Releasing Me

A Novel

Fiction - Inspirational
310 Pages
Reviewed on 11/28/2015
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jessyca Garcia for Readers' Favorite

Releasing Me: A Novel by Melissa Payne is a memoir about her life. It is also the story about how Payne learned how to start healing after suffering from sexual abuse as a child. This is a work of fiction but is based on actual events from Payne’s life. In Releasing Me the main character is named Meredith A. Pearson, but the events that occurred actually happened to Payne. I thought Payne’s story was interesting and at times very sad. The poems throughout the book were a nice touch. My favorite one was “Where You Are.”

The characters were very memorable. I absolutely hated Meredith’s mother for being so unsupportive of her. I felt bad for her that the one person who should be protecting her was putting her in harm’s way. Mothers should NEVER put their children second to some man. This happens far too often these days. I thought Meredith’s stepfather was a dirty old man. My hatred for him grew enormously when he forced her to kiss the corpse of his father goodbye. I understood why in later years she avoided her mother completely. I am happy that at least her grandparents were there for her. I was a little disappointed in that Meredith’s stepfather seemed to get away with the abuse. I am glad that Meredith was finally able to heal.

I always try to be aware of my child’s as well as other children’s surroundings, but Releasing Me made me become even more aware. I recommend this book to any sexual abuse survivor as well as any mother who chooses a man over their child’s safety. Your child should always come first.