“Wrongly Accused” by Erin Wade it’s a romantic suspense with hints of a drama involving Dr. Dawn Fairchild, a well-known surgeon who is engaged with another fellow medic Richard and who finds herself in a life changing situation when she is accused of manslaughter, while she got involved in a car accident in which a woman died. She finds herself incarcerated with villains, drug dealers, rapists and criminals for a crime she supposedly hasn’t committed after a terrible trial, where the dead woman’s sister accused her. Now, she also finds out the warden of the jail she is being kept is the one and only Valerie Davies, her accuser, the dead woman’s sister.

I find, Erin Wade has created a great turnabout of events by putting Dawn and Val in those positions. The drama, the angst and the thriller just intensify the read at this point.

The beautiful blonde doctor is a fatal attraction for many prisoners, especially for the ones who get the impression they rule that prison. Of course, she is also an attraction to Val, who doesn’t know in which life threatening situations Dawn could be and doesn’t seem to understand what level of damage she has caused her.

Dawn’s salvation is Nikki Sears. Nikki knows the deal in prison, she’s been abused and raped and she didn’t looked well right now and she just doesn’t want Dawn to be dragged in the same misery she got to, because she had none to defend her. The once beautiful red-haired was convicted for drug addiction and prostitution and has been through a lot humiliation since she’s been incarcerated and she sees something in Dawn, maybe purity and sensibility and intelligence and beauty. Her family has abandoned her, so she has nothing to lose. Instead she gains a friend in Dawn and a rescuer, as a favor like that never remains unpaid.

Dawn manages to impress the prison medic and the warren with her medical skills and she gets her well-deserved place in the prison hospital and she takes Nikki with her as her nurse.

There are many conflicts and up’s and down’s in the plot, including diverse opposing characters that create amazing developments of the storyline.

Many questions roundabout the development of the plot :

Will Dawn and Nikki’s friendship be enough to survive prison? Will Dawn manage to get out of prison? Will she ever practice as a surgeon again? What happened to Richard?  Will Val manage to convince Dawn to forgive her? How much do opposites attract? Can Dawn become a toaster oven (converting hetero into a lesbian)?

Dawn Fairchild is an esteemed surgeon that happens to be at the wrong place in the wrong time, while during a car accident she’s involved in has one victim and one eye-witness, the victim’s sister and her accuser. She comes from a world where life is precious and respected, as she spends many hours in the hospital rescuing people’s lives. How could she be now facing the opposite situation to be accused of taking a life? That is the question of her existence now.

She needs to survive prison life to stay sane and alive and the only healing in there is Nikki, the  red-haired beauty that brings sunshine into the room, as well as in Dawn’s existence.

And why has life punished her even more, by being incarcerated in warden’s Valerie Davies one, her accuser? She doesn’t have a choice but survive by doing what she knows best: being a doctor and a surgeon. She is impressive as an attitude, as a beautiful and decisive woman, as well as a sensitive and precious human being.

Valerie Davies is devastated after her sister’s death and she has done the right thing at the trial. What she didn’t expect is her sister’s murderer to be incarcerated in her prison. At her surprise, she doesn’t hate Dawn Fairchild, but fancies her, wants her and falls for her. She is impressed by the doctor’s capabilities to save lives and her own career. She needs to make Dawn forgive her and fall in love with her.

Nikki Sears is in hell. She went from one hell to another, as she landed in prison for drug abuse and prostitution. To complete the lack of her self-esteem, the abuse she endured in prison had a terrible impact on her psyche. Only when the beautiful doctor arrived there, something moved Nikki and gave her strength to help Dawn and to prevent the same things to be happening to her. She found in Dawn the friend she has never had, the savior she has always prayed for, yet never hoped for. Where will lead their friendship? Will their friendship be enough to survive prison?

I loved how the storyline was changed at the crossroads of many intrigues and how much it takes to find out the truth of Dawn’s sexuality and the surprise at the discovery of her one and only.

I loved the subject of the book and the climax made justice to all the characters, who were impressive in the evolution of the plot. It reminded me of the Wenthworth series.

All the respect for Erin Wade to write as incredible as she does and for being a self-published author.

 

Quotes from the book:

“Val paced the floor. She knew she had sacrificed Dawn for her career. She’d made a half-hearted attempt to correct the Attorney General but was so busy basking in the limelight that she failed to consider the cost to Dawn. Beautiful women like Dawn always landed on their feet. She’ll be okay, Val reasoned. I’ll only get one shot at the promotion I’ve dreamed of. Besides, the little voice that wasn’t a conscience whispered, she can always work here at the prison hospital and be with you. Sometime after two a.m., Val climbed into bed and tried to sleep. I’ll talk to her tomorrow. I’ll find a way to make it right.

“Good morning,” Lance said, greeting Dawn with a smile. “That was an incredible documentary the warden had on television Friday night.” The icy glare Dawn shot at him silenced any further conversation. She made her morning rounds and was finishing her notes on patients’ computer files when the head nurse signaled her for a phone call. She took the handset from the nurse. “Dr. Fairchild.” “Dawn, may I see you in my office?” Val asked. “When?” “Now, if possible.” “Ten minutes. I need to see one more patient.” “Of course.” Ten minutes seemed to take an hour to pass. Then a knock on Val’s door made her jump. “Come in.” “You wanted to see me?” Dawn stood in the doorway. God, she’s the original ice queen, Val thought as she motioned for Dawn to sit in the chair across from hers. She poured coffee for them and leaned back in her chair. “Dawn, I know I messed up.” Val bowed her head. “How can I make this up to you?” Dawn glared at her. “Get me an early release. Get me out of this prison that you have changed single-handedly.” “I . . . I know the hospital has improved solely because of you and Lance. I know it was you who pushed for decent food for the inmates. I know you and Niki were the catalysts for cleaning up the corruption in this prison. I know—” “In short,” Dawn said, “someone else was responsible for most of the things you took credit for on TV Friday night.” “I . . . you don’t understand,” Val wailed. “The attorney general all but told me I will soon get my dream job. The job I have worked for all my life.” “What about me, Val? Do you know how difficult it is for a woman to make it through med school and work her way up to chief of staff?” “I have some idea.” “Then you know that you destroyed my reputation and my career when you pretended on national TV to have rehabilitated me. You and the attorney general acted as if you were turning out prize surgeons. This place has nothing to do with my abilities as a surgeon. If anything, this place would destroy me if I’d let it.” “Dawn, please, just complete your sentence and be cooperative. My promotion depends on it.” “It’s not like I have a choice.” Dawn stormed out of the office. She didn’t touch her coffee, Val thought as she carried their cups to the sideboard. God, she’s hot when she’s mad. And dammit, I’m in love with her.”