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After Always
When the cops come to R.W. Carpenito's house, he thinks they're there for him. Instead, the Winter Park, Florida, police take away R.W.'s dad on charges of sexually abusing several girls with whom R.W. goes to school. The accusations, subsequent media attention, and legal shenanigans leave R.W. and his family torn apart. With the curiosity born of being 13 and not quite sure of himself, R.W. takes it upon himself to investigate his father's guilt. Or innocence. In the process of trying to uncover the details of his father's supposed relationship with three girls, R.W. finds himself falling for one of them. And his best friend, Jake, starts to question R.W.'s sanity. After Always is a coming-of-age story, but more than that, it's the story of one boy's courage to keep searching for the truth, even if that truth might destroy his whole family.
168 pages, Paperback
Published June 16, 2016
About the author
Dawn Reno Langley
30 books221 followersLangley writes full-time from wherever she is in the world!
Born an Army brat to a WWII and Korea vet, Dawn (Brander Tutela Reno VonWald) Langley began writing at a young age. Her essay on the Cuban missile crisis was published in a local newspaper, and since then, she has written hundreds of articles for newspapers and magazines, has published children's books, novels, nonfiction books on Native American and African American art, award-winning essays, short stories, and poetry.
As a novelist, she employs the skills she used as a journalist and conducts extensive research. Each story centers on a social dilemma, and she never writes a story about which she has no passion. The back story for each novel is on her Goodreads blog. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
She also blogs about excursions with her dog, Izzy, as well as one about growing up in the 1950s/60s and occasionally contributes to others' blogs (as well as to her own about gardening):
http://dawnrenolangley.wordpress.com
http://dawnrenolangley.blogspot.com/
http://poetryandgardening.blogspot.com/
Born an Army brat to a WWII and Korea vet, Dawn (Brander Tutela Reno VonWald) Langley began writing at a young age. Her essay on the Cuban missile crisis was published in a local newspaper, and since then, she has written hundreds of articles for newspapers and magazines, has published children's books, novels, nonfiction books on Native American and African American art, award-winning essays, short stories, and poetry.
As a novelist, she employs the skills she used as a journalist and conducts extensive research. Each story centers on a social dilemma, and she never writes a story about which she has no passion. The back story for each novel is on her Goodreads blog. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
She also blogs about excursions with her dog, Izzy, as well as one about growing up in the 1950s/60s and occasionally contributes to others' blogs (as well as to her own about gardening):
http://dawnrenolangley.wordpress.com
http://dawnrenolangley.blogspot.com/
http://poetryandgardening.blogspot.com/
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 18, 2017
A sequence of emotions it stirred in me!
Hats off to you! Dawn!
Dawn Reno Langley has a sheer talent for presenting the raw emotions that family members have for each other.
She demonstrates before you a family that goes through a lot and comes up becoming stronger as ever.
A YA novel that nobody could ever resist not to love it.
After Always, a story of a teenager boy who is dealing with the most tragic events any son can ever think of.
The narration opens up with Ralph Waldo (R.W.) the protagonist, who is afraid of the cops who has just arrived at his door contemplating that it might be for him they have been looking for.
Being an adolescent, he gets in troubles most of the time. Something a normal, young person is supposed to do. But the cops this time, is really freaking him out.
But the brutal truth is, they have not come there for him but for his dad!
Nobody is telling him what are the charges.
But Once he knows it, his mind starts spinning. Anyone's will!
His father is accused of pedophilia by three girls from R.W.'s class.
The protagonist now has to save his father from it. The challenge is that he himself doesn't know if the blames are correct or not, he is the eldest of his 3 more siblings, and has a mother who has got only him to look for support.
Amidst the accusations that even his relatives are throwing at his family, R.W. has to get back the respect his family deserves and be the man of the family.
But coming clean out of it, wouldn't be that easy, would it?
Will he be able to do so? That's answer is a sure to check out!
The book is extremely short and can be finished in some hours.
With an engaging and impeccable writing style, the author keeps your interest to the subject.
All this while, you want to know the truth and how it all happened. I admit that at one point, I knew what was going on but the curiosity to listen it all from her and not from my own instincts, made me glued to the novel.
I am still amazed that how fast I finished reading it. This preciseness made to to give it some extra points. Kudos to the author for that!
I adore the fact that the author hits the bull's eye when she meticulously presents you a believable and real picture of what goes on inside a normal family.
The drama, the emotional connection, you feel is amazing. The book's not letting you go until you go through it all. Until you feel invincible.
I can't wait to read the author's other works. She is remarkable in it, certainly.
Verdict : If you're a YA lover, dare not to miss out on this one!
Hats off to you! Dawn!
Dawn Reno Langley has a sheer talent for presenting the raw emotions that family members have for each other.
She demonstrates before you a family that goes through a lot and comes up becoming stronger as ever.
A YA novel that nobody could ever resist not to love it.
After Always, a story of a teenager boy who is dealing with the most tragic events any son can ever think of.
The narration opens up with Ralph Waldo (R.W.) the protagonist, who is afraid of the cops who has just arrived at his door contemplating that it might be for him they have been looking for.
Being an adolescent, he gets in troubles most of the time. Something a normal, young person is supposed to do. But the cops this time, is really freaking him out.
But the brutal truth is, they have not come there for him but for his dad!
Nobody is telling him what are the charges.
But Once he knows it, his mind starts spinning. Anyone's will!
His father is accused of pedophilia by three girls from R.W.'s class.
The protagonist now has to save his father from it. The challenge is that he himself doesn't know if the blames are correct or not, he is the eldest of his 3 more siblings, and has a mother who has got only him to look for support.
Amidst the accusations that even his relatives are throwing at his family, R.W. has to get back the respect his family deserves and be the man of the family.
But coming clean out of it, wouldn't be that easy, would it?
Will he be able to do so? That's answer is a sure to check out!
The book is extremely short and can be finished in some hours.
With an engaging and impeccable writing style, the author keeps your interest to the subject.
All this while, you want to know the truth and how it all happened. I admit that at one point, I knew what was going on but the curiosity to listen it all from her and not from my own instincts, made me glued to the novel.
I am still amazed that how fast I finished reading it. This preciseness made to to give it some extra points. Kudos to the author for that!
I adore the fact that the author hits the bull's eye when she meticulously presents you a believable and real picture of what goes on inside a normal family.
The drama, the emotional connection, you feel is amazing. The book's not letting you go until you go through it all. Until you feel invincible.
I can't wait to read the author's other works. She is remarkable in it, certainly.
Verdict : If you're a YA lover, dare not to miss out on this one!
December 29, 2025
After Always is a gripping, emotionally raw coming-of-age story. Through R.W.’s eyes, the novel explores family, truth, and loss with honesty and sensitivity. The characters feel real, the tension is compelling, and the courage it takes to keep searching for the truth gives the story lasting impact. A powerful, thought-provoking read that stays with you.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews