Lawfully Innocent

by Robin M. Helm

Benjamin Beckett, a handsome young English lord, lacks purpose in his life of privilege. After learning the truth about his heritage, he decides to leave unbearable boredom behind, making drastic changes in his too predictable life. Adventure awaits Benjamin across the ocean, and he embraces the challenges before him.

Can a man who's not yet thirty be strong enough to impact the New World?

Will he find a cure for his loneliness and ennui?

75 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 26, 2019

About the author

Robin Helm's time revolves around music as she plays and teaches. Her books reflect that love, as well as her fascination with the paranormal and science fiction.

Her latest publication is Lawfully Innocent: A US Marshal Lawkeepers story. Previously published works include The Guardian Trilogy (Darcy is Elizabeth's guardian angel) and the Yours by Design series (Fitzwilliam Darcy switches places in time with his descendant, Will Darcy), Understanding Elizabeth (Darcy must decide how much he's willing to pay to have what he wants), and More To Love (Darcy comments on Elizabeth's weight at the Assembly).

Mrs. Helm is also featured in a series of anthologies with several other like-minded authors. A Very Austen Christmas and A Very Austen Valentine have been Best Sellers on Amazon in several categories. A Very Austen Romance is being planned for February, 2020.

She lives in (usually) sunny South Carolina and enjoys playing the piano, reading, and traveling.

AWARDS:
The Guardian Trilogy
Austenesque Reviews 2013 P & P Variation/Alternate Path Award

Yours by Design series
Austenesque Reviews, Top Ten Time Travel novels
Of Pens and Pages, Top 5 Modern Pride & Prejudice Retellings

A Very Austen Christmas: Austen Anthologies, Book 1
More Agreeably Engaged, Favorite Books of 2017

A Very Austen Valentine: Austen Anthologies, Book 2
More Agreeably Engaged, Favorite Anthology, 2018

More to Love: Cover Design Gold Star Award, The Book Designer

Reviews

[Deana Dick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The time period is perfect in this book for a look at life in 1840's . The author does a great job describing the countryside and making readers feel a part of the story. The story is short but packs a good adventure within the pages. I did like Benjamin and loved how he treated a young boy who had been a slave. The way he opened his home to Moses was a good example of treating others as you would want to be treated. Every time I read a story about slaves, I can't comprehend how someone could treat a human being so disrespectful.

Benjamin knew owning slaves was wrong and was determined to set Moses free. He became like a father to him and helped him learn who Jesus was. To me, this is the heart of the story. Benjamin loves to share his faith and has opportunities to do so with unlikely people. The two men who were put in jail awaiting their fate reminded me of the men on the cross with Jesus. I thought it was a nice illustration of how God forgives. He doesn't measure one sin worse than the other. Sin is sin. The author uses scriptures throughout the story that was very well placed in areas that helped emphasize the importance of asking Jesus into your heart.

We do get to know Benjamin's wife a bit, but I would have liked to have a little more interaction between Benjamin and his wife. Being a Marshall has its draw backs, but I felt like Benjamin's heart wasn't really into being a lawman. There is a bit of danger in the book that leads to a scene that is inspiring. There is a theme of forgiveness and sharing your faith with others that makes the book interesting to read. It's a good short story that needed a bit more depth.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts on Lawfully Innocent:
I have read Robin Helm before in her Austen works. While this is written with the same voice we get to travel to a different time and place in Lawfully Innocent.

Benjamin isn’t the oldest so he’s not set to inherit his father’s estate. Instead, he chooses to travel to America and become a US Marshall. He’s not even thirty yet but life seems to be throwing him some significant curves.

Can Benjamin do what God wants him to do with his life or is he doomed to follow the will of others?

Great read. This read really quickly and is more of a romance than a mystery or even a good conflict novel. There is some conflict but it’s small episodes and not a theme throughout the book.

Ben is a fun character who truly loves God and wants to see Him work in his life. He does a great job as a marshal and definitely has an impact on those around him.

