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Pennyroyal Green #3
Since the Surrender
A Man of Action . . .
Fearless. Loyal. Brilliant. Ruthless. Bold words are always used to describe English war hero Captain Chase Eversea, but another word unfortunately plays a role in every Eversea's destiny: trouble. And trouble for Chase arrives in the form of a mysterious message summoning him to a London rendezvous . . . where he encounters the memory of his most wicked indiscretion in the flesh: Rosalind March—the only woman he could never forget.
A Woman of Passion . . .
Five years ago, the reckless, charming beauty craved the formidable Captain's attention. But now Rosalind is a coolly self-possessed woman, and desire is the last thing on her mind: her sister has mysteriously disappeared and she needs Chase's help to find her. But as their search through London's darkest corners re-ignites long-smoldering passion and memories of old battles, Chase and Rosalind are challenged to surrender: to the depths of a wicked desire, and to the possibility of love.
Fearless. Loyal. Brilliant. Ruthless. Bold words are always used to describe English war hero Captain Chase Eversea, but another word unfortunately plays a role in every Eversea's destiny: trouble. And trouble for Chase arrives in the form of a mysterious message summoning him to a London rendezvous . . . where he encounters the memory of his most wicked indiscretion in the flesh: Rosalind March—the only woman he could never forget.
A Woman of Passion . . .
Five years ago, the reckless, charming beauty craved the formidable Captain's attention. But now Rosalind is a coolly self-possessed woman, and desire is the last thing on her mind: her sister has mysteriously disappeared and she needs Chase's help to find her. But as their search through London's darkest corners re-ignites long-smoldering passion and memories of old battles, Chase and Rosalind are challenged to surrender: to the depths of a wicked desire, and to the possibility of love.
371 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 28, 2009
119 people are currently reading
1737 people want to read
About the author
Julie Anne Long
38 books2,956 followersWell, where should I start? I've lived in San Francisco for more than a decade, usually with at least one cat. I won the school spelling bee when I was in 7th grade; the word that clinched it was 'ukulele.' I originally set out to be a rock star when I grew up (I had a Bono fixation, but who didn't?), and I have the guitars and the questionable wardrobe stuffed in the back of my closet to prove it.
But writing was always my first love.
I was editor of my elementary school paper (believe it or not, Mrs. Little's fifth grade class at Glenmoor Elementary did have one); my high school paper (along with my best high school bud, Cindy Jorgenson); and my college paper, where our long-suffering typesetter finally forced me to learn how to typeset because my articles were usually late (and thus I probably have him to thank for all the desktop publishing jobs that ensued over the years).
Won a couple of random awards along the way: the Bank of America English Award in High School (which basically just amounted to a fancy plaque saying that I was really, really good at English); and an award for best Sports Feature article in a College Newspaper (and anyone who knows me well understands how deeply ironic that is). I began my academic career as a Journalism major; I switched to Creative Writing, which was a more comfortable fit for my freewheeling imagination and overdeveloped sense of whimsy. I dreamed of being a novelist.
But most of us, I think, tend to take for granted the things that come easily to us. I loved writing and all indications were that I was pretty good at it, but I, thank you very much, wanted to be a rock star. Which turned out to be ever-so-slightly harder to do than writing. A lot more equipment was involved, that's for sure. Heavy things, with knobs. It also involved late nights, fetid, graffiti-sprayed practice rooms, gorgeous flakey boys, bizarre gigs, in-fighting—what's not to love?
But my dream of being a published writer never faded. When the charm (ahem) of playing to four people in a tiny club at midnight on a Wednesday finally wore thin, however, I realized I could incorporate all the best things about being in a band — namely, drama, passion, and men with unruly hair — into novels, while at the same time indulging my love of history and research.
So I wrote The Runaway Duke, sent it to a literary agent (see the story here), who sold it to Warner Books a few months after that...which made 2003 one of the most extraordinary, head-spinning years I've ever had.
Why romance? Well, like most people, I read across many genres, but I've been an avid romance reader since I got in trouble for sneaking a Rosemary Rogers novel out of my mom's nightstand drawer (I think it was Sweet Savage Love). Rosemary Rogers, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Laurie McBain...I cut my romance teeth on those ladies. And in general, I take a visceral sort of pleasure in creating a hero and a heroine, putting them through their emotional paces, and watching their relationship develop on the page. And of course, there's much to be said for the happy ending. :)
And why Regency Historicals? Well, for starters, I think we can blame Jane Austen. Her inimitable wit, compassion and vision brought the Regency vividly to life for generations of readers. If Jane Austen had written romances about Incas, for instance, I think, we'd have racks and racks of Inca romances in bookstores all over the country, and Warner Forever would be the Inca Romance line.
But I'm a history FREAK, in general. I read more history, to be perfectly honest, than fiction (when I have time to read!) these days. When we were little, my sister and I used to play "Littl
But writing was always my first love.
I was editor of my elementary school paper (believe it or not, Mrs. Little's fifth grade class at Glenmoor Elementary did have one); my high school paper (along with my best high school bud, Cindy Jorgenson); and my college paper, where our long-suffering typesetter finally forced me to learn how to typeset because my articles were usually late (and thus I probably have him to thank for all the desktop publishing jobs that ensued over the years).
Won a couple of random awards along the way: the Bank of America English Award in High School (which basically just amounted to a fancy plaque saying that I was really, really good at English); and an award for best Sports Feature article in a College Newspaper (and anyone who knows me well understands how deeply ironic that is). I began my academic career as a Journalism major; I switched to Creative Writing, which was a more comfortable fit for my freewheeling imagination and overdeveloped sense of whimsy. I dreamed of being a novelist.
But most of us, I think, tend to take for granted the things that come easily to us. I loved writing and all indications were that I was pretty good at it, but I, thank you very much, wanted to be a rock star. Which turned out to be ever-so-slightly harder to do than writing. A lot more equipment was involved, that's for sure. Heavy things, with knobs. It also involved late nights, fetid, graffiti-sprayed practice rooms, gorgeous flakey boys, bizarre gigs, in-fighting—what's not to love?
But my dream of being a published writer never faded. When the charm (ahem) of playing to four people in a tiny club at midnight on a Wednesday finally wore thin, however, I realized I could incorporate all the best things about being in a band — namely, drama, passion, and men with unruly hair — into novels, while at the same time indulging my love of history and research.
So I wrote The Runaway Duke, sent it to a literary agent (see the story here), who sold it to Warner Books a few months after that...which made 2003 one of the most extraordinary, head-spinning years I've ever had.
Why romance? Well, like most people, I read across many genres, but I've been an avid romance reader since I got in trouble for sneaking a Rosemary Rogers novel out of my mom's nightstand drawer (I think it was Sweet Savage Love). Rosemary Rogers, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Laurie McBain...I cut my romance teeth on those ladies. And in general, I take a visceral sort of pleasure in creating a hero and a heroine, putting them through their emotional paces, and watching their relationship develop on the page. And of course, there's much to be said for the happy ending. :)
And why Regency Historicals? Well, for starters, I think we can blame Jane Austen. Her inimitable wit, compassion and vision brought the Regency vividly to life for generations of readers. If Jane Austen had written romances about Incas, for instance, I think, we'd have racks and racks of Inca romances in bookstores all over the country, and Warner Forever would be the Inca Romance line.
But I'm a history FREAK, in general. I read more history, to be perfectly honest, than fiction (when I have time to read!) these days. When we were little, my sister and I used to play "Littl
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 405 reviews
February 5, 2017
When you boil it all down, this book's summary comes out to this:
Two people who like to get it on in inappropriate settings while trying to find sex traffickers.
Really, that's the plot. Also, the guy is hilariously afraid of puppets. I like that he is in touch with those feelings because anyone NOT freaked out by a puppet needs therapy.
Two people who like to get it on in inappropriate settings while trying to find sex traffickers.
