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The Girl Who Named Herself: A Novel Inspired by True Events
THEY TAUGHT HER TO DISAPPEAR. SHE GAVE HERSELF A NAME.
Every night, Jaime returns to the bedside of the mother who spent twelve years teaching her that she was ugly, stupid, and impossible to love.
Lorene no longer recognizes her. No one else comes.
As a child, Jaime survived hunger, locked doors, and the command that followed her from one home to the next: don't tell. When every adult seemed to have a name for what was wrong with her, she chose one for herself. It belonged to a woman who looked strong, and the girl needed that strength badly enough to borrow it.
Decades later, Jaime has built the life she was told she never could. She has a loving marriage, a son, a career, and a home of her own. But Glenn, the man who knows her best, knows almost nothing about the child she was.
Now Lorene's memory is failing, the past is pressing through the cracks, and silence is becoming harder to carry. Jaime must decide what belongs to her alone, what must finally be spoken, and whether forgiveness can ever exist without surrendering the truth.
THE GIRL WHO NAMED HERSELF is a devastating and ultimately hopeful novel about survival, memory, chosen identity, and the life a woman can build from everything meant to erase her.
Every night, Jaime returns to the bedside of the mother who spent twelve years teaching her that she was ugly, stupid, and impossible to love.
Lorene no longer recognizes her. No one else comes.
As a child, Jaime survived hunger, locked doors, and the command that followed her from one home to the next: don't tell. When every adult seemed to have a name for what was wrong with her, she chose one for herself. It belonged to a woman who looked strong, and the girl needed that strength badly enough to borrow it.
Decades later, Jaime has built the life she was told she never could. She has a loving marriage, a son, a career, and a home of her own. But Glenn, the man who knows her best, knows almost nothing about the child she was.
Now Lorene's memory is failing, the past is pressing through the cracks, and silence is becoming harder to carry. Jaime must decide what belongs to her alone, what must finally be spoken, and whether forgiveness can ever exist without surrendering the truth.
THE GIRL WHO NAMED HERSELF is a devastating and ultimately hopeful novel about survival, memory, chosen identity, and the life a woman can build from everything meant to erase her.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 20, 2026
About the author
A.R. Hollowell
18 books108 followersA.R. Hollowell is the author of psychological thrillers that explore the moral pressure points of ordinary lives. His novels place readers inside impossible choices, not simply to frighten them, but to leave them asking the more unsettling question: what would I have done?
His work lives in the uneasy space between what is legal and what is right. He writes about people caught inside institutions built to protect them, including courts, hospitals, families, workplaces, and systems of authority, where truth is often incomplete and every available choice comes with a consequence. His characters are rarely given clean answers. Instead, they must confront loyalty, guilt, power, grief, responsibility, and the private cost of doing what they believe is right.
Known for atmospheric suspense, emotional complexity, and ethical dilemmas that continue beyond the final page, Hollowell’s stories blend psychological tension with questions of conscience. Whether the threat comes from a hidden past, a professional system, or the person closest to the protagonist, his novels ask readers to look beyond the obvious and consider the human consequences of silence, certainty, and survival.
When he is not writing, A.R. enjoys flying drones, building new things, exploring emerging technology, and watching movies with his family.
Readers can follow A.R. Hollowell and join the Hollowell Circle of Trust Facebook group for new releases, bonus chapters, behind-the-scenes updates, and conversations about the stories still to come.
His work lives in the uneasy space between what is legal and what is right. He writes about people caught inside institutions built to protect them, including courts, hospitals, families, workplaces, and systems of authority, where truth is often incomplete and every available choice comes with a consequence. His characters are rarely given clean answers. Instead, they must confront loyalty, guilt, power, grief, responsibility, and the private cost of doing what they believe is right.
Known for atmospheric suspense, emotional complexity, and ethical dilemmas that continue beyond the final page, Hollowell’s stories blend psychological tension with questions of conscience. Whether the threat comes from a hidden past, a professional system, or the person closest to the protagonist, his novels ask readers to look beyond the obvious and consider the human consequences of silence, certainty, and survival.
When he is not writing, A.R. enjoys flying drones, building new things, exploring emerging technology, and watching movies with his family.
Readers can follow A.R. Hollowell and join the Hollowell Circle of Trust Facebook group for new releases, bonus chapters, behind-the-scenes updates, and conversations about the stories still to come.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I cried for a little girl who learned to make herself small, and I cheered for the woman who stopped.
I finished this book emptied out and quietly grateful, and I had to sit in silence before I could trust myself to write anything at all.
