Trading Prisons

by Alicia Dawn

Everyone is in a prison—whether it’s built by choices, circumstances, or the expectations of others. But what defines you isn’t the walls that surround you; it’s your role within them. Are you the warden, enforcing control? The guard, silently upholding the rules? Or the inmate, trapped by forces beyond your power to escape? For Jessie, life has been a relentless journey from one prison to another. A childhood under her mother’s brutal reign taught her how to survive; a young adulthood spent in the seductive chaos of the club hardened her resolve. Each new chapter brought a different warden, a different set of rules, and the unshakable feeling that freedom was just out of reach. When she meets Colt Bradlee, a man who promises stability and salvation, Jessie dares to hope for something more. But Colt has his own scars, his own prison shaped by a childhood under a demanding mother and an unyielding need to control. His role as warden feels justified, even loving— until it isn’t. As their lives collide in a turbulent storm of love, manipulation, and desperation, Jessie begins to question the prisons they’ve both created. Colt, consumed by his own insecurities, is determined to hold the keys to their shared cell. And Kieran, Jessie’s daughter, becomes the unwitting pawn in a battle between freedom and control, caught between walls she never built. In this powerful exploration, Trading Prisons asks the ultimate If everyone is imprisoned by something, how do you choose whether to escape, enforce, or endure? Trading Prisons is a raw, emotionally devastating domestic violence novel that follows a mother trapped in a brutal cycle of abuse, addiction, and systemic betrayal. With gripping realism, it explores the terrifying control of a physically and psychologically abusive relationship, the failures of the court system, and the unraveling of a woman pushed to her breaking point. Perfect for readers drawn to tragic women’s fiction, trauma survival stories, and gritty, no-filter depictions of motherhood, mental illness, and justice gone wrong. All proceeds from Trading Prisons are donated to the National Domestic Violence Hotline — the very people who once answered my call. Now I write so someone else can be heard.

Genres: Dark Romance

368 pages, Paperback

Published June 5, 2025

Reviews

[May Pelham · Rating 4 out of 5]

OKAY
for some reason i went into this thinking it was a dark romance, DO NOT DO THAT
this is a harrowing tragic story of DV.
The fmc Jessie is in a extremely abusive relationship with her husband Colt, HE IS A AWFUL MAN.

i was traumatised, as much as this book did traumatise me, i still read it and gave it a 3.5 star... WHY? because this was so so real and this does happen to women and men all over the world.

the beautiful author Alicia does also put all contributions from trading prisons into a domestic violence charity, and i cant love her enough for that.

[Kesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is just... Heartbreaking. Every moment you are wishing for her to a choose something, say something, Use her voice! It's so tragic and real. I feel like it hits very close to home for every women. Not necessarily with abuse.. But we have all been silenced in one way or another. Its eerily and tragically familiar. That's why it is such a beautifully necessary story to bring light on a rough subject.

[Seirra Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took me longer than normal to read this not because the first half was triggering being a DV survivor myself. However, this book is a great read and had an ending I didn't expect myself. It was a great read and would definitely recommend

[Andrea Mathes · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is such a beautifully heartbreaking book. I sobbed through majority of it. check the triggers but PICK THIS BOOK UP asap

[Brittney Warf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Trading Prisons didn’t just move me, it completely dismantled me. Anxiety, fear, overthinking, and the suffocating weight of past regrets don't just capture Jessie’s story; they bled straight off the page and into my own heart. Jessie has been caged her entire life in prisons built by men, by her childhood, and by her own mind.

Alicia Dawn, I was physically sick reading this. My heart was racing, my palms were sweating, and my chest felt so tight I could barely breathe. I found myself practically screaming at the pages, “Get out, Jessie! Just get out!”

I didn't think I could hate a name so deeply, but I will never hear the name 'Colt' again without feeling a wave of nausea. And that ending? The sheer audacity. My jaw was on the floor, my hands were shaking, and my soul just…shattered. I wanted so desperately for Jessie and Kieran to have a beautiful, clean, happy ending. Maybe you could argue they got one, but it left me completely broken, sobbing as I looked at my own daughter.

God, this was painful. I wanted to hate this book. I wanted to hurl my Kindle across the room and never look back. But it forces you to face the brutal, devastating reality of domestic violence. It’s a cage with an open door where the victim is convinced they hold the lock. Jesse finally opened it...but the cost absolutely ruined me.

