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I'll Know You by Heart

4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 · rating details · 40 ratings · 21 reviews

The day Stephanie Roberts met Jared Wakefield, she didn't realize they'd met before. Running from an abusive marriage and trying to safeguard her children, she turns to Jared for suppport, but he needs more from her than she might be capable of giving. With her abusive husband looming in her past, the difficulties they must overcome to be together seem insurmountable. Is i...more

Paperback, 265 pages

Published March 16th 2010 by Valor Publishing

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Apr 30, 2010 Lucy rated it 3 of 5 stars

In I'll Know you by Heart, Kimberly Job writes about the complexities that arise when temple covenants are broken due to abuse. While it seems unfathomable to me that the abuse described in this LDS fictional romance is even possible, I know that it occurs, even within the bonds of a temple marriage.

Stephanie Roberts has all but given up trying to be happy. She craves stability but never seems to be able to predict what will send her husband into an irrational rage. When a spaghetti dinner displ...more In I'll Know you by Heart, Kimberly Job writes about the complexities that arise when temple covenants are broken due to abuse. While it seems unfathomable to me that the abuse described in this LDS fictional romance is even possible, I know that it occurs, even within the bonds of a temple marriage.

Stephanie Roberts has all but given up trying to be happy. She craves stability but never seems to be able to predict what will send her husband into an irrational rage. When a spaghetti dinner displeases him to the point that he punches her in the face, as well as her sixteen year-old son who attempts to protect his mother, she finally realizes that she has to leave.

Throughout the book, I vacillated between feeling frustrated that Stephanie wasn't a little more proactive about getting her abusive husband out of her and her children's life and appreciative that Job wrote what is likely an honest account of the difficulties that really exist when ending a marriage, especially one whose history is filled with control and manipulation.

Interwoven into Stephanie's story is Jared's own story. Jared, a recent widower whose own marriage was a far cry from happy is now raising his four year-old daughter on his own. As both characters struggle to deal with the ramifications of single parenting, Jared and Stephanie's lives intersect and the stirrings of attraction become both a source of worry and hope.

I admit to being a romance enthusiast but I think romance as a subject matter is difficult to do well in literature. Real romance, anyways. The entire time I was reading, I admit that I was cheering for Stephanie and Jared. I can't help it. When someone writes about attraction and falling in love, I swoon. On the other hand, I also couldn't help feeling their relationship and interactions were being over simplified. Romance....people...it's all very complicated in real life. While the author certainly included a complicated and burden heavy romantic plot, the character's behaviors and motivations didn't always seem to match either their earlier choices or what I had been led to expect from their descriptions. I think the author uses a Saturday's Warriors technique to explain that both Stephanie and Jared felt drawn somehow together, like they knew each other from way back when in the spirit world, but I'm not sure. The title seems to support the idea, but since there is no vision or revelation, only a short dream sequence that happens during a coma, I am merely hypothesizing.

I recognize that I am hyper critical of LDS fiction because it seems that as soon as a character seems human and flawed and recognizable as someone I might know, the great gospel sweeper seems to come along and get rid of all the bad stuff, leaving only the shiny and good. It's a nice message, but most often, the mists of darkness stick around while we figure out all the hard stuff. When I get to the end of a story like this, I wonder, "What if the nice in-laws hope for the best for their son's new girlfriend, but really wish he'd find someone that didn't have the emotional baggage of someone who has lived through seventeen years of physical and emotional abuse?" Or, "How can these two people not have some serious intimacy issues after being married to who they were married to?" I know..I just need to enjoy the story, which is really quite interesting. But still, I need things to feel real. While the characters were given obstacles and struggles, which is real and expected, many of theirs felt so big and dramatic that the effect for me was that they felt less real.

I do appreciate the message that our Heavenly Father loves us and that he wants us to be happy. I appreciate the inclusion that there is a Savior who is willing and able to heal our pains. To get those kinds of messages from a book, I can see why people enjoy reading LDS fiction. It is uplifting. If that sounds like your kind of thing, I think you'll like this book :)
(less)

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Apr 11, 2010 Teri rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'll Know You By Heart by Kimberly Job

In this stunning debut novel by Kimberly, we find Stephanie Roberts, a woman running from an abusive marriage. She's suffered through seventeen years of terrible abuse from her husband Mark, afraid to leave him for fear he would hurt her three children. The night she decides to leave, her two young daughters have confusing loyalties, as they love their dad. Maddie is 11 and Sarah is 7, then there's big brother Tyson, sixteen, who absolutely hates his father,...more I'll Know You By Heart by Kimberly Job

