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Heart's Surrender

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The worlds of a handywoman and a pampered housewife collide in this opposites-attract lesbian erotic romance. Single mom Gillian Jennings is bored with life when she meets knockabout painter Samantha Freedman. Their attraction is immediate and powerful and they jump into a simple, no-strings-attached affair. The absolute last thing they want is a relationship. Right?But can their sizzling nights of fun lead to something more? Or are the differences between the two women too vast for such a crazy coupling to last?This rich-girl/poor-girl romance mixes paint-spattered jeans with pant suits and pearls for one wild, satisfying ride.

330 pages, Paperback

First published June 23, 2014

29 people are currently reading
792 people want to read

About the author

Emma Weimann

9 books44 followers
Emma Weimann knew at an early age that she wanted to make a living as a writer. She knew exactly how and where she wanted to write the books that would pay for her house at the beach and the desk with a view of the ocean.

Even though she has had those dreams for over thirty years now, neither the house nor the desk exist. Not yet. But she’s making a living producing books, not just as a writer but also as a publisher, establishing Ylva Verlag and its international pendant, Ylva Publishing, in 2011 and 2012.

As a writer, she has published short stories and one novel so far. She is looking forward to seeing her novel Crossing Bridges published in 2015.

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5 stars
122 (23%)
4 stars
198 (38%)
3 stars
144 (27%)
2 stars
39 (7%)
1 star
13 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
Profile Image for Alexis.
510 reviews650 followers
June 27, 2018
Since there are already tons of great reviews out there of this book, I'll keep mine short. I really ended up liking this story. It's well written with some very likable main characters. The chemistry between Gillian and Sam is great though I did worry about it in the beginning.

I really liked the balance between romance and erotica. Though the sex scenes were pretty hot there were also a lot of sweet moments between Sam and Gillian. I actually wish the book was longer or perhaps had a sequel because I definitely would have liked to see Gillian meeting Sam's sister Victoria and her daughter Chloe. I would definitely like to read more by this author but it seems she has only contributed to a few anthologies since the publication of this novel.

Hopefully there is a new book on the horizon. This ends with a 3,75* rating.
Profile Image for Arn.
400 reviews117 followers
January 16, 2018
3.7 stars. Just what I was looking for at this point in time but it has it's flaws. I really liked the first half of the book but then it became a tad bit too repetitive and ends in a weirdly rushed way. It's a satisfying ending but the way to that ending was skipped almost. Like a time skip without indicating that it is a time skip and then the prologue is an actual time skip.

Both characters were likable and relatable. The supporting cast is there and it's decent but they don't have that much of a screen time compared to the main ladies. This is where my complaint about repetitiveness comes in. They both focus on sexy times in bed all the time, if they're not in bed already then they're thinking about it and it keeps happening throughout the length of the book. Actual relationship issues are brought up but they kinda were left in the backseat.

I also enjoyed the story direction overall, Gillian's reasons for her behavior at the start of the book was something I hadn't read about previously, at least not in that exact combination of story elements. The conflict at the middle was also well executed. But some things where teased but never explored like Sam's family issues, we never get to know what happened with her parents and brother despite it being brought up many times. Or for another example, Sam's first and tragic love. The ex's name is brought up a few times but we never get to know anything more than her name.

With some editing this could've been a 4.5-5 star book for me but in this form it's still good for passing some time.
Profile Image for lov2laf.
714 reviews1,105 followers
August 20, 2017
This is a solidly written, pure romance that has a good balance of steamy scenes and relationship building. Gillian and Sam are seemingly opposites but really aren't when it comes to background and morals and their chemistry works. There's nothing to distract from the plot of our two leads falling for each other and, though it lacks for subplots, the book isn't boring by any means.

It also has a unique distinction in that the couple actually communicates when anxiety or conflicts arise and there's a lack of drama for drama's sake.

Elements at play: rich vs poor, butch vs femme, single mother vs unattached, newly coming to terms with being lesbian vs being out their entire adult life, etc.

