A Woman’s Innocence

Sam will soon know if Julia is as innocent as she says…

Julia always maintained that she was innocent. As much as Sam Sherryngton had wanted to believe her, he was confident that she had caused the loss of many lives because of her treachery to the Crown. Living in the army quarters had given Julia access to information which Sam believed had been given to the enemy. Sam is aghast when a dying man reveals who the real traitor is. It is imperative that he assists Julia’s escape from jail before she is taken to the gallows, and now he is wanted by the law for murder.

Once, Sam had been the light in Julia Reed’s lonely life. Although he was their gardener’s son, Sam had always had time for the young girl and later, infatuated adolescent. He had never made her feel unimportant or belittled her, as her older brother Lewis did. When Sam left Hopewell Manor, she was heartbroken; she did not know that to stay would have killed him. Sam knew that he could not compete for her hand. Her future was to be spent wearing fine gowns, attending balls and soirees, and eventually in the arms of her titled husband. This was a world that would never accept a relationship with the gardener’s son.

In Afghanistan, Sam had not recognised the free-spirited woman as Julia. Her behaviour had been quite scandalous and she was certainly headed for trouble. At the time, he had considered it his right to prosecute her. Now he can see that he was as much of a pawn as she was.

Together they must reveal the traitor. As fugitives, they assume disguises and live life hiding in the shadows. They must trust each other implicitly as they share a common goal. In such close circumstances, it will not be long before their secret desires and longings will resurface. Will Sam be strong enough to resist Julia, or will she push him beyond the strictures of society to the intimacy of her heart?

A Woman’s Innocence is the third and final instalment in Gayle Callen’s Spies and Lovers series (No Ordinary Groom, The Beauty and the Spy), and is entirely enjoyable as a stand alone romance. The author initially introduces her characters as adults who are on opposite sides of the law, and then delightfully weaves through their shared history of admiration and yearning from afar. This provides a shaky, yet solid foundation for a bond of love.

Julia has shown poor judgement in the past and this naivety was used against her. She is innocent in the ways of men and has never seen the extent of Sam’s regard for her. Sam believes that he has changed irrevocably and he must leave Julia again, just as soon as he has exposed the real traitor. Little does he realise that it will be his heart that will be laid bare, and Julia will never relinquish the only treasure that she has ever truly wanted. Lurking in the background is a thug and the turncoat; suspense creeps in as Julia and Sam must discover some damming evidence before they are unmasked. Romantic moments are slightly spicy and long awaited. The dramatic and romantic tension increases as the plot unfolds before a satisfying conclusion. I have long been a fan of Gayle Callen and cannot wait to see where she will take her readers next.

Reviewed by: Naomi