This was an intense, but an excellent book about domestic violence and what can happen. It is about June Briand and the violence marriage she was in. The book gets very graphic, but I think it was necessary to get the point across so that people could actually understand what she went through. She went to prison for killing her violent husband, until she was finally pardoned. Her marriage is a classic, textbook account of a brutal marriage and extreme domestic violence. I thought the book was very well written. I could feel so much compassion and empathy for her throughout the book. I do hope she finds peace. (I do understand that there are family members disputing this story, but that is not part of the book so it is not part of my review. If there is another book, I would be happy to read that as well.

Received this book as an ARC for my my honest review.

June went through hell and back from the time she was little to the time she was an adult. The book detailed everything she went through (probably way more wasn't documented) and it was horrific but the author didn't make you connect with June which is really unfortunate. The author also didn't show any documentation to substantiate the claims (not saying that there wasn't any) but I think the reader like to see these types of things in a true book. And there was no documentation from the other side either.

I looked at other reviews and found things that made me question this book in total which is really unfortunate also.

The Beast I Loved: A Battered Woman's Desperate Struggle to Survive tells the story of June Briand. In February 1987, after five years of marriage, she shot and killed her husband James. Convicted of first-degree murder, Briand served ten years of a fifteen year sentence before being pardoned.

This true crime offering paints a grim picture of June Briand's life, telling readers about a woman who suffered abuse throughout her life. Her marriage to James Briand was filled with brutal violence, until finally—fearing he would kill her after discovering she was planning to leave him—June took his life, shooting him while he slept.

I read this book in a matter of hours, unable to stop reading about this tragic story until I reached the end. Writing this review has been problematic for me, and it took me a while to figure out why. The Beast I Loved only tells June's side of the story. While her side would obviously be the focus of the book, not including a rebuttal of events from members and/or a representative of the Briand family leaves the book feeling unbalanced.

Was June justified in shooting him as a result of suffering from Battered Woman's Syndrome, as illustrated in the book? Or was she a cold-blooded killer who was never abused by her husband, as the Briand family maintains? Either way, June's actions that night irrevocably changed not only her life, but the lives of everyone who loved James Briand.

I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of WildBlue Press via Netgalley.

Fantastically deep memoir written like a piece of literary fiction. Depicting domestic abuse in a new fascinating dynamic. A brave, and highly effective autobiography. An absolute must-read.

This book was outstanding. June has been beaten in many ways by her spouse. She ends up in jail after shooting her abuser. We then follow Jane in her life journey. The book was good, but would have been better if we could have heard from others that knew the story. It would have brought more depth to her journey. I commend the author for sharing her story with us. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book. Although I received the book in this manner, it did not affect my opinion of this book nor my review.

This was a tough read and may not be for everyone it absolutely broke my heart what she went through and as a child who watched her father beat her mother let me tell you the damage never stops hope this helps others find safety

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

This is a true story of a battered wife and mother June who is beaten down physically, sexually and emotionally by her husband. In desperation June shoots him dead and is then sent to prison for the crime. This is June's story of how she ended up in prison and her fight to be freed.

This is a difficult book to read and it is hard to fathom the emotional neglect that June suffered throughout her life never mind comprehending the physical abuse.

Having said that this is a very one sided story. I would have appreciated witness statements, doctors reports not just the court appointed psychologists thoughts on Battered women syndrome. This book would have been better balanced by having other people's points of view and not just June's. We are told that the husband attacked numerous other people including local police but there are no interviews with these people or police reports. I understand his family obviously disputing all this and painting him as a stand up guy but there were neighbours who surely heard and witnessed what was happening. This book lacked depth and evidential reports.

Wow, what a ride. I absolutely adore this author’s book. First time of reading this author and I will be looking for more if his books. This was a great read.

A very shocking story, but seemed to drag on a bit. The author was so brave to get her story out there for all to read.

This is a heart wrenching story. June is belittled and abused throughout her life. She is just a child when she marries and again continues to deal with abuse. After having a child she must deal with more abuse and also watch her child be abused. Finally after several years she takes matters into her own hands. June is one of the first women to ever be classified as having Battered Women Syndrome. We can learn a lot from her story. She was finally able to escape and find some happiness. Robert Davidson did a wonderful job researching this story and giving all the gory details. This story will stay with you.

This is definitely a must read book. A true story of a women to paralyzed with fear to leave an abusive marriage. The ordeal of beind battered by a sadistic husband, and then facing 15 years in prison after she murders him.. Her courage and tenacity to make the country aware of "battered woman syndrome " and how it affects a person physically, mentally, and psychologically. The lifelong effects it has on children, who are caught in the middle. Very well written.
5 Stars

Such a gut wrenching and harrowing read, which stays with you long after you have finished the book.
What June endured during her eary life made my hair stand on end! And then she meets her husbad who physicaly, mentally and sexually abuses her. The fear she experienced and continued to endure was horrendous and my heart broke for this woman who had all sense, self esteem and spirit knocked out of her. People may read this and think "Why didnt she just walk away from it all.?" But it wasnt that simple and her fear and husband kept her prisoner.
A very well written book with terrifying descriptions of Junes horrific life which finally drove her to shoot her evil and sadistic husband. Whilst I dont agree with killing another person I completely understand from the book what had driven June to this awful end.
It was great to read what happened after and I wish all the best for June.
I hope this book helps other women and men who may be experiencing domestic abuse to find the strength and courage to get help and support they so desperately need and deserve. X

I'm not normally a biography reader but I really love this book. I was absolutely fascinated with the story.

This is June Briand's chilling story, two decades later after she shot her husband, Jimmy "James" Briand four times in the head. He sexually abused her, depraved ways, abused her mentally and physically. Did not allow her to go to therapy, get an education, keep a job or any of her own money. Forced her to cater to his every narcissistic whim. Made her eat on the ground like a dog. Beat her over a hundred and fifty times in four years or marriage. She married him at 14, had two children with him and her life was never the same. She had Battered Woman Syndrome. She was sentenced to fifteen years to life. Her children were told lies about her so they are no longer in her life, believing their mom to be a killer, not realizing her near decade of abuse by their father. She now lives away, with a new husband, new set of kids. Anonymous.

She deserves it: a chilling, excellent, brave book.

This book was at times, very hard for me to read. I am a domestic violence survivor myself. This is an epidemic of horrendous proportions and unfortunately, even now, sometimes the help that should be available, is not. To begin with, my hat is off to June Briand for surviving, Robert Davidson for being courageous enough to write this story, and for all the people that this book has probably impacted. June lives a nightmare from infancy until adulthood when she was able to “self-make” her future while being incarcerated. She consistently dealt with people in her life not supporting her and belittling her efforts to improve her situation. Even while June is in prison, she deals with other inmates almost vilifying her for doing well. I feel like, given the subject content, this book is very well written. I finished reading it less than 12 hours after downloading it. At times tear jerking, horrifying and amazing; this was a book that I could not put away until I finished every single word of it. Brace yourselves!

All I have to say is WOW... I have read alot of true crime books but this one was gripping..Kept me reading nonstop....The author told this incredible story from beginning to end... I would definitely recommend this book to all people who need a little hope in their lives..

Thank you netgalley for letting me review this book..