At first glance, the title of this expertly written novel, catches the readers attention. Not just because of the intriguing photo on the cover but because it compels the reader to ask the question, how can one actually run from solace.

To say that Running from Solace took me on an emotional roller coaster would be an understatement. It was more of the journey of an earthquake with several aftershocks. From the first chapter, I was drawn in by the horrid childhood of a sweet little girl named Naomi. Naomi had seen far too much in her young years. Her mother, an alcoholic and junkie, never knew the damage that the caused someone who loved her with every fiber of their being.

As Naomi's mother faced her drug laden demons, she often took her anger and frustrations out on Naomi. The verbal abuse, the constant beatings, the days without food and the array of men who paraded in and out of her home were too much for a child of Naomi's age to endure. Naomi's saving grace came in the form of Social Services taking her away from her abusive lifestyle.

Some may say that the tragic way that Naomi grew up forced her to enter a profession where she could protect children and keep them from growing up the way that she did. Ironically, her job causes her to evaluate her life and her past. It is when she receives the case of young Xavier that Naomi finds that her job has hit too close to home. She finds that looking into Xavier's is like looking into a mirror of her past.

Nakia Laushaul has masterfully penned a novel whose scenes were so vividly described that the reader is thrust right into the middle of the action. This novel made me face some harsh realities that are present in the lives of children all across the world on a daily basis. Thought provoking, gripping and emotionally charged, I will definitely recommend this novel.