What do you think?
One on Each Side
Not yet published
Expected 6 Oct 26
Why didn’t you just leave?
It’s the question every survivor of domestic abuse hears―as if leaving were simple. As if love and manipulation didn’t become impossibly tangled. As if breaking free from an abusive husband didn’t also mean losing the family you’d built your entire life around.
Neely Ellison escaped her emotionally distant mother by marrying into Jeffrey McMahan’s loving Southern family. But Jeffrey’s devotion slowly transforms into control, and his mother’s warmth comes with strings attached. By the time Neely discovers the truth about Jeffrey’s past―and realizes that the only thing worse than leaving is staying―she must make impossible choices.
To break free, Neely must dismantle not just her marriage but everything she thought she knew about family. She must escape not just from Jeffrey but from her own understanding of what love should be.
Set against a genteel Southern backdrop during the 1980s and 1990s, One On Each Side is an unflinching examination of why women stay, how trauma bonds form, and what it takes to break free―not just from an abuser, but from the patterns that made you vulnerable in the first place.
It’s the question every survivor of domestic abuse hears―as if leaving were simple. As if love and manipulation didn’t become impossibly tangled. As if breaking free from an abusive husband didn’t also mean losing the family you’d built your entire life around.
Neely Ellison escaped her emotionally distant mother by marrying into Jeffrey McMahan’s loving Southern family. But Jeffrey’s devotion slowly transforms into control, and his mother’s warmth comes with strings attached. By the time Neely discovers the truth about Jeffrey’s past―and realizes that the only thing worse than leaving is staying―she must make impossible choices.
To break free, Neely must dismantle not just her marriage but everything she thought she knew about family. She must escape not just from Jeffrey but from her own understanding of what love should be.
Set against a genteel Southern backdrop during the 1980s and 1990s, One On Each Side is an unflinching examination of why women stay, how trauma bonds form, and what it takes to break free―not just from an abuser, but from the patterns that made you vulnerable in the first place.
360 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 6, 2026
About the author
M.M. Evans
1 book9 followersShe built a bungalow big enough for two and is now happily married. When not reading or writing you will find her in the kitchen feeding her sourdough starter or making some sort of sauce from tomatoes grown in her own little vegetable garden.
ONE ON EACH SIDE is her first novel.
Follow her on Instagram:
mm_evans_writes
ONE ON EACH SIDE is her first novel.
Follow her on Instagram:
mm_evans_writes
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for an early copy of the book!
This is not my usual genre so I feel a little out of my depth! However I thought this was such a beautiful story of human resilience. Neely’s love for her children and her ability to eventually take care of her own inner child made this an emotional journey, which I always enjoy in a book!
There were two things that kept it from being five stars for me. The first are the “messages” that were shared usually at the end of a chapter. They often felt misplaced or heavy handed. I think they’re important messages, however, I wish they had been written with a little more subtlety or integrated in a way that flowed better with the story.
Dialogue also felt clunky at times. This was not a consistent issue, just something I noticed both in the beginning and end of the novel.
Evans did a great job helping the reader understand the physical and emotional impact of trauma not just on an adult, but on children as well. I felt that the content was treated with a lot of care.
I am looking forward to seeing what comes next from the author!
If you choose to read, be aware there are on page descriptions of physical and sexual abuse.
This is not my usual genre so I feel a little out of my depth! However I thought this was such a beautiful story of human resilience. Neely’s love for her children and her ability to eventually take care of her own inner child made this an emotional journey, which I always enjoy in a book!
There were two things that kept it from being five stars for me. The first are the “messages” that were shared usually at the end of a chapter. They often felt misplaced or heavy handed. I think they’re important messages, however, I wish they had been written with a little more subtlety or integrated in a way that flowed better with the story.
Dialogue also felt clunky at times. This was not a consistent issue, just something I noticed both in the beginning and end of the novel.
Evans did a great job helping the reader understand the physical and emotional impact of trauma not just on an adult, but on children as well. I felt that the content was treated with a lot of care.
I am looking forward to seeing what comes next from the author!
If you choose to read, be aware there are on page descriptions of physical and sexual abuse.
May 28, 2026
Loved this book, I had the wonderful opportunity to get advanced copy from the author. I’ve read a couple of rewrites and the final book was beautifully told. Neely fought for a better life, it took time and courage to break the cycle of abuse. Lots of life lessons to teach anyone in life the warning signs of abuse be it mental or physical. Great 1st book!
Read
August 26, 2026M.M. Evans, author of One on Each Side explores the danger and heartache of trying to have a successful relationship with a narcissist.
