Review: Shift and Shine a memoir by Deborah Richards

 After surviving an early, abusive marriage in her native England, Deb Richards fled with her life and her young daughter for the dream of sunny skies in Los Angeles. It was there that she met the handsome and successful songwriter Jake, who along with Alan Merrill wrote one of the most famous rock and roll anthems of all time, "I Love Rock and Roll." Together, Jake and Deb put that dime in the jukebox of life and had a dream marriage where they balanced Hollywood, famous exes and blending families. 

Deb faced a second nightmare when both her daughter and stepdaughter began to experiment with drugs. Her eldest daughter selected crystal meth as her drug of choice. In her debut book, Richards shows how one mother's love and courage shines through despite overwhelming odds. Deb would need her own lifelines later after her husband's tragic suicide. Now a life coach, Deb proves that you can always reinvent. You can always shift your thoughts and shine your light. 

Shift & Shine is must read for anyone who has loved an addict or lost someone to suicide. It's an inspiring story of hope with tools to find a path through crippling adversity and emerge stronger and kinder.

Deb Richards is an author, life coach and equine therapist. Richards lives in a cottage on two acres in her beloved Santa Barbara with her Westie, Daisy, and her horse, Patron. In her recently released debut novel, Shift & Shine, Richards recounts her life story for the sole purpose of helping others to forge a path through crippling adversity to emerge stronger and kinder. Shift & Shine is currently a 5 star book on Amazon.

Shift & Shine a Memoir 

By Deborah Richards 

Review by Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews

First, I want to thank Deborah Richards for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review. 

Deborah Richards in my eyes is an incredibly strong woman to open up and share her story to her readers in Rise in Shine. This is her true story of the abuse she suffered from her husband, and her daughter and stepdaughters addiction to drugs. 

Rise and Shine must have been very therapeutic for Deb to read. By the way I should mention she did get both girls permission before writing this book. My hope that this book could help someone who is in an abusive relationship, who meets someone who gets them hooked on drugs, etc.

Deb dedicates this book to her husband Jake, whom she loves beyond oceans of time. 

The forward of this book is written by Deborah’s good friend John C. Stenzel who has worked in the field of addiction for 30 years. I totally agree with him that this story was written beautifully and with determination. Deborah went to great lengths and more to protect her children. Even when they were addicted and kept getting into trouble she was still there every step of the way. She is an incredible Mom with a big heart of gold. 

Right off the bat Deborah made me smile! I loved that her husband Jake thinks she looked like Katherine Hepburn and Faith Hill. I am a huge fan of Faith Hill. After seeing a picture of Deborah I can totally see the resemblance. However, Deborah is prettier in my opinion. 

I loved how she came to name the book Shift and Shine. She has learned to shift her thought and shine the light. You will see every so often a picture of a half of son in the following pages. I thought that was a cute idea. 

Shift and Shine talks about Deborah’s first marriage, her first born Haily, Haily’s story including her drug addiction, her second marriage to Jake, the story of Deborah’s stepdaughter’s drug addiction. Both girls experiences were totally different.