Dear Isabella (Paperback or Softback)

Immerse yourself in one woman’s raw, unflinching journey from the depths of fear to the freedom of forgiveness. Dear Isabella is a powerful, epistolary memoir in which Maria Stephens pours out her heart in a series of secret letters to her unborn daughter—letters she hides in a well at the heart of her own broken home.

Over ten years of marriage, Maria endures cycles of jealousy, control, and brutal violence she once believed was “normal.” Yet in the midst of that darkness, a spark of hope ignites: the arrival of Isabella, and later her two sons, becomes the catalyst Maria needs to reclaim her life. Through vivid, heart-wrenching scenes—an abusive blow that steals her daughter’s life at thirteen weeks, the shattering of her dreams, and the ultimate choice to walk away—Maria invites us into the hidden corners of her soul, where the “well walls” of trauma finally crack and wildflowers of resilience begin to bloom.

From terrifying confrontations in a speeding car to the tender companionship of a loyal puppy, and from the grinding grind toward a nursing degree to the courtroom battles that finally secure her hard-won freedom, Maria’s story is one of relentless hope. With each letter, she not only confronts her past but shows how grace and perseverance can transform even the deepest wounds.

Dear Isabella is more than a memoir—it is a beacon for anyone who has felt trapped by fear, a testament to the power of faith, and a call to break the silence on domestic violence. Join Maria as she turns scars into stepping-stones and learns that the foundation of hope remains, even after the house of her life has fallen.