Heartache of Promise: A Prison of Silence Unlocked  

by Merita Atherly Engen

A compelling critique of purity culture and the silence it imposes on countless individuals, woven through one woman’s deeply personal journey to liberation.

Can a lost self ever be restored?

Rose-Marie Clarke lives in a culture of silence and “perfection” with an undertow of family secrets. In this dynamic, she fails to recognize her deep love for one man. She ignores her heart until she can no longer hear it, making choices that can never be undone.

Failing to recognize the lie she is living, Rose-Marie strives to obtain love’s promise within a marriage, with children, poverty, and a fledgling faith.

When her first love returns, Rose-Marie’s repressed emotions awaken, but fear arises. Is emotional honesty worth the risk of losing all she’s worked for? Does God have the answers to free her heart?