"Stacey Woods has been raped and now she has to go through a different ordeal - the court trial. But nothing in life it seems is black and white and life is not always fair or just. Suddenly it seems that she may not be believed and that the man who attacked her may be found not guilty . . . if so Stacey will ned to find a way to rebuild her life again . . ."The second book in this series has been just, if not more, poignant than the first.
Overall Stacey is shown as a strong character rather than being seen as a victim and ultimately becomes empowered by the court process; immaterial of the actual outcome. It was great to see her maturing through the course of the book. Her strength in adversity and ability to see her quest for justice through to the end is empowering and endearing.
The court proceedings are relatively true to life and the inclusion of detailed contact information for a number of helpful organisations who offer advice, support, counselling, advocacy, and legal services for anyone affected by rape or sexual assault shows a desire to empower and equip survivors with the tools they require to rebuild their lives.
Whilst frustrating to witness, Stacey’s clouded judgement when it comes to Harry and her belief he was in someway also a victim of his older brother seems like a normal human reaction. Understandably it seems better for her to believe he was not a willing player in Marty’s devious plans.
Before I started reading this book, I assumed that it would be a somewhat harrowing and unsettling read; but I can honestly say that I finished it feeling uplifted, both by Stacey’s decisions to restart her life and not let her experiences define her future, and by the positive support network surrounding her.
There’s a good turnaround in this story that will bring a tear to your eye.
I’ve sat and read book 1 and book 2 today.
Age Rating 15+. Like the first adult content and more harrowing.
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