When college student Maria Lynn Thomas was chillingly date raped by her boyfriend and only college friend, she did the unthinkable. She married him. This defining moment, largely put into motion by a childhood of shame and low self-worth, rendered her a prisoner in her own life. Now, her moving, candid memoir, To Set A Prisoner Free, shares her deeply personal journey from being an emotionally paralyzed victim of abuse to emerging as an empowered, independent woman in charge of her own destiny. Anyone who struggles with feeling ashamed or unworthy will benefit greatly from this compelling, compassionate story of personal freedom. After finding herself isolated at college, Ms. Thomas grew completely reliant on a towering young man who was studying engineering. However, one night his sexual advances were relentless, and her resistance proved futile. With no one to turn to, Thomas found herself accepting his perfunctory marriage proposal, and trapped in a seven-year relationship laden with humiliation, degradation, and control. When she finally found an opportunity at a local university, she slowly regained her bearings, reclaimed her existence, and started a new life of self-reliance. In sharing her story of pain and recovery, the author offers a lifeline to young adults, women, and individuals suffering in silence who are seeking the pathways to break from the imprisonment of past demons and destructive relationships. At once heartbreaking and heartening, it's a stunning testament to the healing power of forgiveness.