Split by Swati Avasthi

Split by Swati Avasthi

Jace Witherspoon was kicked out of the house by his father after his dad rearranged his face.  His mother handed him an envelope through his car window.  It contained money and his long lost brother's address.  He begged his mom to come with him, to get in the car, to leave his abusive father, but she said she would come later.   She promised.

Jace makes the long drive from Chicago to New Mexico by himself with a swollen face and a broken heart.  Jace arrives at Christian's door, a virtual stranger, hoping he will be taken in and protected.  Yet Christian has his own issues and seeing Jace with bruises on his face brings up the turbulent past that he is trying very hard to forget.

Split is about domestic abuse and its aftermath.  It details the anger, grief and emotional trauma involved in leaving an abusive situation.  It details how a person can hope to recover and let go of the abuse cycle when struggling with post traumatic stress disorder.

Avasthi has written a strong cast of characters.  Her antagonist was so scary that sometimes, I turned the pages with trepidation.  I was seriously biting my fingernails with worry for Jace and Christian.  When you start praying for the characters, you know the author has done her job and the characters have become a important part of your reading life.

The storyline of Split is unique because many stories deal with abuse but not many deal with what happens after you get out.  Split starts the day Jace gets out.  Split is a page turning, nail biting, amazing first novel.  It is raw and edgy and gripping to the very last page.