Behind Closed Doors: A Daughter's Story Paperback – November 23, 2017

Excellent narration, I felt the ups and downs the writer portrayed. I enjoyed the ending, I’m glad she was able to tell her story.

This memoir tells the story of a woman born in 1949 to a single mother, with a childhood marked by abandonment, instability, and a deep mistrust of the adults around her. She was constantly shuffled from place to place, yet the book remains an inspiring and accessible read. Her adult life reflects resilience and growth, serving as a powerful reminder that your childhood does not have to define your future.

This is an quick read. She faced so many challenges and rose above her raising! Inspiring to the end, family is nothing to take for granted.

It’s quite a story and a triumph for the writer. Kudos for the bravery it took to share. The writing is very elementary and each sentence is equal in length, giving the book a staccato cadence. I did read it in one sitting, so I was drawn into the tale. But I was left a bit disappointed. Someone should have helped her with the prose. Left a lot to be desired.

This author put the story of her life so beautifully on paper. I read it in a day, I couldn’t put it down. I felt her heartbreak and her happiness and her disappointments and successes as she laid them out for the world to read. What a heartbreaking story with a happy ending. I’m so sorry for what she suffered and I’m proud of her for not letting her story hold her back in life. What an inspiration this woman is. 💖

This is a memoir written by the daughter of a teenage girl, Josie, who became pregnant, was kicked out by her father, forced into marrying the father of her child, and her struggle to provide for Daniella without education or money. The story is told in two parts. One by an aunt or friend of her mother, wasn't clear unless I missed something, and then the second part is told by Daniella. Josie does not have it easy for many years. Forced into hiding when her husband, whom she divorced while he was in prison, gets out and searches for her. He beats her nearly to her death when he finally finds her. Josie's life takes an unexpected turn when she meets a girl named Gina. She and Gina spent many years together and tried to raise Daniella the best they could with little income. Sadly, they dropped Daniella off with a couple who seemed to be foster parents. Josie was in and out of Daniella's life a number of times when she would take Daniella back and then later drop her off with someone different. Daniella had a number of loving foster parents who loved and nurtured her. It wasn't until Daniella was a grown adult that she found out the truth about her mother's life and life choices. I finished this in just a few hours. It's a quick read. While the writing is somewhat childish, I rather thought it added to Daniella's story since she was just a small child going through so much.

Wow. Daniella is an inspiration. It is hard to believe that someone could go through everything that she has and still triumph over her upbringing. She was abandoned over and over by her mother who got pregnant at sixteen by a juvenile delinquent teenager. She is of mixed heritage but appears that her grandparents were good people even though her mother's parents kicked her mother, Josie, out when she got pregnant. At least Daniella had a personality and spirit where two different families that she was dumped on loved her and wanted to adopt her. I believe with the loving spiritual personality that she has it has helped her to overcome the hell that she went through as a child. There were people in her life, like the two foster families that wanted her to Gina, her mother's friend and the mafia guys, Big Al and cohorts that treated her well and loved her. Her father Nickie was a beast from hell that made her life even worse when she met him as a young adult. If Daniella could triumph over her "raising" no one should have an excuse to blame their childhood on why they ended up becoming bad people. Maybe if her mother's parents wouldn't have disowned her, things would have been better for Josie, Daniella's mother. Maybe it wouldn't have made a difference. Whatever happened Josie made some really bad choices but Daniella has a forgiving heart and was able to at least understand why her mother did the things she did.It was a hard book to put down, and there were parts where I wanted to say, "No Daniella, don't do that, " because I was pretty sure it would end up badly and I was right. It was sad though because someone who was trying to do right trusted their father who was a horrible person.I would like to add though that she had some really good influences in her life, with friends that helped and families that were genuinely good caring people. It is nice to know there are families out there that take in kids and want the best for them. I hope that those people read this book and see how much Daniella loved and appreciated them, and how they influenced her to have the self-esteem that helped her to overcome her horrible lineage.

For anyone facing any kind of problem, this book is for you! It is an amazing story! It took a lot of courage!