Where Once There Were Thorns: A Memoir by Jeanne Wilhite Dunn

This powerful memoir, Where Once There Were Thorns, describes the struggles of a strong-willed 17 year old girl and her controlling mother. When she falls in love with a boy who her mother despises, her life is suddenly filled with pain, confusion and despair. Along the journey to adulthood, she finds God and finally, in desperation, surrenders her problems to Him. God orchestrates an unbelievable turn of events that restores the relationship between mother and daughter.

Jeanne Wilhite Dunn is married to her high school sweetheart and together they enjoy life on their hobby farm with lots of much loved animals. A retired registered nurse, Jeanne worked in healthcare for 34 years. Now she owns and operates her own pet-sitting business and is a dog obedience instructor. Her hobbies include writing, gardening, travel, crafting and raising animals. Her deep faith in God has sustained her through the years. Jeanne has been published in Angels on Earth magazine and in Everyday Heroes, an anthology of stories written by healthcare providers. Her favorite pastime remains spending time with her beloved children and grandchildren. 


My Review

I sat down and read this book in one afternoon, a compelling page-turner, filled with love and God’s faithfulness, and dealing with marriage and parents.
I should state that I live in the area of the author and the places she speaks of are well known to me, and made this story much more personal. The book shows us her parent’s relationship, where they met and married, and even back to they’re beginning, a not to happy time.
Her Mom was especially controlling, and I had a hard time understanding why she was so against the boy/man that became her daughter’s husband. Something very deep in her personality must have been the reason, from what the author told her parents seemed to love one another, but was she trying to keep her daughter from making the same mistake, or was she a possessive mom that didn’t want her daughter to move one?
I loved how Jeanne Wilhite Dunn lived her faith, and was full of forgiveness, she was tested to forgive a number of times, and through it all she loved her parents, and did wear her faith on her sleeve.
A powerful book about family life and living ones faith.