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Dark Surrender
Julie had received a proposal but it wasn't the one she'd been hoping for. Brad's intentions were clear. "I want you so much, Julie. Come and live with me in London, be my mistress". Julie felt torn apart. To accept his offer meant giving up all her principles, losing her pride. but if she refused she would lose the man she loved, and much more...
Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1980
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138 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Pargeter
104 books75 followersMargaret Pargeter was a popular writer of 50 romance novels in Mills & Boon from 1975 to 1986.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 22, 2018
Margaret P was smoking the heady stuff when she wrote this drama filled fiesta of smoldering passion, blackmail and bat shit craziness. This is gonna sound so politically incorrect but I don't really give a F. I enjoyed reading this shit. It was fun ! It was like a daytime soap opera, complete with the wily, HOT and besotted anti H Brad, the demure beautiful heroine Julie, her selfish, greedy thief stepfather and Brad's snobbish tight ass grandma. Brad fascinated me in the same way that EJ DiMera used to do in the soap opera Days of Our Lives ( hey do not judge the adolescent me for postponing homework just to watch EJ scheme and manipulate to get Sami back in his arms where she belonged. Lol. Boy did I have a gigantic crush on the English hottie James Scott who played EJ ). Is it any wonder then, that I pictured the H Brad as looking exactly like EJ DiMera ? ( I know the guy on the book's cover looks like that Timothy Dalton guy who played James Bond and Heathcliff and Timothy was a handsome man, but I prefer to imagine that the H's EJ. ).
Where do I start with this craziness ? Brad Hewson is a tycoon who owns a British automobile manufacturing company. I can just picture the type of cars his company would build: the Hewson Arrogant ( upmarket luxury sedan for the rich men ); the Hewson Priapus ( sports car for the cocky playboy type ); the Hewson Demure ( for the middle class housewife ); the Hewson Hellion ( SUV ). Anyway, where was I? Brad is besotted with Julie who is a shy, sweet little thing that lives with her useless stepfather and works as a very junior typist in the typing pool at Hewson's. The novel opens with the MC's already engaged in a casual dating relationship. The other typists are jealous of Julie because they all want to take their own little joyride atop of Brad's very fine body. Julie's a bit bewildered because ( like all good little nice girls ) she is unaware of her own attractions and cannot believe that Brad is serious about her. She's right ! Lol. Brad is a good old fashioned skankaholic who only likes to take his pleasures with transitory affairs and he wants Julie to be his mistress. Julie doesn't know that until he he asks her and she is mortified. She declines his offer very politely, the way a person would decline an extra glass of wine. This girl made me laugh. Brad is angry because he has never had to deal with a woman refusing a joyride from his incomparable tool of pleasure. His ego is damaged and he ignores Julie for a while and she even sees him dating a bimbo a couple of times. There's also a horrible scene in his office where he tries his aggressive seduction tactics on Julie and she hits him with a lamp. He ends up with a cut on his head.
Julie then finds out that her stepfather has embezzled money from Brad's firm. Brad threatens to throw the thieving bastard in jail unless Julie agrees to become his mistress. As usual, in HPlandia, the heroines will sacrifice anything to save worthless relatives. The stepfather is really a nasty piece of work because he isn't even sincerely grateful to be let off the hook. Julie's unhappy with the situation and they never get around to actually having sex since Brad is busy seeing to business in other parts of the world. Things change drastically after Julie is accosted by another besotted admirer of hers. She thinks ( for a sick minute ) that she should have sex with the guy because that will really make Brad mad but doesn't actually find the guy attractive. Brad breaks into the room while the guy is trying to conduct some sloppy forcible seduction. There are a lot of nasty comments thrown about and Brad announces to the guy that Julie is his fiancee ! That's the biggest shock to Julie but Brad doesn't go back on his word. This is where things begin to drag for a bit because the MC's seem stuck in a limbo sort of relationship where they haven't consummated their engagement but have yet to make firm wedding plans.
Brad's grandmother is also a mean old hateful bitch to Julie because she thinks the heroine is not good enough for her princely grandson. The old biddy even tells Brad that his father had almost been trapped into marriage by Julie's late mom. Brad is shocked to hear this ( even if granny's version is a lie ) but he doesn't dwell on it the way the old lady had wanted him to. The MC's are finally about to get hot and heavy with the sexy times when news arrives about a fire at Julie's home. The stepfather ends up dying in the fire and Brad's grandmother actually starts to treat Julie really well after this. I was a bit shocked to see such a sudden change in the harpy's behaviour. Granny is now pleased that Brad will be marrying Julie, but the heroine is still insecure and feels that she needs to run away since the H doesn't love her the way she loves him. Julie's runs away and gets a job at a firm where ( surprise ! surprise ! ) the Managing Director becomes infatuated with her. Does this girl have some special pheromones that attract only rich, eligible guys ? If so, she ought to bottle it and sell it.
