Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Shelley Woodhouse wakes up from a coma with injuries she claims to have sustained after a violent confrontation with her husband. With only Dee, her friend and coworker from the pub Shelley runs, and a kind hospital volunteer named Matt as her only outside visitors, she doesn’t have much input into what is going on outside her hospital room. She is surprised that the police haven't approached her for a statement and the hospital staff and Dee aren't giving straight answers to her probing questions. Despite her conviction about the events that led to her hospitalization, she senses that something is off, compounded by flashes of memories that seem unreal to her. As the narrative progresses, we follow Shelley as she tries to reclaim her memories and fill in the blank spaces, embarking on a journey of hope and healing in order to move forward.
The Day Shelley Woodhouse Woke Up by Laura Pearson is a well-written novel that delves into the issue of domestic violence and how the same impacts not only victims but also their friends and family members. The story emphasizes the importance of a support system for those who carry the emotional scars of abuse long after their physical wounds might have healed. The author paints a heartbreaking picture of the social and emotional factors that prevent victims from breaking the cycle of domestic violence. This is a sensitive issue and the author addresses it with maturity and compassion. The narrative is presented from past and present timelines – “Then” and “Now”- in alternating chapters. The past timeline allows us to get to know more about Shelley’s backstory, her childhood and the events leading up to her hospitalization while the present timeline follows Shelley as she interacts with those around her. The author deftly weaves the two timelines into a well-paced fluid narrative. Shelley is an endearing protagonist who you would not hesitate to cheer on, though you might question a few of her choices. It was heartbreaking reading about Shelley’s pain and confusion, but you have to admire her resolve and her kindness toward others. The supporting characters are well-fleshed-out (even those you would be inclined to dislike). There was one particular aspect revealed toward the end of the novel that I found terribly unrealistic and virtually impossible in the real world, but I’ll refrain from going on about that here (despite my eye-rolling and vigorous head-shaking reaction to the same). I wasn’t completely surprised by a few of the revelations (there were enough hints strewn throughout the narrative) but I did enjoy following Shelley’s journey and was happy that the author chose to end the story on a positive note.
"Whether you’re aware of it or not, you all know women whose lives have been affected by domestic violence."
This is my second time reading Laura Pearson after The Last List of Mabel Beaumont, which I loved, and I’m eager to read more from her in the future. Many thanks to the publisher for the digital copy of the short story A Chance Encounter which as the name suggests revolves around a chance meeting between Shelley and a character we met in Mabel’s story.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on April 6, 2024.
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