Kelly seems like the perfect wife and mother. No one knows what secret lies behind the doors of her Leawood, Kansas house. Her husband, Jack, beats her and verbally abuses her. She wants to leave, but she’s too scared. On a family vacation to San Diego, she meets a man, Sam, who spends one afternoon with her and shows her more kindness and concern than her husband has in the last five years. Sam has dreamed of Kelly from the first time he saw her picture in his business partner’s house. When Jack beats her and leaves her for dead, Kelly finally finds the courage to leave. What she finds waiting for her in San Diego, is more than she ever dreamed possible.

Ms. Lynne has tackled a tough subject—spousal abuse. She shows Kelly, as women truly are—too scared, too beaten down to leave. That is, until Jack almost kills her. What he does to her is beyond reprehensible, it’s sick and twisted and despite what we find out later, there is no forgiveness in, NO LONGER HIS. Kelly learns slowly, what it is to be loved, to be cared for, and to have someone take care of her.

NO LONGER HIS shows the development of a woman for whom pain has been a constant companion, in one form or another. She finds trusting hard and her children always come first. Ms. Lynne created the perfect male in Sam. Not that he’s perfect, but he’s perfect for this heroine. Ms. Lynne develops the relationship from dreams to reality in a manner that keeps you reading. Despite the tough subject matter, I must say I thought the writing superb. Ms. Lynne captures the characters with a perfection not often seen. The romance develops at a believable pace within the story arc. NO LONGER HIS takes us on the roller-coaster journey of a woman trying to put her life back together. I enjoyed the last chapter in particular and was so glad Ms. Lynne included it. If you’re looking for a story of triumph over severe adversity, you should pick up this book. Love does indeed conquer all.