Michelle is a special victim that has been privy to a special kind of problem that no one in the history of the universe has ever, ever fallen prey to: unrequited love. This intriguing story of the hardships she endured should strike a cord with anyone that has ever loved another and found that love unreturned. While few would refute that she went too far in her journey and far overstepped the bounds of the reasonable, fewer still could say they don’t understand how it could happen. Diary of a Breakdown is about Michelle's descent from a respectable position and lifestyle into the depths of poverty and despondency, all because of her obsession with a man she met only for a single moment. This moment would turn into a perfect picture that would be perfectly destructive to her entire life.

Mardon’s writing is, above all else, extremely human. Many times it is difficult to sympathize with Michelle's decisions, as she really does go beyond sanity to pursue her dreams, but what works well here is how she makes it all so easy to connect to. In Diary, you get a real, honest look at some of the machinations of the human heart and how desire can go horribly awry. Her language is well stated and clear, and she has a knack for letting the reader get into her head and a way of making herself understood. While the story lacks a real climax, real life drama often does.

Mardon’s honest recount offers people the opportunity to see inside a personal breakdown. Her honesty and sincerity are striking, and the book is easy to read and clear. Diary is a great book for anyone who has ever been involved in a relationship, particularly of the one-way variety.

TB Koskie
T&R Reviews

Michelle is a woman aged in her 50’s slowly losing her grip on her life after a random weekend seminar where she fell in love with a man. She was an average woman who was just waiting for her retirement, but after meeting Jim, her life sped out of control. After the seminar, she bumped into him just once and she thought that it was fate. However, not only is he not interested in her but also seeks a restraining order against her. Despite all this, she keeps thinking that he is sending her signs of love through mail, phone calls and through other means. Her desire and obsession that she’s going to be with Jim goes further than she ever thought she would. Her family, job and her life long built dreams are thrown by the wayside.

The book is well informed and descriptive. The main character travels extensively in this book and Mardon writes in depth and with clarity. The book is written from the perspective of the main character. However, some parts in this book were lengthy which sometimes made it dreary. There was no climax throughout the book.

Everyone fantasizes about meeting their dream partners. Random meetings can lead to love or can be a disaster. This book is not the love-story of the century, but it’s about a woman who slowly loses everything in her life because of that delusion. After reading this book, one can better understand both Michelle and delusional love.

M. E. Brown
Chosen Few Books

Author Biography

Dianne Mardon

Dianne Mardon has lived in the Puget Sound area all her adult life. She worked for a small non-profit organization for nearly 20 years where writing reports, policies and procedures were a significant part of her responsibilities. She also has written newsletters and news releases and has taken writing courses from local writers. She has a B.A. in History from the University of Washington and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Seattle University.