Not Exactly Love: A Memoir

By: Betty Hafner

Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso

It was 1969, and all the rules were changing, when Betty, a woefully single French teacher on Long Island, met the handsome but edgy new teacher at her school -- a hippie just back from Woodstock. His vitality opened up a new world to her, but when they married his rages turned against her, and often ended with physical violence. Like millions of women who discover they've married an abusive man, Betty was forced to make daily decisions to suppress her feelings or risk confrontation, to keep it secret or report, and ultimately, to live with it or leave. Part gripping story, part warm-hearted look at the '70s, and part therapeutic journey.

©2016 Betty Hafner (P)2018 Betty Hafner

why

why would anyone want to bring their child into this to suffer a childhood of hell all to meet their own needs, how sick

Great story telling and narration.

I was genuinely surprised by this story. I had no idea what the story was going to be about I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

i received this book 2 days ago and I just finished it literally just now. I was so drawn in by the story of her survival from an abusive relationship. anyone that has been subjected to that situation can relate. I found myself listening to it at every opportunity. the narration was really good she really brought the characters to life.

I really look forward to listening to another book by this author and also something else by the narrator. I have listened to audiobooks for several years now and I'm quite picky about what I listen to and who I listen to it by and the book and the narrator we're right on target I highly recommend this book.

a really good ending

narrator was very easy to listen to. speed at 125x
I enjoyed the story, was not very graphic which is good for me

Authentic, insightful, sad...

Not Exactly Love: A Memoir by Betty Hafner was good. Well, it actually wasn't good, or enjoyable to listen to, or entertaining in the very least. What it was is true and authentic...and humbling and reminds me of how lucky I am to have been able to escape my close encounter with a verbally abusive ex-fiance. I don't really know what else to say about this book except that it's the real deal and thankfully Betty has now been able to extricate herself from Jack's clutches. If you want to know what abuse can be like, listen to this book. If you're currently in an abusive relationship and want to know you're not alone or your abuser's actions are not unique and there is no easy "fix" for them, listen to this book.

I felt that Patricia Santomasso did a good job narrating this memoir. There's nothing "easy" or "fun" about this narration, as it's just a very difficult and heavy memoir of Betty's abuse throughout her meeting and then marrying Jack. I actually felt that her voice, though narrated well, also held a little hollowness such as one might sound when they've been through the ringer over and over again and have become a little numb. Anyways, good overall performance. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher for an honest review.

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Authentic, compelling story/first-rate narration

This book does not miss a beat. It will resonate deeply with any woman who has suffered at the hands of an abusive man, and will serve as a stark warning to any woman who has not.

Despite the fear and violence and relentless mental stress the author suffered, she is amazingly big-hearted in her memoir, managing to convey all the three-dimensional humanity of both the abused and the abuser. The writing style is very natural, often charming and even humorous, despite the subject matter. Like other readers, I found the vivid descriptions of life in the 60’s and 70’s to be a wonderful, and wonderfully accurate backdrop to this compelling story.

I actually listened to this book on Audible and must commend the narrator, who brought Betty’s voice to life and was so effective with the voice of the husband, Jack, that I would literally flinch when I heard his voice and knew he was in a bad mood – I knew that would never end well. I was given a free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.