Stray Love

In the shadows of crime and addiction, a story of love and loss emerges, illuminating the power of the human spirit.

The idea of a soulmate is both reassuring and terrifying. When Stacey leaves her white-picket-fence childhood to be with Ray, what initially feels like a dream quickly becomes a nightmare as his inner demons turn violent.

As their relationship blossoms, Stacey realizes that Ray's drug-dealing lifestyle and her goals of being a news reporter put them on opposite sides of the same path. As passions rise along with Ray's inner struggles with drugs, can Stacey bring herself back from the brink of destruction?

Stray Love: My Lessons on Love, Life, and Loss, by Stacey Caputi Liakos, is a true story that intimately chronicles the journey of a young woman in love with a drug dealer. It is a gripping personal view of one woman's descent into darkness by the side of the man she loved and her triumph as she finds her pathway to happiness.

This autobiography captures the raw realities of Stacey's relationship with Ray, which is consumed by the dangerous world of crime and substance abuse. Liakos's story perfectly illustrates the complex interplay of love, hope, and despair as Ray's drug addiction continues to worsen. The narrative is a journey of immense personal growth, marked by the devastating loss of Ray to drugs, the struggle with grief, and the courageous perseverance required to navigate through such adversity.

Liakos' unflinching honesty brings to life the challenges of loving someone battling addiction and the harsh realities of drug abuse. Her story is a touching testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming loss. Stacey's story offers profound insights into the impact of drug addiction on relationships and the indomitable strength needed to persevere over loss and grief.

Liakos' path toward self-healing and discovery is a powerful reminder of the enduring capacity of the human heart to heal and grow, even in the darkest of times.

Ideal for readers drawn to emotional, autobiographical narratives, Stray Love is a compelling addition to the genres of nonfiction, memoirs, and perseverance literature. It addresses themes like domestic abuse, personal growth and recovery, the journey through devastating loss, and the realities of drug addiction. This memoir is a story of love, loss, and redemption, offering hope and insight to those who have faced similar struggles.