Oh this was so good! Like many, I have fallen down the rabbit hole of fascination/horror of trad wives. It was stunning and heartbreaking to read a first-hand account from someone that lived and escaped that life.

This audiobook absolutely blew me away. Tia Levings holds nothing back in her memoir detailing her life as a wife and mother in an extreme Christian fundamentalist community. I am a big fan of memoirs narrated by the authors themselves, and Levings does a magnificent job of it. I strongly recommend the audiobook!

A Well-Trained Wife provides a raw insight into how it feels to be in an abusive relationship and how difficult it is to leave, especially when religion is involved. I felt like my heart was repeatedly broken listening to this story, as there were many pieces of it that I could relate to. Levings’ story of escape is nothing short of miraculous, and I was inspired by her love for her children and the lengths she was willing to go in order to save them from the same fate.

A good portion of this audiobook was difficult for me to listen to, and I actually needed to skip parts involving animal cruelty. I strongly caution readers to take the content warnings into consideration before reading! This is a memoir that I highly recommend and will be thinking about for quite some time.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the gifted ALC!

So many feelings swept over me while listening to Tia Levings share her story. I wish we'd gone to school together (granted, you are just enough older than me that we probably wouldn't've been able to hang out, but, still). We could've been friends. I had the "bad girl" friend, too. (Although we grew apart, I will forever thank her for being one of the few to embrace me wholly during a very dark period of my adolescence.) I wasn't popular, not good looking, poor. I understand how you wound up on the path that led to the blue house.

Most will focus on your exposé of Christian fundamentalism. Your story slots nicely next to The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church, and is more along the lines of what I expected Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear to be. This is a timely and vital message, and should not be overlooked.

I have never been part of fundie culture. (Pretty much the exact opposite, I like to joke that I would probably be stoned on sight if I even considered visiting a fundamentalist congregation.) There are so many ways that different parts of society attempts to subjugate others. You don't have to grow up in a fundamentalist, or even a Christian home to be told to "behave" in order to please a parent or other authority figure. While I think it is important to socialize children, some children are more sensitive to this type of teaching than others. We are told to act certain ways so that other people will like us, because that's the most important thing: being liked by others.

Who were the witches burned at the stake? They were societal outsiders. You don't want to be one of them, do you? From social media destroying the souls of today's youth to the rise of substance abuse in adult women who otherwise look like they've got it all together (See Highlight Real: Finding Honesty & Recovery Beyond the Filtered Life), there are so many hurting people today. Your story of growing empowerment and healing are inspirational. Some of the therapies that you discussed trying were completely new to me. Having been a victim of the troubled teen industry, I am understandably wary of the psycho-industrial complex. It would appear that you were able to discover good souls who could truly be of assistance to you. That was one of my favorite parts of your story. I wish you'd been able to discuss those details further. I know that's not the part that most readers are coming for, but it's one thing to learn how to get hurt, another to figure out how to get better.

I want every hurt or hurting person to read A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy. I want you to see yourself in Tia Levings's story, whether because you've been a member of a fundamentalist religion, part of an abusive relationship, or marginalized by society in any way. I want you to hear how, phoenix-like, Tia Levings arose and healed. Hear the hope. Know that can be you, too.

I would like to thank Macmillan Audio for allowing me to experience this NetGalley audiobook.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the advance listening copy of this powerful and moving memoir by Tia Levings experience of Christian patriarchy. This novel was organized into chronological order and divided into milestone sections (i.e., young life labeled as grooming, section 2 becoming a wife). My heart broke for Tia and the other women and children experiencing a lifestyle of manipulation, abuse and gaslighting as a result of "extreme religion". I would recommend this novel to everyone.

I've been on a religious-trauma reading kick lately and this was an amazing addition to my library! I love when authors narrate their own memoirs, and this audiobook was no exception. Tia delivers a heartfelt, harrowing account of her journey from questioning her faith to leaving it in attempt to protect her family. Great conversation about not only the church system but the patriarchy in general. Highly recommend checking out the audiobook for this one!