The MC's meet again at a party which Julie attends with her new boss. Brad is there is with a date but he is heaving with jealous manly fury when he sees Julie with another man. This triggers off the great reconciliation scene where Brad admits how much he loves Julie and the besotted heroine is awash with happiness because she finally gets her man.
Where do I start with this craziness ? Brad Hewson is a tycoon who owns a British automobile manufacturing company. I can just picture the type of cars his company would build: the Hewson Arrogant ( upmarket luxury sedan for the rich men ); the Hewson Priapus ( sports car for the cocky playboy type ); the Hewson Demure ( for the middle class housewife ); the Hewson Hellion ( SUV ). Anyway, where was I? Brad is besotted with Julie who is a shy, sweet little thing that lives with her useless stepfather and works as a very junior typist in the typing pool at Hewson's. The novel opens with the MC's already engaged in a casual dating relationship. The other typists are jealous of Julie because they all want to take their own little joyride atop of Brad's very fine body. Julie's a bit bewildered because ( like all good little nice girls ) she is unaware of her own attractions and cannot believe that Brad is serious about her. She's right ! Lol. Brad is a good old fashioned skankaholic who only likes to take his pleasures with transitory affairs and he wants Julie to be his mistress. Julie doesn't know that until he he asks her and she is mortified. She declines his offer very politely, the way a person would decline an extra glass of wine. This girl made me laugh. Brad is angry because he has never had to deal with a woman refusing a joyride from his incomparable tool of pleasure. His ego is damaged and he ignores Julie for a while and she even sees him dating a bimbo a couple of times. There's also a horrible scene in his office where he tries his aggressive seduction tactics on Julie and she hits him with a lamp. He ends up with a cut on his head.
Julie then finds out that her stepfather has embezzled money from Brad's firm. Brad threatens to throw the thieving bastard in jail unless Julie agrees to become his mistress. As usual, in HPlandia, the heroines will sacrifice anything to save worthless relatives. The stepfather is really a nasty piece of work because he isn't even sincerely grateful to be let off the hook. Julie's unhappy with the situation and they never get around to actually having sex since Brad is busy seeing to business in other parts of the world. Things change drastically after Julie is accosted by another besotted admirer of hers. She thinks ( for a sick minute ) that she should have sex with the guy because that will really make Brad mad but doesn't actually find the guy attractive. Brad breaks into the room while the guy is trying to conduct some sloppy forcible seduction. There are a lot of nasty comments thrown about and Brad announces to the guy that Julie is his fiancee ! That's the biggest shock to Julie but Brad doesn't go back on his word. This is where things begin to drag for a bit because the MC's seem stuck in a limbo sort of relationship where they haven't consummated their engagement but have yet to make firm wedding plans.
Brad's grandmother is also a mean old hateful bitch to Julie because she thinks the heroine is not good enough for her princely grandson. The old biddy even tells Brad that his father had almost been trapped into marriage by Julie's late mom. Brad is shocked to hear this ( even if granny's version is a lie ) but he doesn't dwell on it the way the old lady had wanted him to. The MC's are finally about to get hot and heavy with the sexy times when news arrives about a fire at Julie's home. The stepfather ends up dying in the fire and Brad's grandmother actually starts to treat Julie really well after this. I was a bit shocked to see such a sudden change in the harpy's behaviour. Granny is now pleased that Brad will be marrying Julie, but the heroine is still insecure and feels that she needs to run away since the H doesn't love her the way she loves him. Julie's runs away and gets a job at a firm where ( surprise ! surprise ! ) the Managing Director becomes infatuated with her. Does this girl have some special pheromones that attract only rich, eligible guys ? If so, she ought to bottle it and sell it.
The MC's meet again at a party which Julie attends with her new boss. Brad is there is with a date but he is heaving with jealous manly fury when he sees Julie with another man. This triggers off the great reconciliation scene where Brad admits how much he loves Julie and the besotted heroine is awash with happiness because she finally gets her man.
September 16, 2019
One of those re-reads, where you slap your head and say "what was I thinking?" Downgrading my original rating of 4 stars to 2 stars (barely).
Hero was a nutcase. Heroine wasn't much better.
Original review below.
