Bend Or Break

'Damn you, Cole, ' the words burst from my mouth, and the tears finally came. Sarah started to cry but Catherine hushed her and we continued. My weeping was the only sound. Cole's face was ashen, his mouth was tight, and his knuckles were white where he gripped the steering wheel. I would pay for those three words. I would pay.' When Amy Whitlock married Cole Morgan, she wasn't sure what she wanted. She craved excitement and adventure far beyond the plodding farm existence she had known. But she also longed for her own home, a nest filled with loving family and shared by a handsome, supportive husband. She never envisioned for herself the life she got, years filled with drudgery, poverty, intimidation, and abuse Cole Morgan was carelessly handsome, with an attention-grabbing smile and strong, angular stature. Those close to him knew that this showcase exterior hid a violent temper, dishonest desire, and an overriding selfishness. He chased women and money, but found women the easier target. Bend or Break is a story of survival and a window into an early twentieth century family, its hardships, and the life of a woman who had no choice but to Bend or Break in order to hold it all together. Author Roberta Monroe Keenan has spent a lifetime putting words to paper in various forms. She is a retired business executive and resides in Michigan with her husband, Jim.