Send Me No Flowers

by Jenny Tomlin

Send Me No Flowers is the story of a young woman's fight for survival.

Donna Stewart's family is poor but respectable and hard working. Donna is beautiful and clever - about to go up to university. Celebrating her exam results with her friends at a club, she meets Danny Lester, ten years older, much richer, a businessman - he sweeps her off her feet. Despite warnings from friends and family, Donna enjoys Danny's wild streak. She believes this is the man she will marry and live with happy ever after. But it gradually emerges that 'Danny the knife' is a dangerous criminal - and a sadist. She is introduced to a world of drugs and prostitutes, where Danny gets his kicks by terrifying her. The longer she leaves it, the harder it will be to escape. But eventually, helped by a loyal circle of female friends, she works out a plan.

320 pages, Paperback

First published February 12, 2009

About the author

QUEEN of the misery memoir Jenny Tomlin, mother of actress Martine McCutcheon, is not as tragic as you might imagine.

Upbeat and truly happy in her life now, it's difficult to believe that she was sexually abused by her father, unprotected by her slovenly mother and then married a violent man who battered her senseless even when she was pregnant with Martine.

Her disturbing story was told in her memoirs Behind Closed Doors and Silent Sisters, which became bestsellers, enabling her to buy a 12-acre French farmhouse in the Dordogne with her second husband, Alan Tomlin, a bodyguard she married in Barbados nine years ago.

Then, of course, there's her famous daughter.

You can hear Martine laughing in the background as her mother describes their relationship now.

"She's my best friend. No matter what life throws at her, she has such a positive outlook. She's strong mentally, she's funny, witty, clever. "Because I had her so young [at 19], it's almost like we're mates. I'm so proud of that fact because I never had that with my mother."

At the farm, Jenny, 52, runs an English grocery shop and tea garden, serving up full English breakfasts and afternoon teas to hungry customers. She moved to France to escape the many bad memories, and experience a more tranquil setting.

Reviews

[Nazila · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of innocent young girl who feels has found her love of live and her Mr right, but in reality she has put herself in world of drug dealers and criminals. The book has loads of graphical scene of torture, sex, and violence which is very disturbing and heart-breaking.

[Josephine (Jo) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t really know what to say about this book. I read the blurb on the back of the book and thought that it was the usual sort of story of a girl who meets and falls in love with the wrong man and he spoils her chances of going to university.
The story starts with the main character in a hospital bed have been beaten and then continues to tell the story of how she met and fell head over heels in love with her partner Danny Lester. All was o.k. until I got a fair way into the book and then I started to realise that this was not my type of book at all. At the point where it became obvious that the language and description of abuse were so crude I stopped reading The author apparently writes books on domestic abuse in order to bring the subject out into the open and get help for those who suffer so badly.
As the situation between Donna and Danny unfolded the language became worse and then came the start of what I can only describe and as absolute pornography. I started to read about things that I had no idea existed and I am 67, I am not a prude and I know that bad things are happening all the time but this was a step too far. The detail included was just dreadful and the language simply crude. Once it got to this point I stopped reading.
I always pass my books on to friends or give them to charity shops but in this case I feel that I cannot put this back out for some other unsuspecting person to buy. I shall do something that I would normally consider unthinkable and I shall put the book in the dustbin.
There should definitely be a warning on the cover of the explicit content of the book. This sort of thing will not help the victims of domestic abuse as it is more aimed at those who like to read graphic books for fun. Not for me!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. this book is extremely disturbing. and to think these types of things are happening in the world turns my stomach. very explicit...





SPOILER AHEAD!




this is a story of a family oriented "goody goody" type of girl (donna)who has a circle of very close friends, and who has big plans for her future. these plans and friendships take a backseat when she meets the "man of her dreams"..Danny. Danny sweeps her off her feet, buying her expensive gifts, taking her on trips, and treating her like royalty...at first. Danny and Donna decide to move in together against the better judgement of her best friends and family. Then things start to change. Danny is quickly becoming the "king pin" drug lord in his area as well as surrounding areas, and has a sick sexual appetite. He forces Donna into the world of coke and crack, and forces her to do everything and anything he wants, especially sexually. When she doesn't do exactly as told, he beats Donna, putting her in the hospital more than once. this is a heartbreaking story, especially since Donna is of that typical beaten woman mind frame, "he's gonna change this time, because he loves me." She finally is able to see through this state of mind, but will it be too late for her to get out?

