I worked in the child care system for nearly all my working life and witnessed many things and heard and read about child abuse continually. This was a shocking read, inasmuch that I had little idea that the children we removed from unsafe families were sometimes placed in even more unsafe and very damaging situations. I'm ashamed that the system failed so many and placed vulnerable children and young adults in homes and institutions where there was so little respect, understanding, supervision and aftercare.

I could go on but suffice to say that I read this book with a heavy heart but really enjoyed the writing, the clarity and the honesty of the author. I am interested in the follow up books although fear that as young adults these participants had to fight for their lives every inch of the way.

Shattered Paths is one of those rare books that doesn’t just tell a story—it changes the way you see the world.

From the first chapter, I was completely pulled into Jack Hardy’s journey. The writing is raw and unfiltered, yet beautifully honest. What struck me most was how real everything felt—like I wasn’t reading fiction, but walking beside Jack as he tried to survive a system that constantly failed him.

Daniel Rolph has a rare ability to take trauma and turn it into something powerful. The moments between Jack, Emma, and Ollie were both heartbreaking and heartwarming. It’s a story of pain, yes, but also one of unexpected friendship and unbreakable hope.

This isn’t just a great read—it’s an important one. I finished the last page feeling shaken, moved, and deeply grateful that stories like this are finally being told. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time, and I cannot wait to read Hidden Paths when it comes out.

Shattered Paths left me speechless.

It’s not often you come across a book that feels this real. Daniel Rolph doesn’t just write a story—he shares something deeply personal, and you can feel it in every word. Jack’s journey through the foster care system is raw, painful, and at times difficult to read—not because of the writing, but because of how honest it is.

What stayed with me most was the emotional weight of the friendships Jack forms with Emma and Ollie. Their bond is fragile but beautiful, and it gave the book so much heart. It reminded me that even in the darkest moments, connection can still exist.

This book changed the way I think about resilience, about childhood, and about systems that are supposed to protect but often don’t. I’m recommending it to everyone I know.

Rolph has something special here. Shattered Paths is unforgettable—and I’ll be first in line when Hidden Paths is released.

As someone currently in the process of adopting, Shattered Paths hit me harder than I expected. I picked it up hoping to gain a deeper understanding of what children in care go through—and I got so much more than that.

Daniel Rolph’s storytelling is unflinching. Jack’s story is heartbreaking, raw, and painfully real. There were moments that brought me to tears—not just for Jack, but for every child who has been made to feel invisible, forgotten, or unloved. The scenes in “The Bucket” were gut-wrenching, but what stayed with me was Jack’s strength—and the fragile hope he found in the friendship with Emma and Ollie.

This book has forever shaped how I think about parenting, trauma, and what it truly means to show up for a child. It reminded me that love isn’t always enough—it takes patience, consistency, and the willingness to listen, even when it’s hard.

Shattered Paths should be required reading for every future parent, carer, or social worker. I feel more prepared, more aware, and more committed than ever to being a safe place for a child who’s walked through too much.