Title: Endless Days
Author: Jayne McGregor
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-9845-5545-8
Pages: 114
Genre: Biography “this is a true story”
Reviewed by: Tara Mcnabb

Read Book Review

This harrowing true account of a whirlwind romance gone wrong is not an easy read, but it aims to shine a light on not only the dangers of ignoring your instincts, but also the corruption and inefficiency of our modern judicial system.

Arianna Spinelli is a middle-aged mother of two whose life revolves around the daily routine of work and just getting by. After a chance encounter with a handsome and gregarious Italian man, she soon finds herself head over heels in love. A wealthy and successful surgeon, Nick Caravelli seems to be everything she’s not; funny, witty, and charming. Although his busy schedule means long drives for weekends together, Arianna is willing to do all that and more just to be with him. Which is why, after just a few months, she is both shocked and elated when he presents her with a diamond ring. They move in together soon after, and things seem to finally be falling into place….that is, until Arianna begins to learn of Nick’s tumultuous past and his vengeful ex-wife. The more Arianna learns, the more she finds herself sucked into a trap of endless uncertainty and suspicion which quickly begins to make any fantasies of living happilyever-after dissipate. After a confrontation turns ugly, Arianna’s life becomes completely upside down, and she ends up in one of the last places on earth she ever thought to see; a jail cell. Now, with no hope of getting out and support from the outside dwindling, it takes all of her strength to get through the day.

For those who are wondering about the veracity of this tale, the words “this is a true story” are clearly written as an introduction even before chapter one. As a reader, knowing this is the author herself sharing (or confessing) the tragic story of her life is emotional enough, but we are also witnesses to her plea for justice at the end of the book; “I will keep fighting and hoping that someone who has the power to bring all this corruption to an end will step forward. I should be set free.” Such a statement is undoubtedly a powerful one, and although the public at large has more or less become familiar with corruption within our judicial system, the author’s personal pleas for help seem somehow more immediate, more real. Her depiction of the transition from blind, starry-eyed passion to a slow and bleak realization is written with a genuine urgency, as if trying to warn others away from similar perils. She admits more than once that if she had just paused to listen to her gut instinct, the voice in her head whispering that something wasn’t right, she may have avoided much of her troubles. For her to admit this is incredibly brave and is a sign of deep inner reflection.

Endless Days is, without a doubt, a mother’s and a woman’s plea for justice. It is also a somber voice of hard-earned wisdom, warning against the dangers of ignoring your better judgment, for those who are willing to listen.