_________________________________
Not my normal cuppa, but I really liked it! Stalkerific Hero exercises his power and blackmails the heroine into being his mistress. (step daddy embezzled thousand of pounds from the firm) Hero agrees to look the other way if she agrees to set up house with him in London as his mistress, not wife.
Not unusual as a plot device for today's Harlequins, but given this was written in the early 70's the author, was pushing the envelope. I liked that the hero admits his actions are driven by insatiable lust rather than love. It's not till the very end, that he realizes his feelings. That made for a much more realistic story.
I also liked the ups and downs of the relationship. Starting from the beginning when they were just friends and casually dating to the turn of events that forced confrontation and changed their relationship to hatred. It gave credibility and depth to the story.
This was definitely a heck of a ride.
Hero was a nutcase. Heroine wasn't much better.
Original review below.
_________________________________
Not my normal cuppa, but I really liked it! Stalkerific Hero exercises his power and blackmails the heroine into being his mistress. (step daddy embezzled thousand of pounds from the firm) Hero agrees to look the other way if she agrees to set up house with him in London as his mistress, not wife.
Not unusual as a plot device for today's Harlequins, but given this was written in the early 70's the author, was pushing the envelope. I liked that the hero admits his actions are driven by insatiable lust rather than love. It's not till the very end, that he realizes his feelings. That made for a much more realistic story.
I also liked the ups and downs of the relationship. Starting from the beginning when they were just friends and casually dating to the turn of events that forced confrontation and changed their relationship to hatred. It gave credibility and depth to the story.
This was definitely a heck of a ride.
June 25, 2024
HERO: Here's a pair of super expensive diamond earrings for you.
HEROINE: Why? We're just platonic friends, right?
HERO: Sure. By the way, there's a matching diamond necklace that I'm sure you can earn as a bonus if you learn to please me. *waggles eyebrows suggestively*
HEROINE'S INNER MONOLOGUE: Strange...What possibly could he mean by that?
I just CAN'T with MP's dingbat heroines!
HEROINE: Why? We're just platonic friends, right?
HERO: Sure. By the way, there's a matching diamond necklace that I'm sure you can earn as a bonus if you learn to please me. *waggles eyebrows suggestively*
HEROINE'S INNER MONOLOGUE: Strange...What possibly could he mean by that?
I just CAN'T with MP's dingbat heroines!
June 21, 2020
"Dark Surrender" is the story of Julie and Brad.
Another typical MP book, with a uber crazy and smitten hero and kinda dumb heroine. This time around, the heroine works for the hero, who starts courting her. He soon proposes that she be his mistress, which the heartbroken heroine refuses. The villain in the story turns out to be her cowardly stepfather, who embezzles money and the heroine is asked to payback the debt with her body. Ofcourse there is random OM/OW drama, a snooty grandmother, some dark family secrets, bruising kisses and almost lovemaking, jealousy- all of which ends in a HEA. I really wanted to shake the heroine for being so obtuse!
Safe
3/5
Another typical MP book, with a uber crazy and smitten hero and kinda dumb heroine. This time around, the heroine works for the hero, who starts courting her. He soon proposes that she be his mistress, which the heartbroken heroine refuses. The villain in the story turns out to be her cowardly stepfather, who embezzles money and the heroine is asked to payback the debt with her body. Ofcourse there is random OM/OW drama, a snooty grandmother, some dark family secrets, bruising kisses and almost lovemaking, jealousy- all of which ends in a HEA. I really wanted to shake the heroine for being so obtuse!
Safe
3/5
May 25, 2015
3 stars because it has some good points (I liked the honesty of the heroine's pov) but when the hero is nasty all through the book, and the heroine does the "tender finger" thing to silence the apology I've been waiting for for the whole damn book, I kind of want to bite it off.
January 17, 2016
This really isn't a forced marriage book - it's a forced engagement book. As other reviewers have said the hero is stalkerific. The man is obsessed and the heroine, Julie, while attracted to him is (rightly) wary of his intentions.
This is a solid old skool HR. There was description of the heroine feeling "controlled hysteria." That about sums up the tone of the story. If you want that kind of obsessive ride, you'll enjoy this one.
This is a solid old skool HR. There was description of the heroine feeling "controlled hysteria." That about sums up the tone of the story. If you want that kind of obsessive ride, you'll enjoy this one.
June 8, 2015
I enjoyed it in the 'what an asshole!' sort of way I enjoy many harleys. This one was a Harlequin Romance imprint, not a Presents and it was written in 1980, so no sex and the H isn't a Greek tycoon.
I think I'd have loved it if it weren't for all the moments of coitus interruptus. Jeez, these people had so many interruptions (knocking on doors/phone ringing). By the 4th time or so, I really was about to throw the book.
