"Destination; Remarkable: Surviving the Dark Side of Success" by Mary Grothe is a powerful and candid memoir that takes readers on an extraordinary journey through trauma, success, and redemption. Grothe's compelling narrative earns this book a well-deserved four-star rating as it seamlessly weaves together the highs and lows of her life, offering an inspiring and heartfelt exploration of resilience.

The book opens with Grothe's tumultuous childhood, marked by trauma, abuse, and the challenges of growing up in a toxic environment. Her ability to overcome these early hardships and find success in the world of sales is nothing short of remarkable. Grothe's meteoric rise, synonymous with being number one, captures the reader's attention, only to lead them into the unexpected darkness that success can sometimes bring.

What sets this memoir apart is its raw honesty. Grothe doesn't shy away from revealing the darker side of her success – the descent into alcoholism, toxic relationships, and a struggle with inner demons. The author's willingness to share the vulnerabilities beneath the facade of achievement adds a layer of authenticity to the narrative.

The second half of the book takes an unexpected turn as Grothe finds solace in faith and embarks on a journey of healing. Her discovery of Jesus on a fateful Christmas morning becomes a turning point, and the narrative explores the challenges of sustaining positive change. This nuanced exploration of spirituality and personal growth adds depth to the memoir, transcending it beyond a traditional success story.

"Destination; Remarkable" is not just a business book or an autobiography; it's a theme park of experiences that touch upon various aspects of life – from being a daughter and a partner to a Christian, a founder, and a CEO. Grothe's ability to navigate and share the complexities of these roles makes the book relatable to a broad audience.

The writing is engaging, and Grothe's storytelling prowess keeps the reader invested in her journey. The rollercoaster of emotions, experiences, and personal growth is expertly presented, making it a captivating and thought-provoking read.

In conclusion, "Destination; Remarkable" is an exceptional memoir that goes beyond the typical success narrative, offering a genuine and unfiltered account of one woman's triumph over adversity. Mary Grothe's courage to share her story, coupled with her resilience, makes this book a compelling and inspiring read deserving of its four-star rating.

Not exactly what I was expecting. As hard as I tried, I really could not get into this book and therefore didn't finish. It just didn't strike a chord with me. #Netgally

Destination; Remarkable: Surviving the Dark Side of Success by Mary Grothe is a remarkable book. It is a memoir of the difficulties faced when success comes. This book reads more like an autobiography more than a self help book. Overall, it is an interesting read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Destination;Remarkable by Mary Grothe gives an inside look at how much childhood family relationships and trauma impacts the decisions made in adult life. This biography will be inspirational to those who may lose hope in ever moving past the entanglements of our human frailties. A very successful business woman, Mary found herself repeating past mistakes which then set her back both financially and emotionally. She tells of her journey in a forthright, vulnerable way which helps the reader understand the nuances of decisions she made along the way.
I like that she freely admits she still is on her journey-dealing with some of the problems that seem to repeatedly plague her. Handling success and failure, pursuing a type of balance in her life that works for her. #destinationRemarkable

This will find a specific audience. Unfortunately, it was not the type of book that I would embrace. However, I'm sure there is a specific market who will take on the work by the author.

I finished this last night, finally. It is a memoir of Mary Grothe life and her struggles of trusting God. I did enjoy parts of the book. In fact, those parts were interesting. The way she grew up abused and not cared for to making it on her own to run her own company were inspiring.

My main problem was that this book really drug in a lot of places. I got to where I didn't care about her life. She was a very prideful person. I didn't know how many times I set it down and read other stuff, just to get away from it for a little while. I also have no idea where the last chapter came from. I don't know if she had a maximum page count she had to meet, but it made no sense to me to put that chapter there.

