A young woman must confront her abuser in She Used to Be Nice (Alcove Press/Penguin RandomHouse, 2025), a debut novel from 2015 Boston College graduate Alexia LaFata. The book tells the story of Avery, whose rapist resurfaces as the best man at her best friend’s wedding. As maid of honor, Avery can’t avoid him. As the wedding nears, Avery must decide whether to finally tell her truth or risk spiraling toward a darkness she may never be able to recover from.