Rebecca Hidlay’s newly released memoir, RARE, is anything but ordinary. It’s a raw, heartfelt account of surviving a childhood steeped in abuse, silence, and contradiction—and coming through it not just alive, but renewed. Hidlay recounts her path from a painful past to a present rooted in faith, strength, and purpose with honesty, vulnerability, and surprising humor.
Born into a large family with a carefully maintained public image, Hidlay grew up in a home where outward Christian values masked a much darker reality. Her childhood was filled with emotional manipulation, physical abuse, and the quiet ache of being invisible in her own life. Through foster care, abandonment, betrayal, and deep spiritual questions, she kept asking: Where is God in all of this?
Her journey to find that answer is what makes RARE so compelling. This is not a story soaked in bitterness—it’s a story full of resilience. Across eleven candid chapters, she invites readers to walk with her through the chaos, the courtroom, the quiet spiritual encounters, and the unexpected miracles. She writes about her mother’s arrest and the trauma it reopened, but also about breaking free from generational pain, raising her daughters with intention, and choosing to forgive when it would be easier to run.
From sitting silently in a church pew as a confused little girl to later making the bold decision to sever ties with toxic family members, Hidlay’s life has been shaped by both unimaginable suffering and unshakable grace. Her writing feels like sitting down with someone who isn’t afraid to say the hard things but still believes in beauty and goodness on the other side of pain.
“I didn’t write this book for sympathy,” she says. “I wrote it so no one else would feel as alone as I did. I wrote it to say, ‘You’re not crazy. You’re not weak. You’re not invisible.’”
About the Author
Rebecca Hidlay is a woman whose story demands to be heard—not because she’s chasing fame, but because she’s lived through what many are too afraid to name. Born in 1979, she was the eighth child in a family caught in cycles of dysfunction, secrets, and spiritual distortion. As a teenager, she entered foster care and later became a single mother facing down overwhelming odds.
Despite everything, she chose to rewrite her narrative. First working as a nurse and now studying civil engineering, Hidlay continues to defy the limitations placed on her. Along the way, she’s faced wrongful accusations, profound grief, and the challenge of raising her children with love she never received herself.
Her decision to share her story was sparked by reading The Color of Water by James McBride and by the encouragement of her great-aunt Dolly, who reminded her that there is power in telling the truth. Today, she lives with her family in Pennsylvania, preparing for her next chapter with faith as her foundation.
Rebecca describes herself simply as “an ordinary woman making life work.” However, through RARE, readers will quickly see that her story is anything but ordinary. It’s brave. It’s redemptive. And it’s a reminder that healing isn’t just possible, it’s holy.
For media inquiries, review copies, or interviews with the author, please contact:
Rebecca Hidlay
[Insert Contact Email]
[Insert Author Website]
Order the book: [Insert Amazon or Retailer Purchase Link]
Read a sample: [Insert Excerpt/Sample Link]
Follow on Instagram: [Insert Instagram Profile Link]
Goodreads Page: [Insert Goodreads Link]
Author Website: [Insert Website Link]
Media/Press Inquiries: [Insert Contact Email or Contact Form Link]