Escaping Hell

by Cindy Horrell Ramsey

Sonya Gail Taylor faces a life-altering decision when her secret past threatens her idyllic present. A successful attorney, wife, and mother living in Georgia with her husband and three teenage children, Sonya thought she was safe from the terrifying childhood she bled onto the pages of a senior writing project trying to leave the pain and fear in her past when she left for college on a basketball scholarship. But thirty years later, her high school English teacher from back home in Mississippi unexpectedly shows up in Sonya's new life teaching her teenage son and assigning that same senior project to his class. Sonya feels threatened by the only person who knows every sordid detail of her abusive childhood. She fears that the truth could destroy the life she has worked so hard to build and must decide whether to share the facts about her biological parents' abuse, alcoholism, and drug addiction with her own teenage children or risk alienating them if the truth is revealed by someone else.

Genres: Contemporary

317 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 28, 2024

About the author

Cindy Horrell Ramsey lives with her husband in Southeastern North Carolina where they grew up, married, and raised a family. After all her children were grown, Cindy attended the University of North Carolina Wilmington where she earned a BA in English and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Following an eclectic career, she now spends her time writing, biking and beach walking, enjoying retirement from public work, and being Mimi to five beautiful granddaughters. Cindy writes about things that matter. For more information, visit cindyramseyauthor.com

Reviews

[Justine Sargent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beautifully written, guiding you on a captivating journey through time, with unexpected twists at every turn. I loved how Sonya drew strength from her past to shape her future. The story powerfully illustrates that true resilience comes from within, especially in the face of trauma and heartbreak.

The storyline is refreshingly unique—unlike anything I’ve encountered before. It made for a truly memorable reading experience!

[Mary Croom]

Had a hard time putting this down. Another amazing work by Cindy Horrell Ramsey.

[Charlotte Baggett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a thought provoking journey into what it is like to experience childhood abuse. Abuse stemming from every possible cause and never ending. As the main character is able to put that past behind her and become a mother and have a successful career, that past is threatened to reappear and disrupt her life as she knows it. The reader will experience every emotion in this book from extreme sadness, to joy and then to redemption and fulfillment in the end. I highly recommend this book by Cindy Horrell Ramsey.

[Reader Views · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long-time high school teacher Claire Murray has seen thousands of faces in her thirty years of teaching. Most are a blur, but still, there are a few that Claire will never forget. When introduced to her student Trey’s mother, Claire’s stomach clenches uncomfortably. She’ll never forget the woman standing before her; how could she after she learned the heart-wrenching truth? Trey’s mother had been her student many years ago. Reading her assignment had opened a Pandora’s box of poverty, neglect, and a childhood rife with abuse.

As a high-profile lawyer advocating for abused children, Sonya’s successful life is vastly different from the tortured life she left behind. She has a loving marriage and three wonderful children. But all her old anxieties come rushing back when her son’s teacher turns out to be Sonya’s teacher from twenty years ago. Claire Murray knows Sonya’s deepest, darkest, and most shameful secrets about her sordid past. Sonya is terrified that the secure life she’s worked so hard to build will come crashing down around her.

“Escaping Hell” by Cindy Horrell Ramsey is a poignant yet inspiring novel that explores themes of abuse, family, and coming-of-age. The author applies a no-holds-barred approach to her writing, and sensitive readers should be wary of potentially triggering content. The third-person perspective switches between Claire and Sonya and flashbacks are woven into the storyline through Sonya’s letters.

Can one ever shed the burden of a soiled past? This is the question that keeps Sonya up at night as she is reminded of the years of abuse she endured at the hands of her evil and neglectful parents. Readers who might have dealt with something similar will resonate with Sonya’s apprehension. The author has done an excellent job of illustrating this fear and highlighting how those formidable memories of abuse can hover, causing a lifetime of worry, anguish, and PTSD.

Ramsey’s writing is emotional, and the storyline is driven by well-developed characters that prompt readers to question what they would do if they were in the characters’ shoes. What is the professional and moral responsibility of a teacher whose student is living in an abusive home? Is it better to bury your past or be open and honest about it?

“Escaping Hell” by Cindy Horrell Ramsey appeals to readers who enjoy unhurried pacing in novels focusing on family and relationships. Despite the heavy, sometimes agonizing look back at Sonya’s past, if you love a good comeback story, this one will have you cheering. Furthermore, the author deftly uncovers the deeply seated issues that stem from abuse—addiction, mental illness, and poverty. An illuminating read!

[Shell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire teaches English to seniors in high school. Her year end assignment is a written project on all those people who have influenced the students' life, both good and bad. She occasionally gets stories that move her so much that she copies them and rereads them year after year. Gail's story was one of those.

Gail grew up with a drug addicted mother who would sell their food stamps to buy drugs and would beat her children daily, for any little reason. The kids were constantly hungry, with never enough food. After being threatened with death for her and her children, for money owed for drugs, they go to live with their father.

At times, this is a blessing. They have food to eat, a nice place to live, and feel loved. But when their father gets drunk, it is taken out on the kids.

Trey has Claire as his English teacher the year she is retiring. He has an easier life, going to school, playing sports, being accepted at some good colleges. He has a loving family with twin sisters that adore him, a lawyer mother and a real estate agent dad. He doesn't struggle for anything and his senior project attests to that.

On awards night, Claire meets Trey's parents and realizes his mother is Gail. This is the basis of the story. Trey and his sisters know nothing of their mother's troubled background. Although Claire will never tell, she's worried someone else from the past will, before Sonya (Gail's real first name which she started using when she broke free of her old life) ever tells them.

