I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review, this is actually a very nice book.

The title itself is good, Everybody's Got a Story made me wonder what the story about this is. This novel is about a young woman who was manipulated and abused by her boyfriend. This is her journey of finding herself and finding true love. You can read from her point of view which related to many other similar abused and rape victims or rather SURVIVORS.

This is a very powerful novel on such a taboo subject. It's a good read and I would recommend this to others as well, you might actually learn something from it. ( )

I received a copy of Everybody’s Got a Story by Heather Wardell in exchange for an honest review.

Alexa is still struggling to move on after the assault of her ex-boyfriend Christophe, and who can blame her – no one should ever have to deal with that. His assault affects Alexa in every facet of her life, both work and personal.

This was such a heart-breaking story and I could not help but feel absolutely saddened for Alexa and what she was dealing with, emotionally, mentally and physically. This book brought the long lasting effects on victims of assault to the forefront and the reality of the lasting feeling of being a victim can in fact for some, last for a lifetime. This book is a great read, but not a light one.
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I received a copy of Everybody’s Got a Story by Heather Wardell in exchange for an honest review.

Alexa is still struggling to move on after the assault of her ex-boyfriend Christophe, and who can blame her – no one should ever have to deal with that. His assault affects Alexa in every facet of her life, both work and personal.

This was such a heart-breaking story and I could not help but feel absolutely saddened for Alexa and what she was dealing with, emotionally, mentally and physically. This book brought the long lasting effects on victims of assault to the forefront and the reality of the lasting feeling of being a victim can in fact for some, last for a lifetime. This book is a great read, but not a light one.
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Everybody's Got A Story is the poignant story of a young woman who courageously learns to rebuild her life after a vicious attack by her ex-boyfriend.

Author Heather Wardell weaves a powerful tale set in NYC and Toronto, and written in the first person narrative by crime fiction editor Alexa Ryder, who takes the reader along on her emotional journey as she learns to overcome the trauma from the past, and the courage to start a new life.

The story begins in NYC two years after the vicious attack on Alexa by her sociopath ex-boyfriend Christophe Durand. The reader is drawn into the story at the trial with an intense and raw account of the premeditated vicious assault that went on for thirty-six hours in a half-finished apartment until she was rescued by a construction crew. When the guilty verdict on all charges is returned, Alexa just wants her life back, to try to forget everything and put it behind her, but the attack has changed her life forever. Alexa finds that she is unable to move forward with her life in NYC, with the media attention and the uneasiness of being recognized on the street, she decides that she needs a new start in a new place where nobody knows her. Her boss Fred Warren, owner of Warren Press, suggests that she transfer to their Toronto office run by his daughter Rhonda. Alexa's journey from victim to survivor is one of self-discovery as she heals, learns to believe and trust herself and others, regain control and rebuild her life.

This is an inspirational story that has a nice mixture of darkness, intensity and lightheartedness that captivates the reader's attention as Alexa's story unfolds. You can't help but feel compassion and hope for Alexa as her journey to rebuild her life has its trials and tribulations, but her strength and courage comes shining through as she forges forward in a new city with the support of new co-workers, friends and family.

With a realistic cast of characters; engaging dialogue and interactions; two richly detailed settings; and the perfect title for a story that clearly sends a message to the reader that everyone really does have their own story.

Everybody's Got A Story is an inspirational and thought provoking story that will resonate with you long after the last page has been read.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2013/10/everybodys-got-story-by-heathe... ( )

I have not read any other books in the series. As a story of a victim regaining control of her life, "Everybody's Got a Story" is a good read. Alexa is brutalized and wanting to trust people but hesitant to do so. She is jumpy and unwilling to trust. What Alexa tells us happened and we witness in the court case is brutal and graphic. Alexa was held hostage and tortured and only saved from Christophe's ultimate goal of her demise by chance. Wardell seems to either know or have researched the psychology of victims of sexual assault in the initial layout of her story though what happened to Alexa goes beyond much of what will be seen on Dateline.

Wardell's background characters are solidly written. She warns at the start of the novel that Jake has appeared in other stories and that this story contains spoilers for those tales. I haven't read those stories and in this one Jake is perhaps a bit too perfect. He's up front, patient, kind and willing to pick up whatever crumbs are left for him. I won't spoil his role in the novel by giving details but I will say that everything is a bit too easy between Jake and Alexa.

To credit Wardell, this story could have been really heavy and dark. The story of a woman who has been to hell and back and is escaping her demons. In a sense that is the story but Wardell keeps it quite real. In all of the downs there are ups. There's never a lost sense of hope that the character will one day come out the other side. While a quick read, Wardell doesn't spare the moments that leave us smiling and knowing that while Alexa will have good days and bad days one day the good will outweigh the bad.

"Everybody's Got a Story" was a good read and I'd recommend it for readers who like tales of the human experience. ( )