Redeemed by Molly O’Keefe @MollyOKwrites

the setup…
After years of numbing his pain with chloroform, Dr. James Madison has finally shed the drug addiction but not the demons from the war that continue to plague him. He continues to live at Delilah’s, the town bordello, still struggling to regain the man he once was, when former Confederate Charles Park arrives with Helen Winters, his “ward” who was know as the Northern Spy. He’s got her on exhibition in a birdcage, promising anyone who can best him in a high stakes poker game will earn a night with her.

the heart of the story…
Something in Helen’s eyes tells James they are kindred spirits on several levels. What Charles is doing to her offends every sensibility of the old James. He has so little confidence in himself but she becomes the lifeline and he hers. It was heartbreaking on so many levels, especially with drug addiction always in the background. Their attraction to each other was at a deeper level and not one borne of dependency.

the bottom line…
I was rooting for James since the last story and was thrilled to see he’d overcome his drug addiction. The painful memories still remained and finding coping strategies was a challenge. Helen’s situation was the ultimate in degradation and is the toughest part of the story. I couldn’t imagine a suitable partner for James and Helen turned out to be ideal. The magic here goes beyond romance as it was the journey to the “other side” that is the triumph. Great ending to a highly emotional series.

Book Info

• Release Date: April 24, 2017
• Series: Into the Wild #3
• Page Numbers: 197
• Publisher: Self

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Amazon