And Then There Was Us

Gr 10 Up–Now a freshman in college, Coi has steered clear of her mother for the past four years. Cast out of her home, warned that she was no longer welcome, she has been living with her devoted father. His love and patience have allowed her to flourish despite her past trauma, until she is called to her mother’s bedside after a tragic car accident. Largely unaware of the abuse she suffered, her mother’s family cannot understand why she cut ties so completely. Thrust between their resentment and her own conflicted feelings, Coi must find a way to cope with a past she has spent the last four years trying to suppress. She is haunted by painful memories of her mother’s anger, and can’t comprehend why she was the target. Recent lucid dreams leave her wondering if she can still feel love for the woman who regularly beat her. Healing must be her priority, and reconnecting with the sister she was forced to abandon when she left her mother’s house could hold the key. Unlike many living in a violent household, Coi has the benefit of a loving, supportive father. The book is set in Toronto, and Coi has African-Jamaican roots.