Innocent Betrayal
the inside story
ISBN 0-8217-6602-3
She wanted her freedom...he wanted her heart…
It made perfect sense to me that the first book I ever published would be a historical romance. After all, don’t all little girls grow up with visions of Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty dancing in their heads? (Though I must admit, Snow White was one of my least favorites- the girl just didn’t have enough get up and go to take care of herself!) I much prefer the more modern fairytales, where the heroine gets right in there and uses her brains instead of her pretty face to get out of whatever predicament she finds herself in. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is my all time favorite though I do like Drew Barrymore’s spunk in Ever After, the retelling of Cinderella. (Gotta love it when she outwits the band of gypsies and carries the prince out on her back!) Anyway, when I decided I would write my own version of happily ever after, it had a classic fairy tale sense about it with a rather strong, bold heroine.
Thus, Emily St. Simon was created. And because I have a penchant for the tall, dark types, along came Noah Sandleton- (make sure you get a good look at the cover!) I loved writing Emily and Noah’s story; there was adventure and danger and romance…oh yes, plenty of romance and I just wanted to help them get to the ‘happily ever after’ but boy, was it a struggle for them! Another reason this book hold a special place in my heart, aside from the fact that it was my first published book, is that it is actually a sequel to the first completed book I ever wrote. The very first book, which didn’t sell- the story was great but the telling of it was not!- is about Emily’s oldest brother, Ian, and her best friend, Augusta. One day, I may well take up the task of rewriting it and then the reader will know how truly devilish Ian St. Simon was before he became the refined, proper brother the reader sees in Innocent Betrayal. But that’s another story for another time…
The following is a back cover glimpse of Innocent Betrayal…
Headstrong Emily St. Simon longed to escape the stifling confines of her English noblewoman’s life. So, dressed as a boy, she daringly stowed away on a ship bound for America- unaware that her dreams of independence would soon lead to one dazzling night of passion, a forced marriage, and abandonment by the husband whose unforgettable presence haunted her, night and day.
For dashing sea captain Noah Sandleton, honoring a debt meant keeping away from his beautiful new wife. Yet sensing danger, he devised a secret plan that would bring him back to the woman who had touched the very depths of his soul. Reunited with Emily, he fought to regain her shattered trust and keep her safe from harm, vowing with every kiss, to rescue a love greater than either had ever known.