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Michael Ingram is a reclusive
architectural engineer in his late twenties. Unfond of his family and
without any friends, his only source of human contact is Jacquie, a
prostitute he hires once a week to come to his house, whom he thinks he
loves. As their relationship grows colder, a young girl arrives on
Michael’s property during a terrible storm. Violently ill and
incoherent, the girl is on the brink of death. Jacquie insists they
leave her to die, but Michael brings her inside and calls an ambulance.
With no family, no identification, and a complete unwillingness to talk
to anyone, the girl’s identity is a mystery to the medical staff and
child protective services. Only Michael can seem to get through to her
little by little, feeling a strong urge to nurture the young Jenny back
from the mysterious physical and psychological damage she has endured.
This book deals with taboo subjects like sexual consent of minors and
the faults in the foster care system, which may make readers feel
uneasy or uncomfortable at times. However, the overall themes of both
parental and physical love in this book are overwhelming. Jenny’s
tragic tale unfolds from a complete mystery to one laid bare in order
to earn the trust of not only Michael but the reader. By introducing
the protagonist immediately as someone who solicits a prostitute, it is
instantly apparent that there is no black-or-white morality on display
in this story. The narrative is gripping, the characters are powerful
and full of life, and for those that can move beyond the immorality on
display by both Michael and Jenny, what transpires is a love story that
is compelling, fascinating, and not soon forgotten. The struggles and
triumphs of this story will profoundly stay with the reader and leave
their emotions stirred.
RECOMMENDED by The US Review