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A native of Arkansas and one of ten children, Martha married and had three children with her husband prior to the family’s move to Florida. While in the sunshine state, she completed post-graduate coursework and attained a specialist in school psychology degree equivalent. Her career roles have included exceptional student education teacher, social worker, mental health therapist, and school psychologist.
When Martha initially encountered a marital crisis in her life, she felt her world spinning out of control, and she was determined she would face her pain and fears while embracing her grief. With the onset of another tragic event, she became steadfast in her resolve to hang onto the strength and courage she needed to walk the path to recovery. She wrote Married to Merlot: A Memoir With a Message of Hope, her first book publication, so that she could share what she learned with others who face similar circumstances.
Martha’s recognition that multitudes of people face hardships or encounter some type of adversity prompted her storytelling to remind individuals they are not alone and to offer them encouragement and hope. Mystical happenings provided that for her family, and she wants to send her readers away with that same inspiration. Her heart goes out to those persons living with spouses or family members who have addictions and mental health issues as well as to couples going through divorce and individuals experiencing loss and grief.
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
Married to Merlot: A Memoir With a Message of Hope by Martha Louise is a heartrending memoir that chronicles the author's personal life, marred with grief and tragedy, a husband suffering from post-war stress, depression, and alcoholism. The author speaks about her life with her husband Mike, an alcoholic, and how she learned to rely on God to achieve serenity and a quiet stillness in her heart. The memoir speaks about how many of the soldiers that return home after war - from Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan - find it difficult to adjust to society and life after being in traumatic situations in countries outside their own. It is a memoir of pain, self-discovery, belief, and healing that will give hope and courage to readers in dealing with the adversities in life.
I liked the way the author combines poetry and prose when it comes to speaking about her sadness, anger, empathy, happiness, and love. The book is honest, bold, and straightforward and the author takes readers into her personal space unapologetically, giving insights about a marriage that was destroyed by alcoholism and PTSD. Her grief, pain, and dealing with addiction will resonate with many readers and this memoir will give them hope and courage. The author's struggle in dealing with life and her personal challenges are tragic and her strength to pursue and achieve happiness and peace in her life is encouraging to many. The memoir will motivate many readers to deal with the challenges in their lives and rediscover joy and happiness.
