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Please Protect Us
From No.1 bestselling author Toni Maguire comes a new true story of shame, silence, abuse, and survival.
Ryan and Phil had always been inseparable. Twins born thirty-five minutes apart, Ryan was the protective one, constantly looking out for his younger brother. They can't remember how old they were when the abuse started, but they can remember their uncle very clearly.
A frequent visitor to their home in Lincoln, he lavished their family with expensive treats. School holidays and weekends were spent visiting him, when he would often take the two little boys aside to play the games he liked.
Trapped with him, day after day, year after year, the abuse continued until Ryan and Phil turned sixteen. After a showdown with Ryan when he was finally big enough, their uncle never approached them again.
Nearly twenty years after the abuse ended, Ryan and his wife decided to foster troubled children, making their home a safe place filled with love for those in desperate need of it. Ryan and Phil suffered for years at the hands of their uncle, but throughout it all their bond held them together.
Contains mature themes.
Ryan and Phil had always been inseparable. Twins born thirty-five minutes apart, Ryan was the protective one, constantly looking out for his younger brother. They can't remember how old they were when the abuse started, but they can remember their uncle very clearly.
A frequent visitor to their home in Lincoln, he lavished their family with expensive treats. School holidays and weekends were spent visiting him, when he would often take the two little boys aside to play the games he liked.
Trapped with him, day after day, year after year, the abuse continued until Ryan and Phil turned sixteen. After a showdown with Ryan when he was finally big enough, their uncle never approached them again.
Nearly twenty years after the abuse ended, Ryan and his wife decided to foster troubled children, making their home a safe place filled with love for those in desperate need of it. Ryan and Phil suffered for years at the hands of their uncle, but throughout it all their bond held them together.
Contains mature themes.
- GenresNonfictionMemoir
Audible Audio
Published May 16, 2023
232 people are currently reading
214 people want to read
About the author
Toni Maguire
43 books548 followers“Don’t tell Mummy”, my memoir of my own childhood abuse, became a UK best seller in 2007. Writing about my experiences was hard emotionally, but in retrospect it has helped me deal with my past and realize that there is no shame in being the victim. It is never the child’s fault, whatever the abuser makes them believe at the time. How can it be? I then wrote a sequel, “When Daddy Comes Home”, which deals with the mental trauma of having a father jailed for incest, return to a home where my mother welcomed him back as if nothing had happened and turned her back on me.
My success with my two autobiographies encouraged others who had kept their childhood secrets hidden to approach me and five books depicting their stories followed: Helpless, Nobody Came, Don’t You Love Your Daddy? Can’t Anyone Help Me? All very different, but with one thing in common; the victims all thought they were somehow to blame.
I hope that my books have helped expose and lift the social taboos of acknowledging physical and emotional abuse together mental illness. Whereas children are victims, adults need to be survivors. I not only used my own name in my books, but placed my photograph there as well, making my point that no shame should be attached to having been a victim.
To date I have published over 1.5 million books worldwide. In October last year France published Madeline’s story, “They Stole my Innocence,” which will be available in the UK in August. Before I wrote it, I had started writing my first novel; a mixture of fact and fiction which happily I have now finished, titled “Pretty Maids all in a Row” Set against the capricious, unequal and often cruel landscape of London’s Victorian era, it is the story of Agnes a fisherman’s daughter and Emily a heiress. One travels to London in search for her sister, the other is kidnapped, simply because she is was so beautiful. Both girls are taken to Mary Jefferies, the notorious brothel keeper whose clients were some of the most powerful men in England. Her sponsor was King Leopold, the cousin of Queen Victoria. Against this background the passionate men and women known as the Reformers were striving to get the age of consent. This is a major departure in the style of my writing and I think my previous fan-base and totally new readers of my work will find it enthralling.
My success with my two autobiographies encouraged others who had kept their childhood secrets hidden to approach me and five books depicting their stories followed: Helpless, Nobody Came, Don’t You Love Your Daddy? Can’t Anyone Help Me? All very different, but with one thing in common; the victims all thought they were somehow to blame.
I hope that my books have helped expose and lift the social taboos of acknowledging physical and emotional abuse together mental illness. Whereas children are victims, adults need to be survivors. I not only used my own name in my books, but placed my photograph there as well, making my point that no shame should be attached to having been a victim.
