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Apple Hill #1
Surrendered
Her strength was formed by scars, but her redemption begins with surrender.
After the reading of her father’s will, Tess O’Shay’s carefully guarded world begins to crumble. Even in death, Sean O’Shay, finds a way to control her—demanding she return to college and complete the degree she abandoned after surviving a brutal campus assault. If she refuses, she loses the family home, the business… and worst of all, guardianship of her teenage sister.
That responsibility would fall to Jake Holland—a guarded, mysterious man with a complicated past and zero business raising her sister. Tess doesn’t trust him, and she certainly won’t hand over the person she loves most. If earning that degree is the price to protect her sister, she’ll do it. No matter what it costs her.
Just as Tess summons the strength to fight back, the man who shattered her life resurfaces—more dangerous than ever. With her sister’s safety on the line and her own healing hanging by a thread, Tess must confront the darkness she’s long buried. Leaning on a fragile but growing faith, she’ll have to decide whether surrender is defeat… or the first act of trust that could lead to redemption.
Surrendered is a stirring novel of emotional grit, quiet faith, and the kind of courage it takes to rebuild after devastation. For readers who believe healing is messy, strength is found in scars, and hope is worth holding onto.
Witness the power of resilience unfold in your hands--buy Tess’s story today.
After the reading of her father’s will, Tess O’Shay’s carefully guarded world begins to crumble. Even in death, Sean O’Shay, finds a way to control her—demanding she return to college and complete the degree she abandoned after surviving a brutal campus assault. If she refuses, she loses the family home, the business… and worst of all, guardianship of her teenage sister.
That responsibility would fall to Jake Holland—a guarded, mysterious man with a complicated past and zero business raising her sister. Tess doesn’t trust him, and she certainly won’t hand over the person she loves most. If earning that degree is the price to protect her sister, she’ll do it. No matter what it costs her.
Just as Tess summons the strength to fight back, the man who shattered her life resurfaces—more dangerous than ever. With her sister’s safety on the line and her own healing hanging by a thread, Tess must confront the darkness she’s long buried. Leaning on a fragile but growing faith, she’ll have to decide whether surrender is defeat… or the first act of trust that could lead to redemption.
Surrendered is a stirring novel of emotional grit, quiet faith, and the kind of courage it takes to rebuild after devastation. For readers who believe healing is messy, strength is found in scars, and hope is worth holding onto.
Witness the power of resilience unfold in your hands--buy Tess’s story today.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2025
14 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Sienes
20 books495 followersAward-winning author Jennifer Sienes is college-educated but discovered life experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance, and writing and puts it all together in inspirational contemporary fiction/romance. Her Apple Hill Series takes place in Northern California, and her Southern fiction Bedford County Series and Norfolk Southern Series are set in Tennessee where she now resides. When she isn’t writing, she works in her garden, refinishes old furniture, and dabbles with home décor.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 10, 2019
There really is a lot to take in all at once as the book sets up the backstory for the rest of the story.
Two sisters deal with the grief of losing both parents, one a teen the other in her thirties.
In trying to raise her teen sister to the best of her abilities the older sister through life experiences tries to keep a handle on her sister but finds she questions her parenting skills.
She has a secret she must keep but is it really the right thing to do and who is this secret keeping protecting, the victim or victimizer?
A lot of times as women we feel so ashamed of things happening to us that we just sweep them under the rug especially if the victimizer is one in power, we feel as if no one will believe us, that that person could never have possibly done such a thing.
Very realistic story and fast paced. I had to keep turning pages to see how this would turn out.
I enjoyed seeing the character development and would recommend this book.
Published April 30th 2019
I was given a complimentary copy. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Two sisters deal with the grief of losing both parents, one a teen the other in her thirties.
In trying to raise her teen sister to the best of her abilities the older sister through life experiences tries to keep a handle on her sister but finds she questions her parenting skills.
She has a secret she must keep but is it really the right thing to do and who is this secret keeping protecting, the victim or victimizer?
A lot of times as women we feel so ashamed of things happening to us that we just sweep them under the rug especially if the victimizer is one in power, we feel as if no one will believe us, that that person could never have possibly done such a thing.
Very realistic story and fast paced. I had to keep turning pages to see how this would turn out.
I enjoyed seeing the character development and would recommend this book.
Published April 30th 2019
I was given a complimentary copy. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
April 29, 2019
You are about to read a journey that deals with the grief of losing both of their parents, being a teenager and facing their fears. While one of the sisters is a teen the other is in her thirties and a horrible crime made her drop out of college and crippled moving on with her life.
As you keep reading you wonder about the guy their Dad, more or less put in charge of their lives, is he hiding something.
