Marisa Rae Dondlinger’s new novel, Gray Lines, is now available!
Is it sex? Or is it assault?
Consent is ambiguous when a sexual encounter between fourteen-year olds Micah and Penelope escalates. Micah believes they are in love, while Penelope is in shock, devastated that her best friend of eleven years, her first boyfriend, abused her trust.
Told from multiple points of view, Gray Lines takes an intimate look at two families grappling with the emotional, social, and legal consequences of an alleged sexual assault. Amelia and Zoe, mothers, neighbors, and best friends, are pitted against each other as they seek to protect their children. As the case steamrolls toward trial, the families are left with more questions than answers. Was Micah arrested and prosecuted because he’s Black and Penelope is white? Is Penelope lying? Does Micah’s intoxication from alcohol mitigate or exacerbate his responsibility? Lifelong friendships and family bonds are tested as everyone struggles to reconcile the past with their search for the truth. Is there a gray area that allows for compassion for both children?
Marisa Rae Dondlinger’s new book, Open, is available now from Moonshine Cove Publishing through your favorite booksellers.
When Alex and Lila married, they dreamed of having a big family. Fourteen years, two children, several miscarriages and a stillbirth later, Lila is devastated when Alex torpedoes that dream by getting a vasectomy without telling her. Alex, a doctor, doesn’t believe another pregnancy would be safe for her health or her heart. Lila shuts down—her body, mind, emotions—unable to cope with her guilt from the stillbirth, Alex’s betrayal, and her unrelenting ache for another child. They grow apart, functioning as little more than co-parents.
Trust broken, intimacy extinct, Alex proposes an open marriage. A proposal he quickly regrets. Guilt, frustration, and heartache shadow him after each hookup as he realizes there is no substitute for Lila. But it might be too late. Time apart from Alex drives Lila closer to Geneva, a dynamic, yet haunted woman who helps awaken Lila’s passion and voice. Secrets, sex and lies come to light, causing Alex and Lila to reassess their motives and desire to save their marriage.
Author Marisa Rae Dondlinger
I’m a former attorney with a passion for writing fiction, particularly stories that dissect relationships in an emotionally nuanced, yet highly relatable way. When I’m not writing, I’m spending time with my husband and two young daughters. Playing tennis, high-stakes games of UNO, or baking new treats (that, thanks to my older daughter, usually includes copious amounts of chocolate!). Late at night, I’m usually cozying up with a book. Some of my favorite authors include Elin Hilderbrand, Jennifer Weiner, Tana French, Meg Wolitizer, Stephen King, J. Courtney Sullivan, and John Grisham. Fact about me: I never, ever turn down a margarita.
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Marisa Rae Dondlinger’s first book, Scenes from a Bar, is available now!
