Johnson married at a young age and, like many women of her era, experienced debilitating emotional abuse at the whim of an insecure, domineering husband. Many young women also summon the courage to escape such a situation, but Johnson does so with dogged determination toward a lofty goal that seems unreachable for a business-minded woman whose prior education consisted of two community college business courses a decade before. An appointment with a female cosmetic surgeon inspires Johnson to enroll at a local university in a pre-med program. Still walking on eggshells to appease her husband’s unpredictable temper, she can only study at home during early pre-dawn hours or when he’s at work. She often takes her young daughter to campus with her as well.

At once courageous and cheerful, this brief but inspiring memoir focuses upon the positive, as Johnson brushes aside the shadows of doubt and despair that manifest on her life path as lessons and launchpads for transformation. An enthusiastic proponent of both a strong relationship with God and a particular self-help book that she eventually shares with hundreds of her patients, Johnson manages to steer many near-disasters in her private and professional life into saves and successes. By example, she, in turn, empowers other women with similar histories. The narrative is chatty and personable, and the reading experience is a bit like trading stories over the fence with a kindly neighbor. Johnson’s love of humanity and her dedication to the field of emergency medicine and, later, her private aesthetics practice are proof that dreams can and do come true despite obstacles that seem insurmountable. Love and service made Johnson’s world turn around, and her energetic experience will fortify many women who are looking for a way to transform misery into joy.

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