From the reviews, I get the feel that this work targets the female reader. Certainly part of that is due to a female author writing for a female protagonist. As a male, I was a bit self-conscious as I started to read it. By the end of the first chapter, my concern was all gone. This is not a 'chic read', it is an exceptional piece of literature for both sexes.Liz Rosenberg is an incredible writer. The imagery in this book is simply amazing. To get a perspective of the author's style, note that she is a literature professor at Binghamton University and has many published works of both prose and poetry. This experience reflects in her astonishing command of the written word and a first rate reading experience for you.This is not a 'quicky' thriller or steamy romance, it is a finely honed work of art to be enjoyed as such. I strongly recommend this book to readers who recognize and appreciate beautiful writing. An example of this writing is when Eve, in a culminating and transformative act, finally buys a new dress. "She hung it on the outside of her closet door so she could look at it each night before she went to bed, like a lovesick girl. The gown was entirely hand-beaded; trumpet beads cascaded the length of the dress making it shimmer even in the dark. It was amazing that she had never worn anything this beautiful in her life. What had she been waiting for?"You can see the inspirational quality of the writing even out of context. But, when I read it within the context of the book, it brought tears to my eyes. They were tears of joy for the hardships Eve had overcome, but they were also tears of determination and hope, that I too, might win a similar hard fought victory. Through Eve, I was struck by the redemptive effects of the struggle we are all going through. Through Eve, the author helped me to feel that my thankless effort in attempting to overcome insurmountable obstacles really is worthwhile. The effort itself is the beautiful, life-giving, hand sewn dress that shimmers even in the dark. By the end of the book, I too found myself asking, what had I been waiting for?