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Disrupted Lives

by Brenda Youngerman (Goodreads Author)

4.33 of 5 stars 4.33 · rating details · 15 ratings · 13 reviews

A name does not make a person, a person makes a name.Such is the theme of Disrupted Lives, the story of how one adopted child touches and intersects with many lives, but ends up destroying one family name, while building another family's legacy.Darren and Amelia Kane were high school sweethearts torn apart by war. They reunite and discover that they both must put their nig...more

Paperback, 246 pages

Published April 11th 2011 by Eloquent Books

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Oct 02, 2011 Donna McBroom-Theriot rated it 5 of 5 stars

Book Quotes:
“…prepared to leave, her mama whispered in Fiona’s ear, “Remember this one simple rule. You must make your husband feel important in the bedroom. Otherwise, he’ll go look elsewhere for his entertainment. And you must bear an heir to cement your future.”
Sterling, on the other hand, was getting very different advice. “Don’t screw this up, son. This is your last chance to do something right.”
“Dale, you don’t have any choice anymore,” Fiona interrupted him. “You’ve slept with almost ever...more Book Quotes:
“…prepared to leave, her mama whispered in Fiona’s ear, “Remember this one simple rule. You must make your husband feel important in the bedroom. Otherwise, he’ll go look elsewhere for his entertainment. And you must bear an heir to cement your future.”
Sterling, on the other hand, was getting very different advice. “Don’t screw this up, son. This is your last chance to do something right.”
“Dale, you don’t have any choice anymore,” Fiona interrupted him. “You’ve slept with almost every girl in town.” His jaw dropped when she said that. “What? You didn’t think I knew that? Sweetheart, Mama does know everything!” (Chippendale Hartford Lake wed Catherine Liza Cook in front of five hundred guests…)
Ernest Porter Lake graduated high school in June 1951. He did not excel at either academia or sports. He did not have the constitution for either, complaining seemed to be his favorite subject.
"Hartford's last act on this earth had been to take his hunting rifle and blow a hole in his head, which not only necessitated the books, panels and desk in the den to be cleaned, it also required an expensive rug to be replaced. Lorraine was furious that he had done such a thoughtless act.
"How could that man be so selfish?" Lorraine kept repeating. "He left me here; he left a mess behind; and all because of a little money?"
“Mama, I’m going to Yale and that’s that!” Chad said…. Fiona stared at him, not blinking one time. “Chad, that’s a Yankee school! We are Southerners!” “Mama, the war between the States ended almost a hundred years ago. I’ve been accepted with a full scholarship to Yale, and I’m not turnin’ it down because you think we’re still at war.”
“When all is said and done and the day ends, a rich man, and a poor man both put their heads down to sleep, and both of them put their pants on one leg at a time. The real question as to worth is who can look himself in the mirror and really like what he sees?”

My Review:
This was a great book. It was an exemplary example of how Southern manners and bigotry can tear a family apart. Southern families are one part complex, two parts deep-rooted in history, and 20 parts full of unattainable expectations. Breeding and pedigrees a must, and Heaven help you if you make a mistake.
Disrupted Lives showcases Southern life to a sweet tea, and makes a wonderful counterpart to The Help. While The Help depicted how life played out for the Southern help, Disrupted Lives depicted how life played out for the Southern belle.
Life seems to have come to a standstill even though the Civil War was over ages ago. To Southerners, a Yankee is a Yankee is a Yankee. And, never think that Mama doesn’t know all that is going on in her children’s lives. Fiona was that type of mother. She knew that one son was a playboy and he needed to be reined in, and could be with the “proper” girl. And, many a merger was conducted by parents arranging marriages between their children. While she loved her children and grandchildren dearly, she hated her adopted grandson just as fiercely.
The book was steeped in intrigue and the story was truly amazing. The characters were well developed and while containing serious subject matter, there was humor. You always knew who you were dealing with and rooting for. This book contained the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. I did find that while the story wrapped up with a surprise ending that I enjoyed, it ended on a quick note.
If you love reading about the South, you will definitely love this book. I definitely recommend reading this book. You’ll enjoy it.
To quote Brenda Youngerman, “I write fiction with a purpose.” Her book definitely did that and each time I think about Disrupted Lives, I remember something new. I cannot wait to read another of her books.
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Sep 13, 2011 McGuffy Morris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Disrupted Lives is a wonderfully written novel of family and the effects of adoption. We are able to see into the lives of both families, going back several generations. This enables us to understand the family dynamics and role of each character.