In this stunning debut novel by Kimberly, we find Stephanie Roberts, a woman running from an abusive marriage. She's suffered through seventeen years of terrible abuse from her husband Mark, afraid to leave him for fear he would hurt her three children. The night she decides to leave, her two young daughters have confusing loyalties, as they love their dad. Maddie is 11 and Sarah is 7, then there's big brother Tyson, sixteen, who absolutely hates his father, who finally tells his mom he took photos of her in bed asleep to show evidence of his dad's abuse.

When Stephanie is stalked by her husband, she's too afraid to call the police to report the abuse. She knows she needs to work to support her family, so is surprised when she gets hired to be a receptionist at a pediatrician's office with her lack of experience since her college years. When she meets Jared Wakefield, the man who brings his almost 5 year old daughter in to see the doctor for an accident that had occured at school. causing Katie to break her arm. Both Stephanie and Jared feel an instant bond, like they knew each other from before. Even though Jared had lost his wife from an auto accident not long ago, the accident was caused by his wife's drinking, so he was thinking of finding someone that would love he and Katie, unlike the lack of love his deceased wife had shown.

When Mark finds out about Jared and he starts causing trouble after Stephanie lets down her guard, then something drastic happens to change for everyone. It takes Jared and Tyson to set things in motion to allow Stephanie to finally heal her wounds, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Since both my grandmothers were abused by a husband and a father, I know how abuse can destroy families. Kimberly has done an excellent job (no pun intended) in her weaving a masterful, yet poignant story about how abuse can destroy a person's life. This cycle can be reversed if we but look to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to help us.

Forever Friends Rating 5 Stars by Teri
Until N ext Time, See You Around The Book Nook.

I received my ARC from Valor Publishing Group.

Publisher: Valor Publishing Group, LLC
Date Published: March 2010
ISBN: 978-1-935546-13-9
265pp(less)

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Apr 10, 2010 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stephanie Roberts is used to her husband, Mark abusing her. She just keeps excusing him. When their son, Tyson comes to the rescue of his mother, Mark loses it and starts hitting Tyson. Stephanie could put up with Mark hitting her but not one of their children. Stephanie finally reaches her breaking point and packs up all the children’s things. She, Tyson, and her two daughters, Maddie and Sarah leave. Stephanie is glad to be free of Mark. Mark will do anything to get his family back.

Jared Wake...more

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Apr 02, 2010 Daron rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-and-suspense

I don't read romance. Occasionally I will read a suspense novel that has romance in it, and I know this book qualifies as romantic suspense, but it is not the norm for my reading shelf. As far as the romantic element of this story goes, Kimberly did a fine job with it...in my humble opinion...even though I am not qualified to have an opinion within the genre.

But I am qualified to judge one element of this book, and that is the part which pertains to the abuse portrayed in the story. For those of...more I don't read romance. Occasionally I will read a suspense novel that has romance in it, and I know this book qualifies as romantic suspense, but it is not the norm for my reading shelf. As far as the romantic element of this story goes, Kimberly did a fine job with it...in my humble opinion...even though I am not qualified to have an opinion within the genre.

But I am qualified to judge one element of this book, and that is the part which pertains to the abuse portrayed in the story. For those of you who have not yet read the book, there is a young man named Tyson in it. Tyson is a witness to the abuse of his mother by his father. Those scenes in the book were really hard to read. In fact, I almost put the book down after the first chapter, never to pick it up again. Why? Not because Kimberly did a poor job with the story. Quite the contrary. She did an excellent job. Her portrayal of the situation is spot-on. So much so, that it was painful to read. And for me, it was very personal.

You see, as a young boy, I was Tyson. I witnessed my step-father do hurtful things to my mother. And the thoughts that go through Tyson's mind in this book were very similar to the thoughts I had as a child. Thank heavens for burdens lifted by time, and the healing balm of forgiveness. I don't hold anything against my step-father. We have talked and made peace with the past. As far as I know, he has put those things behind him.

And I don't blame my mother, either. I understand how hard it was to have the strength to fix that part of her life. I can't count the number of nights she loaded us kids in the car and took off down the highway, only to turn around and head back home in the morning. I think the fear of the unknown, and not knowing if she would have the means to support herself and us kids if she left for good, compelled her to keep running back.

