Open at Rock Bottom - Paperback

by L. M. Reed (Author)

Outrage surges through the community when EJ White, sixteen-year-old son of the wealthy and powerful District Attorney, is accused of raping his childhood friend, Kendra Daniels. When new evidence surfaces that appears to contradict Kendra's testimony, EJ takes the chance to get his conviction overturned.

Sent to live with his aunt until the public controversy dies down, EJ recreates himself as Eric Madison, planning to keep his head down and just get through his senior year without discovery. Soon enough though, surprising friendships and even a budding romance draw him deeper into the persona. He discovers that being Eric allows him to play out a better version of himself, one without a guilty past to haunt him. But when news about Kendra forces him back into reality, will EJ choose to finally take responsibility for the damage he's done, even if it means sacrificing the happiness he's found as Eric?

Alternating between EJ's past and Eric's present, the psychologically complex first-person narration poses the question: what does it look like to "do the right thing" when so many perpetrators of sexual violence have been allowed to deny their actions, deflect blame, and avoid the consequences? Is atonement or redemption even possible? If so, what would it require? Open at Rock Bottom explores how one young man navigates these largely uncharted waters.

Trigger Warnings: Includes depictions and/or discussion of rape, self harm, panic attacks, drug and alcohol use.