Exposed Review and Giveaway!

From author Ashley Weis' website:
Exposed is the story of a marriage counselor (Ally Graham) who discovers her husband’s pornography addiction, and an unloved teen (Taylor Adams) who falls into the same self-destructive industry.

I signed up to be an influencer for this book because I was hoping to find a book that I might recommend to women that might make their way into my office. I wasn't disappointed.

While I claim to have no knowledge of the porn industry, when I finished the book, my heart had bottomed out in agony for what Ally and Taylor both had experienced and had soured with joy at the redemption they each ultimately found in Christ.

On Ashley's Exposed website, she claims that Ally's story might seem melodramatic to some, but that she had loosely based Ally's story from her own painful past being married to a man who is now a former porn addict. I'll admit that as I kept turning the pages, I wondered, "How much worse can this poor wife's life get?" Infertility, parental secrets, low self-esteem, nagging insecurities...it seems that every time Ally turns around, it's to uncover something else to sink her even lower.

But isn't that what life does to all of us sometimes? Don't we wonder if God above is at all concerned with our lives because things here below just never seem to look up? While the particular challenges Ally (or Taylor) faces might not be readily identifiable by a majority of women, most every woman I know can identify with wondering if we're alone in this horrible world. We can also identify with the feeling of not measuring up, of being found somehow lacking. This book is definitely for those women.

I think the last couple of chapters of this book are especially cathartic. As I mentioned earlier, I know nothing about the porn industry. I am grateful that Ashley toned the actual industry (language, subject matters) as she researched it so that it was palatable to our Christian taste buds. But I'm a mother, and it was the most heartbreaking thing I've ever read to experience Ally's grief and utter despair toward the end of the book. (And by heartbreaking, I do mean sobbing.)

It was beautiful, how Ashley wove Taylor and Ally's life together. Just beautiful. Taylor comes to find an acceptance of her own, and I so appreciated the sowing of seeds in Taylor's life that had to occur prior to the reaping.

In short, I know that I'll have this book in my reference collection on my therapeutic shelf to recommend to women who have to go through the nightmare of discovering her partner has been unfaithful through porn. It's a devastating addiction that easily can rip the fabric of marriage apart, but doesn't have to be without hope.

Oh, I also picked up a wonderful little counseling trick from this novel! I acquired a piece of carpet that I now use in my sessions. You'll just have to read the book to find out why.

To be entered in the giveaway, leave a comment in the section below. If you are not already a follower, please click on the "Follow" button to the right, as I want to reward one of my loyal followers with this book. I'll draw a winner on Friday night and announce it Saturday along with my Free Association Results. Good luck!