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Cassie wanted to be loved and appreciated, yet there was an emotional distance between her and her parents, which she later attributed to the fact that she was adopted, a secret she didn't learn until she was an adolescent. When she met Al, she believed he would shower her with the affection she had been missing. He was in college while she was still in high school, but the connection was undeniable, and her family approved of him. The disillusionment with Al was gradual, first with his overt flirting with other women, then with his abusive behavior. Yet, Cassie refused to cast Al aside until his behavior affected their daughter, at which point Cassie asked for a divorce. As the years passed, happiness and melancholy alternated as relationships evolved and then disintegrated, forcing Cassie to confront her inner demons and how she allowed men like Al into her life. Without this inner reckoning, true love would be impossible.
Stories about love and destructive relationships don't make for an easy read, but when they are part of an individual's journey of self-discovery and empowerment, the ride is worth it. At the start, Cassie appears as a lovelorn character who sees her relationship with Al as a substitute for the love she was denied at home. Cassie's relationship with her stepparents is crucial to this narrative, especially when the story behind her adoption is revealed. Her divorce from Al is a moment of liberation, a triumphant moment where Cassie reclaims agency in her life. However, palpable frustration follows as a series of unfaithful or neglectful mates leaves Cassie disheartened and questioning her self-worth. The narrative's strength lies in how Cassie never gives up despite crushing defeats, and many readers will identify with her predicament and hope she finds the right person.