It’s
been two years since the night that changed Ashley's life and two years of hell
for Derek. When it all comes to
a head at Thanksgiving, will these siblings be able to salvage their
relationship? From the award-winning
author of Some Boys comes an unflinching
examination of rape culture that delves into a family torn apart by sexual
assault.
Someone I Used to Know
By Patty Blount
Releasing August 7th, 2018
Sourcebooks Fire
TRIGGER WARNING: Boys will be boys is never an excuse.
It’s been two years since the night that changed Ashley’s life. Two years since she was raped by her brother’s teammate. And a year since she sat in a court and watched as he was given a slap-on-the-wrist sentence. But the years have done nothing to stop the pain or lessen the crippling panic attacks that make her feel like she’s living a half-life.
It’s been two years of hell for Derek. His family is totally messed up and he and his sister are barely speaking. He knows she partially blames him for what happened, and totally blames him for how he handled the aftermath. Now at college, he has to come to terms with what happened, and the rape culture that he was inadvertently a part of that destroyed his sister’s life.
When it all comes to a head at Thanksgiving, Derek and Ashley have to decide if their relationship is able to be saved. And if their family can ever be whole again.
It’s been two years of hell for Derek. His family is totally messed up and he and his sister are barely speaking. He knows she partially blames him for what happened, and totally blames him for how he handled the aftermath. Now at college, he has to come to terms with what happened, and the rape culture that he was inadvertently a part of that destroyed his sister’s life.
When it all comes to a head at Thanksgiving, Derek and Ashley have to decide if their relationship is able to be saved. And if their family can ever be whole again.
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In Someone I Used to Know by Patty Blount, for two years Ashley has suffered because of something terrible that happened to her. Worse, her brother took sides and unfortunately that side wasn't hers. But with another Thanksgiving approaching and her mom wanting the whole family home, can Ashley find it within herself to forgive or will she continue to let her pain and anger keep riding her hard enough to never fully heal from her trauma?
What an utterly emotional, fast-paced, engaging read Ms. Blount has delivered in this book where emotions run high because a family is torn apart by something terrible. Will Ashley ever fully heal from what she went through? However, it was from the moment the heroine started to do something to fight back where this story really takes off because she's determined to make people understand what she's been through and is still going through because of what happened.
As for the dialogue, it was intense and had me crying on and off throughout this story because of what the heroine has been through and how tough it's been for her, especially when it came to the trial and feeling that her brother betrayed her. However, I liked the choices she makes, as she needs to heal from what happened to her. While the heroine's brother, he was a wonderful character and I couldn't help but sympathize with him, as he feels so much guilt over what happened. Yet, in saying that, I liked the decisions he makes in order to have a better understanding of all his sister has suffered and how he can help others have a better understanding too. Will he be able to make things right between him and his sister?
Overall, Ms. Blount has penned a really good read in this book where I loved the growing relationship between Ashley and the boy that's been by her side through thick and thin when it should have been her brother looking out for her. However, it was the ending that was heart-warming and had me crying happy tears because family is important and worth fighting for. No way can they keep going the way they're going -- daughter versus son. Yet, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up nicely because of how things turned out and how happy everyone is, especially Ashley. I would recommend Someone I Used to Know by Patty Blount, if you're looking for a story that will tug at your heartstrings or if you enjoy books by authors Devney Perry, Elle Kennedy, Tillie Cole and Denise Grover Swank.
Copyright©
2018 Someone I Used To Know
Patty
Blount
This novel is a
companion story to my award-winning SOME BOYS. In this scene, Ian Russell, one
of the main characters in Some Boys, meets Derek Lawrence in SOMEONE I USED TO
KNOW.
~*~
Derek
A knot forms in my gut, a thick and oily clot of guilt. I sink on
to the first bench I spot, clutching my middle and trying like hell not to
puke. Damn it, I wish to hell I’d beaten the snot out of Victor Patton.
Came close to it.
“Hey, man.”
I twitch and find some guy sitting beside me. No idea where he came
from. He’s older than I am, but not by much. Mid-twenties, maybe? Dark hair,
dark eyes, some serious muscle.
I nod and shift away, willing my stomach to settle down.
“I’m gonna say something to you,” the guy says. “And you can tell
me to buzz off, or you can listen. I see you sitting here, green around the
gills, gripping one of those rally flyers, and see a look on your face I know
well.”
I shift back to study him. He meets my gaze without flinching, and
there’s something in his tone that tells me he’s not kidding.
“Somebody you love got assaulted,” he says, and before I can say
anything—before I can even think of something to say—he adds, “Me too.”
I stare at him in disbelief. Are we supposed to do some kind of
male bonding over rape...some sort of weird bro hug and then share our
feelings? That kink in my gut unclenches, and my breakfast comes up and out. I
manage to turn away before I ruin this guy’s day and spew into the bushes
behind the bench. It takes a few minutes. When I’m finally empty and want to
crawl into the gutter to die, the guy shoves a bottle of water into my field of
vision.
