Theresa Shanahan was raised in upstate New York in a loving, two-parent Irish-Catholic family. To others, it all seemed normal, nearly idyllic. Theresa failed to thrive, however, and fell prey to a man who nearly took her life.

What went wrong? Why did she fall in love with someone who became so hateful? And why was it so hard to break free?

Theresa endured humiliation, control, verbal abuse, physical and sexual assault, which led to feelings of hopelessness and shame. Then she discovered that some of her friends were enduring the same. Ultimately, these women bonded and together found help. Most of them broke free from their abusers.

Most of them.

Based heavily on the author's life, Shameful is Izzy Quinn's quest to help other women avoid and escape abuse.