But when I was nine, I did what my mother didn't have the strength to do. I left. I went to live with my Dad. He remarried, a divorced mother of three, and they combined families. That journey through my teen years in a combined family wasn't easy, but I can tell you this, I learned to love my family dearly.

I will be forever grateful that the Atonement of Christ can heal all hurts.

Why do I share this? I think Kimberly's book is very well done. It has a very happy ending. It was a great read. I could imagine this book being recommended by battered women shelters... I think it could do wonders for someone who just doesn't have the strength to take control of their life. It might give them that little extra bit of determination to make a change so they can be happy. Perhaps it will fall into the hands of those who really need to hear the message. Maybe it will give them hope.

Two thumbs up for Kimberly's story. She did a fantastic job with it. The characters are real. The emotions are real. Read the book. And if you feel inspired to do so, maybe you'll even share it with someone who might need it. You may just change their life forever.

DISCLAIMER: This is book by Valor Publishing, the publisher of my own book. I got a free copy. But I made no promises to give a good review, so you can't count it as compensation. In fact, if I would have hated the book, I would have said so. And unlike some politicians I hear about, I don't take bribes. They shouldn't either. Shame on them.(less)

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Jan 09, 2013 Crystal (Books Are Sanity!!!) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: clean-reads, contemporary, romance, suspense-action

This novel is by a new author, Kimberly Job. The story is about a woman, Stephanie Roberts, and her struggle to overcome abuse from her husband. This is her journey as she tries to break free from him and start a new life. She meets a man named Jared Wakefield and he becomes a great friend and support to her. She isn't sure if she can give him what he needs as she is trying to trust again and overcome her own fears. Will she learn to trust again and can love overcome any obstacle?
If you want a p...more

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Mar 26, 2010 Chantele Sedgwick rated it 4 of 5 stars

The story had me at the very first page. I really felt for Stephanie's character and all of the trials she went through. The story hit me pretty hard, since I know women go through this type of thing every day. I have a hard time reading about abuse, because I know it's so real, and you never know what goes on behind closed doors. It's a hard subject to tackle, but Kimberly did a great job writing about it. I've also heard some of the experiences Stephanie went through in the book, are experienc...more

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Apr 15, 2010 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars

What immediately struck me as different about this book is that the main character is described as 50 pounds overweight. And yet, she's also hard working, helpful, creative, and active. Usually the female lead is spunky, thin, and blissfully unaware of how beautiful she is. I loved that Kimberly Job chose to have her main character be overweight, and yet also not make her weight a big issue in the story, it was just a feature, not an identity. Over the course of the story, as Stephanie grows and...more What immediately struck me as different about this book is that the main character is described as 50 pounds overweight. And yet, she's also hard working, helpful, creative, and active. Usually the female lead is spunky, thin, and blissfully unaware of how beautiful she is. I loved that Kimberly Job chose to have her main character be overweight, and yet also not make her weight a big issue in the story, it was just a feature, not an identity. Over the course of the story, as Stephanie grows and seeks what she wants out of life, she doesn't even lose weight as a side effect, like most overweight heroines manage to do. This book will not perpetuate the myth that thinness is a fundamental part of happiness. That was nice.

Not far into the book, little inconsistencies started to appear in the story. For instance, someone would tell Jared that Stephanie was having problems with her "ex-husband," then later Jared would wonder to himself why Stephanie's husband appeared to not share her apartment. Then he was surprised and upset with her that she wasn't divorced like he always thought she was. I also felt that the author frequently second guessed herself when she had conveyed that a character felt a certain way, but then launched into a detailed explanation of what the character was feeling and why. These things made me want to skim past sections and get to the story the action and dialogue was telling better than the character's inner monologues.

The characters sometimes frustrated me too. Jared seemed too perfect most of the time, and Stephanie acted like a milk-sop. I was irritated by her disregard for the restraining order she took out on her husband, but then agreed to spend time with him and involve him in family activities. I almost stopped reading there, but then remembered my friend who died at the hands of her husband and decided to try to be more patient with Stephanie and keep reading.

Bottom line: If you like romance but are also not afraid of some of the gritty realities of life faced by many women,you will enjoy I'll Know You By Heart.