Mr Hollowell's writing is unparalleled in the present day. Every word is written quietly, and not one syllable is wasted. He pierces the heart and slips into the mind, until Jaime's fear and her fragile hope feel like your own. He lets us stand beside her as she finally, finally realises her worth and no longer needs to be invisible. She no longer needs to save a heel of bread or wear a colour she hates. It's those small things that affected me so much.
Knowing this story is inspired by a true story is heartbreaking. Once again, A.R. Hollowell has handed me a priceless gift that left my heart in tatters, and it made me step back and truly appreciate my own life.
At its core, this is a book about identity, and the right every one of us has to own ours. Jaime had to claim hers as a small child, and claim it she did.
Her strength, courage and resilience, and her ability to turn the atrocities of her childhood into the wonderful woman she is now, is something truly inspiring.
Devastating, urgent, and unforgettable, once again Mr Hollowell has produced something truly outstanding.
My thanks to Booksirens and the author for an ARC. All views are my own.
I finished this book emptied out and quietly grateful, and I had to sit in silence before I could trust myself to write anything at all.
Mr Hollowell's writing is unparalleled in the present day. Every word is written quietly, and not one syllable is wasted. He pierces the heart and slips into the mind, until Jaime's fear and her fragile hope feel like your own. He lets us stand beside her as she finally, finally realises her worth and no longer needs to be invisible. She no longer needs to save a heel of bread or wear a colour she hates. It's those small things that affected me so much.
Knowing this story is inspired by a true story is heartbreaking. Once again, A.R. Hollowell has handed me a priceless gift that left my heart in tatters, and it made me step back and truly appreciate my own life.
At its core, this is a book about identity, and the right every one of us has to own ours. Jaime had to claim hers as a small child, and claim it she did.
Her strength, courage and resilience, and her ability to turn the atrocities of her childhood into the wonderful woman she is now, is something truly inspiring.
Devastating, urgent, and unforgettable, once again Mr Hollowell has produced something truly outstanding.
My thanks to Booksirens and the author for an ARC. All views are my own.
September 20, 2026
Y’all, The Girl Who Named Herself is a raw, haunting story of survival that grabs your heart and squeezes hard.
Jaime endured hunger, locked doors, and a mother who taught her to disappear—but she borrowed a strong woman’s name and built a life nobody believed she deserved. Now, with Lorene’s memory fading, buried truths are rattling the walls, and Jaime must decide whether forgiveness can exist without sacrificing the truth. Bless her heart, that silence has collected enough baggage to need its own moving truck.
A.R. Hollowell’s lyrical, emotionally precise writing makes every painful memory feel close enough to touch. Jaime is complicated, resilient, and beautifully human. Devastating yet hopeful, this powerful five-star read proves that surviving is one thing—but naming yourself and reclaiming your story is everything. 🧡📖
Jaime endured hunger, locked doors, and a mother who taught her to disappear—but she borrowed a strong woman’s name and built a life nobody believed she deserved. Now, with Lorene’s memory fading, buried truths are rattling the walls, and Jaime must decide whether forgiveness can exist without sacrificing the truth. Bless her heart, that silence has collected enough baggage to need its own moving truck.
A.R. Hollowell’s lyrical, emotionally precise writing makes every painful memory feel close enough to touch. Jaime is complicated, resilient, and beautifully human. Devastating yet hopeful, this powerful five-star read proves that surviving is one thing—but naming yourself and reclaiming your story is everything. 🧡📖
August 22, 2026
For a book that is not normally my style I must say I really enjoyed this it .
Showing someone going through struggles and accomplishing through them this book was very well written, and I did not get bored with it
Recommended book to read for sure
Showing someone going through struggles and accomplishing through them this book was very well written, and I did not get bored with it
Recommended book to read for sure
September 27, 2026
The Girl Who Named Herself by A.R. Hollowell is one of the most emotional and powerful true stories I’ve ever read. Knowing Jaime’s journey is real makes every chapter hit with a weight that stays long after you finish the book. Her experiences are heartbreaking, and the abuse she endured is written with an honesty that is difficult but necessary to sit with.
What moved me most was Jaime’s strength. Hollowell doesn’t portray her resilience as something simple or effortless. He shows the reality of what it means to survive trauma and slowly rebuild yourself piece by piece. Jaime’s courage feels earned, and deeply human. Watching her grow into a remarkable person despite everything she went through is both devastating and inspiring.
This book is sad, raw, and at times overwhelming, but it is also full of hope. Jaime’s story is a testament to the power of survival and the ability to reclaim your identity even when the world tried to take it from you. It’s a true story that broke my heart and healed it in the same breath.
A.R. Hollowell honors her journey beautifully. This is a book I won’t forget.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What moved me most was Jaime’s strength. Hollowell doesn’t portray her resilience as something simple or effortless. He shows the reality of what it means to survive trauma and slowly rebuild yourself piece by piece. Jaime’s courage feels earned, and deeply human. Watching her grow into a remarkable person despite everything she went through is both devastating and inspiring.
This book is sad, raw, and at times overwhelming, but it is also full of hope. Jaime’s story is a testament to the power of survival and the ability to reclaim your identity even when the world tried to take it from you. It’s a true story that broke my heart and healed it in the same breath.
A.R. Hollowell honors her journey beautifully. This is a book I won’t forget.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 17, 2026
The Girl Who Named Herself kept my attention the entire time I read it. It definitely has triggers, so if child abuse, sexual abuse, and/or incest is a trigger for you, be warned that these things are throughout the entire book.
Having said that, I really cared about Jaime and hoped for her future. She is the epitome of a survivor. Her life is one heartbreak after another. I was really rooting for her and hoping things would get better.
I read this as an ARC and highly recommend it for those who love psychological thrillers and suspense.
Having said that, I really cared about Jaime and hoped for her future. She is the epitome of a survivor. Her life is one heartbreak after another. I was really rooting for her and hoping things would get better.
I read this as an ARC and highly recommend it for those who love psychological thrillers and suspense.
October 4, 2026
Received this book as an ARC from the author. This book has to be my favorite of A.R. books so far!! I wasn't prepared for the amount of emotions I would feel throughout this book- sadness, anger, and even joy for this little girl and everything she went through! Definitely recommend for everyone to read!
September 25, 2026
heartbreaking
Really shows the strength of this child turned woman. You never truly know what anyone goes through during their life
Really shows the strength of this child turned woman. You never truly know what anyone goes through during their life
August 24, 2026
This book was given to me as an ARC via BookSirens by the Author here is my voluntarily review.
Easy 5⭐️ for me I honestly wasn’t prepared for how emotional this book was going to make me. There were moments where I had to stop reading for a second because my heart just hurt for her. Her pain, her strength, and everything she had to carry felt so real I just wanted to go inside the pages and just hug her as a Mom it just made me so angry 😡.
It’s messy, painful, and heartbreaking at times, but there’s also so much strength and hope underneath all of it. I became really attached to her and found myself rooting for her more and more as the story went on. What I loved the most was watching her slowly find herself. Not the person other people wanted her to be, not the person her past tried to turn her into, but who she wanted to be. And that hit me hard. There’s something so emotional about watching someone who has been through so much finally realize that they deserve to choose themselves too. Definitely 💯 recommend reading 📖.
Easy 5⭐️ for me I honestly wasn’t prepared for how emotional this book was going to make me. There were moments where I had to stop reading for a second because my heart just hurt for her. Her pain, her strength, and everything she had to carry felt so real I just wanted to go inside the pages and just hug her as a Mom it just made me so angry 😡.
It’s messy, painful, and heartbreaking at times, but there’s also so much strength and hope underneath all of it. I became really attached to her and found myself rooting for her more and more as the story went on. What I loved the most was watching her slowly find herself. Not the person other people wanted her to be, not the person her past tried to turn her into, but who she wanted to be. And that hit me hard. There’s something so emotional about watching someone who has been through so much finally realize that they deserve to choose themselves too. Definitely 💯 recommend reading 📖.
Review of advance copy
My mind cannot map out the words to describe this book which is exquisite in every way. I’ve started and stopped this review countless times because it’s impossible to articulate the intensity of my feelings. The Girl Who Named Herself is inspired by true events and written with incredible sensitivity and quiet tender care on the subject of abuse and neglect. But it is also about perseverance and finding courage. It flooded my heart with anguish and agony and hope. It made me FEEL. The fact that there is no graphic sex or profanity elevates it even more, if that’s possible. Thriller authors, take note. It can be done… and done extremely well.
The story is heart achingly unsettling and kept me on edge and high alert as I did not want to miss a single fragment. I typically read a book in one day but this author’s books must be slowly digested to appreciate the incomparable prose and meaningful content. Each syllable has its rightful place and I could not have been more engrossed.
The main female character had nothing of her own growing up. She had to hear proof when scraping her jar of food that it was actually hers and that it wouldn’t be taken away. Her life was full of humiliation and pain meted out by those who should have loved and made her safe. She named herself after a powerful woman and strove to be like her. “Being told was familiar. I had never once been asked.” So many sentences broke me, including this one. The purple skirt, half slice of flattened bread, baby Rose, learning to be invisible, seeking approval from her brother, mental and physical neglect, and the elevation of others above her were torture to read. But others in her life cared for her and loved her deeply. She learned how to check oil, cut grass, and do repairs quietly without drama. She was allowed to make mistakes while shown beautiful patience. She discovered her skill of matching colours. She learned safe hands. The one honest conversation with her mother was with a stranger in an institution. The book is one moving story after another but one of the most precious to my heart was that of the wedding dress.
My mind and heart are so shattered by the sheer raw emotion of the story, simultaneously beautiful and ugly, that it and other books I have recently read by this author are all I can think about. Whenever I finish a book by A. R. Hollowell, I walk around in a daze and shock of the almost otherworldliness of the writing which has spoiled me for life. Every turn of the page feels like handling a priceless jewel, flawless and breathtaking, teaching me how to see things differently.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story is heart achingly unsettling and kept me on edge and high alert as I did not want to miss a single fragment. I typically read a book in one day but this author’s books must be slowly digested to appreciate the incomparable prose and meaningful content. Each syllable has its rightful place and I could not have been more engrossed.
The main female character had nothing of her own growing up. She had to hear proof when scraping her jar of food that it was actually hers and that it wouldn’t be taken away. Her life was full of humiliation and pain meted out by those who should have loved and made her safe. She named herself after a powerful woman and strove to be like her. “Being told was familiar. I had never once been asked.” So many sentences broke me, including this one. The purple skirt, half slice of flattened bread, baby Rose, learning to be invisible, seeking approval from her brother, mental and physical neglect, and the elevation of others above her were torture to read. But others in her life cared for her and loved her deeply. She learned how to check oil, cut grass, and do repairs quietly without drama. She was allowed to make mistakes while shown beautiful patience. She discovered her skill of matching colours. She learned safe hands. The one honest conversation with her mother was with a stranger in an institution. The book is one moving story after another but one of the most precious to my heart was that of the wedding dress.
My mind and heart are so shattered by the sheer raw emotion of the story, simultaneously beautiful and ugly, that it and other books I have recently read by this author are all I can think about. Whenever I finish a book by A. R. Hollowell, I walk around in a daze and shock of the almost otherworldliness of the writing which has spoiled me for life. Every turn of the page feels like handling a priceless jewel, flawless and breathtaking, teaching me how to see things differently.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I read The Girl Who Named Herself by author A.R. Hollowell.
The main character in this story is named Jaime. A name she chose for herself, as a child who was so young, but old enough to have already had a name.
This book, based on a true story, shares the life of Jaime. From her earliest of memories to many years later as a woman who has built a life she was told she was never worthy of. A husband, career, a home, love, safety.
Jaime did not have a lot of words for the foundation stones that built her. Hide, weather, quiet…and don’t tell. She carried what little words she had & the name she gave herself to the different homes of her youth. Collecting scars as her vocabulary increased.
The woman who eventually was known as Jaime’s mother gave her words. Words not for a child. Glenn, the man who would be her husband gave her words that helped her begin to understand love & security.
This book, which reads like a memoir, will fill in all the blanks this review will not. It’s different from the reviews i usually write…because I am feeling different having just finished the book. A two day walk with Jaime to places that made me wish it had all been fiction. That it was all made up from the author’s mind. Not a real child then a real woman, not real places that are not safe for the vulnerable. Not real hunger, fear, things to be kept secret.
This book purposely avoids any graphic depictions of anything. It’s written as gently as it could be. It is likely more successful at hitting the emotions it does because of that. And hits them it does.
The tale is painful, tragic, while not without hope, inspiration & love. And a message that one does not have to carry things that are not theirs to carry and that healing is possible without forgiveness.
It’s a powerful read. Check trigger warnings.
Definitely recommend.
I received an advanced reader copy from the author. This is my voluntary and honest review.
The main character in this story is named Jaime. A name she chose for herself, as a child who was so young, but old enough to have already had a name.
This book, based on a true story, shares the life of Jaime. From her earliest of memories to many years later as a woman who has built a life she was told she was never worthy of. A husband, career, a home, love, safety.
Jaime did not have a lot of words for the foundation stones that built her. Hide, weather, quiet…and don’t tell. She carried what little words she had & the name she gave herself to the different homes of her youth. Collecting scars as her vocabulary increased.
The woman who eventually was known as Jaime’s mother gave her words. Words not for a child. Glenn, the man who would be her husband gave her words that helped her begin to understand love & security.
