Breaking Free: How I Escaped Polygamy, the FLDS Cult, and My Father, Warren Jeffs Hardcover – November 14, 2017

I am so very impressed at Rachel's honest account of her life. It is well written and, well, I do not have a good word to describe the attitude with which she views and writes about her life. There's a blend of honesty, acceptance of the reality, genuine emotions, and an insightful rejection of the dichotomy between the Christian lifestyle she was taught and the FLDS lifestyle she was taught at the same time. She shows us the FLDS world and Warren Jeffs can not be painted as black or white; she sees and shares the shades of gray. I found it compelling; I read this book in one sitting.Rachel openly speaks of the sorrows, but also the joys of her life as a child, as as a sister wife, and of transitioning to a life outside the FLDS world. It would be so easy to let the sorrow and deep pain she went through dominate her thoughts and this account, but she does not. I am also impressed at how Rachel shows us Warren Jeff's profound flaws, yet also shows us a more complete picture of her father, some of the good he was capable of.She writes eloquently of what she lost, but also of what she gained, such as learning to live entirely off the land for a time and becoming a skilled violinist.I learned while going through my own trauma that "despite sorrow, joy remains," as I wrote back then. Soaking up every bit of joy I came across during that time, along with my relationship with God, is how I survived. I can understand why the joys Rachel described mattered so much to her and her sisters. And why her personal understanding of God enabled her to see how wrong things became in the FLDS world over time.Rachel writes of sexual abuse with skill, including some details, but without veering into explicit descriptions, and giving us a clear glimpse into the confusion and the emotions she experienced. She also reveals the saddening pattern of Warren Jeff's behavior gradually worsening over time.Though not part of the FLDS world myself, it overlaps my own world in several places, so I much appreciate Rachel Jeff's well written account. It helps me understand a bit more. It also touches me personally, since some of what I went through over a decade ago mirrors Rachel's experiences. Thank you Rachel.11 February 2020: I just completed Sam Brower's book Prophet's Prey and recommend it for its expanded view of the FLDS world under Warren Jeffs.

I hope you are all doing well. Good luck today and everything else that you do in live. Keeping telling your story.

I am a fan of Escaping Polygamy and had seen Rachael and her husband on the show and found their strength and determination inspiring so when I saw her book, I naturally wanted to learn more about her story. While the environment that she grew up in does teach the boys skills that they can use to support themselves it does not do the same for the women. They are also at a disadvantage due to a lack of education and a great fear of outsiders so to thrive after leaving all that they know shows great determination of the human spirit.

I recently watched Escaping Polygamy and all the women helping others are amazing. I absolutely adored and admired Rachel in the show so when I realized she was writing a book, I knew I had to read it. I read this book in under 24 hours, it's well written and easy to follow and get into. As a human being, and a mom, it's heartbreaking and enraging at times to realize how these people are treated. Warren Jeff's is an evil man, I really hope he's in general population in prison. It's also an inspiring book because Rachel escaped the abuse and brainwashing. She's a wonderful soul, a strong woman and mother. This book is well worth the read. Rachel, and everyone else, that has escaped the FLDS are so brave. And, even braver when they come forward to tell their stories. I'm just starting to realize how sick this world is and have to remind myself that these people have been brainwashed most, if not all, of their lives because it's hard to wrap my brain around living this way. Read the book, it will not disappoint.

I already knew quite a lot about polygamy from watching documentaries on it. Rachel Jeffs was on escaping polygamy documentary series;, that’s how I found out about her. This book is quite interesting and you can hardly put it down. I bought a used copy that looked brand new. I thought the book was well written, and the hardcover copy is beautiful with a fancy presentation. I would love for her to write another book about stuff she may have left out, I would also like more information about her romance and new marriage to Brandon: what did they talk about initially, and how did they connect so fast? What was his story. Anyway, I would love to read a second book.