Spit was sprayed on her face as he shouted at her shoving her against the wall, his hand around her throat forcing her on her tiptoes.

"Kill me then" she said, in a quiet voice. It was the last act of defiance, daring him to do it, so that this would all be over. There could be no more violence, or trepidation. Perhaps peace would finally find its way into her life.

She was 15. Surely life wasn't meant to be like this was it?

Poignant, shocking, heartfelt, and yet, at times, funny, this story describes Michelle's journey from a (as she would describe it) 'less than ideal start' (abuse as we know it), to a successful career in the military and, later on, as a consultant and business owner. Unknowingly, those experiences in her formative years were to create the perfect storm for what was to come.

For each one of us who have experienced some kind of trauma, we are probably oblivious as to what patterns can be created from our early childhood experiences. This book details not only how the effects of those can be incredibly devastating, leaving an indelible mark on the map of life, impacting how we see and interact with the world and those living in it, but also how even the things we think are helping us can, sometimes, end up being our Achilles heel.

Certain coping strategies helped (sometimes), her determination helped (sometimes) and her sense of humour kept her going (always). This book is more than just an explanation of her life; it focuses on the possibility for all of us, to overcome our demons once we know what is driving them.