A very sad, but maddening story of a woman married to an abusive husband back in the 1940's. He returns from WWII and they have a disabled daughter. The women feels trapped and unable to help herself. Interesting to read what it takes for her to help herself! DIfferent times, but same problems as today.

Wow, this one packed a wallop! You're thrown into the harrowing and challenging life of Carol and her two children- Tommy and Ellie. Ellie contracts Polio, and we follow the course of treatment through her hospital stays- through her pain, trials of endurance and new exploratory treatments. Carol's husband Joe is whisked away to the military, and most of the burden of caring for Ellie is placed on her solely. Missing an abundant number of warning signs, she is not only tasked with the long journey to recovery with Ellie- she now has to dodge the bouts of rage and anger from Joe when he is home.

This was a tough one to read- with themes ranging from familial obligation to domestic violence to acceptance and improving the accessibility for peoples who are disabled- it's not a light book to dive into. At times, I was flinching and had to pause because I felt disgusted with what was happening. The control an abuser has over their victim is terrifying- and even more scary for that victim to attempt to leave. Everything from not allowing Carol to open mail, drive, visit family, get a job, handle her own money- I just was heartbroken.

I think that this is an important read and very educational and I'm very thankful that the author included resources at the end in regards to Domestic Violence and seeking help for yourself or someone you may suspect is victim to it.

I was very intrigued by the plot of this book. Unfortunately, it fell pretty flat for me.

What I enjoyed most was Ellie's journey. Ellie contracts polio at only five years old, We watch her in the height of her sickness and then begin the long, slow road to recovery. The book continues until Ellie is 18. And reading about her growing and healing was my favorite part of this book.

Domestic violence and writing about it needs to be handled with such care. And while I think the author tried to, it felt repetitive and at times almost a bit exploitative. And while I was thrilled when Carol was able to gather the strength to leave, what happened after I found rather disappointing.

Heartfelt novel that captivated me from the beginning. This book felt relevant to today and shows how generations can struggle through epidemics and persevere.

Most people living in America now do not remember the very real threat of polio but with news of traces of this horrible virus showing up New York it is again on the radar. Polio is also one of the two main themes of this very interesting book along with that of domestic violence making the story one of how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go. These serious subjects are leavened with a small side of romance and, although I am not a reader of romances, the author is not cloying about it. This book is worthy of a read in it’s timeliness.

I enjoyed this historical romance. I did think a great deal of was depressing, but overall still a good read!

A very atmospheric novel which captured me from the first page.
Many thanks to Greenleaf Book Group and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really did not care for this book despite it being well-written. To me, I felt that I was watching/listening to an unfortunate current story of domestic abuse but in (and in terms of) a different decade (which, in truth, is what it is).

There is one thing I liked was the ending - it's much different than many would think, what I thought! In other words - what I would call the perfect ending! I will say no more so there will be no spoilers.

Would I recommend this book? Surprisingly, I would recommend this book - especially to "younger" readers to demonstrate that domestic abuse is not new and you can take actions to deal with it.

This story was truly captivating from beginning to end. Highlighted are typical struggles of housewives in the 1940-50s era that seem crazy to imagine today. Forget the fact that women had nowhere to go if they tried to divorce their husband, the general acceptance that men of the society had for their fellow menfolk physically assaulting their families is mind boggling. Even Carol's son was conditioned to blame her instead of the man that was responsible for his own actions.
Aside from all of that, watching Carol's daughter overcome polio and become a strong woman with real dreams was inspiring. It does leave a reader wondering how traumatic events shape each person so incredibly differently. 10/10 would recommend!

Unfortunately, I was unable to read this book. The format was strange and paragraphs were all out of order and I couldn't even make sense of the first chapter. Would love to read this in the future though!

I was hooked on this book from the beginning. I loved this story about this strong woman in a situation that none of us would ever want to find ourselves in. Super quick read, would recommend!

Once I started The Moments Between Dreams by Judith F. Brenner I could not put it down. The story hooked me right from the beginning. I was transported back to Chicago’s Southwest side during the 1940’s to a primarily Polish neighborhood. This captivating story explored the polio virus as it poked its ugly head into the lives of so many families and infected children and adults without discrimination. Being born in the 1950’s, I vividly remember standing in line in the gym of my public school with my parents waiting to receive the polio vaccine. Unfortunately, the children living in the 1940’s were not as lucky. The Moments Between Dreams also took a close look at the way women were viewed by males during that time. Women were considered inferior to men in the 1940’s. Even if a woman and a man held the same position at their workplace, the man would always earn more than the woman despite which one performed better. A blind eye was often turned when a woman suffered from the hands of an abusive husband. The woman was looked upon as the instigator. Divorce also favored the husband, so many women learned to live with the abuse. Most women were expected to become housewives. They were called upon to cook, clean and have children. Author, Judith F. Brenner, did an excellent job developing the characters in The Moments Between Dreams. They were vivid, complex and so believable. Her research was impeccable and her writing flowed without flaw.

