Genre: Inspirational Women’s Fiction / Christian Fiction
Cassie Peterson lives in an invisible prison shaped by fear, self-doubt, and emotional abuse. Trapped in a marriage marked by her husband Derrick’s alcoholism and controlling behavior, Cassie has been isolated from her family, cut off from friends, and convinced she cannot survive on her own.
When an unexpected visit from the police forces Cassie to confront the danger surrounding her four-year-old daughter, Renee, she makes the bravest decision of her life—to leave. But freedom does not come easily. Derrick responds with a bitter and vengeful custody battle, pulling Cassie into a legal fight that tests her faith, her strength, and her resolve as a mother.
As Cassie navigates the painful terrain of divorce and shared custody, she finds unexpected support in Missy Langdon, a spunky new friend who encourages her to reconnect with a long-forgotten passion: chasing waterfalls. These quiet moments in nature become Cassie’s refuge during the agonizing weekends she is forced to hand Renee over to Derrick.
Help also arrives in the form of Brian Sutton, an attorney at the firm where Cassie works. His guidance offers hope—but as emotions deepen and tensions rise, Cassie must wrestle with the cost of accepting his help and the consequences that follow.
As Derrick’s threats escalate and the custody battle drags on, Cassie is left asking impossible questions. How long will her daughter suffer while the courts decide their future? Why do waterfalls feel like a lifeline in the middle of chaos? And when everything begins to unravel, who will stand with her?
One Woman Falling is an emotionally powerful work of inspirational women’s fiction about domestic abuse, motherhood, courage, and the quiet grace that carries us when we feel like there is no way out of the storm.
Who This Book Is For:
- This novel is written for women who appreciate emotionally honest stories rooted in hope and redemption.
- One Woman Falling is for readers who:
- Enjoy inspirational women’s fiction and faith-centered storytelling
- Are drawn to stories about overcoming emotional or verbal abuse
- Connect with novels exploring motherhood, divorce, and custody battles
- Believe in the possibility of healing, courage, and second chances
- Want a redemptive story that does not minimize pain, but points toward grace
- This book may be especially meaningful for readers who have walked through controlling relationships or who support others on a journey toward healing.
What people are saying about One Woman Falling:
Ms. Campbell grabs the reader, jerks you into the story, and doesn’t let go.
Cassie’s situation is terrifying and yet all too common. Sticks and stones… but words can be deadly. Cassie was beat down by the venom-laced words of her husband as surely as if she had been pummeled with a fist or a baseball bat. Derrick was a bully. Self-important, manipulative, and controlling.
The suspense and tension in this story builds with every page. So tangible was the telling, I wanted to scream at Cassie, to drag her away with my own hands. To warn her of the mind games Derrick was playing.
Ms. Campbell conveys Cassie’s anguish, her torment vividly, and Renee’s confusion at the conflict in her father’s lies. She skillfully portrays Derrick for the rage-controlled coward he is.
My heart breaks to know there are women who live—and die—in such circumstances, and I applaud Ms. Campbell for telling this story and bringing awareness to abuse by way of verbal bullying. — Goodreads Reader***************
Engaging! One of the best books I have read in a long time. Great characters and a riveting plot make this one difficult to put down. — Amazon Reviewer
***************
I’m an easy mark for a beautiful cover or an intriguing title, and this book had both. But I downloaded the free Amazon sample first because I’m cautious and cheap that way. As I read the first pages, I began to realize the book would examine the topic of spousal abuse. I decided I would NOT buy the book because lately I mostly want to read upbeat books. However, I had more pages in the free sample and so I kept. reading.
You can guess the rest. The story swept me along. When I reached the end of the sample, I clicked “buy.” At no point was I ready to step away from this compelling book. I had to know what happened next. This is a powerful story not only of abuse, but of the bonds of friendship, family, and God’s love.
The titular subplot of Cassie’s goal to hike all the waterfalls in her state was intriguing, sometimes adding conflict, other times providing a retreat from a deep subject. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you may have hiked these waterfalls yourself, or you may be drawn to do so.
Author Melanie Campbell deals realistically, yet delicately, with some potential pitfalls a victim of abuse may encounter. I found myself thinking “Don’t do it! Don’t fall for that!” realizing many women have and will. She shows Cassie moving through her difficult circumstance, making some wrong moves, but ultimately discovering the right path.
I found the book deeply moving, enlightening, and full of hope. I think many will find it helpful, especially her notes at the end. Highly recommended for readers of Women’s Fiction. — Dana McKneely, Author of Whispers on the Wind series