Introduction

I was there. I saw what you did.

Blaise

I wasn’t supposed to be there that night, but my friend Sienna talked me into going to the party in Land’s End so she could spy on her boyfriend. While hiding out in the woods, we witnessed an unspeakable crime. And we did everything wrong afterward.

Connections run deep in our small town.

I was pressured into keeping my mouth shut, even though every part of me objected. I assumed I’d always do the right thing in any situation. I was wrong about that and a lot of other things.

I was wrecked by what I saw and how the victim was treated by kids I’d known all my life. I’ve been sick over it ever since, even as I moved on, far away from the town where I was raised.

Fourteen years later, I learn that the guy who committed that unspeakable crime is running for Congress, and something in me snaps.

I can’t bear the weight of that knowledge for another second.

Finally, I report what I saw, and all hell breaks loose for me and others who were at that long-ago party. Some of them will do whatever it takes to keep the truth from coming to light…even if they have to kill me.

In the midst of an epic battle, a new love gives me the strength to stay strong, to fight for my life and to right a terrible wrong.

Content warning: A sexual assault storyline may be upsetting to some readers.

Editorial Review

No Editorial Review Currently Available

Excerpt

“Hey, Mom.” After kicking off my sneakers, I drop my bag on the sofa. It’s got my laptop

and the heels I wear at the theater where I spend my days.

“I’m so glad you answered, sweetheart. I tried you yesterday but got your voicemail.”

I’ve told her—many times—I never check my voicemail and she should text me if she wants

to chat, but she’s never gotten the hang of texting. My siblings and I have tried to teach her. She

says she has a mental block. I say she couldn’t be bothered. “What’s going on?”

“Teagan is pregnant again.”

I’m shocked. My sister has four children under the age of seven. “Wow. Four wasn’t

enough?”

“I guess not. She’s so happy. I could hear it in her voice when she called to share the news.

Doug has a big new job that allows her stay home with the kids. She’s thrilled to be a full-time

mom now.”

“I’m glad for her. That’s a lot to juggle with a job.”

“It was too much, and the daycare bills were sucking up most of her salary anyway.”

“I’ll text her to say congrats.”

“I know she’d love to hear from you.”

I hear the sadness in my mother’s voice. How could I not? It’s been there since the day I left home and never looked back. My family has asked over the years why I never come home, even for holidays I used to enjoy. I haven’t been able to provide an answer that satisfies them. This is what works for me. Staying away from there, from the memories, has made it possible for me to have a life of purpose without guilt swallowing me whole.Since I left for college nearly thirteen years ago, I’ve been home once—when my father died suddenly.

I’ve always been certain that if I go back there for any length of time, my carefully

constructed house of cards will come crashing down.

My mother chats on about people I barely remember, kids I grew up with who are now

parents many times over, her friends’ grandchildren and other gossip from home.

“Was Ryder Elliott your year or Arlo’s?”

The bottom drops out of my world at the mention of that name.

Ryder Elliott.

“Blaise? Hello? Are you there?”

I swallow hard. “I’m here. What did you say?”

“Was Ryder your year? Or Arlo’s?”

All the spit in my mouth is gone, and I’m right back in the woods on the night that changed

everything. The scent of woodsmoke is forever tied to that night as is the Steve Miller song “Jet

Airliner.”

“I, uh, my year,” I somehow manage to say.

“He’s running for Congress. Can you believe that kids you went to school with are now

doing things like that?”

A roar overtakes me, so loud it drowns out every thought in my head. “No.”

“What? Did you say something, honey?”

I’m screaming to myself. No, no, no, no. He’s running for Congress? Oh no. No, he is not.

That cannot happen. Something about those words, he’s running for Congress, tips me over an edge I’ve hovered on for fourteen long years. I can’t stay there another second.

I remember every detail of that night as if it happened five minutes ago. It’s as vivid to me

now as it was then, unlike other things that’ve faded into the ether.

“Mom?”

“You’re scaring me, Blaise. What’s wrong?”

“I’m coming home. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

From the publisher:

1. Blaise thinks she’d always do the right thing in any situation—until something happens that causes her to question everything she believes about herself and others. Do you see Blaise as a sympathetic character? Why or why not?

2. The town of Hope is very much a “character” in this book, with ties running deep through generations of family and friends. When one of their own is accused of a heinous crime, people in town close ranks around him. Have you experienced this dynamic in your hometown or known of someone who has? What was it like for you or them?

3. In her note at the end, the author mentions that she debated whether to include Ryder’s point of view in the book. In the end, she decided she wanted to show how his life fell apart due to his actions years earlier. How did you feel about having his point of view reflected in the story?

4. Ryder’s brother Cam plays a central role in the story. He finds out early on that the accusations against his brother are true and like others, he does everything wrong after learning the truth. He goes so far as to sign an affidavit that sullies the reputation of the young woman who’s accused Ryder of rape. Later, we witness Cam's life spin out of control along with his brother’s, as a result of actions they took years earlier. Do you have empathy or anger toward Cam for what he did to protect his brother and their family?

5. Denise is minding her own business fourteen years after the night that changed her life when Houston Rafferty shows up at her door to tell her a witness has come forward who can back up her story. How do you think you would feel if something like that happened to you? Later, we learn that she and Blaise have become unlikely friends. If you were Denise, could you have become friends with Blaise?

6. Both Denise and Blaise are partnered with loving, supportive men. What difference do you think the characters of Kane and Jack made for each of the women and how did their love and support influence the outcomes for the women?

7. Houston Rafferty is in an unenviable position after Blaise comes forward as a witness to a crime that took place years earlier at his party. In addition, his brother signed the affidavit in support of Ryder all those years ago and stands to lose his reputation and livelihood if Houston pursues new charges against Ryder. Do you think Houston handled the case properly? What would you have done differently if you had been in his situation?

8. Dave Elliott crosses multiple lines in his misguided efforts to protect his son. Did you feel for him as a parent or were you disgusted by the things he did to “protect” Ryder?

9. Caroline Elliott is blindsided by the charges against her husband, especially after she learns he lied to her about whether he’d raped Denise. How did you feel about her actions after the truth comes to light, and what did you think of her new romance with Houston?

10. Sienna Elliott comes across as a bit selfish in the story, but she thought about what was best for Cam and his family from the minute she realized what Ryder had done. How important do you think the concept of loyalty is in a situation like this? Is she a hero or a villain in this story?

11. Have you ever witnessed a crime? If so, do you feel you did the right thing with the information? If you witnessed a crime like this one, with all the attending complications faced by Blaise and Sienna, what would you do? Keeping in mind, you’re seventeen years old and your friends are the center of your life as they are for most teenagers.

12. The Epilogue shows the main characters two years after the memorable day in court. What did you think of where they are now?

Weblinks

»	Author's website

Book Club Recommendations

Recommended to book clubs by 0 of 0 members.

Member Reviews

There are no user reviews at this time.
Rate this book