Almost Innocent

by Carina Adams

There are some that would say that this is a dark read, and in some respects I think I might agree with them but taking the whole story into account I would say that my primary thought about the book is that is one of the most realistic reads I have had the pleasure of reading in a long time.

The story that the author unfolded was that of Declan and Gabby and while it was excruciatingly heart-breaking in some respects, it was a sound, honest and heartfelt examination of what it takes to come out the other side of the horror of domestic abuse.

Gabby lived through a nightmare and fought hard to retain not only her sanity but her ability to move forward. She could so easily have fallen into a depth of despair and I defy anyone to have criticized her for doing so, she was so strong.

Declan was not without his own share of demons; he had spent over a decade locked up following the death of his brother but the things they share together are the things that are fighting to keep them apart, Gabby wants Declan to have a relationship with her son, he needs to know his uncle, to have him in his life but as the flashbacks to the night Dustin was killed only serve to illuminate the fact that getting to that point is not going to be an easy task.

Declan has had feelings for Gabby for a very long time but acting on them is not something that is in anyone’s best interest when they first meet, there is too much pain to tackle that particular hurdle straight off the bat but as the story is cleverly laid out, their secrets laid bare and it was with hope that I read on, almost frantically wishing the pages away, to get to what I was praying would be a happy ending.