A Decade with Dave - by Ann J Graham (Paperback)

About the Book

An emotionally charged novel follows Josie's road to freedom. She rebuilds her life through education and sheer will.

Book Synopsis

She thought she'd found love. What she uncovered was a slow, suffocating prison.

In the haze of the 1970s, Josie is young, hopeful, and eager to build a future. When she meets Dave, his charm is disarming, his attention flattering. But what begins as affection soon curdles into control. Isolated from friends, broken down by manipulation, Josie struggles to reconcile the man she fell for with the one who now cages her spirit.

Each time she tries to escape, Dave reappears-repentant, generous, familiar. But kindness is only the bait. The cycle repeats, leaving Josie doubting her sanity, her strength, and even her worth.

Set against a backdrop where women's silence was often mistaken for consent, this intimate, emotionally charged novel follows Josie's long road to freedom. As she rebuilds her life for her and her two children, carving out a future through education and sheer will, she discovers what it means to reclaim identity and agency.

Raw, haunting, and ultimately hopeful, A Decade with Dave is a powerful exploration of coercive control, survival, and the quiet revolution of self-empowerment.

This is a must-read for anyone who has wondered about the why and how of an abusive relationship. Most importantly, how to get out of it. Ms. Graham writes with passion and weaves a story that is both compelling and heartbreaking. Find out the happy ending to her complex relationship. It's definitely worth the read!

Review Quotes

The author very cleverly and uniquely writes this story from the perspective of the victim and the abuser. She offers an interesting insight into the gradual dismantling of the character Josie, how she sinks into depths of despair as Dave's coercive, controlling and violent behaviour impact on her leaving her empty, a shell of her former self. People often ask in such situations 'why did she stay'. The author provides answers in this brilliantly written story. She also provides helpful insight into how the abuser might be thinking and feeling and what enabled her to leave. I recommend it universally and not only to people who are experiencing this type of abuse but for society as a whole. Any type of abuse is everyone's business!

I read this book on holiday and I couldn't put it down. Its difficult to understand why anyone would put themselves in a position of abuse, but this book shows how easy it is is when you are vulnerable and alone to be trapped in that same cycle of abuse. The author writes in an engaging way that brings her characters to life and the voice of the abuser and his narcissistic view is heard clearly throughout, giving a unique perspective on an abuser. A book well worth reading!

This is a must-read for anyone who has wondered about the why and how of an abusive relationship. Most importantly, how to get out of it. Ms. Graham writes with passion and weaves a story that is both compelling and heartbreaking. Find out the happy ending to her complex relationship. It's definitely worth the read!