Neely McMahan's unconventional childhood shaped her views on love. Her narcissistic mother would always degrade Neely and always made her feel unwanted. So, when Neely heads to college, she unknowingly begins a relationship with Jeffery, a seemingly attentive and wonderful man from a sweet Southern family. In Neely’s mind, she has finally found the peace she’s been searching for and a family that she’s always wanted. However, as soon as she and Jeffrey are married, things begin to change. Jeffrey becomes abusive, both physically and verbally. It’s when Neely finally realized that this kind of behavior from not only her mother, but also from Jeffrey is not normal. Neely feels trapped in her own home, walking on eggshells when her husband arrives home everyday. She realized that she must leave, but she has no idea how.
She felt like her own home was a prison, and Jeffrey’s moods were never predictable. He would get enraged at the smallest and most inconsequential things. In my 1st marriage, I had the very same feelings. I too felt trapped. My husband was not physically abusive, but the words and outbursts were similar to those that Jeffrey had in the book and their depictions were spot on!
This is one of those stories that you won’t soon forget. Our two main characters were convincing, the setting was beautifully portrayed,and the plot kept me turning the pages.
Trigger Warner: There are a few scenes of spousal abuse both physically and emotionally. However, none of these scenes are graphic, and needed to support the story.
Neely McMahan's unconventional childhood shaped her views on love. Her narcissistic mother would always degrade Neely and always made her feel unwanted. So, when Neely heads to college, she unknowingly begins a relationship with Jeffery, a seemingly attentive and wonderful man from a sweet Southern family. In Neely’s mind, she has finally found the peace she’s been searching for and a family that she’s always wanted. However, as soon as she and Jeffrey are married, things begin to change. Jeffrey becomes abusive, both physically and verbally. It’s when Neely finally realized that this kind of behavior from not only her mother, but also from Jeffrey is not normal. Neely feels trapped in her own home, walking on eggshells when her husband arrives home everyday. She realized that she must leave, but she has no idea how.
She felt like her own home was a prison, and Jeffrey’s moods were never predictable. He would get enraged at the smallest and most inconsequential things. In my 1st marriage, I had the very same feelings. I too felt trapped. My husband was not physically abusive, but the words and outbursts were similar to those that Jeffrey had in the book and their depictions were spot on!
This is one of those stories that you won’t soon forget. Our two main characters were convincing, the setting was beautifully portrayed,and the plot kept me turning the pages.
Trigger Warner: There are a few scenes of spousal abuse both physically and emotionally. However, none of these scenes are graphic, and needed to support the story.
August 15, 2026
What an impressive debut novel from M.M. Evans!
I was so lucky to read an advanced copy of this exciting new novel and I can’t wait for it to be out in the world. This is such an important story of how our family and life experiences form us, what makes us “strong” and how our definition of strength and success can change over time. As a female in the medical field who grew up in the South, so much of this book hit home for me and had me emotional and introspective. And as a lover of family dramas and thrillers, I was on the edge of my seat to see how Neely made it through everything her relationships threw her way.
A captivating perspective on how gender roles and family dynamics can isolate us and how survivorship looks different for everyone. I can’t wait for the next story from M.M. Evans!
I was so lucky to read an advanced copy of this exciting new novel and I can’t wait for it to be out in the world. This is such an important story of how our family and life experiences form us, what makes us “strong” and how our definition of strength and success can change over time. As a female in the medical field who grew up in the South, so much of this book hit home for me and had me emotional and introspective. And as a lover of family dramas and thrillers, I was on the edge of my seat to see how Neely made it through everything her relationships threw her way.
A captivating perspective on how gender roles and family dynamics can isolate us and how survivorship looks different for everyone. I can’t wait for the next story from M.M. Evans!
July 28, 2026
I was given an advanced copy of One on Each Side as our book club pick and I loved it! I read it in one day because I was instantly invested in the characters and the story line. There were moments of tension and difficult themes, but I felt like I was walking alongside Neely as she navigated them all. The writing is very engaging and thoughtful!
What stood out most to me was the emotional honesty and the way the book wrapped up. Many life lessons that you could feel throughout. I did get a little teary at a few moments!
For her first novel, I’m very impressed with this work and highly recommend it!
What stood out most to me was the emotional honesty and the way the book wrapped up. Many life lessons that you could feel throughout. I did get a little teary at a few moments!
For her first novel, I’m very impressed with this work and highly recommend it!
September 2, 2026
From the very first page, I was drawn into this story. The author does a masterful job of building an authentic, vivid setting that pulls you right into the narrative. The pacing is perfect, with a gripping, page-turning plot. Neely’s journey is one of true resilience, and watching her break free and find her voice was both heartbreaking and triumphant. It is a stunning, beautifully crafted novel that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a story with real substance and heart.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Gripping, insightful and impossible to ignore-this novel brings light to what so many keep quiet. It’s a story that challenges and empowers.
