I Thought I Knew

By: Melissa Trombetta

Narrated by: Catherine Hein Carter

Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

It's 1995 in Upstate New York, and Nicole Doherty is days away from her college graduation—that is, if she graduates—ready to move into her own apartment and start a new job in a prestigious accounting firm when an unseen assailant attacks her, only steps away from the safety of her dorm, changing her forever. Nicole is desperate to move on, vowing never to tell anyone what happened to her, but her past continues to follow her and pull her back. She's forced to relearn how to trust herself and thrive in an uncontrollable reality, navigating relationships, old and new, often left wondering, who was her attacker? Could it have been a complete stranger or someone she knows? And do you ever really know someone?

©2024 Melissa Trombetta (P)2024 Melissa Trombetta

Interesting Listen

This is a little bit different genre than what I normally read,however, I really enjoyed it! I think it perpetuates the cycle of what actually happens when women get taken advantage of, the inner feelings of nervousness to tell people and low self worth. It is not a super heavy read as I anticipated but I found it very insightful. Definitley recommend!

Real and raw

As a survivor of sexual assault, this book deeply moved me. It follows a young woman dealing with the aftermath of her attack—most books that I’ve read that explore the topic have felt very surface level, or like the real effects aren’t understood fully. Neither was the case here. This was very real and raw—and had a twist that felt like a gut punch. It was a very empowering and validating read. I think it’s a great read for survivors, and those who love survivors and want to understand the ramifications better.

Great listen

I Thought I Knew is a poignant, gripping story about overcoming trauma and abuse in more ways than one. It does start off with a heartbreaking scene, it really got to me. It can definitely be triggering so make sure to check trigger warnings. As I kept reading though the message of this book became very clear and the author did a phenomenal job of conveying it. This is not a whodunit, we sort of know who the attacker is, but it's the whole point of raising awareness that usually it is someone close.

Nicole the FMC is such a strong, resilient woman. She just wants to take back control of her life after the attack, but one can imagine how hard that is. The author did a fabulous job at conveying the emotions and feelings that a person goes through after suffering such a traumatic event (will not go into details but I can relate is all I will say). I felt so seen, heard and understood while reading this book. The female empowerment was amazing and the character growth beautiful to see.

The writing was descriptive, captivating it held my attention throughout the whole story. The pacing was great, I loved that there were many side characters that we got to see their POV's as well, it added to the storyline. I loved this book even if the subject matter is a hard one ! It's worth the read !

🎧 The narration by Catherine Hein Carter was really good. She held my attention all throughout. Her tone was great, her emotions were felt in her voice and she conveyed the message perfectly !

✨️ Thank you to @melissatrombetta for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Positivity

This book makes you feel so empowered! I’m so happy I read this book! Thank you Melissa!

Strong Female Lead

Strong female lead!!! This was such a great book and so empowering! Quick read and a great ending! I would highly recommend reading this book!

Quick story with a good plot

A good story about a terrible situation. Nicole’s perseverance through her trauma and events in her life were told in an easy flowing story. I noticed background noises on the audio here and there that were a little distracting (possibly only bc I listened with headphones, might not hear otherwise). Otherwise the performance was good.

Empowering women

I really enjoyed this book! I listened to the audible version and really liked it! The author’s descriptive writing drew me in and really brought me into the story! There are definite trigger warnings with this book though, so check those out before you decide to read it. I loved the empowerment themes and the FMC was likable and relatable!! Definitely recommend!

Taking back her power!!

The opening of this book is pretty shocking so warning to those who may be triggered by SA.
I really enjoyed this debut novel! I was really engaged and it kept my interest following the main characters journey from wanting to hide to taking her life back after a devastating SA and all that comes with the aftermath.
I’m excited to follow this new author and wish her well on her writing journey!!

I Thought I Knew

This book brought about so many emotions. I laughed, cried, felt the anxiety, and grew in strength right alongside the characters. I felt connected and wanted to give my own advice. This is a heartfelt book with multiple messages intertwined. I’m looking forward to more reads from Melissa.

You are not alone! 💜

I loved this book! It was as inspirational as it was infuriating! I had all the feels while listening to it. It emphasizes that things don't always go as planned, and strength comes in so many variations. A model for women supporting women! We are fierce, capable, loved, and enough!