About this item
Highlights
- "...a gripping and emotionally charged exploration of trauma, guilt, and the unyielding strength of friendship.
- Author(s): Dianne C Braley
- 224 Pages
- Fiction + Literature Genres, Family Life
Description
Book Synopsis
"...a gripping and emotionally charged exploration of trauma, guilt, and the unyielding strength of friendship."-Anna David, NYT bestselling author/CEO, Legacy Launch Pad Publishing
"...a pulse-pounding recounting of how tragedy twists and shapes family, friendship, and life as we know it."-Taylor Higgins, International bestselling author of Between the Stitching
If someone you love was assaulted, abused, or was a victim of a crime-you are a secondary victim.
If the perpetrator is also someone you love, there are no words.
Madeline and Summer are more than best friends. They might as well be sisters; they've claimed the title, anyway-and sisters tell each other everything. But Summer has a secret she's been hiding for years. Someone's been hurting her, someone close, and when it comes out, it destroys everything around her with the force of dying stars.
Six years after the trial, Madeline is a haunted young woman trying to build a new life in Boston, but the guilt of her betrayal brings her to the brink of suicide. To let go of the past, Madeline must confront her father, mother, and all those involved with the trial that split her family apart-or continue her descent, finishing what she started to escape it.
Review Quotes
"THE SUMMER BEFORE is a gripping and emotionally charged exploration of trauma, guilt, and the unyielding strength of friendship. With the intensity of Kate Elizabeth Russell's My Dark Vanessa and a haunting complexity that lingers long after the last page, this novel offers a profoundly empathetic and thought-provoking examination of the aftermath of a harrowing experience and its far-reaching consequences."-Anna David, NYT bestselling author/CEO, Legacy Launch Pad Publishing
"Emotionally resonant and brimming with hope, The Summer Before is a pulse-pounding recounting of how tragedy twists and shapes family, friendship, and life as we know it."-Taylor Higgins, International bestselling author of Between the Stitching
"Masterfully crafted, The Summer Before is a poignant exploration into the repercussions of evil, even for those on the periphery of a crime. Part love story, part coming-of-age story, part legal thriller, Braley weaves a meaningful story of love, healing, and ultimately hope. An emotional page-turner I couldn't put down."-Suzanne Redfearn, #1 Amazon bestselling author of In an Instant
"The Summer Before gives readers a shocking and raw look at the devastation that is left in the wake of childhood trauma and abuse. When one woman takes a closer look at the complex details that caused her relationships to implode, she can finally face her existence built on a lifetime of lies and shame. With powerful writing, Braley gets everything right, from the smallest detail of the Jaws Bridge in Martha's Vineyard to exactly how guilt can bring you to your knees and not let you back up until you are ready to face the truth. A unique point of view on a gut-wrenching topic makes this book hard to put down and will stay with you long after you have read the last page."-Addison McKnight, Author of An Imperfect Plan and The Vineyard Remains