Difficult topic but full of suspense. A good read, did get a little lost in the middle. Good ending though.

A slow burning family drama psychological thriller is not normally my type of book. The book was well-written and realistic. You wouldn't think it was a debut novel. I am not sure that this book topic will be for everyone and I don't think I would have normally have picked it up. Defiantly worth a try for anyone even if you think it is not something of you.

College student Nick Hall plans to meet up with his new love who is a no-show. Having been stood up, life takes a turn for the worse and Nick is sexually assaulted and lands in the hospital.

Tony, Nick’s overprotective big brother Tony wants revenge, though his wife Julia, is less hot headed and wants to find a better solution than Tony’s idea. Then we meet Detective Rice who is assigned to Nick’s case, and it seems like he understands, but how much will he look past once he learns the truth about what really happened that night between Nick and his attacker?

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension - impossible to put it down

I found this one so interesting. I was so tense reading it and it really gripped me. I think it is quite a harrowing read but really worth it.

DNF - Unfortunately I didn't connect with the story or characters and therefore wasn't interested enough to continue with this book.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. Other readers may enjoy it more, but I could not get into it and ultimately did not finish it.

A devastating assault and the fallout form the basis of this powerful drama. Tight dialogue and well structured prose make it easier to read about such a difficult subject.

High praise to the author for taking this on !

This mystery novel takes the reader on a journey through the consequences of a sexual assault and the impact this can have on the family and the person who experienced the assault themselves.

I want to start by saying that cannot commend the author enough for bringing a topic to the forefront that is nowhere near spoken about enough. Male sexual assault happens and we all need to be more aware of this.

This was a fast paced and gripping mystery that I just could not put down. The story is told through different POV's, Tony, Nick, Julie and the detective. You got to hear how the crime impacted each character individually which allowed the reader to empathise with each character for different reasons.

The writing is intense and at times it is hard to read due to the emotions that are written so well that you begin to experience them yourself. It is handled with care and it is clear to see the author researched this topic to ensure they were telling the story with sensitivity.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking for this copy in exchange for an honest review!

Such a devastating book, brilliantly written and developed.
The horrific incident in this book and the shame and stigma are awful and give us a devastating start. The accounts from the time of the incident and the truth being discussed in the present, help to unwind the story and the spiralling devastation caused to the family.
It's a wonderful story of how much family will do to protect each other and fight for justice.
My only criticism of Damage was that it is billed as LGBTQ+ genre however for me, the only LGBTQ+ character seemed to fade into the background and the story focuses more heavily on his heterosexual family members. I felt like he was owed more of his own story as the families own struggles seemed to quickly overshadow the events of the incident and his story.
Still a really good book, very well written and definitely recommended.
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Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Caitlin Wahrer for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Powerful story telling from the outset, this is definitely an author to be watched. 'The blurb - Sometimes, the true story is the hardest to believe. Tony has always looked out for his younger brother, Nick. So when Nick is badly hurt and it looks like he was the victim of sexual assault, Tony's anger flares. Julia is alarmed by her husband Tony's obsession with Nick's case. She's always known Tony has a temper. But does she really know what he's capable of?

Three ordinary people; one life-shattering event. When the police get involved with this family in crisis, all the cracks will start to show . . .'

The stories were so well thought through and nuanced, the characters' reactions to events and one another was utterly believable and the situation at the heart of the book was handled carefully from all perspectives. Twists and turns aplenty, all centred round one moment.

This is a story that needs telling. Make sexual assault. I’m so glad it’s been written and can alert us to the issues raised. That aside it’s a great book. A well written and thoughtful debut.

Definitely something different to the usual thrillers. A solid read and I look forward to more from this author. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

I’d heard really good things about this book so my expectations were pretty high going in, but I have to say that they were actually exceeded. The Damage follows members of a family in the aftermath of a brutal assault. Tony and his wife, Julia are a happy family with two young children. Nick is Tony’s significantly younger brother, whom Tony has looked after like a father his whole life due to parental issues. One night, Nick appears to be the victim of a sexual assault and the lives of these three characters erupt into chaos.

First off, I have to say The Damage really does deal with the often marginalised issue of male victims of sexual assault in a measured and yet highly impactful way. It also looks at how an assault has major ramifications not just for the victim but for pretty much everyone in their orbit at the same time. These characters are deeply layered and following them as they cope with the unthinkable is devastating and feels so resolutely authentic from start to finish. The Damage delves into so many different areas like brotherhood, family dynamics, masculinity, perception and power – and it deals with every single one expertly. This really is a strikingly good debut and I for one will be reading whatever this talented author writes next. An easy five stars.

A compelling and powerful read. Brothers Tony and Nick Hall are close so when Nick is brutally and viciously assaulted. , Tony is at a loss how to help him. The plight which follows is very tough for Nick and his family. . I couldnt read this book quick enough to discover how it ended.

I really enjoyed this book, more than I thought I might. It focused very much on the relationships between Tony, his brother Nick, his wife Julia, and her relationship with Detective Rice both while he was working on a police investigation and after he’d retired. The narrative was mainly told by Julia. It was not a fast paced story but was very engaging and well thought out. There was a bit of a twist towards the end and overall a very satisfying end closing the story. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime thrillers.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher who provided a copy in return for my honest opinion. I have also submitted this review to GoodReads

Damage was an interesting read, in turn tragic and uplifting, especially in its ability to show human reliance. I was very surprised by the ending, placing a moral ambiguity over our characters actions in an unexpected manner which allows you to question what you would do in a situation like this, very thought-provoking.

#Damage #NetGalley
Sharp thriller.
When a small-town family is pushed to the brink, how far will they go to protect one of their own? An edgy, propulsive story about what we will do in the name of love and blood. Tony has always looked out for his younger brother, Nick. So when he's 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 they're 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?
Outstanding concept and execution. I can't believe it's a debut novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for giving me an advance copy.

This is a brilliantly written story, told from several points of view. Nick, Tony, Julia and Detective Rice. It’s quite a tough story at times to read but handled so well. About assault, but not that on a woman this is sexual assault on Nick, and you really feel for him, the trauma he endured and what he went through afterwards was really tough. You feel like you just want to reach out to him.

Julia is married to Tony she is a strong woman, and she knows what she wants, she is Nicks sister in law. Tony snaps very easily but he has a very caring nature, but I get why he would snap his brother has been assaulted so he has a lot of anger and frustration, how do you deal with your brother being assaulted. Especially when you learn that Tony has practically raised Nick as their father was too drunk and emotionally abusive to actually be a father.

This is basically a mystery/family drama looking at the aftermath of a sexual assault, but not just looking at the impact on Nick the victim but also on the rest of the family. This is something that could change lives forever. There are times it’s hard to read the pain that Nick goes through, but it’s equally gripping and you become engrossed in it. The characters come alive on the pages.

As each characters point of view is told, each voice is so distinguished and recognisable, meaning you could follow the story, never getting confused which can sometimes happen when something is told through numerous points of view.

This is a very well written story that really is difficult but equally relevant, it makes you wonder how many men actually report being assaulted, and how many are too ashamed to report it as I am sure that happens.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #PenguinMichaelJosephUk for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

Damage is a very well written debut novel about family trauma. I enjoyed it and would be interested to see what the author does next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.