It's hard to review someone's personal experiences and life story, but Tia Levings's account is nothing short of riveting. I would love to know more background on how Tia felt so obligated (for lack of better word) to the church, while her sister's experience seems to have been very different. (She did touch on this briefly, in how various people process experiences so differently, but it's fascinating to me.)

So, let me start by saying that if you have NOT read this,
you may want to 🛑 STOP HERE 🛑,
as I’m sure this will be considered a HUGE SPOILER…

My heart was breaking 💔 for a good part of this book.
My biggest question is…why didn’t she leave?
Why didn’t she just walk out?? Why not tell ANY and EVERYONE what was going on???? WHAT WAS SHE THINKING??
This was a very difficult book to read/listen to…

But, as you read, you realize that this is how she was ‘trained’ (brainwashed)…
But why??

Her core family was NOT like this.
She did not grow up like this.
Her church did not teach this…

But, she thought she was doing the right thing in the eyes of the church…
And she believed her husband loved her in his own way…
And…how could the church be wrong?
And how can they be teaching young girls this stuff at school?

And my heart truly breaks for the author…who actually lived through this hellish ordeal. Who raised her kids with love and understanding and patience…even though she was not shown any in her basically loveless marriage…

And the fact that she DID try to reach out to a higher power at one point…and was immediately shot down. 😢

Very scary when you realize that people in the world may actually be experiencing this RIGHT NOW… and need help…and are afraid to reach out to anyone due to fear…

Tia Levings reveals her deepest, darkest fears and secrets…as well as her heartbreak in this very sad story of life, love, God, fear and family… and the teachings of a Christian Church unlike anything I’ve ever been taught in my MANY years of Catholic School and a Jesuit College…and years and years of weekly churchgoing…

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me.

#AWellTrainedWife by #TiaLevings and narrated by the author.

**** This is due to be released in about a week on 8/6/24. ****

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IG @ #BookReviews_with_emsr or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine.

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends!! 📚⭐️

Tia Levings is a truly gifted writer. Her book, A Well-Trained Wife, is a graphic account of the horrific abuse she endured as a young wife and mother.

When Tia was a child, her parents moved from Michigan to Florida. At her mother's suggestion, they joined a local mega church to help them acclimate and make friends. While a mainstream Christian church, it had very strict rules for its members. Those rules meant that Tia was very sheltered and ill-equipped to face monsters in the dating world. These churches, unfortunately, seem to be havens for very disturbed men. These men view women as property.

She meet a seemingly nice young man with the unfortunate Nickname of "Psycho Eyes". She ignored that red flag and began to date the young man. Even when, on one of their dates, he choked her and left her alone on a beach, she married him.

The abuse began immediately after their marriage. It grew worse as time went on, until it spiraled out of control. Tia took her children and ran for her life.

I did have to skip small parts of the book that dealt with sickening animal abuse. I also took away one star, because the author has tarred all powerful Christian men with the same brush.

In my opinion, this is an amazingly important book. I would highly recommend this title to all women, beginning with those young women just beginning to date or look for life partners.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital audio copy of this book from Net Galley.

#TiaLevings#AWell-TrainedWife#NetGalley

A moving memoir about a woman who was recruited into a fundamentalist cult-like movement as a young wife and the abuse she suffers in her marriage the courage and bravery it took for her to escape and save her children from growing up in that world. Narrated by the author herself, this was a great look into what life in these types of marriages can be like and how hard it can be for people to get out. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

CW: domestic abuse

This was a really impactful story. Perfect for fans of documentaries, especially those that like to dive into cult culture or the documentary on the Duggars. At times difficult to listen to because of the trauma the author went through, but an important story to be heard nonetheless.

Levings wrote an amazing narrative of her life and we should all be thankful for her sharing it with us. She is incredibly thoughtful and that shows through her voice. I have read many memoirs that fit this category- escape from religious oppression in different forms- and something unique in Levings’ book is her explicit call out between the connection of this country’s political climate, the republic party, and Trump with Christian fundamentalism. She has offered insight that is invaluable to everyone and I hope many can learn from her.

