Just Fine Thank You

Growing Up with Family Secrets (Blood, Sex and Tears Book 1)

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Pub Date 20 Dec 2019 | Archive Date 13 Jul 2021

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Description

Born in South Dakota at a time when America was reeling from a dust bowl, depression and a second world war, Evelyn Jones Leite lived with Mamma, Edith Jones, a socialite who marries her Daddy, a broke but charming southerner, Lon Jones.

Unbeknown to her the Daddy she adores drinks a little too much, And his Jekyll and Hyde behavior breaks her heart often. 

At the age of 5, she moves from a log cabin on a hilltop deep in the woods where she hears mountain lions, to a small town where she lives by a Morgue and encounters her first sexual pervert there. 

The second world war has a huge impact on her family as they experience blackouts, poverty and rations. 

An often bedridden Mama, is a special challenge that forces Evelyn to help tend her younger brothers. She completely adores her older brother Ted even though he is often mean, she begs for attention in both subtle and overt ways. 

When she is 6 years old her Daddy gives away her precious dog and moves his family to a farm on orders from her mother’s wealthy father. 

On the farm, she experiences, neglect, a pedophiliac hired man, mind rape and, yet-there are big family happy times when relatives swarm the farm and bring mountains of food. 

Evelyn Leite’s true story of growing up in a turbulent family during the 40s and 50s compellingly captures the reader who is captivated by feeling the gamut of confusion and despair, sorrow and tears, then unexplainable hope and optimism.

Born in South Dakota at a time when America was reeling from a dust bowl, depression and a second world war, Evelyn Jones Leite lived with Mamma, Edith Jones, a socialite who marries her Daddy, a...


Available Editions

ISBN 9781733540964
PRICE $4.99 (USD)

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Average rating from 16 members


Featured Reviews

A child growing up in poor, rural mid-America during the 1940s didn’t have much chance to be a child. Add parental dysfunction into the mix and there will be more pain and sorrow. The despair is only made bearable by the author's stated “desire that you can find hope for yourself or a loved one based on my story of redemption.” I, this reviewer, grew up in much the same time and lifestyle as Evelyn M. Leite, who, with great courage and wisdom told of the process that brought her to the sometimes destructive assumptions and beliefs she held as a young woman.
I enjoyed every painful memory, every moment of joy and laughter I relived, as I shared the growing pains of a young girl called ‘Bubbles’. Well written, perceptive and with a firm grip on my attention, this book is Truly a must read for those who look for serious, realistic drama.

There is one concern I have with it, that takes a star off my rating. This book is actually the first book in a four book series (Blood, Sex, and Tears Series) based on the publication date. However, it was the third of the series to be published. So, don’t be misled by the publication date. Read this one first. Also, I believe that this book doesn’t so much go into her redemption as the later ones where she’s older.

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I didn't realize this was Kindle only unfortunately I am unable to open on a Kindle My apologies! It sounds very good I am going to try to find it for my KOBO

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The author was born in South Dakota to a dysfunctional family. Her mother came from a very wealthy prominent family. This socialite changed her lifestyle dramatically when she married a very charming but poor southern man. The author grew up in the 40’s and 50’s with a turbulent life. Her mother showed favoritism to Evelyn’s brothers Evelyn craved attention and affection from her Mother but her mother hardly acknowledged other than to demand something from her. She found the attention that she craved from her father however he wasn’t always around much as he often went out drinking after working all day. They had very little and even had to use an outhouse as they had no bathroom. Evelyn had her first encounter with a sexual pervert at age 4 when she was perpetrated by the maintenance man of the nearby mortuary. Evelyn had to take care of her numerous siblings as a young child as her mother was often ill in bed. The family moved in with her maternal grandfather in the city and they experienced a new life in his very opulent mansion. They got to experience indoor plumbing for the first time. Evelyn loved being around her grandfather as he gave her the affection and attention that she craved. Eventually her grandfather decided to sell his house and the family once again lived on a farm with no plumbing or heat. They endured many hardships over the years but the one bright spot in their lives was when family came to visit. This being book shows how even someone who grew up in a poor tumultuous world can still accomplish a great deal in their life as the author is a very successful woman.

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Just Fine Thank You
Growing Up with Family Secrets (Blood, Sex and Tears Book 1)
by Evelyn Leite
BooksGoSocial
Biographies & Memoirs | Women's Fiction
Pub Date 20 Dec 2019


I am reviewing a copy of Just Fine Thank You through BooksGoSocial and Netgalley:


Evelyn Jones Leite was born in South Dakota at a time when America was reeling from a dust bowl, depression and a Second World War. Evelyn lived with with Mamma, Edith Jones, a socialite who marries her Daddy, a broke but charming southerner, Lon Jones.




