I dread "that" phone call informing me of her passing. I worry about this constantly.

My dad died when I was only 5 years old. I have some memories of him.

Jessica lost her mother at such a young age. Her mother was her best friend. The memories Jessica has of her are great ones.

I wish she had more time with her mother. She needed her mother.

Daughters need their mothers like sons need their fathers. There's a special bonding there.
Everyday should be Mother's day. Everyday should be Father's day.

ALWAYS respect your parents, because you/they aren't guaranteed tomorrow.

One way Jessica escaped her reality was playing with her Barbie dolls on Barbie lane.
On Barbie Lane, parents do not die.
Death is not welcome on Barbie Lane.

[Jaide · Rating 4 out of 5]

"As I remembered all of the times my mother had shared some of her past with me, I couldn’t help but think, My mother’s heart is my life."


The Butterfly Groove: A Mother's Mystery, A Daughter's Journey is a love story, a mystery, a journal of self discovery, and a celebration of life all rolled into one heartfelt novel by author Jessica Barraso.  Barraso's mother, Dianne, passed away when Jessica was only 12.  In an attempt to answer questions about her mother that had "haunted" Jessica since her death, the young 20-year-old journalism major decides to learn everything she can about her mother's history.  This revealing book is a map of her road to discovery, where heartbreak, romance, heroes, and butterflies take flight.

Although there is a sadness to The Butterfly Groove, it is an inspiring tribute of unconditional love--a love of a mother for her daughter, and a daughter for her mother.  Jessica knows her mother's flaws, but focuses instead on Dianne Leslie Barraso's positive legacy: living life without fear, living life to the fullest in each and every moment, and loving life and others with great passion. Dianne has left a great legacy to her daughter in the way that she lived her life, and Jessica has honored that legacy by bringing her back to life in her novel.

[Stacey Sargent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although not "the perfect story" by a plot-driven standard, this book rings true with emotion and was obviously a very meaningful journey for the author. I liked how there was never really a concrete ending, True stories don't end perfectly, and in fact, the metaphorical "journey is more important than the destination" statement is perfectly illustrated here. I felt like I got to know the author and her mom, and I really appreciate how Barraco chose to write about her mom from her mom's point of view. It's not something you see often, and it was a very brave choice. All in all, I felt like I was special to be included in such a personal journey, and I commend Jessica Barraco on both her book and on having the courage to research and write it.

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story

I really felt a connection with this story, that could be due to the fact that my mom passed away at the age of 48 as well. I wasn't even a teenager yet when my mom's health really started to fail her, she was in and out of the hospital and was put on oxygen permanently. I truly felt a connection to Jessica. I would recommend anyone read this. Jessica's way of telling her mother's story is very well written.

[Meg · Rating 1 out of 5]

So very poorly written, this must be self-published.

The writing style and voice of the books is that of a 14-year-old girl writing a book report for school. It's just awful writing.

The author speaks constantly of all the careful research she was making into her mother's life, and then the text is full of typos and mis-applied words. I had originally included specific examples, but I think it would be too embarrassing to the author.

[Diana Raab · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful debut memoir weaving the lives of a mother and daughter. The book offers a web of insights into unraveling the mysteries of being a motherless daughter and a reminder that loved ones become even more alive after they are gone. Barraco remains nurtured by her mother's many wisdoms, including the importance of commanding self-respect and smothering people with kindness. This book is a gem to be read in one sitting. Congratulations, Jessica!

[LeeAndra Chergey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jessica dared to write what I have continually failed to accomplish...a beautiful tribute to her mother. So much of what Jessica describes about her mother echo my thoughts on my own mother. I related to her so much in her quest for answers on her mother's life. Losing my mother at 23 I too yearn for more information about her short life. Well done.

[Mommy&Daddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two thumbs up!

I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book but I loved it. A well written coming of age story about a young journalist diving into her late mothers life. This is a true story and you care so much about the author and her mother by the end you have really gone on their journey with them.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A touching tale of a daughter who loses her mother to an illness, at an early age. As a grown woman she attempts to discover more about her mother through meeting people who were close to her mother during her life.
I found it a bit confusing with the constant back and forth from present to past and the characters were numerous in both periods.

[Gabyrella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting journey.

I was intrigued by this memoir. Looking into her mother's life seemed to give her the life she needed, thus a blessing. So it was what she needed to do to become her best self and happy. It was a difficult journey and though holes appeared that couldn't be answered for whatever reason, the story was complete and satisfying.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Memory evoking

The Butterfly Groove is a nice story about a daughter's loss and the journey to learn more about her mother who died from cancer. While it is not one of those tear-jerking style stories, it does make one remember their own relationships with their mom and other family members.

[Melita · Rating 3 out of 5]

A daughter's journey to find the life story of her mom. Interesting approach! And a lot of psychic or unusual events that turn to shape the story together. What I wonder though, how can anyone knows that it is her mom's true story then? In the end, it's just a guesswork. In the end, it's just a story that is still a mystery. A very interesting approach of writing though.

[Sacha Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personally relatable

I finished reading this book on Mother's Day. How fitting! Jessica was fortunate to have connected with so many who could keep her mom alive in their hearts and thereby bring her to life again for Jessica. I miss my own mom deeply...taken too young as well.

