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5 out of 5 stars!
I must write about how much I enjoyed D. G Kaye’s memoir ‘Conflicted Hearts’. The troublesome relationship that the author has with her mother mirrors episodes in my own life, and I can empathise regarding feelings that ensue from the author wanting to stay away from the negativity of her mother’s narcissistic ways and try to carry on with her own life, but at the same time suffering an overwhelming guilt at staying away for long periods of time.
D.G Kaye is a strong-minded woman and a fearless lone traveller, who is always trying to please her mother. However, I have found, as the author has, that some people just cannot be pleased no matter what is done to help them. Sometimes it’s a case of standing back, taking a deep breath, and either walking away or growing a thick skin.
I admire the author’s courage in writing this memoir. Being an only child I was never brave enough to walk away and so I had to grow the thick skin, but it was only in my mother’s last years that we actually became closer. Through major illness and stress D.G Kaye tried to do what was best for her mother and herself, and I applaud her for it. But at the end of the day it is only by actually living true to ourselves that we can really be happy.
Lit World Interviews 
A great review.Thank you for sharing. ☺
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Thanks for your comment.
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Terrific review, Stevie and Debby. Shared ♥
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Thanks Tina!
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Thank you again Stevie for this wonderful interview of my book. I left a comment here the other day but don’t see it here, so glad I popped back in. I will reblog this tomorrow. 🙂
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Hi Debby, thanks for your comment – I didn’t see an earlier one.
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I thought so Stevie. I think WP gremlins are at it again. 😦
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What a great review. I agree that it’s important to live true to ourselves. Dysfunctional families and poor relationships with parents are far more common than we like to think.
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Great review! I admire the bravery it took to write a memoir. Congrats Debby.
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Thanks for this review, Stevie (and Deb, for the book).
My relationship with my mother was lovely (and way too short, unfortunately). It was my father who could be difficult, though always loving, and my grandmother on my mother’s side who was so impossible I could not continue to be in contact with her – difficult once she moved in with my parents to remain in contact with them until after my grandmother’s death.
When I read reviews like this one I say a silent thank you prayer that my mother was able to stop abuse in a single generation – even though she was never able to cut the ties herself (and I doubt her silently pursed lips indicated that her skin had thickened.)
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
ADD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
“It takes a village to transform a world!”
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I’ve had the same difficult relationship with my mother-in-law for 35 years, but now she is 87 she’s softening a bit. She actually addresses me now when she speaks, instead of talking mainly to my husband!
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My grandmother never called my uncle’s wife by anything other than “Girl!” – as if she were a misbehaving servant she barely knew but had to stop. I’m glad your MIL has softened – I believe my GM got worse every year.
xx,
mgh
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If she rang and I picked up the phone she would always say ‘Hello Sam’ straight away. After about 20 years of this I began to reply ‘Hello Dad’, causing a deathly silence at the other end! Now she just says ‘Hello’.
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What a wonderful way to handle it – still uncomfortable and painful to be so summarily dismissed, however.
xx,
mgh
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Thanks for the share Sue.
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