SURRENDER TO ME

Author: Sophie Jordan ISBN: 9780061339271 8/2008 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: Regency England and Scotland

She had lost nearly everything . . . When a terrible tragedy left her penniless and alone, Lady Astrid Derring did whatever it took to survive. She fired half her staff, borrowed gowns, and subsisted on cucumber sandwiches from the galas she attended. She endured the wagging tongues of the ton and the indecent proposals from noblemen who deemed her ripe for the plucking. Finally, she finds a way to escape the shame and restore her good name. But it will require a dangerous journey to Scotland, where she will come face-to-face with danger . . . and a sinfully handsome rogue who may be the greatest threat of all. Any gentleman would lend his hand to a lady in distress, but handsome, rough-hewn Griffin Shaw is no gentleman, and Astrid is far from safe in his company. Accompanying her through the Highlands is a small price to pay for luring her into his bed. Entranced by her boldness, enchanted with her beauty, he is determined to thaw her cold heart. However, he soon finds himself wanting more than a brief affair with the proper lady. Nothing less than the total surrender of her heart will satisfy him.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Sophie Jordan's SURRENDER TO ME is a novel of triumph that is both heartwarming and hopeful. Wonderfully well written, it kept me spellbound. I read it in one sitting; I just couldn't put this one down until I reached the final page. I had to know how it ended—without waiting!

Astrid, the Duchess of Derring, has been left in horrible financial ruin. Her husband ran off, and although he is presumed dead he is, in fact, living a new life in Scotland. Bertram has assumed a new identity and is engaged to marry another woman. Astrid, despite having no funds, still has her pride as well as values and is determined to expose Bertram to his new lady before he has a chance to ruin her life, too. She sets off for Scotland and does confront Bertram (who is a cad, by the way!), but that's the extent of her well-laid plan following its course. Murder and chaos ensue and Astrid is virtually kidnapped. She falls under the spell of a very handsome man, Griffin Shaw, who is also in Scotland on a personal mission. But while Astrid wants to affect the future, Griffin needs to claim his past—and he doesn't plan on letting anyone deter him from doing exactly that. Not even a beautiful, if underfed, lady.

The telling of this tale is masterful. I was completely captivated by Astrid, Griffin and their entire adventure. The details are lush and vivid and I easily imagined myself riding through Scotland with the couple. I could hear Griffin's grandfathers speak, their accents thick enough to fill my head. The unraveling of this story, the melding of Griffin's roots with Astrid's, brings enough joy to the story that this reader was moved almost to tears. I loved this.

SURRENDER TO ME is an amazing story that shows that, in the end, good triumphs over evil and love does conquer all. Well done!

Kay James