[Heather Vasbinder brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely memoir

This book was a lovely memoir written by a daughter searching so desperately for information on her mom's life. A fabulous way for her to capture all the details of her investigation and along the way finding many folks who helped give her peace and stories.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book

Maybe this book found me at the right time but I thoroughly enjoyed it. My mother died about 2 1\2 years ago so I can relate with many of the themes in this book. I enjoyed it.

[Nanci · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've had this book on my Kindle forever and finally read it for a challenge. The saying, "Don't judge a book by it's cover" held true for this. I didn't like the cover or think it looked like a winner and that's just what I got. A very flat read. I got what I paid for...it was free.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an interesting read. I enjoyed the author's writing style and it made me think about my relationship with my own mother. Really looking forward to more from this author!

[Trudy Gleason · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was OK - It was pretty good but it just seemed to end without any resolution. I kept expecting something but it just didn't happen.

[Mary A. Roward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly Touching!

I loved this story! Tears and smiles await you on this story of discovery and love. A sweeter read I can not fathom!

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting Story

I enjoyed the book although is was hard to keep the characters straight. The portraying of her mother through the eyes of friends was unique.

[Cat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes, someone writes their story as it is meaningful to them and that meaning fails to be clear to the reader. Unfortunately, I feel like this is one of those times. I didn't find this book very enjoyable to read and I didn't really feel like there was an intention to inspire, reveal a truth, amuse, or tell a narrative of importance to anyone outside of the author's family. I actually feel that some of the revelations about herself and her mother were of a nature that I would not want published if they were true of me or my family. I felt the author's excitement as she learned more and more about her mother and am happy that she is happy to discover so much about her mother. I just feel like I didn't need to be along for the ride.

[Neva · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tough review to write. I thought this was a great idea for a book, but found it sad. Not because of a child losing her mother, although that was sad enough, but because of the things the author chose to commemorate forever, much of which was speculation, about her mother.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much of this book was hard to read as the characters seemed so unlike me and the choices they made in life seemed so self-centered. I felt little connection to the first 3 quarters of the book. The very end made me appreciate the writer and the ideas in the book. I think we all look for a family or group of people with whom we feel good and that in which we belong. The end of the book made is passable.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart Wrenching

This was a good book, but very hard to read at times. I feel like there was a reason I did though.

[Eva cave]

Great read

I enjoyed this story so much. The Auther was so generous with her story I felt like a childhood friend.

[Sharon Chance · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mother/Daughter relationship is one that most women take for granted - we never think of our mother's having any other life than that of mom, or perhaps a working mom. But these women who gave birth to us have had their own lives when they were younger - sometimes they share those memories, sometimes those memories are gone or kept secret forever.

Author Jessica Barraco found her late mother's life to be one of mystery, secrets and intrigue. Jessica's mother died when Jessica was 12, a tender age when a girl needs her mom the most. As she grew older, Jessica found herself asking questions about her mother, but finding no ready answers. So she took it upon herself to seek out the answers she so badly needed to discover, and the secrets she uncovered were life-changing.

"The Butterfly Groove" is a powerfully emotional story that will grip the hearts of readers as they travel along on Jessica's journey to find the truth. There are moments of sadness and moments of joy represented in this fascinating story - it is one you won't forget soon.

I highly recommend this book as one both mothers and daughters would want to read together.

[Diane Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few relationships more complicated than that of a mother and daughter, as stated by John Valeri; however, Jessica Barraco manages to weave those intricacies into a beautiful memoir, hooking the reader with the first page. The way she marks chapters as "her thoughts" and as "her mother's thoughts" prove to be very effective in telling about her journey in the search of her mother's story, taken away too soon. Jessica's discovery reveals the reality of a time marked by the Vietnam War and women's liberation, a time I remember well. The questions asked about her mother's life are ones we all seek answers for, and the mysteries that remain allow for an acceptance and understanding of the complexities of women in the twentieth century. Heartfully and truthfully written, the memoir touches all of us as we all want to find strength and peace in our own mothers' life choices. Well done, Jessica Barraco. My grandmother said that if you had to wipe away tears after reading a book, then it was a book worth reading. "the butterfly groove"brought tears to my eyes-enough said.

[Bonnie Mcintyre · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was kind of boring and didn't reveal that much.

In 1999, as a twelve-year-old girl in sunny Southern California, Jessica Barraco loses her mother, Dianne, to cancer complications. Not knowing much about Dianne’s past, Jessica grows more and more curious about her mother’s story each year—especially because her immediate family does not seem to know much more about her mother than the Internet does. A decade after Dianne passes away, now armed with a journalism degree, Jessica unlocks a memory of her mother telling her that she loved her old ballroom dance partner, and she sets out on a two-year quest to find him—along with anyone else who can tell her about Dianne. Part mystery, part coming-of-age story, The Butterfly Groove is a heart-warming exploration of how our pasts tell our truths, and how love survives us all. (less)

[Sally Hallman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Butterfly has wings

This is truly what we all want to know about our mother after she is gone. Whether you loose your mother when you are a child like Jessica or when you are middle-aged like I was, the minute mom is gone a million questions begin. So much regret about not getting enough detail and even worse, not hearing a story from her at all. The author describes her journey so well and by recreating her mother Dianne's life by speaking as her, Dianne comes alive for us all. Ms Barraco had the bravery that I wish I had for researching my own female forebears. Thank you Jessica for such a satisfying read. I hope that you are now content with your result.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Searching for her mother's life.

When her mother died, Jessica Barrack was left feeling like she didn't really know her. As a young adult she searches for information about her mother's early life and looks for meaning in her own.