This published September 19, 2023

Thanks to Netgalley and Forbes Books for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

🙂 Happy Reading 🙂

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Destination; Remarkable: Surviving the Dark Side of Success by Mary Grothe is a memoir, autobiography of one woman’s journey from darkness to a deeper meaningful life. Raised by an alcoholic mother and abusive father in a filthy house. At fourteen years old, she watched her entire life being auctioned off as her parents fled their town. She dreamed of dancing as her ticket to freedom but when a teenage mistake causes her dream to fall, she finds herself doomed to repeat her parents’ mistakes. When she gets a job in sales, she discovers she has a knack for it and her success is sudden and overwhelming. Her success should have been her redemption but it only led her down a darker path she never imagined. Then one fateful Christmas, at rock bottom, she found Jesus. She began to turn her life around, and while not easy, Mary Grothe finds new strength to become a new success in business as well as a wife, mother and Christian.
I had never heard of Mary Grothe but when I was offered the chance to read her memoir, I was intrigued. From a harrowing upbringing, to teenage rebellion to huge success at a young age, she thought she had finally made it. Little did she know but her demons would follow her and she slowly sank deeper. She is brutally honest about her past, her own mistakes and her journey to a healthier, fuller life. Even now, as she is in a better place, she is honest about the struggles she still has and has to actively work on in her daily life. I enjoyed her honesty especially with issues that she has risen above. Her story reminds me of a famous movie quote that states that our demons are never truly gone, we just rise above them. By acknowledging her demons, she is able to confront them with confidence. If you would like to read an inspirational story of a woman’s journey, I recommend Destination; Remarkable.

Destination; Remarkable: Surviving the Dark Side of Success
is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Destruction remarkable by Mary Grothe and review written by Breanna McLeod . I was given a free review copy of this book. All opinions and feedback are my own.
I really appreciate that the author took the time and energy to write this book having come from a broken family myself, I understand some of her feelings described here. Not all of course, but some the road to recovery takes many forms. She is incredibly open and raw in this piece of writing. There are places where I wish she had gone into more detail, especially about some of her business practices because I don't understand what some of the abbreviations mean. Or what their role is within a business.
Aside from that though, I think this book is well written. Well-rounded and very thought provoking as well as hope. Inducing for people might be in a similar situation

Few of us find ourselves exactly where we thought we'd end up. In this case, the obstacles made any happy ending impossible—until it became possible. This story clarifies the shockingly great surprise of a disastrous life turning into a beautiful one. The added benefits of blessing so many others made the story even more remarkable.

The story flowed well and captivated my curiosity. I had no idea it was possible for a person from the wrong side of the tracks, inundated with bad outcomes, to turn life around and be an overwhelming gift to others. The title holds true to the book's content and ultimately brings hope to those reading it.

This book is for anyone who started life on the wrong foot or has little hope for a happy and productive future. The story unfolds in a way that helps the reader find ways of duplicating the good experiences and avoiding the bad ones. Regardless of where you believe your destination in life is, a far greater future exists beyond your wildest dreams.

First off, I'm not sure the true purpose of this book. Maybe that's the issue with some memoirs: The author goes way to far into their troubled past so as to make their present and future life kumbaya. So, if this is primarily her Christian testimony it's rather understated. I keeps popping up throughout the story but not really the overwhelming center of her life. And if this is a sales and marketing primer, she uses way to much business lingo without providing the definition for the uninitiated. So the book ultimately becomes a narcissist serenade about her hyperactive business acumen that leaves her blind to, and clueless that other people live and work in community and are not necessarily defined by their profession and monetary success.

Secondly, there are numerous paragraph changes that seem to head off in a new revelation. I was expecting the new paragraph to start, "Oh, by the way, yeah, before I forget ...".

Finally, she continuously refers to her childhood home life as 'chaos' or "trauma", but never calls it what it truly was: abuse and neglect. This is suppose to be a "tell-all", yet she doesn't appear to have reconciled the truth of her parent's destructive nature.

The first half of the book flowed much easier, but by Chapter 17 it became laborious. I finally gave up on chapter 21. Too much drama; too much "self-pity" for someone who professes to have a solid relationship with Christ Jesus. As James tells us, "Count it all joy, my brothers, [or sister] when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4 (ESV)

Mary Grothe is a successful entrepreneur and speaker. This book is her autobiography and is a look inside her life so far. Mary went through a difficult childhood as the daughter of alcoholic parents and, as a result she had a number of problems in her own life. She seems to be open about these in the book. Much of what she wrote was unnecessary technical detail about her businesses. She very much neglected both her husband and child as she worked extremely long hours striving for business success. While she achieved much, the question is at what cost to her family.
I enjoy memoirs, especially to get a window into the life of another person who may be very different from me. This was not one I particularly liked. This is probably because Mary did not come across as a likable person to me. The book is well-written, but not a particularly inspiring one.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.