Elizabeth hasn't ever kissed a boy. She's also never dated. Her mother forced her to be someone she didn't want to be, and Elizabeth wasn't able to, or simply chose not to, stand up to her. It seemed to work better for her to play the victim, so she did. Until one day when she just decided to change. 

This is The Witness by Nora Roberts. It is a fiction novel by the well-known paperback author. Known for her realistic characters and gripping plots, she hasn't failed to deliver with this book. True to the author's intent, our heroine takes matters into her own hands and decides she won't live in her mother's shadow.

Strangely, she seems to hate herself in the beginning of the book. "Freak," she states, cutting her hair off as an act of defiance to her mother. At this point in the book, Elizabeth becomes a new person.

In a very broad sense, she becomes a new person. Elizabeth -- who's taken on the identity of Abigail Lowry -- is now hiding in Arkansas. She's got her faithful dog, Bert, to keep her company. He's pretty cool because he likes her and hangs out with her. He even hums with pleasure, something few dogs are capable of. He must be extraordinary.

This isn't exactly a romance novel. It's more of a character study, and a love story. The character of Brooks Gleason who takes an interest in Nora is a very indepth character. He is outwardly tough and gets things done. This includes "stalking" Elizabeth/Abigail.

As is common in romantic fiction, Brooks goes to her house even though he knows he shouldn't. He's compelled by an undeniable pull to figure her out. She is at least somewhat interested, however; the two share a rather unusual relationship from their earliest interactions. She shows him some kindness.

After a bad beating to his jaw, Brooks goes to her house where she gives him an ice pack and they talk for a while. They also share more intimate moments, and bond and connect in ways that most people wouldn't. Perhaps this is simply due to Brooks' interest in the protagonist. If you like stories about deep characters who make a lot of inappropriate jokes and have a great deal of emotional baggage, this book is for you.

Nora Roberts has definitely nailed the mainstream mindset and its customary burdens. This book is complete with chatty sex scenes and insecure people who can't be honest about themselves from the get-go. That, of course, is the way of life in polite society, which might make this book appealing to many readers.

After all, once the two main characters fall in love, everything is very shaky and confusing, and that's an appeal.

As Brooks says on page 470, "It's good you [like the way you feel,] Abigail, smelling of that spring, your flowers blooming or waiting to, your eyes so serious, so goddamn beautiful, and I feel the same. There's nowhere else, No one else." There definitely IS somewhere else -- ideally in the classics or philosophy section of your local Barnes and Noble.

But if you just want a book that hits straight home on Western societal issues and family stuff, check out The Witness by Nora Roberts.