About
What happens when the strong, ambitious man you married fades into a stranger with an illness no
doctor can diagnose?
When Jessica Zimmerman's husband Brian contracted a mysterious illness that left him 60 pounds
underweight and a prisoner to their master bathroom, she had no idea the journey of self-discovery
on which they were both about to embark. As Jessica and Brian worked to solve the riddle of his
illness, they also had a harder question to answer: was their marriage even worth saving?
Sleeping with a Stranger is a searing, honest and hilarious memoir about learning how to love even in
the darkest of moments, and how to find yourself when the compass is lost. As Jessica's business
takes off, and the demands of being the sole provider increase, she begins to discover who she was
always meant to be, even if that goes against the Southern culture in which she was raised. Bucking
up against old ideas and even older Southern traditions, Jessica's story is also a rallying cry for
women coming to terms with their trauma in order to find healing.
Sleeping with a Stranger is a testament to the power of healing-how we can heal our bodies, our
spirits, our relationships with others, and ultimately, ourselves. As Brian finally recovers, and Jessica
recognizes that she can never go back to the old script that so many women follow, they begin to
negotiate a new marriage and learn the greatest lesson of all: we can reclaim our true selves at any
time.
