Hope’s Betrayal

Hope Tyler is forced by life’s cruelties to seek illegal means to feed herself and her family through smuggling. While dangerous,  she reasons it is still safer than outright stealing. Of course, that is until trouble abounds and she gets caught!

Captain George Huntley is a man who truly believes in his duty. After all, smugglers steal from the king by not paying the (ridiculously high) taxes.  When his prisoner turns out to be a vulnerable young woman, some doubts begin to appear. However, in order to keep them both safe he has to leave her, and all the feelings she invokes in him.  Unfortunately, distance does not turn out to be the remedy when circumstances force him to come back, and things come to head, insuring nothing will ever be the same again.

This story has a very promising plot and the likable characters make the book a very nice read! Unfortunately, getting through the first half of the book may be a bit harder than it should be. Every single character comes across as annoying, immature and in some cases downright silly. It makes for a very frustrating time.  Once Huntley returns home, things do get much better. Most of the character’s annoying traits calm down and smooth out.  As for the romance itself - the way Hope and Huntley circle around each other, afraid to give in to their feelings, yet incapable of staying apart is wonderfully romantic and deliciously sweet to read!

Ana Smith