A Shameless Angel (Secrets of the Zodiac Book #3) by Elizabeth Cole Overview by Amazon:
A courageous code breaker, a gentleman with a score to settle, and a past that refuses to stay hidden...
Sarah Brecknell has always had an unusual obsession with numbers. After the unfortunate death of her fiancé, she's lost her place in society, and her gift has left her alone with a dangerous secret. Sarah must turn to a complete stranger for help--a secret agent in service to the Crown. She has already made one mistake in love. She can't afford another.
Theodore Markham has plenty of secrets of his own, not least of which his occupation as a spy. Now he is hunting for a traitor. This time is different, though--the rogue was his best friend. The trail goes cold until he meets Sarah, a woman with extraordinary mathematical talents...and an irresistible charm that may be even more dangerous than his adversary.
I don’t agree with cheating. Not at all. This book has a relationship that could be defined as cheating, however the author creates a story that is so well conceived and written that I never felt any distaste reading it. This was a fantastic book. Excellent characters, a dangerous mystery, passion and defiance of society – this story has all the elements of an amazing book.
We meet Sarah and Theo at the funeral of Sarah’s fiancé Charlie. He was killed by highway men, but neither Sarah or Theo believes that version of events. Sarah can’t move on with her life. She grieves so deeply for the life she was supposed to start with Charlie.
Very quickly we learn that Charlie was a member of the Zodiac, a Crown agency of spies. Theo is also part of the Zodiac and is shocked to learn that his school chum and comrade was actually a traitor. He secretly starts to investigate what Charlie was into, but doesn’t have a lot of leads.
He gets a break in the case when Sarah is approached by a mysterious foreigner and threatened. She has a few weeks to find Charlie’s documents and hand them over to this man. She’s terrified and afraid for her safety so she enlists Theo’s help to find Charlie’s documents. I adored Sarah. She is a true bluestocking. She is an extremely intelligent woman who is a real code maker and breaker. The feelings she has for Charlie are so heartbreaking when she learns that she has been duped by him. Her grief and anger are so passionately written that it draws you in as a reader. You feel deeply for her and it flavours how you view the relationship she develops with Theo.
Theo finds journals of Charlie’s but he can’t crack the code they are written in. When Sarah comes to him, it’s like a present has been dropped in his lap when he finds out she is the one who taught Charlie coding.
The journals give Theo and Sarah a reason to work together day after day. They get to know one another as colleagues and as a man and woman. I loved how Sarah kept trying to get Theo to reveal the details of the Zodiac to her. She never resorts to feminine wiles, as she isn’t like that, far too intellectual. I really liked learning about the Zodiac as it was really smart of the author to make it like a James Bond institution. Even the secretary Miss Chattan is Moneypenny from a 007 film. The addition of this group to the book just made it even more fun.
There is the issue of Theo’s intended bride. I loved how the author dealt with the issue of what could be construed as infidelity. It’s not the way you want to fall in love with your historical romance novel, with the hero and heroine cheating. His bride to be is a long-time family friend and the engagement has been an understanding for years. The author writes Theo’s intended, Alyse as a woman constrained by her life, her station and the expectations of society. The crafty way the author writes Alyse’s plotline makes you like her immensely and want her to follow her destiny. You know that Sarah and Theo have to be together, so you want Alyse to follow her dream – even if the dream is scandalous for the times.
Theo is a great character. He is so well crafted. I loved how he finds purpose and meaning in the work that he does for the Zodiac. He is good to his family and struggles with his dilemma on what to do with the feelings he has for Sarah. I appreciated how he stood by his word, even if his heart was breaking.
The danger to Sarah only grows and the dots start to connect for the mystery of what Charlie was mixed up in. The passion also grows. The intimate glances and kisses lead to so much more. Sarah gave herself to her fiancé, so even though she is not a virgin, she has never really experienced passion. Theo and Sarah give into the passion they have for each other and the result is a very rewarding experience to read. The author gives them great sex and conflicted feelings. Sex is best when it confuses things or causes great change for the characters.
The resolution to the book is fantastic. The plot regarding Charlie’s treason is exciting and twisting. We learn the truth about Charlie and as the reader you are so happy that Sarah dodged that bullet. This book takes you on an emotional journey as you want Theo to be free to be with Sarah as she belongs. I loved how this book sucked me in to their desperate longing and desires. I highly recommend this book as it was a wonderful surprise and a delightful story that had me enjoying every page.
