Title: Dear Izzy
Author: Hannah E. Jones
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-1-5320-0176-5
Pages: 156
Genre: Fiction / Romance
Reviewed by: Ella Vincent
Buy Book on AmazonPacific Book Review
Dear Izzy is a haunting and inspiring story about a woman who deals with an abusive husband by writing letters to their daughter, Izzy. Author Hannah E. Jones tells a story of perseverance and faith that will inspire readers.
Dear Izzy is a story of Sarah, a woman who falls in love with Cullen, a charming man who sweeps Sarah off her feet. They marry, but soon their idyllic marriage turns into a nightmare when Cullen becomes insensitive and emotionally abusive towards Sarah. Sarah copes with the abuse by writing letters to their young daughter, Izzy about how she hopes for a better life for her when she is older. By writing these letters, Sarah makes changes in her life that have serious consequences.
Jones writes about such a serious subject as domestic violence with empathy and incisiveness. Sarah is a sympathetic protagonist who faces a destructive relationship with self-discovery and confidence. Though Sarah is brave, she also battles self-doubt, which is common for women in abusive relationships. Jones captures well the ethical dilemma of abused women with children who want to break free from their abusive partners.
While Cullen is a cruel man in the book, he isn’t a one-dimensional villain. Jones shows how a dysfunctional family can create a distant and controlling husband. The novel also details how domestic violence is not a sudden event, but can grow undetected over time so victims can be caught by surprise. Dear Izzy vividly details the emotional cost of an abusive relationship and how it can destroy a family. While the book has harrowing moments, the letters Sarah writes to Izzy during her ordeal are also heartwarming and the emotional center of Dear Izzy.
This book is perfect for fans of authors like Jodi Picoult and Terry McMillan, who mix faith and complicated issues into their novels. Like those authors, Jones can be a leading author of women’s fiction with this novel about a strong female character. While a woman is the lead protagonist, any reader will be inspired by Dear Izzy. Jones’ writing can be distributed in domestic violence shelters to help victims of violence. The book can also be given in counseling sessions to help victims of violence as well.
Albeit a short book, Dear Izzy is a very powerful book. The inspiring message of this will help readers realize that any obstacle can be overcome with help from others, self- determination and love.
