Weeds and Wildflowers is a psychological thriller that dives in and exposes the cruel reality of spousal abuse, rape, and mental maladies while proving that the human condition can be strong enough to overcome excruciating experiences. Author, Barbara Vansickle Cook, begins this heart-wrenching true story with the birth of baby Jennifer in an Appalachian coal town hospital. Jennifer is immediately adopted as an infant and whisked away by her surrogate parents from what would have been a life of poverty. Although Jennifer's early life is much like a fairy-tale, it begins to tailspin when her surrogate mother suddenly dies from a brain tumor. Things deteriorate further when her surrogate father marries the malevolent Victoria who makes Jennifer's life a living hell. Jennifer's harsh childhood and strained relationships plague her well into her adulthood. All she wants in life is to be happy, but one well-intentioned relationship after another ends with heartache, stress, and abuse. Years of maltreatments eventually threaten Jennifer's very sanity. Can she survive the horrendous events, traumas and mental breakdowns to become a stronger person in the end?