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personally I love this book. Its gritty, hard hitting, but written so well. I actually kept asking myself is this a true story. Its fiction. I re-read this book, something I never do.

[Jessie Persse · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst book I've ever read. If I wanted blatant porn I would have bought a picture magazine. This book missed its intended point. If this book had been written by a man I would imagine it would be the only way this book could have disappointed me even more.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book certainly couldn't put it down but was quite disturbing and upsetting...

[Nanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for everyone - very graphic in term of detail for certain scenes to do with domestic and substance abuse.

Also, the writing was a bit slow to get into, but once you got into the book a bit more you definitely lost track of time.

Ig it raises awareness to how serious domestic abuse can be, and it is both depressing and insightful.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very compelling story showing how someone very innocent can easily be led astray by another with ulterior motives. The story was really sad but compelling at the same time. This is the second book that I have read by this author and she definitely doesn't pull any punches and her style is very graphic. I have read a few reviews on GR that are quite critical of the authors writing style. My response to that is that those reviewers should perhaps choose not to read books by this author. It is up to them to choose to read this or any of the other books by Jenny Tomlin or not. As with any artist, this author has had a sad life. Whether you are an recording artist/musician, writer etc. people will write about what they know and this won't always be to everyone's tastes. I recently read the book "Sweetie" by the same author and wondered briefly whether I would be able to read the book. I then did some research on the author and made the decision to read it and found myself enjoying it, despite the content. Yes it was graphic but doing the research on the author made me realise that she wasn't being sensationalist, she was writing from her own experience and that actually made me admire her.
To go back to this story, it was hard hitting and I've already said graphic but reading it made me realise just how this could happen to anyone from any walk of life. I think the author did a good job of portraying the main characters.

[Kara · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was shit
The beginning moved way too fast and the female lead was such a pathetic weak character and to make it worst this book wasn't even written well

[Rhiannon O · Rating 1 out of 5]

awful book. Struggled to finish it.

[Lucy Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a truly horrific book with extremely graphic scenes of violence and rape.
I feel awful giving the book 4 stars implying that I enjoyed it. I am giving it a high rating because it was very well written and showed how a young woman could be taken in by a charming drug dealer and groomed so easily.
What is interesting is that the book also has parts written from Danny's perspective and you really see what a nasty piece of work he is.
I would like to think that this book is far fetched and that horrific things like this don't happen but I feel very sad to think that they probably do somewhere.
A brutal read. Definitely not for the faint hearted. It's something that will stay with me for a long time.

[Ally Atherton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Donna thinks she's found the love of her life but she's only met the man that will steal it from her.






If you read the introduction to this book you'll learn that Jenny Tomlin writes books about abuse so that she can raise awareness.

I think that's all fine and dandy but at the end of the day a book has to be entertaining in some shape or form. This isn't in any shape or form.








Send Me No Flowers gave me that familiar nauseating feeling in my stomach that I always get when I read a book that bores the pants off me. It lacks conflict, it lacks excitement. It isn't gripping whatsoever. It's the opposite of what I'd call a page turner.


The writing is pretty dull and below average and I think that's got a lot to do with it. Add a plot that isn't very well constructed and you've got a bit of a stinker.







This is gritty and touches upon a subject that does need to be written about. Just not in this way.







I was glad to finish it.

[Amy W · Rating 2 out of 5]

I steamed through this in a couple of days. Yes it's graphic, but having read the likes of American Psycho and some Hubert Selby Jr., I felt somewhat desensitised from the violence described here. Reading like a "true life" story you'd find in a women's magazine, this is actually a work of fiction. Although that's not to say similar experiences haven’t happened in real life, and the introduction to the book by author Jenny Tomlin makes this clear.

Despite describing very distressing events, this was written in a very simple way (hence my rapid progress) and events at times felt signposted. Tomlin gave hints as to what would happen next… and then it did. Certainly not your average romantic novel, but I can't see it ending up on any "classic" lists in the near future.

[Imanalin]

it was superb!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

absolutely heart breaking, have never read anything like it, definitely an inspiration to everyone.

[Joni Duignan · Rating 4 out of 5]

tough read, couldn't stop reading tho

[Courtney L. Painter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book but I found it very damaging and sometimes a bit difficult to read. It has a very powerful story that shows just how easy it is to be tricked and pulled into a life that everyone always thinks “I would never do those things”, “that would never be me I’m too good”. I found myself connecting the the characters very well, getting excited for Donna every time Danny surprised her with flowers, or sorry for Trippy when he had to do what he had to end that life. I was happy for Trippy. Happy he got out of that life. But my heart was in my throat every time something happened to Donna, whenever she tried to get away or when she was in fact only “going for air”.

It is a very gripping story that had me up all night either desperate to read it or have my mind blown with masses of thoughts and questions.

Very well written but would definitely not advise for those to read for the faint hearted.

All the Love x

[Es the Book Hoarder · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to say 3 and a half stars, and I'm not sure whether I'd round up or down if I had to choose. The writing style was quite difficult for me to get into - I felt it 'told' the story as if it was an outsider looking in, rather than 'showed' the story. I'm not even sure if that makes sense - I just felt that it was a bit detached, which threw me, particularly given the subject matter.

It was decent, and given its graphic nature, the horrible situation the protagonist(s) found themselves in and the theme of the story in general, I expected to be crying my eyes out, angry, or whatever, but I found it fell flat. I wasn't really interested in the characters in terms of "caring" about what happened to them, in fact, I cared more about what was disclosed about Nicola, rather than what had happened to Donna, not that that wasn't atrocious...

So yeah, 3/3.5. Not a story or an author I'd revisit, but it was recommended to me, so I read it.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book more than once, Jenny tomlin has provided a story which can.really set the scene of a young, impressionable teenage girl who falls in love with the bad boy who seems to be so sweet at first and has a very sinister secret.
Very well written in a way where you cannot stop yourself imagining a friend or family member going through the same thing and what you would advise or do in that situation.

Great book and would highly recommend if you haven't already read it.

[Karen Roach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explicit

I can't say I didn't enjoy this book because I most definitely did, but it was one of the most graphic books I have ever read and I am unsure whether there was a need for it to be so explicit, it was on the same lines of 50 shades only more brutal and to be honest I found 50shades disgusting ,but I did enjoy this book and read it in one sitting well written but a bit to graphic

[Miss Gucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg, what a absolute mind blowing fiction book,
Every page was fantastic, read the book with in a week! Very sad to read what Donna went through, felling trapped and unable to get away from this man ‘DANNY’ who controlled her every move,
Lots of horrific abuse, drugs and torture going on, love the way Danny’s lime light came to an end, and the 3 girls stuck together in a new life of there own, definitely recommend!!

[Helen Pitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A real page turner however ....

Incredibly graphic and violent book telling the tale of a young girl, groomed for sex by a drug dealing coke head. It has probably already been accused of being gratuitous but once I'd begun it, I had to finish it! It was a relief to close the last page and get away from the relentless and horrific violence.

[✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i found this book in a random church shelve years, should have not read it when i was young tbh but anyways, am rereading it again. love the message of the whole book but the writing isn’t my jam, nonetheless an explicit book abt domestic and substance abuse that does shock you to your core.

[Goosey_Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely disturbing. Should probably come with a trigger warning considering there’s abuse, r*pe and drugs. The whole nine yards. It was definitely a difficult read and made me cry at parts. I almost gave up because of how rough it is. But a part of me needed to know the outcome.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A devastatingly and turbulent story. One of the very few books that has brought me to tears.

[janine smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upsetting

Very hard read, upsetting but I couldn't put it down, and to think these things happen makes me want to keep my kids at home.

[Jeanette Cuff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant read could not put it down

[Leya Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hard read due to its graphic and violent content. Overall, however a great book that I couldn’t put down.

[Lisa Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harrowing read

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have ever read!! Rollercoaster of emotions