The book moves at a good pace and the only fault I can find is that once we make it to very solid ground the book jumps ahead in time. We miss out on seeing how families meet and interact. That I would've liked.

Overall, though, it's a happy, satisfying read especially for romantics.
Profile Image for Luce.
521 reviews
March 26, 2017
4 STARS

I really enjoyed this book. It is a nice romance - 2 people who are living such different lives - one, Gillian, a wealthy widower with two kids who was coming to terms that she liked women before her cheating husband died and Sam, a butch handywoman who has been on her own since she was seventeen. Add an evil mother-in-law, a bit of heartbreaking angst and it is a romance that has been written many times over. Yes, it's not groundbreaking- but if you like reading a well written romance with likable MCs you will enjoy this book.

I could easily do with a sequel. Gillian's childhood is a mystery, how will they handle other bumps in the road? I would have liked to have seen the blending of Gillian and kids with Sam's sister (also a recent widower) & daughter. I also wished there was a scene when Gillian discussed her & Sam's relationship with her Swedish Au pair.
Profile Image for Luce.
521 reviews
August 16, 2017
A reread this time - 4 Stars for the audiobook.

The narrator, Kathryn LaPlante was very good. LOL. I checked what other books she has narrated. From the list I see now why her reading of the sex scenes were so hot! I wrote in an update that didn't remember that there was as much sex in the beginning. Now I understand - it was a difference of reading the ebook on my own and listening to an experienced narrator (so to speak).

This is a good book with likable MCs. The second time around I still have the same critiques - not what was written but what was not written. Meeting/relationship with Sam's sister and niece with Gillian and kids, more with the Au Pair & Sam, Gillian's childhood and there is nothing with Gillian's Father-in-law. A sequel might be nice, but I think I'd rather read a new story by this author. But no matter, I will read her next book.
Profile Image for m ♡.
97 reviews85 followers
June 15, 2021
it hurts to not give this book a higher rating, but i just didn’t enjoy it as much as i thought i would. i couldn’t connect to either of the main characters, the plot wasn’t as interesting as i’d expected, and the ending kind of fell flat for me. i really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it fell short.

3/5 stars
Profile Image for Dee.
2,010 reviews105 followers
September 8, 2016
4.5 stars

As a person who reads on average four books a week, I have little time for lengthy blurbs or covers that don’t clue me in on the content. On that note, the sexy cover and short blurb for Heart’s Surrender drew me in. Thankfully the story met my high expectations, and then some.

Samantha and Gillian are complex and likeable leading ladies. The story starts with a hiss and roar, a panty melting one at that, and the pace didn’t let up. Now, now, I’m not just talking about the sex, these two ladies don’t come without baggage.

The scene at the café was gut-wrenching, and for a time, I wondered how these ladies could possibly move beyond it.

Gillian is a widow, and comes from wealth. The animosity she feels for her deceased husband and mother-in-law is palpable, and understandable. On saying that, I liked that she didn’t project that onto her children. I liked it even more when Gillian finally spoke her mind and made a stand against the old battle-axe.

Sam is a home handywoman with a painful past. Her relationship with her mother is strained to say the least. Sam’s sister, Victoria, is somewhat in the middle of the mother/daughter relationship. Offering support to Samantha without preaching.

At times subplots bore me to tears, but that didn’t happen in this story. The trip to the zoo was a wonderful outing. I learned a thing or two, especially about Meerkats.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story… despite the distracting… ellipses. The plot is well developed, as are the characters. It made me feel and care which is the sign of great story telling, in my humble opinion.

Upon finishing this story, I immediately went searching for more work by this author. As of now it appears this is her only novel. I do hope she plans on writing more.

Copy provided in exchange for an honest review

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Profile Image for ~ * K E L L I E * ~.
144 reviews34 followers
September 13, 2015
Great book! The characters were likeable and the storyline mostly believable.

