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When Onyx gets married to Jake, she expects matrimony to be her happily ever after with a man who loves her and treats her right. Instead, Onyx is forced to deal with conflict after conflict in the form of landlords, relatives, Jake, and even her own children. Despite being ashamed and disrespected on a daily basis, Onyx does her best to stick with it, staying with Jake in order to make sure that nothing happens to her or her children, but things seem to be only getting worse. The deteriorating demeanor of her husband is made worse by a powerful cocaine addiction and the initial signs of an illness developing in him. Onyx tries to help her husband and herself, without any help from the family she's fought so hard to support.
This book shows the tragic side of a marriage in its ugliest, most unapologetic forms. While the intentions of Onyx as a character are good, it can be difficult for readers to sit back and simply observe as she faces one injustice after another. However, this same honesty is the book's biggest strength, as it portrays the difficulty that wives face regularly in the face of maintaining a relationship with someone who has turned out to be something worse than originally appeared. The subject matter may be difficult to push past for those who have experienced similar difficulties in their home lives, but the character of Onyx is an inspiration with her perseverance and impressive patience. Readers looking for a source of inspiration in the face of absolute adversity will be drawn to the struggle.