Confusion and misery consumes Shana Barlow on a daily basis. Youthful naivete' and loneliness, in addition to the precarious marriage of her parents precipitates the atrocious exploitation she endures for several years. No longer able to cope with the psychological turmoil that is caused by her ordeal, she reveals her secret to her mother. Her mother's surprising reaction causes her to regret her revelation, as well as question her self worth. Trials of the Heart is the coming of age story of Shana Barlow. In this fiction novel, we get a glimpse of the painful affects that child-on-child molestation causes. It also deals with the all-too-common neglectful responses of adults. All too often the topic of sexual molestation is swept under the rug and young children are made to feel ashamed for being victimized. Not discussing it, does not take away the fact that it has happened. In order for the victims to fully work through the issues caused by their ordeal, they need to know that it is okay to talk about it. More importantly they need to believe that what has happened to them is not their fault."