Book Review: Unspeakable by Michelle Pickett

About Unspeakable
“Breathe. No one will break me. I’m strong. Breathe. Just breathe.”

On the outside, Willow appears to have it all. She’s beautiful, smart, from an influential family, and she dates the most popular guy in school—Jaden. But she would walk away from it all in a second. Willow is tormented by lies and suffocating guilt, not the hearts and flowers people believe her life is full of.

She carries a dark secret. Plagued by nightmares and pain, the secret dominates her life. If she hadn’t walked away. If she had just…but she didn’t. And now she has to live with her choice. But when someone uncovers her family’s past, they use it against her, crushing her spirit little by little. She tells herself she just has to make it to graduation. Then she can leave Middleton, and her secret, far behind.

When Brody transfers to Cassidy High, he turns Willow’s life upside down. He shows her what it feels like to live again, really live. And suddenly, she isn’t satisfied with just surviving until graduation. She wants a normal life—with Brody—and he wants her. But the closer they become, the more it threatens to unravel the secret she’s worked so hard to hide.

Willow finds true love with Brody. Will she let his love save her, or walk away from him to keep her secret safe?  

My Rating: 5 stars
Unspeakable is a book that pulls on your heartstrings. There were times I wanted to throttle Willow and tell her to wake up and get out of her situation. However, having never been a victim of violence, I can't say that I understand her mindset. It's also hard because her friends seem helpless. They clearly know something is wrong, but maybe not exactly what, and they aren't doing much to help her. Most likely, because they don't know how. It's the ugly side of abuse. It's noticing all the signs but not wanting to believe it. It's the truth that no one wants to hear about or speak, and I applaud Ms. Pickett for tackling this issue head on.

Woven delicately throughout this story is the romance that builds between Brody and Willow. It's sweet and beautiful. It's also very realistic. Not perfect. They argue. They don't see eye to eye. They work hard to make it work. That's real life.

I recommend Unspeakable to anyone who likes realistic fiction with a romantic overlay. This is a well told story of love, loss, and secrets that hurt.