Then there is a bit of romance, danger, then big bombshells get dropped, and you might not see some of them coming, but they sure will get your attention!
An enjoyable read that keeps you on your toes, and quickly page turning for the answers,
I received this book through Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.
As you keep reading you wonder about the guy their Dad, more or less put in charge of their lives, is he hiding something.
Then there is a bit of romance, danger, then big bombshells get dropped, and you might not see some of them coming, but they sure will get your attention!
An enjoyable read that keeps you on your toes, and quickly page turning for the answers,
I received this book through Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.
May 3, 2019
Surrendered by [Sienes, Jennifer]I was given this book to read and review. The following is my honest opinion of the book.
Secrets can be like a weight on your shoulders. However, if someone is to disclose the secret, timing is important, as is who to share it with.
Tess O'Shay's life is turned upside down when her father's will gives guardianship of her teenage sister to a man that they barely know. The family restaurant and Tess's future are also in this man's hands.
According to Sean O' Shay's will, Tess is to go back to college, something she gave up when her mother became ill and then died. If she does not comply, she will lose everything. But to give in is to turn everything over to Jake Holland, a man who is as secretive as Tess is.
Tess goes back to school, but then the secret that she has held comes face to face with her. A former teacher who had raped her is back teaching at the school. Tess is torn between facing the man or turning him over to the police for an attack that happened 10 year ago.
What she does changes the lives of others that are in her life.
The characters who Jennifer Sienes created are true-to-life, as is the story. It flows from one chapter to another with ease. Even though the story flips from one point of view to another, it helps the story to move along while answering questions. I had an easy time staying engaged with this story, there were twists and turns throughout that kept me reading to the very last page.
This book receives my highest recommendation.
Secrets can be like a weight on your shoulders. However, if someone is to disclose the secret, timing is important, as is who to share it with.
Tess O'Shay's life is turned upside down when her father's will gives guardianship of her teenage sister to a man that they barely know. The family restaurant and Tess's future are also in this man's hands.
According to Sean O' Shay's will, Tess is to go back to college, something she gave up when her mother became ill and then died. If she does not comply, she will lose everything. But to give in is to turn everything over to Jake Holland, a man who is as secretive as Tess is.
Tess goes back to school, but then the secret that she has held comes face to face with her. A former teacher who had raped her is back teaching at the school. Tess is torn between facing the man or turning him over to the police for an attack that happened 10 year ago.
What she does changes the lives of others that are in her life.
The characters who Jennifer Sienes created are true-to-life, as is the story. It flows from one chapter to another with ease. Even though the story flips from one point of view to another, it helps the story to move along while answering questions. I had an easy time staying engaged with this story, there were twists and turns throughout that kept me reading to the very last page.
This book receives my highest recommendation.
May 17, 2020
It took me a little bit to get into this debut, but once I got engaged, I was wrapped up in Tess' story. Tess left college and her love of literature to work in her father's restaurant. She keeps the reason hidden.
Surrendered has a number of plot twists and messages. I look forward to continuing the series.
Surrendered has a number of plot twists and messages. I look forward to continuing the series.
May 15, 2019
The story was a bit hard to get into at first. There was a lot of background information and skipping from character to character. I am not a big fan of first person stories where I have to keep up with the characters and what they are doing. Now for what I really liked about the story. I loved the concept and surprises that the author put in. It was hard to see Tess and Katie grieve the loss of their father. What really surprised me was how Jake became part of their lives.
One of the main themes in the book is about secrecy. I have learned that keeping a secret always comes back to smack you in the face. The secret Tess is keeping has made her stop fulfilling her dream and settle for less. She never has wanted to run the family business but her secret prevents her from stepping out in faith. She lives in a world where she doesn't trust anyone and keeps her feelings to herself.
I laughed as I read the part about Tess and Katie's fathers' will. What father in his right mind would bring in a stranger to take over everything and expect his daughters not to have a problem with him. Jake is in way over his head as he tries to fulfill the stipulation in the will. It is hard not to give away anything in the story so I will just say the tension between these characters are strong and I'm not sure who will come out the victor.
Jake also is keeping a secret that has him questioning his abilities. His previous profession causes him to walk away from everything when an unforeseen tragedy happens. I think I have a love/hate relationship with this book. At times the story was almost unbelievable and silly at times. I think I had more problems with the father's story line and thought it was a bit much. There are times when Tess was so stubborn and downright mean to Jake that I wanted him to pack his bags and run away from her.
The story does have some good moments that helped me like the book and I was able to see what the author was trying to achieve. The bottom line is that secrets can hurt others and when you turn your back on God, you leave yourself open to not trusting people, being angry and running away from the truth.
"God always has a way of putting a spin on the ugliness in life."
