Damage by Caitlin Wahrer is a gripping thriller that explores the aftermath of a brutal assault and the devastating effects it has on the victim and his family.

The book is well-written, with realistic characters and a fast-paced plot that keeps the reader hooked. The author does not shy away from tackling difficult topics such as trauma, justice, and revenge, but also shows the power of love and forgiveness. Damage is a book that will make you think, feel, and question your own moral compass.

A great novel that kept me interested throughout. I loved the little reveals as the story progressed, often twisting in a way I wasn’t expecting

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

The subject matter made this a difficult read and I had to read this in stages. It was very interesting to learn that this was a debut, very well written but a trifle too long. Good that it tackled an area which normally doesnt get addressed.

I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

Damage Caitlin Wahrer
This book was not like any other I've read, so that's always a good start. It covers a very difficult topic, but it was sensitively done.
I got hooked into this book from page one, and it held my attention until the last page, would love to read more from this author.

This book covers a topic that is rarely talked about; the sexual assault of a man. The book covers the emotional trauma of the victim as well as how it affects the family and it creates an intense novel in which I had no idea what was going to happen next. It is quite a slow read with POVs from Nick, the victim, Julia, the sister in law and Detective Rice and it has two timelines in 2015 and 2019. The twist at the end was brilliant and I am impressed that this was a debut.

This was an intense and at times hard to read.
We follow the aftermath of an sexual assault on a man. The lead up to the trial and also a mystery of what happens to the perpetrator.
While on the side of this we see the victim struggle but also his family with the anger, grief and helplessness. This felt very raw and real.

While I did guess the who in the mystery I did wonder the why and what really happened. While we never get a full answer on this I think it makes sense.

For a debut novel this is very impressive. I was very quickly drawn into this story, which is told via a past and present timeline along with viewpoints from the three family members and the police detective.
It deals with an assault on Nick and the fallout and damage that causes to not only himself but his whole family while they try to navigate the emotional aftermath while preparing a court case and the media attention that comes with it.
I think this is relevant to many victims/survivors of crime and their families and really does make the reader question “what would I do?” in that situation. The book doesn’t shy away from the difficult subject matter and if you can accept that then I would highly recommend this. Overall it is a well written book, real and likeable characters, the story flows really well, and it kept me turning the pages to find out what happened! I really enjoyed it and rated it strong 4 stars.

Thank you for providing me with an advance review copy of this book. Enjoyed reading, would recommend....

This book was absolutely gripping from start to finish; I read 80% of the book in one day & then finished it after work on the second day.

So many twists that keep you guessing but finally everything is wrapped up neatly at the end. First book by the author, definitely won't be the last!

What an incredible book!
Dark story broaching on tough subject but written in such a way that you can’t put it down!
Until the very last page you don’t know where it’s going to end but you know that one way or another you won’t be disappointed!

This was a gripping thriller which deals with some serious and dark issues, however it does this very well. It was a powerful read and quite thought provoking and I couldn’t put it down

How far would you go to protect someone?

A big brother is called to hospital where he finds his brother battered and bruised following a sexual assault.

This is a very dark and highly emotional page turner. There is a reason that everywhere I looked, people had their heads buried in this book.
It keeps you guessing right to the end.

Damage is filled with incredible well-developed characters and a plot that will hook readers from the start. The subject matter is a bit heavy as it deals with sexual assault. There are plenty of twists throughout that will have readers dropping their jaws. This story gets dark, but it is a damn good one. Highly recommended! Be sure to check out Damage today.

A slow burn - with plenty of tension - with a great ending. The topic was a little harrowing at times, but well written and approached.

A very engaging and interesting story, there were times it became a little tired and long winded but it would soon pick up again and recapture my interest.

This was a good read but a little drawn out at times. An interesting concept that kept me hooked. A good debut book.

A captivating read detailing the aftermath of a brutal crime. Nick meets a mystery older man in a bar and going back to a motel with him waking the following day physically and emotionally abused. Plenty of twists and moral dilemmas to keep the reader engaged.

This book will have you gripped from the start, but be prepared for an emotionally difficult ride.

When Nick is sexually assaulted it sends ripples through his family and friends. What follows is a tense thriller, as well as a fascinating look at family dynamics in the face of horrific events.

This is a story which isn’t often told, and the author has done a great job of approaching something which is often taboo.

A dark, gripping and tense book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to review

4 stars!

This hit me right off the bat. I was engaged in the story from the start. I did lose some interest in the middle but that's just me.

To read about an assault on a man and the aftermath of it, the way Nick was acting to people after it happened, seeming all fine, but was hiding how he really felt, how he lied about some things in fear of what people would think/say, seeing how people who have suffered this react in different ways etc. It was really heart breaking to see and witness.

I was ready to throw hands at one point, thinking someone was going to get away scott free from all of this and be able to just flee, live a new life elsewhere, and all because of a character linked with Nick but the ending reveal really made my mouth fall open.