Astonished

Book excerpt: “A narrative composed of brutal honesty, tenderness, and an aching love for God. I could not put it down.” —Sue Monk Kidd, author of The Secret Life of Bees In the middle of her life, acclaimed memoirist Beverly Donofrio thought she’d found a safe haven in a beautiful town in Mexico—until she was awakened in her bed by a rapist. As she writes in this fierce, unflinching account: “This was not supposed to happen. I was supposed to have escaped: I had hot flashes and liver spots and was in the final stretch.” Here Donofrio wrestles with anger toward her attacker and toward life, yet realizes her despair is not unlike that of other friends who are struggling with grave illnesses, loss of jobs, deaths of loved ones. Hoping to heal from trauma, Donofrio turns to prayer while journeying to five very different monasteries. A testimony to how anyone who is broken can move away from fear and anger toward grace, Astonished will not only be read and shared by fans of Donofrio’s previous books, but also by anyone who hopes to be inspired by Donofrio’s strength and her search for faith, healing, and identity.