Kelly Mullins has been married for seven years. She has two beautiful daughters and a big house, but most of her married life has been a picture of misery and pain. No longer the loving and attentive man Kelly first married, Jack is jealous, controlling, and abusive. When an especially brutal beating leaves Kelly in the hospital fighting for her life and Jack in jail, she finally gathers the courage to leave her abusive spouse, and she and her girls flee from their home in Kansas to the welcoming arms of friends living in San Diego.

It is in San Diego that Kelly meets Sam Benson. Sam has been in love with Kelly for years – ever since he saw her picture at their mutual friends’ house. Although he feels some guilt at loving a married woman, when he finds out how she has been abused, he is determined to help her and to support her in any way that he possibly can. He dreams that one day he can show Kelly the love she deserves.

With Jack in prison for attempted murder, Kelly plans to divorce him as soon as she can and to regain a life for herself and her daughters. Will she learn to trust another man, though, or has her past abuse damaged her ability to love again? Sam is willing to be patient, even if it means waiting forever.

Carol Lynne’s No Longer His is the story of a woman who survives years of spousal abuse but learns to love again nevertheless. While the references to abuse might be upsetting to some readers, this story contains a wealth of emotion that will tug at your heart. Kelly is something of a tragic figure, and watching her blossom under Sam’s love and regain her determination and strength of character is a satisfying experience.

The character Sam is a genuinely nice guy – he is definitely an alpha male but has a heart to go with it. Perhaps his falling in love with Kelly’s picture is somewhat unrealistic, but who can explain sudden love, anyway? He is definitely a knight in shining armor figure. His gentleness with Kelly and with her daughters is extremely sweet, and there are many scenes in this book that are so emotional and poignant that they almost brought tears to my eyes.

As unpleasant a character as Jack is, I wish we had seen more of him in No Longer His Although Jack is a wonderfully antagonistic villain, the way he is dispatched in this novel feels a little too “pat” for my comfort. This is most likely just my personal preference for seeing the bad guy get a comeuppance that is worthy of his crime. If there was ever a character who deserves to suffer for his sins, it is Jack.
Ms. Lynne has given us a story about love conquering fear in No Longer His, and I found it to be a very enjoyable read.

Reviewed by: Whitney