Color me amazed. This book has a well-developed plot and characters, a great background settings, some history and a strong heroine. It's told in 3rd person POV but from the eyes of the main character.

It's not often that I come across a romance-suspense novel that has me captivated from the start. Our heroine, Jessie, is a working girl in St. Louis, in the clutches of her pimp with no hopes of ever getting out of her enslavement. She knows this and still maintains a kind heart and a positive spirit. She's feisty - I loved that.

Enter Gabe, a local PD detective, who's involved in a sting operation that is looking to break up a human trafficking ring.

Against all odds and all obstacles in their way, the two fall in love and find a way (amongst some bumps in the road) to be a couple. It's an amazing story about perseverance and the power of the human spirit.

I had a hard time putting it down, only stopping when I absolutely had to. The dialogue is funny and endearing in many places, and especially the interactions between the two main characters are very well written. There are no explicit sex scenes (which would distract from the quality of this book) though sex is hinted at, considering Jessie's occupation at the beginning of the book. It's never crass nor crude, and the author manages to get even through tense and frightening situations without resorting to foul language.

This was a free download on B&N, as are the other books this author has published. Free is great. But then one of my friends on Goodreads dug a little deeper and found some amazing information. The author, Heather Huffman, writes her books not for profit but to give back. Her website at www.heatherhuffman.blogspot.com is full of information how to support the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery. So, if you got this book for free, please visit her website and consider a donation to the World Vision charity she supports. I can only applaud Ms. Huffman for what she does.

Kudos to you, ma'am.

TMOT