I remember the horror I felt the day I discovered that some women sold their bodies to survive, but that was next to nothing compared to the day I learned that some were sold, literal modern-day slaves. If I recall correctly, I vomited. It’s kind of a reasonable response, you know?
Some authors have the strength to tackle tough topics like this. Authors like Kathi Macias, Francine Rivers, Melody Carlson, and a new-to-me author who I also call friend, Sara Davison with her recent release of Every Star in the Sky.
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Could You Still Trust God if You Were Sold to the Highest Bidder?
Where, oh where do I begin?
Sara Davison should probably get a medal for tackling the topic of human trafficking with such unbelievable skill. Seriously, not once did she hide the ugliness that these girls went through, but at the same time, she didn’t throw so much detail out that the reader feels violated as well. It’s a very delicate and difficult balance, and even if the story wasn’t good, that fact alone would have earned her four stars all by itself.
But the story is better than good. The characters have genuine growth arcs that don’t feel too rushed or too convenient. Each character has things to overcome, sure, but even growth comes at a price sometimes…
just as it should.
One of my favorite elements of the story is how Sara Davison weaves faith into each aspect. Sometimes it blends into the background so smoothly you have to look for it. Other times it’s a focal piece, and still others it becomes something in between. Beautifully done.
Though I can’t say much without giving away spoilers, the suspense elements in this book are unexpected and brilliant. I sat on the edge of my metaphorical seat (and sometimes literally) waiting for certain things to happen. How and when and where… perfect. Davison knows exactly when to do things to give them their greatest impact–not just the “thing” but also to illustrate a point and never once making the reader feel like she said, “See what I did there?” No, Davison trusts the reader to be smart enough to figure it out for herself. Thank you.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am part of the Mosaic collection and was given a copy of this book to review. Those who know me know that I say what I think regardless of who gives me what, but I wanted to be transparent about that.
Recommended for lovers of romantic suspense, for lovers of strong, faith-filled books, and for someone wanting a picture of what it might be like for women trapped in these horrible lives. Not recommended for sensitive readers who may not handle the gritty reality that human trafficking isn’t just morally repugnant, it’s brutal, too.
Doctrinal note: For those bothered by it, this book does contain a woman as a pastor. It’s a minor role in the scheme of the story (mentioned only a couple of times).
Every Star in the Sky by Sara Davison
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: March 2, 2022
She is willing to testify against her trafficker.
If she can stay alive that long.
“You’re safe here, Starr.”
How many times has Detective Cole Blacksky said that to her since helping her escape the life she’d been forced into eight years earlier?
Starr desperately wants to believe him, but she knows Brady Erickson, her former captor, too well. Although Cole has promised her protective custody on his family’s remote ranch, no place on earth is safe enough. Brady will stop at nothing to permanently silence her before she ever reaches the witness stand.
And he is powerful enough to do it.
If Starr wants to help the other women, she has no choice but to put herself in God’s hands. And Cole’s. But the longer she and Cole stay hidden, the more her life is at risk. And her heart.
TW: human trafficking, some violence, sexual intimacy inferred (clean and closed door)
About Sara Davison
Sara Davison is the author of four romantic suspense series—The Seven Trilogy, The Night Guardians, The Rose Tattoo Trilogy, and Two Sparrows for a Penny, as well as the standalone, The Watcher. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, she is a Word, Cascade, and Carol Award winner. She currently resides in Ontario with her husband Michael and their three mostly grown kids. Like every good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason. Get to know Sara better at www.saradavison.org and @sarajdavison.
Sara, tell us more!
A lot of Christian authors have recently released books on the theme of human trafficking. While it feels like a trend, I think it is a great deal more than that. I truly believe that El Roi, the God who sees, is revealing His heart for these precious women (and some boys and men).
When the idea for Every Star in the Sky came to me, I was in the middle of writing another book. I tried to shelve the new idea to work on when I finished my current project, but it refused to wait its turn. I had to set what I was working on aside and write Starr’s story out in its entirety before I was able to return to the original project.
This was a powerful lesson to me that it is God who is laying these stories on authors’ hearts, asking them to put names and faces—even fictional ones—to these beautiful, hurting, traumatized souls in order to bring them to the forefront of readers’ attention.
These stories are not only for entertainment. They are a call to action. After reading them and thereby gaining a deeper understanding of this heinous practice that exists and is prevalent in every corner of the world, including North America, readers may then feel compelled to do more. Our primary responsibility as believers is to pray. Pray that these modern-day slaves will be freed. That they will find healing in Jesus Christ and hope for their future.
And that all those perpetrating this evil will be brought to justice.
While continuing to pray, some may also want to look into organizations that help those caught up in the sex trade to escape and begin a new life. I mention a couple of these organizations in my letter to readers at the end of Every Star in the Sky, but there are many others that are working—often at risk to staff or volunteers—to free involuntary sex workers and to support them in their journey of healing. Donating money or becoming involved in these organizations in other ways is a powerful response to God’s call to remember and to fight for these women and men that He loves.
My hope and prayer for this book and all others written on this topic is that God will use them as He sees fit to help accomplish these objectives. And that readers will not only be drawn to pray for the victims of trafficking but will also be reminded that the God who placed every star in the sky and knows each of them by name knows their names too.
The theme of the two sparrows for a penny series is the same as it is for all my books—that we are never alone. God has promised that He will not leave us or forsake us, whatever we are going through. May you be reminded and deeply impacted by that as you read Every Star in the Sky and as you pray for all victims of human trafficking, that they will experience the truth of that promise for themselves.
Additional Blog Stops
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This is beautiful and curious, lately I have been concerned about a trend in the secular market of novels called Dark Romance that deal with love stories between women victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse and their kidnapper/rapist/abuser and these things are romanticized. And of course without Jesus there can be no real arc of redemption for these criminals (hard to believe sometimes but grace is for everyone). I was wondering what Christian writers would make of this trend in the secular market to talk about more and more dark, depraved and wicked things when Christian fiction tends to want to steer clear of that. This is a beautiful way to respond.
Such a difficult subject that she tackles, but it needs to be done.
This sounds like a great book
Great review! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for this incredible review, Chautona – it moved me deeply. And thank you to everyone who stopped by on The Novel Way tour!
Hi Chautona,I am currently reading the Lynette Eason series Blue Justice, & the second book is about human trafficking. It is unbelievable to me the sickness of some people’s minds to do the the things they do to each other.
Take care & God Bless.