Abandoning the Script - by Linda Rosen (Paperback)

About the Book

Lucy never wanted the ring on her finger or the baby in the crib, but in 1922, there isn't much she can do about it. But how far will she go to live her dream life-and at what cost to herself and those she loves?

Book Synopsis

"Engaging and immersive, Rosen delivers a deeply moving plot with a heartfelt conclusion." -Rochelle Weinstein, bestselling author of We Are Made of Stars

Lucy never wanted the life that's been thrust upon her-the wedding band or the baby in the crib. A woman of ambition, she longs to pursue her dreams on stage, but her husband insists on locking her in a gilded cage under his control. And in 1922, alternatives are almost nonexistent and certainly not acceptable, forcing Lucy to make an impossible choice. Bound by convention but driven by a fierce desire for independence, she flees a life she can no longer endure. With heartbreak, she leaves a pair of cherished earrings along with a note for her daughter to read when she's older.

Nearly thirty years later, in 1951, Lucy's daughter, Anna Dodge, is given her deceased grandmother's journal that's been hidden away for years. Within its pages lies a long-buried secret, casting doubt on everything Anna believes about her family and herself. Among the clues is the story of the earrings, hinting at truths that defy what Anna has always known.

Devastated and determined to understand her past, Anna embarks on a journey to unmask the truth. As she does, she discovers the past isn't just something to uncover-it's something that could determine her future.

Review Quotes

"From Greenwich Village's trailblazing Heterodoxy Club to the secrets whispered within a family's walls, Abandoning the Script is an unforgettable journey into the secrets that can define us, and the courage that might set us free." -Patti Callahan Henry, NYT bestselling author of The Story She Left Behind

"Engaging and immersive, Rosen delivers a deeply moving plot with a heartfelt conclusion." -Rochelle Weinstein, bestselling author of We Are Made of Stars

"A moving and emotional historical novel about women's voices, sacrifices, and courage." -Sublime Book Review

"Rosen shows how ordinary convictions, sincerely held, can become instruments of harm. Read this book and you will understand why some questions have no easy answers, and why the hardest choices are sometimes the most loving ones." -Historical Fiction Company