Brenda Youngerman creates characters that are well developed and genuine. She has a gift for creating authentic dialogue, with interactions and situations that are sincere and heartfelt.

Disrupted Lives does well in describing the complexities of old Sou...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Cynthia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-challenge

An absolute astonishing piece of fiction and like all of Brenda Youngerman's work, this is fiction with a purpose. Brenda shared a PDF with me and I was able to read this wonderful book before it was actually released. It became available to buy on April 18, 2011 and I am both excited and happy for Brenda. This is a great book and I hope everyone gets to read it. While being entertained with a fictional read, the reader is surely blessed with a powerful message to all of mankind.

We are taken bac...more An absolute astonishing piece of fiction and like all of Brenda Youngerman's work, this is fiction with a purpose. Brenda shared a PDF with me and I was able to read this wonderful book before it was actually released. It became available to buy on April 18, 2011 and I am both excited and happy for Brenda. This is a great book and I hope everyone gets to read it. While being entertained with a fictional read, the reader is surely blessed with a powerful message to all of mankind.

We are taken back to another time with Southern etiquette and grace. We are shown painful decisions and how lives are ripped apart in blind attempts to actually keep lives in tact. Arriving at modern day, we watch the characters seek and find their truths, and how they painfully struggle through realizations and coming to terms.

Youngerman hits on serious issues such as adoption, civil rights, and during a time when Americans were widely raging against war. The story is written with compassion yet gut wrenching at times making it tearfully joyful too. A lot happens in this lengthy time-line and a read you will not be able to put down once you begin.

