To save her, he must become the evil he fights.
Aftercare specialist Willow Metcalfe joined Mission: Liberate Everyone to help trafficking survivors navigate the healing process. When MiLE’s Obioma Compound is attacked by the Nigerian mafia, she’s taken hostage. Against nightmarish odds, she and the victims attempt an escape—and are thwarted.
A decade after leaving his beloved homeland, Chijioke “Chiji” Okorie returns to find his sister and fight for his own country. Believing a global trafficking ring behind her abduction and a string of kidnappings across Nigeria, he goes undercover to find the head of the serpent and his sister. Chiji is stunned to discover among the hostages a familiar face—a friend’s sister, Willow. The woman he vowed years ago to marry.
The man who has interfered with her escape attempts seems … familiar, kind—but Willow knows better. He reeks of the warrior ethos that has devoured many a good man. Engaged in an impossible battle and losing at every turn, Chiji is determined to complete his missions—all of them. Even if it kills him.
Willow brings awareness to human trafficking, a heinous
reality for so many. Reading about violence and sexual assault is hard, but the
story avoids graphic detail when possible. The novel does not dig deeply into
the traumas of sexual assault or the extended healing process of survivors, which
makes the novel lighter to read. Romance while surrounded by the terrors of sex
trafficking may seem implausible, but Ronie Kendig deftly integrates Willow and
Chiji’s budding relationship.
Willow by Ronie Kendig lands as the second novel in
The Metcalfes series. I recommend reading
them in order due to the overarching human trafficking plot as well as the cameos
by characters from prior novels. Four Stars!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of
this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
Wow, such an interesting story. I like that it's not too graphic considering the content.
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