With a degree from Harvard and a job at Seventeen providing young women advice on empowerment (as well as cute outfits), Steiner soon falls into a whirlwind courtship that ends at the alter a few days after she is first assaulted by her husband-to-be.
Like the reader, she knows something is wrong and asks her father to breakfast the morning of the wedding to share her fears. She even imagines canceling the wedding.
However, her father forgets the breakfast appointment and Steiner finds herself marrying a monster.
The abuse is described in a matter-of-fact tone - he hits her, grabs her by the throat, throws her down the stairs and puts a gun to her head. The most chilling scenes are the day to day interactions where Connor's anger bubbles up and is triggered by something completely innocent. I wince and cower in fear for Steiner.
During her marriage, she approaches the problem as a writer and researches battered women and not surprisingly, sees herself in these women. When she finally find someone who studies the men who batter, she realizes that Connor falls into the exact pattern of abusers - growing up abused, isolating his "victims" and using violence as a way to show love.
She realizes that her love for Connor won't save him and eventually, is able to do something most battered women are not able to - she leaves Connor. It's not easy - she fears for her life, sees friends and associates still spending time with him despite knowing the truth, and misses him incredibly much.
Even as he sues her for alimony, attempts to undermine her and ingratiate himself with her family, she forces herself to move on and rebuild her life. Sadly, Connor is able to do the same thing.
At their business school graduation, Steiner sees Connor with his new girlfriend as they mingle with people who are aware of Connor's abusive past. Despite being known as a wife-beater, he easily becomes the successful business school graduate with a new girlfriend and will most likely lead a successful life while other turn a blind eye to his abusive nature.
In other words, he gets away with it. Even attempting to identify the real Connor, references have has been removed to Steiner's past and nothing on Google provides a hint to who the real Connor is.
Crazy Love is eye-opening and a must-ready for anyone in the situation Steiner found herself in, or for anyone who knows someone in that situation.
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