Merel van Groningen - caught in the nets of a loverboy

Merel van Groningen

Merel van Groningen has written her books under an assumed name, as she still fears her former boyfriend might find her again. She was fifteen when he forced her to work as a prostitute, which she describes in her bestselling Deceived. She is now happily married.

Deceived (Misleid)

Merel is fifteen when she is introduced to 26 year old Mike by a mutual friend. From the very first meeting there is a certain attraction and they develop a deep friendship. At home and at school she feels misunderstood. The constant arguing and punishments only bring her closer to Mike. When her schoolgrades are dropping badly, Merels mother and stepfather decide to enroll her at a strict boarding school.

Merel and Mike keep in touch and their friendship grows into love. Merel is in seventh heaven, Mike makes her feel wonderful. Finally someone who consider her to be important and who loves her…

Deceived is the gripping story of a young girl that slowly becomes entangled in the web of a so called ‘loverboy’. Merel got away in time, and through this book wants to warn other girls.

“A touching personal story that shares how a girl can imperceptibly become taken in by a loverboy. Merel did not realise how much she had fallen under Mike’s influence and how dependent she has become of him, until the situation gets out of hand (…). Merel wrote her story to warn other girls and will certainly succeed with very readable work.” – NBD Biblion

Rights sold: Luebbe (Germany)

240 pages | ISBN  978-90-225-5334-3 | 2008

An innocent girl (In mijn onschuld)

After a bad period in her life, described in Deceived, teenager Merel van Groningen returns to her former boarding school. A traumatised teen, feeling abandoned and betrayed, she is desperataly looking for love. Merel finds it with her mentor. He makes her feel beautiful and special, and she believes she has a very special place in his heart. They have a secret affair that only ends when Merel finds out he is sleeping with others as well. He, who should have protected her, used her and betrayed her trust. The institute fired him immediately but Merel had to live with a broken heart - again. This is her story.

224 pages | ISBN 978-90-225-5607-8 | 2009