Heart of Stone (Irish Angel, 1)

First, this story is about a young girl sold into prostitution after both her parents die. She lives fifteen years in this situation but manages to be shrewd enough to find a way out and start her life over. I liked the story of someone overcoming difficult situations and beating the odds.
However, I can’ stop thinking about how this is still happening today. The sex trade across the world is a horrific realty.
Second, I struggle with the idea of a young woman who while her heart is hardened, she is still generous, kind, and caring. The reality of a young woman still beautiful, generous, and caring after living such a life of brutality doesn’t quite add up.
While the author attempted to show Laura as a shrewd businesswoman whose moral compass somehow remained intact. The reality is at ten years old, she would have learned survival skills that did not include being kind and caring as such traits would have been a sign of weakness and made her prey to the other women and men in that world, she grew up in. For those who have lived a life of such abuse and have learned to detach, usually suffer from personality disorders, even mental health issues that were not present in the Laura.
Third, the author did a great job of showing the narrow mindedness of some of the towns people and how people are quick to judge others without knowing all the facts. There’s a wonderful lesson here that we need to extend grace and compassion towards others. Being quick to judge and point fingers keeps people like Laura from finding freedom.
The secondary plots were very well woven into the story and the tension of Laura keeping her secret kept me listening. (I listened to the audiobook.) The writing is very good as the author does a good job with setting, weaving the story together, and the pacing is good. The narration was very well done with the different voices and inflections.
In closing, I’m giving this the rating I am because goal, motive, and conflict are maintained throughout the story and kept me engaged. And while in reality Laura probably would’ve had more to overcome than just a hardened heart, I must keep in mind that this is a story of fiction.