"You're mine," he said, "forever"—and a chill ran through her.
Kurt persuades his new bride Johanna to move from Europe to Australia, in search of a better future. They eventually locate in an opal mining town deep in the outback. Alone and isolated from their friends in Sydney, Kurt's true nature unfolds. He exploits Johanna’s love and forces her to help him dig obsessively for the legendary black opal, using increasingly sadistic methods. Johanna is at the mercy of her husband, and her fate seems sealed—unless she kills him first.
Helga Zeiner is a German-born Canadian author. She left her home town Augsburg at the age of eighteen to explore the world. For the following fourteen years, she lived and worked in Australia and Asia before she married and settled in Canada. All her stories have been inspired by her years of extensive travels. The reader can only guess which parts of her dramatic thrillers are based on real-life experiences or might be the product of her imagination. She now lives on Vancouver Island, unless she is traveling the world again. Aside from writing, Helga loves reading, (anything but preferably dark and twisty), dogs, (all breeds and mixes but preferably Chow Chows), wine (preferably the bubbly kind), cooking and eating (preferably with good friends and family), and last but not least, her hubby Mani (no preference specified there—she loves everything about him).
When Johanna and her new husband are heading out on an adventure to Australia with her friends and their boyfriends . As they work in Australia Kurt starts to unravel and the abuse starts to get worse . Alone and scared Johanna struggles with the fact that Kurt is getting worse . Will she be able to survive or will she end up dead . The characters in this book are complex and well written . Johanna is a strong but also very naïve . She was a happy go lucky woman that was heading on the biggest adventure of her life . She is systematically being torn down and abused , you feel like you want to save her . She comes out the other side so strong and she is one tough woman . Her friends Eva and Isabella are hiding their own abuses and scars . They have all gone their own ways but they are all hiding a secret . You really just want to hug these women and tell them everything will be ok. Now lets talk Kurt and Uewe and Dieter . I honestly tried to like these men but oh it was hard . Kurt was unhinged and thought the world owed him . He was suave at the beginning but as the story went on he was evil . He was cruel and abusive and it just kept getting worse as the story went on . The other guys were to me followers . They were just as bad in their own ways . Dieter was just about as bad as Kurt in his own way . You will love and hate each character at some point in the book . I sat down to read this book , thinking about how I love thrillers . This book is long and the author takes us on such an emotional ride . The characters are well written and the story is one that could happen in today's society . It does go on all the time . I yelled at my kindle a few times . I ugly cried all the way through this book . I just wanted to hug Johanna and the girls and tell them everything will be ok . The ending will have you cheering . So if you want a good book that will keep you reading all night this is the book for you . Just be prepared to have tears rolling down your eyes . If you have any triggers over rape and abuse this might not be the book for you. Just check it out for yourself .
Helga is an amazing artist. I began reading this and was swept into the lives of Eva, Isabella and Johanna. She was able to capture the lives of young women who married quickly to narcissistic men. The trials and tribulations that came with the struggle to survive a new life in a new country with a different language. I finished the book really late last night and then cried for three hours. I was filled with emotion because the author was able to really capture the abuse and issues in an unhealthy marriage.
Mine Forever by Helga Zeiner is a compelling read. This book will make you scream and cry at the men in this story. If rape is a trigger for you this book might not be for you. I found myself wanting to reach through the pages of the book and slugging Kurt as his treatment of Johanna grew worse. Johanna started out a very naive and gullible girl but ended a very strong woman. This is very much a psychological thriller. I could not put this book down no matter how angry I got as it progressed. The characters are compelling.
Excellently written. Believable characters and character narration. Brought to life in a way that will both make your stomach ache and your heart soar.
3 couples emigrate from. Germany to Austrailia paid for by the German government, their only obligation is to stay for 2 years. While on the ship heading for Austrailia, Kurt's sadistic side reveals itself to his 18 year old bride. Kurt, an egostical bully, leads the couples to establish new lives. He eventually isolates his bride Johanna from the 2 other couples and forces her to live in undesirable circumstances. This is a tale involving bullying, sexual abuse and torture. The men underestimate the strength and friendship of the women they cheat on and abandon, leaving the to struggle to survive. The justice the women finally extract is worth the reading of this sadistic,triggering story. Although this reader wanted to quit reading several times, I'm glad I persevered. .
This is my first time reading this author. Although loved probably isn’t the best word to use for this story it is what I feel. The author has taken a disturbing plot that is quite dark and so has potential triggers for some readers, and she has written an amazing book. It’s a book that is impossible to put down once started and not easily forgotten once finished. I have another book by this author and I’m delving straight into that one as this was a brilliant book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I know Helga, and knew this would be a good read. But, it was much more than that. A twisty, turning, journey of 3 women, that seriously takes your breath away. I feel like I lived in Johanna's shoes. That any women have lived under the ways of these " men", is a testament to the spirit of survival. I absolutely loved these book, I could not put it down. These women are going to stay with me a very long time!!!
I enjoyed this thriller. The journey that Isabella, Johanna and Eva went on was breath-taking. From the start of their journey to the conclusion you were left guessing what happened next.
Told with emotions and sincerity this book hits all the right notes.
I received this in a Giveaway. This was a good book with a good story.
A group of people become friends on their journey from Germany to Australia. The story focuses more on Kurt and Joanna, but everything is not as it seems. Kurt becomes violent and abusive. Can Joanne made it with Kurt? What happens with them?
The story flowed and had a few timelines in the story, but it made sense.
"Mine forever" is an other book of Helga Zeiner which triggers strong emotions ,in heart and mind. At list in mine. I wasn't just reading some story, I was there, following characters, lived their life, wanted to shout to abusive Kurtz to get away from his wife, Joanna , and to help her in every step to easy her suffering she was getting from brutal, arrogant and misogynistic husband on daily bases . Thankfully end was satisfying. ❤