All She Left Behind

I have been fascinated by the old ways of medicinal healing. From natural cures and remedies found in plants to the various ways oils can be used to induce healing over prescription bills doctors hand out. That is what drew me to read All She Left Behind by Jane Kirkpatrick. Jennie Pickett is the character I can identify with because she has a desire to truly learn from the plants and herbs she collects as well as the oils themselves she removes from them to aid in healing those who come to her for treatment. In a time where women wanting to become doctors was discouraged, Jennie goes out of her way to learn all she can. Of course, with her husband Charles, and her young son Douglas, she hardly has time to devote to that, but she does know it can contribute to the family's finances.

Her husband Charles, works for the prison and has become increasingly violent in his angry outbursts toward Jennie, calling her efforts foolish when she should be doing more to care for his needs. Now with the abuse becoming physical, Jennie has to find ways to make their lives better, in hopes her husband will be content with what life has offered them. But when he turns to alcohol and cocaine, she still holds out hope she can help him with her home remedies but Charles wants nothing to do with her foolish treatments. What he wants from her is to help him convince their local pastor to help them become real estate investors since Charles believes he can truly get out from under working at the prison and provide a life style he feels he deserves and only Jennie and Douglas would benefit.

But as Jennie constantly bends over backward for Charles, she soon learns the ugly truth, when she finds he has given her young son cocaine during one of his late night outings and she can no longer let this continue. She sees that Charles is using the money loaned to them from the pastor's family to buy things that will increase their "look of prosperity"'to future clients but soon Charles confesses things have gotten out of hand and he has lost most of the money in a bad deal with a unlikely customer. He divorces Jennie without regard for her feelings and when the two head home, they find that Charles has taken everything and left them with only their clothes in the home they once shared.

I received All She Left Behind by Jane Kirkpatrick compliments of Baker Publishing Group and NetGalley. I found myself as I was reading, looking up the medicinal uses for the oils Jennie dispenses to her customers to help them and find myself wanting to search for more homeopathic remedies to what ails us over the pharmaceutical industry standards. I really felt for Jennie when things just kept going from bad to worse, but she always wanted to believe that with forgiveness, hope is possible despite the situation at present and loved that her outlook on things remained positive. I easily give this book a 5 out of 5 stars and especially LOVED the author's note section at the conclusion which gives readers an idea of how this story line evolved from true historical facts, There is even an oil and herb guide at the conclusion so readers can take advantage of Jennie's homeopathic remedies and uses.

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All She Left Behind by Jane Kirkpatrick

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