After having two children and divorcing her husband, Mary finds herself raising her two boys alone, and living by the rule to never fall into a new relationship so quickly after one had ended. But her rule is broken when her childhood crush comes to crash on her couch. (Red flag number one.) As Mary and Rex grow closer, he emits all the classic signs of an abuser, love-bombing, isolating her from family, and moving her far away to the small town where his family resides. As his abuse gets worse, Mary learns more about herself and the inner strength she carries to save herself and her children. About the Author Mary A Stokes is a first-time author with a powerful story to tell. She loves photography, her dogs, and a good novel to read. She finds writing helps express the lessons she has learned, and as a good method to teach others in similar situations.