She sat in front of her dresser mirror as she applied her lipstick. Staring back at her was a young woman who looked pale and tired. The spark in her blue eyes had dimmed considerably, reflecting her pain and depression. She had been 'beaten up' emotionally and made to feel insignificant and unloved for no apparent reason. She didn't deserve it. What was the reason? She couldn't think of one. She would always be vulnerable as long as she desired to be loved and was open to sharing her love. She sat motionless for a few minutes reflecting on what she had just thought. She began to cry softly . . . "So this is the deal . . . if you're willing to risk it, if you're willing to love another person and open your heart without fear and reservation, you must accept the reality that sometimes . . . 'love hurts'." Few women have been spared the agonies of intimate relationships. Their search for love is often a difficult and painful experience. The heartache and pain she invites simply because she desires to love someone and be loved, will manifest in various her expectations of the beloved weren't realized, her beloved will not commit, she has been abandoned by her lover, her beloved was dishonest, etc. Women take a lot of abuse if they love a man. They are usually loving and kind, and will forgive just about anything her beloved has done . . . except . . . if he has been unfaithful, especially with a former lover or a 'one night' stand. Few women will forgive a man if he 'cheats'. To most, it's a put down and a violation of her trust and her very 'existence'. Despite the redundancy of these experiences, contemporary society looks the other way and considers them to be normal, predictable, and tolerable in a relationship. Women have rebelled and the 'let's get revenge' theme is now popular, with many women imitating the carefree, irresponsible attitude of carousing males. Deep down, they must know they have violated their deepest and most cherished values about love and life. Women are the foundation in any society. The responsibility of bearing children, nurturing, caring, protecting, and teaching them to be solid and caring individuals who will contribute their individual talents and expertise to future generations, is not acknowledged or even appreciated. The paradigm of 'family' has deteriorated, and our youth are floundering in their own world of reality - drugs, porn, illicit sex, technology. Our society has invited those who relish our destruction to take control. Psychopathic forces are dictating and shaping what is the 'norm', proper, and acceptable and how we should live and who we should love. We are in the midst of a social transformation that is extremely disruptive and deviates from what we have considered to be normal and proper within the present structure of society. These reforms are not revolutionary and uplifting - they are demoralizing and destructive to our species. Author Reimer has created a fictional story about a young woman fighting to overcome her depression against the backdrop of an evil, covert segment of society that has trickled down to seize her and those she loves. She endeavors to offer the perspectives of those who are involved with one of society's gravest threats - narcotics - and its grip on our society. The tentacles of this dangerous threat have expanded worldwide, and while this isn't the only challenge we face, it is one of the toughest to overcome and control. Factual information is submitted within the chapters. This novel isn't a complex, intellectual approach on how one may overcome his her relationship challenges. Rather, it's a story about ordinary people striving to regain control of their lives. Neither does it ooze erotica; so if this is what pleases you - pass. Reimer doesn't want you to be disappointed - only informed. Perhaps the most significant message of the story is knowing that life rewards an individual when he doesn't 'give up'.