Valentine audiobook

Hey there, Valentine. His soft drawl marked him as not from here, but not that far away either, and his words took the ugly right out of the parking lot. Her mouth went dry as a stick of chalk. She had been standing next to the lone picnic table parked in the center of the drive-in, a shaky woode

A hauntingly powerful, and beautiful debut ! This is a longer than usual review, but I just had to be sure I could do it justice. Odessa Texas in 1976, and believe me when I say I felt as if I was there. The brown dry land and the beautiful purple sky on the cover are portrayed in beautiful prose. The intimate thoughts and feelings of the characters make such an impact, as we become privy to the burdens they carry as they make their way through life in this dry, brutal land where oil and men rule. These characters and their stories, how they connect are so perfectly drawn in multiple alternating points of view.The novel opens with Gloria Ramirez, a fourteen year old Mexican - American girl, who after being brutally attacked and raped, has so much taken from her. “ As for Gloria, she will never again call herself by the name she was given, the name he said again and again while she lay there with her face in the dirt...But not anymore. from now on, she will call herself Glory. A small difference, but right now it feels like the world.” Her afterthoughts following the gut wrenching physical attack are heartbreaking. Mary Rose Whitehead, wife of a cattle rancher, mom of a young daughter and pregnant, who finds Glory on her doorstep, faces a harrowing encounter that will forever change her. Corrine Shepard is a grieving widow, drinking to ease the pain of her loss, is besides her late husband, the last person to see Gloria before the attack. A former teacher, she believes “Stories can save your life.” Debra Ann Pierce, a precocious 10 year old, grieving and missing her mom who has left. My heart was broken for this little girl, who is kind and fearless beyond her years. These are the main characters, whose lives intersect, but there a few other shorter points of view of women impacted by the misery they share of being a woman in this place and doing what they need to do to survive. Sometimes it’s leaving and sometimes it means staying. The story takes an emotional toll, right from the start. I held my breath, heart in my throat in the opening chapters, but by the end, my heart was almost back in place and these characters were in it . There is so much here - grit and violence, injustice and prejudice, but amid the worst of this I found strength of conviction, caring and the kindness of women and a ten year old girl who manage to rise with a little hope for a way forward. A debut from one very talented writer who knows how to tell a gripping story with characters that I’ll remember. What I love the most about reading new books by a new author is discovering a debut novel that is just so good in every way that I immediately wonder when the author will write another. It’s only June, but I can safely say that this novel will most definitely be on my list of favorites for the year. I will have my eyes out for Elizabeth Wetmore with hopes of another book. (So many of my GR friends read and reviewed this within the last few months. I didn’t read some of them or very many books for a while because of a personal issue, but I’m going to read every one of their reviews if I haven’t yet.)I received a copy of this book from Harper through Edelweiss. Apologies for for not getting to it sooner.

