My Reckless Surrender [Mass Market Paperback]

Anna Campbell (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 25, 2010

 “Campbell captivates with passionate intensity.” 

— Sophia Nash 

 

“Anna Campbell is an amazing, daring new voice.”
— New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath

Anna Campbell is a romance author who is becoming well-known for her deeply sensual, uniquely dark and stormy stories—and she does not disappoint with My Reckless Surrender. Readers who adore the novels of Lisa Kleypas and earlier works of Catherine Coulter will be mesmerized by this breathtaking tale of a notorious, haunted lord seduced by a most reckless woman.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Headlong into sin . . .

A well-practiced rake, weary of easy conquests and empty pleasures, Tarquin Vale, Earl of Ashcroft, knows women—and his every instinct warns him to beware of this one. Diana Carrick's brazen overtures have thrown the haunted, sinfully handsome lord completely off his guard. Why, the exquisite temptress stated outright that she wishes to be his lover. But it is neither Diana's boldness nor her beauty that intrigues him so—it is the innocence he senses behind her worldly mask.

Intent upon the seduction that will finally free her, Diana has set her sights on the notorious Ashcroft—never dreaming that there is much more to the enigmatic rogue than sin and deviltry. His kiss is bewitching, his caress intoxicating—and even the dangerous secret Diana must protect cannot shield her from Ashcroft's dark allure.

Unwittingly yet most willingly, they are playing with fire. Now the fuse has been lit and there is no escape . . . except surrender.

About the Author

Anna Campbell decided to become a writer shortly after she learned to walk. Then she discovered romance novels and realized she just had to be a romance writer and tell stories about love and hope and triumph through adversity, not forgetting gorgeous, passionate men. After various jobs and as much travel as she could afford, including a stay of several years in the United Kingdom, Anna has now settled near the sea on the east coast of Australia.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (May 25, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061684317
• ISBN-13: 978-0061684319
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #632,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Anna Campbell lives on the beautiful coast of Queensland in Australia. She has four times been voted Favorite Australian romance writer by the Australian Romance Readers Association (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012). Her first historical romance for Avon was the multi-award winning CLAIMING THE COURTESAN. CLAIMING THE COURTESAN which was followed by more multi-award winning books set in the Regency: UNTOUCHED; TEMPT THE DEVIL; CAPTIVE OF SIN; MY RECKLESS SURRENDER; and MIDNIGHT'S WILD PASSION. In 2012, Anna started an exciting new publishing partnership with Grand Central Publishing. SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE'S BED, the first book in her "Sons of Sin" series, is a gothic Beauty and the Beast story. Book 2 in the series, A RAKE'S MIDNIGHT KISS, comes out in September 2013. In July 2013, look out for a "Sons of Sin" novella, DAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES. Anna has also independently published two e-novellas, THE WINTER WIFE: A CHRISTMAS NOVELLA and THESE HAUNTED HEARTS: A REGENCY GHOST ROMANCE. Anna blogs with the Romance Bandits - www.romancebandits.com You can find out more about Anna and her books at her website: www.annacampbell.info

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars I would have given three cheers if hero had ditched heroine! June 5, 2010

By melina zora

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have loved Anna Cambell's books so far, but this one made me cringe with horror as the so called heroine was one of the most selfish, calculating, indifferent women Anna has come up with.I can say in all honesty that I despised her and would have felt relieved and vindicated if our hero abandoned her as would have been the case in an even remotely realistic story. Admittedly, we do not read romance for realism, that is why I require the main characters to be honourable, to have principles and be unwavering in their loyalty. Diana is a one dimentional character, selfishly seeking to ensure ownership of an estate through selling herself and perjuring. Is there anything admirable in that? As I will go into some details in an attempt to explain my objections, be warned that parts of the story will be revealed.

Diana brazenly asks Lord Ashcroft to have an affair with her as she claims to be interested in experiencing carnal delights, deprived to her since her husband's death eight years earlier. Lord Ashcroft is reluctant as he senses that the woman is concealing something from him but unable to resist her sexual charms, he capitulates to what proves to be an earthshattering experience for both of them. Diana has heard rumours that his Lordsahip is an incorrigible rake, susceptible to any petticoat with ample charms. She wants to become mistress of the estate she has lived on and cared for all her life on condition she give birth to Lord Ashcroft's child. Knowing him to be such a degenerate scoundrel, Diana presumes she'll have no problem bedding him and realizing her dream. Let's take a minute to consider her actions, even if we assume that Tarquin Vale (our hero's name) is indeed a scoundrel. Where are Diana's principles? Assuming that one person is immoral does in no way excuse our own immoral acts against him. Tarquin takes precautions against pregnancy but this scheming woman by lying through her teeth and persuading him she can't conceive, or is using her own means of contraception, traps him into having free sex. I found this unsavoury and disturbing. To make matters worse, even when Diana realizes that the man she has grown to love is not only honourable and sensitive but caring and deeply loving, she still persists with her despicable charade which was orchestrated by Lord Burnley, Tarquin's adversary and a heinous, heartless, reptilian character. Bear in mind that Diana was not in need, neither was there an exonerating motive for her to act as she did, other than greed, that is.

Diana does indeed suffer from a "guilty" conscience and "remorse" but when she perseveres on her course knowing full well that she will cause Tarquin unbearable pain with her treachery, then all this is an unconvincing, paltry excuse for the reader not to feel utter contempt for her. It failed in my case as that is exactly what I felt. It was irritating indeed, to be constantly reading about her flagellating conscience. She loved him! Sopme distorted, twisted notion of love! Particularly so, when Tarquin confided details of his life that would have had a real woman falling to his feet and asking for forgiveness and not plunging the knife deeper into an already open wound.

I do not want to reveal more, but I like being honest with my reviews and this is no exception. Though I love Anna's writing I hope she will spare us such heroines who deserve nether love nor devotion and who make the hero resort to groveling humiliation. Reality is full of greedy, grasping cheats so I prefer the fairytale to have heroes bigger than life, "worth dying for" who uphold their principles and values and who live in honour. That's the reason why I read romance, for the fairy tale and the improbable. Diana was so unworthy, so undeserving so undistinguished! Why?

22 of 27 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Sex, secrets and lies, lust to love, guilt and forgiveness. Oh, and did I mention sex? May 25, 2010

By Old Latin teacher TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

(3 and a half stars but I'm rounding up for the good writing.) Yes, there's lots of sex in this and at first I felt it was gratuitous. Okay, maybe there is a bit more than necessary for development of the story, but at least it's done well so that you see the lust and rabbit sex developing into real, true love and it's not cold, clinical (and yet rather vulgar) sex like in Lisa Valdez's PATIENCE, for example. Premise of the story seems familiar to me, like a meld of a few books I've read in the past: A young widow (Diana Warrick) chooses a complete stranger to have an affair with, propositioning him by telling him she wants more sexual experience. Her goal (unbeknownst to him) is to get pregnant. Her pregnancy is a requirement for marriage to an aging, dying marquess, with the ultimate goal of becoming custodian of Cranston Abbey, where she lives with her father as the marquess' baliff. Tarquin Vale, Earl of Ashcroft, said to be a degenerate, jaded rake, has been chosen as her sexual partner, but it is not a random choice. That's all that can be said about that without spoilers.

Our H and H in this Campbell creation are not as tortured souls as in CAPTIVE OF SIN, her most recent previous romance, although you do have some minimal angst caused by childhood loneliness and family relationship problems. The back story of the two is revealed slowly, after Campbell has her readers hooked on (or turned off by, depending on the reader) the almost nonstop sex. Both H and H are interesting, complex characters and they need to be because they alone carry the story for most of the book. He, in addition, turns out to be likeable, unexpectedly principled, loving, generous and compassionate. She is a bit more of a puzzle, coming off a bit mercenary, opportunistic, closed off emotionally, although she does feel tremendous guilt about what she is doing. I was left feeling that her motivations for her actions should not have been strong enough for her to continue along that path for most of the book and found myself not liking her very much. Not so our hero. He has love strong enough and forgiving enough that he makes the book for me. There are some heartwrenching moments in this. Our hero and the author's writing make up for the undeserving heroine.

17 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Superb Campbell Book! May 31, 2010

By Mary Lewis

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

It's unfortunate that readers don't give a proven excellent writer the benefit of the doubt when she veers from her standard hero. I adored Tarquin and appreciated this brief departure from her dark, tortured hero.

I've read all of Campbell's books and she writes primarily from the hero's point of view which I enjoy as a reader. Diana's apparent calculation and greed are neatly explained and her journey is one of self-awareness and that most tricky of paths -- true love. That she is caught so unaware of the possibility of love is delightful to watch (read).

Sex in a Campbell book is never about inserting tab A into slot B, but about the gradually awareness of two lovers who are meant for each other. Sex is never really about sex, but about the melding of two souls.