Author: Brenda Youngerman

Publisher: Eloquent Books

ISBN: 978-1606931257

One day Wayne and Billy Foster’s mother is killed in a tragic car accident. Their father survives but he does not offer the two young boys comfort in their hour of need and instead drinks himself into being an angry, foul tempered man who shoos his sons away and lashes out.

Shortly after Wayne’s brother disappears without trace. Wayne cries for the loss of the two people he loved most in life but his father just tells him to “go to bed”. Wayne gradually learns that his brother is not coming home but he will not accept that he is gone for good. He must be somewhere.

Elsewhere another poor child by the name of Gwen is grieving for the way her mother once was. Nowadays she is an arrogant, irresponsible, selfish and sick-minded woman who doesn’t care about her daughter Gwen. She shoos her out of the house because  her mother, Alice, has a “special friend” coming round to entertain her and give her some highs.

Regretfully Gwen comes home early one day and is subject to rape. She pleads with Alice to help as some dirty scar-faced strangers starts to touch her. However Alice just laughs. What an ugly character Alice is - everything about her is loathsome. You ask yourself how can a mother just sit back and laugh as her daughter is molested and then raped? Thank goodness this is just a story.

Young Gwen grows up, as does Wayne, and pays the bills her mother forgets to pay. She wonders where all the money is going but even at such a young age Gwen realizes the money is going on drugs as she looks at her mothers arm, covered in track marks.

When a job is offered to her as a waitress, Gwen snaps it up and learns that there are people after all who are capable of love.

Later in this story love comes in to play a big part and draw these children together once and for all. A wedding, an article in the paper and desire equal an ending that will bring tears to your eyes.

This book sheds light on the world of abuse through a child’s eye. A very poignant read that spreads before you the issues of broken homes and child neglect. Not for the faint-hearted but never-the-less really, really enjoyable. An excellent novel by Youngerman that I loved. Will you?

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The above review was contributed by: Jessica Roberts:  Jessica is a book reviewer for a local newspaper and has reviewed for a national women's magazine too. She has had various articles published in magazines and has now completed her novel. Jessica currently lives in West Yorkshire and enjoys walking in the dales and woodlands as part of her hobby as well as, of course, reviewing books. To read more of Jessica's reviews  CLICK HERE