Beyond Betrayal: Healing My Broken Past [Paperback]

Carolyn Koons (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Koons, whose earlier book, Tony: Our Journey Together, related her fight to adopt a five-year-old Mexican boy falsely imprisoned for murder, here reveals the traumas she suffered during the first three decades of her life. The victim of abusive parentsher mother was a prostitute, her father a violent alcoholicKoons migrated from place to place with her nomadic family. In her teens, virtually abandoned, psychically damaged and without roots, she was befriended by an adult who involved her in a Christian community, through which she achieved the inner healing described in this testament to the power of faith and prayer. Koons is professor of Christian education at a Southern California university. 35,000 ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

The true story of the author's courageous struggle for survival within her abusive family and the miracle of God's healing that has freed her from overwhelming anger and pain.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (September 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060647566
• ISBN-13: 978-0060647568
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,360,017 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning example of God's transformative power, July 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Beyond Betrayal: Healing My Broken Past (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful book in that one sees how God can intervene in people's lives. Koons' childhood was really harrowing and her transformation and conversion period is very interesting. As a Christian reading this book, I found it interesting as she dealt with the feelings of confusion that she felt as she realized that God loved her and there were no strings attached, no beatings, anything like that. It was also interesting too see just how completely he transformed her. Once she was converted it seemed as though there was no turning back. That is not to say that there weren't doubts, but she didn't seem to have any major relapses or falls back into her old way of life. She made a really quick, clean break and it was interesting. One day she was this wild teen and 2 years later, she was teaching at a Christian college!!!!! It was quite astonishing the speed of the change. I had heard Koons speak at a worship service and heard the story of her son Tony. That was just riveting and she got a standing ovation. It was a stunning story to hear about the lengths to which she went to get Tony and then about the trials and troubles that plagued them. But God bought them through. It was a fascinating tale and so I picked up her book about her childhood and her youth. Her Dad was truly terrifying. I felt for her as I read the book and could feel her loneliness. It was harrowing and absolutely terrifying. But God did wonderful things in her life and used her to reach people that others might not have been able to reach.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a must read!, October 15, 2007

By 

Kathy Hosto - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beyond Betrayal: Healing My Broken Past (Paperback)

I've never read a that took me through more emotions than this book. I have read it several times. This is one book I will never get rid of because I do read it over and over. This is a wonderful look into how God can change a life.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Feeling betrayed by loved ones? read Beyond Betrayal, December 26, 2009

By 

Dawn Gyesky (NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: BEYOND BETRAYAL Healing My Broken Past (Hardcover)

This book was so timely. my friend bought it for me when I was going through terrible feelings of betrayal.
It was a 'companion' for me as I went through this time in my life as other issues began to surface from my past as I read it. It brought alot of strength and comfort but mostly I felt God's healing touch in my life through it, that I wasn't alone. I think sometimes we battle with issues that we think are new wounds but in fact they touch old ones that never healed right... and yet the new wounds are allowed to come to tear open the old to release the poison of the past. With God... healing can come as we allow Him to use whatever tool He needs to get us through. In my case Beyond Betrayal was one of those tools...I highly recommend it!