Tempered: (2 Glass)

Once Murray understands he can control his violent impulses, he's left with a far more unsettling question: does he even want to?

Ten years after losing both his beloved mentor and his abusive father, Murray Henderson is still yearning for direction. He's treading water in Cleveland, failing in his career and relationships. Anger, guilt, and distrust continually derail his chances at happiness. When an opportunity calls him to New York City, Murray finally sees a path out of his relentless grief.

But as he navigates a hopeful new life, he soon falls back into old patterns of self-loathing and violence. A promising relationship starts to show cracks, and the friendships Murray has always counted on begin to fray. With his life shattering around him, Murray realizes he must confront his most devastating secret and the intertwined fear and anger that have haunted him for over a decade. Tempered, the sequel to Glass, explores the deadly pull of anger and how we are shaped by-and shape-the ones we love.

"In Tempered, author Kort revisits the hard topics explored in Glass. She has once again created a protagonist that you care about, despite flaws that are not ignored or minimized. Instead of shortcuts or easy answers, she realistically portrays trauma, its aftermath, and the hard work that is required for healing.

"Avoiding cliché endings, she skillfully balances a narrative that is at once gritty and hopeful. It is a book that you walk away from with a new sense of compassion and understanding for those among us who are struggling. Thought-provoking and honest, Tempered is a book you won't want to put down."

"Tempered offers a fascinating character study of a tormented man and the many facets of his recovery. Kort provides an honest, unflinching look at the ways trauma can affect ourselves and our loved ones both. . . . Kort's novel is an accomplishment. With characters as rich as these, one must wonder if there is potential for a third book-a Murray Henderson trilogy, so to speak. As the narrative so vividly reminds us, there is no easy or absolute end to the effects of the past."

"As in her previous two novels, Kate Kort takes her readers for an uneasy but fascinating ride with brilliantly drawn characters who are trying, often unsuccessfully, to overcome their abusive pasts. Murray Henderson is someone we root for, even as we question the unhealthy choices he makes. As he tries to create a new life for himself in New York City, the positive potential in new relationships is challenged by the violent responses to life that have become too much a part of his new self. Told with an unflinching realism combined with a sure and lyrical humanity, Tempered will keep its readers anchored in a hope for a better life for Murray that in many ways becomes a hope we must hold for us all."