This is a short read. It’s going to read quickly and then it’s going to be over. I enjoyed it and think you will too. I look forward to seeing what else Robin Helm is bringing out in the next year.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, Unbound, which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

[Suzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though this was a quick read, I had a difficult time engaging with Lawfully Innocent. As I’ve given the why some though, what keeps coming up is the lack of a central conflict.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s conflict in Lawfully Innocent, but it plays out as episodic. There’s a problem, it’s solved, then another issue needing a resolution pops up. I wish there had been more at stake with a conflict that carries through from the beginning and woven through the story.

That said, there were several parts of this novella I did enjoy. Ben’s move from England to a South Carolina plantation is an interesting twist as well as the US Marshal aspect. I also loved that Ben is a man who shares the gospel with the prisoners.

This novella makes a decent read if you’ve got an hour or two you’d like to spend with a story about a man’s journey to becoming the person God intends him to be.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Tabitha Bouldin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve come to expect these books to be romance novellas, and I feel that Lawfully Innocent pulls away from the romance aspect. And there is nothing wrong with that. There is still a romantic element, but it is not the goal nor the conflict of the story.

Instead, you’ll find a man seeking to find where God wants him to be. What job does God have planned for Ben? That is the plot I found and a noble question. Drawn to America, Ben finds himself working as a US Marshal. The responsibilities put him in direct contact with criminals in need of a savior and orphans in need of a home.

Can Ben break through the prejudice and show God’s healing redemption to wayward souls?

I’ve often asked the same questions as Ben and struggled to know what course I should follow. Seeing this element through Ben’s perspective has helped me to see through my own doubts.

A quick and enjoyable read that will carry you through one man’s journey to finding his purpose. Ben is required only to bring the men in, not set their punishment. But even outlaws deserve a chance for redemption.

I requested a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Patti Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lawfully Innocent tells the story of Benjamin Beckett, an Englishman who winds up moving to the United States and becoming a marshal. He has deep faith and determination. I think however my favorite character is Rebekah.

One thing I did not care for about this book is how it just from Benjamin in England in one chapter to a year later in the next chapter. I would have enjoyed reading about Benjamin when he initially arrived in America and about him taking over his aunt’s plantation she left him in South Carolina.

The obvious Christian values and Scriptural references in this book make it one worth reading. The idea of Benjamin becoming a U.S. Marshal intrigued me. The reconciliation of not believing in slavery yet living in South Carolina prior to slavery being abolished was interesting. Maybe because I love history and reading fiction that are set in previous times, I had no trouble staying interested in this book. So check it out for yourself.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.

[Betti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book from this author. 1843 finds Benjamin Beckett trying to assimilate news that, as the youngest son, he never expected. Taking on a plantation in South Carolina is quite different than the manor house at Ormonde Park. Seeking to follow God’s plan for his life, he does his very best at this new assignment, to which he adds the job of U.S. Marshall.

I thoroughly enjoyed this lovely tale. It once again reminded me of how important it is to live a life in service to our Lord regardless of our chosen career.

This copy was received through CelebrateLit. The impressions, comments and rating were in no way solicited.

[Janice Sisemore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lawfully innocent

This is a book that only takes a short time to read. I found it very relaxing book. I loved how inspirational it was. Benjamin becomes a Marshall but he is so different from other Marshalls. He was engaged when signing up. Him and Rebekah got married before left for his job. I loved Rebekah so much, how she stood up for things.

A lot of history when the book first starts on how Benjamin inherits the farm. It is all important to the story.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. This book review is my own opinion.

[Wendi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robin Helm is one of my favorite authors, and I'm always happy when another of her books are released. Lawfully Innocent was such an enjoyable story! Benjamin is a British gentleman whose life has little direction until he learns some secrets about his past and inherits property in America. He finds purpose and love in the Old South. Clean Romance; Christian themes.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the 1840s, Robin Helm’s “Lawfully Innocent” begins in England but takes place mostly in South Carolina. An antebellum novella, it interested me because of the unique perspective of the hero, Benjamin Beckett, raised as a member of the upper class in a country that had already abolished the importation of African slaves and passed an Emancipation Act, then immigrating to South Carolina to run the Magnolia Heights plantation. This is an interesting viewpoint to consider, and although I appreciated it in this story, overall I felt that the novella fell a bit flat.

