"Shannon's story will captivate you. Her brave, brilliant, and beautiful narrative smashes the myth of biblical womanhood, and her courage will help women trapped in purity culture find hope for a better life."

"In silken prose and boundary-shattering perceptions, Shannon Harris tells her story of ascending, alongside her famous husband, to the heights of the Evangelical world only to learn--slowly, painfully, honestly, triumphantly--that who she was had gotten lost. The Woman They Wanted will become the vanguard of a new movement of women rediscovering themselves, their dreams, and their futures. This book will grieve you, anger you, and inspire you. In one word: stunning. I could not put this book down."

"For anyone who has felt limited by the pressures to conform and self-sacrifice for someone else's ideals, may you find solidarity in the pages of this book. Shannon's story is one of liberation and courage, of casting aside the expectations built by a church culture intertwined with patriarchy, power, and control. Most importantly, this book is about finding your voice again. May Shannon's story of courage call forth the brave within you as well."

"The title says it all: The Woman They Wanted. This book is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand and get a glimpse into the life of women in the church, and especially those who are married to the leadership. I couldn't put it down because Shannon's story is so honestly and poetically written as she shares how she had to be what they wanted rather than who she actually is."

"The Woman They Wanted reveals the dark underbelly of how evangelicalism views women and its degrading efforts to silence, shame, and mold women into submissive, oppressed shells of themselves--all billed as 'God's plan.' In her own story of healing from high-control religion, Harris shares her journey of picking up the pieces that were discarded in favor of becoming a 'good woman' and finding peace and wholeness within herself."

"So many women know what it's like to play the part of the 'good woman' while slowly losing their sparkle and soul. Shannon has so much sparkle and soul, and her story of spending decades being 'the woman they wanted' and of how she found her way back to her authentic self will be a catalyst for many other women to say YES to their own journey of freedom. If you grew up in the church and never felt permission to be the woman you wanted to be, read this book!"