I’m still basking with profound ‘aw’!!! Review to come....Update: My little book review...... :)“Valentine”, by Elizabeth Wetmore will be released in April - 2020 …..Put it on your wishlist…. Pre-pay-order it — beg- borrow -or steal it. Literary readers will fall in love with this novel. Fiction readers will simply love the characters —will ache at times, be moved other times. Emotions ‘will’ be felt! Readers who appreciate beautiful writing will melt!! I’m a reader —not a writer —I could never do this book the justice it deserves — but its so so so darn GOOD!!!! Yet…this book deserves all the praise one could give it. I fully appreciate this books blurb: All of it!!!!! A great written blurb!!! Its TRUTHFUL!!!Elizabeth Wetmore can definitely be compared with Barbara Kingsolver, and Elizabeth Strout. I might even add Wallace Stegner. She couldn’t possibly be a beginner novelist — this might be her first novel — but her talent is exceptional. Wetmore’s compassionate authorial generosity toward her characters are brimming with wisdom about the human spirit. It’s one of the best literary -’debut’- novels I’ve read in years…..written with purpose beyond the storytelling. I found this novel to be deeply introspective, both visionary and lucid — fiction for humanity —with many passages to relish. In “Valentine”, we become entranced with the rich complexities between man, woman, and land. ‘WOMAN’ - MAN -and LAND!!!!! *Will Byrnes* wrote a terrific review on Goodreads — He did such an outstanding job describing the characters - the plot - time & place - with highlighted excerpts …..(even stole an excerpt I, too, was going to include in my review) — haha…So rather than re-invent the wheel — I’ll do my best to try to contribute other aspects that resonated with me —Heck —the ENTIRE NOVEL resonated with my heart -my soul - and my mind —If this novel doesn’t win some major book award — then something is very wrong!!! Tidbit teasers — sumptuous prose excerpts: [setting, late 70’s, Odessa, Texas]*Mary Rose Whitehead*: ….the young mother - 26 years old - and 7 months pregnant - who first sees *Gloria Ramirez* after she walked away from a brutal rape…..says:“The church I grew up in taught us that sin, even if it happens only in your heart, condemns you all the same. Grace is not assured to any of us, maybe not even most of us, and while being saved gives you a fighting chance, you must always hope that the sin lodged in your heart, like a bullet that cannot be removed without killing you, is not of the mortal kind. The church wasn’t big on mercy, either. When I tried to explain myself to Robert in the days after the crime, when I told him I had sinned against this child, betrayed her in my heart, he said my only sin had been opening the door in the first place, not thinking of my own damned kids first. The real sin, he said, was some people letting their daughters run the streets all night long. I can hardly stand to look at him”. *Corrine Shepard*:….its only been six weeks since her husband *Potter* died. It was easy to understand why she often added a bit of bourbon to her ice tea. Sitting in a bar alone one night reminded me what depression looks like:“The man looked at her briefly and then decided to ignore her. It was the best thing about being an old lady with thinning hair and boobs saggy enough to prop up on a bar. Finally, she could sit down on a barstool and drink yourself blind without some jackass hassling her”. Corrine and her deceased husband, Potter, had fights over money, and sex, or who would mow the yard or wash the dishes or pay the bills....and they both might have fallen for other people for a few years -.but they always waited for their love to return to each other —and when they did — oh….what a wonder!!! I ached for Corrine - and her loss. I have two friends whose husband’s died this summer — they would give anything to have them back -dirty smelly socks, fights and and all. *Debra Ann Pierce*….. is a spunky 10 year old girl …. Perhaps her clothes will give you a small flavor of her sassiness personality:“a hot pink T-shirt that says ‘Superstar’ and a pair of orange terrycloth shorts that barely cover the tops of her thighs”. This bouncy young girl will steal your heart. *Ginny Pierce*….says:“What kind of woman runs out on her husband and her daughter? The kind who understands that the man who shares her bed is, and will always be, just the boy who got her pregnant. The kind who can’t stand thinking that she might someday tell her own daughter: All this ought to be good for you. The kind who believes she’s coming back, just as soon as she finds someplace where she can settle down.” {Debra Ann wants her mother, Ginny to COME BACK}.*Karla Sibley*….. was barely 17….a local waitress. She had a new baby at home with her mama. ….*Dale Strickland* - is the man charged with aggravated sexual assault and attempted murder. As we read and wonder how justice will be served — it wasn’t ‘the-getting-there’ and the outcome that drove this novel for me — it was the characters themselves. I really cared for them. *Suzanne Ledbetter* is a kick supporting character —a redhead who wears ironed orange petal pushers —She was the Mrs. Volunteer of American — She believed in “sunlight, bleach, and not hiding little white lies”. Annoyingly-loving funny woman!…Aimee, Robert, Pastor Rob, Keith Taylor - are other characters you’ll get to know —*Gloria Ramirez*….insisted on being called *Glory* after the night she was raped — ….a horrifying night - hard to talk about - impossible to forget — Elizabeth begins and ends her story with Gloria’/Glory….. harrowing & inspiring!“Even the buffalo and blue grama grasses, thin and pliant as they are, have been holding their breath”. I held my breath a few times too!!!“Why did God give oil to Texas? To make up what he did to the land”. “Why don’t girls from Odessa play hide-and-go-seek?Because nobody would go look for them”.Powerful, passionate, intimate, astonishing, an unforgettable rich cast of characters!!!I don’t think I’ll ever forget this novel.It would make a great film! Thank you *Emily Griffin*, and HarperCollins publishing for sending me a copy of this wonderful novel. Thank you *Will Byrnes* for being my friend and inspiration for this novel!!!

Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore is a 2020 Harper publication. Phenomenal Debut!After fourteen- year old Gloria Ramirez is beaten and raped, she escapes her attacker, finally making her way to the doorstep of Mary Rose Whitehead. Mary Rose was home alone with her daughter, but bravely keeps Gloria safe with so small danger to herself. However, once the immediate threat has passed, Mary Rose discovers the community is far from impressed by her act of courage and heroism.Because the accused rapist is a well- connected young white man and Gloria is a Hispanic girl- Mary Rose’s non-conformity not only earns her sharp rebukes from other women she associates with, but she could be the target of revenge- especially since she refuses to let the matter die. Eventually, the boiling hot stew of racism, misogyny, injustice, fear, and stress, brings Mary Rose to the brink of madness…I chose this book for several reasons. One, it was set in Texas in mid-seventies- in Odessa- and because I noticed how well it was received, and because I just had one of those feelings- like the book was calling me. My instincts paid off- but this book was far more impressive than I had anticipated. In fact, I’m not sure my review could do this book justice. When Mary Rose lays eyes on the battered Gloria Ramirez, she sees the hard, cold truth about her environment, she fears for her daughter’s future, and knows that someone has to speak up for Gloria, that someone has to fight for her, because evidently, no one else will. Yet her determination to see justice done, to testify to what she saw and experienced that fateful day when Gloria came to her home, will place her in a very dangerous position, heightening her distress, but never beating back her courage. Still, her constant worry takes a toll on her mental state, the pressures and internal turmoil eventually reaching a breaking point. The author absolutely nails the atmosphere of Odessa: The seclusion, the attitudes, the climate, and the economical tension bubbling beneath the surface-while exquisitely capturing an era of time where women are mere extensions of their husbands, where their jobs are to be someone’s wife and someone’s mother. The accurate divide between class and race is vivid, and painfully drawn as are the stellar characterizations. Besides, Mary Rose, whose husband is often away and who is pregnant with her second child, her neighbor Corrine, a recent widow, instantly wins my respect. The two women form an unlikely bond, sharing the same feelings of frustration. I loved the way Corrine protected Mary Rose and stuck up for her, keeping a watchful eye on her. Debra Ann, a child whose mother abandoned her, and who is left mostly to her own devices, is also a vibrant character who befriends a homeless war veteran. Each character has an internal dialogue, giving the reader a personal and intimate look at their thoughts, revealing their hopes, fears, regrets, and longing. It is easy to lose oneself in each of these narratives, which are like vignettes inside a broader story. This strong feminine cast shines brilliantly against the stark, gritty reality of the old dusty oil town, and will leave an enduring imprint on my soul. Overall, this is a gritty, compelling, and powerful debut. It is unflinching, no holds barred, driving home a clear message that will resonate with many readers and women who still fight against a system that favors ‘good ole’ white boys, who come from a good family’. Trust me, the author knows and understands this landscape intimately. The love/hate emotions for Odessa and Texas is palpable, and although I’ve never made it that far west, on many days, that conflict is a feeling I know all too well. Yet, despite the stormy, and nearly unbearable, suspense, there is also an undertone of sensitivity, too. The writing is splendid- goose-pimply good- drawing comparisons to some heavy hitters in Texas literature. This one earns a top spot on the 2020 favorites list!Hitting the recommend button on this one!! READ THIS BOOK!

Odessa, Texas. It’s 1976 and a young fourteen-year-old Mexican girl, Gloria, is beaten and raped by a white oilfield worker. She shows up on Mary Grace’s porch, bloodied and battered. This attack divides the town and pits neighbor against neighbor. Readers learn what happens next through the eyes of the women in the town. There are multiple points of view but these three had my heart:- Mary Grace, a young mother who opens the door to the battered Gloria. She keeps Gloria safe but the repercussions affects her life forever.- Corrinne, a new widow mourning her husband Potter. My heart ached for her and I loved hearing her backstory. She and Mary Grace become a support system for each other - Debra Ann, a spunky ten-year-old girl who is dealing with being abandoned by her motherIt’s a man’s world in Odessa and life is hard for the women. Odessa is as much of a character in this novel as the characters themselves. “…mercy is hard in a place like this”. But so is justice. Who will stand up for Gloria? I love a novel that gives me a glimpse into the inner lives of the characters, their hopes, dreams, struggles, and regrets, and this novel does just that. Each of these women are different ages and each has their own story to tell that resonated deeply. The book doesn’t focus on the details of the rape, but on the aftermath on the women in the town. This is not a pretty story that is tied up in a neat bow at the end, but it’s an amazing debut with characters that have left a lasting impression.Recommended for fans of emotional, slow-burn, atmospheric character-driven stories. This is 100% my wheelhouse and I loved it.