I would've liked more interaction between Sam and Gillian's kids. I would've thought Gillian would want Sam to spend more time with her kids (and likewise from Sam's point of view). Yes, I know this is fiction, lol

Also, I would've liked to learn a little more about Sam's background and her strained relationship with her family.

Only minor qualms; I'm giving this 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5 stars) ☺
Profile Image for Kara.
720 reviews1,269 followers
September 15, 2017
“Heart’s Surrender” took me a few chapters to really begin enjoying the book (I was less in the mood for strangers just wanting to have casual emotionless sex than I thought when I started the book), but once I gave the characters and the story a chance I really enjoyed the book. It also helped that the narrator had a GREAT voice for the sex scenes!

Widow Gillian knows she is a lesbian, and after several one-night stands to test and scratch the itch, she realizes she wants to find Miss Right to live a different life than she had with her deceased husband….but she’s terrified of letting her neighbors, friends, in-laws or her children know she’s lesbian. Terrified to the point of really hurting her bed-mate and insta-love-interest, Samantha. As far as lesfic angst episodes, this one was one of the more believable, and heart-wrenching!

Sam (Samantha) has a bad history with her rich parents, but that’s never fully explained. Because of that history, though, she really REALLY doesn’t like snooty rich people. Her insta-attraction to Gillian for anything other than sex is therefore odd, because Gillian is loaded….really loaded. Gillian’s own history focuses on her having discovered what a philandering asshole her now deceased husband was.

Still, Gillian and Sam are both very likable, nice people, and it’s a pleasure spending time with them as they explore dating and enjoy sex within a developing relationship. Their dates at the planetarium and later at the zoo (with Gillian’s children) are described wonderfully. The nosy neighbor and crummy mother-in-law are entertaining side characters too, and Gillian’s children fit into the story very well.

I rate Heart’s surrender as strongly recommended, perhaps 4.4*, and the narration is sultry enough that I’m rounding up to 5* for the audiobook.
522 reviews53 followers
January 5, 2021
This was a great romance. The two main characters initially hook up for sex but then a romantic connection develops between them even though at first sight they seem to be complete opposites. Sam, a butch with trust issues and Gillian a recent widow with 2 kids. I liked the way their relationship developed and they communicated. It was nice seeing that they were able to be open about their difficulties and that they were respectful about the issues each of them had. I also liked Sam’s sister and Cloe her niece a lot. It’s a pity that their role in this book was small.
4.4 stars
Profile Image for Tara.
783 reviews372 followers
December 29, 2016
More like a 4.5 because there were more proofing errors than I would like for a book of this price. That said, I thought this was just going to end up being a fun, dirty read, but it's also pretty emotional. I like the characters' arcs a lot, but especially Gillian's. I'm really glad I picked this one up.

2016 reread: I still like it! Full review here: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/heart...
Profile Image for C. Mack.
Author 2 books20 followers
October 21, 2017
Solid and sweet

Okay, thats a wierd combination of words to describe a book but it's true...solid because it is well written with good depth of characters and well paced. Sweet because the storyline is just that; it didn't rock any boats but did enough to keep you engaged even though it was pretty obvious what was going to happen.
Profile Image for Dide.
1,489 reviews53 followers
June 27, 2020
3.5 star ratings
This would have been close to a perfect romantic story other than the fact that i feel the dynamics of introducing the kids to Sam felt poorly done as well as rushed.
Appreciated read all the same.
Profile Image for Kennedy.
1,173 reviews80 followers
March 3, 2019
Captivating from the first page and what a page turner. Samantha Freedman, sexy, fierce, passionate and quite handy with her hands. Gillian Jennings attractive mother of two, heart broken, angry and looking for pay back. Gillian gets much more than a quickie one nighter with Samantha. When they get together it is smoking hot, erotic and memorable. Although gut-wrenching, the scene at the restaurant made me like Gillian even more for what she did next. Really liked the personalities of the children and how they interacted with Samantha. When pressure comes from family and friends these ladies bend but they do not break. Sam and Gillian move toward each other while gaining strength and courage from each other. Wonderful love story.
Profile Image for C.
737 reviews77 followers
August 23, 2017
3.5*

