When trust is something you have to earn.

Synopsis

The woman who haunts his dreams

Secret agent Phil Cullen is upset when he discovers that the young woman he rescued from Mrs Newbody’s establishment has absconded from his housekeeper’s care without a word. Thinking he has been deceived, he resolves to forget about her… something easier said than done.

The man she wants to forget

Sophia Turner is horrified when she is duped into entering a notorious house of ill-repute. Then a handsome stranger comes to her aid. Desperate that no one learns of this scandalous episode, Sophia flees to the one friend she knows she can trust. With luck, she will never see her mysterious rescuer again.

But fate has other plans…

Months later, Phil is on the trail of an elusive French agent and Sophia is a respectable lady’s companion when fate again intervenes, taking their lives on a collision course.

Traitors, spies, and shameful family secrets – will these bring Sophia and Phil together… or drive them apart?

My review

Sophia Turner is trying to find a way out of her future. She finds herself in a house with a certain reputation, but is not willing to do what’s expected from her.
Luckily for her, a handsome stranger comes to her aid and helps her escape. But Sophia feels that she can trust no one, so she quietly runs away from the man who helped her and runs to the only person she can trust.

Months later, Sophia is a respectable lady’s companion. But danger is still around the corner, and fate bring her back meeting her rescuer, Phil.

Will Sophia and Phil trust each other, and help each other in their own quest? And will this mean they will be growing closer? Or will the truth be reason of driving them apart?

This story is one where a lot of things happen. You have the story of Sophia, who is understandably terrified of what her future will be. Because she has been betrayed by someone she thought had her best interest, she is suspicious about everyone she meets.
She just wants to be free and do what makes her happy, and living in a house with that kind of reputation is certainly not what she had in mind.

And then we have Phil. From the very start you know he is a man with a sense of right and wrong. He sees Sophia and he does whatever he can to help this woman who he never met before.
He has his heart at the right place, that is obvious. But he is also a man with a mission, and will not allow any distractions.

Both Sophia and Phil are so stubborn people, that when they meet each other over several occasions, I just had to laugh.
Sophia is in my opinion, more ahead in time compared with other women of her time. She will not let anyone dictate her what to do and speaks her own mind.
And when that clashes with Phil, I was having so much fun!
Like I said, Phil has his heart at the right place, but he surely can learn to communicate better! He is so focused and determined, when in need he just takes charge.

Yet it’s not just about these two strong people meeting each other, otherwise it would be a story like so many. But here we have intrigues, mysteries, secrets. I was eager to know what really was going on, why some people did what they were doing.

I liked it how there were twists, and I found myself totally misjudging some people. I never knew if all the truths were out there, and if it was really all there was.

Yet the author managed to bring it all together, giving in the end all the answers we were seeking. An entertaining read, not giving everything away too soon, with strong main characters who will have to learn to trust each other and being rewarded for their trust.