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Abandoning the Script

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Abandoning the Script

By: Linda Rosen
Narrated by: Deborah Kosnett
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About this listen

Lucy never wanted the life that's been thrust upon her-the wedding band or the baby in the crib. A woman of ambition, she longs to pursue her dreams on stage, but her husband insists on locking her in a gilded cage under his control. And in 1922, alternatives are almost nonexistent and certainly not acceptable, forcing Lucy to make an impossible choice. Bound by convention but driven by a fierce desire for independence, she flees a life she can no longer endure. With heartbreak, she leaves a pair of cherished earrings along with a note for her daughter to read when she's older.

Nearly thirty years later, in 1951, Lucy's daughter, Anna Dodge, is given her deceased grandmother's journal that's been hidden away for years. Within its pages lies a long-buried secret, casting doubt on everything Anna believes about her family and herself. Among the clues is the story of the earrings, hinting at truths that defy what Anna has always known.

Devastated and determined to understand her past, Anna embarks on a journey to unmask the truth. As she does, she discovers the past isn't just something to uncover-it's something that could determine her future.

©2025 Black Rose Writing (P)2026 Black Rose Writing Family Life Genre Fiction Women's Fiction Heartfelt

Critic reviews

"Engaging and immersive, Rosen delivers a deeply moving plot with a heartfelt conclusion." -Rochelle Weinstein, bestselling author of We Are Made of Stars
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There's something about listening to this one late at night that just hits different. It's the kind of story where you're not really thinking about plot, you're thinking about the women in it and whether you'd have had the guts to do what they did, or didn't do. The dual timeline works really well here. Lucy's 1920s storyline has this quiet suffocating weight to it, you feel the walls closing in on her without the author having to spell it out. And then jumping forward to Anna in 1951, piecing together a past that was deliberately kept from her... that tension carries the whole second half.

What stayed with me wasn't the mystery of the journal or the earrings, it was the idea that the women who came before us made choices we'll never fully understand, and those choices shaped us anyway. That's the emotional core and it lands.
If you're into multigenerational stories with a feminist undercurrent that doesn't beat you over the head with it, this one's worth your time. It's quiet, a little melancholy, and genuinely moving in the places that count.

When the Script Was Never Yours to Begin With

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Listener received this title free

Gripping, emotional story of a mother who dares to break free and a daughter who must unravel the truth she never knew existed. Rich atmosphere and memorable characters, it explores how the past shapes us and how courage can echo across generations.

Beautifully Told, Deeply Felt

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