Running From Christmas

Alessandra Castillo has recently separated from the Army. She had a civilian job for two months, and then it was eliminated. Jobless and suffering from PTSD, she has no choice but to move in with her older brother, Tony, who feels the best thing for Alessandra is to get out and socialize, particularly with his friend Brad. What Tony and Brad don’t know is that Alessandra was almost raped by a fellow soldier whom she had once trusted with her life. Now she trusts no one, particularly men. She can’t bear to even be touched by a man because it brings back memories of her near-rape. Will counseling and her faith be enough to let her trust again?

This novel very accurately tells the story of the anguish that a woman goes through when she is sexually assaulted. The terror and withdrawal are typical reactions. Alessandra’s PTSD from being in Afghanistan is also very accurately portrayed. There were a few missing words that were a mild nuisance. The piece was too short to have Alessandra experience as much healing as she does. Otherwise, "Running from Christmas" is a good story that deals with difficult subject matter. A page-turner until the very end, it evokes many emotions from the reader.

Belinda Wilson