Maryanne Torres is a compassionate nurse who fails at relationships. After a string of losers, she swears off premarital sex, hoping to land a marrying type of man.
Lucas Knight, a law-school dropout, moves to California to train for the Ironman Triathlon. He's smart, sweet, and everything Maryanne wants in a man, but their relationship suffers from his dedication to the sport. Seeking consolation in the arms of a handsome preacher's son, Maryanne attends a church party where she is raped.
Maryanne is pregnant from the rape and plans to abort. But the identity of her rapist is hidden in her baby's DNA. Lucas asks Maryanne to seek alternatives and pledges to support her through the pregnancy. When Lucas becomes the prime suspect, Maryanne must clear his name and make a life changing decision.
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Book Review
This makes the third time this month I've read a book touching on the topic of Abortion. However the topic of rape and abortion together, ya it's a first. The story Mrs. Ayala told of a young nurse Maryanne and her decisions/life following this traumatic event can only be described as realistic. As I have said so many times before, a persons current circumstances leads to there current choices. Was their choice right? It was right for them! Ok now ill get off my soap box.
This is Maryanne's story an oh boy what a story it is. Maryanne is a nurse who while out one night her drink was drugged. This whole scene I just heard my moms voice "if you leave/put your drink down don't drink it again", smh. Waking the next morning in a daze she comes to the realization she was raped. At this point in the book my heart broke for Maryanne, and the choice she now was faced with in her life.
Let me stop to talk about the men in her life for a moment. Lucas is the handsome ironman triathlon athlete. He is sexy, funny and charming. Yup he seems like the total package. But he lets his training/job interfere with their relationship and MaryAnne seeks comfort from someone else. She goes right into the arms of the preachers son. The ironic thing to me about this story was she was RAPED at a CHURCH PARTY! But hey i guess the last thing on a Rapists mind is his choice in venue.
As this story plays out Maryanne finds out she is pregnant as a result of the rape. CHOICES....DECISIONS...well Maryann chose ABORTION with the hopes of forgetting. The only problem is how will the police ever find the rapist if the baby dies. Ok I'm going to stop for a moment and get on my medical soap box. DNA.... As I read the scenes revolving around the rape, I was screaming umm where is the rape kit! Nope no rape kit, SMH. So once again if the baby dies so does the DNA of the rapist.
The course of events following the rape were pretty intense for all parties involved. SECRETS, DANGER and LOVE are a lethal combination. Maryanne's world continues to be turned upside down when Lucas is blamed for her rape. Nope you heard me right. But it gets better her Rapist offers her an off shore abortion (illegal ofcourse) to destroy any evidence. At this point in the book I fell in love with Lucas character. His fight to save Maryann and the baby was heart wrenching. Will he make it in time to save them? And if he does will there relationship survive the fallout of secrets between them? I'm going to just stop to say for a man to be willing to raise and love another mans child is RARE, especially considering the circumstances. This in my book equals a GOODMAN! Of course as you continue to read you find out Lucas has his own issues with abortion (nope not giving it away read the book).
I liked this book. Though the storyline was a great one,this read was a little choppy for me. This book alternated for me from being slow, to gripping/intense, to slow etc.. You guys know how much I love an emotional read,but this one didn't keep my attention throughout the whole book liked I hoped it would. Also the doctor in me is still screaming and smh were is the rape kit, lol.
Good job Mrs. Ayala. You touched on some very sensitive topics that face women daily.
Book Rating: 3.5 stars/C
Cheers,
Dr. Books
http://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Under-Her-Heart-ebook/dp/B00B0YBI92
http://www.rachelleayala.com/
Hi Dr! Thanks for the review. The rape kit was offered, but many victims, especially if they're not sure, are in denial. She was also a nurse and knew the people at the hospital, so the embarrassment of being stripped down, prodded, poked, measured, and photographed by her colleagues, plus the fact that being drugged left her judgment-impaired caused her to go into denial. She reasoned that she was with the pastor's son and nothing could have happened and had a explanation in her mind, that she'd thrown up on her clothing and someone showered her and changed her into someone else's clothes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading my book and making that lovely collage!