Widow, Virgin, Whore — Deanna Lynn Sletten

Three very different womenâˆ'one houseâˆ'one devastating diagnosis. When recently widowed Katherine Samuals purchases a home to share with her son, Christopher, and best friend, Denise Richards, the last thing she expects is to include Denise's outrageous sister, Darla Richards, into the household. But Katherine agrees because she adores Darla's daughter, Chelsea, and feels this is a good opportunity to give the young teen a real home. Living with Darla is not easy. She parties too much, sleeps around, and speaks her mind without apology. To conservative Katherine and shy Denise, Darla's behavior is intolerable. Then, Darla is diagnosed with AIDS, and the household is turned upside-down. Katherine finds herself thrown into Darla's life, first as her caregiver, then as her companion as she explores the devastating lives of AIDS sufferers. Katherine's fledgling writing career flourishes as she shares the experiences of Darla's AIDS group in newspaper articles across the country. And Denise finds true love for the first time, but struggles with the inappropriate timing of her personal happiness. Surprisingly, Darla also finds loveâˆ'real loveâˆ'in a time when she needs it the most. As the household struggles with the stress of living with a terminal illness, Katherine, Denise, and Darla learn just how strong their bond of friendship, and sisterhood, is. If you are a sister or best friend, you will love this story. What readers are saying about Widow, Virgin, Whore: "Widow, Virgin, Whore Is An Engaging, Introspective, Skillfully Written Novel From First Page To Last". - Midwest Book Review "This book has literally left me breathless. Simply put, it is one of the BEST books I have EVER read (not something I say lightly.)" -Val on Goodreads "Don't let the title scare you. I loved this book. I read it in 2 days. This book is beautifully written. It really makes you stop and see what exactly a person with AIDS goes through. Not just the illness, but the emotional toll it takes on you as well. I loved this book. I did tear up a few times." â€" Gina Butler â€" Book Reviewer "The situations were so real and human, the emotion conveyed through the author's words. Nothing trite or cheesy and no soap opera drama, just a canvas of lives in crisis and the value of true friendship and family. There are so many poignant moments in the wonderful novel. I highly recommend it." â€" Bea â€" Amazon Reviewer