Customer Reviews

My Reckless Surrender

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I'm mainly writing this review in opposition to the 1 and 2 star reviews. For me, 1 and 2 star reviews belong to poorly-written novels and this was anything but. If you've read any of the reviews before this, you know that the heroine is not quite upstanding and honest with the hero, and the other reviewers can't seem to get past this. Well, personally, I have read worse. In the hands of a less-skilled author, I may have not been able to continue reading either. However, Anna Campbell has a way of making the unpalatable, digestible. I remember all the negative reviews about her first book, "Claiming the Courtesan" -- and I'll say the same thing that I said then in my review: the author is not asking the reader to condone the behaviors she writes about, but she is asking the reader to take in the entirety of the characters with all their flaws and see the consequences in their own lives and in the lives of the other characters in the novel.

Now, after reading all of Ms. Campbell's books, I'm starting to realize how much is written from the hero's point of view and how much she gets into the man's psyche (not unlike Mary Jo Putney). In all of her novels, her heroes fall quite hard and I almost feel sorry for them as they are left almost devasted by their love for the heroine. Such is the case with Diana and Tarquin. We go from meeting a man who, at the beginning of the book, is as hard and cold as marble to someone who at the end, puts their last shred of pride on the line for the woman he loves. I am always fascinated with stories and authors who manage to do this convincingly. Where, I think, Ms. Campbell could have spent a bit more time was in explaining how and why Diana came to love the property so much that she was driven to the lengths she sunk to become mistress of it; but, I know the hero understood "...he could never condone her actions, but he understood why she'd done what she had...she'd filled the wintry landscape of her widowhood with love for the house..."

Like all her novels, this one is a bit dark and angsty-- which is just how I like my romances! There's sex, but I felt that it moved the story along and was not just dropped in there to titillate the reader. It wasn't that there were so many scenes, just that the sexual encounters were somewhat marathon-like. But, given the goals and schemes of our heroine, they fit the novel.

Like most of Anna Campbell's novels, this is a "skate at your own risk" romance, but I, for one, am glad I took the chance. I read this is almost one sitting.

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?

(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.

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.

In 1827 widow Diana Carrick wants the country house that she has managed for years. However, the house is now owned by a noted rake Earl Tarquin Vale. She decides to seduce him in exchange for his giving his property to her.

Tarquin is bored with London and its simpering women. When Diana offers herself to him, he rejects her as being another no brain all beauty. However, he dreams of making love to her so after meeting again, he decides to seduce this brazen widow who has already enticed his mind. As they share a tryst, he displays radical modern thoughts of gender equality while she fears her secret will destroy their relationship that has turned to love

This enjoyable historical romance is refreshed by the attitude of the widow who decides to use her body to get what she wants, his country house. Vale is somewhat typical of the sub-genre: a weary rake with the exception of his position on gender in parliament. He gets education in seduction but it is her secret that threaten their relationship. Anna Campbell writes a wonderful deep character driven tale.

Harriet Klausner

I can understand how this book would cause some polarizing opinions. I don't disagree with some of the 2-Star reviewers points. Primarily, the problem seems to be that the main character, Diana, is treacherously deceitful, and lacking in some good characteristics. But I didn't find her completely unlikable. I thought Tarquin Vale (horrible name!) probably deserved a better woman than her, but it appears he didn't want one. And the plot lacked complexity (I found that refreshing). That being said, I thought the story was compelling. I wanted to know what happened next and had a hard time putting this book down until I finished. The writing was good, the escalation of attraction was gradual (or at least, the characters' acknowledgement of the escalation was gradual). I was teetering on giving this book 3 stars, but it was a page turner and I wasn't bored. Did I like the characters... not all the time, but the story was gripping.

