Customer Reviews

Since the Surrender (Pennyroyal Green Series)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I kept expecting this book to get better because of Long's great talent and because the suspense was full of powerful dread. Unfortunately, it doesn't deliver.

What I liked:

1. Liam, a Cockney urchin. Unfortunately, he's more charming and interesting than the hero.

2. The atmosphere of dread was terrific; unfortunately, Long did not deliver in the final resolution.

3. Scary puppets. If you have a dread/dislike/hatred of marionettes and puppets (as I do), Long is terrific in replicating that feeling. Unfortunately, it really doesn't go anywhere; it is just a quirk of Chase. The puppets are not possessed or supernatural, so all that dread and anxiety just kind of peters away in the face of Long's inability to follow through with a powerful resolution.

4. Long's unusual choice of time and off-beat portrayal of society. "Since the Surrender" is not your usual "Duke Marries Unsuitable Girl" romance. She delivers real color to the times.

What I didn't like: (INCLUDES SOME GENERAL SPOILERS)

1. The romance. Oddly enough, even though both the h&h are interesting, I just didn't know them well enough. Even when their yearning climaxes, it just seemed blah. Frankly, I skimmed most of their love scenes; I just didn't care enough. We don't really see Chase's commitment and determination to win Rosalind. I want my heroes to pull down castle walls, kidnap the heroines, kill the dragons, take on the Mafia, or do WHATEVER to get the heroines. Chase is not that kind of man.

Chase and Rosalind's choice of time and place for their coming together sexually endangers their lives and distracts from their vital exploration. I found it unbelievable and frankly, stupid.

2. Rosalind's withholding vital information (threatening letters she mysteriously received and later important clues) from Chase made no sense, except to create suspense which Long had created better in other ways. More damnably, Rosalind's withholding information that finally allows Chase to resolve his psychological burden until the VILLAIN brings it up makes their union seem lacking depth and emotional intimacy.

3. The ending, after Long has created terrific suspense and atmosphere, is a tepid let-down and really unforgivable in its change of tone. Chase weakly counters the villain's rationalization (essentially, he was bored and his crime didn't REALLY hurt anyone) with, "But it's dishonorable." He should be OUTRAGED. The villain's punishment lacks punch, horror, or dread; we don't even see his reaction because it happens off stage. Even worse, Chase allows the villain to pose as heroic to society AND, more importantly, enables future victimization. It's almost as if Long lost interest.

Just as bad is Long's portrayal of the other participants' collusion as merer acting out of funny and harmless fantasies. In fact, one senseless victim clearly thinks the horrific events that happened to her as no big deal, a choice she would have willingly made in other circumstances. In truth, these men victimized women, desolated families, and even murdered one woman, but because nothing is done to them (they just slink home), Long fails to deliver the necessary payoff of justice. "Since the Surrender" ends not with a bang, but with a whimper.

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?

Long is one of my favorite writers, and the tension and chemistry between these characters was up to her usual high standard. However, the plotting was disappointing, and the denoument flat out lame. Maybe it was supposed to be ironic, but it just sucked out most of the momentum of their tale. Still better than many romantic novels, just disappointing from Long.

I discovered this author with her first book, "The Runaway Duke", back in 2004. It was light, entertaining and very good. While her current series is still humerous and entertaining, it has considerably more depth. "Since The Surrender" is emotionally charged, intelligent, and thought provoking. Not a quick read, but a book to be read slowly and savored. In a word, outstanding.

I loved coming to know Chase and Rosalind (and Liam). They struggled to overcome years of forbidden desire, guilt, regret, forgiveness, and love. Chase's cousin (the vicar to-be) described it best: When life decisions are not black or white (as is often the case), one must be true to his own instincts. The book led us through the self-discovery of these two lonely people who had loved and lost, as they sought and found their second chances in life.

Julie Anne Long is a definite keeper for me. While her voice is completely her own, I might compare her somewhat to Loretta Chase, Jo Beverley, or Julia Ross. I look forward to the next in this outstanding series.