Really, that's the plot. Also, the guy is hilariously afraid of puppets. I like that he is in touch with those feelings because anyone NOT freaked out by a puppet needs therapy.
October 22, 2023
This book deserves every tepid review it gets. And this comes from someone who LOVES the book What I Did for a Duke. I spent the first quarter of the book rather lost as to who these people were and what was the plot and mystery. The main characters sister was rather annoying, and no one was well defined. Yes, there is a transgression.....but it needed to be worse or dropped. I spent most of the book rooting for the street urchin who is wonderfully voiced by Justine Eyre. A book has to be pretty boring to get a 2* rating from me and this one deserves it. The final solving of the overlong mystery was so OVER THE TOP that it was the final nail in the coffin. Even the puppet gag was only so so to me. This was on the free side of audible.
March 23, 2015
I adore Julie Anne Long. I worship her. She's one of the most talented HR authors I know, if not the most talented, and she certainly deserves more credits. Her writing is beautiful and she gives me butterflies in my stomach every single time and I mean every single time. And yes, I'm going to say this, this is something that even writers such as Lisa Kleypas and Julia Quinn haven't managed to do.
You know what? This book doesn't deserve my 3 stars. The explosive chemistry is there, the H/h are both very likeable and I had those butterflies in my stomach again, which rarely happens to me any more after all those romances I've read.
This rating is my punishment. It's the only way I have to express my frustration. I am so angry right now!! Why, Julie Anne Long? Why did you destroy your own book? The plot was all over the place. I had to read pages of how those two tried to solve the mystery, which I wasn't even all that invested in in the first place, and the result was that the romance suffered greatly!! I could feel their love, the longing that has accummulated after all these years. It was so perfect. Why would you give me an underdeveloped romance, then? Why have only a few scenes between them with meaningful interaction? Maybe they already knew each other very well from the past (and I believe they did), but how will I get to know them if all I get is pages of them not talking to each other and trying to solve a stupid mystery.
Come on! The ending was so beautiful I wanted to cry! Why did you destroy a book that could have been perfect with meaningless and tedious details and an uneven pace? Why, when you have two people with mindblowing chemistry, couldn't you just have them be together and communicate? Why, when they light up the whole place when they're together?
And what was with the sex in random places? Couldn't they just have sex at home, without the fear of discovery, and not in the middle of a freaking spying mission?! And still, I love those love scenes, because that's how great Julie Anne Long is. Aaaaaargh.
I am really sorry! End of rant. It's just that this book had so much wasted potential, which is honestly so much worse than simply reading a bad or mediocre book. But to think of what this could have been... it drives me crazy! Some scenes were truly beautiful. If anybody else had written this, I would have given it more than 3 stars. But, no, Julie Anne Long! For you, this is unacceptable.
You know what? This book doesn't deserve my 3 stars. The explosive chemistry is there, the H/h are both very likeable and I had those butterflies in my stomach again, which rarely happens to me any more after all those romances I've read.
This rating is my punishment. It's the only way I have to express my frustration. I am so angry right now!! Why, Julie Anne Long? Why did you destroy your own book? The plot was all over the place. I had to read pages of how those two tried to solve the mystery, which I wasn't even all that invested in in the first place, and the result was that the romance suffered greatly!! I could feel their love, the longing that has accummulated after all these years. It was so perfect. Why would you give me an underdeveloped romance, then? Why have only a few scenes between them with meaningful interaction? Maybe they already knew each other very well from the past (and I believe they did), but how will I get to know them if all I get is pages of them not talking to each other and trying to solve a stupid mystery.
Come on! The ending was so beautiful I wanted to cry! Why did you destroy a book that could have been perfect with meaningless and tedious details and an uneven pace? Why, when you have two people with mindblowing chemistry, couldn't you just have them be together and communicate? Why, when they light up the whole place when they're together?
And what was with the sex in random places? Couldn't they just have sex at home, without the fear of discovery, and not in the middle of a freaking spying mission?! And still, I love those love scenes, because that's how great Julie Anne Long is. Aaaaaargh.
I am really sorry! End of rant. It's just that this book had so much wasted potential, which is honestly so much worse than simply reading a bad or mediocre book. But to think of what this could have been... it drives me crazy! Some scenes were truly beautiful. If anybody else had written this, I would have given it more than 3 stars. But, no, Julie Anne Long! For you, this is unacceptable.
July 21, 2011
This book only gets one star from me. Which is a crying shame, because 85% of the book is fantastic. It's funny, the mystery is good, the action is tense, and the hero says a few things that are surprisingly uncommon, even in romance novels.
(Mild spoilers here)
So those are REALLY good things! So why am I only giving it a star? Because the things that are bad are so VERY VERY BAD.
This book has the most inappropriate sex I have ever read, and I read Forbidden Shores. The characters had great chemistry, but every sex scene was in the utterly wrong place of the book. I'm going to have to get into some more explicit spoilers here, so be warned
The other thing that bothered me was a scene with a character with supernatural abilities. I'm not against it. But it's the third book in the series and there's never been a whiff of the occult in the others. The character, the ability and the entire scene were shoved in very awkwardly. I can only assume that it's a setup for a future book in the series, because it doesn't add anything to this one.
(Mild spoilers here)
So those are REALLY good things! So why am I only giving it a star? Because the things that are bad are so VERY VERY BAD.
This book has the most inappropriate sex I have ever read, and I read Forbidden Shores. The characters had great chemistry, but every sex scene was in the utterly wrong place of the book. I'm going to have to get into some more explicit spoilers here, so be warned
The other thing that bothered me was a scene with a character with supernatural abilities. I'm not against it. But it's the third book in the series and there's never been a whiff of the occult in the others. The character, the ability and the entire scene were shoved in very awkwardly. I can only assume that it's a setup for a future book in the series, because it doesn't add anything to this one.
December 29, 2020
Two quite unlikable characters, a lot of anger, lust above love, a mystery that dragged out. Not one of JAL's best in my opinion.
1.5 stars
1.5 stars
September 17, 2020
This was about a 3.5 rounded up for me. Chase and Rosalind are a second chance of sorts, she's charming, he's stoic but not. Julie Anne Long, as usual, captivates with descriptions while her hero observes the heroine before he knows who it is and with a 'tilt of a head and roll of a shoulder' that is painfully familiar to him-and this is why I love her. Chase is military - and it shows in descriptions and Rosalind has fortitude, but is undoubtedly less fleshed out character. Perhaps it is because Chase really does loom large in this story, and the Eversea charm isn't limited to Colin-well not the silver tongue at least.
Might people have trouble with the how the connection was born between these protagonists? Probably. I think it's well done, and it's real life so I have none. But that's not really something that usually bothers me.
What underlies and almost upstages the romance here, which is built on both passion and familiarity from the past, is the zany mystery plot. I ... kind of...loved it? Without loving that, it'd be a 3 for sure, but the humor and mystery were so charming.
Might people have trouble with the how the connection was born between these protagonists? Probably. I think it's well done, and it's real life so I have none. But that's not really something that usually bothers me.
What underlies and almost upstages the romance here, which is built on both passion and familiarity from the past, is the zany mystery plot. I ... kind of...loved it? Without loving that, it'd be a 3 for sure, but the humor and mystery were so charming.
September 13, 2018
This is third in a series, but you really don't need to have read the others to enjoy this one. Some characters from previous novels are present, but not in any pressing or important way.
This was okay. The broad outline was pretty obvious, I think (I twigged to the outline at about 23%. Yes, my comment turned out to be prescient). Anyway, Chase was a bit dour and his rigidity was hard to warm to. Yeah, I like the strong, capable, protective man and he is that. But he's also abrupt and a bit blind and more than a little emotionally vacant. Rosalind is a bit better, but there's not much depth to her, either. Yeah, she loves her sister and you can see she has feelings for Chase but she's as emotionally hung-up as he is, in her own way.