Carol met Joe Wozniak at a dance in the summer of 1936. Joe was handsome and basically swept Carol off her feet. Desire got the best of Carol though and before she knew it she was pregnant. Joe and Carol got married. It happened so fast but Carol loved Joe and he told her he loved her. Eight years later, Joe had bought a house for Carol and their two children, Tommy and Ellie, without any input from them. At a barbecue at their new home, Ellie came back from riding her bike. One of their neighbors had to carry Ellie into the house because Ellie was having trouble standing up. Ellie complained of a stomachache and headache. Everyone thought it was heat exhaustion and no one was overly concerned. The next morning, Ellie was running a fever and had no appetite. Carol had to carry Ellie to the bathroom. Her muscles were stiff and it hurt whenever anyone touched her. When Carol called their family doctor, he told her to bring Ellie to the hospital. Ellie was diagnosed with Polio. That was when things started to go south in Carol and Joe’s marriage. The signs had been there but somehow Carol missed them or tried to ignore them. Joe began to abuse Carol both physically and emotionally. When Carol discovered a letter that Joe had received from the draft board telling him that he was drafted into the navy Carol was beside herself. Why had Joe not shared this information with her? When she confronted Joe about the letter and asked how he could leave her with Ellie still in the hospital and having to cope with her diagnosis of Polio all by herself, he slapped her so hard that he had bruised her eye. That was the beginning of the temper Joe had hidden so well until then. It would only escalate as the years went on. Carol would learn that Joe was demanding beyond normal, that he would blame her relentlessly, become increasingly more and more controlling, dictate who she could see and who she couldn’t, make her dependent on him for everything and her consequence was his temper and the violence he inflicted upon her. This was not what Carol had signed up for but what could she do? If she petitioned for a divorce, Carol would probably loose custody of her children, loose her home and not receive any alimony. Carol’s mission was to keep her children safe, help Ellie navigate and live with Polio and empower Ellie to reach for the stars and do everything she set her mind on doing. She was determined to teach her son to respect women, not to rely on violence to get what he wanted or prove a point and to help him learn how to put an end to gender discrimination. The one thing that kept Carol afloat was her special friendship with Sam, a newspaper reporter who she met long ago and then reappeared in her life when Ellie was first diagnosed with Polio.

The Moments Between Dreams was a work of fiction but author, Judith F. Brenner, admitted that her own mother was a victim of the polio virus. She witnessed her mother’s courage, determination and passion for life first hand. This only enhanced the authenticity of this book. I really admired the character of Carol and that of Ellie. Neither of them ever gave up hope even when things appeared to be dark, desperate and hopeless. The Moments Between Dreams opened my eyes to the realities of Polio before the vaccine was available. This was Judith F. Brenner’s debut novel. I look forward to reading more books by her and I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Greenleaf Book Group Press for allowing my to read this digital ARC of The Moments Between Dreams through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The Moments Between Dreams was published on May 17, 2022.

Very interesting historical romance

Carol misses red flags about Joe’s need for control before she marries him, dashing her dreams for herself and her family. Trouble escalates after their daughter Ellie is paralyzed by the polio virus and Joe returns from WWII. Carol realizes how brutal waking life can be, and she conceals bruises and protects her children the best she can.

The Moments Between Dreams is a captivating story of a 1940s housewife who conforms to the rulebook of society until Joe pushes her too far. His constant intimidation shrinks Carol’s confidence while she tries to boost Ellie’s. Church-going neighbors in Carol’s tight-knit Polish community are complacent, but Sam, a handsome reporter, stirs up Carol’s zest for life. Despite impossible circumstances, Carol plans a secret escape. Along a risky path, she empowers her daughter to know no limits and teaches her son to stop the cycle of violence and gender discrimination.

Judith Brenner brings to life the polio epidemic in this country and the trials and tribulations of those and their families who were affected. She also weaves a tale of domestic abuse. it is beautifully written and filled with live and support of family. It is a quick read and I would recommend it highly.

Very early in the book, it begins hitting the tropes real hard and that made it difficult to read. I could sense where every character's story was going and it just felt gimmicky and was not a fulfilling read so I had to walk away from it.

