Jessica and Linda have been best friends since the first day of school. Both girls are from very different broken homes -- and beautiful, wilful Jessica has always ensured their survival. Now eighteen, the two have come to Wilde -- an elite university in the heart of Dublin. Jessica thrives immediately and with the faithful Linda at her side, finds herself at the heart of a new circle of friends. But then Mark enters the picture. When Linda and Mark start dating, Jessica is disturbed by the change in her friend. It turns out that Mark’s influence is not limited to Linda alone; and Jessica soon finds out that her whole group of friends are keeping secrets for him. Years later when Mark resurfaces to write his version of events, she knows she owes it to herself -- and Linda -- to set the record straight once and for all.

Sassy, streetwise Sammy is a teenage girl who is falling through the cracks. Neglected by an alcoholic mother, the problems she endures at school and home lead her into the hands of adults who don't have her best interests in mind. Meanwhile, in a small village in Eastern Europe, preternaturally beautiful and naïve Nico is about to turn 13. As her family falls upon desperate times, her father is approached to marry her off. Consequently, Nico is shuttled across the border into Ireland, where she and Sammy find one another in their new home, a suburban brothel. As Nico and Sammy journey into this dark underbelly and out the other side, their friendship --- and the unexpected acts of kindness they give and receive --- form a potent bond.

Sonya used to perform on stage. But somewhere along the way, the stage lights she lived for dimmed to black. In their absence came darkness --- blackouts, empty cupboards, hazy nights she could not remember. Haunted by her failed career and lingering trauma from her childhood, Sonya fell deep into an alcoholic abyss. What kept her from losing herself completely was her son, Tommy. But her love for Tommy rivaled her love for the bottle. Addiction amplified her fear of losing her child; every maternal misstep compelled her to drink. Tommy’s precious life was in her shaky hands. Eventually Sonya was forced to make a choice. Give up drinking or lose Tommy --- forever.