I went back and forth on my rating for this book quite a bit. At one point, I wanted to DNF, but I pushed through. I initially rated it one star, but then bumped it up to two...and then three...and then finally four. And yet I wouldn’t exactly say I enjoyed the story. While I appreciated the haunting, character-driven literary nature and the way it gave women and their struggles the stage, I also didn’t love how much we jumped around. We focused on a multitude of women and pin-balled around their lives in a way that, while thought-provoking, had no bearing on the story in any tangible way a lot of times. The entire book was also fairly grim and hopeless throughout. I think what was most compelling for me, though, was the way motherhood was presented...the dichotomy of, of course, loving your child with every fiber of your being...but also feeling somewhat frustrated at times with how motherhood - while joyous - can also make life so much more difficult and complicated. I thought it was a stark and honest depiction of how motherhood can manifest itself for some women and certain times...warts and all...no matter how much you love your child.

Yes, it start's out the day after a young teen's rape, but it doesn't stay there. It's a character driven novel that orbits around race, gender, and integrity in Odessa, Texas in 1976 as seen through the female perspective only. "Gloria could be any of our girls,...." "Why don't we give a shit about what happens to a girl like Glory Ramirez?" Rape details are not disclosed. The emotional and physical aftermath on Gloria (also known as Glory) are affirmed, but Gloria is given only 3 chapters in the book. It tends to focus on the emotional effects. There were not a lot of gruesome details.This is primarily a literary novel that basks in a bounty literary elements. If you are looking for a quick read, this is not it. Each sentence was constructed to drive home a deeper meaning, intensify the essence of a character, or to advance the atmosphere. There were moments during the first half, that moved at a slower pace because of the excessive use of language. In the end, those longer descriptions and narrations really made me feel like I knew these women though. Some of them I won't forget.Chapters alternate point of view without pattern and are told from women living in Odessa during this time. The main characters are typically effected by that night Gloria was raped, either as distant witness or a community member. But, other women chime in with chapters (unrelated to Gloria's case) to solidify a setting that reflects gender inequity.I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

Profound. Poignant. Authentic. Raw. Beautiful. Elizabeth Wetmore’s debut Took my breath away and left me speechless. There is no way that my words can do this story justice. It was so beautifully written, so emotionally evocative, so true and authentic. West Texas 1976 The land is dry, the oil is pumping, guns are prevalent, racism is rampid, the good ole boys are in charge, and the women are in the home. When 14-year-old Gloria shows up on Mary rose’s porch battered and bruised she does not see the young girl as a Mexican she sees her as her own daughter. When Gloria’s attacker shows up Mary Rose stands up to him a tense standoff ensues. Corine is a cantankerous older woman who is dealing with the recent death of her beloved husband Porter. When Mary Rose moves into town across from Corine the women form a bond based on mutual respect. The story is primarily told from the perspectives of Mary Rose, Gloria, and Corrine. We also get some snapshots from other characters including 10-year-old Debora Ann whose mother has just split town. Every character in this book has such a unique voice, such a profound story, and were so well drawn I just knew I would know who they were if they were walking down the street. The time and place was also perfectly developed, I could taste the dust in my mouth and smell the oil on my skin. I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to listen to this on audio and the narrators Cassandra Campbell and Jenna Lamia were superb. They really brought this poignant and vivid story to life with their voices. A beautiful story about ugly subject matter, this is the type of book that stays with you long after you have finished the last page.This book in emojis. 🛢 🔫 🙏🏻 👭 *** Big thank you to Harper Collins and Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

This novel begins the morning after the brutal rape of a young Mexican/American teenage girl that occurs in a field in the oil town of Odessa, Texas in 1976. She is locked outside the truck of the perpetrator who is white, young, armed, and asleep.. she doesn’t have her clothes on and is beaten badly..so she attempts to gather any clothes of hers she can find and make it to a farm house she sees in the distance across the field, without the young man waking up and possibly shooting her.This is all I’m going to say about the book... except that it is so good and really captures the time and place and I loved reading about all the different characters in the town and neighborhood where most of the story takes place!

