Review: Everybody's Got A Story by Heather Wardell

Summary
Both personally and professionally, Alexa knows all too well the power of words. Two years after her boyfriend Christophe's vicious attack, she's still trying to see herself as more than simply 'his victim', still trying to figure out her own story.After his trial, she moves from New York City to Toronto in an attempt to start over, but his words cling to her and even in a new country she can't see how to move into relationships with the new people in her life while hiding the secret of Christophe's worst offense.

She can't hide that secret from her coworker Jake, though, because the news buff has recognized her from the coverage of the assault and trial and knows every word she can't bring herself to say about her ordeal.

With Jake's help, can Alexa reclaim her story and her life?

Review
When you go through something traumatic, depending on the type of person you are, it may take a while to "get over" your pain. Not everyone can just heal instantaneously or just roll it off as if it never happened. For many, especially women, the burden of being victimized grasps uphold of any progress you try to make going forward. The attempts of living life without fear, establishing new relationships, reclaiming your self worth and esteem can leave you guarded without hope. Sometimes all we need is the chance to start over. Everybody's Got A Story is exactly that. It is a a young woman's journey finding the courage to start over and try to mend the broken pieces that left her physically and emotionally scared.

The story begins with a young woman, Alexa, who was in a relationship with a guy named Christophe. The unthinkable happened one day when he brutally attacked her changing her life forever. Two years later, awaiting his trial, Alexa no longer being able to take the burdens placed upon her life, uproots herself for a new start. Transferring to another division of her job, she knew that her boss would be the only person that knew about her story. Her sense of security was broken when her news buff co worker recognized her from the news coverage along with a shocking admission that made her face and deal with what she was trying to run away from. It is from that moment on, we see her journey begin.

I really enjoyed this book. It had an easy going pace that kept your interest throughout. The author has a real gift in storytelling from the human experience. I liked how she took a tragedy such as the one experienced by Alexa and surrounded it with a story that many women who have gone through similar can not only relate but gain strength from knowing that time heals all wounds. Many times you are left without closure and as you read throughout the story, it can eat away at you, haunt you and cripple your life. The hardest and most challenging is to find a way to move on and relive when you feel so broken. 

As we are introduced to other characters, each represents something to Alexa that enhanced her journey within the story. With her individual relationships with them, you get drawn into her world and inspired through her courage to push through all that was emotionally holding her back. You feel like you are going through her experience with her. Her journey to regain trust, friendships, relationships and herself is one that makes the reader root for her all the way. 

There is so much more to this story that you will definitely enjoy but I'm not going to be the one to spoil it for you. This is definitely the gal who you will not only will be rooting for her happiness but will be inspired by her courageous drive to regain her life and not be a victim anymore. 

Reviewed by Michelle Bowles