Litfuse is sponsoring a $30 Amazon.com giveaway!!

To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using #litfuse) about Safe From the Past or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet we’ll capture your entry when you use @litfuse. If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know (info@litfusegroup.com). Easy. (All Litfuse bloggers who post a review are automatically entered and do NOT need to email us.)

Not sure what to tweet/post? Here’s an idea:
TWEET THIS: Safe From the Past by Patricia Mauro – inspiring tale of perseverance in the face of unimaginable hardships. http://ow.ly/5FQHA #litfuse
FACEBOOK THIS: Don’t miss Patricia Mauro’s Safe From the Past – inspiring, deeply personal tale of perseverance in the face of unimaginable hardships. http://ow.ly/5FQHA. Told in an open, honest voice with the deepest sincerity, the author’s life story serves as a rousing inspiration to those with the desire to create a better life than the one they are currently living.

[image width=”200″ height=”200″ frame=”simple” align=”left”]http://www.startsateight.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Safe-From-the-Past.jpg[/image]
About Safe From the Past:

A kidnapping, the divorce of her parents, the loss of her father, temporary abandonment and extreme poverty are just some of the issues the author dealt with as a young child. Her mother finally tells her she must go to college so she can break out of this cycle of poverty and hopelessness. But how can she when she has no money and absolutely no confidence or self esteem? Read this true story to discover what hope, faith and determination can do to change a life. A truly inspiring, deeply personal tale of perseverance in the face of unimaginable hardships, Safe from the Past makes clear the restorative power of an education.

Told in an open, honest voice with the deepest sincerity, the author’s life story serves as a rousing inspiration to those with the desire to create a better life than the one they are currently living. No matter how helpless you feel, everyone has the power to shape their own life.

Link to buy the book

About Patricia Miller Mauro:

[image width=”315″ height=”210″ frame=”simple” align=”left”]http://www.startsateight.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/94ad6730d80a0ad8986cec.L._V194289080_.jpg[/image]
Patricia worked in New York City’s financial district for thirteen years in the field of securities operations. At that time, she went on to obtain an MBA from New York University. She and her husband moved to Dallas, TX in 2001 where they are raising their two children.

During her time in NY, Patricia wrote an article entitled “A Tribute To My Mother” which was published in “The Recovery Journal” in 1999. Her book is a continuation of that tribute and serves to spread the message to those in similar situations that good news is on its way to children considering a higher education but who are afraid to dream. For more information please visit, www.patriciamaurobooks.com.

What I Thought:

This was a quick, engaging read.  One of the things I find most endearing about this book is what a testament to hard work and perseverance Patricia’s struggles, and ultimate triumph over those struggles, can be to those reading it.  With each new curve she is thrown, she looks to her past, to what an example her mother was to her (despite her mother’s short comings), and uses that to find a solution, or the patience, to resolve the road block in her life.

What I appreciated most is how she acknowledged her past, learned from it, and refused to follow the same path as her mother. Thus allowing her to overcome many obstacles to achieve her ultimate goal of higher education against significant odds. One thing I would have liked to have been included is more stories of her childhood in order to give us a better sense of how truly horrible it was for her, as well as more specific details of her struggles in school.

To check out what other people are saying about this book, make another stop on this Blog Tour!
[sep]
I want to thank Patricia Miller Mauro and Litfuse for the opportunity to review this book. I received a free copy of the book for review. However, my opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.