Silent Cry

by Dorothy J. Newton

Raised near New Orleans as one of six children, Dorothy Newton was surrounded by abuse and poverty as she grew up. But she became the first in her family to graduate from college and moved out of poverty. She then began to live out her dreams in Dallas of a better home and life when she married celebrity superstar football player Nate Newton. She had gone from poverty to the pinnacle of success. She was married to a handsome, successful, famous professional athlete, who was a three time Super Bowl Champion and six time Pro-Bowler for the Dallas Cowboys.

But all that glittered was not gold.

Before long the relationship turned abusive. She found herself living in the world she thought she had escaped in her years growing up. The world did not see her suffering behind closed doors—she was betrayed, treated abusively, threatened continually. Dorothy was trapped with no one to talk to and nowhere to run. In this book Dorothy shares her experiences of pain, loss, survival, hope, recovery, and victory. A gripping story throughout, Silent Cry is a testament to Dorothy’s will to live and the peace that comes with hope in the God who sees and hears your tears—even when no one else does.

336 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2015

Reviews

[Heather Fineisen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although Newton ‘s storytelling is methodical and straightforward, it is an important narrative of abuse. Newton seems carefully restrained throughout the narrative until she herself finally let’s go to a therapist and as a reader you almost feel her physical release. The book shows us that there are many different needs for recovery including faith and therapy. I especially liked that Newton included interviews with her ex-husband and two sons at the end. This added to the perspectives of how abuse impacts the family unit, even after the relationship ends. With violence in relationships with athletes gaining more attention, this is a timely and necessary book. It is not a sensationalist chronicle of life in the NFL, but an ongoing journey of faith and healing.

Copy provided by Booklook Bloggers

[Rindi Trainer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an easy read, but also a very challenging topic. One in four women will be the victim of domestic violence. In this story, even when the victim made an outcry, the local police took her husband’s side because he was a Dallas Cowboy. This should not be!

Over the years, Dorothy Newton has made peace with God and decided to write her story because she believed that God wanted her to do so. I’m glad she did. Hopefully, her telling it and us reading it will help eradicate domestic violence.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Tosha Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book almost 9 months ago and truly enjoyed it. It was a real page turner. I read all 331 pages in one day. I hadn't read a book for pleasure in years and was captivated by her story. The foundations of her story is more than about abuse and betrayal of an NFL wife….the big picture is about the generational TRAUMA she had endured as a child and how her 2 sons experienced similar trauma. The book is also about how RESILIENT Dorothy was to rise to the top in the end. Silent Cry is a book that brings awareness about abuse (all forms) and self-awareness on our own trauma. Dorothy’s story is relatable because in one way or another we have or know someone who has experienced some sort of abuse in our life time. I appreciated that she included the 4 appendixes after the last chapter on “Why Won’t She Leave, How Do I Help Her, I Am Being Abused What Should I do and Why Do Abusers Abuse?” I think these short chapters provide the reader with a brief in site on the above questions and knowledge on how to support someone who is going through abuse. I have a friend who we have become distant over the years because of the abuse she endures and would love for her to read this book. With each child she brings into this world…into this environment I know she is filled with overwhelming emotions, but know that there is light at the end of the tunnel…when she is ready….hopefully before things are too late. Lastly, I enjoyed the spiritual aspect of her journey with God and the quotes she used for each chapter. The quote that stuck out the most was chapter #15 titled The Ultimatum states, “The one who loves the least, controls the relationship” by Robert Anthony. It stuck out because in many relationships it is not always 50/50 or both parties putting in 100% and that there will be times when it seems like the abuser loves the least and is controlling everything. Please read. You will be enlightened and won’t regret it.

[Trinity Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silent Cry by Dorothy J. Newton is an excellent book. An autobiography that tells of abuse that is mentally and physically. Dorothy tells about her childhood and how her father abused her mother and how Dorothy was never going to get into a relationship where abuse was.
Dorothy was/is a very intellect person. She stayed so very close to God, because He is the only one Dorothy could trust to not hurt her or leave her. Dorothy was the first one in her family to graduate college and become a woman who could support herself. She didn’t want to end up like her mother staying in a relationship because she didn’t have any money or anyone to go to, to get away from an abusive relationship.
Then Dorothy met Nate Newton famous superstar football player for the Dallas Cowboys. Things were fine for a while and Dorothy gave up her job and depended on Nate. Then he started abusing her and the cycle started all over again. In Silent Cry Dorothy tells about the things she went through and how she never would have made it if she didn’t have the Lord in her life. Besides the physical, emotional abuse Dorothy put up with a cheating, lying husband and stood by him in all things.
She reported Nate’s behavior several times, but him being a superstar no one would believe her or take her side.
She stayed until she feared for her life and what it would do to their sons if she stayed. Read this book of incredible faith and how Dorothy made a new life for herself. She now helps other people in the same situation she was in. A very extraordinary book. Highly recommended.

I received my free copy from Net Galley for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book held onto me from the very beginning and wouldn’t let me go. It was the story of a woman who grows up in an abusive home in the backwoods of Louisiana. She struggles to break out of the cycle of poverty and abuse, only to find herself out of the cycle of poverty, but stuck in a relationship that eerily mimics her mother’s relationship with her abusive step-father.
This is a painful but necessary book to read, one that teaches that compromising your morals and good judgment can lead you down a road where it can be very difficult to return back from. It is possible, but it is a very difficult and painful road to come back. I myself was in an abusive relationship, I compromised my morals and judgment, and almost lost my life for it., very close to the author’s own story.
With God’s help, the author shows that no matter where you are in life, no matter how helpless you feel, and how hopeless the situation seems, you can get out of it.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this ebook for free from netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book was just okay. While I enjoyed reading about Dorothy's life, I was not as into all the religious things about the book. I appreciate that she is close with God and wants to share that with everyone, but I wish there was less focus on that and more of a focus about the abuse she suffered. This was an uplifting story none the less, and I am happy that everyone came out of the troubled relationship safely.

This book would be much better suited for someone who is religious. It was well written and I enjoyed the interviews at the end with the family that were included so we got a little glimpse of them in addition to her story.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

First I would like to give my own advice, if you are in an abusive relationship, LEAVE. Do not try to fix or pretend just be strong and even men can get abused so just get out. As far as the book while it always hurts my heart to hear of this kind of story and I do sympathize with the author I feel the hell that was created is a two way street and if you're an adult and can not get to anywhere unless you're actually physically restrained sadly this is your fate. I know some will find this offensive and have a million excuses, but I have personally dealt with this on more than one occasion and speak from experience.

[Linda L Isler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing was pretty mundane, but this was an important topic which made reading it worthwhile. I wish she had told more stories as if it were happening versus telling what happened. Towards the middle of the book she did a better job showing and describing the emotions and actions versus telling the facts with basic sentences. Despite the subpar writing, the author kept my interest and reminded the reader that simple choices made in the moment reap consequences with rippling effects.

[Wall-to-wall books - wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming

[Gracynn]

I loved this book! Silent Cry is kind-of a gateway to show you that even though we have hard times God is always with us. We can learn so much from Dorothy. God will never give up on us, even when we walk through the hardest time in our life he will be at our side.