Title: Janine: Tale of an Abandoned Wife and Mother
Author: Mark Eric Johansen
Publisher: ARPress
ISBN: 979-8893412666
Pages: 377
Genre: Fiction / Novel / Human Tale
Reviewer: Subhrajit Saha
Hollywood Book Reviews
Imagine leading a cherishable and luxurious life, free from any financial struggle or otherwise. You are in a perfect space, with no worries clouding your mind, eagerly preparing to execute your long-awaited plans for the upcoming Christmas. Then, suddenly, fate takes a cruel turn. Within a week, you find yourself homeless, penniless, without a job or bank balance, and drowning in financial and legal troubles you have no connection with. Every door seems shut, every hope seems lost. Then, amidst this chaos, you hear Christmas jingles echoing from the nearby streets reminding you of where you stood just a week ago. The sheer tragedy of it all sinks in.
This is the very essence of author Mark Eric Johansen’s novel Janine: Tale of an Abandoned Wife and Mother. From the very first page, you are drawn into the gripping reality of a single mother and abandoned wife, trapped in a situation beyond her control. As the novel progresses, it weaves multiple mysterious yet deeply human tales, offering an emotional roller coaster filled with love, despair, resilience, and inspiration. Janine’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary, making this novel a compelling and heartfelt read.
Janine, a single mother, lives a picture-perfect life with her husband Brent Sr., their sixteen-year-old daughter Olivia, twelve-year-old son Brent Jr. (aka Alan), and eight-year-old daughter Monica. Their world is warm, secure, and wrapped in luxury until one day, everything shatters. Brent Sr. vanishes into thin air, as if he never existed. Within days, Janine finds herself evicted from her home with no money, no support, nowhere to go. Then just when she thinks things couldn’t get worse, she lands behind bars, wrapped in a nightmare of financial fraud cases orchestrated by her vanished husband.
The real tragedy? There’s no one from his family to rescue her, no lifeline to hold onto. Having lived a privileged life, Janine never needed to work, never had to build a skill set for survival. Now, with the weight of false allegations and no way out, how will she prove her innocence? How will she fight back against the world that has turned its back on her? This is where the gripping journey of an abandoned wife and mother truly begins. As the story unfolds, Janine’s path is filled with relentless police investigations, ruthless thieves, unsettling deaths, rotting corpses, betrayals, heartbreaks, tender moments of innocence, unexpected friendships, and heart-racing thrills. Will she find a way to survive, or will fate deal her an even crueler hand? To uncover the answers, dive into Johansen’s novel.
Alongside Janine’s gripping journey, the novel weaves in powerful subplots which leave a lasting impact. The evolving dynamic between Janine and her seemingly indifferent mother unfolds into an emotional revelation, making for a heartbreaking yet deeply moving experience. Beyond personal struggles, Janine: Tale of an Abandoned Wife and Mother, boldly challenges gender stereotypes. While the author breaks the mold in a world of fraudulent men, Saundra epitomizes the gold digger, urging Janine to pursue wealth over character, adding layers of moral complexity. The novel thrives on its rich subplots and layered character dynamics, from tender family moments to the brutal realities of betrayal, bullying, and survival. Its well-crafted storytelling, dramatic twists, and emotionally charged highs and lows make the book an unforgettable and timeless read.