Walk Out the Door

by Pearl Wolfe, Evelyn Anderton

Praise for Walk Out the Door

“Walk Out the Door is a vivid and visceral reading experience, and more than that, an education.
Hard-hitting, engaging, empowering, Walk Out the Door is a fresh, unflinchingly realistic, and ultimately redemptive story of generational domestic violence. The situations it depicts are unavoidable in today’s culture. Don’t miss it.

Is Quinn, the abusive celebrity judge, above the law? Will Quinn’s legacy destroy his son Matt’s marriage to Liz?
Can friends, relatives, and social workers help Liz regain her self-confidence and independence when so many others like her have been unable to leave destructive love relationships?

Behind years of their own professional experience, Authors Wolfe and Anderton give us an authentic, simultaneously tender and gritty account of Liz’s journey through the labyrinthian and insidious corridors of domestic violence.”
-Charlie Price, Edgar Award Winning Author
THE INTERROGATION OF GABRIEL JAMES

“A story that invites you to consider your own relationships as you relate to the lives of its characters. Escape into this good read and learn about the complexities of relationship violence and the people who experience it.”
-Kate Barkley, PhD
Former Executive Director, Womenspace, Eugene, OR.


“Staged in the excitement of a popular cafe with lively music and great eats, crowds gather to connect. Liz, the café’s successful entrepreneur, suddenly finds herself facing anger and escalating violence when she quickly marries her new love.

Will Liz be the only one who gets hurt? Watch it spill over to her family, friends and even her customers? You’ll join her cadre of supporters as the danger rises. A great guide to help free someone you care about from abuse.”
-Cherie Bynum, Clinical Social Worker

Orphaned at 15, Liz built a life for herself as the owner of the Shady Grove Café. Single, outspoken, and independent, she unknowingly walks into an intergenerational trap when she falls for perceptive, funny, and irresistible Matt. Only after they marry does Liz discover that his erratic and violent behavior mirrors his father’s brutality.

Walk Out the Door uncovers the deep imprint domestic violence makes from one generation to the next. Two generations of domestic violence are portrayed in this engaging piece of fiction. We’re rooting all the way for it to end with survivors, not victims.

Genres: Fiction, Novels

277 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 13, 2022

Reviews

[Shelley's Book Nook · Rating 2 out of 5]

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I really wanted to like this book so it saddens me that I have to write this review as it is such an important subject everyone should learn more about. The book was just too simply written for my liking and this is not a simple topic. It was like an immature person was talking to me about their relationship troubles.

The book does explore how domestic violence affects everyone around the victim and the perpetrator, especially the children. And I liked how it showed the generational issues with spousal abuse, but I found most of the scenarios too unbelievable and easily solved.

I appreciated that the authors work at a facility that helps educate and end domestic violence, their experience and knowledge do come through, I just couldn't get past the amateurish and disjointed writing style.

[catherine ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Thank you to Netgalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Actual Rating: 2

The co-authors of this book worked at an agency to end domestic violence in Oregon, and that shows — not always in a good way.

It's clear that the story is there; the basic story here is pregnant Liz slowly starting to experience violent behavior, both physical and emotional, from her partner Matt. When she learns about his tumultuous upbringing at the hands of an explosive father, she realizes just how many victims the cycle of violence creates.

The themes of women empowerment and coming together to overcome systematic issues is great, and I can also see some attempts to add nuance in the portrayal of why abuse becomes passed down.

Unfortunately, the thing that really drags down the book for me is the writing style, both on a macro and micro level.

In terms of sentence structure, much of the conversations and the descriptions don't flow naturally and instead read like a cautionary anecdote you might see in an informative pamphlet. People rattle off legal outcomes and warning signs, and you never really feel like these are real characters as opposed to didactic examples. It's clear that the authors are very knowledgeable about the content, but the delivery isn't there.

Put together, the entire book starts to feel like one anecdote after another. That's the primary way in which information is delivered; Liz often learns about occurrences simply through one character rehashing everything that happened to her, and many past events are also summarized through narration. It makes it very difficult to emotionally connect with any side characters and it feels like we're reading an "about me" page.

I also honestly think the writing isn't subtle enough for its messages, especially when it comes to Matt. We are told that he starts to devolve only after marriage, but from his first appearance, Matt seems like an awful person; his lines and actions are almost too on-the-nose and it makes it hard to imagine how this person could've ever come across as charismatic and likable for Liz to be with him. To a lesser extent, I feel the same away about Quinn, whose villainy feels sometimes too over-the-top and cartoonish. We're told that there's nuance to the situation but it's really not shown.

Ultimately, I think there's a lot of thematic potential here, but it needs a lot of reorganizing.

