The Fountain at Ugalini’s: Illicit Liaisons, Volume 2

After being abruptly separated from Uncle Jack, her illicit lover, Megan Morgan finds herself adrift and depressed. While Megan refuses to believe she’s done anything wrong or been coerced, talking with a therapist helps her to understand why separation (and a restraining order) is necessary. The fact that Megan’s mother has finally found a decent boyfriend makes things harder for Megan, and she finds herself acting out of character… like going to a party her mother wouldn’t approve of and trying alcohol. It’s after that party that life takes another rough turn, when Megan is kidnapped and sexually assaulted. Megan refuses to let the incident damage her, and she is determined to bring the men who attacked her to justice. No matter what.

The Fountain at Ugalini’s is the second book in Richard Read’s series about Megan Morgan, and it picks up precisely where the first book left off. Readers should be warned that this book contains an extremely explicit description of the rape Megan experiences by three masked men, as these sections are very disturbing to read and are a potential trigger to women with a history of abuse. Like the first book in the series, this novel is very well-written, although the story is equally disturbing in a different way. This book also explores how depression affects Megan’s well-being and changes her behavior, how she begins developing a more positive relationship with her uncle, and how she refuses to let her experiences define her or break her spirit. It is fun to watch Megan enter the world of teenage dating and to see her juggling two very different relationships, and one can’t help but admire the natural way Megan attracts new friends and seeks to help others fix their problems, despite the complications in her own life. Readers who stick it out to the end will find themselves looking forward to the next book in the series.