The Word Game by Steena Holmes

For overprotective parent Alyson Ward, any time her daughter, Lyla, is out of sight is reason to panic. So it’s a big step for her when she lets Lyla attend a sleepover at her cousin’s house. Comforted by the knowledge that her sister, Tricia, is the chaperone, Alyson does the one thing she never thought possible: she lets go and trusts that her daughter will be safe.
But Alyson’s sense of peace is short lived. When Lyla comes home the next morning, she reveals something that could tear apart not only their family but also the entire community. Now, Alyson and Tricia must confront their painful shared past as they come together to help a little girl who they fear might be harboring terrible secrets similar to their own. Will the sisters be strong enough to face their demons in order to protect the child, even if it means telling their most private truths?

 Review: I was given an ARC of The Word Game from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
Steena Holmes is back to top form with this book that deals with rape and sexual abuse. The characters in this book get to you from the start with the things they are dealing with.
Alyson is the over protective mother who is looking for trouble in every child's life because of what she went through when she was a child. Then when her daughter tells her that her friend is being abused she is not sure if she did the right thing when she notified the school's principal who is also a close friend of her suspicion but she felt she had no choice.
Her sister Tricia is also dealing with her own deamons and on top of that has to deal with her over the top sister who she really does not know if she can believe about the abuse allegations. She feels that her sister is projecting her past on others and her daughter denies that it took place.
Myah is the mother of the girl who Alyson believes is being abused. She is also a good friend of both women. She can't believe she has missed the signs that her soon to be ex is hurting her daughter but she is open to finding out if the allegations are true.
Ida is Alyson and Tricia's mom who has her own secrets and is more then willing to share her opinion about what her daughters are doing.
These are the women whose perspective the book is told by. All three add to the story to make it a very touching book about friendship through the eyes of both children and adults and how families will do anything to protect each other.
I am giving The Word Game five out of five stars.