"This isn't my story. It's Patricia and Terry's. But in the summer of 1978, their lives were wound around mind like strands of twine around a spool.  Twine. Rose. Barbed wire by August." (1)

That is the beginning, the very lines of Breaking and Holding by Judy Fogarty, and I can tell you , it was a great beginning. It's one of those beginnings that lassoed you, and slowly pull you in. That imagery caught like fire, and I'm reading this book from beginning to end.

It's a story of broken relationships, misinterpretations and secrets that hurts, not only yourself but others as well. There's so much that goes on, from adultery to alcoholism to abuse to lies and secrets. There's also love and friendship that is so fragile, yet it's one that you'll never forget.  There's a certain heavy dose of poignancy in this novel that makes one feel either troubled or think on the bright side - to cherish. The in-betweens can be lost and uncertainty.

As a debut novel, I think Breaking and Holding's strongest quality is the character development of Patricia, Terry and even Lynn. Their growth, their depth carries this story. The writing is at times poetic. And then at times, the flow is disjointed, and may lose you for bit, but it always jumps back in. Not too disruptive, but noticeable. I thought a few times, the language a tad bit excessive, but in some places, it did make sense. In all, a story that brings to light the fragility of relationships, and a somber reality of what secrets that breaks them.


For my clean readers, please note, there are intimacy and profanity in this novel. 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.