Until It Happens

You know what I'm like, so reserved and cautious, yet I let this man into my life... I never imagined he was capable of it.How could you know? None of us really know until we find ourselves in that moment.It started as a fun date. It ended in a nightmare.Encouraged by her friend Rachel to put herself back out there, Ellie reluctantly gives online dating a try. Sitting across from a man who is charming, attentive, and safe, she feels a rare flicker of optimism—certain that she is far too cautious to ever find herself in danger.But curated profiles rarely tell the whole story.Back at her flat, the evening shifts without warning. Dizzy and disoriented, Ellie is unable to protect herself. In the aftermath, she is left struggling to understand what happened.Determined to speak out, Ellie begins searching for other survivors. But as she looks for answers, she uncovers a silence much closer to home. A buried truth from her mother's past forces them both to confront the cycle of secrecy and trauma that began long before that January night. Until it Happens: An intimate psychological drama about modern consent, the enduring legacy of generational trauma, and the courage it takes to break a family silence. "e;Until It Happens is a brave, compelling and deeply human novel. Joan Forbes tackles one of the most difficult questions surrounding consent without resorting to easy answers or judgement. What makes the story particularly powerful is its emotional breadth: this is not simply one woman's search for justice, but the story of four women, the bonds between them, and the ways in which silence and trauma can echo across generations. Joan's understanding of criminal law gives the novel an authenticity and intelligence, while her sensitivity to character makes Ellie's journey intensely personal. Above all, this is a story about women finding their voices — and the extraordinary strength that comes from being heard."e; - Seonaid Francis, Editor of Until It Happens