This is a great story of resilience and overcoming the past. It's a story of how there are good people in the world. It's a story of how no matter how privileged you think someone is, they still have struggles that you won't see. All in all, an excellent read. The characters are well written. The story transitions back and forth between the current day, Gail's past, Trey's past, and both of their senior project stories. I highly recommend reading this book. #GoodreadsGiveaways

[Cindy Ramsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love reading Jodi Picoult, Kristin Hannah, or Colleen Hoover -- especially IT ENDS WITH US -- you will love this book! It has been described as being "gut-wrenching in the best and worst ways." Inspired by true events of child abuse by a successful young business woman, wife, and mother, ESCAPING HELL is a no-holes barred recounting of a childhood lived with first, a drug addicted mother, then an alcoholic father as told in a senior high school writing project as a way for Gail to leave her sordid past on the pages of the paper when she left for college on a basketball scholarship. She was escaping to build a new life for herself--and succeeded. But she held her secrets close and decades later, those secrets threatened to upend the perfect life she had created when someone from that past appears in her idyllic present and she is forced to reckon with the secrets she has kept from her children. Does she tell them herself or risk them hearing it from someone else? How does she tell them? What will they think? Will they still love her? The woman whose childhood inspired this story wanted to share her experiences in hopes of helping others. She said, "Going into the past helped me understand that children do not have strong voices and keeping silent was a survival mechanism. Sharing my story hopefully lets others know they are not alone, and we never have to live in shame due to the actions of our parents."

[Marcy Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Cindy and her husband Steve while helping on a turtle watch and then ran into them at a craft show. I had been unaware she is an author and he a master craftsman! (I urge you to check their goods out when you see them at a craft fair!) I read one of her books, then two more (and bought a second copy of one of them, complete with the author's signature, without realizing I had already purchased it, it sounded that good!). Then I had the honor of reviewing an advance copy of "Escaping Hell". What a good book! It is well written and leads the reader along a roller coaster of a life I hope none of us experience. It is a powerful book and raised many emotions in me: anger, dismay, disappointment, sadness, and finally closure. It raised my awareness to some conditions that, sadly, exist not only in North Carolina, where the story is set, but anywhere. Once I started reading, I could barely put the book down and read it in two sittings on the same day. Well, actually, the reading went into a second day as I stayed up past midnight to finish. Trying not to include any spoilers, upon completion, loose ends were tied satisfactorily and I felt hopeful for a better future. I would recommend this book and will be ordering my own signed copy. I apologize that this review isn't written nearly as well as the book, so please don't let my inadequate writing stop you from reading this book; it is well worth reading.

[Kimberly Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read. I was particularly captivated by the way the storyline was created. There was a creative structure using the teacher’s English senior essay project to tell such an emotionally charged story. It walks through powerful themes of breaking cycles of poverty, abuse, and horror across generations. This story brought out many emotions from sadness to anger to happiness all throughout the journey the mother shared with her children. While it saddens me to know someone went through this, I am glad for the resiliency and of hope and healing for that mother. Perhaps, this book will help others who may be struggling with similar circumstances.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting book cleverly laid out by the author through a series of a teacher’s assigned senior project essays. Powerfully portrays the role parents play in the lives of their children, and how one generation can break free from a circular chain of poverty, horror and abuse. This book will make you examine your own relationships with your children, and be thankful for the gift of having had loving and present parents. Get your copy - you will laugh and cry. A great read!

[Christina Harkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the story both compelling and thought-provoking. The fact that it was inspired by a true story likely added to its authenticity and originality. The themes of abuse and neglect, intertwined with the chaos of a dysfunctional family, seem to have been portrayed in a way that sets the stage for the next generation's triumph.

I felt that some themes could have been handled with a bit more finesse. Overall, it was an excellent read.

[Marnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, with a topic that is hard to digest, much less masterfully write about, kept me engaged throughout my reading. I found it very hard to put down, as the author seamlessly wove characters and their lives together. I felt like I knew them and was a part of their difficult and painful stories. I highly recommend this book as both a captivating read and an appropriate treatment of a very sensitive topic. I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Escaping Hell had me wanting to read it nonstop. It made me think what would I do if I were in their shoes. It's based on true events and Ramsey’s writing is emotional. It shows that no matter your past you can overcome it and make your life the way you want it to be. I would highly recommend reading this book or any of her books. I plan to read her others.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Escaping Hell was a fantastic book! Cindy Ramsey is a talented author! Based on true events this book gives you all the feels, good and bad. It really made me even more grateful for the great life that I have had. When reading I did not want to put this book down. You will not be disappointed so please please read !

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Congratulations on this incredible achievement! The B.R.A.G. Medallion (Book Readers Appreciation Group) is a prestigious recognition for self-published books, and it speaks volumes about the quality and appeal of ESCAPING HELL by Cindy Horrell Ramsey. This honor places it among a distinguished group of reader-recommended works.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Ramsey pulled me into this story from page one. The push and pull of the mother and sons school essays was captivating. A good read about the difficulty of overcoming abuse and becoming a positive role model for your children.

[Jean Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! It is a great example of a woman breaking the cycle of poverty and addiction. The book has lots of examples of good triumphing over pure evil. The book is full of raw emotion. It was very hard to put down, and I highly recommend it!!!

[Tammy Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love shouldn't hurt

This child was abused in the worst ways but was determined to make a good life for her self. She had a family of her own and wss determined to make her children's lives much better than hers was.

[Luis Suarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

very well written, you can feel the emotions.

Very insightful story that takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster. This is my second Cindy Horrell Ramsey book. It doesn’t disappoint.