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
One of the main themes in the book is about secrecy. I have learned that keeping a secret always comes back to smack you in the face. The secret Tess is keeping has made her stop fulfilling her dream and settle for less. She never has wanted to run the family business but her secret prevents her from stepping out in faith. She lives in a world where she doesn't trust anyone and keeps her feelings to herself.
I laughed as I read the part about Tess and Katie's fathers' will. What father in his right mind would bring in a stranger to take over everything and expect his daughters not to have a problem with him. Jake is in way over his head as he tries to fulfill the stipulation in the will. It is hard not to give away anything in the story so I will just say the tension between these characters are strong and I'm not sure who will come out the victor.
Jake also is keeping a secret that has him questioning his abilities. His previous profession causes him to walk away from everything when an unforeseen tragedy happens. I think I have a love/hate relationship with this book. At times the story was almost unbelievable and silly at times. I think I had more problems with the father's story line and thought it was a bit much. There are times when Tess was so stubborn and downright mean to Jake that I wanted him to pack his bags and run away from her.
The story does have some good moments that helped me like the book and I was able to see what the author was trying to achieve. The bottom line is that secrets can hurt others and when you turn your back on God, you leave yourself open to not trusting people, being angry and running away from the truth.
"God always has a way of putting a spin on the ugliness in life."
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
May 15, 2019
"Surrendered" by Jennifer Sienes is a book that I want to say I liked but I have to be honest and say I have much emotions about, because well the surprising ending really made me cry. I wish I could say why but to do so would be a spoiled alert. I mean I understand the reasoning behind the plot set up but it still feels cruel to me.
I know this book is fiction but it hits to close to home for me right now and my "real life" cannot be changed. But since the book is fiction and such a good story and the ending was perfect for the characters in this story I am giving it 5 stars.
My favorite quote from the book " Life's not fair, ...But we're not promised fairness. At
least not here on earth. You can't take every hard knock and throw it back in God's face. It doesn't work that way." ....."I have to believe in God's promises. Until you're ready to see things from His perspective, you'll never receive them.". These few sentences really spoke to my heart because it made me really ponder what it meant and then I realized it was saying to me personally that God keeps His promises because He knows all and worked all things to my good because He knows everything and He knows things I never will.
This book has plenty of sarcastic wit in between the pages.
This book also deals with the subject of rape, not the actual rape but the efforts of keeping it a secret for ten years. Is seems all the characters but two in this novel have secrets.
The characters in this really pull at this reader's heartstrings. This reader was really cheering these characters on and wanting them to end up happy ever after. I have no idea if this happens are not because this book is part of a series but does not end in a cliff hanger. And even if you don't read the other books after they are available, this book is enjoyable as a standalone.
I recommend this book with this warning, read this book, I think you will like it, but beware of it not being a light and funny read.
I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own
I know this book is fiction but it hits to close to home for me right now and my "real life" cannot be changed. But since the book is fiction and such a good story and the ending was perfect for the characters in this story I am giving it 5 stars.
My favorite quote from the book " Life's not fair, ...But we're not promised fairness. At
least not here on earth. You can't take every hard knock and throw it back in God's face. It doesn't work that way." ....."I have to believe in God's promises. Until you're ready to see things from His perspective, you'll never receive them.". These few sentences really spoke to my heart because it made me really ponder what it meant and then I realized it was saying to me personally that God keeps His promises because He knows all and worked all things to my good because He knows everything and He knows things I never will.
This book has plenty of sarcastic wit in between the pages.
This book also deals with the subject of rape, not the actual rape but the efforts of keeping it a secret for ten years. Is seems all the characters but two in this novel have secrets.
The characters in this really pull at this reader's heartstrings. This reader was really cheering these characters on and wanting them to end up happy ever after. I have no idea if this happens are not because this book is part of a series but does not end in a cliff hanger. And even if you don't read the other books after they are available, this book is enjoyable as a standalone.
I recommend this book with this warning, read this book, I think you will like it, but beware of it not being a light and funny read.
I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own
May 17, 2019
Surrendered is written from both Tess’ and Jake’s points of view. While there are times I do not mind that method of telling the story, this story was not one of those cases. It seemed like the transitions were jerky and awkward. The changes seemed too abrupt to flow nicely together. I found myself frequently having to look to see who the “I” was referring to in the paragraph. However, I still believe this book is one that is worth reading. The basic storyline is one that made me want to keep reading if only to find out how the story turned out.
The plot of the story seemed to be one that should have been worth reading. Tess’ father dies and leaves everything and even her 16-year-old sister Katie to Jake, who is not even part of the family unless Tess goes back to college and completes her degree. Right away I could appreciate her father’s intentions, even if I really hated his method for reaching his goal. I also could appreciate Katie’s approval of her father’s method. After all, a year does not seem to be that much time in the life of a 16-year-old.
