The Road To After

Just finished reading this book… Written in verse and narrated from 11-year-old Lacey’s perspective, it is the story of Lacey, her younger sister Jenna and their mother as they break the shackles of domestic violence and start life anew. What I really liked was that the focus was on the ‘after’ – filled with hope but scarred at the same time, as the family tries to rebuild their lives away from the shadows of the abusive father.

From the comfort of my home and surrounded by my loved ones as I followed the journey of Lacey and her family, I realized that abuse isn’t always physical, and trauma has far-reaching repercussions. The reality of the situation struck me hard as I read the author’s note. The story is based on the Rebekah Lowell’s own experiences as a survivor of over a decade of domestic abuse. The layers of complex emotions suddenly became very real. What an impressive book of courage and hope! Thank you @rebekahlowell for sending this book out into the world!