Cult Bride isn’t the kind of book I’d normally pick up, but something about it really drew me in and I’m so glad it did. It turned out to be a fascinating and powerful read that stayed with me long after I finished it.

I found the story both interesting and informative, especially as it shed light on a world that feels so far removed, yet deeply human. What really elevated the experience for me was the audiobook. The narration was emotionally charged and beautifully done- it brought every moment to life, and I could truly feel every word.

This was gripping, informative, and emotional all in one. The narration truly made the story shine, narrators voice carrying so much emotion and really emphasising the story in the best way. I genuinely think I got so much more out of this as an audio-book, not least in the small snippets of Korean, which I would not have understood on the page!

Cult Bride by Liz Cameron is a gripping and unsettling memoir of survival and self-reclamation. Drawn into the Providence cult at just 18, Liz was indoctrinated and manipulated into becoming one of its leader’s so-called “brides.” Her story is raw and courageous, offering a rare, firsthand look at the psychological control and emotional abuse at the heart of high-demand religious groups. While some of the details are deeply disturbing, her journey from entrapment to escape is both sobering and inspiring. A valuable read for anyone interested in cult dynamics, faith, and resilience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pantera Press for the ARC.

Heartbreakingly raw, yet hopeful memoir detailing experiences of indoctrination, love-bombing, deprivation and restriction, coercive control, cognitive distortion and grooming into a cult.

Liz Cameron eloquently details her cautionary tale of psychological manipulation into Providence, a Christian cult that originated in South Korea. She also shares the deprogramming that assisted her escape, as well as her experiences for reclaiming her identity.

This is a powerful story that highlights how methodical indoctrination targets vulnerabilities and is not exclusive to cults.

I really appreciate that Liz narrated the audiobook herself, as it really added to the compelling nature of her experiences. Thankfully content warnings and support services are also included at the beginning, which is important given the nature of this story.

If you have any interest in true crime or cults, then definitely give this one a go!

Cult Bride is a powerful and compelling read. Liz Cameron shares her story with honesty and courage, taking readers through how she was drawn into a cult and how she eventually found the strength to escape. It’s both eye-opening and inspiring, shedding light on how manipulation works—and how recovery is possible. A thoughtful, engaging memoir that stays with you.

Listening to this audiobook was like attending a brilliant TED talk that doesn't just give you the highlights but every single detail.

Cameron intersperses her personal experiences with Providence church with detailed explanations of the mechanisms of cult indoctrination. It's clear that she has done lots of research to understand what happened to her and presents others' research in a way that makes it accessible and relatable. I loved listening to Cameron narrate her own story, it added an extra level of sincerity. The final section where she explains the after effects of having been distanced from society really helped to illustrate exactly why it is so incredibly difficult to leave a cult once you're part of it.

I won’t lie, I struggled at the start of this book, especially through the introduction and grooming stages. My opinions on religion of any kind kept over shadowing the story. I wanted to DNF at times. Not because the book wasn’t good, it was. It’s just I have strong beliefs and I was finding it difficult to let myself understand. It’s a great book, especially being told by the author herself, who has a lovely speaking voice for audiobooks. What she went through was harrowing and awful, how these people can live with themselves knowing that they groomed her into this, is unreal, and her story on how she finally escaped. (No spoilers)

I’ll rate the book 4 stars ⭐️
simply because taking away my struggles it was actually a good book, which broached conversations about it with my son and parents about my beliefs, and my mum even told me, your letting what you feel darken the story. And it’s true.

If you want to read or hear from the author herself, first hand, about her experience of being in a cult and managing to break free - then I highly recommend this book.

5🌟

It's hard for me to rate memoirs as less than five stars, but I think Liz did a great job illustrating her struggles in Cult Bride. It is slow-moving at first but picks up more around a third of the way in. She demonstrates just how slowly and methodically a cult can latch onto the right people, exploit their vulnerabilities, and then use them against them until they are trapped. I did have a hard time understanding precisely how/why she believed a lot of what they told her, but maybe that's because I'm not religious at all. She also suffered a lot from her eating disorder, and I think the cult was just another form of control for Liz.

As a memoir should be, the audiobook for Cult Bride was narrated by the author Liz Cameron. Sometimes, I struggle with Australian accents, but I found her voice clear and easy to understand, even at higher playback speeds.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the ALC.

Wow this book was heartbreaking and beautiful and hopeful and I can't believe things like this happen in Australia nor can I believe there is no help avalible I got teary eyes a few times as listening to the narrator bring us through this journey was tough but worth it

Wow! I am so impressed by Liz Cameron’s memoir, she not only provides a clear and concise account of her time in a cult, how she felt, how she was treated, what she believed etc but since being deprogrammed and continuing to work with other cult survivors she is able io interject her own story often to explain to the reader exactly where she was in the process at any given time. Liz also details her heartbreaking escape from the cult, I don’t want to give that away too much for anyone who isn’t aware, but expect tears.

Liz provides in her intro a content warning along with multiple helplines, and in the outta acknowledges several groups and individuals who have helped her through.

This is a must read for true crime enthusiasts, those with an interest in cults and in general an interest in the human psyche.

Outstanding work, narrated beautifully by the author.

All the stars 🌟
#Jorecommends

Huge thanks to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