Elizabeth Good’s Trampled Underfoot: The Dirt on Vic and Lia is a rough and raw story of a woman trampled by fictitious love. Lia marries Vic, believing fate and love have brought them together. Lia becomes a Jehovah’s Witness, believing she has found the truth of God’s love. Lia’s family is divided by pious religious doctrine and her marriage is divided by Vic’s numerous affairs. All the while, Lia keeps having weird dreams regarding her beloved deceased father. Lia is determined to be a loving wife, a devout Witness, a gracious sister and a caring mother. But life deals her a nasty hand; she is controlled by a sick, domineering husband and a cult full of doomsday freaks. Where is the love? Did it die with her father? For the sake of her son, Lia must take control of her life, and “laugh in the face of Fate and choose her own destiny.”

Elizabeth Good writes a gut wrenching narrative from her own life experience in Trampled Underfoot: The Dirt on Vic and Lia. I have never seen a more fitting title for a book. The subtitle says it all – this is a dirt filled story. Good captures the 1970s with all of its kaleidoscopic flair. It was an era of brewing chaos - war, drugs, free sex and rock-n-roll. Throughout the story you could feel the agonizing reality within the lives of the characters. The protagonist goes from extreme highs to abysmal lows, weakness is mixed with strength, and devotion is muddied by addiction. I don’t believe I have ever loathed a character as much as I did this antagonist. Good penetrates the reader’s heart and soul, writing an emotional roller-coaster, up and down, twisting your gut and gripping your heart to the very end. Trampled Underfoot takes the cliche “love is blind” to a whole new level.

Trampled Underfoot: The Dirt on Vic and Lia is Elizabeth Good's follow up story to her novel, Just Another Sunday. Even though Trampled Underfoot is a stand alone dramatic fiction novel, there are some aspects of character personalities and pieces of the story that the reader may feel are missing if he/she hasn't read the earlier novel. On the other hand, Good does a nice job of moving the reader back to the mid-1970s, which is the time the story is set in. The characters' behaviors, as well as some of the props, help the reader get a good sense of that time frame. Lia is truly treated with little to no respect by everyone in the story. Therefore, the title fits quite well. Not only does Good clearly express how much of a jerk Vic is through his infidelity and degrading speech to Lia, but she also displays Lia's family verbally mistreating her.

In the middle of her marital upheaval, Lia has to deal with the fanatical religious views of some members of her family. Lia, her mother and sisters have become Jehovah Witnesses, but a number of Lia's choices don't bode well for her. She attempts to follow the strict regulations of her religion, but that ends up endangering her and her pregnancies. The lack of respect for Lia is apparent from her fellow Witnesses, as well as her doctors and eventually from her attorney. The storyline moves quickly as Lia tries to do the right thing time and time again. It is interesting just how strong a woman she turns out to be after being Trampled Underfoot over and over again.

Elizabeth Good's Trampled Underfoot most certainly shares dirt on Vic and Lia. It is written fairly well and kept my interest. Having grown up in the 1970s, I feel that Good skillfully created an opportunity to step back in time alongside Lia and her experiences. Trampled Underfoot is most certainly a story filled with drama, and one that will keep you wondering what could possibly go wrong next.

Elizabeth Good hits a home run with this follow-up novel. Her writing matures greatly with this book, making huge strides in form and it reads cleaner; as it is harmonious with the protagonist making choices as a grown woman rather than a girl finding her identity. There is always an underlying sense that something wonderful or dreadful is about to happen and some of the consequences are utterly heart-wrenching. Brace yourself. Again, such is life, concerning the deepest love you have for a person. Lia is constantly trying to make right, with good intentions, but struggles with practical reality and a sex addict for a husband. At the same time all of this is happening, her family whom Lia was once the rock for, becomes a rock for her when she needs it the most. Everyone needs a sister named Tina sometime. Everyone needs to trash a religious rite for the sake of love.

This time around Ms. Good explores her journey with her deceitful husband, who does not seem to have the capacity to be faithful to her. I say “capacity” because all along, as nauseating as his ways are, there is a strange feeling that he still loves her but just does not know how. In life, that is just not good enough. When Lia comes to her threshold after almost losing her life - Trampled Underfoot - the story bellies up and the time finally arrives for Lia to make the most painful of choices. And she does. Real or not real, this is life. And it is painful. It ends beautifully, full circle from Just Another Sunday.

And the symbolism of the rain in both novels is perfect.

This one is infuriating. And a tear-jerker. Well worth the read.

I would love to see a screenplay;)

Thanks for the journey, Ms. Good. Please keep writing.

After Ms.Good's first book, "Just another Sunday" she left everyone hanging and wishing for more. But she hit it out of park with "Trampled Underfoot". This book is a home run! If you want to see the adult side of Vic & Lia then THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ. I thought her first book was well-written, but this one is even better. Kudos to you, Ms. Good. I'm looking forward to her next book.

Trampled Underfoot takes readers on a wild ride through the dysfunctional relationship of Lia and Vic as they struggle to build a life together.

Lia is excited about the upcoming birth of her first child. She's certain a baby will strengthen her marriage to Vic, but nothing could be further from the truth. Lia believed Vic had changed his ways before their marriage, but she' about to discover he's still a liar and a cheat with a son by another woman. Lia is a devout Jehovah's Witness and refuses to give up on her marriage, no matter how many times Vic deceives her or how poorly he treats her. Depressed yet determined Lia plods on in her faith and her marriage, but at what cost?

Trampled Underfoot is a soap opera in a book. Drama lurks around every corner and the characters' lives are deeply intertwined. Vic and Lia's toxic relationship is evident to family and friends, but Lia refuses to accept it and Vic just lies his way out of it. This in itself gives the story credibility as we often can't see what's obvious to others. I thought the author did a wonderful job of developing her characters and drawing the reader into Vic and Lia's twisted life. Trampled Underfoot is a well written captivating read.

I recommend picking up a copy.

After reading Elizabeth Good’s first book “Just Another Sunday” I was excited to find out what happened to Lia & Vic as well as the rest of the Benedict family in “Trampled Underfoot”. Elizabeth writes an awesome portrayal of a young woman finding her voice with the help of the rest of Benedict family to take back her life after betrayal, sadness and in turn helps to heal a family still reeling from loss.