I was hesitant to read this book because I thought it was based on infidelity and I'm not a huge fan of reading about that. Glad to say it wasn't. Anyway, its a very good story and well written wity likable main characters, a little bit of angst, and very nice chemistry. I did feel the ending chapters came about abruptly like a chapter or two was missing before the last two or three chapters... Regardless, i really enjoyed the book.
Profile Image for Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud.
Author 2 books758 followers
November 19, 2018
The alchemy between the MCs was really good from the start, and I really enjoyed the 1st part of the story. Then I got the feeling that it was going too fast and at the same time not much was happening. I lost interest and was just waiting to see how it would end. It wasn’t bad at all, just not as interesting as the first half.
Profile Image for lauraღ.
2,343 reviews171 followers
September 16, 2020
I wanted to like this a lot more than I actually did. It sounds like just the type of opposites attract romance that I really enjoy, a pampered housewife and a hardworking handywoman. But it was also rich girl/poor girl, and that kind of trope has to be written in a very specific way for me to enjoy it. I would have loved for there to be a little more commentary on class differences and the divide between the upper class and the working class. I thought I was going to get that, after the coffee-shop incident and learning that Sam wasn't always working class. But Sam's backstory was barely plumbed, and the leftist in me wanted way more commentary than we got. This was less 'eat the rich' and more 'eat out the rich'. Which, I mean, is fine!

(Lol. I feel like I've made that joke before and I'm sorry. But not really.)

As for the romance, it was just okay. The writing was... fine. I didn't grow to care for either of the characters very much, and they both said some things that had me side-eyeing them. The book did one of those things I really don't like, which is to have the bulk of the character interaction and development happen off screen. Several times we were just told, oh, the characters have been chatting a lot over the past few days or weeks or whatever. So when the characters started talking about love I was like huh?? You barely know each other!!

This might work better for someone who's looking for an erotic romance, because it definitely didn't lack for steam. And it was butch/femme, which is always great. It just didn't really do much for me.

2.5 stars. Honestly more of a 2 than a 3, but I rounded up because I have a huge soft spot for the general premise, and it was really hot.
Profile Image for Joc.
770 reviews198 followers
October 30, 2017
This was a really good read. I would have liked it to be longer although I'm not sure I could have handled any more heart-wrenching moments. Sam's pain was palpable when it came to Gillian but I didn't get a clear sense of her history and I think it would have added a bit more to her portrayal.
Profile Image for Bárbara Sousa.
376 reviews48 followers
September 12, 2020
DNF@16%... I don’t know what happened since this book has a lot of great reviews. But I guess I was just not feeling it. I can’t feel any connection to the main characters and I honestly can’t feel any chemistry between them, not to mention that it all feels very hasty. Idk... I’ll try to give it another shot on another day.
Profile Image for Kandance Rochelle.
27 reviews
February 10, 2022
It was good, but there were parts missing. Sections of the story that could have been explained more. Towards the end it felt rushed.
Profile Image for Lorraine Rusnack.
1,126 reviews32 followers
September 13, 2020
All stories need a chance. I personally have listened to this audiobook more than once. I felt so bad for Sam in that coffee shop. Gillian finally got her act together and whet after Sam. They grew together as a couple and I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Betty.
649 reviews91 followers
September 16, 2018
'Heart's Surrender' by Emma Weimann is a lovely and heartwarming romance that was a pleasure to read. This is the type of book that I call a feel good story with just the right amount of angst to keep you reading until the end.
The story is about Samantha (Sam) Freedman, a butch handy-woman who has been out and on her own since she was seventeen when most of her family rejected her for being gay, and Gillian Jennings, a wealthy widow with two young children who realized even before her cheating husband died that she was attracted to women. The two meet on a one night stand and eventually decide to begin a hidden relationship. Of course that can't last in a romance like this and much happens from there.
I loved the main characters and could easily see the connection between the two women. The evil mother-in-law was perfect as the villain in the book, and she as well as the other minor characters fit well in the story.
I do wish the story had been a bit longer. There were some gaps of time between a few chapters that skimmed over actions I would have liked to read in more detail. This is the main reason I did not give this book five stars. I do recommend you read 'Heart's Surrender'. It is a beautifully sweet romance you don't want to miss.
Profile Image for Eva.
80 reviews
September 11, 2015
This is a very sweet romance. Regretably, it was too sweet for my tastes. There is no real conflict in this story and everything, from the storyline to the main the characters, is just plain.



