What I’m Reading: If We Break

If We Break: A Memoir of Marriage, Addiction and Healing is an excellent study of marriage and family with a corrupted, disturbed, and ultimately dangerous husband. Although this book is literally a memoir written by Kathleen Buhle, the former wife of Hunter Biden, and centers on her impossible marriage to him, the story in this book is not uncommon. It is the story of many wives whose husbands abandon them for drugs and affairs. What makes this book shocking and unique are the extremes and excesses of Hunter Biden’s behavior during his marriage while his father is both a U.S. Senator and then running for President.

The tragedy of Hunter Biden’s life is that Hunter was set up for an extraordinary life with opportunities beyond the wildest dreams of most people. Hunter Biden’s then U.S. Congressman father, (and future 46th president of the U.S.) Joe Biden, ensured Hunter had amazing professional opportunities that allowed Hunter to live like a rock star. Additionally, in his early twenties, Hunter married a beautiful, young woman, Kathleen Buhle, whom he met at a Jesuit Camp. Kathleen Buhle, like many people who knew Hunter, fell for his charm and intelligence. She soon found herself so helplessly in love with him that she lost her identity and almost her life.

Like many young married couples, Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle had a beautiful beginning full of hope and promise. The success and status Hunter was given early in life afforded him and his growing family with Kathleen wonderful homes and private schools for his children. The Biden family success (through his father’s high level government positions) enabled him to easily betray (with little to no consequences) his wife and children. Soon Hunter was openly cavorting with his deceased brother’s (Beau Biden’s) widow, Hallie Biden, and smoking crack with prostitutes. His father, Joe Biden, shockingly publicly condones Hunter’s relationship with Hallie Biden and seems to explain away much of Hunter’s illegal behavior by attributing it all to his drug addiction. Clearly this was at least partially done for political reasons as Joe Biden decided in 2019 to run again for President and didn’t want Hunter’s drug usage and rampant partying to ruin his chances for office.

Ultimately, this book is a story of the American Dream being thrown away by a corrupted powerful political family. It is the story of a life full of promise being tossed aside like dirty laundry when a corrupted husband and father realizes he can get away with living like a pimp with no repercussions. The victims of this story are Hunter’s first wife and his three daughters. Although thankfully, according to Kathleen Buhle, she and her daughters not only survived Hunter’s abandonment, they also learned valuable lessons and healed.

BOTTOM LINE: This book is particularly relatable and sympathetic to anyone who has ever loved and been hurt by a drug addicted narcissist. Although Kathleen Buhle does not slander her former husband or his presidential family in her memoir, she does paint a very unflattering picture of them. While the reader may not be shocked by Hunter Biden’s adultery and abandonment (of his family), the reader will probably be shocked by Hunter’s criminal behavior and lack of repercussions for it.