What she doesn’t know at the time is the Daddy she loves so much, drinks way to much. His Dr Jekyll and Mrs Hyde attitude breaks her heart way to much.



At the age of 5, she moves from a log cabin on a hilltop deep in the woods where she hears mountain lions, to a small town where she lives by a Morgue there where she encounters her first sexual pervert.




During the Second World War the family is hugely impacted by blackouts, poverty and rations.


Mamma who is often bedridden is a special challenge forcing Evelyn to tend to her younger brothers. She adores her older brother Ted completely despite the fact he is often mean to her. She begs for his attention in ways that are both subtle and overt.



At six her Daddy gives away her precious dog and moves his family to a farm on orders from her mother’s wealthy father. While on the farm Evelyn experiences neglect, a pedophiliac hired man, mind rape and, yet-there are big family happy times when relatives swarm the farm and bring mountains of food.


Evelyn Leite’s true story of growing up in a turbulent family during the 40s and 50s , captures the readers emotions by feeling the gamut of emotions she went through as a child. Confusion and despair, sorrow and tears, then unexplainable hope and optimism.



I give Just Fine Thank you five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

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Wow, Just Fine Thank You is a wonderful read. This Evelyn Leite book is a memoir that left me reading late into the night.

*more to follow*

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What a life.
Evelyn aka Bubbles, has no one to confide in and left to fend for herself. All she wants is to be loved.
Instead she faces a mother trying to deal with baby after baby, a father who is drunk, an extended family that is not there for her, molestations, bullying....

I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

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Growing up to soon

Evelyn or Bubbles as she was called grew up in South Dakota. She had one older brother Ted and several younger brothers. At a very early age she was expected to help with the younger children and the housework. In her dysfunctional family she was often chastised for asking simple questions or for actions as a child. Her mother was too busy with her younger brothers so she never got the hugs, and the mother love she needed. Her father often came home drunk and said mean things to her. He was nice when he was sober. She loved her father and this hurt her very much.

Evelyn strived to do well, but in her mind she always failed. After some traumatic events she had nightmares and heard angry voices. Since the motto of her family was just tell anyone that asks how you are Just Fine, Thank You she was never able to confide in anyone

This book points out the problems of being poor and of having more children than one can care for. The way of some families prominent in this time period, the 40's and 50's that women and girls are in the kitchen and do women's work and men work out and do men's work. That is the worth of women. Evelyn had a very hard time with these standards and often got herself in trouble over it.

It describes the struggles of a family to make it in a tough world, the years just past the depression and the WWII years. How hard it was to make a living and to survive.

The book was heartfelt and very worth reading. I would recommend it.

Thanks to Evelyn Leite, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy for an honest review.

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Memories, feelings and emotions of a you girl Evelyn, aged 4 to 13, one of a series of 4 books. It starts in the 1950’s an era I know well, when children did as they were told, kept ignorant of the facts of life and mostly believed that girls required little education as they would marry and stay home with the kids. In Evelyn’s family girls were also expected to be ladylike and not indulge in male activities. Luckily her dad did believe in education.

Evelyn’s memories are scattered and varied. She is often scared at night and is always putting herself down. Incidents occur that she didn’t know were wrong and so she failed to tell her parents.. She longs for positive attention, but rarely gets it so she believes she is bad. A very interesting read and I look forward to the next book.

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I wish to thank NetGalley and the author Evelyn M. Leite for allowing me to read a copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Everyone has a story and this one is Evelyn’s true story of her early childhood until she is thirteen. She is from a close knit family that strongly believes in not airing your dirty laundry and not talking about things that go on at home or in one’s life. She lives on a farm near a small town in a house with no electricity or indoor plumbing. She goes to school in a tiny school house. She loves and mother and father and family and yet she does not understand them. She grows up thinking God does not listen to her prayers and longs to be loved by her mother or anyone. I loved the cover of this book and know to the depths of my soul that the title is perfect. Evelyn was brought up to always answer the question of, “How are you “with the answer, “Just Fine Thank You.” Many of us were taught the same thing.

I can truly identify with this story and thank her for shedding light on the dark corners of so many of her reader’s lives. I can identify with this lonely child and her dreams of better days. This is a story that will stay with for a long time after you close the book for the final time. I highly recommend it.

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This book appealed to me as being American born I love reading stories of other people's lives and how they dealt with life, family and the world around them. And this one didn't disappoint.

The story Evelyn tells is one of sadness, of not feeling good enough, of struggles and is very emotional. It is in some ways a book that is hard to read but is also a book that makes you want to keep reading, makes you feel a variety of emotions and makes you want to grab Evelyn and give her a big hug.

Heartfelt, heartbreaking and so sad at times but it is a great read and I look forward to reading the continuing books in this series of books on the authors life.

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