After dropping out of school to take care of her mother who was dying, Tess attempted to stay busy, so imagine her surprise when she speaks to a college career counselor and finds out she has almost enough credit to get a degree in English and work on her Teaching Credentials. She finds it difficult to believe that simply taking a course here and there to stay busy could have such results.
Jake owes something to Sean O’Shay, and Pastor Kent knows that Sea believed in Jake enough to leave him in the position of taking care of his daughters, his restaurant, his home, and ensuring his oldest daughter finished her teaching credential program. Now all Jake has to do is believe in himself.
So if you want to find out how the story ends, check out this book for yourself.
I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.
The plot of the story seemed to be one that should have been worth reading. Tess’ father dies and leaves everything and even her 16-year-old sister Katie to Jake, who is not even part of the family unless Tess goes back to college and completes her degree. Right away I could appreciate her father’s intentions, even if I really hated his method for reaching his goal. I also could appreciate Katie’s approval of her father’s method. After all, a year does not seem to be that much time in the life of a 16-year-old.
After dropping out of school to take care of her mother who was dying, Tess attempted to stay busy, so imagine her surprise when she speaks to a college career counselor and finds out she has almost enough credit to get a degree in English and work on her Teaching Credentials. She finds it difficult to believe that simply taking a course here and there to stay busy could have such results.
Jake owes something to Sean O’Shay, and Pastor Kent knows that Sea believed in Jake enough to leave him in the position of taking care of his daughters, his restaurant, his home, and ensuring his oldest daughter finished her teaching credential program. Now all Jake has to do is believe in himself.
So if you want to find out how the story ends, check out this book for yourself.
I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.
May 2, 2019
Jennifer Sienes has created some amazing characters in this book. This book is written from the perspective of both main characters. That was a little confusing at first and then I realized that I needed to look at the heading and it would tell me who was talking.
Tess finds out at the beginning of the story that her father has died. There is no real closure because he comes home in an urn. A man she barely knows, Jake, is put in charge of her sister and the restaurant until she completes her degree. Tess and Jake both have demons that they are battling with in this story. Tess is struggling with being raped, which is why she never completed her degree. The reason for Jake's demons is a mystery that is waiting to be solved. Can these two overcome their demons?
Ms. Sienes does an amazing job of keeping the readers engaged in the story. Just when you think you have everything solved, another curveball is thrown into the story. She has your reading until the very end to find out all of the mysteries.
I received a complementary copy of this book for the purpose of this review, however the opinions within are my own honest thoughts and opinions.
Tess finds out at the beginning of the story that her father has died. There is no real closure because he comes home in an urn. A man she barely knows, Jake, is put in charge of her sister and the restaurant until she completes her degree. Tess and Jake both have demons that they are battling with in this story. Tess is struggling with being raped, which is why she never completed her degree. The reason for Jake's demons is a mystery that is waiting to be solved. Can these two overcome their demons?
Ms. Sienes does an amazing job of keeping the readers engaged in the story. Just when you think you have everything solved, another curveball is thrown into the story. She has your reading until the very end to find out all of the mysteries.
I received a complementary copy of this book for the purpose of this review, however the opinions within are my own honest thoughts and opinions.
July 24, 2019
The mixture of danger, mystery and romance all rolled together in Surrendered by Jennifer Sienes, is fantastic. The clear message of how the weight of secrets bring sorrow into life verses the freedom of disclosure, is so beautifully contrasted. Through the medium of story this message is vividly depicted and tugs at the heart strings encouraging all of us to be real, authentic, and open, in our everyday lives.
I love the way Jake wove his way into the lives of the O'shay girls and into the heart of Tess. The tension between Jake and Tess kept the pages turning, it was strong, well-written and engaging. The intelligent wit sprinkled throughout had me laughing numerous times.
The only reason this book gets a 4 and not a 5 star is my mixed feelings about the ending. It evoked emotion and I can say no more as I do not want to spoil a great read for you. If you are not a sensitive soul like me, you may laugh at the surprise ending.
This author is a fantastic writer, and I will read anything of hers going forward.
I love the way Jake wove his way into the lives of the O'shay girls and into the heart of Tess. The tension between Jake and Tess kept the pages turning, it was strong, well-written and engaging. The intelligent wit sprinkled throughout had me laughing numerous times.
The only reason this book gets a 4 and not a 5 star is my mixed feelings about the ending. It evoked emotion and I can say no more as I do not want to spoil a great read for you. If you are not a sensitive soul like me, you may laugh at the surprise ending.