When your favorite character is the street urchin, Liam, it's likely you have a problem with your protagonists. I'm just saying.
Anyway, I liked that while the background plot was stupid it was also mildly interesting once we discovered all the details. Tawdry, but original. I didn't mind sticking it out to the end, but I'm also fairly sure I'll forget both main characters by morning. That plot might linger, though. Original stupidity often does, more's the pity.
A note about Steamy: There are three explicit sex scenes and one or two that are close. So this is the middle of my steam tolerance, though on the high side in that range. I didn't take them seriously at all, though, because I can't help feeling like nobody gave them the weight they deserved. Yeah, Rosalind is a widow, but that doesn't mean she can't get pregnant and neither one seemed to care much about any potential consequences. That felt beyond stupid given that Chase planned on sailing for India (putting him out of reach should, er, "consequences" ensue).
This was okay. The broad outline was pretty obvious, I think (I twigged to the outline at about 23%. Yes, my comment turned out to be prescient). Anyway, Chase was a bit dour and his rigidity was hard to warm to. Yeah, I like the strong, capable, protective man and he is that. But he's also abrupt and a bit blind and more than a little emotionally vacant. Rosalind is a bit better, but there's not much depth to her, either. Yeah, she loves her sister and you can see she has feelings for Chase but she's as emotionally hung-up as he is, in her own way.
When your favorite character is the street urchin, Liam, it's likely you have a problem with your protagonists. I'm just saying.
Anyway, I liked that while the background plot was stupid it was also mildly interesting once we discovered all the details. Tawdry, but original. I didn't mind sticking it out to the end, but I'm also fairly sure I'll forget both main characters by morning. That plot might linger, though. Original stupidity often does, more's the pity.
A note about Steamy: There are three explicit sex scenes and one or two that are close. So this is the middle of my steam tolerance, though on the high side in that range. I didn't take them seriously at all, though, because I can't help feeling like nobody gave them the weight they deserved. Yeah, Rosalind is a widow, but that doesn't mean she can't get pregnant and neither one seemed to care much about any potential consequences. That felt beyond stupid given that Chase planned on sailing for India (putting him out of reach should, er, "consequences" ensue).
January 27, 2025
Oh dear. Ohhhhhh dear. I don't know what this was, but it was... very odd.
Let my preface this review by saying that despite it all, Julie Anne Long remains in my top 5 historical romance authors list. One bad book will not change that.
Now.
Capt. Chase Eversea makes a wonderful first impression. Injured in the Napoleonic Wars, he cuts a dashing figure with his gold-tipped cane and general impressiveness. He makes straight woman collapse into puddles of quivering lust with the merest quirk of a smile. He is fearsomely powerful, capable of brutally kicking the heinies of two would-be thieves simultaneously despite his painful injury.
His one weak spot seems to be Rosalind, the widowed wife of his former commanding officer. Back in the day, when her husband was still alive, Chase and Rosalind fought a mega attraction to each other and indeed made out (this might be a turnoff for those of you for whom cheating is a dealbreaker, but I kind of liked it. It felt nicely complicated). Years later, Rosalind summons Chase to an eerie and more or less deserted museum. She needs his help to find her sister, who has gone missing after being arrested for shoplifting.
What follows is, like I said, odd. Long does a lot of very cool eerie atmospheric work: creepy marionettes, paintings with hidden meanings, the aforementioned museum where people come in and don't come out, glimpses of men in Elizabethan costume... There was a cool mystery plot and I was here for it.
Sadly, the whole thing just fell apart. First, Chase and Rosalind kept getting it on in the most inappropriate places and times: a finger bang while spying on some men they thought had something to do with her sister's disappearance. A shag against some old furniture while breaking into the museum looking for more clues. Sixty-nining while breaking into the museum AGAIN, on a dusty late-medieval bed, even though they're pretty sure the museum conceals the brothel into which her sister (and others) have been sex trafficked. It is SO WEIRD. Like, if your sister had disappeared under mysterious circumstances and all signs pointed to her being sex trafficked, wouldn't you be one big ball of worry and anxiety? Would you REALLY be putting all that aside to shag this dude in the weirdest of places? Even though all the clues were right there in front of you and you could have solved this mystery in about a fifth of the time? PRIORITIES, people!!
And THEN, when they finally discover the brothel, where women are being either held captive or forced to work to avoid being transported, it's kind of played for laughs? It was a truly bizarre authorial choice.
There is also a throwaway moment where Chase's vicar cousin, Adam, seemingly heals Chase's leg temporarily just by touching him, but this is never explained? SO WEIRD.
Look, I love a mystery-cum-romance a la Veronica Speedwell or Amelia Peabody. I THINK that's what JAL was trying to do here? Unfortunately, it was a total fail.
SO WEIRD.
Let my preface this review by saying that despite it all, Julie Anne Long remains in my top 5 historical romance authors list. One bad book will not change that.
Now.
Capt. Chase Eversea makes a wonderful first impression. Injured in the Napoleonic Wars, he cuts a dashing figure with his gold-tipped cane and general impressiveness. He makes straight woman collapse into puddles of quivering lust with the merest quirk of a smile. He is fearsomely powerful, capable of brutally kicking the heinies of two would-be thieves simultaneously despite his painful injury.
His one weak spot seems to be Rosalind, the widowed wife of his former commanding officer. Back in the day, when her husband was still alive, Chase and Rosalind fought a mega attraction to each other and indeed made out (this might be a turnoff for those of you for whom cheating is a dealbreaker, but I kind of liked it. It felt nicely complicated). Years later, Rosalind summons Chase to an eerie and more or less deserted museum. She needs his help to find her sister, who has gone missing after being arrested for shoplifting.
What follows is, like I said, odd. Long does a lot of very cool eerie atmospheric work: creepy marionettes, paintings with hidden meanings, the aforementioned museum where people come in and don't come out, glimpses of men in Elizabethan costume... There was a cool mystery plot and I was here for it.
Sadly, the whole thing just fell apart. First, Chase and Rosalind kept getting it on in the most inappropriate places and times: a finger bang while spying on some men they thought had something to do with her sister's disappearance. A shag against some old furniture while breaking into the museum looking for more clues. Sixty-nining while breaking into the museum AGAIN, on a dusty late-medieval bed, even though they're pretty sure the museum conceals the brothel into which her sister (and others) have been sex trafficked. It is SO WEIRD. Like, if your sister had disappeared under mysterious circumstances and all signs pointed to her being sex trafficked, wouldn't you be one big ball of worry and anxiety? Would you REALLY be putting all that aside to shag this dude in the weirdest of places? Even though all the clues were right there in front of you and you could have solved this mystery in about a fifth of the time? PRIORITIES, people!!
And THEN, when they finally discover the brothel, where women are being either held captive or forced to work to avoid being transported, it's kind of played for laughs? It was a truly bizarre authorial choice.
There is also a throwaway moment where Chase's vicar cousin, Adam, seemingly heals Chase's leg temporarily just by touching him, but this is never explained? SO WEIRD.
Look, I love a mystery-cum-romance a la Veronica Speedwell or Amelia Peabody. I THINK that's what JAL was trying to do here? Unfortunately, it was a total fail.
SO WEIRD.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2022
“She’d been wanted before. She’d been worshipped before. And now she wanted to be loved. And to love in return.”
I absolutely loved Captain Colin EverSea & Rosalind’s story. My did this book have an interesting twist that I honestly didn’t see coming. This was quite the mystery with some amazing steamy moments as well as knee slapping hilarious times. I absolutely adore Julie’s writing and I think she’s brilliant!!
Onto book 4!!
I absolutely loved Captain Colin EverSea & Rosalind’s story. My did this book have an interesting twist that I honestly didn’t see coming. This was quite the mystery with some amazing steamy moments as well as knee slapping hilarious times. I absolutely adore Julie’s writing and I think she’s brilliant!!
Onto book 4!!
April 3, 2021
This was so much better than book one and two together. The plot was still silly, but I liked the main characters much more.
Although they choose to have their intimacy in the most weird places and times!
Although they choose to have their intimacy in the most weird places and times!
March 22, 2022
1.5
Like the first book (Chase’s brother’s book), the mystery took precedence over the romance, so I struggled to get into the book. Since I didn’t skim through this book like I did the first one, I enjoyed reading the intimate scenes. The first one was a little steamy but didn’t . The three sex scenes weren’t that long nor as detailed as other HRs, which was fine with me. I think they were a little more on the realistic side. The hero wasn't completely nude in those scenes. I believe there was a 69 position with him on top.
Oh, and there were a few plays on words when it came to fake names. Very clever of the author.
O. McCaucus-Bigg = Oh, my cock is big
Welland-Dowd = Well-endowed
Hugh G. Wrexion = Huge erection (this one took me a while)
No epilogue but I didn't mind because I was glad to have finished the book.
Like the first book (Chase’s brother’s book), the mystery took precedence over the romance, so I struggled to get into the book. Since I didn’t skim through this book like I did the first one, I enjoyed reading the intimate scenes. The first one was a little steamy but didn’t . The three sex scenes weren’t that long nor as detailed as other HRs, which was fine with me. I think they were a little more on the realistic side. The hero wasn't completely nude in those scenes. I believe there was a 69 position with him on top.
Oh, and there were a few plays on words when it came to fake names. Very clever of the author.
O. McCaucus-Bigg = Oh, my cock is big
Welland-Dowd = Well-endowed
Hugh G. Wrexion = Huge erection (this one took me a while)
No epilogue but I didn't mind because I was glad to have finished the book.
May 14, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up.
Captain Chase Eversea has made a name for himself as a bold, brilliant military officer and war hero, but it hasn’t left him unscarred. Trouble always seems to find him and that is certainly the case when he’s summoned to an obscure London museum by a mysterious woman who of course turns out to be the very woman who nearly destroyed his military career with their attraction. She’s also the one woman he’s never quite been able to forget.
Rosalind March isn’t the same young officer’s wife who craved attention and flirtation five year ago. Now she’s a cool and calmly capable widow but has reached the limits of her ability to find her missing sister and Chase is the only one she can think of who might be able to help her. Chase is reluctant but his honor wins out as he agrees to help, against his better judgment. Their search takes them to seedy areas of London and the time spent together makes it clear that the passionate attraction between them is still very much intact if they’re willing to give it a chance to grow into something more.
It took a bit for me to really get drawn into this story, but I think a lot of that was because I was listening on audio and was not the biggest fan of the narrator. I liked Chase as a hero, mainly for his sheer competence, and I especially loved his scenes with Colin. Chase showed excellent character development and I loved that he wound up being unafraid of his feelings for Rosalind and willing to put them out there. In fact, it was Rosalind who was afraid to risk her heart, but she showed excellent self-awareness in realizing this and it was so satisfying to me that these two truly chose each other. In this way, their bond seemed especially solid and strong. The romance did take a backseat to the mystery aspect here though and while Chase and Rosalind did spend a good deal of time together, their more intimate scenes mostly felt like random afterthoughts and didn’t fit the flow of the story. I was glad that, although this is a second chance story, there wasn’t an undue amount of focus placed on their past indiscretion and the mystery here is largely what helped move the plot away from that, so it mostly worked. The mutual pining and sexual tension aspects were very well developed, I just wanted a bit more devotion to the actual romance to make this more special. I liked that Chase was strong and protective of Rosalind but also very respectful of her and her right to make her own decisions. Overall, this one wasn’t my favorite, but I still loved the writing style and enjoyed the story.
Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
Captain Chase Eversea has made a name for himself as a bold, brilliant military officer and war hero, but it hasn’t left him unscarred. Trouble always seems to find him and that is certainly the case when he’s summoned to an obscure London museum by a mysterious woman who of course turns out to be the very woman who nearly destroyed his military career with their attraction. She’s also the one woman he’s never quite been able to forget.
Rosalind March isn’t the same young officer’s wife who craved attention and flirtation five year ago. Now she’s a cool and calmly capable widow but has reached the limits of her ability to find her missing sister and Chase is the only one she can think of who might be able to help her. Chase is reluctant but his honor wins out as he agrees to help, against his better judgment. Their search takes them to seedy areas of London and the time spent together makes it clear that the passionate attraction between them is still very much intact if they’re willing to give it a chance to grow into something more.
It took a bit for me to really get drawn into this story, but I think a lot of that was because I was listening on audio and was not the biggest fan of the narrator. I liked Chase as a hero, mainly for his sheer competence, and I especially loved his scenes with Colin. Chase showed excellent character development and I loved that he wound up being unafraid of his feelings for Rosalind and willing to put them out there. In fact, it was Rosalind who was afraid to risk her heart, but she showed excellent self-awareness in realizing this and it was so satisfying to me that these two truly chose each other. In this way, their bond seemed especially solid and strong. The romance did take a backseat to the mystery aspect here though and while Chase and Rosalind did spend a good deal of time together, their more intimate scenes mostly felt like random afterthoughts and didn’t fit the flow of the story. I was glad that, although this is a second chance story, there wasn’t an undue amount of focus placed on their past indiscretion and the mystery here is largely what helped move the plot away from that, so it mostly worked. The mutual pining and sexual tension aspects were very well developed, I just wanted a bit more devotion to the actual romance to make this more special. I liked that Chase was strong and protective of Rosalind but also very respectful of her and her right to make her own decisions. Overall, this one wasn’t my favorite, but I still loved the writing style and enjoyed the story.
Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
July 18, 2025
4 'surrender' stars
I was told that this one is not as good as the previous ones and it actually does have the lowest rating in the series. However, I really enjoyed it. It is true that I didn't like it as much as the first two - hence the 4 stars rating instead of 5 - but it still has an interesting story. I like Julie Anne Long's unique style of writing. When I was reading The Perils of Pleasure, I was a little annoyed by it at first. All these unimportant details and countless adjectives. But once I got used to it, I started to appreciate it. It gives the story some kind of authenticity, in a way that you can really feel the characters and the setting. It feels genuine.
Like the previous books, this one is very unusual as well. It is about missing girls, pictures of cows and naughty angels, dark museums, and puppets. In the middle of this mess, Captain Chase Eversea and Mrs. Rosalind March are trying to solve this strange mystery. To complicate things further, they have a shared history of a forbidden kind.
This story is part historical mystery, part second chance romance. It's entertaining, it's sensual, it has great characters and the romance is warm like a winter blanket. And now I better stop, because I've started to say silly things.
(Their encounter in the library and also in the museum very much reminded me of this Athos and Milady's scene. There's no better time and place to be indulging in the carnal pleasure than sneaking around with the intention of not being seen and heard. Oh, well...)
I was told that this one is not as good as the previous ones and it actually does have the lowest rating in the series. However, I really enjoyed it. It is true that I didn't like it as much as the first two - hence the 4 stars rating instead of 5 - but it still has an interesting story. I like Julie Anne Long's unique style of writing. When I was reading The Perils of Pleasure, I was a little annoyed by it at first. All these unimportant details and countless adjectives. But once I got used to it, I started to appreciate it. It gives the story some kind of authenticity, in a way that you can really feel the characters and the setting. It feels genuine.
Like the previous books, this one is very unusual as well. It is about missing girls, pictures of cows and naughty angels, dark museums, and puppets. In the middle of this mess, Captain Chase Eversea and Mrs. Rosalind March are trying to solve this strange mystery. To complicate things further, they have a shared history of a forbidden kind.
This story is part historical mystery, part second chance romance. It's entertaining, it's sensual, it has great characters and the romance is warm like a winter blanket. And now I better stop, because I've started to say silly things.
She wished he understood that the true strength sometimes had to do with the ability to simply surrender.
(Their encounter in the library and also in the museum very much reminded me of this Athos and Milady's scene. There's no better time and place to be indulging in the carnal pleasure than sneaking around with the intention of not being seen and heard. Oh, well...)
June 4, 2018
3 to 3.5 stars. I like Captain Chase Eversea. Bold, brave, manly, heroic former soldier and leader of men. Walks with a cane due to a war injury.
I also quite liked Rosalind. Widow of Chase's former commanding officer, an older man whom she loved, but wasn't 'in love' with. Chase and Rosalind had been attracted to each other years before, when Rosalind was still married. They had shared one forbidden kiss, then hardly saw each other again.
Now both of them are free, and their attraction flares back into life when they run into each other again, in London.
The romance was quite nice, and there was also a sweet little mystery. Fairly predictable, but still quite neatly unfolded. I was actually really enjoying this book, but unfortunately there was one scene that just didn't work for me, and it 'took the shine off' this book.
This scene involved the H taking the h into a brothel to try to solve part of the mystery. Whilst there they For me this scene was totally tasteless and unnecessary. I do like a well-written, tasteful sex scene, and don't mind some explicitness if it fits in and is done well. But in this case it seemed totally gratuitous. The scene seemed like it suddenly came from nowhere, and it didn't fit in with the tone of the rest of the book, or with the flavour of the romance till then. Just a random and full-on scene. There was not even any need for them to go to the brothel anyway, cos the H had already worked out the 'secret' of the painting he wanted the h to identify.
So, although the story improved again after that, the scene left me with a bad taste in my mouth, and it influenced my overall enjoyment of the book. What a shame.
But overall I do like this series, and will keep reading.
I also quite liked Rosalind. Widow of Chase's former commanding officer, an older man whom she loved, but wasn't 'in love' with. Chase and Rosalind had been attracted to each other years before, when Rosalind was still married. They had shared one forbidden kiss, then hardly saw each other again.
Now both of them are free, and their attraction flares back into life when they run into each other again, in London.
The romance was quite nice, and there was also a sweet little mystery. Fairly predictable, but still quite neatly unfolded. I was actually really enjoying this book, but unfortunately there was one scene that just didn't work for me, and it 'took the shine off' this book.
This scene involved the H taking the h into a brothel to try to solve part of the mystery. Whilst there they For me this scene was totally tasteless and unnecessary. I do like a well-written, tasteful sex scene, and don't mind some explicitness if it fits in and is done well. But in this case it seemed totally gratuitous. The scene seemed like it suddenly came from nowhere, and it didn't fit in with the tone of the rest of the book, or with the flavour of the romance till then. Just a random and full-on scene. There was not even any need for them to go to the brothel anyway, cos the H had already worked out the 'secret' of the painting he wanted the h to identify.
So, although the story improved again after that, the scene left me with a bad taste in my mouth, and it influenced my overall enjoyment of the book. What a shame.
But overall I do like this series, and will keep reading.
April 15, 2025
Chase and Rosalind have a mutual passionate desire which they found impossible to deny five years ago and the minute they set eyes on each other it roars back and flattens them. Chase is delicious and honorable and dependable—and irresistible—and skilled—so naturally Rosalind spends the entire book resisting him (emotionally, not physically) because that’s what women do, right? Yeah, right. So the relationship feels false, and the surrounding plot line about disappearing thieves and creepy marionettes and brothels hidden by museums with sliding doors, which veers from genuinely funny to genuinely bizarre in a discordant way, doesn’t make this story any more compelling. Chase deserves better.
I’m not saying this book is bad or uninteresting, but it’s a bit of a head scratcher that feels inauthentic.
I’m not saying this book is bad or uninteresting, but it’s a bit of a head scratcher that feels inauthentic.
October 2, 2009
I stopped at Page 185, which is exactly the halfway point. I have been trying to read this on and off for 22 days and I just have to face the fact that this bk is a lost cause.
This novel has been getting mixed reviews all along and it grieves me that I am agreeing with the naysayers, since I was so impressed with the first 2 bks in this series (which were terrific). The first two books were different from each other and JAL tries yet another different story here but it's not as engaging.
The story wasnt engaging.
The mystery wasnt engaging.
The H/H weren't engaging.
Their connection wasnt engaging.
The only bright point is JAL's usual wit and fantastic dialogue. Unfortunately, the hero is a taciturn man and the majority of the story is told from his POV so there isn't enough of this fantastic dialogue. Instead, I had to muddle through an inordinate amount of interior monologue which was almost James Joycean in its ponderance and self-indulgence. If there was an equal amount of action to the amount of inner musings, I wouldn't have minded and would have trudged on. However, by Page 185, the H/H had all of THREE short meetings and I didn't want to muddle thru anymore hoping it would get better.
Grade: C/DNF
This novel has been getting mixed reviews all along and it grieves me that I am agreeing with the naysayers, since I was so impressed with the first 2 bks in this series (which were terrific). The first two books were different from each other and JAL tries yet another different story here but it's not as engaging.
The story wasnt engaging.
The mystery wasnt engaging.
The H/H weren't engaging.
Their connection wasnt engaging.
The only bright point is JAL's usual wit and fantastic dialogue. Unfortunately, the hero is a taciturn man and the majority of the story is told from his POV so there isn't enough of this fantastic dialogue. Instead, I had to muddle through an inordinate amount of interior monologue which was almost James Joycean in its ponderance and self-indulgence. If there was an equal amount of action to the amount of inner musings, I wouldn't have minded and would have trudged on. However, by Page 185, the H/H had all of THREE short meetings and I didn't want to muddle thru anymore hoping it would get better.
Grade: C/DNF
September 17, 2020
4 Stars!
I know that I'm a bit of an outlier, but I loved this one. If not for the a couple of awkward or ill-placed sensual scenes, it probably would have been closer to five stars. I loved both Chase and Rosalind, as well as scrappy little Liam. There were some poignant moments with Chase, separately and with Rosalind, but the story also had a lot of fun humor and mystery. I'm still smiling as I consider different scenes and I'm excited for more of the Eversea family.
October 8, 2023
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in (chapter 2, about 6% or so)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No
Format: listened to audiobook checked out on Hoopla
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
Ideally yes because the family is large and intertwined and overlapping in books. But I also think this one is fine for a rebel reader to pick up and read alone. Most of the book is focused on the mystery and Rosalind and Chase working together.
Basic plot:
Chase gets a message summoning him to a mysterious meeting and the last person he expects is Rosalind, a woman from his past.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- London setting
- mystery focused – hero and heroine work together to find the heroine’s missing sister
- widowed heroine
- teach me
- naughty paintings
- a hero that has a passionate hatred for puppets 😂
- captain hero
- mid steam – 3 full scenes – slower burn and the last scene is on the light side
Ages:
- hero is ‘30-something’, and heroine is not yet 30
First line:
Banished.
My thoughts:
I swear when I started this and realized it was second chance, I was still going to give it my all. But combined with the mystery and me disliking the hero most of the book, this book wasn’t a favorite for me.
Our first interaction between Chase and Rosalind set the tone for me for the hero and I never really got over it. We know they have a past, and something happened to destroy their relationship. (Which, when I found out what it was, I didn’t think it was nearly as drastic as it was made to seem and no reason for Chase to treat Rosalind the way he did). Rosalind is desperate to find her missing sister and Chase basically smirks, belittles and condescends to her and I kind of hated him.
I got a bit bored in the first half and wanted the mains together more. But then when they were together it was very mystery focused – mystery plot wise in finding the sister and mystery with their past relationship which is slowly revealed throughout the book.