May it reach those on the fence, and spark the courage to make the harder, braver choice.
Thank you, MM Evans, for a must-read!
May it reach those on the fence, and spark the courage to make the harder, braver choice.
Thank you, MM Evans, for a must-read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC of this and completely flew through it! Though the book’s topic was difficult, the author handled it with sensitivity and grace. M.M. Evans completely put me in the setting of the South in the 80s and 90s. I was rooting for Neely through each phase of the story and I felt like she was one of friends. I found myself wondering about Neely and Jeffrey’s parents’ origins and what led to their behaviors. This was such a brave first novel and I cannot wait to see what M.M. Evans does next!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Pre-publication ARC review - thank you MM Evans!
***4.5 stars rounded up***
I tried to be as spoiler-free as possible!
One on each side is a story of growth and self-love, told from the point of view of Neely, a girl who scarcely found herself feeling loved. We met her family: Mama, Daddy, Richard - her brother, and MeMe, her grandmother, as well as several of her close friends and colleagues. We also read along as she meets Jeffrey, an incredibly charming young man that Neely meets in college.
This story takes a path through darkness and abuse; absolutely check your trigger warnings before proceeding, which include but aren't limited to domestic and sexual violence, death and loss of family, medical details, illness of a child, and more.
What I felt were strengths of this novel:
- The FMC, Neely, was very well fleshed out. I felt like I knew her the entire time, and I appreciated walking through different challenges in her life from her point of view. I also found her frustrating in some of her decisions, but not to any fault of hers or mine, as that's part of what made her so readable.
- The MMC was truly a strong antagonist. I found myself tensing up during any scenes with him (many) and on the edge of my seat to see what he would do next and how Neely would respond.
- I loved Neely's relationship with her grandmother, her friends, and especially her brother. I felt like the relationship with her brother throughout the book was one of the strongest things to witness in this story.
- Neely's character development as she moved in and through major life stages was another major highlight of this novel.
- Helen's role made her a VERY interesting character to read.
- The way the main story is told is so impactful. This story does a great job of "showing not telling", which is another MAJOR strength of this novel in particular.
What I felt had room to grow:
- The depth of Mama's character and Neely's relationship with her. I would have loved to see more like the Christmas morning gift scene to really understand their dynamic.
- The novel itself could have been much longer! While I have no complaints about a quick read ever, I would have loved to read more deeply about Neely's childhood, her relationship with her parents, and read more about how she fell for Jeffrey in the first place. The ending also felt fairly abrupt, and I'd had loved to see more of the impact of the main characters' actions in those scenes.
- Minor writing decisions, like confusing uses of "her/she" in scenes with multiple female characters where I was unsure who was speaking or being spoken to. The time jumps between chapters also got very confusing at times, and I found myself wondering what happened in between, which I think leans into where this story could have been longer with more depth.
- Also minor, but there were intermittent moments throughout the book with facts or lessons/statements of wisdom within the story, as it did take me out of the scene from time to time.
--
Overall, I really loved this story, and it speaks to the author's true effort to incorporate many different types of scenes, settings, actions and characters to emphasize that complexity.
This story really showcases the strength of women and how the journey to self-love can be very ugly but end up very beautiful.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to read and review One on Each Side!
***4.5 stars rounded up***
I tried to be as spoiler-free as possible!
One on each side is a story of growth and self-love, told from the point of view of Neely, a girl who scarcely found herself feeling loved. We met her family: Mama, Daddy, Richard - her brother, and MeMe, her grandmother, as well as several of her close friends and colleagues. We also read along as she meets Jeffrey, an incredibly charming young man that Neely meets in college.
This story takes a path through darkness and abuse; absolutely check your trigger warnings before proceeding, which include but aren't limited to domestic and sexual violence, death and loss of family, medical details, illness of a child, and more.
What I felt were strengths of this novel:
- The FMC, Neely, was very well fleshed out. I felt like I knew her the entire time, and I appreciated walking through different challenges in her life from her point of view. I also found her frustrating in some of her decisions, but not to any fault of hers or mine, as that's part of what made her so readable.
- The MMC was truly a strong antagonist. I found myself tensing up during any scenes with him (many) and on the edge of my seat to see what he would do next and how Neely would respond.
- I loved Neely's relationship with her grandmother, her friends, and especially her brother. I felt like the relationship with her brother throughout the book was one of the strongest things to witness in this story.
- Neely's character development as she moved in and through major life stages was another major highlight of this novel.
- Helen's role made her a VERY interesting character to read.
- The way the main story is told is so impactful. This story does a great job of "showing not telling", which is another MAJOR strength of this novel in particular.
What I felt had room to grow:
- The depth of Mama's character and Neely's relationship with her. I would have loved to see more like the Christmas morning gift scene to really understand their dynamic.
- The novel itself could have been much longer! While I have no complaints about a quick read ever, I would have loved to read more deeply about Neely's childhood, her relationship with her parents, and read more about how she fell for Jeffrey in the first place. The ending also felt fairly abrupt, and I'd had loved to see more of the impact of the main characters' actions in those scenes.
- Minor writing decisions, like confusing uses of "her/she" in scenes with multiple female characters where I was unsure who was speaking or being spoken to. The time jumps between chapters also got very confusing at times, and I found myself wondering what happened in between, which I think leans into where this story could have been longer with more depth.
- Also minor, but there were intermittent moments throughout the book with facts or lessons/statements of wisdom within the story, as it did take me out of the scene from time to time.
--
Overall, I really loved this story, and it speaks to the author's true effort to incorporate many different types of scenes, settings, actions and characters to emphasize that complexity.
This story really showcases the strength of women and how the journey to self-love can be very ugly but end up very beautiful.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to read and review One on Each Side!
Review of advance copy received from Author
First of all thank you M.M. Evans for this ARC.
I started reading this book with no real knowledge of what it was about but was hooked immediately by the prologue.
Be sure to check your TW on this read, as there are instances of sexual and domestic violence.
The book is told from a first person narrative following Neely, a somewhat insecure young woman who is desperate to be loved. Despite always being the "perfect" daughter, girlfriend and eventually wife and mother, Neely struggles to find the love she craves. Her mother is awful, her dad and brother both struggle with their own demons. Luckily she has her grandmother and a handful of close friends. But the real story begins when Neely is swept off her feet by a charismatic, handsome man, named Jeffrey.
Despite being marketed as women's lit, this book could almost fit as a domestic thriller at times. Jeffrey the MMC, makes for a terrifying villain, whose dual personalities and manipulations keep both the reader and FMC on their toes. I could not look away from the scenes he was in.
The story ebs and flows. Sometimes the timeline jumps and it got a bit confusing. The southern dialogue is all a bit distracting, especially if you are not from the south. But overall the author shed light on how difficult living with and leaving an abusive relationship can be. There may be signs but we are all subject to be manipulated and abused if the right person finds us at the wrong time.
This debut took a lot of courage to write. Well done!
I started reading this book with no real knowledge of what it was about but was hooked immediately by the prologue.
Be sure to check your TW on this read, as there are instances of sexual and domestic violence.
The book is told from a first person narrative following Neely, a somewhat insecure young woman who is desperate to be loved. Despite always being the "perfect" daughter, girlfriend and eventually wife and mother, Neely struggles to find the love she craves. Her mother is awful, her dad and brother both struggle with their own demons. Luckily she has her grandmother and a handful of close friends. But the real story begins when Neely is swept off her feet by a charismatic, handsome man, named Jeffrey.
Despite being marketed as women's lit, this book could almost fit as a domestic thriller at times. Jeffrey the MMC, makes for a terrifying villain, whose dual personalities and manipulations keep both the reader and FMC on their toes. I could not look away from the scenes he was in.
The story ebs and flows. Sometimes the timeline jumps and it got a bit confusing. The southern dialogue is all a bit distracting, especially if you are not from the south. But overall the author shed light on how difficult living with and leaving an abusive relationship can be. There may be signs but we are all subject to be manipulated and abused if the right person finds us at the wrong time.
This debut took a lot of courage to write. Well done!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was honored to have read advanced copy of this book. This is a well written novel. Because of the rich character development, the reader will quickly become emotionally invested. I appreciated the psychological insights that allow the reader to truly understand the protagonist and her choices. The magic in the book lies its ability to change the reader. Relative to the subject of domestic abuse, I’ve often wondered “why didn’t they just leave?”. This novel contributed to my personal growth as I now have a deeper understanding on the subject. I am a better person for having read One On Each Side and highly recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book completely captured my heart. M.M. Evans has written a stunningly honest and powerful story about family, survival, and what it truly takes to break free. Watching Neely navigate her world and fight to step into her own power was incredibly moving. The characters felt so real, and the emotional depth stayed with me long after the final page. A beautiful, resilient novel that I highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book completely captured my heart. M.M. Evans has written a stunningly honest and powerful story about family, survival, and what it truly takes to break free. Watching Neely navigate her world and fight to step into her own power was incredibly moving. The characters felt so real, and the emotional depth stayed with me long after the final page. A beautiful, resilient novel that I highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved the book, I felt it was very well written. I enjoyed reading it, well thought out. I could feel the ups the downs of the lead character! I wanted her to run, go with her gut! I will read this again & again!!🫶⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews