Review: Leaving the past behind
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 16, 2012
Have You Seen Her by Chicki Brown is an extremly well-written story about a woman in an abusive marriage who, after barely escaping death, plans and executes  her escape. Marcia Hadley, aka Dani Reynolds, leaves behind a life of wealth and seeks shelter---not in a women's center---but in another state, on the opposite coast. With cushion money, a new look, new identity, and new profession, Dani relocates from California to New Jersey and finds a new job that brings not only a best friend, but also a new romantic interest.But as a victim of domestic abuse, Dani is fortunate to find people who are genuinely caring, understanding and supportive---both coworkers and neighbors. But mostly from Taylor Villanova, the lucious hunk of a club bouncer who also moonlights as the pianist of a trio. Taylor has his own experience with family domestic abuse, so normally this might signal another toxic relationship. However, the author allows the mature relationship between Dani and Taylor to evolve slowly and in so doing, allows them to grow and heal together. Patience, respect, caring/loving family & friends, and the lessons learned from involvement in a support group are critical to Dani's recovery and ability to have a new life free based on strength and not fear.I was totally engrossed and emotionally involved in this book because of the well-crafted characters and storyline. And the settings (Santa Barbara, Atlantic City, Philadelphia) were so detailed and beautifully descriptive, that to me, they became characters that were crucial to the plot development to better understand Dani's and Taylor's dilemmas. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Chicki Brown's novels.