I didn't dislike or necessarily like this book. Mr. Berkley could have done so much more with this story. He drug out unimportant parts of the story, and did not go deeper into the parts that could have made the book so much more interesting. The story-line was good, but the delivery was not as good as it could have been. There are many typos, incomplete sentences and poor formatting that I hope are fixed before another round of books are printed.
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Against My Will by Benjamin Berkley is a novel with a message. Danielle Landau, a well educated but somewhat naive 29 year-old Jewish woman, is set up by her father and a matchmaker to meet and date Jacob Liebowitz. While she is more concerned with getting the results from taking the bar exam and starting her law career, Jacob is trying to push her into taking their relationship more seriously than she originally thought it should be taken. After they marry, Danielle quickly realizes what a horrible mistake it was to marry this man who must always be in control and has now become abusive. She puts up with the abuse, trying to be a good Jewish wife, until it finally becomes too much for her to tolerate any more and she talks to her grandmother, who tells Danielle to flee.

While we follow Danielle's story we also read diary entries from Rose, Danielle's grandmother. Rose lived in Austria in WWII and was sent to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp. She was chosen to work in the Commandant’s kitchen, which resulted in her survival, but at a cost.

I must admit that as written, the character of Danielle's father was supremely annoying to me. All of the perfect catch talk and focus on Danielle's age as a reason she should marry someone right away just irritated me. And Danielle started off seemingly a woman with self confidence but then she let others push her into this marriage. Ugh. I understand people-pleasers like to follow the rules, including sometimes others wishes, but this seemed over the top for her to marry a man she really didn't seem to even like all that much.
Additionally, I quickly became weary of all the Yiddish. It also made me feel disconnected to the novel. A little less might have improved my reception of the story.

However, the main point of this novel is the message delivered through the story. Danielle eventually learns that no woman is ever her husband's property and that she is not required to do anything against her will or tolerate his abuse. It's an important message and one that you would think women would all understand today, but, alas, as I know all too well, women still fall into the trap of tolerating many forms of abuse because they are married or have religious beliefs that discourage divorce. Today, though, the vast majority of woman are not trapped, as Rose was, in their abusive environments with no means of escape.

Recommended for the message


Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the author and Premier Virtual Author Book Tours for review purposes. ( )

I didn't dislike or necessarily like this book. Mr. Berkley could have done so much more with this story. He drug out unimportant parts of the story, and did not go deeper into the parts that could have made the book so much more interesting. The story-line was good, but the delivery was not as good as it could have been. There are many typos, incomplete sentences and poor formatting that I hope are fixed before another round of books are printed.
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Against My Will is a story about a young Jewish woman, Danielle, who lives with her father, just passed the bar exam and comes home one day to have the local matchmaker in her living room with her father. With them is a young man, Jacob, whom her father thinks would be a perfect husband. Against her better judgement she agrees to date him. Then she agrees to marry him and then it all goes downhill from there. She finally finds the courage to leave Jacob when he rapes her. A tough subject matter for sure where a lot of people would argue that a husband isn't raping his wife if he takes her by force.

A parallel story is about her grandmother Rose who survived the Holocaust and kept a journal about it. Rose is the only one who seems to understand how Danielle feels. As a lawyer, Danielle will find herself defending a woman who charges that her husband raped her. The author intertwines these stories into a very poignant story of women who are finally able to stand up for what they feel is right. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. ( )

Daniella Landau was a lovely Jewish girl in New York who is adored by her father and Nana, loved by her sister and friends but clueless when it comes to romance. Family keeps bringing over “such a nice boy” for her to meet but she was far more into passing the Bar than dating. Then her father met a “matchmaker”. In walks Jacob Liebowitz whom her father insists is “the perfect man. He has a good job, a new loft apartment and prospects.
Marriage follows and Danielle quickly realizes the mistake she has made. She gives marriage her all but nothing satisfies Jacob. He must be in control. Danielle tries to talk to her father about her unhappiness but he tells her to go home and be a good wife. Nothing changes until, one night, Jacob really crosses the line and Danielle goes to her grandmother. She gets enough money to leave and, leave she does.
Intertwined with Danielle’s heartbreak is the story of another young Jewish girl named Rose. Rose lived in Austria in WWII and became a resident of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp. She is chosen to work in the Commandant’s kitchen and is thus saved from fate. However, Rose is subjected to a fate of her own, one she would not have picked for anything.
This is Berkley’s first novel. He has written four previous books including Before You Say I Do Again: A Buyer’s Beware Guide to Remarriage.” It is very well done with characters perfectly written for their parts. Nana is the grandmother everyone wants to have. Mr. Landau is trying to do right for his daughter but ultimately his culture causes him to make a huge error. The concentration camp environment was quite well written and I felt Rose’ fear when the family was taken.
A great story told well and one I’m sure you would enjoy! ( )