This author is a fantastic writer, and I will read anything of hers going forward.
May 19, 2020
I am not sure exactly what the cover of this book is depicting.
The beginning of this book moved slow. Tess and Katie were sisters who were struggling because their parents were deceased. Tess had a very terrible thing happen to her 10 years ago and she did not tell anyone about it. So, Tess was really having a hard time dealing with life.
Tess' father asked Jake to move in and help Tess and Katie. Apparently Sean (the father) knew Jake very well - enough to trust Jake with 2 women. Wow, were there big arguments between Tess and Jake. She did not want Jake to be in her life.
Tess, Jake and Katie worked in the family's Italian Restaurant. This also caused a lot of tension between the sisters and Jake.
The second half of this book started to get really interesting. Tess was finally able to deal with that horrible situation. Katie was a typical teenager - testing the waters. She was really trying Jake's patience.
There was a big surprise at the end of the book. I am glad that there was a Spiritual element in this book.
The beginning of this book moved slow. Tess and Katie were sisters who were struggling because their parents were deceased. Tess had a very terrible thing happen to her 10 years ago and she did not tell anyone about it. So, Tess was really having a hard time dealing with life.
Tess' father asked Jake to move in and help Tess and Katie. Apparently Sean (the father) knew Jake very well - enough to trust Jake with 2 women. Wow, were there big arguments between Tess and Jake. She did not want Jake to be in her life.
Tess, Jake and Katie worked in the family's Italian Restaurant. This also caused a lot of tension between the sisters and Jake.
The second half of this book started to get really interesting. Tess was finally able to deal with that horrible situation. Katie was a typical teenager - testing the waters. She was really trying Jake's patience.
There was a big surprise at the end of the book. I am glad that there was a Spiritual element in this book.
April 14, 2019
I received a complementary copy of this book for the purpose of this review, however the opinions within are my own honest thoughts and opinions.
It’s written from the perspectives of both main characters, which I like, because it gives more clarity and understanding on the whole picture. It’s a thoughtful and heartwarming Christian book with Bible-based encouragement and reminders. It’s also easy to read because it’s written with enough description to get a good picture of the scenes without going overboard and being too wordy.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more by Jennifer Sienes. Once I started reading I found it hard to put down. There are numerous unexpected twists and turns as more is learned about each character’s secrets but that’s all I will say so as not to spoil it for other readers.
If you enjoy a good Christian story with some interesting side stories and complications thrown in I highly recommend this book!
It’s written from the perspectives of both main characters, which I like, because it gives more clarity and understanding on the whole picture. It’s a thoughtful and heartwarming Christian book with Bible-based encouragement and reminders. It’s also easy to read because it’s written with enough description to get a good picture of the scenes without going overboard and being too wordy.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more by Jennifer Sienes. Once I started reading I found it hard to put down. There are numerous unexpected twists and turns as more is learned about each character’s secrets but that’s all I will say so as not to spoil it for other readers.
If you enjoy a good Christian story with some interesting side stories and complications thrown in I highly recommend this book!
May 14, 2019
Surrendered
The story starts out with the “will” of Sean who is the father of Katie and Tess. Sean has a requirement that Tess goes back to school. Jake is to take over things during this time. He is a friend of Sean and is working at their restaurant.
After reading the book it is very hard not to write any spoilers. Definitely unexpected things happen at the end.
Tess goes through a lot of throughout the book. She is determined, not to go to school but changes her mind. After going to school her past comes back to haunt her. Read the book to see what it is.
A book that definitely kept my attention. A lot of interaction with the characters. Loved all the action at the restaurant. I do recommend reading this book. It has great characters, a little mystery, a little romance and unexpected turns.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review. This is my own opinion.
The story starts out with the “will” of Sean who is the father of Katie and Tess. Sean has a requirement that Tess goes back to school. Jake is to take over things during this time. He is a friend of Sean and is working at their restaurant.
After reading the book it is very hard not to write any spoilers. Definitely unexpected things happen at the end.
Tess goes through a lot of throughout the book. She is determined, not to go to school but changes her mind. After going to school her past comes back to haunt her. Read the book to see what it is.
A book that definitely kept my attention. A lot of interaction with the characters. Loved all the action at the restaurant. I do recommend reading this book. It has great characters, a little mystery, a little romance and unexpected turns.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review. This is my own opinion.
May 18, 2019
Surrendered certainly dealt with some weighty topics in our contemporary world, and I thought that was done really well and with great sensitivity. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, but I can't say more about that without spoilers, so my lips are sealed! I feel like the book dealt with trauma, grieving, and didn't sugarcoat it. However, the book had a lot of pleasantness to it as well. Tess and Jake are both well-developed characters that are very endearing, and I really felt their emotion and enjoyed their interactions. I know that with the current culture, the topics this book covers is very appropriate for contemporary fiction. If you want a thought-provoking, hopeful, emotional, unique read, this one is for you. Also, if you just enjoy contemporary fiction, I think you would like this one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own.