The H was a real jerk, but obviously obsessed with the h and more into her than he wanted to admit to himself. I'm a sicko, so I wish that the envelop had been pushed just that little bit further. I think if it had been an HP and not a Romance it would have been. This was more about teasing the reader.
The grovel was very insufficient, but as Willaful noted the stupid h used the "tender finger" to hush him up so she's largely to blame for the grovel-fail. I do feel like the ending was a bit rushed overall.
I think I'd have loved it if it weren't for all the moments of coitus interruptus. Jeez, these people had so many interruptions (knocking on doors/phone ringing). By the 4th time or so, I really was about to throw the book.
The H was a real jerk, but obviously obsessed with the h and more into her than he wanted to admit to himself. I'm a sicko, so I wish that the envelop had been pushed just that little bit further. I think if it had been an HP and not a Romance it would have been. This was more about teasing the reader.
The grovel was very insufficient, but as Willaful noted the stupid h used the "tender finger" to hush him up so she's largely to blame for the grovel-fail. I do feel like the ending was a bit rushed overall.
June 28, 2020
Usually I like a besotted Hero, but this guy was just nasty. Talk about sexual harassment special.
He is the boss of her company, and in the start they are actually dating properly. Then when she won’t agree to be his mistress, he practically rapes her, when she manages to escape (virtue intact) he turns nasty and he stays nasty for the whole rest of the story.
Meh. ☹️
He is the boss of her company, and in the start they are actually dating properly. Then when she won’t agree to be his mistress, he practically rapes her, when she manages to escape (virtue intact) he turns nasty and he stays nasty for the whole rest of the story.
Meh. ☹️
June 2, 2014
Brad is a serious nutcase but I loved it!
February 21, 2016
Guy sees girl,guy wants girl, guy ask girl to be his mistress. She says no (he does not love her or she him) so of course he then gives money to her brother to force her to be with him. Gross! What a sick ass. So it goes on and on they never have sex and she leaves him after he tell her to leave and on and on. Just ok I am really glad they did not have sex cause he was an ass and he m
Almost raped her if she had not hit him. I am sorry she would have been better off with the new boss. He did not treat her nice and was always with other woman like its his right to keep having other relations while she was just his mistress. Wow. Really.
Almost raped her if she had not hit him. I am sorry she would have been better off with the new boss. He did not treat her nice and was always with other woman like its his right to keep having other relations while she was just his mistress. Wow. Really.
November 19, 2018
The book had its ups and downs. It started out interesting with the heroine expressing her awkward feelings around her boss, the hero, giving her special treatment so that he could take her out. She felt that he was a sweet guy and that she liked her friendship with him. The mood took a turn when the hero asked the heroine to be his mistress and she rejected him because 'she's not like that'.
Then we see the hero taking other tactics to get the heroine under his thumb and basically they kept fighting right until a tragedy took place.
The hero and heroine realize they love each other and HEA.
The fact that they realize very late that they love each other is good. It's believable because they were constantly at each other's throats.
The book dragged in places but otherwise was pretty interesting.
Then we see the hero taking other tactics to get the heroine under his thumb and basically they kept fighting right until a tragedy took place.
The hero and heroine realize they love each other and HEA.
The fact that they realize very late that they love each other is good. It's believable because they were constantly at each other's throats.
The book dragged in places but otherwise was pretty interesting.
December 13, 2013
absolutely loved it ! i love stalkerific heroes n this one got the gold medal in it ! brad was mad abt julie n ofc it made more sense dat he was mad wid lust at 1st n love followed only later. so he proposed 2 her 2 come n live wid him. when she didn't agree, he forced her 2 agree. he blackmailed her abt joe n joe did not care one bit abt her. at one point, joe even asked julie how she did it, he meant dat he knew brad was attracted 2 her but 2 actually want 2 marry her !?der was not a chance. meaning dat joe was happy 4 julie 2 prostitute herself provided he cud steal from the company n buy new gadgets like his car. neway their relationship (i'm talking abt brad n julie) went from pleasant 2 hate-driven. brad did look 4 dat. he overwhelmed her n made her afraid. it was very intense n i loved it ! very gud one !! :D
November 28, 2013
3.5 stars
Heroine's v card got on my nerves. More later...hopefully.
Heroine's v card got on my nerves. More later...hopefully.
May 22, 2015
Good Vintage Harlequin!
November 6, 2018
Too slow!
April 6, 2016
wow ....the hero was terrible ...the things he said to her ....worth reading just for the giggle factor of how awful he was ...cause no one in their right mind would have anything to do with this guy.
