Hope Became the Enemy

Hope Became The Enemy is the story of a young independent English woman, Josie. Looking for excitement and adventure, Josie decides on a career change and moves to Turkey to teach English. As she slowly falls in love with her new life, she takes the reader on an exciting journey across Turkey, and through her eyes they learn about the cultures and traditions of this exotic country. Josie quickly finds that living in a patriarchal country is very different to the life she knew in the west.

By chance, while she is on holiday with friends on the west coast, she meets the tall, charismatic Bechir. Their relationship is rocky and has its ups and downs but a couple of years later, she accepts a proposal of marriage and soon falls pregnant with their first child. She settles down to live happily ever after with the man that she loves.

All too late she discovers that she is married to a malignant narcissist and is isolated from friends and family. Trapped in a cycle of abuse, apology, and forgiveness, she knows she must leave. But how?

Content warnings: Abortion, miscarriage, sexual assault/rape, strong language, violence, domestica abuse (physically and emotionally), alcohol consumption, grief, threats (including of threats to children), mention of attempted suicide, mention of arranged marriage, mentions of knives and guns.