I’ve been conversing with Pooja J. Gudka over the past years, in the comments of both of our blogs, and she has written a beautiful book review of “Jade’s Broken Bridge”, written by another fellow blogger (Michele Sefton) who we regularly converse with. I cannot begin to try to do a book review half as good as Pooja’s, so I’m going to give you the link so you can read hers.

Michele’s book is a must read, and Pooja has given us an amazing view into what the book is about and how it impacted her. Here’s the link to Pooja’s post.

Jade’s Broken Bridge, by Michele Lee Sefton, is a raw and poignant story of survival, self-destruction, and hope. The narrative follows Jade, a young woman navigating a tumultuous life shaped by family fractures, isolation, and the pursuit of financial stability in the shadows of the adult entertainment industry. The story unfolds as she reflects on her past, particularly her experiences as an Arizona native, working as a topless dancer in Fairbanks, Alaska, and the personal struggles that led her there. Jade’s journey is a deeply introspective exploration of self-worth, desperation, and the relentless search for escape—whether through drugs, relationships, or a false sense of empowerment gained in strip clubs.

about Jade’s Broken Bridge

Pooja: “I’m going to start by saying that this was a hard read for me. Not because of the writing, it was amazingly written but because it’s so incredibly touching and relatable. I read the first chapter and already felt the heaviness. And I think what makes this book so successful in connecting with the reader on an emotional level is that it shares the experiences of a young adult just trying to find her way in the world while being in a place where she’s struggling in so many ways. In a world that isn’t kind to people that have been dealt a bad hand. Something many of us have experienced.”

Pooja’s feelings when reading Michele’s book

Then the next day Michele wrote a post thanking Pooja, and Michele gave us some more info about how difficult the book was to write and who inspired her to continue writing.

Michele: “One of my daughter’s friend’s mom took her own life during the time I was writing my debut novel. Shocking. Heartbreaking. We met through our teenage daughters—she and I broke bread a few times, exchanged some laughs, and talked about life. From the “outside,” she had everything going for her though looking back on our limited time together I see signs that revealed a woman spiraling… a chaotic messy house, fractured family connections, and during our one lunch meeting, a white substance on her nose after returning from the bathroom. I told her she had something on her nose. Maybe I could have done more. I’ll never know. When I received the news of her tragic decision, I knew I needed to keep writing and maybe help someone else down the road.”

Michele’s heartbreaking experience when whe was hitting an emotional wall writing the book, and then realizing how important is was to keep writing.

I hope you enjoy Pooja’s review and hopefully you will also want to read Michele’s book too!

 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Blessings!
Thank you for liking, sharing this post and for following me!
Tamara

I hope you’ll poke around my Archived Posts Main page divided up into 3 sub-pages: Mental Health and Rewiring the Brain || Healing and Developing Ourselves || Positive thoughts and Affirmations to find a wonderful trove of supportive and encouraging posts!
https://tamarakulish.com/

My books: Developing Happiness When You Can’t Find It and How to Heal Your Life on a Deep Heart Level are available in paperback and Kindle. Audiobooks are available for the busy person!

Guided Journals help you work on a particular issue by answering questions to help see patterns and to find solutions:

Removing Inner Blocks ||  Anger Journal || Guided Anxiety Journal  ||  Joy & Mindfulness Journal   ||  My Boundaries Journal  || My Inner Thoughts Journal   

Thanks for buying my books on Amazon!

#writing #InspirationalWriting #art #creativity #strength #mentor #teacher #HappinessGuru #love #growth #healing #life, #inspiration, #quotes #happiness #joy #PersonalGrowth #pain #depression #anxiety #SelfEsteem, #LifeSkills #empowerment #encouragement #support #intuition #journal #consciousness #mind #learn #God #universe #angels #spiritual #spirit #awareness #journal #boundaries #emotionalhealth #mentalhealth #emotions