Synopsis
This book is about That Girl…
The girl who leaves behind her past, including her name; runs away from home and vows to never let another identity claim her again. Broken dreams, an abusive step-dad and ugly memories from her childhood are the only shattered remnants that have the ability to haunt her.
With no money, an endless blank slate laying ahead of her and no hopes for the future, she sets out to survive at minimum wage jobs, moving from town to town, changing her name with each move, and never allowing glimpses of her past to threaten her empty future.
Average in every way, from her looks to her personality and even her style, there is not much to remember about her. When she abandons one town for another, she leaves behind her fake identity in the search of the next one, while leaving people asking themselves, “I wonder what ever became of that girl.”
This was her reality until Lincoln Wilks.
The number one defensive football player in Fort Collins who finally names That Girl.
The girl who leaves behind her past, including her name; runs away from home and vows to never let another identity claim her again. Broken dreams, an abusive step-dad and ugly memories from her childhood are the only shattered remnants that have the ability to haunt her.
With no money, an endless blank slate laying ahead of her and no hopes for the future, she sets out to survive at minimum wage jobs, moving from town to town, changing her name with each move, and never allowing glimpses of her past to threaten her empty future.
Average in every way, from her looks to her personality and even her style, there is not much to remember about her. When she abandons one town for another, she leaves behind her fake identity in the search of the next one, while leaving people asking themselves, “I wonder what ever became of that girl.”
This was her reality until Lincoln Wilks.
The number one defensive football player in Fort Collins who finally names That Girl.
Review
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About the
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Twitter: hjbellus
Amy's Review--->
4.5 stars
I’m an emotional train wreck after reading this beautiful story. “I’ll take an empty future any day over living one more minute in this filth and trash I now call my life.” You talk about an all commanding declaration. This story is for WOMEN who have suffered through abuse, hate and being made to feel small and insignificant. Some of the details of That Girl’s past in the book might be too much for a younger reader but in the same sense I have a hard time not encouraging a mother to read it with her daughter in hopes of creating a sense of survival under any circumstances.
That Girl had been planning to run the minute she turned 18 along with her best friend Jazzy. When Jazzy becomes unable to leave That Girl realizes she is on her own. She gets some sound advice from Old Man, Jazzy’s father, who has protected her as best as he could from the grim and evil that scars her. Scars suffered from the hands of her own mother and various boyfriends. One identity will never claim her again. No one will come looking for her, no one will care. She will never be claimed again and one particular person; just That Girl. Broken dreams, an abusive step-dad and ugly memories from her childhood are the only shattered remnants that have the ability to haunt her but not if she loses that identity.
That Girl holds no hopes for the future, for she is a nobody; not a good person and certainly not a person deserving of anyone’s affection or care. Her scars prove that. Surviving on minimum wage jobs, moving from town to town, and changing her name with each move, allows That Girl to never look back and to keep running further away from who where she came from. Only the nightmares that plague her take her back. Those she encounters along the way can see she is a “runner.” They don’t tempt her to stay until Lincoln Wilks pushes his way into her life.
Lincoln Wilks is the number one defensive football player in Denver. He knows That Girl “Oakley Ann” as he calls her is not telling her true story. Yet he accepts her for who she is and desperately wants to take the pain away. Pain that lies deeper than her scars. Lincoln will do anything and everything in his power to keep the one woman he cannot live without from running. Without her, nothing he has accomplished means anything for Lincoln himself is broken in his own way.
The ending will bring you to your knees. Im in complete book hang over.
This is such a powerful story. I know I keep reiterating that but I cannot pound that into this review enough. I was absolutely honored to read it. I have not read any other books by this author but I certainly will now. H. J. Bellus put a story out there that women and young adult girls should flock to read.
There are a few intimate scenes with Lincoln (I don’t want to add spoilers) but again these can be handled with adult conversation as they are not racy or erotic. The scenes depict acceptance and unconditional love showing the distance that true emotions can travel. The story also includes Lincoln encouraging Oakley to “wait until she is ready “ and that he would NEVER force her to do anything she was not emotionally ready for.
Acceptance and love for whom you are; taking the bad, the worst and the wounds to the soul. Different sides of the tracks and seeing someone through the darkness – absolutely magnificent. I stand and applaud you H. J. Bellus. Phenomenal writing phenomenal story.
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