First published 2008
The phone rings at dawn in Susanna Sonnenberg's Montana home. Her aunt delivers urgent news: Susanna's mother lies in a coma following a car crash. She may die. Most daughters would race to the hospital, but Susanna stays put. Her refusal stems from decades of manipulation by a mother who was beautiful, magnetic, and a chronic liar. This woman introduced her daughter to sex and drugs, teaching deception as a survival skill. Susanna spent years breaking free from her mother's toxic influence, fighting not to repeat the same destructive patterns. Now married with two young sons, she has built a life based on honesty and genuine connection. Through vivid memories, Sonnenberg reveals how she escaped her mother's seductive but dangerous world. She shows her battle to become trustworthy, to forge real relationships, and to raise her children without lies. This memoir captures the complex emotions of a daughter who must choose between duty and self-preservation.
Genres: memoir, non-fiction, biography-memoir, family-drama
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Montana
Audio CD · Simon & Schuster Audio
Content warnings: abuse, addiction, emotional-abuse