I liked the heroine, but never grew to love either of these characters. This one wasn’t for me but I think if you enjoy second chance and a mystery aspect this will be a much smoother read for you.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
July 21, 2020
This book is deeply weird and will not work for most readers, including myself. Though I appreciate humor, even in books with dark subject matter, the blending of humor with the plot of Since the Surrender is jarring in the extreme.
The plot of Since the Surrender consists of Rosalind enlisting Charles Eversea to help her solve the mysterious disappearance of her sister, who was arrested for theft but then vanished from prison with no record of where she was sent. Ultimately, Rosalind and Charles uncover a ring of wealthy men who have established a brothel where they can live out their sexual fantasies that they staff by secreting away pretty women who have committed petty crimes.
While this plot maybe could work, playing it for comedy super does not work in and of itself. What's happening is clearly horrible, but the text treats it somewhat comedically. For example, the pretty petty criminals are given a couple of choices: they can reject working in the brothel and face England's justice OR if they agree to work, they can either play a role in a weird fantasy (like a mermaid or a leprechaun??? I'm not joking here) or they can work off their "debt" faster on their backs. The concept of what the women have to do in this brothel is hilarious, as are all of the examples they walk through and the teen boy prank names the club members choose (think McCaucus-Bigg, Welland-Dowd, Hugh G. Wrexion), and the fact that the women aren't REQUIRED to prostitute themselves make it seem less nefarious. Also, lbr who the fuck would set up a brothel and kidnap women but draw the line at "forcing" them when the whole point is to force them? Bullshit.
Honestly, the comedic elements are some of the stronger aspects of the book. Long has a real gift for writing humor, but the jolly tone of the book is consistently baffling against the backdrop women being kidnapped and forced into prostitution. Sure, the ongoing gag of the badass Captain Eversea being scared to shit of puppets is funny, but does it fit with this plot? No, no it does not.
On top of this, the central romance really doesn't work either, at least for me. YMMV. It's a second chance romance, always hit or miss for me, and it commits the cardinal sin that makes that trope not work for me: there's little explanation of why their past relationship and they're already in love at the start. I am very honestly not sure what happened between them in the past; I know they hooked up when she was married to his superior officer, but I'm not sure whether it was one kiss or a regular fling. Setting aside the infidelity aspect, I don't know who these people are to each other when they meet in the museum at the beginning of the book, and I don't know how to feel about any of it.
Ultimately, the relationship seems to rely on their past affections and sexual chemistry. I can't begin to tell you why these two are in love and make a good couple. Their entire bond so far as I can see is that they really want to bang each other. While there's nothing wrong with that, the point of a romance novel to my mind is the emotions, and those were missing. Their dynamic consistently felt off. Oh, and the entire time, until the last page, he's planning to move to India the following week.
Also, speaking of wanting to bang each other, the sex scenes are almost entirely WEIRD. Their first hookup happens while they're spying on a group of men in a library. The first penetration happens when they break into the Montmorency museum at night, as does their second. They broke into the museum because they think some dudes might be running a brothel out of there but they stop searching to have sex? Really? I'm supposed to believe she's really concerned about her sister??? Also, the second time, they have sex on a museum bed that is SUPER DUSTY. Y'all, that's gross. You have homes with clean beds WHAT ARE YOU DOING. I get that some people enjoy risky sex where they might get caught, and I've liked books with that kink before, but 1) they're investigating and it could actually be dangerous and 2) she knows it's a possibility her sister has been forced into prostitution.
Honestly, what is this book? I'm so so so puzzled this book made it through edits in this state, because it feels like two deeply disparate concepts got smushed into one confused-as-hell novel.
The plot of Since the Surrender consists of Rosalind enlisting Charles Eversea to help her solve the mysterious disappearance of her sister, who was arrested for theft but then vanished from prison with no record of where she was sent. Ultimately, Rosalind and Charles uncover a ring of wealthy men who have established a brothel where they can live out their sexual fantasies that they staff by secreting away pretty women who have committed petty crimes.
While this plot maybe could work, playing it for comedy super does not work in and of itself. What's happening is clearly horrible, but the text treats it somewhat comedically. For example, the pretty petty criminals are given a couple of choices: they can reject working in the brothel and face England's justice OR if they agree to work, they can either play a role in a weird fantasy (like a mermaid or a leprechaun??? I'm not joking here) or they can work off their "debt" faster on their backs. The concept of what the women have to do in this brothel is hilarious, as are all of the examples they walk through and the teen boy prank names the club members choose (think McCaucus-Bigg, Welland-Dowd, Hugh G. Wrexion), and the fact that the women aren't REQUIRED to prostitute themselves make it seem less nefarious. Also, lbr who the fuck would set up a brothel and kidnap women but draw the line at "forcing" them when the whole point is to force them? Bullshit.
Honestly, the comedic elements are some of the stronger aspects of the book. Long has a real gift for writing humor, but the jolly tone of the book is consistently baffling against the backdrop women being kidnapped and forced into prostitution. Sure, the ongoing gag of the badass Captain Eversea being scared to shit of puppets is funny, but does it fit with this plot? No, no it does not.
On top of this, the central romance really doesn't work either, at least for me. YMMV. It's a second chance romance, always hit or miss for me, and it commits the cardinal sin that makes that trope not work for me: there's little explanation of why their past relationship and they're already in love at the start. I am very honestly not sure what happened between them in the past; I know they hooked up when she was married to his superior officer, but I'm not sure whether it was one kiss or a regular fling. Setting aside the infidelity aspect, I don't know who these people are to each other when they meet in the museum at the beginning of the book, and I don't know how to feel about any of it.
Ultimately, the relationship seems to rely on their past affections and sexual chemistry. I can't begin to tell you why these two are in love and make a good couple. Their entire bond so far as I can see is that they really want to bang each other. While there's nothing wrong with that, the point of a romance novel to my mind is the emotions, and those were missing. Their dynamic consistently felt off. Oh, and the entire time, until the last page, he's planning to move to India the following week.
Also, speaking of wanting to bang each other, the sex scenes are almost entirely WEIRD. Their first hookup happens while they're spying on a group of men in a library. The first penetration happens when they break into the Montmorency museum at night, as does their second. They broke into the museum because they think some dudes might be running a brothel out of there but they stop searching to have sex? Really? I'm supposed to believe she's really concerned about her sister??? Also, the second time, they have sex on a museum bed that is SUPER DUSTY. Y'all, that's gross. You have homes with clean beds WHAT ARE YOU DOING. I get that some people enjoy risky sex where they might get caught, and I've liked books with that kink before, but 1) they're investigating and it could actually be dangerous and 2) she knows it's a possibility her sister has been forced into prostitution.
Honestly, what is this book? I'm so so so puzzled this book made it through edits in this state, because it feels like two deeply disparate concepts got smushed into one confused-as-hell novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2009
The queen of metaphorical expression has, once again, penned a winner. Although I was pretty sure going in that Since the Surrender would not be as good as Like No Other Lover (one of my 5 all-time favorites), JAL does not disappoint her fans with this one. The sexual tension building up in the first 2/3 of the book is so palpable that by the time they actually get together you are on your last nerve! And then wham! they go at it every way but the "standard" way! I really feel that Long has finally come into her own as an accomplished author. Just the uniqueness of the plot alone shows off JAL's gift for creative storytelling; and, combined with her expressive style of writing and subtle humor, she presents us with yet another keeper!
August 1, 2009
Since The Surrender is book 3 in Julie Anne Long's Pennyroyal Green series, and IMO, the best of the lot. Recuperating from war wounds and banished from the family home by concerned family members who think he could use a change of scenery, Captain Charles (Chase) Eversea is in London to call on a distant cousin & determine his suitability as the new vicar of Pennyroyal Green. A celebrated war hero, Chase feels adrift & superfluous, and thus makes plans to join the East India Company and set sail for India within the month. On his way to pay his obligatory visit to his cousin the vicar, a street urchin passes him a mysterious, rose-scented note, asking him to meet the anonymous sender (obviously a woman) at the Montmorency, a former residence turned London museum.
