This is one of those books that makes me so thankful for Bookstagram. I hadn’t even heard of The Damage until Dennis @scaredstraightreads posted about it and shared that it was a READ NOW option on Netgalley. I decided to download it, read it right then and there and voila- it is now in my top five reads of this year.

This was such a powerful story that really looks at the trauma experienced after sexual assault and the damage that permeates to the family of the victim.

Nick is a young student at a University and goes out with his roommate to a bar, hoping to meet up with a guy he’s interested in. When his date never shows, a much older man approaches him and they have some drinks. Nick decides to leave with this handsome stranger, never anticipating what will come next. Nick wakes up in the hotel room bleeding and certain that he was raped. Upon returning home, his roommates insist on a visit to the hospital and a call to the police. As Nick tries to piece together the events from that evening, his older brother Tony is informed of what happened. Tony has always been his protector and just like any other time, he will make things right for Nick, even if that means taking matters into his own hands. But Tony’s wife is two steps ahead of him and knows the way his mind works. She has also been tested through this experience and learns just how far she’ll go to protect their family.

Wow!!! If you’re looking for your next five star read- this is it! This book is fast paced and the short chapters had me flying through the story. Just now once you start this one, you won’t be able to put it down. And you’ll be in suspense the entire time. I highly recommend this debut and I’ll be adding a physical copy to my shelf soon.

Thank you Netgalley and Pamela Dorman Books for this advance reading copy. This book is available 6/15/21.

The Damage is Caitlin Wahrer's debut novel - and I literally could not put it down.

"An edgy, propulsive read about what a family pushed to the brink will do in the name of love and blood."

Tony is more like a father to his younger brother Nick. When Nick is sexually assaulted, Tony sees red. Tony's wife Julia is the voice of reason - she's a lawyer and believes justice will be served in the court system. Detective Rice is the cop on the case and he too believes Nick will have his day in court.

Wahrer employs one of my all time favourite methods of storytelling - alternating past and present chapters. She takes us to 2015, the time of the assault and investigation. Each of the main characters - Tony, Julie, Nick and Rice have a voice, allowing the reader to know what everyone is feeling, thinking, planning - and hiding. The time frame then flips to 2019. Rice and Julia are the focus of these newer posts. Rice is not well and wants to know.....what really happened back then? Does Julia know what answers Rice is looking for?

There are so many layers to Wahrer's plot - the assault is tough to read about and will provoke many emotions for readers. We see the impact through the four different perspectives and how this affects each member of the family. Wahrer's depiction of the aftermath rings true. She herself is a lawyer and "has worked on cases involving some of the broad issues she writes about in The Damage". Her portrayal of the assault is respectful and seems to have been well researched. Social commentary is also scattered throughout and speaks to preconceptions.

Those feelings, emotions, actions and reactions drive the second part of the plot, the one that will keep you wondering. What really happened? Wahrer ekes out references, clues and hints along the way to the final pages. And the twist that awaits you at the end of the book is a really good one!

The Damage is a powerful debut, combining suspense, family ties, mental health, trauma and more into one addicting read. I can't wait to see what Wahrer writes next. Read an excerpt of The Damage.

Who else loved The Damage? Stephen King says "The Damage pulled me in from the first page with smart narration, characters I cared about, a hold-your-breath plot, and a terrific final twist. Put this one high on your summer list.

I loved this book. The characters were ones that I could like and dislike very easily. The story had some twists but overall it was very believable. Once I started it, I read it in almost one sitting. I would recommend this book to others who like a good mystery or suspense novel.

When a man is brutally raped and beaten, his family is uncertain how they can help. Catching the suspect is not the issue. It is the long, tedious, and uncertain justice system as well as the psychological damage both to the victim and his family members as they attempt to put their lives back together.

This is a story of love, family, respect, betrayal, revenge and moving forward after trauma. The story is told in both the present where a dark secret is being exposed, as well as in the past when the incidents take place.

This is a perfect fit for psychological thriller lovers that pray for that plot twist in the end. There are more than a few in this story.

Thanks to NetGalley, the Author and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review this story.

The Damage by Caitlin Wahrer
Publication Date: June 15, 2021
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Description from NetGalley…
“Tony has always looked out for his younger brother, Nick. So when he is called to a hospital bed where Nick is lying battered and bruised after a violent sexual assault, his protective instincts flare and a white-hot rage begins to build.
 
As a small-town New England lawyer, Tony’s wife, Julia, has cases involving kids all the time. When Detective Rice gets assigned to this one, Julia feels Nick is in good hands. Especially because she senses that Rice, too, understands how things can quickly get complicated. Very complicated.
 
After all, one moment Nick was having a drink with a handsome stranger; the next, he was at the center of an investigation threatening to tear not only him but his entire family apart. And now his attacker, out on bail, is disputing Nick’s version of what happened.

As Julia tries to help her brother-in-law, she sees Tony’s desire for revenge—to fix things for Nick—getting out of control. Tony is starting to scare her. And before long, she finds herself asking: Does she really know what her husband is capable of?  Or of what she herself is?”
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Thank you to @netgalley @penguinrandomhouseca @doubledayca for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts…
Good ending. Let me start with this blurb from Stephen King: “The Damage pulled me in from the first page with smart narration, characters I cared about, a hold-your-breath plot, and a terrific final twist. Put this one high on your summer list.” If that is good enough for you, then you don’t need to read my review. Because, I don’t completely agree. The book started off well, I was curious where it was going to go with four POVs. However, the theme of who was lying and who was not, became so onerous and quite prolonged. The story of a gay man being raped was sensitively handled, and the impact after the incident on him and his family was portrayed well. The ending was also good but, getting there was a lot of work and held no interest for me. I got the gist by reading the first quarter and the last quarter of the book. Because, it was just slow and the back and forth narratives between the crime, police procedural and the family saga was awkward, choppy and really slow.

This book was exactly what I was hoping for! It is mostly a domestic drama and follows a family after the violent sexual assault of Nick, a young gay man. The majority of the story is on Nick and his family as the deal with the emotional repercussions of this, as well as the legalities of the court battle. The rest of the story is what I would call a mild mystery--we start off four years after the sexual assault when the Detective on the case contacts Julia, Nick's sister-in-law, and it quickly becomes clear that there is something more to the story than what we can see on the surface.

The story is primarily character-driven, focusing on the family and how far someone will go for a person they love, but there is just enough mystery and twists to keep a mystery/thriller reader like me turning the pages. Some parts of the mystery were a little predictable, but the strength of the characters redeems everything in the end. Julia was unexpectedly one of my favorite characters--her husband, Tony, is Nick's older brother, and Tony's overwhelming desire to protect Nick puts a significant strain on Julia and the rest of the family.

Don't go into this one looking for a mystery/thriller, but it is absolutely perfect for someone that loves both mysteries and character-driven contemporary fiction.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5

*eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Can't read this on my KIndle device, so I can't provide a review. It sounds like it would be a good read.. Gooba blah do blah to the doda gooba do da. Nix blat dos the neen por lap cat pal down trailer eaves left dooda gooba da da.

The Damage was a quick read, and I liked it very much, although it could have probably been a bit shorter. I liked getting to know the characters, and I really found myself wanting to know what happened. I'll definitely be looking for more from this author in the future!

Review posted on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/

A Close-Knit Family. A Violent Assault. The Aftermath.

Though they are brothers, Tony has been like a father to Nick. Seventeen years apart, Tony has taken care of Nick for most of his life, having basically raised him with his wife, Julia.

The night Nick is assaulted by another man in a hotel room everything changes. A police report is filed and an investigation ensues.

Torn apart by it all, yet having to go on, day by day, Nick has to face “The Damage” that has been done.

Tony is distraught. His baby brother is hurting and he wants revenge. Julia’s family has been destroyed. A former defense attorney, she must figure out how to fix “The Damage” before it’s too late.

This is thought-provoking, brilliantly written, character-driven fiction that made me think about actions and consequences, “The Damage” is a stellar debut by Caitlin Wahrer. The fact that this is a debut novel blows my mind. If only all books were this good, I’d be a very happy camper.

“The Damage” is a mix of genres. It’s both general fiction and mystery/suspense. It’s also got one of the best character-driven plots I’ve read all year long and will be on my Goodreads best-of-list for 2021. If it’s not on your tbr, you’re missing out!

A buddy read with Kaceey that left us both reeling.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada - Doubleday Canada and Caitlin Wahrer for the arc.

Published on Goodreads, Instagram and Twitter.

Thank you for the ARC! There is a reason this book is being talked about everywhere! It's GREAT! I ordered a hard copy of the book because I know it will be a re-read for me!

Sometimes you find a book which hits you in your feels, and shocks you to your core but that in its execution just doesn't work for you. That's <b>The Damage</b> for me.

I didn't read what this book was about because I saw it recommended on Bookstagram and decided to check it out without reading a synopsis.

I'm happy I didn't, because part of my shock was what the book is about. If you don't want to know, skip this section, but to be honest it's in the synopsis so if you're reading a review you're probably already aware.

This novel is about a family. The protective Tony, his little brother Nick and Tony's wife the former lawyer Julia. One night Nick goes out to a bar with friends and meets a handsome stranger. The morning after he wakes up battered and bruised with no memory of the sexual assault.

What follows is the investigation of this crime by a detective, this process describes all the difficulties and frustrations of a sexual assault case and the disintegration of the family who is trying to cope with all the events.

I applaud the author for writing a book with such hard-hitting content in what I think a very mindful way. What I didn't like has nothing to do with the content.

The pacing felt off for me. It's a mix between a procedural and a thriller, but I wasn't really thrilled. The twists, if you can even call them that, can be anticipated 100 pages before. I'm almost ashamed to admit it, so keep in mind it wasn't content related because I really felt for the characters, but I was bored during the middle 200 pages.

Taking into consideration this is Caitlin Wahrer's first novel and she tackles such a difficult topic, I do think it deserves 3 stars and I'm looking forward to see what she writes next.

What started as a seemingly benign evening out with friends turned into a night of humiliation, pain and a drastic shift in the future of young Nick. His family stands with him - his protective older brother shielding him as he moves into a life of court appearances, shame, self-discovery and healing. Will this family be able to heal from the wounds inflicted? Or will the events cause them to spiral down to an unspeakable place?

I really enjoyed reading this book. With my experience in Canadian Criminal Law and association with victims for similar crimes, I felt that Nick's feelings after the assault were accurate and believable. Even moreso, I understand the motivation and rage in Tony after seeing his brother violated in such a way.

Caitlin writes the story in two ways: third person POV from multiple perspectives set in 2015 around the time of the unfortunate events; and third person POV from Rice and Julia's perspectives in a conversation years later. Typically this interaction feels stilted, but I felt this cause appropriate redirection in the plot. It causes the reader to assume one thing, and as things progress this idea is flipped on its head to reveal a completely different plot.

I was a bit afraid that this would turn into a typical crime genre trope - someone commits a crime, detective gets case, evidence is found, perpetrator is apprehended after a few stereotypical interactions; however, this plot keeps you guessing. When you think you've figured it out, it changes again and you're running down a different assumption.

The author fleshed out her characters and their motivations well. The small bits of backstory she provides gives you a more complete picture of who they were and where they came from. I enjoyed the fact that the characters weren't TOO perfect - each had flaws that were either very obvious, or subtle to emphasize certain aspects of their motivations.

The author leaves the conclusion as a less-than-concrete finish, leaving the reader to guess what occurs without real proof that it happens.

This was a very well thought out and written novel. I'd be interested to read more of her work.

I was fortunate to get an ARC from Net Galley. I found it was a page turner that really propelled you through the book. Nick is sexually assaulted and the story alternates between the perspectives of Nick, his brother, his sister-in-law and the Detective who investigated the assault.
It also goes back and forth between the time of the assault and a number of years in the future. I though I knew what was happening but there was an unexpected twist. I think it was realistic in portraying everyone’s reactions to the assault. I found it a quick, exciting read.

A page-turning read that will have you second guessing what you thought you knew about the characters and the justice system! Caitlin Wahrer hooked me from the start with her intriguing characters, their imperfect relationships, and their complicated pasts. I loved Nick and Tony and their father-son like relationship right from the start, but Detective Rice and Julia's relationship surprised me (in a good way - the kind of surprise you'd expect from a suspense novel). I sure hope Caitlin has more books planned. I'd read them in a heartbeat! (Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC.)

I am sorry, but this is not a book I want to read any more. I have read 10% of it. It is about a young man (20) who is date raped by an older man.

This has made me feel physically ill. I don't want to read any more. I have had enough.

The Damage alternates chapters between 2015 when a young guy is sexually assaulted and 2019. In 2019, his sister-in-law and the detective in the case meet to talk.
Suspenseful! Especially because you wonder what happened after the assault and why the detective wants to see the sister-in-law.
This is Wahrer's debut novel. I hope she writes more, I'm certain to read them.
Many thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel.

This was a tough story - a very emotionally tough tale. There's a rape. And the 20 year old man who was raped is not spared the indignity of the doubt, the wonder of how many drinks, of consent. It's tough to read. Tough to go through the court system and the wonders and doubts from the family.

The mystery to it starts later, probably half way in to the book. It's compelling, this reverse of the typical story and I appreciated the change, even if it still broke my heart. The reverberating pain the family goes through when a loved one is attacked is just difficult to read page after page.

But the mystery was solid, definitely kept me wondering what all had gone down. If I hadn't been so emotionally wrapped up with Nick, I might have guessed some turns but I didn't and I appreciated the well written plot that kept me hooked. This is a solid, well written debut. I will definitely keep an eye out for more from this author!

<i>A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.</i>

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Nick and Tony are brothers, but being seventeen years apart, Tony has been more of a father figure to Nick than a brother, especially since their dad is an abusive alcoholic. Nick is a gay college student, and after being sexually assaulted and ending up in the hospital, he presses charges against the man who put him there.

There is so much to take in with this novel and I don’t want to spoil it, but it’s essentially a book that explores what you would do to protect those you love. I had flashbacks to when I read Know My Name and how angry and sad I felt, and while this is a fictional account, I had similar thoughts, especially given the public speculation towards a male victim. I loved the family dynamics with Nick, Tony and his wife Julia, and how fiercely they loved and looked out for each other. The Damage is part family drama and part crime fiction, it’s traumatic and suspenseful, and it’s an excellent debut. I look forward to more from this author.
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I've heard such great things about this book but I was unable to read it in the format offered, the Netgalley shelf app books are too small of print for me to read and the app does not allow you to enlarge the font. I'm bummed they didn't allow readers to send this one to Kindle like most of the other books offered.

This book was ... ok.
Unfortunately its not the kind of book I will probably recommend, or remember much.
It feels like the kind of book I may pick up in a few months and ask myself if I've read it already.
It was easy to follow despite multiple viewpoints and timelines, but nothing really happens.
There is a crime, and nothing else, the chapters tease a big twist, constantly hinting to a major "oh my god" moment, but then there isn't one.