Shattered but Unbreakable
Living with a Covert Narcissist
by Clara Rose

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When Clara fell for Adam, she felt an unwavering kind of love for him, a love built on her belief in the compassionate words that others didn’t hear but that meant everything to her because she heard them, she heard him. She held onto that love through Adam’s drinking and gambling, highlighting his lies, manipulation and abuse. And like those unheard words that built their relationship, others couldn’t fathom the abuse that would ultimately break it. Throughout the turmoil, Clara found some peace in keeping a secret journal. It’s from those pages that Shattered but Unbreakable: Living with a Covert Narcissist emerged. The early warning signs, recurrent abusive techniques, self-doubt, and self-gaslighting—this hybrid memoir uncovers it all. The raw, candid prose shows the complexity of abusive relationships. Because there’s nothing simple about leaving, not with a narcissistic spouse and not with children to protect. And where prose can’t capture the rage, despair, and pain, Clara’s drawings and poems do. They’re vulnerable and intimate, poignant and insightful. Shattered but Unbreakable is more than a trauma memoir; it’s a memoir about perseverance, resilience, and finding self-love and -worth. It’s a call to action for anyone who’s felt unheard, less than, trapped, or alone. Now is the time to rise and rage. Because you’re not alone, Clara is right beside you.

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The hidden pages of my journals is a dark, unforgiving emotional manipulation memoir of my relationship with an emotionally abusive narcissist. From the early warning signs and recurrent abusive techniques to the self-doubt and self-gaslighting, this memoir shows the complexity of abusive relationships. Its style is unfiltered and raw, written from a place of hurt, anger and deep pain. Shattered but Unbreakable is more than a trauma memoir; it’s a memoir about perseverance, resilience, and finding self-love and worth. Have you ever questioned your reality, doubted yourself, or longed for freedom that does not come with conditions. This is your wakeup call if you have ever felt unheard, less than, or trapped in the shadows. Rage and rise with me.

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Clara Rose is a teacher with a master’s degree in education. While she has a fulfilling career, her home life was turbulent for years. With her therapist’s encouragement, she began writing to help process what she went through. Inspired by this encouragement to “name her hurt,” Clara wrote Shattered but Unbreakable: Living with a Covert Narcissist. This is her first book. When she’s not writing, Clara enjoys spending time with friends and family, sports, and drawing.

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Contributors

Author

Clara Rose

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