24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Salvation and Secrets, May 24, 2008
This review is from: Secrets of Surrender (Mass Market Paperback)
What chance does a ruined woman have to escape her fate? Apparently none, especially when Roselyn Longwood, tricked into becoming the mistress of Viscount Norbury, is put up for auction at a drunken orgy at Norbury's home. When she is purchased for a large sum of money by a man of affairs, Kyle Bradwell, she discovers that her secret is out and that she is shunned by ladies of society. Roselyn is afraid of what this will do to her sister's chances of remaining in polite society, especially because of the scandal of her brother's fraud and subsequent flight to the continent. What hope is there for Roselyn, her sister Irene and her disappeared brother Tim?
But Bradwell hasn't finished with Roselyn yet. He's bought her to set her free but she doesn't really have a full chance of freedom. When Bradwell is encouraged to propose to Roselyn he realises the advantages the match could provide him with - as a former colliery worker and not a member of the gentry amongst whom he now moves he is not invited to society events; however, if he marries Roselyn then at least his children would be able to be part of the polite world.
But Roselyn has more secrets than Bradwell thought. As they commence married life and begin to adjust to each other Roselyn has to keep part of her life secret. Bradwell, too, has some things that he is keeping from her. However this isn't too much of the plot, most of the second half of the book is about Roselyn and Bradwell learning more about each other, difficulties with Norbury and the fallout from her brother's fraud.
As with another book by Madeline Hunter that I read earlier this year, this story is well-written with good pacing, interesting characters and some good settings. The dialogue comes across more American than English to me at times but overall it's easy to get sucked into this story. What was particularly good was the exploration of the differences in class between Roselyn and Bradwell and how difficult it is for Bradwell to move up but how easy it is for Roselyn to fall down the social ladder. Although I felt at times that the central part of the plot, the difficulties over the fraud, was a bit thin, the book overall was enjoyable. I recognised some characters from the previous book I had read but this book worked well as a standalone novel and is a good way to while away an afternoon.
Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best of this series, June 1, 2008
This review is from: Secrets of Surrender (Mass Market Paperback)
This was the best book so far in this series. Ms.Hunter is my favorite romance writer, and she excels at giving you the thoughts of both main characters regarding their lives and relationships, not to mention the love. This book does bring back thoughts of "By Arrangement", but since that was my favorite romance ever, I found it wonderful. If you want a mindless book about simple people or just sex, choose another. If you want a book that really draws you in, pick this one.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Third in the series, May 28, 2008
This review is from: Secrets of Surrender (Mass Market Paperback)
This is the third book in a series. The first, Rules of Seduction, was a wonderful book, but the second, Lessons of Desire, missed the mark a bit. This book is more in the mold of Rules of Seduction. Like Seduction, it focuses on the developing relationship between the hero and heroine, without manufactured and unbelievable obstacles that are the crutch of so many romance authors. A wonderful read.
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