I enjoyed this suspenseful story. This is a new author for me which I look forward to seeing what is next. I enjoyed how the author used details to pull you into the story. Her writing style is such that the story comes to life and makes you feel as if you are part of the story. This is a story that takes place in the 1940s where a housewife has dreams but soon are squashed by the man she marries. She is left with the only thing she can do, protect her children. This is an emotional, suspenseful story that kept me turning pages.. A story that will take you on an emotional roller coaster. This is a story you dont want to miss. A story that has great growth and connectable characters. This is a great story that is hard to put down. I highly recommend it.

Carol Wozniak is a young Chicago housewife in the 1940s who dreams of a happy life after marrying Joe and starting a family. She soon learns that he can be cruel and abusive, and her life begins to crumble when her daughter, Ellie, contracts polio. With the backdrop of World War II, we follow along as Carol cares for her daughter and raises her son to be a better man than his father. Upon Joe’s return home from the war, things begin to heat up. Carol’s only saving grace comes in the form of a reporter named Sam, who covers Ellie’s polio treatments for the paper.

The sad, yet moving story started out a little slow, but soon picked up speed as I began rooting for Carol and Ellie to overcome their obstacles. I really enjoyed the historical aspect of the book and learning more about the polio virus. The author also did well in portraying the lives of women during the 1940s and 50s. Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I have not yet shaken.

Thank you to Greenleaf Book Group, NetGalley and Judith F. Brenner for an advanced copy of this book.

The author of this book had done some research on American life in the 1940's and 1950's since there are consistent references to very specific date-stamped details: draft notices, rationing coupons, children's books such as 'The Little Engine That Could,' fears of polio which is sweeping through communities, assistance from March of Dimes, fun details about food prices, and lack of job opportunities for women, etc. Now that modern Americans have experienced the Covid pandemic, they will understand the panic of the polio epidemic, the fear that Carol and her family have of crowds, and the inability to stop the spread of polio in settings such as schools prior to the polio vaccine. Author Brenner includes details that many people today may not know about the polio epidemic, that the disease left it victims with two different sized feet, making it necessary to squeeze the family budget even tighter because you need two pairs of shoes in order to get a fit.

However, it is immediately clear from the first couple of pages that this is not a general study of these decades but a book about domestic abuse. Protagonist Carol Wozniak, a P0lish-American woman living in Chicago's south-west side in 1943, is the victim. Her new husband Joe says about their modest house, "I own it" (with an emphasize on the "i") when Carol says something about it being their home. Shortly after Joe receives his draft notice, he beats Carol for daring to snoop and look at his draft notice. The situation goes downhill rapidly; in fact, the amount of verbal and physical abuse is so frequent that readers might wonder why Carol does not get the heck out. Interestingly, Carol's sister Polly had never liked Joe, but Carol found him irresistible. The years go by and the couple has two children (daughter Ellie; son Tom), but Joe's behavior only worsens.

In fact, nothing good happens in Carol's life. There are so many tragedies that the title should be The Moments Between Spousal Abuse. Even her attempt to get family counseling from her church's priest ends up being a lecture about Catholic marriage vows to be a forgiving wife. A plus for this book is that it has a list of resources at the end for people trapped in an abusive relationship. I liked the book, but here's why it was a weak 4 out of 5 for me: there were pages that could have been condensed. Do readers really need the street address for a Polish diner where they will meet after a funeral? Sometimes the dialogue did not move the story forward or get developed later as a significant clue about anything; for example, the dialogue between Carol and daughter Ellie about being thirsty and the location of a drinking fountain behind her. Also, (slight spoiler comment is coming):Joe was always presented as an incredibly good looking man, yet on page 227 Carol mentions Joe's sunken grin from all his missing teeth. These are teeth that Joe's dad knocked out many years ago. So Joe has had a toothless smile from the beginning.

A sad yet joyous story about a woman who dreams of her forever after happiness but after marrying Joe, she discovers how cruel life can be. Her daughter suffers from polio and her husband if drafted into the navy. Thankfully he is stationed nearby but he begins to ambush his wife both physically and emotionally and she doesn’t know the way out.

It took everything in me to finish this book. There was no emotion in the writing; no depth to the characters. Maybe I have read too many books about domestic violence, but the scenes in this book were tame. I was, however, interested in learning about the early outbreak of polio in the US and the horrible treatments that patients had to endure.

Thanks to NetGalley & Greenleaf Book Group Press for the ARC.