To date I have published over 1.5 million books worldwide. In October last year France published Madeline’s story, “They Stole my Innocence,” which will be available in the UK in August. Before I wrote it, I had started writing my first novel; a mixture of fact and fiction which happily I have now finished, titled “Pretty Maids all in a Row” Set against the capricious, unequal and often cruel landscape of London’s Victorian era, it is the story of Agnes a fisherman’s daughter and Emily a heiress. One travels to London in search for her sister, the other is kidnapped, simply because she is was so beautiful. Both girls are taken to Mary Jefferies, the notorious brothel keeper whose clients were some of the most powerful men in England. Her sponsor was King Leopold, the cousin of Queen Victoria. Against this background the passionate men and women known as the Reformers were striving to get the age of consent. This is a major departure in the style of my writing and I think my previous fan-base and totally new readers of my work will find it enthralling.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 20, 2022
This is a harrowing read, true and above all, a story that needs to be told.
People need to face that this goes on, know the signs people and even if you end up being wrong, err on the side of caution and protect our young.
These two boys went through abuse that no one should have happen to them. Innocence was taken away and these two brave boys who are now young men need to recognise the strength they have within them.
The consequences for the abuser is not high enough!
People need to face that this goes on, know the signs people and even if you end up being wrong, err on the side of caution and protect our young.
These two boys went through abuse that no one should have happen to them. Innocence was taken away and these two brave boys who are now young men need to recognise the strength they have within them.
The consequences for the abuser is not high enough!
August 5, 2021
I know these lads, I grew up just around the corner and was good friends with their brother Leighton. I've read this book in a day. Literally couldn't stop reading... brave boys who became brave men. This book will help others.
August 19, 2021
Please Protect Us: by Toni Maguire.
What a very moving story by two very brave men who at the first time were little boys not understanding what this man was putting them through. Something no child should have been put through! Congratulations on such a brave move to be able to speak out on the traumatic childhood you endured! I personally think the jail term was nowhere near what he deserved, a minimal of at least 15 years sounds to me more deserving!
What a very moving story by two very brave men who at the first time were little boys not understanding what this man was putting them through. Something no child should have been put through! Congratulations on such a brave move to be able to speak out on the traumatic childhood you endured! I personally think the jail term was nowhere near what he deserved, a minimal of at least 15 years sounds to me more deserving!
September 11, 2021
Another harrowing but excellent read
The story of Ryan and Phil has you squirming at points but its so important to know these things happen and happily the end outcome is good. They show such bravery and above all loyalty to each other and to protect there family.
The story of Ryan and Phil has you squirming at points but its so important to know these things happen and happily the end outcome is good. They show such bravery and above all loyalty to each other and to protect there family.
December 29, 2023
Please Protect Us is a real-life story of two twin brothers, Ryan and Phil. Through this story, it is clear that child abuse is real and it can happen to any gender. This is a painful story of twin brothers who were facing abuse from one of their close relatives at the age of 3 or 4 years to the age of 16. The relative groomed those boys and their family members so well, pictured him well in front of other family members, if any day someone would try to reveal his true colours no one would ever believe them. This story is painful and eye-opening to parents to pay close attention to their child if he is not comfortable around certain people and teaching good and bad touch to your child as important as any other skill or essential thing in their childhood.
February 4, 2024
Very well written and easy to follow.
This book gave great insight to a not so easy to discuss subject. It was easy to follow and the reading was smooth. It was a little surprising to find out that not one family member suspected anything was amiss. From the bed wetting to the late night room visits, how did not one person suspect anything , still baffles my mind.
I would definitely recommend reading this book and I'm glad these two brothers got the chance to tell their story, which must of been healing in itself.
This book gave great insight to a not so easy to discuss subject. It was easy to follow and the reading was smooth. It was a little surprising to find out that not one family member suspected anything was amiss. From the bed wetting to the late night room visits, how did not one person suspect anything , still baffles my mind.
I would definitely recommend reading this book and I'm glad these two brothers got the chance to tell their story, which must of been healing in itself.
