Jeddah Bride, Patricia Bonis
Jeddah Bride, Patricia Bonis
List: $22.99 | Sale: $16.09
Club: $11.49

Jeddah Bride
a memoir of love, betrayal and reconciliation

Author: Patricia Bonis

Narrator: Amanda Turen

Unabridged: 11 hr 44 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Lantern Audio

Published: 02/18/2025


Synopsis

To what lengths would you go to save your children? Would you sacrifice your safety? Your sanity? Your life?

Patricia fell madly in love with Rahman Abbar, scion of a wealthy Saudi Arabian family, and when he suggested they marry, it was the happiest day of her life. A smart, free-spirited girl who had attended Wellesley College, Patricia was not prepared for life as a Saudi woman-a life spent looking through curtains and veils at the world outside, a life that of necessity was curtailed and protected from the toxic masculinity of the culture, a life that, for an American girl used to sneaking out and hitchhiking, was dangerous and frightening and alien.

She was not prepared to give up all her freedom: freedom to drive herself, to go where she wanted when she wanted, to read books and listen to music she wanted, even to give up making a career for herself. But shouldn't love be enough to overcome everything?

After years in Jeddah, Patricia and Rahman moved to America, where Patricia gave birth to two children and started her own successful career. She thought that surely their family was complete, that now they would stay in America to raise their children in freedom and security.

Then Rahman starts talking about leaving America and moving back into the jet-set lifestyle-regardless of Patricia's needs and wishes. After previous disappointments, Patricia is ready to divorce him and strike out on her own.
She is not ready for her children to be kidnapped.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Blaine on February 25, 2025

Patricia Bonis has provided us with her memoir of her life as the wife of a Saudi Arabian gentlemen, along with all flash, pitfalls and horrors that it entailed for her. Meeting her future husband one night at a party she was instantly taken by his good looks, sporty car and the money he spent. She......more

Goodreads review by Patty on December 30, 2024

Imagine being a young college student and thinking you’ve met the man of your dreams? That is what Patricia thought was happening when she met Rahman. But her life became less than dreamy when she was thrust in Saudi society where her non-existent rights were masked under a financial privileged life......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on May 11, 2025

Book Review: Jeddah Bride by Patricia Bonis Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5) Overview Patricia Bonis’s Jeddah Bride is a gripping memoir that chronicles her transformative—and often turbulent—journey as an independent Western woman who marries into a conservative Saudi Arabian family. Blending personal narrative wi......more

Goodreads review by SundayAtDusk on December 13, 2024

Reading the description of this memoir might give the reader the idea it is mostly about the author's divorce and the kidnapping of her children, but those two topics are only covered briefly towards the end of the book. Personally, I was glad about that, because long drawn-out divorce stories and c......more

Goodreads review by Karen on February 06, 2025

In the mid 1970’s Patricia was about to start college. She was counting the minutes to freedom and independence away from her parent’s Long Island home. Attending Wellesley Patricia jumped right into the Boston disco scene, wearing outrageous outfits, drinking and dancing the night away. One evening......more