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Audiobooks by Denise-Marie Martin
Browse audiobooks by Denise-Marie Martin, listen to samples and when you're ready head over to Audiobooks.com where you can get 3 FREE audiobooks on us
"'An affecting, decades-spanning tale of love and mental illness.' — Kirkus Reviews
'Martin keeps the pace humming with heart-breaking plot twists and resonant emotional moments, transforming the narrative into a powerful rendering of the 'true meaning of love.'' — BookLife Reviews
Silver Medalist for Religious Fiction in the 2025 IPPYs Book Awards.
Award-Winning Finalist in the Religious Fiction category of the 2025 International Book Awards.
Finalist in the Christian/Religious Fiction and Inspirational Fiction categories of the 2025 IAN Book of the Year Awards.
The Better Part of Worse is a gripping family saga that explores the meaning of family, the devastation of mental illness, the resilience of love, and the enduring hope that survives even the most overwhelming challenges. Set against the backdrop of the 20th century's most tumultuous decades, the story follows Jamie Murphy, a former seminarian turned family man, as he grapples with his wife Katie's mental illness in the late 1920s. For three decades, Jamie and his daughters hold on to the faint hope of Katie's recovery.
Katie's journey sheds light on the harsh realities of mental health care and the restrictive social norms of the time. It also highlights the groundbreaking impact of the first antipsychotic medications, such as Thorazine, which offered new hope for treating severe mental illness.
An unforgettable love story marked by human brokenness and powerful redemption, the novel bears witness to God's miraculous ability to bring light out of the darkest circumstances."
"Award-Winning Finalist in the Christian Inspirational category of the 2022 American Fiction Awards
“... an uplifting story of realistic struggle, a desperate drive for connection, and ultimately Christian redemption. ... Martin’s strength in this story comes from a refusal to shy away from life’s difficulties as Lizzie faces tough choices and desires. ... Readers eager for stories about connection and faith will find this engaging. Great for fans of Josie Riviera, Francine Rivers' — BookLife Reviews
“... a moving novel, crackling with sexual volatility and emotional intelligence. An engrossing emotional drama, both shocking and thoughtful ... a provocative subplot handled without a hint of prurient sensationalism.' — Kirkus Reviews
Denise-Marie Martin’s debut novel exposes the greatest longings of the human heart: to belong and be loved. Tangled Violets is the riveting story of an adoptee’s search to find out who she is. Advanced degrees, professional success, and a string of failed marriages have done nothing to fill the void that has defined Lizzie Schmidt’s life. Armed with mostly false information, she embarks on an improbable journey of self-discovery, searching for her biological family before the days of the internet or consumer genetic testing made such reunions commonplace.
Tangled Violets is the shocking story of how far one woman is willing to go in search of love and acceptance—a journey that leads to joy, pain, lies, and absolute heartbreak. A tale of redemption and the healing power of forgiveness, this novel demonstrates that no matter what we have done or where we have been, no one is outside the mercy of God and the healing balm of his unconditional love.
Warning: This novel deals with the devastation of incest and recovery—a topic rarely discussed in Christian fiction."
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