A Beautiful, Terrible Thing

(Paperback)

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A woman discovers her marriage is built on an illusion in this harrowing and ultimately inspiring memoir. "Be forewarned- You won't sleep until you finish the last page."-Caroline Leavitt, author of Cruel Beautiful World One night. One email. Two realities... Before- Jen Waite has met the partner of her dreams. A handsome, loving man who becomes part of her family, evolving into her husband, her best friend, and the father of her infant daughter. After- A disturbing email sparks suspicion, leading to an investigation of who this man really is and what was really happening in their marriage. In alternating Before and After chapters, Waite obsessively analyzes her relationship, trying to find a single moment form the past five years that isn't part of the long con of lies and manipulation. Instead, she finds more lies, infidelity, and betrayal than she could have imagined. With the pacing and twists of a psychological thriller, A Beautiful, Terrible Thinglooks at how a fairy tale can become a nightmare and what happens when "it could never happen to me" actually does.

Reviews

Praise for A Beautiful, Terrible Thing

Waite has a knack for showing the ways that cognitive dissonance can chart pathways in the mind that cause emotional confusion to obscure rational thought.Meghan Daum, New York Times Book Review

[Waite's] memoir is a great source of strength.Hello Giggles

A powerful memoir.The New York Post

Heartbreaking and riveting.Bustle

LikeBig Little Lies,A Beautiful Terrible Thingis a startling reminder that fairy tales arent real. A master class in suspenseful storytelling, Jen Waite recounts the lies, betrayals, and infidelity she endured with unrestrained honesty and deft candor. I couldnt turn away.Jillian Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of Some Girls: My Life in a Harem and Everything You Ever Wanted

How do we really know the ones we love Sometimes we don't, and in Jen Waite's harrowing, deeply intimate memoir, she gradually comes to discover that the husband she adores might actually be a sociopath. As raw and ragged as the edge of a blade, what makes this book so chilling is that it's truly possible to fall in love with evil, and it can happen to anyone. Be forewarned: you won't sleep until you finish the last page.Caroline Leavitt, author ofCruel Beautiful Worldand theNew York Timesbestsellers,Pictures of YouandIs This Tomorrow

Gripping from start to finish. A compelling and cautionary tale about how the longing to be adored and live inside a fairy tale makes you vulnerable to those charming sociopaths in search of someone to exploit.Joe Burgo, PhD, author ofThe Narcissist You Know

A twisting, compulsively readable story of devastating betrayal and survival. I could not put this book down.Leigh Stein, author of Land of Enchantment

Jen Waite has illuminated the experience of betrayal with important and lyric light. Robert Mapplethorpe said, Nothing is finished until you see it. I would add that nothing is finished until you tell it as well and as fairly as she has.Suzanne Finnamore, bestselling author of Otherwise Engaged and Split

A dramatic and powerful case study of dating and marrying someone who may have a hidden personality disorder. Without knowing the warning signs, you too can be caught by surprise.Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD, coauthor of Splitting

A woman discovers her husband is not whom she thought he was. [T]ension, disbelief, and grief permeate the pages...Those who have been in a manipulative partnership with a narcissistic or abusive person will find Waites honest retelling relevant and potent.Kirkus Reviews

In this emotionally charged memoir, Waite describes how the man she married turned out to be not at all what he seemed. A well-written and at times gripping story of deceit.Publishers Weekly

Author Bio

Jen Waite lives in Maine with her young daughter.