Let Me Down: Reflections on Abuse and Love - Paperback

by Callie Rae O'Reilly (Author)

Let Me Down offers a vivid and vulnerable account of an abusive relationship

At 18, Callie's encounter with Reed, a brooding and arty student four years her senior, begins a youthful infatuation, a casual "thing." But as their relationship deepens, what once seemed like innocent passion soon morphs into a cycle of manipulation, control, and violence.

Callie shares the complexity of falling in love with someone who also hurt her -- emotionally, physically, and sexually. Through her clear-eyed storytelling, she grapples with the blurred lines of consent, shame, and trauma and explores how these toxic dynamics seeped into every corner of her life. Her process of extracting herself from Reed's universe reveals the psychological toll of abuse that doesn't always leave visible scars but is no less damaging.

Let Me Down provides a candid reflection on the realities of modern relationships, highlighting issues like gaslighting, revenge porn, and the impact of social media on survivors. With delicate intimacy and literary sensibility, O'Reilly's memoir charts the complex and nonlinear path of self-acceptance, healing, and reclaiming one's life from the lingering effects of trauma.

Author Biography

Callie Rae O'Reilly is co-founder of the Apostrophe Podcast Company, which has amassed over 75M listens and houses some of Canada's top podcasts. Born and raised in Toronto, she and her husband recently moved to a farmhouse in the countryside, where she writes on the deck next to their two dogs.