Upon arriving at the Montmorency, Chase quickly discovers that the mystery lady in question is a former acquaintance (and obsession), Rosalind March, the widow of Chase's former commanding officer, Colonel Mathew March. Chase and Rosalind shared a single scorching kiss - and so much more - five years ago, and he has carried the memory, along with the guilt for betraying his former commander and friend, with him ever since.
Rosalind is widowed and alone, and desperately searching for her sister Lucy, missing from Newgate prison, following her arrest for alleged theft. Rosalind has sought out Chase, in the hopes that he can help her find Lucy, and possibly open a few doors that have been - to her mind - suspiciously closed to her in the course of her attempts to locate Lucy. Chase at first dismisses Rosalind's concerns as baseless, and refuses to help, but what's clearly at the heart of his reluctance is the depth of hidden feelings he still has for Rosalind. Deciding to make a few discreet inquiries into Lucy's disappearance, Chase soon begins to realize that something strange does appear to be going on, and all of it is somehow tied to the Montmorency and an odd (and truly tacky) Italian painting.
Chase discovers Rosalind eavesdropping on a mutual acquaintance & former British officer, who she suspects knows what happened to Lucy, and there follows a very brief (and decidedly steamy) tussle behind the bookshelves. When he confronts Rosalind later about her behavior, she shows him some mildly threatening notes she has been receiving from an anonymous sender. He suggests, at first, that they marry so that he can protect her, but when Rosalind refuses, claiming that she alone wants to be responsible for her future choices in life, he reluctantly agrees to help her find her sister.
What follows is surely one of the steamiest & most hysterically funny romps through brothels, the streets of London, and even the home of a bohemian painter of naughty artwork, that could possibly exist in fiction. I was alternately adjusting the air conditioning and mopping away tears of laughter throughout the entire book, and I simply could NOT put it down.
Chase and Rosalind are a positively scorching, if highly unlikely, couple. He is the acknowledged "warrior" of the Eversea clan, eternally stoic, always in command, but a man of infinite, if carefully hidden, emotional depth. Rosalind is a kind-natured, but independent and self-sufficient woman, and her role within her own rather dysfunctional family has typically been one of caregiver & reluctant custodian to two flighty sisters. Chase has always made her feel gauche and unsure of herself, and while she doesn't regret their attraction and brief moment of weakness five years prior, she's never quite sure that he hasn't judged her and found her somehow lacking because of it. As different as they are, I loved Chase and Rosalind as a couple, and found their mutual attraction and virtually unarticulated feelings for each other to be nearly tangible & emotionally wrenching. Amid the laughs and the sweating, my heart ached for both of them.
Since The Surrender is not however, flawless. Almost sloppy editing is prevalent throughout the book, and these are sometimes silly oversights & omissions (missing words, a typo here & there, etc.) that even the least observant editor should have been able to catch on a simple proofread. Editing flaws, in the face of such amazing writing however, I can definitely live with. The humor might come across to some as being somewhat middle school-worthy; use of naughty pseudonyms (who can forget 8th grade classics like E. Jack Ulate, Mike Rotch, and Dick Gozenya?) is liberal and highly inventive. To her credit, Long actually manages to come up with several I'd never heard of before:P
And the steam... this book positively sizzles, and let's face it, chemistry like that is nine-tenths of what we read romances for in the first place. Heat, depth, humor, and vivid, delightfully quirky characters (Chase has a childhood-born fear of marionettes:P); this book, in my very humble opinion, has it all.
I gave it a VERY solid A. It's a must read:)
Sensuality Rating: R
Upon arriving at the Montmorency, Chase quickly discovers that the mystery lady in question is a former acquaintance (and obsession), Rosalind March, the widow of Chase's former commanding officer, Colonel Mathew March. Chase and Rosalind shared a single scorching kiss - and so much more - five years ago, and he has carried the memory, along with the guilt for betraying his former commander and friend, with him ever since.
Rosalind is widowed and alone, and desperately searching for her sister Lucy, missing from Newgate prison, following her arrest for alleged theft. Rosalind has sought out Chase, in the hopes that he can help her find Lucy, and possibly open a few doors that have been - to her mind - suspiciously closed to her in the course of her attempts to locate Lucy. Chase at first dismisses Rosalind's concerns as baseless, and refuses to help, but what's clearly at the heart of his reluctance is the depth of hidden feelings he still has for Rosalind. Deciding to make a few discreet inquiries into Lucy's disappearance, Chase soon begins to realize that something strange does appear to be going on, and all of it is somehow tied to the Montmorency and an odd (and truly tacky) Italian painting.
Chase discovers Rosalind eavesdropping on a mutual acquaintance & former British officer, who she suspects knows what happened to Lucy, and there follows a very brief (and decidedly steamy) tussle behind the bookshelves. When he confronts Rosalind later about her behavior, she shows him some mildly threatening notes she has been receiving from an anonymous sender. He suggests, at first, that they marry so that he can protect her, but when Rosalind refuses, claiming that she alone wants to be responsible for her future choices in life, he reluctantly agrees to help her find her sister.
What follows is surely one of the steamiest & most hysterically funny romps through brothels, the streets of London, and even the home of a bohemian painter of naughty artwork, that could possibly exist in fiction. I was alternately adjusting the air conditioning and mopping away tears of laughter throughout the entire book, and I simply could NOT put it down.
Chase and Rosalind are a positively scorching, if highly unlikely, couple. He is the acknowledged "warrior" of the Eversea clan, eternally stoic, always in command, but a man of infinite, if carefully hidden, emotional depth. Rosalind is a kind-natured, but independent and self-sufficient woman, and her role within her own rather dysfunctional family has typically been one of caregiver & reluctant custodian to two flighty sisters. Chase has always made her feel gauche and unsure of herself, and while she doesn't regret their attraction and brief moment of weakness five years prior, she's never quite sure that he hasn't judged her and found her somehow lacking because of it. As different as they are, I loved Chase and Rosalind as a couple, and found their mutual attraction and virtually unarticulated feelings for each other to be nearly tangible & emotionally wrenching. Amid the laughs and the sweating, my heart ached for both of them.
Since The Surrender is not however, flawless. Almost sloppy editing is prevalent throughout the book, and these are sometimes silly oversights & omissions (missing words, a typo here & there, etc.) that even the least observant editor should have been able to catch on a simple proofread. Editing flaws, in the face of such amazing writing however, I can definitely live with. The humor might come across to some as being somewhat middle school-worthy; use of naughty pseudonyms (who can forget 8th grade classics like E. Jack Ulate, Mike Rotch, and Dick Gozenya?) is liberal and highly inventive. To her credit, Long actually manages to come up with several I'd never heard of before:P
And the steam... this book positively sizzles, and let's face it, chemistry like that is nine-tenths of what we read romances for in the first place. Heat, depth, humor, and vivid, delightfully quirky characters (Chase has a childhood-born fear of marionettes:P); this book, in my very humble opinion, has it all.
I gave it a VERY solid A. It's a must read:)
Sensuality Rating: R
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March 24, 2015
3.5 stars
Julie Anne Long has a terrific writing style because it consists of a deep-going way of characterisation, a love for the small but significant details and an vivid and authentic imagery.
This is a story about two people who have been attracted to each other and felt a strong connection for many years, but the heroine was married and one impropriety a handful years back led to a distanced relationship.
The relationship between these two, Rosalind and Chace, is one of those the reader cannot help but feel strongly for, because there is a tangible tension and undercurrent that made me nearly shiver while reading it.
But unfortunately the development of their relationship suffered because of that tension and both were very secretive and closed-off about their feelings. The angst was just right, but I would've wished for a little bit more honest and open communication, as boring as it sounds.
