"...bravely honest....This is a moving narrative, and one that will ultimately serve a useful guide for families and their caretakers."--Publishers Weekly

“In this well-wrought memoir, Joan Rough shows us the beauty of becoming the alchemist of one’s own life. What happens after she invites her elderly, narcissistic mother to move in to her home will often set your teeth on edge. The amazing ending, however, will leave you standing in awe at the power of love.”—Shirley Hershey Showalter, author of Blush: A Mennonite Girl Meets a Glittering World

“A brave story, beautifully written in an authentic, raw voice that strikes a universal chord about mother-daughter relationships, breaking the cycle of childhood abuse, taking responsibility for one’s own healing and finding forgiveness. “—Kathleen Pooler, author of Ever Faithful To His Lead: My Journey Away From Emotional Abuse

“At last, a mother-daughter memoir that chronicles a conflict-laden relationship without resorting to blame, victimization, or humor laced with sarcasm and cynicism. Joan Rough paints a vivid, in-depth portrait that captures anger, guilt, fear, denial, forgiveness, love and healing – all the pieces of life itself!” —Kevin Quirk, memoir ghostwriter and author of, Your life is a Book and It’s Time to Write! and Brace for Impact: Miracle on the Hudson, Survivors Share Their Stories of Near Death and Hope for a New Life

“ . . . a heartrending account of complicated mother-daughter relationship wrought with inter-generational patterns of conflict. Raw in its immediacy and honesty, Rough’s story testifies to the resiliency of the human spirit and how in the long and complex process of forgiveness, we must go through all of the stages of grief before we reach the final stage of acceptance. This story gives hope to those who cannot reconcile with their mothers when they were still alive.”—Saloma Furlong, author of Why I Left the Amish: A Memoir, and Bonnet Strings, An Amish Woman’s Ties to two Worlds