“Lawfully Innocent” is a nice, short tale and can easily be read in one sitting. And that’s part of my problem with it. In my opinion, Helm covers too many events while simultaneously not giving readers much in the way of conflict or tension, resulting in a cursory story that is quaint but not memorable. For a young audience, I think that this would work well, but the young adult/adult target audience here doesn’t seem to be a good fit. The plot is very idealistic and unrealistic for the time and place, almost harkening back to the nineteenth-century sentimental novel. Lack of a central conflict leaves readers adrift, and while there are a few brief dramatic episodes, these are easily and quickly resolved.

This is not to say that I didn’t enjoy this novella, because I did; I was just looking for more. Moses was my favorite character, and what little we know about him comes through Benjamin’s reflections and two fleeting scenes. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters; the way in which they are written is impersonal. They were one-dimensional and superficial and therefore difficult to relate to. I also found them to be too picture-perfect; it would be wonderful if life was really like this, especially prior to the Civil War, but sadly it wasn’t and still isn’t.

In that regard, I think that “Lawfully Innocent” offers a beautiful portrait of Christ-like behavior, to which we should all aspire. As Benjamin remarks early on, “He [God] may use me to make life better for an oppressed people.” Benjamin also realizes something that the rest of the nation misses, for the large part, until decades later (and in some cases, even longer!): “People who are independent and responsible for their own advancement make better employees”. Indeed, the points that Helm makes throughout this novella are prudent and encouraging, demonstrating the positive difference that we as Christians can make in our own families and communities, fulfilling our Savior’s call.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

[Chautona Havig · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I requested a free review copy of Lawfully Innocent, I didn’t quite know what to expect. I’d seen a bit about the author’s reasoning for writing the book, so when it opened in the mid-19th century, I thought I’d gotten ahold of a split-time or timeslip novel.

Instead, Lawfully Innocent chronicles the changes in the life of Benjamin Beckett as he moves from his home in England to America and assumes control of a family-held plantation.

One of my pet peeves in historical fiction is when characters have modern sensibilities about things. I believe that repainting the past with a modern understanding of things does a disservice to those who endured injustice and cruelty and it cheapens the work so many did to fight against those things. So I was nervous about Benjamin’s attitudes about slavery, education for freedmen, and similar subjects.

It worked, however.
I think Benjamin’s English heritage and England’s earlier abolition of slavery, meant that he grew up in a post-slave era, making him a realistic and sympathetic character. I don’t believe I would have liked him as much as I did if he’d been reared even in the northern US states.

Character is the strongest element in this book. Each one is well-formed, not too perfect (although some come a little close for my taste), and distinct from the others. Moses, actually, was my favorite character, and I’d love to see more about him.

For those bothered by such things, the text does get a little preachy. Actually, very preachy in sections. No one could walk away from this book without knowing what God says about sinners and what God has done to redeem us.

Additionally, those bothered by info-dumping will find rather large sections of it in places–not only in narrative but also in dialogue. In dialogue, it’s more of the, “Well as you know, John,” type, and sometimes it was well hidden.

Because I enjoyed the characters and the general story, I’m giving Lawfully Innocent a rating of “I liked it.” However, had the characters not been as interesting and memorable to me, it would have landed in the “it’s okay” category. Had the issues I mentioned above not been present, I absolutely would have marked it as “I loved it.”

Recommended for lovers of historical fiction, of the antebellum era, and fiction where the gospel is prominently and thoroughly infused. I read it through Kindle Unlimited, and I’m not sorry I did.

[Becky Dempsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read Robin Helm's Austen based novels in the past and enjoyed reading them, so I was excited to get a chance to read "Lawfully Innocent". I had a hard time getting into the story, however. Even though it is a "Lawkeepers Romance", it didn't really have any romance in it. Partway through the second chapter, one of the characters mentions Benjamin's "bonny lass" and I was thrown a little as I didn't realize there was a woman in his life. I thought we were going to read about the romance happening, but it was already a done deal. I prefer to be able to see the characters fall in love. I liked Benjamin and his desire to do right, but some of the things he thought about got a little repetitive after awhile. I would have liked to get to know Rebekah more, but she isn't really a main character like Benjamin. Whatever conflict appeared in the story was quickly dealt with and not a driving force behind the storyline. I appreciated the clear presentation of the gospel and the Bible passages given. I liked the US Marshal aspect of the story and will check out other books in the collection. "Lawfully Innocent" was a quick read which is nice if you aren't wanting to get tied down to a lengthy novel.

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

[Patti Whitson Stephenson She Lives to Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s some good themes in this short 75 page novella. At times it felt as if it could almost be a Grace Livingston Hill book. There’s a good scene of the Marshall explaining salvation through Jesus, and good morals are emphasized all throughout the story. The author did an interesting job of showing efforts that were made to help the slaves find a better life after the war. This is a clean story with no foul language and I appreciated that.

I will say that I would have liked this book to be longer. There wasn’t time for much character development. When I finished the book, I felt as if I hardly knew anything about some of the main characters. There also wasn’t time for an overarching storyline to develop. There were scenes in the book that I really liked, but those didn’t always feel connected. If this book would have had two or three more chapters, it could have been outstanding.

However, if you are looking for a shorter and clean story to read, this one is ok.
It’s a credit to the author that I wished I could know more about these characters. I’d give this one a 3.5 rating for its potential.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Donna C · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I think you should know:
Lawfully Innocent is a historical fiction novella set in the mid 1840s with the bulk of the story taking place in South Carolina. Benjamin Beckett was raised as the son of an English Nobleman but after his Aunt leaves him a plantation in South Carolina he learns that he is the son of an American. Benjamin arrives and works to build a life for himself in pre civil war South Carolina.

What I think about this book:
This book had potential, however I feel like it was too rushed to develop the characters or the story. I kept feeling like I had skipped critical parts of the book, I tried hard to keep up with the story only to realize that the lost parts were never actually included. I particularly liked a portion where Benjamin laid out the steps to salvation. I feel that if the author were to revisit the book she would have a great starting point and several meaty chapters and I would gladly read it.

I received a complimentary copy for this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review
I found this to be a really little packed novella with some romance and a lot about finding God's purpose for one man's life. Since Robin usually does romance centered reads (with her Austen books anyway), I wanted to make sure I pointed out the book doesn't really center around the romance as much. It centers more around a man faced with some conflicts on what is right and wrong, and actually dives into the reality of slavery for that time. I always enjoy books that bring out a protagonist that realizes just because something is legal doesn't make it right. I thought the time frame was well described as well to transport you. I think it may have been just a little hard to get into because it just needed a little more development and length in my opinion. I think those looking for a faith message historical fiction that contains a romance and a shorter read they could finish in an afternoon should pick this one up.


I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own.

[MaryAnn Bell]

enjamin Beckett, a handsome young English lord, lacks purpose in his life of privilege. After learning the truth about his heritage, he decides to leave unbearable boredom behind, making drastic changes in his too predictable life. Adventure awaits Benjamin across the ocean, and he embraces the challenges before him. Can a man who’s not yet thirty be strong enough to impact the New World? Will he find a cure for his loneliness and ennui?

My Thoughts: This is a great read. It takes us into the life of a privileged lord who seems to have no leading in his life until he gets news of his aunts death. Benjamin finds himself headed to America with a new outlook on life.

This is a short but interesting novel that gives the reader a look into the 1800's in southern America. It touches on the subject of slavery, which the author handled brilliantly.

I enjoyed this novel and believe others will also enjoy reading this novel as well.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Lawfully Innocent" by Robin Helm is a really short read but one that is enjoyable. I recommend this book to any reader that likes a happy ever after story. I like that the bad guys have a change a heart. I was surprised that the bad guys still had to undergo the punishment for their crime even after coming to know the Lord as Saviour of there souls. I think it makes the book more real because yes Jesus does forgives us our sins but we still suffer the consequences of them.

This book is definitely a clean read.

I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are mine own.