“Valentine” by Elizabeth Wetmore is a female character driven novel situated in west Texas in 1976. From her author photo, she seems too young to capture the socioeconomic essence and female oppression of that time period. I was 18 in 1976 and living in a tiny ranch/farmer town in South Dakota. Reading “Valentine” brought back all the uneasy memories of my youth. The difference of South Dakota and Texas is that the Lakota Sioux were the “Mexicans” of South Dakota. Fourteen-year-old Gloria begins the story. She is in an oil patch in west Texas, badly beaten, raped and near death. The man who did this is passed out in his truck, and she needs to get away because he will kill her. So begins this amazingly moving and tragic story that captures the male-dominated culture of the west, and the flourishing racial oppression of the time.Gloria makes her escape to the ranch home of Mary Rose, a young pregnant wife with a primary school aged daughter. The reader knows that there will be a trial. Mary Rose is the character that represents the female despair of that time and place. Her husband is angry with her for opening the door to a Mexican girl because he felt Mary Rose is putting her family at risk. Gloria is seen as worthless to most of the citizens of the area. Why should anyone care about a Mexican? Mary Rose is one of the few who see her as a child and a victim.Next we are introduced to Corrine, a grieving retired schoolteacher whose husband has just died. We learn that Corrine’s husband had to provide permission for her to work after daughter was born. Wetmore is amazing at reminding us what life was like in the 1970’s. Given that she was a working mother, her position in the west Texas society is low.I swear Wetmore lived in my hometown! These characters are too real. She adds young Debra Ann, aka DA. DA’s mom abandoned her and left her with her daddy who is never home. DA is a feral child that doesn’t bath, is rarely fed, and if she is it’s because she made dinner. There were no social services at that time. Ginny, DA’s mom has her part of the female oppression. At first the reader dislikes her. After reading her story, which Wetmore writes with such compassion, Ginny is seen as a flawed and deeply wounded character.Suzanne is the most complex character. She represents the busy body, judging, church lady. Yet Wetmore writes her compassionately as well. Suzanne has a background and one can see how she became the “holier than thou” person she is.Karla, the last character is actually a conglomerate of females who work together to find a way to be strong against the male dominated society. She(they) have a small piece of the story, but it’s an impactful one.“Valentine” is a story that is heart-wrenching and uncomfortable. It perfectly captures a time in American history. To her credit and making the story amazing is Wetmore’s subtle humor. There’s not much humor and Corrine provides the majority of it. The women are strong in the face of their adversity. They find their way. This story will remain with me for a very long time.

Gloria was hanging around the Picnic table at Sonic, drinking lime-ades and begging smokes, waiting for something to happen, when Dale Strickland pulled in. The next morning, she would be walking barefoot, 3 miles to the nearest Farmhouse after being raped repeatedly, and beaten badly enough to need her spleen removed. She was just 14 years old. I knew from the synopsis that she would make it there, but not if she would live past that day. She managed to knock on the door and to ask the very pregnant woman who answered it for a glass of water, and if she could call her Mama. As Mary Rose looked past the small Mexican Girl, she could see a pick up truck kicking up dust as it headed their way. She grabbed her rifle.The stand off which occurs at this point, had me terrified! I felt like I was standing on that porch in Odessa, Texas with Mary Rose. Yet- this isn’t really the crime that that the book is about. The crime is that this act of brutality is tried in the churches, and bars of the town before it can even reach the courthouse. The crime is that you might laugh or look up at the ceiling or down to the floor before you would dare to speak up for what’s right. The crime is that doing the right thing in the 70’s in Texas can cost you everything you have-And, that the one woman who will speak up, will find out that her husband blames her for the misfortunes she has brought on to her family as she realizes that her husband isn’t the man she thought he was. This is a story of the women of Odessa and how a crime against a young Mexican girl will ultimately affect them. The sun is scorching hot but the Dr. Peppers are icy cold in Texas.There are casseroles to be made, Avon products to sell, and people to grieve. But, in this town full of hatefulness and bigotry, there are also women who will continue to look out for one another. Yes, it is Gloria (Glory’s) story. But it is theirs too. Another crime fiction book, that is going to stick with me for a long time to come.

This well-written and compelling debut novel by Elizabeth Wetmore left me with a negative image of West Texas, its dry and harsh landscape, and the brutal, masculine culture of that time (I hope). The setting is the oil town of Odessa, Texas in 1976. A young, Hispanic teenager named Gloria is beaten and raped by a liquored-up oil worker. She is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant and her attacker is the son of a Pentecostal preacher.The format is written from the POV of several women interconnected in some way with the victim, Gloria Ramirez, her crime, or the associated trial. Many of their stories relate their own struggles in this intolerant and male-dominated oil town. Altogether, they paint a picture of life for the “good ole boys” and the deep-rooted misogyny and racism for women in 1970’s Odessa.Some of the characters were weaker than others but they never diminished my enjoyment of this novel. I was engrossed from beginning to its karmic conclusion. RECOMMENDED