Read the first chapter of Disrupted Lives at
www.brendayoungerman.com

~~~*~~~

In the efforts of combining two fortunes, a marriage is arranged between two rich and powerful families.

Fiona Lake is labeled as what she is, a bigot and manipulator. Yet, Fiona is determined and dedicated to her family, approaching everything with her southern charm. Arrangements and manipulation made Fiona Lake who she is. Together, Fee and Steel build a business and a family that shake the boundaries of Georgia. Raising five children through the 30's, 40's, and 50's, Fiona sets the demons that would rage within each one of her children. Life comes unwound for the Lake's when individuality is seeded. Each Lake child brings their own perspective and flavor while a war is taking our young men away from home, changing young destinies and lives forever. Get ready for this story and these characters to grip at your heart and inflame your soul.

Adoption.

One young couple torn apart by a war. Too young to know how cruel life, and those they trust, can really be. Trusting hearts, they lose all. Even through the desperation of their broken hearts, they will find one another again, and vowing to never let their children down, it will take a life time to keep that promise.

Another young couple in love and with everything find themselves wanting something they can not have. Or, at least that is what they think. Money can buy just about anything especially if you are a Lake. What will be discovered, and not easily found, will be what money can not touch.
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Nov 14, 2011 Single Country rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I first started reading Disrupted Lives I knew that is was going to be one that I couldn't put down. And I was right, from the start I got transported back to Georgia in the 1920's and admittedly got engrossed in the story. I felt as though I was transported back in time as was right that growing up along with the members of the Lake and Kane families.

Brenda Youngerman tackles the subject of adoption that effects many families in the world today and in my opinion she does this superbly whil...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Bonnie (Words at Home Blog) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

Original Reivew Posted Here: http://www.handsandhome.ca/2011/07/di...

In Disrupted Lives, Brenda Youngerman has created a remarkably complex family history based on wealth, power, unattainable expectations, compliance with family ideals and regret. Both compelling and beautifully written this is the sort of novel I had to read in nearly only sitting, I couldn’t stand to put it down and not know how things would unfold.

I found it very interested to see how the lives of 2 separate families came to...more Original Reivew Posted Here: http://www.handsandhome.ca/2011/07/di...

In Disrupted Lives, Brenda Youngerman has created a remarkably complex family history based on wealth, power, unattainable expectations, compliance with family ideals and regret. Both compelling and beautifully written this is the sort of novel I had to read in nearly only sitting, I couldn’t stand to put it down and not know how things would unfold.

I found it very interested to see how the lives of 2 separate families came together and affected each other so much. I loved how Youngerman went back in time so far to discover several generations of the Lake and Kane families and relate how their actions affected the next generation. I found the stories and the family dynamics to be particularly fascinating.

I did at times find this 90 year time span to be a little wide and sometimes felt as though time was rushing by too quickly when I wanted to read more about a particular character or major life event. Sometimes the speed at which time passed could be dizzying, however I understood the need to move time quickly along considering the span of time the novel had to cover.

What made this book for me were a few specific characters. I loved Amelia’s story and I wanted to read so much more about her. She was strong, compassionate and a little bit damaged by her past but she didn’t allow her past hurts to ruin her present life. She allowed her past to give her perspective and spent her energy focusing on those people in her life who truly supported and cared about her. I could have read an entire novel solely about Amelia and her struggles. I was also fascinated by Fiona and Steel’s relationship and found it so interesting to read about how two generations of Lakes approached their lives, and the people in them, so differently. These intense family interactions pulled me into the story and had me completely invested in the lives of the people I was reading about.

I would recommend Disrupted Lives to anyone who loves to read family focused fiction or drama, or is interested in Southern fiction.
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Jul 17, 2011 Sarah (Workaday Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

Spanning three generations, this is a story about family in all its ugly glory. It is a tale involving money, power, traditions, and betrayal. When a young woman is forced to give up her baby, what happens within that family? What that baby is adopted into a powerful family, what happens there, and will he ever be accepted as a full family member?

This was a character driven glimpse into the meaning of family. What drives them, makes them happy, destroys them? Every character had a unique voice t...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

A good read, one I highly recommend. The storyline is well-developed and well-rounded. Characters developed well, although I do feel some could have been more powerful in their message if a bit more realistic. For example, the ending was almost a letdown in that I felt the first contact of birth mother and son was simplified and not as emotional as it could/should have been. With this adoption being the major impact to the storyline, I just feel it could have been more poignantly handled.

You can...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Sidne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Favorite line: A name does not make a person,
A person makes a name.

Summary: Setting in the 1920’s from the southern section of Georgia author Brenda Youngerman introduces us to the family history of the Lakes. It all begin when two business rivals agreed to arrange the marriage of their son and daughter in order to solidify a business agreement that would merge and strengthen their business entities and allow them to become the richest business throughout Georgia. As the marriage is consummated...more Favorite line: A name does not make a person,
A person makes a name.