This book, which reads like a memoir, will fill in all the blanks this review will not. It’s different from the reviews i usually write…because I am feeling different having just finished the book. A two day walk with Jaime to places that made me wish it had all been fiction. That it was all made up from the author’s mind. Not a real child then a real woman, not real places that are not safe for the vulnerable. Not real hunger, fear, things to be kept secret.
This book purposely avoids any graphic depictions of anything. It’s written as gently as it could be. It is likely more successful at hitting the emotions it does because of that. And hits them it does.
The tale is painful, tragic, while not without hope, inspiration & love. And a message that one does not have to carry things that are not theirs to carry and that healing is possible without forgiveness.
It’s a powerful read. Check trigger warnings.
Definitely recommend.
I received an advanced reader copy from the author. This is my voluntary and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The thing that hurts the most about this book is that things like this actually happen. The thought that a child has to live through days and years of continual abuse and hatred is devastating. A R Hollowell tells this story in such a way that you feel like you are there witnessing Jaime’s pain. She was never given a name, so she chose Jaime because a woman she met was strong and compassionate and that is how she wanted to grow up.
It tells about the things she dealt with on a daily basis until she found a way out and learned she could have a life of love and kindness.
I really enjoyed this book even though it was an extremely emotional read.
Thank you to A R Hollowell and Book Sirens for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It tells about the things she dealt with on a daily basis until she found a way out and learned she could have a life of love and kindness.
I really enjoyed this book even though it was an extremely emotional read.
Thank you to A R Hollowell and Book Sirens for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
I really enjoyed this story. In the painful parts, I found myself holding my breath, hurting so deeply for what this child experienced. But I also rejoiced where she was able to overcome so much of her past. I love the idea of her choosing her name. I love how the story developed. And I simultaneously felt so much anger towards those who hurt her, especially her adoptive mother. And in leaving this review, I was just reminded that this was inspired by a true story, making the entire thing that much more emotional.
Definitely recommend reading this one.
I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Definitely recommend reading this one.
I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC copy of this & am writing this review voluntarily. A devastatingly real and raw story of a woman throughout her childhood and in present day. The main character in this book was absolutely amazing, from living a difficult life to becoming so fearless, empathetic and resilient. While topics were difficult to hear about A.R Hollowell had a way of getting the point he was trying to make across without it being triggering for someone who may have been through something similar. Extremely well written & totally gripping! Another job well done A.R :)
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is the kind of book that quietly breaks your heart before reminding you of the incredible strength it takes to put yourself back together. Jaime’s journey is raw, painful, and deeply moving, and the emotional weight of what she carries lingers long after the final page. A beautifully written story about resilience, identity, and finding the courage to face what was meant to stay buried. Heartbreaking, powerful, and ultimately hopeful.
Review of advance copy
Deep. Insightful. A literary fiction work. I admire Jaime. She was strong without knowing it. She eventually knew what to keep or own or be responsible for. She was a thinker and weighed actions and consequences. She changed what she could and set her mind to it. She did not wallow in self pity. It is sad the damage caregivers can cause young developing minds. The support with trust, patience and love is rare. The ending was well deserved. Hats off to them both!! The author portrayed Jaime's story and psychological effects, well.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC of The Girl Who Named Herself and I’m writing this review voluntarily. The timeline of the woman (Jamie’s) past and present was raw; written in such detail that I felt it. She carried so much pain she didn’t choose. Jamie was strong and resilient on how she overcame obstacles. This book was well written by A. R. Hollowell and look forward to reading additional books.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Just WOW what an emotional roller coaster this book is but also so good! I ❤️ all of A.R Hollowell books but this has got to be one of my favourites on so many levels. The way it was written in Past and Present kept you with the storyline. Absolutely 💯 recommend it when it gets published. An easy 5 🌟 from me. Thank you for letting me read this 📖
October 1, 2026
3.75 stars
I found it a bit tough to get into initially with the past/present and didn’t live the way we as the reader s were guided through it although I did get used to it. However, it must be mentioned that the traumatic scenes were super well written!! Be interested to know who it was based off of.
I found it a bit tough to get into initially with the past/present and didn’t live the way we as the reader s were guided through it although I did get used to it. However, it must be mentioned that the traumatic scenes were super well written!! Be interested to know who it was based off of.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really enjoyed this book. What this poor girl went through as a child is so sad. But she turned out to be a strong independent mother and wife. I could not put the book down. I had to know what happened next.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is the most hopefully devastating book about memory, strength and survival. Anther rollercoaster of emotions book by A.R Hollowell his writing style draws you in making you feel every word
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The book is moving , sad and happy at the same time. Horrible this happens in the USA but cheering for the girl in the end
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews