Really liked this story on a topic that needs much more attention - male sexual assault. This book takes an unflinching look at the devastating effects of sexual assault on a whole family when Noah, age 20, is brutally raped by a man he meets at a bar.

The close-knit family’s constant support of and belief in Noah is welcome, and Noah’s feelings and reactions after the assault are believable and tough to read about. I really appreciated both the sensitivity and the frankness with which this story was approached.

The book is not just about a rape though….it’s about the criminal justice system…and what those you love might be willing to do for you to help you get any kind of “justice.” For awhile I worried about the direction the book was going and feared we would not get a satisfying ending…but hang in there. Wahrer delivers.

A satisfying, sensitive and socially conscious thriller that reads like a family drama, but with enough twists and mystery to satisfy this thriller fanatic. Four stars from me. Recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC!

I really loved this book!! It had so many twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next!! This was my first book by this Author, and it won’t be the last!! Quick read!! Highly recommended!! You won’t be disappointed!!

Nick Hall goes with his college roommates to a bar expecting to connect with Chris, a fellow student he is attracted to. When Chris doesn't show, he meets Josh, an older attractive man with whom he shares several drinks. They leave the bar and go to Josh's motel. Nick wakes up the next morning alone in the room bloodied and sexually violated. This begins a suspenseful story of family dynamics and sibling loyalty with an amazing twist at the end. The conclusion is satisfying, with only a slight tinge of discomfort with the result. Storytelling is shared by several narrators: Nick, Tony (his stepbrother), Julia (Tony's wife) and John Rice (a police detective).
It's a polished narrative shared amongst the narrators and split between two timelines: the time of the incident and several years later. It is an exceptionally good debut novel.
My thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for providing a complementary advance reading copy of the eBook of "The Damage" by Caitlin Wahrer for my review. The unsolicited comments about it are my own.

This was a solid psychological thriller. I really liked the plot, it was refreshing and I haven't seen many like it. I love the family drama dynamic, just a solid read. Highly recommended.

The Damage by Caitlin Wahrer was a fast paced debate novel that sucks you in from the beginning. This book was a quick ready even thought I tried to take my time, I could not put it down. Touches on family drama when the main character, Julia’s brother-in-law is attacked. This is a book that explores how far we would go to protect and stand up for our family.

The Damage by Caitlin Wahrer #jaylammreviews

I am blown away by this debut. There is such emotion in this novel, and we feel it on every page through every character. This contains heavy subject matter, including a sexual assault so please be aware this is not a light hearted story.

Police dramas/mysteries are quickly becoming one of my favorite genres. This had all that plus the family drama I love. I really liked how this story was told through three different perspectives- it is slowly unraveled and filled with intensity.

I listened to this on audio (mostly) and the narrator really does a great job bringing these characters to life.

I think this would make for a great book club selection- it has so much to discuss.

If you liked Long Bright River, Razorblade Tears, or Winter Counts you will enjoy this book.

The Damage by Caitlin Wahrer is a completely engrossing read that will hook from the start and keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada so much for this ecopy for review, It's not surprise to me that this was a Book of the Month club pick!! Wahrer delivers an excellent LGBTQ+ mystery thriller.

Wow wow wow. This is one of the most raw and emotionally enticing crime books I’ve ever read. This book follows the Hall family who’s life is thrown upside down when Nick is sexually assaulted one night by another man. Police, trauma, and the emotional bond between family during a difficult time are at the fore front of this book. I loved that this book told the story through paralleling POV’s while also the future when the cop on the case is dying of cancer and invites Julia to have a conversation. This book has so many interweaving story lines and Wahrer does a phenomenal job of pulling everything back together to give you the complete picture of what happened in the months that follows this horrific event. If you love mystery books then I highly recommend this one, I absolutely could not put it down! I would suggest looking up the trigger warnings before you pick it up!

This story that focuses on the aftermath of a family after one of its members is violently assaulted and raped. No one handles it well. The novel incorporates multiple timelines, something I usually don’t like, but I felt in this case it was well done. The characters and the story were well developed. Trigger warnings abound.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
Review of this novel will be posted soon.

Wow. What an amazing ride this book takes you on. I had to go back and check that it was a debut because wow. This story was so well written and I loved the characters. The way the book went between each character and even a jump back and forth in time was so seamless. Normally I really have to force myself to think who is telling which part, but the author does such a great job of giving each character their own voice it was so easy to follow. And wow that twist. Mind blown, twice! I can’t wait for more my this author!!

This one packed a punch! I loved the fact that brothers were the protagonists. I also love a small town drama so this was right up my alley. I didn’t expect to be so affected by the storyline, all the feels! A great read.

At first the topic of assault was hard to read when details were given. When Tony started having threatening thoughts, I was captivated by the story and couldn’t wait to find out more. I love how the chapters went back and forth between character’s viewpoints and also different years as it made reading quick paced. I naturally had my own theory about what happened in the book, but I was pleasantly surprised that I was wrong. This was cleverly and very well written!

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Canada for this copy of The Damage by Caitlin Wahrer.

The Damage is the story of what could happen to a family after something extremely violent is done to one of it's members. The family in question is the Hall family, Tony and Julia and Tony's brother, Nick. When Nick is raped after a night out everyone handles it differently but no one handles it very well at all. As time passes all three members of the Hall family find themselves losing who they once were prior to the rape. The question is, will they ever be able to get back to who they used to be?

The Damage was extremely well-written, bouncing from perspective to perspective, with each character telling bits and pieces of the story in turn. It was a very interesting way to read a story, with all of the pieces falliing into place as each character slowly processes their individual trauma and figures out how to get through it. There are some crazy twists that are very hard to see coming but the best thing about The Damage is that it brings to light the fact that men can also be raped, something that is talked about far less often than it should be. Bravo, Caitlin Wahrer for being brave enough to write about a topic that needs a larger platform and deserves to be understood better.

I don't usually like when the story bounces around the timeline or between characters. This one does both but so artfully and smoothly that I was able to follow the story and retain the details!

A terrible story of love, relationships, family and heartbreak, ruination and the failings of the justice system.

I'm so happy to have read this book!! I started sharing the title before I even finished reading it!

When his brother Nick is sexually assaulted, Tony goes into protection mode. He's always taken care of his brother, and he enlists his lawyer wife Julia to help make sure Nick gets justice. But justice doesn't seem like enough once Nick's attacker starts disputing the version of events. Instead, Tony starts thinking about revenge...

This book is on the darker, more emotional side of the thrillers I read. Although the rape scene is not shown in the text (a decision I wholeheartedly support), the book makes it clear how deeply the rape affects Nick, and his struggle is hard to read at times. You can feel his pain when he is accused of lying by his rapist and the media. It's definitely an important trigger to be aware of (and it's not a spoiler since it's included in the book's blurb).

We also get the perspectives of Tony and Julia, as well as the detective in charge of the case, both at the time after the attack and the present day. I liked how these varied perspectives and timelines filled out the story and made it clear how devastating this event was for Nick and his family. Nick and Julia harbor plenty of secrets and act in ways one might not expect - of course there are some plot twists to look out for!

If you like thrillers featuring family and can handle the darker subject matter, this is a twisty thriller that's hard to put down and has plenty of surprises up its sleeve (or should I say book jacket?)

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada/Doubleday Canada for my NetGalley ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review posted to Goodreads and Instagram on June 24, 2021.

Wow, this story was explosive with some amazing twists that I didn't see coming.

Tony has looked out for his brother Nick his whole life, and when Nick is attacked, Tony is hell bent on avenging and revenging.

Tony's wife Julia, whilst supporting her husband and wanting to help her brother in law, sees a different side to her husband, he has always been quick to temper but is this something more?

The writer has captured the importance of family and how in close families, when one person is hurt, the ripple effect is huge and impactful for many reasons.

For a debut, this story was impressive and had me hooked from the beginning, I would definitely read the next from the author.

I absolutely LOVED this book even though the subject matter of a male-on-male violent rape is difficult, but in the skilled hands of Caitlin Wahrer, it's a propulsive page-turner of strong family bonds and finding your own strength to overcome tragedy. It's best to just pick up this book and simply start reading and avoid any blurbs about it. The page-turning suspense of it all will be worth your time!

Told from various viewpoints at each chapter and every character pulls you deeper and deeper into the story and makes you crave the next clue to how this story and the mystery will unfold.

Nick and Tony's sibling relationship makes you root for them from the start along with Julia (Tony's wife and Nick's Sister-in-Law) a former defense lawyer who loves her family deeply and proudly.

THE DAMAGE shows you the rock-bottom depths of how violent crimes affect a victim but also gives you hope in how a person can regain their power. A page-turner to say the least and I will continue thinking of the Hall Family long after I read the last page. Plus, this is such a stellar, suspenseful and thrilling debut novel from Caitlin Wahrer and I want to read more books by her!!

Thank you for giving me an advance copy #PenguinRandomHouse and #NetGalley

The Damage is an intense read that takes a look at male to male sexual assault, which is just as prevalent, but way less addressed. It is handled in such a way that you can tell the author did her research and brings it across in a delicate way.

It is a slow burn, so don't go into it expecting full blown action, but the emotions invoked in this novel are real, raw and can be felt through the pages.

While the writing was strong, I felt I could not connect with any of the characters in the book. The characters fell flat for me and their motivations seemed forced. The shifting timelines did not serve the book well. While I can appreciate being left in suspense, I felt I had to wait too long for the reveals and I lost interest in what was happening in the pages in between.