Unlovable is a heartbreaking story about a young girl named Jessica. In middle school, Jessica knows she's too young for many things. When she meets Eric, they immediately hit off and become boyfriend and girlfriend rather rapidly.
Over a relatively short amount of time, Eric shows his inherent possessiveness and jealousy of just about anything Jessica does. Even attending her grandmother's birthday party becomes a Defcon 5 blowup on his part. She "doesn't love him" if she doesn't drop it all and pay sole attention to him.
Things digress to the point where Jessica has to abandon everything she has ever done, everyone she has been close to, in her life before Eric. If she doesn't answer her phone, she's cheating on him; if she touches another boy, she's a slut; and his defining characteristic: if she doesn't sleep with him, she doesn't love him.
Eventually, all of these aspects collide violently, leaving Jessica feeling abandoned, completely alone and unable to ask for help.
And a side note on my part: where in the **** is her mother during all of this?! If she had taken even half the amount of interest a normal parent takes, she would have seen even the smallest sign of trouble her daughter was in. It makes me feel awful that this child, now an adult, was never able to tell anyone about her ordeal and has suffered her entire life. The one person she did tell was too young to be able to advise her properly and gave her bad information.
People, pay attention to your children! Yes, you do see clearer in hindsight, but you're not blind before then! Ask the questions, and pry if you have to. Would you rather have a child mad at you for interfering or a child who is subject to abuse?
I have been going back and forth as to who I would recommend this book to: parents, children or both? I still don't know, but the point is that the conversation needs to take place in the family. Whether the parent makes their child read a book like this or attend a class or just plain talk it out, get the point across and protect and empower your kids!
Five Goodreads stars for making me really think it out.
Unlovable can be purchased here: http://www.amazon.com/Unlovable-ebook/dp/B006BIRN32/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1357687095&sr=1-2&keywords=unlovable
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