House of Pain

a dark romance of cruel times and abuse in Appalachia

In a town where hope has died, love becomes the only act of rebellion.

Ashfall Ridge in Appalachia —once a coal town, now a graveyard of abandoned houses and empty promises. Jobs are gone, addiction is everywhere, and escape feels impossible. For eighteen-year-old Norma, every day is a battle to survive inside the collapsing house she shares with Rusty, her violent, drug-addicted boyfriend, and Tad, their two-year-old son.

Norma’s life is measured in bruises, whispered prayers, and the quiet terror of Rusty’s rage. But when she begins forming a fragile, unexpected connection with Jason, the gentle clerk at the local convenience store, a spark of something dangerous ignites—hope. But can Norma survive long enough to even think of hope?