Caging Liberty

Books on human trafficking won’t be ‘pretty’. It’s a sensitive topic taken right from today’s headlines. I must applaud this author for keeping this as sensitive and ‘mainstream’ as she did. It’s not easy creating a storyline that keeps you reading while showing how desperate trafficked women are and how they must live to survive… how they become brainwashed into developing positive feelings for their captors, accepting roles as slaves meant to please sensual appetites of their owners or island ‘visitors’. Liberty, our main female character was sold by her husband. She’s now ‘Ivy’ and boy is she a fighter. A better name for her would be Poison Ivy. She does her best to get away but there is no escaping. She’s on a private island built and maintained just for men’s pleasures. Wealthy clients come and go but many live there in homes they’ve built… where they keep their ’female possessions’. The only way in or out is by boat or plane. No cell phones allowed and no outside communications. After all, it wouldn’t do for the outside world to learn of this island’s existence. 🤔 OBSERVATIONS: ✒︎ Plot twists…. Oh Yes … and just who is saltyshells123…good guy, bad guy or???? ✒︎ Stockholm Syndrome … Definitely, how else can these women residents survive without brainwashing. ✒︎ Sensitive topic … Yes… but very relevant in today’s headlines and handled well by the author. ✒︎ A lot of steam or spice … Some but not overboard with detail considering the topic. ✒︎ Cliffhanger … Yes, and I’m definitely reading the next book . ✒︎ Elsie? … I keep wondering if she will play a future. ✒︎ Robert? … he needs way more than a comeuppance, he needs to reap what he’s sowed, he needs to crawl and grovel. I hope he’s not ‘eliminated’, he needs to experience true karma. ✒︎ Crude Language… there has to be if remaining true to the subject line. I understand the need for the crudeness but always dislike profanity thus four stars instead of five. ✒︎ Angel and Liberty … he’s certainly no angel and she’s lost all liberty. However, I keep getting a sensitive side to Angel. Yes, he’s pragmatic but he’s more ‘feeling’ and caring about Liberty, or Ivy, as she’s known on the island. ✒︎ Money Reigns…. only the rich can afford this island where sensual appetites are gratified. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

A fascinating story that was quite unexpected in my opinion. The emotional drama was riveting. The characters were equally fascinating and captivating in their actions. The story though it ended in a cliffhanger left me wanting to read the next book immediately. I’m both fascinated and slightly repelled by this world. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.