February 16, 2022
Wow what a story I could not put this book down, it took only a couple of days to read it, it is told with much thought, really hard to read at some points but relevant to social workers to embed the signs of sexual absuse! The book just got better as it went on, not all stories have an ending that tells what happened in the survivors adult lives I was so happy for Ryan and Phil, what strength they both have, Thankyou for sharing your story!
January 28, 2024
What an amazing journey!
I literally found it difficult to put down. Hard to read, but I catch my breath and continue. It's not easy to put into words all the different feelings I had reading this. Ryan and Phil leave me with no words. Accept God has been with you both every step of the way. Things happen in this life that we don't understand. But one day we will.
I literally found it difficult to put down. Hard to read, but I catch my breath and continue. It's not easy to put into words all the different feelings I had reading this. Ryan and Phil leave me with no words. Accept God has been with you both every step of the way. Things happen in this life that we don't understand. But one day we will.
September 21, 2023
This was a difficult book to read but I’m glad these men were able to tell their story. It told their horrible account of child grooming and abuse. It made me realize how as a parent I failed to see the sadness before it became madness.
December 20, 2023
Why
I borrowed this from Amazon Prime. It's about two young boys about their uncle sexualy molestation since they were very small and they had to keep it a secret between the two of them.I liked how the ending was but can't say because it would be a spoiler.
I borrowed this from Amazon Prime. It's about two young boys about their uncle sexualy molestation since they were very small and they had to keep it a secret between the two of them.I liked how the ending was but can't say because it would be a spoiler.
December 30, 2023
All I can say is wow!
I too am a sexual abuse survivor. I connected with this book in so many ways! I was diagnosed with PTSD and I have severe depression, anxiety and flashbacks. I suppressed talking about it for 45 years. Thank you for putting your story out there.
I too am a sexual abuse survivor. I connected with this book in so many ways! I was diagnosed with PTSD and I have severe depression, anxiety and flashbacks. I suppressed talking about it for 45 years. Thank you for putting your story out there.
February 22, 2024
Brave honesty
Sensitively written Thank you for the honesty without over dramatisation a very brave yet supportive account of your lives and perfect family support as it should be but sadly this is not always the case.
Sensitively written Thank you for the honesty without over dramatisation a very brave yet supportive account of your lives and perfect family support as it should be but sadly this is not always the case.
March 19, 2024
Too much irrelevant details (sadly, not worth to note, e.g. the Christmas) before turning to the abuse. Probably beyond familiar with the sex-abuse narration, nothing new can be found in book. The normal kind of children oral history--good at It's documentary value, however, not literacy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2021
This is a brilliant book, it is so sad what Ryan and Phil went through. Thank you Toni Maguire for sharing their story with us.
October 16, 2022
Very emotional and sad story about Ryan and Phil. They are both very brave. Pleased they felt able to speak about their abuse and how Ryan has gone on to help others with troubled backgrounds.
February 17, 2023
A truly heartbreaking book but deserves 5 stars for the bravery of those lads. Loved to hear the ending of them doing so well but heart breaks for the pain they will feel everyday.
February 19, 2023
It was a really book but also an incredibly hard read.
March 22, 2023
what a read!!
My heart goes out to all the children who suffer at the hands of adults.
Heartbreaking read but the love the brothers have for one another shine through.
My heart goes out to all the children who suffer at the hands of adults.
Heartbreaking read but the love the brothers have for one another shine through.
April 20, 2023
Heart breaking but brilliant
I know these guys well and reading their story absolutely broke my heart,but my gosh they are brave,love you guys xx
I know these guys well and reading their story absolutely broke my heart,but my gosh they are brave,love you guys xx
April 28, 2023
Great
Good book.quite heart breaking and opens your eyes. Those poor boys. Deep recommend to read. Thank you to you all
Good book.quite heart breaking and opens your eyes. Those poor boys. Deep recommend to read. Thank you to you all
January 11, 2024
So hard to read but an incredibly important story. A very tastefully written story
June 18, 2024
Fantastic and heartbreaking
From the first few pages I was hooked and not able to put it down. Sad story and very emotional. Would 100% recommend it ❤️
From the first few pages I was hooked and not able to put it down. Sad story and very emotional. Would 100% recommend it ❤️
January 7, 2025
Found it hard to get into at first, but it turned out one of the nicer reads as you find out what their lives are like now
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews