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I SHIT YOU NOT by D A Keane

I SHIT YOU NOT

by D A Keane

Pub Date: Jan. 14th, 2014
ISBN: 978-1493780426
Publisher: CreateSpace

In Keane’s debut, a battered woman is tormented by a violent ex-lover.

Dana Taylor, of Manchester, England, lives in a women’s refuge with daughters Amy and Kayleigh, hopefully safe from “first class crazy ass mentalist” ex-husband Ian. Her mates Katy, Mandy, Rose and Vicky also live at the refuge; like Dana, they have ex-lovers to avoid. Dana’s true love is “grafter” Logan, and although Dana has yet to resolve her relationship issues, sex with Logan is off the charts: “Pukka I. Shit.You. Not.” Insanely jealous Ian beat and choked Dana during pregnancy, and his parents ignored her screams until finally they sent the couple to live at Ian’s sister’s house. After a social worker intervened, Ian promised to do better. Dana gave him another chance, but he reverted to former behaviors. Haunted by the fear that Ian might return, Dana must decide if she can start anew and let Logan be the man in her life. Unfortunately, misspellings, run-on sentences, erroneous punctuation and changing tenses detract from the story: “I’ve been talking to Lee we’re gonna get this shit sorted once and for all babe my brothers just come back from afghan you met him at my cousins wedding a few years back.” Questionable grammar notwithstanding, Dana is a plucky sort who self-talks to the back of her eyelids. Her life may be in the loo, but luckily, “alpha male” Logan is “damn hot and sexy.” In addition to phrases repeating the title, there are frequent instances of “oh my god,” typically referring to Logan’s consummate lovemaking skills. Still, the narrative adeptly illustrates the low self-esteem often found in abusive relationships, as evidenced by Dana and her companions.

An overlong and poorly written tale of an amiable protagonist and a plausible portrayal of domestic violence.