May 6, 2019
This book has some snappy writing which made it a fast read for me. Tessa is a snarky young woman with a very broken past. Although the reader does get an idea of what is going on by reading the blurb on the back of the book, no one else in the book seems to know what happened to her.
Jake is another story. We are given hints that he is hiding something but the reader doesn’t know what and we don’t find out for awhile.
I did enjoy this book and Tessa’s journey to wholeness and finding her way back to God again. He alone can restore the broken and Tessa needs to realize that.
This is a lovely story of redemption and love.
A copy of this book was given to me through the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own.
Jake is another story. We are given hints that he is hiding something but the reader doesn’t know what and we don’t find out for awhile.
I did enjoy this book and Tessa’s journey to wholeness and finding her way back to God again. He alone can restore the broken and Tessa needs to realize that.
This is a lovely story of redemption and love.
A copy of this book was given to me through the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own.
April 17, 2019
I have to say, when I started the first chapter, I was overwhelmed . I had to reread it three times because I kept getting interrupted by my family and children. I thought I’ll never get through this but I kept up and finished it in one day! I might have ignored all my other obligations.
I literally couldn’t stop reading it . I kept wondering what was going to happen and kept thinking of scenarios and Jennifer’s were much better
I loved the flow of the book and the descriptions of the characters. It is written by from main characters perspective and you get that inside view from both of them while still wondering what will happen. From both perspectives I feel I have the image vividly in my head of how they look and their personalities.
The ending was such a shock I never saw that happening at all. everything wrapped up correctly ( was a nice and neat finish).
I did receive an advanced readers copy for reviewing purposes but the opinions are all my own .
I literally couldn’t stop reading it . I kept wondering what was going to happen and kept thinking of scenarios and Jennifer’s were much better
I loved the flow of the book and the descriptions of the characters. It is written by from main characters perspective and you get that inside view from both of them while still wondering what will happen. From both perspectives I feel I have the image vividly in my head of how they look and their personalities.
The ending was such a shock I never saw that happening at all. everything wrapped up correctly ( was a nice and neat finish).
I did receive an advanced readers copy for reviewing purposes but the opinions are all my own .
May 9, 2019
This story caught my attention almost from the start. Tess is angry, she thinks Jake sweet-talked her father into leaving all his wealth to him.
Are you confused yet? Yeah, that's how I felt. I was not sure what was going on....
But the more I read, the more I liked Tess. And of course, the story. And Jake.
This story has surprising events. Twists and turns. I didn't quite catch on to all of what was going on until the conclusion.
Full of life. Real life characters. Relatable issues. Hard things in life.
That's what you'll find if you give this book a chance.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
Are you confused yet? Yeah, that's how I felt. I was not sure what was going on....
But the more I read, the more I liked Tess. And of course, the story. And Jake.
This story has surprising events. Twists and turns. I didn't quite catch on to all of what was going on until the conclusion.
Full of life. Real life characters. Relatable issues. Hard things in life.
That's what you'll find if you give this book a chance.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
May 7, 2019
This book was my cup of tea in the area of suspense and a read that I can relate to in many areas. I loved watching Tess's faith grow, and her strength. I felt so strongly connected to her, with her weaknesses and painful areas. I enjoyed the dual viewpoints. Because of my life, this book gripped me with more force than I'd expected. I felt so much for Tess that I'm not going to be "over" this book for a while. It's harder to write this review without giving away any of the plot, and since it's worth reading I don't want to do that!
My copy came from Celebrate Lit. This review is left freely and contains my thoughts and opinions.
My copy came from Celebrate Lit. This review is left freely and contains my thoughts and opinions.
May 11, 2019
Surrendered follows the lives of two daughters after their father passes away. The youngest, Katie, is trying to understand how to function without either parent. The oldest, Tess, is trying to understand how to function after reading the horrendous stipulations found in her father's will. When Jake, one of their father's employees, is given complete control of the assets the girls have to decide how they are going to proceed.
This story started very slow. The author chose to write the story in first person. However, the first person changes depending on who is talking. This is made the story challenging to follow and hard to put a bookmark in. If I had to pause reading in the middle of a page I would have to flip back and forth until I remembered whose brain I was supposed to be inside of. This only got more challenging the more Jake and Tess were interacting.