May 27, 2024
Jesus *Christ* this was a miserable read. From the very start I felt something was very off, and I had this awful AWFUL sense of horror as it dawned on me that the 36 year old creeper boss was not the villain of the story, oh no, he was the 'hero'. I swear for like the first 2 chapters I honestly though another man was going to show up to save our heroine from her nasty, cruel, rancid boss.
Our 'hero' spends the entire book relentlessly grinding his very young and naive girlfriend under his bootheel. He treats her like *complete and utter shit*, he 100% hates her fucking guts, and as a result she spends the whole book in a state of constant, pale-faced, shivering, gut-sick misery.
Throughout this read I had this hum of nervous tension going through me. It honestly felt like at any moment he was going to snap and throttle the life out of her. On several occasions we are told he's on the edge of killing her, he sure did like to push her about and bruise her up too. This book read more like a thriller about a man who ends up killing his girlfriend. What drugs was Pargeter on to consider this a romance?
Our 'hero' spends the entire book relentlessly grinding his very young and naive girlfriend under his bootheel. He treats her like *complete and utter shit*, he 100% hates her fucking guts, and as a result she spends the whole book in a state of constant, pale-faced, shivering, gut-sick misery.
Throughout this read I had this hum of nervous tension going through me. It honestly felt like at any moment he was going to snap and throttle the life out of her. On several occasions we are told he's on the edge of killing her, he sure did like to push her about and bruise her up too. This book read more like a thriller about a man who ends up killing his girlfriend. What drugs was Pargeter on to consider this a romance?
August 24, 2021
Well this was kind of a hoot - somewhat dimwitted ingenue meets dastardly older man with dishonourable intentions (her boss). As Naksed said in her review, she really was dingbat.
It was pretty ho-hum until the moment she knocked him unconscious with a lamp when he was trying to steal her virtue. Woah, I was not expecting that! Talk about the mouse that roared. It made me laugh even though it wasn't meant to be a funny moment.
Don't get me wrong, I abhor violence, but jeepers there have been a few (ok a lot) of times in HP where I have longed for the heroine to whack the hero on the head, (especially when the hero is being hateful and rapey).
So she knocks him out when he is trying to have his wicked way with her - no treacherous body syndrome here - and honestly I wanted to stand up and cheer.
He doesn't take it well and is all snarly and enraged for the next several chapters. I skimmed a lot and they eventually got their HEA.
It was pretty ho-hum until the moment she knocked him unconscious with a lamp when he was trying to steal her virtue. Woah, I was not expecting that! Talk about the mouse that roared. It made me laugh even though it wasn't meant to be a funny moment.
Don't get me wrong, I abhor violence, but jeepers there have been a few (ok a lot) of times in HP where I have longed for the heroine to whack the hero on the head, (especially when the hero is being hateful and rapey).
So she knocks him out when he is trying to have his wicked way with her - no treacherous body syndrome here - and honestly I wanted to stand up and cheer.
He doesn't take it well and is all snarly and enraged for the next several chapters. I skimmed a lot and they eventually got their HEA.
December 18, 2018
Was this considered romance in 1981? Cause it ain’t! Our heroine is sexual assaulted by 2 different dudes, one the hero who she has to break something on his head and knock him out to get him to stop! This story has so many elements used in other books but they aren’t elaborated on, meaning they are totally pointless. Thieving stepfather, blackmailed mistress(they never sleep together), jealous other woman, heroine’s parents torrid past intertwines with the hero’s, disapproving relation, and not one but two other guys vying for the heroine’s affection! That’s a lot for 1 book to take on, and this book can’t do it. Not much to enjoy in this slog. Skip it.
February 1, 2020
I did not like this book at all, which considering its a Harlequin, is unbelievable! I did not like the main characters of Julie and Brad. I almost hated Brad since being introduced to him. Julie just kept getting worse and worse as the story began to unfold! I got to page 49 and could not go on anymore!
December 11, 2020
If I remember correctly, this was was boring. Didn’t feel the love at all.
June 23, 2023
The hero was a jerk, but not the complete bastard most pargeter Hs are, and the heroine was not as downtrodden, so it was rather dull.
August 16, 2023
Love love love these old style alpha a***holes heroes!!!
March 10, 2024
Julie had received a proposal but it wasn't the one she'd been hoping for. Brad's intentions were clear. "I want you so much, Julie. Come and live with me in London, be my mistress". Julie felt torn apart. To accept his offer meant giving up all her principles, losing her pride. but if she refused she would lose the man she loved, and much more...
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November 28, 2018SACRIFICIO DE UNA INOCENTE (Versión)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews