Life Does Not Come with Guarantees: A Story of Love, Loneliness, Abuse and Faith

Germaine L. Allen
iUniverse (2006)
ISBN 9780595386918
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (11/06)

We all learn lessons in childhood and Germaine is no different. She learned to be honest and to think before she speaks.  Germaine was devastated when her first love was killed in a car accident. “I learned at an early age that life could be very harsh.”

In 1958 Germaine met Larry Allen, a navy man.  Germaine should have listened to her instinct, which told her getting married would be a mistake.  But instead she listened to her family and friends. When she and Larry married, it was a marriage that began with deceit.  After only seventeen days Larry was shipped to Japan without Germaine.  She lived with her parents and worked to save money.  She soon learned she was pregnant but lost the baby.  Germaine struggled with the loneliness that comes with marriage to a military person.  The she faced the loneliness of being a widow.

When Germaine became involved with Ken she once again ignored her instinct to run.  He became angry when she would not marry him.  He was demanding and expected his every command to be followed.  “Is this a sign of things to come?  Have I become his slave to obey his every request?  Lord, I hope not.  Where is the sweet protector that I fell in love with?  This man is not someone I want to spend my life with nor have my children around.  He is a means and demanding, even abusive, I thought.”

“Ken liked to play mind games and always seemed to know how to get me to think his way.  He would turn something around to make it my fault, and he was so convincing that by the time he was done I was convinced he was right.  That alone should have been a wake call for me, a huge red flag again but it was not.”

Then the child abuse came. 

This book, “Life Does Not Come with Guarantees,” stabs you in the heart.  But then abuse always does.  Germaine has lived a life that I can only imagine.  She has survived repeated bouts of abuse.  Germaine is an incredible woman opening her arms to the reader and embracing them as she shares such a painful story.  If I hurt while reading Germaine’s story, how much worse she must have hurt living and telling it.  This book is written in a truthful manner; it is well written.  I highly recommend this book to those that enjoy non-fiction, women and those who fight abuse.

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