In her searing memoir RARE, Rebecca Hidlay invites readers into the heart of a family torn by deception, abuse, and generational trauma—and the astonishing resilience that emerged in the rubble.
This isn’t a sanitized tale of hardship wrapped in sentimentality. RARE is raw. It’s real. With the precision of someone who has relived her past a thousand times, Hidlay peels back the curtain on her upbringing as the youngest daughter in a chaotic household. Born into a family of eight children, she grew up in the shadows of secrets, favoritism, and deeply rooted dysfunction. From questions of paternity and whispers of abuse to violent outbursts and shattered trust, Hidlay’s childhood was anything but ordinary.
And yet, RARE isn’t simply about what happened to her—it’s about what she made of it. Through vivid storytelling and an unshakable voice, Hidlay takes us into the world of her siblings: Dee, the once-beautiful eldest turned heartbroken barfly; Rachel, the golden girl; Russ Jr., Franz, Pete, and Matt—the boys shaped and scarred by their father’s wrath. Each character is drawn with emotional nuance, layered with the complexities of love, betrayal, and survival. No one escapes scrutiny. Least of all, herself.
But beneath the pain, RARE reveals a more profound truth—that even in the harshest conditions, something fierce can grow. Whether it’s courage, clarity, or the grit to write it all down and share it with the world, Hidlay proves that what is rare can also be the most potent.
As Hidlay confronts the dysfunction in her family legacy, she reclaims her identity, voice, and healing. This book is not a call for pity. It’s a testament to how we survive, endure, and tell the truth when the lies have gone on for too long.
A must-read for fans of The Glass Castle and Educated, RARE isn’t just a memoir. It’s a mirror held up to every reader who has ever wondered if their past defined them, or if they still have time to explain themselves. RARE is available now wherever books are sold.
About the Author
Rebecca Hidlay is a woman who has made survival an art form. Born the youngest of eight into a fractured family filled with secrets and sorrow, Rebecca endured what many wouldn’t survive. Mental illness, abandonment, trauma, and isolation shaped her, but never defined her.
Her strength came not from overcoming in silence, but from speaking out. Through years of personal struggle and emotional upheaval, she chose to turn her pain into power. Rebecca, a devoted mother to two daughters, doesn’t pretend to have all the answers—but she does have the truth. And that, she believes, is where healing begins.
When she isn’t writing, Rebecca dedicates herself to advocacy for mental health awareness, encouraging others to break cycles of silence and shame. She’s not interested in perfection or pretense—she writes and lives with radical honesty. With RARE, she isn’t just telling her story—she’s challenging others to find their voice, even when it shakes.
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