Thanks to Kimberly Job and Valor Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.(less)

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Jun 19, 2011 Virginia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: inspirational, romance

"I'll Know You By Heart", by Kimberly Job, is intense, unflinching, at times quite brutal, but it is ultimately healing. The subject of abuse is one that many people turn away from because it makes them uncomfortable. Almost all of us know someone who is an abuse victim. We ourselves may be that victim. Abuse taints and tortures not only the immediate victim, but also others in the surrounding vicinity. It's effects are endless. Ripples upon ripples on the sea of life. Ms. Job takes on this ugly...more

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Apr 18, 2010 Kimberly Job rated it 5 of 5 stars

What happens when the love you thought you found puts you in mortal danger?
A story of pain, survival, and love, I'll Know You by Heart is a deeply emotional journey of one woman's determination to save herself and her family from a life of abuse and fear.

The storyline is not necessarily an easy read since it deals with the very real issues of domestic violence, divorce, and single parenting. But the ending is ultimately happy and helps the reader to have hope in the healing power of everlasting...more

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Apr 15, 2010 Holly (2 Kids and Tired) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stephanie is leaving an abusive marriage and Jared is a recent widower whose wife died in an accident: an accident in which she was the drunk driver. As they each try and heal from their disastrous marriages, they form a friendship and fall in love. But, Stephanie's husband isn't about to let her go without a fight, one she may not survive.

This is quite the engaging story. I picked it up and read it in a couple of hours. Like many LDS stories this one wraps up neatly, but not so predictably as...more

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Jul 18, 2010 John rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the story of an abused wife trying to break free of her abuser, and the good man she starts to have feelings for, but is afraid to open her heart and trust again.

The abuse scenes in the book get pretty intense, so it's not for everyone. I work in mental health, and I found this book to be accurate and believable. Unlike most LDS fiction, the characters travel a rocky road, and a happy ending is NOT guaranteed.

The book is a real page tuner, and kept me up until 4am finishing it!

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May 23, 2010 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was not my usual kind of story. It was about abuse. Emotional, physical and substance abuse. The struggles these characters went through were painful to read, but to anyone who has know abuse in their own lives, it was terrifyingly real. It was also about hope, faith and second chances. The romance was sweet and the Gospel element was strong, but it was still quite a heavy read. A very good debut novel clearly written from personal experience and a heap of triumph :)

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Aug 03, 2010 Marilyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was a bit hard to read. For a person (like me) who loves fairy tales and happy stories this book carries a strong punch. I think it was made more difficult since I have a few people close to me who have been in abusive relationships and this painted almost too vivid a picture. I fell in love with the characters and was anxious for everything to work out for them.

This is a well written debut novel that I would recommend to anyone.

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Mar 10, 2010 Sheila rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book. It touched me in so many ways, especially because I felt so many of same things that the main character did. Knowing that Kimberly,has also experienced in real life some of the things that her main character did, gave this story about a divorced single Mom, depth and truth. I will read this book again and look forward to reading more from this author.

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Sep 06, 2010 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's difficult to read about spousal abuse and this one is a real humdinger. I couldn't even believe that Stephanie was able to have three children with this man. Happy ending though and Jared is absolutely AMAZING!!

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May 15, 2010 Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars

Amazing insight into domestic abuse, drunk driving, marriage, divorce and a very sweet happy ending! Couldn't put this one down. Gripping.

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May 29, 2010 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. An excellent romance. Sad with the topic of domestic violence but happy in the end.

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Apr 25, 2010 Reading For Sanity rated it 4 of 5 stars

read this review and others at http://readingforsanity.blogspot.com/...

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Jan 31, 2011 Tfox100 rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. It was your typical LDS fiction, if you know what I mean. It was a really quick & feel-good read. I would look for other books by this author, I enjoyed it so much.

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May 20, 2010 Kathi Oram rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very touching story about a woman and her children escaping an abusive relationship and finding love.

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Feb 04, 2011 Elizabeth Mueller rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: all my friends

Kimberly did a fantastic job with the realism of domestic abuse. I love LOVE Tyler's behavior and resentment on how his mother betrays his trust. You've got read this.

You know what? This sort of thing DOES happen, I endured child abuse. My husband was shocked to hear that it is really out there when he married me. I know how Tyler feels.

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Apr 10, 2013 Michelle Thurlough marked it as to-read

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Dec 20, 2012 Cynthia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oct 22, 2012 Jessica marked it as to-read

Aug 21, 2012 Leslie Lamb rated it 5 of 5 stars

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Jul 31, 2012 Rebekah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jul 09, 2012 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

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