The ending of the story was too much. I am a reader who loves to suspend disbelief, this book took it too far. I won't spoil it for you; but, the ending contained an absolutely absurd plot twist. It was inconceivable. I, also, don't believe that the title made much sense to the story. I was waiting for a moment of revelation. I was waiting for the main characters to realize they needed to surrender to God or to their selfishness but it never came.
Now, after getting past the writing style and before getting to the ending, I did enjoy the book. The characters were very relatable. I loved that there were hard topics being addressed and the characters had to work through them. I loved the theme of not letting your fears be the monster in your closet. I liked the idea of bringing fears and pain into the light in order to be able to heal.
This story started very slow. The author chose to write the story in first person. However, the first person changes depending on who is talking. This is made the story challenging to follow and hard to put a bookmark in. If I had to pause reading in the middle of a page I would have to flip back and forth until I remembered whose brain I was supposed to be inside of. This only got more challenging the more Jake and Tess were interacting.
The ending of the story was too much. I am a reader who loves to suspend disbelief, this book took it too far. I won't spoil it for you; but, the ending contained an absolutely absurd plot twist. It was inconceivable. I, also, don't believe that the title made much sense to the story. I was waiting for a moment of revelation. I was waiting for the main characters to realize they needed to surrender to God or to their selfishness but it never came.
Now, after getting past the writing style and before getting to the ending, I did enjoy the book. The characters were very relatable. I loved that there were hard topics being addressed and the characters had to work through them. I loved the theme of not letting your fears be the monster in your closet. I liked the idea of bringing fears and pain into the light in order to be able to heal.
May 5, 2019
Right from the beginning of this book you will be dragged into a highly emotional and heartachingly beautiful story. I am still trying to get my thoughts together so that I can write this review.
This book is a journey of loss & grief and love & forgiveness. There is so much going on in this book, that there were a couple of times I had to take a break just to give myself a chance to take everything in. I have to say that I was surprised by the ending, pleasantly surprised, not something I saw coming.
An emotional rollercoaster ride that you will not regret reading.
This book is a journey of loss & grief and love & forgiveness. There is so much going on in this book, that there were a couple of times I had to take a break just to give myself a chance to take everything in. I have to say that I was surprised by the ending, pleasantly surprised, not something I saw coming.
An emotional rollercoaster ride that you will not regret reading.
May 17, 2019
I really enjoy Christian Romance books and this book really hit the spot. The story was a "typical" romance story, but it was also a story of forgiveness and loss and grief. The main character, Tess, is a wonderful character and very emotional. Lots of twists and turns due to Tess's emotions.
"Surrendered" is a book that starts off slowly and the storyline is a little confusing, but stick with it. The storyline picks up in Chapter 2 and it becomes a "cannot put it down book". Jennifer Sienes is a new author for me, but I look forward to reading more books in the future!
"Surrendered" is a book that starts off slowly and the storyline is a little confusing, but stick with it. The storyline picks up in Chapter 2 and it becomes a "cannot put it down book". Jennifer Sienes is a new author for me, but I look forward to reading more books in the future!
May 15, 2019
I liked this book. It was a fun, fast read. The romance was a typical"boy and girl think of each other as enemies but eventually grow on each other" type; however, the characters were likable, and Tess showed nice emotional growth. There is also a quirky twist that I did guess partway through, but it still added a little something. I do feel like the resolution of that twist came a little fast, but overall I would recommend this book. Great for a beach read this summer!!
June 18, 2020
“I know you don’t want to hear my sermon right now, but God always has a way of putting a spin on the ugliness in life.”
Debut author brings a poignant family story full of many dilemma’s. You really wanna pull for Tess and Katie 0’ Shay because they’ve been through so much. They’ve lost both of their parents and on top of that their father leaves a stranger, Jake Holland, to be in charge of their estate. One of the stipulations is that Tess must finish school.
Tess is afraid to go back to school because of something that happened to her. She’s been keeping it a secret for a long time and she finally gets closure when she finds someone to talk to about it. This really helps her to learn and grow as a person.
Tess and Katie have a dysfunctional relationship because of everything they’ve been through. Katie is aloof and thinks she’s not doing anything wrong whereas Tess is very overprotective. I really don’t think they mean to hurt each other. I just think they’re going through a lot of raw emotions. Tess doesn’t want Katie to make any of the mistakes she’s made.
Tess and Jake’s relationship is what kept me interested in reading on. They have a love/hate relationship for each other. Jake is interested in making sure he follows through with what he’s supposed to do pertaining to the will. Jake really means well but I think sometimes Tess and Katie don’t think so. Jake has a secret of his own but you’ll have to read the story to find out what it is.
I really enjoyed the setting, the plot, and all the characters. A couple of the plot twists made it more intriguing. The story is full of loss, hope, and redemption that is found through trusting in God. I feel the author created real life characters that were relatable. We’ve all gone through grief and tough issues in life. It’s the way we chose to deal with the issues that brings about good or bad results.
