Stories ripped from the headlines of anti-abortion or pro-choice advocates read like grocery store tabloids sensationalizing both points of view. There is, however, a missing third side many people ignore: the child.

The new book, An Unplanned Encounter: Two Lives Forever Changed by Jonathan Husband, is based on true events. His life is the result of a rape during World War II when, according to his mother, she was assaulted by a lodger at her parent’s boarding house. Seldom discussed and rarely chronicled, Husband vividly shares how the lives of both of his parents were profoundly affected by one 15-minute encounter.

During 1943, a young British woman’s life and trust are forever shattered by a brutal act of violence. Sexually assaulted by Jock, her parents’ lodger and the respected manager at the nearby bomber airfield, twenty-year-old Mary Louise struggles for self-respect and safety in the aftermath of the attack. When she learns she is pregnant, she must find the courage for another battle. She fights to keep the child and raise him alone, as the father refuses to acknowledge, support, or participate in his son’s life in any way.

For thirty years, the aftershock of that terrifying night continues to shake her world and those of her family, friends, and son. With ordinary lives thrown into chaos, complex human emotions run rampant. In her fierce determination to survive and thrive, Mary Louise will discover just how strong she really is.

Uniquely historical, inspiring and thought provoking, An Unplanned Encounter:

• Adds unique insight into a woman’s right to choose
• Profoundly demonstrates actions have consequences that can last a lifetime
• Explores the impact of World War II bombing on German-occupied Europe by the U.S. Air Force and the British Royal Air Force
• Discusses the impact on the mother, father and child of an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy
• Illustrates the advances in medical treatment for tuberculosis, diabetes, bi-polar disorder and the availability of paternity testing

“Inspired by one girl’s real-life tragedy,” says Husband, “An Unplanned Encounter reveals the secrets of a life torn apart by violence and rebuilt by courage and love.”

Jonathan R. Husband, a pseudonym, was born in York, England and spent much of his early life in remote areas of Yorkshire. He attended Nunthorpe Grammar School in York, and Hull University, Yorkshire. Husband currently lives in Northern California. He has two children, both married. He recently completed a career in Human Resources and retired from the University of California.