Summary: Setting in the 1920’s from the southern section of Georgia author Brenda Youngerman introduces us to the family history of the Lakes. It all begin when two business rivals agreed to arrange the marriage of their son and daughter in order to solidify a business agreement that would merge and strengthen their business entities and allow them to become the richest business throughout Georgia. As the marriage is consummated the family history begins to take shape as decisions made begin to take effect.
Characters: Darren and Amelia Kane, high school sweethearts, separated due to his deployment to war. Later reunites, marries and become parents of three children. Chad and Lori Lake; He a prominent lawyer, she an assistant in the same law firm, wed and become parents of three children. Fioan Lake the silver spooned fed matriarch of one of Georgia’s wealthiest families and the mother of Chad Lake. (Poor child)

Book Aesthetics: I love the picture of this book cover. It’s a reminder of the beautiful south where homes are outlined by beautiful blooming trees. I got the impression from the cover that the novel was going to have a pleasant story line; however, it was more linked to its Georgia setting. The title told me otherwise. I don’t know why the lilac or purple ribbon was added across the trees on the cover.

Most decisions parents make while raising their children will affect their lives and leave an everlasting effect upon them that spills over into their adult life. The storyline exemplifies the suffering a child endures due to parents’ selfish decisions or lack of attention. The Characters in this story are easily related to rather you like them or not. The story was a moderate reading pace for me as I looked forward to turning each page. My least favorite character is Fioan, although she was business savvy she was also, manipulative, mean and a racist. I’m torn between my favorite characters; I don’t know if it’s Ben, Darren or Amelia. Each of them is humble, stern and forgiving. I adore Darren everlasting love for his wife, Amelia. My emotions were heartfelt for Amelia, and I kept hoping the best of the best for Ben. I was a bit disturbed how the author wrote the story line of Amelia discovery. A blind phone call; it didn’t seem to fit Amelia’s character. The climax of the story for me: when dauntless character, Prudence, decides to challenge the disrupted plagued that lingered in the lives of the Lake family thus putting an end to the detestable character traits that haunted the Lake family for many years; leaving me hoping that the families resilience will soon come to a closure.

A Most enjoyed satisfactory read. Disrupted Lives sit upon by book self as A Darn Good Read rating of 4.0(less)

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Sep 10, 2011 *Babs* rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-asked-to-review, contemporary, drama, family-relationships, hope, love, relationships

Brenda did a remarkable job with her writing. She brings two families together and went going back so far to show how the decisions affected the next generation. I had so many emotions as I was reading the book. You will get pulled into the story and enjoy it. The beginning might be a bit confusing, but don’t let that stop you. As you read on you will be taken into the Kanes and Lake’s lives. I was looking forward to the read as I have 4 adopted boys and know how it can change your families live...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Denise Moncrief rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

Disrupted Lives is about injustice—social, economic, and racial. It’s the tale of two families, whose lives intertwine when one couple adopts the child of another couple. The tale of how the mistakes and prejudices of one generation can affect future generations. It is the story of how things beyond one’s control can shape a life and create a lifetime of regret and misery.

Ms. Youngerman weaves her plot with sympathy and understanding, relating how the decisions one person makes can disrupt the l...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Andrea at Reading Lark rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-stars, adult, kindle, read-in-2011, southern-fiction

Review Posted on Reading Lark 9/14/11: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/...

Disrupted Lives was such a pleasant deviation from the YA books I had been reading lately. The story focuses on how family secrets can cause pain, but ultimately they shape the people we become. Our upbringings and families certainly influence our actions, but sometimes they are also the catalyst that provides the courage to turn down a path less traveled.

This novel focuses on four main plot strands. The first discus...more

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Sep 08, 2011 Intoxicated by Books added it

I loved this story. It is very heart wrenching and I have to admit it was hard to hold back the tears at times but it was totally worth it! Brenda did a wonderful job intertwining the two families over the three generations covered in this story. She also showed how money and power are not the key to happiness. My favorite line in the book is "A name does not make a person, a person makes a name." I beleive that Ben Lake's character proved this line true in more ways than one.

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Aug 11, 2011 Ps rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just read Disrupted Lives and truly enjoyed it. Brenda has a magical way of weaving together the lives of friends, family and generations. Brenda's writing is wonderful and this story has a great twist at the end. Another book that I didn't want to put down. I highly recommend this book.

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Jan 01, 2012 Susan marked it as to-read

Dec 29, 2011 B. marked it as to-read

Shelves: fiction, fiction-historical

Oct 31, 2011 Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) added it

Shelves: nook-book, arcs

Oct 09, 2011 Chrystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 50-book-challenge-2011

Oct 13, 2011 Anastacia Knits rated it 1 of 5 stars

Sep 10, 2011 Nina220 marked it as to-read

Jun 11, 2011 Barb marked it as tbr

May 14, 2011 Patty marked it as to-read

May 07, 2011 Brenda Youngerman rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

Shelves: fiction-with-a-purpose

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About Brenda Youngerman

Brenda Youngerman is a single mother who raised her 3 children in southern California. She has first hand knowledge of what emotional trauma can do to a family as she was the product of a broken home.

I was the youngest member in a very large family and always felt like I was on the outside looking in. That is not an enviable position as a child but a perfect position to be as an author. I write "F...more

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