[Erica Elmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven’t read this book… then you haven’t read! I felt like I was inside feeling what she felt and the ending….. lordt have mercy! Keep em coming and thank you for being an advocate for domestic abuse survivors.

[Kelly G (Now Accepting Book Boyfriend Applications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely a book you NEED to check your trigger warnings!

This story follows Jessie, a wife and mother who is the victim of domestic violence. There are some very graphic scenes. Jessie is married to Colt. Kieran (Jessie's 4 year old daughter) is NOT Colt's child. Colt takes everything in Jessie's life and turns it in to something she is doing to embarrass him. The manipulation tactics he uses are severe, and he LOVES to use Bible verses as his reasoning behind his "teaching", mind you he is using them in the way that he, himself, interprets them to mean. But is also is a story of "the cycle" ....its all written in the 3rd person, but mostly focusing on Jessie..... you o get a little background on Colt and his upbringing.

There are some parts to this book that are confusing..... and that is by design! The author meant for you to understand the way that Jessie's mind was working at the time.... and we all know how being inside a mind can seems chaotic in the nest of circumstances. I think it is also important to note that this book IS A WORK OF FICTION. While the author did base some of it on true events and characters similar to real people, she did some reimagining of how things COULD have been!

This is totally a book I would recommend to others who are not looking for a romance. This is about a married couple, but is in NO WAY a romance story. So please consider your mental health and if you are in a place where you can handle the intenseness of this story, I really really hope you do. And if it isn't your thing RIGHT NOW? Pick it up when you can!


If you are experiencing DV in your home please know there IS support out there. You can go to https://www.thehotline.org/ to see the options available to get the help you need to GET OUT NOW!

[John Ivery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trading Prisons: Choose Your Prison by Alicia Dawn is a raw and emotionally intense novel that explores the devastating realities of abuse, control, and survival. Through Jessie’s journey, the story confronts the painful cycles of trauma and the complex dynamics of power within relationships.

The narrative does not shy away from difficult truths, portraying domestic violence, manipulation, and systemic failure with unflinching honesty. Jessie’s character is both vulnerable and resilient, while Colt’s perspective adds a disturbing but important layer to the exploration of control and justification.

What makes this novel especially impactful is its emotional authenticity and willingness to challenge readers with uncomfortable questions about freedom, identity, and the roles people play within their own “prisons.” The inclusion of a child caught in the middle further heightens the stakes and emotional weight.

A powerful and unsettling read that will resonate with readers drawn to dark, character driven stories about survival, trauma, and the search for agency.

[Allie DeMars · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️

I am having a very hard time rating this book because although it is very well done, this book explores an extremely real and heavy topic. As a domestic violence victim myself, I was heavily triggered by the content of the book. And I knew that when I was going into it. So if I were to set those feelings and triggers aside, I think this book would have been higher rated for me.

I think the author does a fantastic job describing how we are sometimes prisoners of many kinds… whether it’s from a relationship, mental health or family trauma. She painted a vivid scene of how Jessie (our FMC), who has been through the hardest of times and even knew better than to put herself in that relationship with Colt, she was unable to get out because of her own mental prison.

I am so proud of the author for putting something like this out there. Bringing awareness to domestic violence and how it’s not simple to just walk away.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

💔

This story is not about love, it’s about DV and the kind of damage that sometimes can never truly be repaired. It’s gut-wrenchingly real, and every page hurts to read. Unfortunately, it’s also the kind of story that may hit very close to home for many people.

I can’t even say it was a “good” book, because that doesn’t feel like the right way to describe something so heavy and heartbreaking. But I still gave it 5 stars because it made me feel everything. It had me crying my eyes out, reminding me that just like in real life, not every ending is a happy one.

[Kristan Ramey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trading Prisons was an emotional and thought-provoking read about the ways people become trapped by their past, relationships, and need for control. Jessie was easy to root for, and the complex dynamic between her and Colt kept me hooked. The themes of freedom, manipulation, and survival were handled well.

The themes definitely hit close to home, this book will stay with you long after you finish. So powerful!

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi, this is my book. All proceeds are donated to the national domestic violence hotline. I greatly appreciate all your support 🥹

[littlebookgems · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ✨