HER PAST CAN'T WAIT

In this debut novel, a woman uncovers a buried traumatic memory through therapy.

Emily Archer, who works for Barnes Advertising and Marketing, is enjoying her time at Clifton Pharmaceutical’s annual gala when a random man gropes her on the dance floor. Enraged, Emily later locates him and slaps him in front of her colleagues. The man turns out to be the new vice president of sales for Clifton (a BAM client) and Emily’s actions earn her a paid suspension from work. Emily finds herself angered by her situation and how women are treated overall in society, particularly how their accounts of sexual assault are rarely believed (“Every inch of her body wanted to scream at someone or everyone for what had happened Saturday night. For what happened to her at work. For what was happening to women everywhere far too often”). Emily starts going to therapy and, through a modality called Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, she discovers a deeply buried memory of being assaulted as a teenager. Meanwhile, Emily’s sister, Cara, is working on a home renovation television show where the new co-host, Stan Hester, faces sexual assault complaints. When Emily learns of Stan, she realizes that he seems extremely familiar and starts investigating his behavior. In her novel, Boulden tackles the topic of sexual assault with great care and empathy while exploring the possible benefits of EMDR as a form of trauma therapy. The author’s prose is accessible, and her execution of Emily’s and Cara’s plotlines as they eventually merge is seamless, particularly as readers find out more about Stan and his vile actions. There are moments when the dialogue feels a bit wooden—resembling lines in a pamphlet on the #MeToo movement rather than realistic conversations—and this can make the story sluggish. But this is a minor misstep, and Emily’s and Cara’s feelings about their situations (as well as the events that affect ancillary characters in the tale) give voice to the very real fears and frustrations that women face daily. Boulden’s examination of a perpetually relevant subject is admirable and relatable.

An engrossing tale about sexual assault that skillfully covers a tough and timely topic.