[Rita Kingsbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a well written novel by two very knowledgeable women. It could be used as a teaching tool in high schools and colleges, as well. It deals with the trauma of domestic violence, not only on women, but on the kids who witness it and are drawn into the drama of it. The novel did not have an ‘everybody lived happily ever after’ ending, because those who have experienced it and lived through it know you can eventually, after years of work, find happiness and even more important, normalcy, but the horror of it never goes away and comes uninvited at a word, a dream, etc.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors are retired women who served Womenspace in Eugene, Oregon for many years. They collaborated to write this book as a riveting novel that is both a story of generational domestic violence and an education for those who need to know the signs and symptoms and then to have the knowledge and courage to do something about it. It it is also a model of how friends, colleagues and family can provide support in the midst of ongoing abuse.

[Stephanie]

Fast moving story, simply written. Sometimes felt characters were a bit forgotten about for a while, but eventually finished off. Enjoyable!

[Lisa Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

”Walk Out The Door” is a story about generational domestic violence. It is written in a simple prose, but the authors seamlessly portray how easy it is to fall into the trap of manipulation set by the abuser. We can sympathize with the protagonist, Liz, when she realizes her new husband isn’t being completely honest and open with her. When others start noticing that her husband is controlling and has angry outbursts, they step in to help Liz understand that her safety is paramount, especially since she’s pregnant. Both family and friends gently guide her to the truth.

Domestic violence is easy to ignore for those of us who are not affected by it. That’s why stories such as this are so important. The authors both write from a place of expertise in domestic violence. There’s a complexity to this story equal to that of domestic abuse victims.

This book is worthy of 4 stars. And, as an aside, the cover is beautiful! Thank you, NetGalley and Atmosphere Press for the eARC.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]

Walk Out the Door provides a responsible and accurate portrayal of domestic violence, shedding light on the harrowing experiences of a woman trapped in an abusive relationship. The book stands out by offering a final section that encourages readers to reflect on the moments leading up to the assaults and the assaults themselves, deepening their understanding of the issue. The narrative is easy to follow and manages to captivate the reader's interest for a significant portion of the story. However, the book's main drawback lies in its excessive length, often causing the plot to drag on. Additionally, the descriptions in the book feel somewhat superficial, lacking the depth that could have enriched the reading experience. While Walk Out the Door is worth a read for those willing to invest time and patience, it fails to leave a lasting impression.

[Wisconsin Alumni]

Pearl Wolfe ’84
Coauthor

From the coauthor:
Orphaned at 15, Liz built a life for herself as the owner of the Shady Grove Café. Single, outspoken, and independent, she unknowingly walks into an intergenerational trap when she falls for perceptive, funny, and irresistible Matt. Only after they marry does Liz discover that his erratic and violent behavior mirrors his father’s brutality.

Walk Out the Door uncovers the deep imprint domestic violence makes from one generation to the next. Two generations of domestic violence are portrayed in this engaging piece of fiction. We’re rooting all the way for it to end with survivors, not victims.

[Teresa Ryder · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story based around domestic violence which really caught my attention. It was the subject matter throughout the entire book and effected many people, their family, work life and friends. I was pleased to hear about the support mechanisms in place for the characters for both victims and abusers. It sometimes takes cruel times like these that bring people together, a very engaging read.

Thanks to Atmosphere Press and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy to read.

[Kara Maloy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. This domestic abuse story, puts it in a real life perspective. How we can be in denial about abuse, the love you have for your abuser, and the scary part of leaving. This storyline talked about how abuse can affect you, even as one abused to become abusers yourself. Liz goes through a lot and comes out still fighting for the life she wants and deserves. Will Matt actually change after all he has been through?

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Focusing on domestic violence, the novel does some hard hitting on a very volatile, sensitive subject.
There are several incidents involving egregious domestic battery with several of the main characters.
The novel touches on the feelings and emotions of both the abusers and their victims, allowing readers to see both.
It sends a powerful message to anyone who has endured such abuse, there is help and hope.
Thanks to Atmosphere Press and NetGalley for the digital copy.

[Stacy Rouble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this read......But warning is heavy hitting in the domestic violence sector.
I could relate to the storyline of this novel which drew me in even more.
Love Liz the main character, being left alone to her own devices at the age 15 she becomes a very independent young women. Kind of naive at times as she was not versed on being street smart when it came to love....but blinded by love all to real for me.
This book was very engaging and empowering

[Kelly Pramberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful book about domestic violence that captured my attention within the first couple of pages. My heart was pounding! Good character development and you can tell the authors know this subject matter from the descriptive language and details. Well done. Fast-paced, four stars. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Bobbie W · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors bring a lifetime of experience to this compelling, insightful book. They tell a story not only of violence against women, but also of hope through education, action, and the commitment of everyone who cares to work for change.