From the cobwebbed window, Kitten watched Roman’s car pull away, the three Mexican girls who stayed in Dulce’s room crammed in the back seat. He had left as soon as he got a call from Jefe. Roman said Lito was on his way, but she saw no trace of the nasty van.
This was her chance.
She ran to her room and stuffed a pair of jeans, underwear, and two T-shirts into her knapsack. As fast as she could, she donned the pink sneakers still scuffed from her last attempt at running, and secured her hair in a barrette. She hefted the knapsack on her shoulder and closed the bedroom door behind her. A bubble of guilt surfaced as she passed Dulce’s room. Betrayal? No. Once safe, I’ll find a way to get her out of this. I’ll find a way to help all of them.
Georgia is used to being told she is too impulsive and makes some poor choices regarding her personal health and safety, but this time she’s decided the risk is worth it.
Official synopsis:
Social worker Georgia Thayer can balance her own mental illness with the demands of an impossible job. Mostly. But when her sister vanishes in the dead of night, her desperate quest to find Peyton takes her into the tentacles of a human trafficking network-where she encounters a young victim called "Kitten." Kitten is determined to escape. She won't be trapped like the others. She won't sell her soul like Lillian, victim-turned-madam, feeding the dark appetites of international business moguls and government leaders. But the Estate won't let her out of its lethal grip, and her attempts at freedom threaten her very life. Aided by Kitten and, at times, by the voices in her head, Georgia maneuvers to bring down the kingpin of Estate and expose its dark secrets, but her efforts place her—and the few people she allows to get close-in grave danger.
Narrated by Georgia, Kitten, and Lillian, The Orchid Tattoo gives three viewpoints of a human trafficking operation. Georgia only finds out about it when she’s pretty sure her sister died as she got too close to the truth. Kitten was a lonely foster child who was tricked into joining the nasty business. And Lillian doesn’t remember much of her life before being forced into it, but has worked her way up to earning the big boss’s trust and acting as madam of the fanciest house.
To complicate matters, Georgia hears voices—somewhat controlled by medication, but undeniably getting worse as her stress level increases. Luckily she has a great support system. Her boss at the hospital is kind and understanding, and her best friend has a history of his own demons and respects her ability to navigate the chaos in her head.
Kitten knows the longer she’s there, the less her likelihood of escape. Lillian, unfortunately, seems to have little to strive for besides keeping the big boss happy and surviving. She tries to convince the girls in her charge that they can make a pleasant existence at the Estate with her.
There was a surprising twist at the end, as they all worked together to hopefully find their happily ever after. Without working together and at least starting to trust each other, none of the three women could have made it as far as they did. This was a powerful and exciting book that earned 4 out of 5 stars. It would be recommended for those who like a thriller about a disturbing subject.
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Becki Bayley is a wife and mom. Find out more about what she’s reading and her adventures at her blog, SweetlyBSquared.com.
GIVEAWAY:
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Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Wednesday, January 31st, at 11:59pm ET, and winner will be contacted via email the next day, and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.
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The Orchid Tattoo, by Carla Damron
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