This book is absolutely devastating, and I am glad I was able to engage in the Author's story in this way. The abuse that she suffered at the hands of her husband and in the name of faith are heartbreaking and I am very impressed with the author's ability to be vulnerable and tell her story. There were so many layers to what happened to her and her children and I appreciate that she has been able to work through some of these things with a counselor to the point where writing this book and confronting her past was possible. The story is told with a good pace that kept the reader interested but also allowed enough time to really hear what was happening in the narrative. Though I know that things like this happen in the church, to hear this story really made some of it real in a way I have not been confronted with before.

I was able to listen to the audiobook and honestly don't know how the author was able to read some of the things that happened without the story colouring her narration, but she did, which shows how much her counselling has helped. The narration was great, and that it was the author reading her story made it connect perhaps more than simply reading the book would have.

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook from netgalley. Opinions are my own.

I found this memoir so interesting and simultaneously devastating. I was intrigued by the perspective and appreciated the tie in to politics near the end.

Tia's story is so well told here. She is brave in discussing the things that were difficult and fundamental in her upbringing and does so unapologetically. I loved the emotion that you could feel as she read, and the audiobook was especially well done. This was a beautiful story that was so well told.

If you're at all interested in cult stories, or stories of resilience, this book is for you!

I listened to this in 24 hours because it was so heartbreaking but also so courageous of Tia to get out of her situation. Some parts were hard to listen to but I think it helps people understand what she went through and what other women go through. This was such a good book and I hope it helps other women leave situations like this too.

“𝘛𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦.”

Well this certainly wasn't an easy read, but it was definitely very moving and powerful. I'll never be able to grasp the amount of strength and courage it must take to leave an abusive relationship, especially with a house full of young children, but I'm so in awe of the people who do. Tia is one of these people, and not only did she survive but is now sharing her story and giving a voice to women who are still silenced. Full synopsis below but I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys memoirs and/or has an interest in Christian fundamentalism ✨

I went back and forth a couple times from my physical ARC to audiobook but listened to the majority. The author narrates herself which I usually love because it adds a sincere extra emotional layer to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me an ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

"A Well-Trained Wife" by Tia Levings is an audiobook I couldn’t stop listening to, despite the painful content. Levings recounts her harrowing experiences with abuse and gaslighting in a direct and unflinching manner. As someone who grew up in conservative evangelicalism, I found many aspects of her story eerily familiar, reminding me of the long-forgotten "seminars" and other indoctrination tools I've since worked to deconstruct. For those unfamiliar with such experiences, Levings provides an invaluable insight into the oppressive demands placed on women in fundamentalist communities. Her narrative is particularly relevant today, as the political futures of women are increasingly debated and defined. This book is a compelling listen or read, offering a significant contribution to ongoing discussions about women's autonomy and rights.

Audiobook received for free through NetGalley

Wow. So glad I came across this book but so heart wrenching and hopeful. Definitely a required read if wanting to understand more the strict Christian patriarchy system.

I wish there were a way to make sure Tia Levings' message reaches every single woman in America. Her story is both horrifying and hopeful and I think this message being shared someone who was raised in a radical religious environment and is now able to see it more objectively is so impactful.

I was raised in a traditional Catholic family. I went to 12 years of Catholic schooling. I realize Catholicism is a different branch of religion, but I am familiar with traditional, ultra-conservative religious views, Many of the views Tia talks about being raised with (especially as they pertain to premarital sex and traditional family groups) is consistent with the way I was raised..... yet I have always nave never once worried about being in this kind of situation. In fact, I have always wondered how people find themselves living like Tia is in at the start of her story. I have always wondered why they don't just leave. How could women possibly live with this kind of insanity? This author answers every question I have ever had.

Tia's story is compelling.& timely. She takes on a topic that is extremely relevant given the political climate in the US right now and handles it with the knowledge and experience of an insider and the well-rounded perspective of an outsider. I hope this book becomes extremely widely read and helps people on both sides understand the other and really gain an appreciation for how people end up in these situations and how important it is to help them get out.

Listening to this made me realize how even to this day women are living like this. This was a great eye opener and appreciate that the author de idea to come out with this. I personally wouldn't have picked this up myself and I glad i got a chance to read this. It was difficult to read and her story made me angry. I believe the author wanted to invoke these emotions in us.