The romance got in second place, the mystery about the disappearance of Rosalind's sister, Lucy, played an important part, but although that mystery part was very well played and kept me reading, the beautiful set-up and background of the romance felt underdeveloped and even a little bit rushed throughout the novel. That is, until the end. Wow. That one really tugged on my nerves and made my heart melt, it was properly one of the best-developed endings I've read in a long time.
Julie Anne Long has a terrific writing style because it consists of a deep-going way of characterisation, a love for the small but significant details and an vivid and authentic imagery.
This is a story about two people who have been attracted to each other and felt a strong connection for many years, but the heroine was married and one impropriety a handful years back led to a distanced relationship.
The relationship between these two, Rosalind and Chace, is one of those the reader cannot help but feel strongly for, because there is a tangible tension and undercurrent that made me nearly shiver while reading it.
But unfortunately the development of their relationship suffered because of that tension and both were very secretive and closed-off about their feelings. The angst was just right, but I would've wished for a little bit more honest and open communication, as boring as it sounds.
The romance got in second place, the mystery about the disappearance of Rosalind's sister, Lucy, played an important part, but although that mystery part was very well played and kept me reading, the beautiful set-up and background of the romance felt underdeveloped and even a little bit rushed throughout the novel. That is, until the end. Wow. That one really tugged on my nerves and made my heart melt, it was properly one of the best-developed endings I've read in a long time.
January 10, 2023
2nd reading:
I found this funnier this time around. It may be because I listened to it this time and Justine Eyre does an AMAZING job. Chase was still hot with his alpha tendencies, and Justine was still brave and loyal. I still swooned at the end when he confessed his love for her :)
First Reading:
Captain Chase Eversea can heat up the pages by doing nothing more than kissing a woman. The evidence is in this book ;) I didn't find this as funny as the last book in the series, but I did cackle quit a few times...like when Chase gave his name as Hugh G Wrexion. I mean, come on. You can't help but laugh out loud at that like you're a 15 year old boy :)
What I think I liked best about this one was that Chase and Rosalind knew each other before the book started and had shared a brief, but passionate, kiss. Once. And Chase knew he was in love with her. And Chase was the one to say it first. There's just something about a man who is willing to put it out there and say the words first that pulls at my heart.
I found this funnier this time around. It may be because I listened to it this time and Justine Eyre does an AMAZING job. Chase was still hot with his alpha tendencies, and Justine was still brave and loyal. I still swooned at the end when he confessed his love for her :)
First Reading:
Captain Chase Eversea can heat up the pages by doing nothing more than kissing a woman. The evidence is in this book ;) I didn't find this as funny as the last book in the series, but I did cackle quit a few times...like when Chase gave his name as Hugh G Wrexion. I mean, come on. You can't help but laugh out loud at that like you're a 15 year old boy :)
What I think I liked best about this one was that Chase and Rosalind knew each other before the book started and had shared a brief, but passionate, kiss. Once. And Chase knew he was in love with her. And Chase was the one to say it first. There's just something about a man who is willing to put it out there and say the words first that pulls at my heart.
December 29, 2022
4.5 stars.
Give them to me stiff, starchy, and honorable please!
Give them to me stiff, starchy, and honorable please!
October 26, 2021
England 1820, with some flashbacks to just before and
during the Battle of Waterloo.
Featured Chase, a former Army Captain, who spoke to
everyone as if he were still in command & widowed
Rosalind. Rosa's late, considerably older husband,
Colonel March, served as Chase's commanding officer.
Before Waterloo, Chase and Rosa had a friendship of
sorts.
Rosa told Chase her sister Lucy disappeared and she
needed his assist. He invalidated her concern. But
soon these 2 joined forces to find Lucy. The mystery,
which utilized puppets & marionettes in the plot,
overpowered the love story, & made obvious the ID
of the antagonist.
This story felt average, as did book #2 in the series.
during the Battle of Waterloo.
Featured Chase, a former Army Captain, who spoke to
everyone as if he were still in command & widowed
Rosalind. Rosa's late, considerably older husband,
Colonel March, served as Chase's commanding officer.
Before Waterloo, Chase and Rosa had a friendship of
sorts.
Rosa told Chase her sister Lucy disappeared and she
needed his assist. He invalidated her concern. But
soon these 2 joined forces to find Lucy. The mystery,
which utilized puppets & marionettes in the plot,
overpowered the love story, & made obvious the ID
of the antagonist.
This story felt average, as did book #2 in the series.
February 2, 2018
DNF at 60%
This is the second Julie Anne Long book that I couldn't get into and left unfinished. Nothing particular that bothered me about it, it just didn't hold my attention and I was so bored while reading it. So I guess it's safe to say Ms. Long's writing style does not suit me and I'll stay away from her books (at least for a while).
This is the second Julie Anne Long book that I couldn't get into and left unfinished. Nothing particular that bothered me about it, it just didn't hold my attention and I was so bored while reading it. So I guess it's safe to say Ms. Long's writing style does not suit me and I'll stay away from her books (at least for a while).
August 19, 2016
3 1/2 stars (rounded down to 3 stars, because no matter how enticing Ms. Long's writing was, the story failed to keep me engaged)
August 27, 2024
Nice mystery, slow burn.
July 17, 2014
2.5 stars
Not really my favorite book of the series. Possibly because I'm not fond of reunion stories. Possibly because Chase and Rosalind just didn't work for me. Could be the mystery aspect of it. Or maybe the puppets. I'll never be able to think of puppets in the same way again. Still, I love the way JAL writes, her characters are just so distinctive. This series is still awesome.
It's not that I hate it. I'm just ambivalent and a bit distant to it. Which is why I'm now running out of review-writing energy.
Quotes
"Time and sun and pain and long nights involving God only knew what manner of male diversions had engraved lines at the corners of his eyes, sharpened and deepened the angles and hollows of his long face, made an implacable thing of his mouth. From the looks of things, it would make a veritable creaking noise should he attempt to turn it up into a smile now. His eyes…his eyes could still cut diamonds. Could light a mine shaft."
"He made an impatient sound, which she knew meant, Relevant information only, please, and reminded her afresh of why it was difficult to like him. Death-defying height of his cheekbones notwithstanding.
Not really my favorite book of the series. Possibly because I'm not fond of reunion stories. Possibly because Chase and Rosalind just didn't work for me. Could be the mystery aspect of it. Or maybe the puppets. I'll never be able to think of puppets in the same way again. Still, I love the way JAL writes, her characters are just so distinctive. This series is still awesome.
It's not that I hate it. I'm just ambivalent and a bit distant to it. Which is why I'm now running out of review-writing energy.
Quotes
"Time and sun and pain and long nights involving God only knew what manner of male diversions had engraved lines at the corners of his eyes, sharpened and deepened the angles and hollows of his long face, made an implacable thing of his mouth. From the looks of things, it would make a veritable creaking noise should he attempt to turn it up into a smile now. His eyes…his eyes could still cut diamonds. Could light a mine shaft."
"He made an impatient sound, which she knew meant, Relevant information only, please, and reminded her afresh of why it was difficult to like him. Death-defying height of his cheekbones notwithstanding.
July 24, 2009
Another multi-layered, funny, sweet, sexy Regency historical from Julie Anne Long. I loved Colin Eversea in Perils of Pleasure. And Miles Redmond, of Like No Other Lover, was the sexiest scholarly hero I've read in a while. But Captain Charles Eversea? His particular brand of soldierly directness combined with unexpected humor is pretty darn potent. I loved the way Long slowly unraveled the backstory between Chase and Rosalind giving details a little at a time until the whole was revealed. Their chemistry was palpable and their genuine affection and friendship made their relationship all the more satisfying. Add a colorful cast of secondary characters (including some amusing glimpses of a happily married Colin) and you've got the recipe for a sigh-inducingly rewarding read. Loved it. The only question now is which one of Pennyroyal Green's citizens stars in the next book?
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