Believe Like a Child By Paige Dearth

Many predators hide in the shadows, but Alessa’s sat at the family table.

(The HOME STREET HOME SERIES is a collection of standalone novels.)

The beginning of this story is based on real events from Paige’s life.

At sixteen, after the death of her only friend, Alessa finds herself isolated at home with her uncle. Unable to live there, she runs away.

Alone on the streets of North Philadelphia, she encounters more people who hurt her. About to hit rock bottom, Alessa breaks free from her new tormentors and finds refuge in a shelter for homeless and abused women.

Wherever she goes, however, trouble keeps seeking her out, until she meets three people who change the course of her life. Though Alessa’s bittersweet journey is fraught with challenges, she does, nevertheless, find fleeting moments of joy. Then, as she settles down, a ghost from the past comes to haunt her, threatening to destroy the very foundation of her small world and plunging her back into an abyss of despair, until she makes her final bid for escape.

**WARNING** 18+ Readers Only. Graphic content and subject matter.