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Sometimes the Devil you know is worse than the Devil you don’t. That’s how Astrid Clarke views her family, especially her father, Richard Clarke. She knew her family was different. She heard her friends telling stories full of hugs, kisses, and encouraging words. That’s a far cry from Astrid’s world, and one she could only dream of. Growing tired of the constant abuse, Astrid decided to fight back. Determined to make a better life for herself, she rebels against her abusive parents, braving their punishments and threats. In doing so, she found a wellspring of inner strength she never thought she had and realized she would walk away from them unbroken.

My Review:

Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Warning: Abuse Triggers

Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2025

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Now that you have read my warning about Abuse Triggers, read my review. Sadly, much of this story reads as my own, except I was never rape as a child. If I was, then those are repressed memories, and at my age, I have no desire to remember them. The author writes of her myriad experiences growing up in abusive bad dysfunctional family settings. Her story is heartbreaking at best. The worst is unimaginable. I truly don’t understand how she lived through those years but happy she did. Her life changed with a good man for a husband and children and grandchildren. It comes full circle when they become foster parents to other kids who lived in broken, abusive homes.