What Happened to Hannah
As a teenager, Hannah Benson ran away from home in order to save herself. Now, twenty years later, the past comes calling and delivers life-changing news: her mother and sister have passed away, leaving Hannah the guardian of her fifteen-year-old niece.
Returning home to bitter memories and devastating secrets, Hannah must overcome her painful past to pave a future with her niece, the last best chance at a family for both of them. She begins to create a new, happier life with her niece and rekindles a relationship with Grady Steadman, one of the few people she's ever called a friend.
But she can't forget what she cannot forgive, or lay to rest those ghosts that will not die. Will love and trust--and the truth--give her the strength to stand her ground and fight for what she deserves?
MY REVIEW: When we are growing up, and viewing life through young eyes, we often don't see the true reality of the world around us. Hurtful things may cause us to make our own reality. We may be looking and listening, but still not comprehending. Sometimes, it takes maturity and similar experiences in our later years to really grasp the full meaning of what we have seen and experienced. Life is a continual learning process, full of starts, stops, and restarts. The truth is always there, waiting. We just have to find it. It already knows exactly where to find us. In "What Happened to Hannah", by Mary Kay McComas, the truth comes home to Hannah Benson in a startling manner, and one phone call forever changes the path of her life. To escape the cycle of abuse, Hannah had left home at age sixteen and never looked back. In high school, Grady Steadman was Hannah's sweetheart. Years later when he calls her, he is the sheriff of their hometown, informing her that her mother has just passed away. He also tells her that her sister had died some time ago and left behind a young daughter. Hannah's return to her home place is bittersweet, and she is forced to deal with painful memories and haunting ghosts from her past. She must also find a way to make a new life for herself and for her niece, Anna. With Grady now again a visible presence, Hannah's heart remembers how they once felt about each other, and feelings long denied flicker back into flame. In order to grasp a chance at true happiness, Hannah must let go of the weight of the past and grab on to the future with all of her heart.
Abuse has long -lasting, widespread effects-not just on the victim, but on those who care for the victim. All of us, whether we realize it or not, know someone who has been abused at some point in their life. The first reaction to abuse is denial. It's a subject which makes people uncomfortable, and the victims often linger in a very painful silence. Writing about it may encourage someone who is a victim to seek help. Acknowledgement is not only a first step, it's a giant leap!
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REVIEWS
“Blending poignancy with humor, crafting characters as real and recognizable as your next-door neighbor, Mary Kay McComas weaves stories that brighten the heart.” (Nora Roberts)
“I love Mary Kay McComas. Her books are honest and real, and transport you to a place that feels like home.” (Patricia Gaffney)
“It is hard not to be moved by the tender love story that emerges from the depths of violence in this haunting and touching novel. You will never forget What Happened To Hannah.” (Jessica Anya Blau)
“a touching tale of trauma, healing, and family...McComas builds the relationship between Hannah and Anna deftly, showing how hard it can be for strangers who happen to be family to know each other.” (Publishers Weekly)
“Hannah Benson is a memorable character of uncommon strength. From the unthinkable horror of the past to the glimmering possibility of love in the present, What Happened to Hannah is a stirring novel of family and redemption.” (Kristina Riggle, author of Keepsake)
“[an] inventive contribution…that steals the show. McComas focuses on the most important relationship of all―the relationship one has with oneself―and spins an introspective and irresistible story that, for some readers, may make this collection worthwhile.” (Publishers Weekly on "Melon Lemon Yellow" in Bump in the Night)
“McComas...writes a bittersweet tale of homecoming. (Booklist)
“...a vibrant, haunting tale of a woman trying to discard the past once and for all in order to begin again. A powerful story with a beautiful plot that will have readers routing for peace, romance, and second chances.” (Feathered Quill)
“Mary Kay McComas has written a poignant tale of the prolonged effects of domestic abuse.” (Iron Mountain Daily News)
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