Diana Carrick is a virtuous widow who boldly seduces the notorious rake, Lord Ashcroft. Lord Ashcroft is suspicious of her motives but they become sexually involved and addicted to each other and then fall desperately and reluctantly in love. She has to be one of the most dislikeable and unpleasant heroines ever, whilst for a so-called rake Lord A is remarkably and unbelievably noble, charming and forgiving. And of course he is stunningly good looking and enormously well endowed (whilst she is stunningly beautiful, face, figure blah blah blah). I spent the entire book hoping against hope that I might find some sympathy with Diana but instead she just irritated me more and more. Their attraction comes across as purely physical and the development of their relationship was non-existent - we were told but not shown - and frankly, since she spent most of her time (understandably) feeling excruciatingly guilty for deceiving him, I don't really see how they could have had any nice, natural (non sexual) relationship moments in which to discover in each other mutual soul mates. The plot premise that turns the heroine into the person who has to redeem herself (it's usually the hero who is made to grovel) is not a bad idea but it was not well done here in my view. Diana does NOT redeem herself. I have enjoyed Anna Campbell's other books very much and I do like an angsty romance but this one doesn't work for me and because I so disliked one of the characters the sensual scenes didn't do it for me either - they just went on and on and on and on.

I have to say that Anna Campbell keeps getting better and better. Every book she writes I think she can't top the last one, but she keeps surprising me. You can read the plot in some of the other reviews, if you choose, but I say dive into this one and enjoy because it will keep you hooked for HOURS. From the awesome cover to the last page, I couldn't put it down.

Once again Anna Campbell has written an engrossing romance that surprises the reader, even one like me who's read historical romances for many years. Yes, there are elements of this story that you'll find in a lot of other historicals - particularly a handsome rakish hero designed to make the blood tingle, and believe me, Tarquin does! However, as usual, Ms Campbell doesn't follow a tried and true (or possibly tired) route in creating her latest romance. Nor does she simply tick off various romance themes we're used to seeing. Prepare to be challenged with this one. Ms Campbell turns the tables on some of the familiar themes. This time it's not a virginal heroine being targeted by a rake. It's a woman targeting the hero for seduction, and not for love. This heroine is no simpering miss but a determined, flawed woman. Don't look for a lily white heroine with pristine motives - she definitely needs redemption. That's part of the wonderful strength of Ms Campbell's story - to take two flawed people, put them in a compelling, unusual situation and convince us that together they really have found a love strong enough to alter their lives for the better. This book is a remarkable achievement that stretches the reader even while satisfying her. And a very hot, enjoyable read! Well done, Ms Campbell.

Tarquin Vale, Earl of Ashcroft, reformist champion, and renowned libertine is used to women desiring him. What he isn't used to is one outright propositioning him. When Diana Carrick boldly enters his home and announces she wants to have an affair with him, Tarquin can't decide if he's intrigued or affronted. Offense might have won out, except that there's something incongruous about the air of innocence around Diana and her brazen offer. Though he sends her away at first, Tarquin can't get his lovely would-be mistress out of his mind. But as he inevitably heads down the path of temptation towards Diana's arms, Tarquin knows something is amiss. Will their passionate liaison lead to love? Or when Diana's dark secrets are revealed, will Tarquin's surrender become his downfall?

Prepare yourself for Anna Campbell's most sultry, tempting tale yet! My Reckless Surrender wraps itself around readers like the most sensual of silks, Ms. Campbell's gorgeous writing a true thing of beauty. I was captivated from the start by Tarquin. His rakish pursuits were overshadowed by the intelligence, honesty, and innate goodness of him. He's a hero worth dreaming of, and one I all-too-happily fell for. Diana, in turn, is a woman with a grave secret. I wouldn't dream of spoiling what that secret is, but I will say I appreciated the plausibility of it and understood her motives that lead her to Tarquin. In the hands of a lesser author, Diana's deception might have threatened to overshadow the romance. But in Ms. Campbell's care, I sympathized with Diana. She has a good heart and a lot of love to give and I yearned to see everything work out between her and Tarquin, for they fit one another perfectly.

Ms. Campbell's books always take a prized space on my keeper shelf, and My Reckless Surrender is no exception. It's an exquisite, romantic read that I look forward to enjoying again and again for years to come. Joyfully Recommended!

Shayna

Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed