🍁 The Damage 🍁

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Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinrandomca for this E-ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Damage is out on 6/15!

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The Damage is a smart, heavy, and gripping novel about sexual assault and the aftershocks it sends through the victim and his family. How far do you go to protect your family? What is the cost?

Guys, this is a hell of a debut. Caitlin's writing is so smooth and seamless, I would pull my phone out in free moments at work to sneak in a page or two and find myself having finished eighty instead. Only the dialogue and pacing betray the debut-factor, and even those are 99% well-executed.

This was a powerful and uncomfortable read, and honestly, that was the point. I finished the story and felt unsettled at the characters, their actions, and the repercussions (for reasons I can't explain without spoiling the story.) I spent this whole novel stressed and sad, but it's one of those stories that I know I'm still going to be thinking about for a long time to come. I am very excited to see what this author puts out next!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This review was cross-posted to Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/p/CP5qoIrrNir/) and Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4038919089?book_show_action=false).

Very gripping right from the beginning. Such an disturbing topic a gay male lured and abused during a night of drinking. Although the story is sad, it is written very informatively and unfolds with excellent flow. The family, Nick, Tony and Julia share a very deep bond and lean on each other throughout the story.
Would definitely recommend.

SNL’s “Murder Show” skit recently ran across my social media feeds again and I feel a bit targeted! Just kidding, but as someone who falls asleep to Law & Order SVU and/or Cold Case Murders, I’ve been drawn into the ever expanding literary trend of domestic suspense thriller, a kind of procedural crime drama in novel form. With the popularity of Gone Girl, Girl on the Train, A Simple Favour, this genre is expanding every year. The Damage is a truly gripping debut by Caitlin Wahrer. I couldn’t put this book down, I was so drawn into the story. I appreciated a new perspective with a storyline that explored the narrative of a gay victim without trivializing or exploiting his sexuality.

When Nick, a 20-year-old man, is raped, his life is forever changed. In this debut novel by Caitlin Wahrer, we see how such a horrific event affects not only the victim, but the people around them as well. There's Tony, who raised Nick when his alcoholic parents couldn't. Tony's wife Julia, who loves Nick like a brother. Even Detective Rice, who is in charge of the case, becomes entwined in their life.

This novel is a slow burn. The narration is brilliantly told from different points of view. The story is gripping, for sure, but it's the way it is developed that I loved so much. I didn't want to put the book down. The story flowed so well, it kept me wanting more. My favourite book of the year!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC. I offer my review willingly.

When a small-town family is pushed to the brink, how far will they go to protect one of their own?

Where do I start? I absolutely LOVED this book. Caitlin Wahrer has a unique writing style that will have you begging for one more chapter early on. I literally COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN.

Sexual Assault will always be a difficult topic. The Damage was an intense novel that goes in depth on male sexual assault. Wahrer, was able to delicately narrate this subject all while creating an incredible thriller. The Damage is narrated through dual time zones, 2015 when that assault took place to 2019 present day.

This was a powerful read and not for the faint of heart as it definitely tells a heartbreaking story. I would highly recommend this novel to friends and family and it was an honor to be given the opportunity to read and review prior to the release date.

This is the second book in a week that I’ve read that tackles male sexual assault, and while I hate this happens, as mentioned before, it absolutely does, and I’m here for authors showing that this does not just happen to women.

This is a slow burn mystery/thriller that still had me finishing in less than a day. Let me say this is one HEAVY book, so just be aware there are all the triggers.

If you know me, you know I scrutinize books that depict the criminal justice system, and with a sex crime, I had to speak to my sex crimes detective husband throughout this one. Let me say that Wahrer did a superb job in showing how sexual assault cases are handled and the devastating impact these crimes have on the victim and their families. This novel is going to make you mad and you’re going to want to do all you can to wish this didn’t happen to Nick and make him better. I love how the author not only showed the psychological impact of the crime, but how it stretches into devastating effects for all relationships surrounding the victim as well.

This book ended on a conclusion that I didn’t see coming but can say I was 100% happy with.

VERDICT - 4 STARS

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC,

I really enjoyed this debut novel by Caitlin Wahrer. Told from several points of view, this novel is very well-written (yet succinct enough) and managed to keep me enthralled. It got me really invested in all the main characters - which is rare for thrillers and mystery novels. It explores the effects of a traumatic event on both the victim and the family while masterfully demonstrating what a family pushed to the brink will do in the name of love. While I had my guesses as to the twist, I was still made to second-guess myself which really speaks to the great writing.

I look forward to reading more from Caitlin Wahrer in the future!

