A "MUST READ" BOOK

​"Tragedy spares no one; it just courts each of us differently. One way or another, it finds a path into our hearts, and there we do battle with the intruder." 
                                                                ~ Gwen Plano
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Integral to Gwen's journey is her faith. Because of her Catholic upbringing, she struggled with the scandal of divorce, but finally made her peace. When her daughter revealed her molestation by clergy, however, her fragile sense of serenity dissolved. We walk with Gwen as she tries to make sense of this horror. The agony experienced by the entire family is devastatingly palpable. Against all odds, Gwen emerges confident of her faith and begins to see the threads of meaning in even the darkest moments. 

This is a book for all. But, for those who have been in a destructive relationship, Gwen's story will be heartbreakingly familiar. For those who have been spared such diminishment, it will provide insight into the often misunderstood phenomenon of domestic violence. Since one in every four women will experience such threat in her lifetime, understanding that murky world may provide the reader with the skills needed to help his or her sister or friend or neighbor. Whether victim or friend, though, readers will be inspired by the author's courage and ultimate resolution of her predicament. And, you may see your own challenges a little differently.

Recovery and Serenity After Abuse
By Jack W. Staton
Letting Go Into Perfect Love is not just a book, it is a piece of gold! It is an uplifting and inspirational account of resilience and hope for survivors of domestic violence and child sexual abuse. It has spot on descriptive accounts of isolation and despair woven into the lifeline of faith, hope, and healing. Amazing and remarkable! I couldn't put it down. The message is not from the words on the page but the language spoken from the heart. It is a most read!




​A Wild Ride of Discovery
By Dawn Blume
One measure of a good book is, can you set it down once you pick it up? I found myself spellbound by the unfolding of this author's life stories, which all at once were inspiring and heartbreaking, with a fair amount of Agatha Christi "on the edge of your seat" tension exuding from the pores of Gwendolyn Plano as she takes the reader through her very detailed, long, and arduous journey. You won't be able to escape her ability to convey the raw emotion of loss, abuse, and the utter despair of circumstance only to skyrocket you right back to a belief in healing even the greatest of wounds. An emotional read but well worth walking the path with this courageous mother, wife, and successful professional.





This Story Will Be a Movie Someday!
By A. Loaizaon 
I loved how the author tells her story. At times I found myself wanting to travel to all the places she described, other times I felt so angry at how she was treated and found myself taking a break to calm down. When she described her children.......I just sobbed and felt such sadness knowing that for some children life is so tragic. In spite of all the crap she had to deal with, this woman kept going“Letting Go into Perfect Love is an unflinchingly honest account of one woman's journey to spiritual and emotional redemption. In writing about her own lessons in learning the redemptive power of love through suffering, spiritual practice, and grace, Gwen Plano allows her readers to reconnect with the painful moments in their own lives and to use those moments to walk a path toward healing and life fulfillment. Plano teaches us that every experience is a lesson; every person, a teacher, that our goal here is not to accept suffering, but to transcend it.”





Letting Go Into Perfect Love is an inspirational story of the quest for personal wholeness and love. Gwen was reminded by her spiritual counselor that “we are born to become love.” Such a message is difficult to understand when we are captive to expectations, habits, and behaviors that undermine our ability to authentically love ourselves. In Gwen’s case, the reminder motivated her to search for self-understanding and wholeness, which are the prerequisites of self-love. It is said that the difference between “try” and “triumph” is a lot of “umph.” Through Gwen’s many trials and challenges, she applied a lot of “umph” and charted a heroic path. When a person embarks on the journey of awakening, they begin to create a new future, and the quality of that future is the result of personal intention not driven by past experiences and fate. There is much to be learned from this beautifully written story.” 
— Stanley Stefancic, Retired Teacher and Director, Hoffman Institute . She kept working, studying, praying...I admired her faith and love of her "Angel".
Inspiring and unforgettable, Letting Go into Perfect Love is a riveting account of a journey through the terror of domestic violence to a faith that transforms all. As a college administrator, Gwendolyn M. Plano lived her professional life in a highly visible and accountable space--but as a wife and mother, behind closed doors, she and her family experienced unpredictable threat. The statistics are staggering--every 9 seconds in the United States, a woman is assaulted or beaten--but to Gwen, this was her secret; it was her shame. When her husband eventually turned his brutality on her son, she knew she could no longer remain silent.

Alternately heart-wrenching and joyful, this is a story of triumph over adversity--one woman's uplifting account of learning how to forgive the unforgiveable, recover her sense of self, bring healing into her family, and honor the journey home. Accompanied by glimpses of celestial beings, Gwen charts a path through sorrow to joy--and ultimately, writes of the one perfect love we all seek. 

The story that unfolds is not a blow-by-blow account of savagery hidden within a twenty-five-year marriage; rather, it is a walk through innocent dreams betrayed--to courage found. "Tragedy spares no one;" Gwen points out, "it just courts each of us differently. One way or another, it finds a path into our hearts, and there we do battle with the intruder." As a survivor who came out of her unhealthy relationship determined to start over, Gwen artfully depicts the challenges of balancing the obligations of motherhood and career with her family's healing process, while offering hope to anyone facing monumental challenges. 
"I just sobbed!" * "I was spellbound!" * "This book is gold!" * "I could not put this book down!"