“Take it. Keep it.”
Grateful, I crack the seal, chug, and rinse out my mouth. Then I
take a nice gulp, sit back on the bench, and wipe my mouth. “Thanks,” I offer a
few minutes later, when I’m sure I’m not dying.
“Yeah, no big.”
There’s a long pause. “Girlfriend?” he asks after a minute. And it
takes me another minute to figure out he’s asking who I know that got raped. I
shake my head.
“Sister.”
“Oh, man. I’m sorry.”
I only nod. What else is there to say? In silence, we watch the
perky girl with the clipboard chase down two guys on Rollerblades to sign up
for the rally.
He snorts out a laugh. “That girl has some serious fun attitude.”
I laugh, too. “That’s an oxymoron, no?”
Shrugging, he says, “Maybe. Never could keep those lit terms
straight.”
That makes me wonder about him. “You’re not a student?”
“No,” he admits. “I graduated a few years ago. Degree in
engineering. I work in the city now.”
“So what are you doing here?”
He sighs and looks back to the quad where Perky Girl’s got another
pair of guys on the hook for rally duty. “Over there. Under the Rock Stock
tent. Black boots.”
I scan the area, find the tent, and see a bunch of people under
it. But the black boots do it for me. The girl is hot, like off-the- charts
hot. Long wild hair, dark sunglasses, jeans, and a black shirt that’s held
together with a series of metal rings. She looks like the lead singer from some
hard rock band.
“Oh! I’m sorry. Was she—”
“Yeah. Back in high school. By my friend. At a party she only went
to because she hoped I’d be there.”
“I'm sorry.” I sigh.
“I came over here to talk to you because you looked like— well,
like a guy about to puke.”
My face gets hot. I swallow another gulp of water and look away.
But I can’t deny I’m curious. “How do you...” Deal with it? Avoid killing the
guy who did it? I wave my hand, trying to fill in that blank but coming up
empty.
He angles his head, studying me. “Get over my guilt?”
Okay. That works, too.
He takes another look at the girl in the black boots and shrugs.
“Still working on it. Being here is part of it. She’s doing the
keynote speech at the rally. Took me a while, but I finally figured out that therapy’s
not so bad, either.”
My parents wanted us all to go to therapy, but I said no way.
Maybe that was a mistake. “Can I ask you something?”
The guy nods.
I swallow more water. “You ever say something you can’t take back?
Something that made her hate you.”
He grins and rolls his eyes. “God, yes. I can’t watch a Star Wars
movie without wanting to kick my own ass.”
“Huh?”
He waves a hand. “Long story. I was a real dick to her,
embarrassing her in front of my friends so they wouldn’t turn on me. She
forgave me. Somewhere along the line, I figured out how to forgive myself so I
could be the man she deserves.”
Forgive myself. That’s exactly what Brittany said. I consider that
for a couple of minutes and then shake my head. “I gotta go.” I stand up.
“Thanks for the water and for—” I wave a hand. “You know.”
“Yeah. No problem. Hope we see you at the rally. Trust me, she’s
something.” He jerks a thumb toward the girl in the black boots, and I don’t
doubt him for a second.
“Yeah. Maybe.”
He extends a hand. “Ian.”
I shake it. “Derek,” I say. “Thanks again.”
“Here.” He fishes through his pockets and comes out with a business
card. “My cell number. I can help. If you want.”
I take off, tucking the card into my pocket along with the blue-and-white
flyer. I don’t even know why I’m keeping them. It’s not like there’s any way
Ashley’s gonna forgive me. I’m not even sure I can forgive myself. I’ll never
be the hero again in her eyes.
Patty Blount grew up quiet and somewhat invisible in Queens,
NY, but found her voice writing smart and strong characters willing to fight
for what’s right. Today, she’s the award-winning author of edgy, realistic,
gut-wrenching contemporary and young adult romance. Still a bit introverted,
she gets lost often, eats way too much chocolate, and tends to develop mad,
passionate crushes on fictional characters…and actors like Gilles Marini….and
Sam Heughan. Okay, so Patty’s not nearly as cool as her characters, but she is
a solid supporter of women’s rights and loves delivering school presentations.
Patty
is best known for her internet issues novels, including SOME BOYS,
a 2015 CLMP Firecracker winner and RWA Rita
Finalist, and SEND, a 2012 Junior Library Guild Fall
Pick. Her upcoming release, SOMEONE I
USED TO KNOW, has already been selected as a 2018 Junior Library Guild Fall
Pick. Visit her website at pattyblount.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter. She blogs at YA
Outside the Lines and is also active on Twitter and Facebook. When she’s not
writing, Patty loves to watch bad sci-fi movies, live tweeting the hilarity,
and scour Pinterest for ideas on awesome bookcases. Patty lives on Long Island
with her family in a house that, sadly, lacks bookcases. She loves hearing from
readers, especially when they tell her she’s cool (even though she knows it’s
not true), and is easily bribed with chocolate. Never underestimate the power
of chocolate.
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