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Damage by Caitlin Wahrer is a compelling debut novel that will have you contemplating moral gray areas and where the line is defining right and wrong.

What I Loved

I loved that the story did not require even a moment of suspended disbelief. I'm so used to reading rather fun but outrageous plots that this story, with its plausible plot, is like a breath of fresh air. It also makes the novel even more tragic, though, as I had to acknowledge that this case could genuinely happen and does with more frequency than the general public is even aware.

The character development is deep and layered, portraying a family of tragically sympathetic characters to whom I found myself immediately drawn. Nick Hall is the victim of a crime he doesn't recollect because the perpetrator knocked him out. His sister-in-law Julia is a lawyer who often finds herself the voice of reason for Nick and Tony, her husband and Nick's brother. And Tony is the protector who feels he must correct all the wrongs that happen to every family member. Scarred by his father's abuse, he is often his own worst enemy but has a heart of gold. They work together to get through a terrible ordeal that will forever change them.

I enjoyed the ending with its shocking twist that took me by surprise but is in keeping with the characters' personalities and the realistic plot. The implications of the conclusion are far-reaching and explore the murky grey areas of morality that will prompt many discussions among readers.

I appreciated how male-to-male sexual assault and the mental health issues that come as a consequence are all handled. It's covered in a sensitive way that shows respect to readers and the characters. There is not much detail provided about the assault itself, and it isn't needed. And the mental health issues that arise are handled responsibly utilizing counseling and behavioral health departments and centers.

To Read or Not to Read

If you love psychological thrillers, you will love this refreshingly real thriller by debut author Caitlin Wahrer.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this opportunity to read this book.
It took me 10 days to read this book as the subjectnis disturbing.
A young college/university student is at a bar waiting to meet up with an acquaintance and another man comes in and sits beside Nick and Nick leaves with him. The next day Nick is beaten and tramuatized.
Nick's brother dosen't take too well with what happened to his brother and wants to make the perp pay.
How far would you or any one go to protect your family? Would you do something illegal? That is the question(s) that go through Tony's wifes' head.
Thank you again NetGalley and Caitlin Wahrer.

This book was well written and I really liked the fact that the author has dealt with similar cases tho those dealt with in the book. Some parts of the book made me cry and were difficult to read.

4.5 !! This was soooo good on so many levels. We have the focal point of the story hinging on a rape happening within the gay community, bringing awareness to this issue that is often not talked about.

We then follow the aftershocks this rape has on the victim and his family as they navigate the very imperfect justice system. Our characters come to realize they are capable of things they never thought possible when everything they know is threatened. I loved seeing these characters grapple with their instincts and decisions when they realize how closely tied their lives are to those they love.


This did drag a bit at some points but never enough to make me lose interest. This is very much a literary thriller, much in the same vein as Long Bright River, so it is understandable that this was a little slower paced. All in all, this was an amazing debut and I will definitely keep an eye out for whatever this author puts out next.

This is a must read of the summer if sexual assault content warnings are okay for you. This book had me from the first chapter and never let me go. It is a little longer than some thrillers, but has very short readable chapters- I highly recommend!

Rating: 3.9 / 5

**Received ARC from Netgalley for honest review.**

This is not usually something that I say for a book of this genre, but basically I like the point that it makes more than the story itself. For a thriller/mystery, that's something really rare to say, and I'm not sure if it isn't a first for me, as I usually reserve that kind of interpretation for purely literary fiction. You know, for something like 1984 or Frankenstein--even if you hate the story, the characters, and so on, you can still respect the message that the novel is trying to communicate, so you can still give it some credit even if you hate it.

Now, "hate" isn't my position with this book in terms of story or anything else, but it would be dishonest to say that anything really captivated me, either about the story or the characters.

No, it's the point of the story that I feel deserves a higher-end rating, especially considering how rare it is to find that in this genre.

Basically, the story is that Nick Hall was sexually assaulted, and the story centres around him, his brother Tony, and his sister-in-law Julia, and how they plan to move past this event in their lives, and, yes, prosecute for it. The angle of a male being sexually assaulted is interesting and original enough in the context of a story--not something I've seen done often, so points for that. But then, the way that the author treats this experience is so genuine and so raw, that the exposure to the stigma of society in what it is like to associate rape as happening to a man is something that goes above and beyond in terms of making an impact. The stigma is not only addressed, but the stresses and struggles with it are also recognized.

Everyone, I am sure, already knows about the reluctance to report sexual crimes, in part because of the embarrassment associated with these crimes and in part because of the guilt associated by the victims. Surprisingly though, this is the first book that made me wonder what it is about sexual crimes that makes them so much more taboo than regular crimes--after all, wouldn't you think that aggravated assault is worse than sexual assault and should be treated as such?

And then it hit me why this is the case, that sexual crimes are worse: because, unlike beating someone up, which everyone can easily associate as being a sick and twisted thing, everyone has sex and a lot of people even have unconventional/taboo/etc. sexual fantasies, so it's far closer to home to think of a sexual assault. People don't want to hurt others on a daily basis, but people do want to have sex on a daily basis, so connecting that to crime is an uncomfortable thing for most people. Put into that the additional stigma and double standard of men "being strong enough to fight back" and you've got the added guilt on Nick's behalf of feeling that he should have been able to do something again.

Granted, I absolutely loathe and abhor this "maybe it was my fault" mentality that society and circumstance forces people into, creating blurred lines between what's consensual and what's not when it's more politics than actual consent that's being played in court, BUT, putting that in the perspective of a young and healthy male, I can see where the problem is further complicated. Add to this the fact that there is the additional connection to what some people think and associate to the LGBTQ+ community, and you've got Nick in a...pardon my English, but a pretty fucked up situation.

It's not easy, and adding in the concerns and overpowering insistence of Tony and Julia into the mix, and you've got for yourself a novel more about the messages concerning these things than about an actual mystery-thriller.

That being said, for those messages alone and how they're handled, I'm giving this book an overall high-end rating. It's not at all the story that I was expecting and, in terms of mystery-thriller standards it did not succeed well for me, but that doesn't mean that it's not a good read regardless and...yeah, I'll just leave it at that. Try it out if you're so inclined--there's good stuff in here, for sure!

"This will be the moment you will always identify as the one from which there is no turning back."

Tony has pretty much raised his half brother Nick since he was a small boy. The pair are close. When Nick calls Tony from the hospital to tell him he was physically and sexually assaulted, Tony is angry and looking for revenge. Julia, Tony's wife and former defense attorney wants to help but is afraid at what her husband is capable of doing and begins to wonder if she even knows him.

A dark, disturbing and poignant debut novel by Caitlin Wahrer. The story navigates elements of doubt, trauma, revenge and justice. The Damage has strong character development and touches on a pretty difficult subject matter. At times it can be a little intense. I feel like the author does a fantastic job of exploring the trauma someone endures when they are a victim of this kind of assault as well as the impact it has on family. A stunning debut novel!

This is a very powerful book. Dealing with several layers of abuse both past with the alcoholic father, and present with the sexual assault, this is a complex story not just about dealing with abuse and its consequences, but about family and how far a person would go to protect those we love.

Complex, multi-layered, emotional. Very good read. I'll definitely be watching for more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC, I really enjoyed this book!

The Damage by Caitlin Wahrer is about one family who will stop at nothing to save each other in the name of justice and love. Tony Hall has always tried to fix everything. On the night that his little brother, Nick, was sexually assaulted, Tony wished he'd been there to save him. Tony's wife Julia Hall, a small town lawyer who knows the ins and outs of the justice system, believes Nick is in good hands when detective Rice is assigned to his case. Fueled by rage and a desire to protect his family, Tony seeks revenge for Nick's assault. In the mist of protecting each other, family secrets are revealed and tragedy unfolds.

A mystery this story was, indeed! I was always on the edge of my seat waiting for Wahrer to throw me another piece of the puzzle. Her combination of delaying and withholding of information was so brilliant and necessary to keep me engaged at all times. Just when I thought I was going to put the book down, the next page demanded to be turned. The book makes an honest and relatable portrayal of anxiety from events that we believe can change us forever. I truly felt for the family (to avoid spoilers, I won't say who was my favourite), and the character development was particularly well-done.

Even though the story is written from multiple points of view and constantly changes from present day to past events, the writing is always clear and concise . I recommend this book if you are a person that appreciates a nice delay in story telling. A solid first novel with a delicious plot twist!

This book had me spellbound from the first page and held me captive until the last page! I was engaged with every character and their role/relationship with Nick. A thought provoking read that had me questioning relationships, family, love, the law, human bias’s , morals and values. I highly recommend this book!

I was very fortunate to receive an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley.

I loved this book, I loved the way it was written and found myself not wanting to put it down.....it tackled a crime that is not written about that much and then took us through the story moving back and forth between the characters points of view. It had me guessing through the book and changing my idea of what was happening a few times. I was surprised at the final outcome.
This is a book I would recommend to my friends.

This book was so real and raw. Heavy topics were explored and navigated in realistic ways, which made it both hard and refreshing to read. This book evoked a lot of emotion for me, I am still processing it!