I really enjoyed this story. I recommend it if you like Catherine West, Courtney Walsh, or Denise Hunter. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Debut author brings a poignant family story full of many dilemma’s. You really wanna pull for Tess and Katie 0’ Shay because they’ve been through so much. They’ve lost both of their parents and on top of that their father leaves a stranger, Jake Holland, to be in charge of their estate. One of the stipulations is that Tess must finish school.
Tess is afraid to go back to school because of something that happened to her. She’s been keeping it a secret for a long time and she finally gets closure when she finds someone to talk to about it. This really helps her to learn and grow as a person.
Tess and Katie have a dysfunctional relationship because of everything they’ve been through. Katie is aloof and thinks she’s not doing anything wrong whereas Tess is very overprotective. I really don’t think they mean to hurt each other. I just think they’re going through a lot of raw emotions. Tess doesn’t want Katie to make any of the mistakes she’s made.
Tess and Jake’s relationship is what kept me interested in reading on. They have a love/hate relationship for each other. Jake is interested in making sure he follows through with what he’s supposed to do pertaining to the will. Jake really means well but I think sometimes Tess and Katie don’t think so. Jake has a secret of his own but you’ll have to read the story to find out what it is.
I really enjoyed the setting, the plot, and all the characters. A couple of the plot twists made it more intriguing. The story is full of loss, hope, and redemption that is found through trusting in God. I feel the author created real life characters that were relatable. We’ve all gone through grief and tough issues in life. It’s the way we chose to deal with the issues that brings about good or bad results.
I really enjoyed this story. I recommend it if you like Catherine West, Courtney Walsh, or Denise Hunter. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
June 2, 2019
Surrendered was a great read! The characters were relatable and well described. I had a hard time putting it down; I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen. I recommend this to others who enjoy contemporary Christian fiction.
August 9, 2020
I loved this contemporary fiction. The author shrouds the plot with secrets and strong personalities. I will definitely read her next book.
August 17, 2023
Great book, surprise ending
January 27, 2025
Great Story!
Lies always come to the surface! This was a page turner, unexpected, and made me smile story of love and family!
Lies always come to the surface! This was a page turner, unexpected, and made me smile story of love and family!
April 30, 2019
This new book by Jennifer Bodiford Sienes will be released on April 30th. I just finished it a few days ago and absolutely love it!!! It's a wonderful story of love and forgiveness.... so beautiful. It made me laugh, cry...it took me through all of my emotions! Add it to your TBR list! You won't regreat it!!!
I received a free copy for my honest review and this review is my own opinion of this book.
I received a free copy for my honest review and this review is my own opinion of this book.
June 2, 2020
I read Surrendered in preparation to lead a national book club discussion. This book becomes better and better the further you read. It provides excellent believable characters who deal with real emotions with sustained tension in well-developed settings with effective use of the senses. As a college teacher of English (and other classes) I also enjoyed the great classroom repartee demonstrating book discussions at their best. This book delighted me and I'm glad the author will publish her next in 2020.
July 1, 2019
My thoughts:
This is my first book read by this author. Reading her little blurb below it seems that she likes to tackle hard topics with humor and fiction. This was a good read and I recommend it. One woman determined to overcome her past so she can keep all that she holds dear.
Of course, she wouldn’t be overcoming her past if it wasn’t for her father. He’s dead. Well, that’s not why she’s suddenly an overcomer but then again it is. Her father left in his will that she had to complete the education she abandoned after being raped in order to retain guardianship of her sister and keep her home. Talk about some tough love!
I had fun reading this book. It was a quick read. Time will tell if Tess can overcome or if Jake is really a bad guy or a good one. Highly recommend you read to figure it out!
I received a free ebook copy of this title so that I could read and provide my opinion of it. All thoughts and opinions are my own however, and not influenced in anyway.
This is my first book read by this author. Reading her little blurb below it seems that she likes to tackle hard topics with humor and fiction. This was a good read and I recommend it. One woman determined to overcome her past so she can keep all that she holds dear.
Of course, she wouldn’t be overcoming her past if it wasn’t for her father. He’s dead. Well, that’s not why she’s suddenly an overcomer but then again it is. Her father left in his will that she had to complete the education she abandoned after being raped in order to retain guardianship of her sister and keep her home. Talk about some tough love!
I had fun reading this book. It was a quick read. Time will tell if Tess can overcome or if Jake is really a bad guy or a good one. Highly recommend you read to figure it out!
I received a free ebook copy of this title so that I could read and provide my opinion of it. All thoughts and opinions are my own however, and not influenced in anyway.
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