Profile Image for Alexa Steli.
624 reviews4 followers
May 28, 2023
2,75/5
I felt bored most of time reading it.I didn't felt connected with one character.The romance was sooo plain,like it painful.No interesting plot or anything to keep the relationship from not happening
Profile Image for Woody.
230 reviews1 follower
August 8, 2017
Sam a butch handywoman meets Gillian a widow with two children, they have a steamy one-night stand. Can they overcome their differences and their individual baggage to make their relationship last?
I loved the two main characters Sam and Gillian. The story was excellent. The awkward dinner date was realistic. The scene at the café was heart-breaking. Well written romantic love story. I would love to have discovered more about Sam’s past. I hope the author will do a second book perhaps with Sam in it. Enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Ameliah Faith.
859 reviews43 followers
November 16, 2019
What a sweet romance! This was a perfect book for a night reading on the couch.

Sam is a smoking hot butch who hooks up with gorgeous Gillian for a one night stand but... The sex is amazing and sultry, but this book is so much more than that. Both women come with baggage and fears but yearn for peace and love. Ms Weidmann leads us on their journey through ups and downs and life gone sideways. It had just enough strife to make it interesting but not so much that it was unpleasant. I have already put it in my read again pile.
Profile Image for Rocío.
172 reviews1 follower
April 17, 2018
Gillian es una viuda que, tras la muerte de su esposo, descubre que le ha sido infiel durante años y decide finalmente hacer lo que quiere y estar con quien realmente desea, una mujer. En una de esas noches de “caza”, conoce a Sam, una butch que busca lo mismo, una historia de una noche. Su gran conexión y sentimientos se desarrollan a lo largo de la historia.
La historia es buena y tiene buenas protagonistas. Es una historia muy buen contada y desarrollada donde se ve cómo los sentimientos de ambas se van encaminando en la dirección.
Sin embargo, la traducción no me ha gustado. Es español de Latino América, igualmente respetable, aceptable y bueno como el español de España, pero me choca mucho la forma de hablar de los protagonistas y el vocabulario que usan. Me suena a antiguo. Pero eso es una percepción personal. Y es por eso que en esta versión en español no le doy 5 estrellas, solo 4.
He disfrutado mucho de la novela porque me encantan las novelas románticas.
He recibido una ARC para una reseña honesta.
Profile Image for Dorothy Bennett.
Author 7 books29 followers
Read
April 26, 2016
HEART'S SURRENDER is a delightful lesbian romance, with a good story, meaningful conflicts, and juicy sex scenes. A one-night stand gradually evolves into a real love relationship, as Gillian--a suburban widow and mother of two children--tries to get even with her late husband for his sexual infidelities. Picking up Sam the muscular handy woman in a bar, Gillian finds that she has gotten a lot more than she asked for. Sam, having been hurt and not wanting to get involved, finds Gillian a lot more woman than she had expected. Delightful twists and turns keep them moving closer, then apart, and then closer again. Sam has to deal with trust. Gillian has to deal with her role as mother and her reputation in her family, including the in-laws. While all these things are happening, the two get to know each other, very well! Really enjoyed this one. Good story, good characters, great intimate scenes, and a light touch.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews

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