There were elements to this book that could have made it an enjoyable read, but were completely misused.
The only truly likable character was Liam , a street urchin who has more intelligence, common sense, and sanity than all the other characters in this book combined. The main characters were mired down and at times incredibly stupid (*I agree w/another reviewer who questions the time and place of their romantic "interludes"). And it's unforgivable that the female lead witholds crucial information from her male counterpart for no conceivable reason, and her timing for the reveal was awkward and cruel. The male character, Chase, seems to lack conviction. He was rather empty and confused. His exchanges with Rosalind were awkward and uninspired.
-There were some parts of the story that I found clever (puppets, songs, paintings) but again, they seemed to be clumsily plopped throughout the story. And at one moment there seemed to be a supernatural aspect to the story that was brought up and dropped from one page to the next - My guess is that it will be a plot point in another book of the series but again, it was clumsy and heavy-handed. Added to that, the villian was weak, the victims were completely witless, and The Ending was unfinished.

I kept reading this book though I lost interest almost from the start. I have enjoyed the previous books in this series, but really, this one was just plain lazy.

Wow! What a wonderfully written book. This was my first Julie Anne Long book. JAL challenged my reading abilities. This isn't a book that you read in one setting; it's a beautifully descripted book you should take your time reading so you may fully absorb and enjoy her words and characters. I definitely put her on a par with Laura Kinsale and Judith Ivory. Two of my all-time favorite authors. Captain Chase Eversea and Rosalind March. These characters were so real. They felt and thought many of the same things I have felt and thought in my personal life. I disagree with other reviews regarding the outcome of the book. At times in real life with real people, we may face such dread only to realize it wasn't so bad after all. Isn't this a good thing? I will definitely read her other books. Ahh, romance at its best.

I really enjoyed this book until the last couple of chapters. I thought Long kept a real sense of dread right up until the end. And the tension between the main characters kept me on the end of my seat - the scene in the library was very sexy. But I am afraid I agree with other reviewers who felt that the ending was 'blah'. It just wasn't intense enough for the rest of the book - the baddy needed to be really evil & he didn't come off as such. I ended up quite bemused at how everything ended, which was a real shame. I have given the book 4 stars because I loved Chase and because I think Long's writing is getting better and better.

Julie Anne Long has a talent for creating interesting, unconventional, not the same old hero and heroine which I greatly appreciate. Her plots are also rife with interesting and unique twists that you aren't going to find in other "typical" romance novels. Chase (oh - I really love him - how layered he is)and Rosalind are wonderful, vivid protagonists that will make you care about them and the growth and evolution of their relationship as the story progresses. They're two adults that have experienced life, they have their demons and regrets, and it shows in how they interact with each other. Hurrah! I'm so tired of the usual sex-kitten that didn't know she was and the remote but oh so smokin' hot duke/earl/viscount blather that is coming out these days. As I get more and more life experience under my belt, I really appreciate the difference between Julie Anne Long's characters and the characters written by the other big names in regency. Thanks to Julie Anne Long for believing that her readers have brains and deserve more. On a side note - Liam is amazingly written. I hope we see him pop up in subsequent books in the series.

Captain Chase Eversea earned a reputation for heroism during the war, but never forgot the one indiscretion of his life. Five years ago, he met his commander's much younger wife Rosalind March and had the sexual encounter of his life. However, soon afterward he was transferred to another unit where he displayed courage under fire.

Now back home and out of the military, Chase vows to avoid scandal as he plans to live up to his family reputation, although he knows he will never forget Rosalind. However the best laid plans of men often go astray when a woman begs him to help her. At the Montgomery Museum Rosalind meets with and asks Chase to assist her in finding her missing sister Lucy "The Blond One" Locke, who was arrested for allegedly stealing a valuable bracelet and sent to Newgate; only to vanish. She swears her sibling is innocent just feathery. They investigate following clues that lead to danger and love.

This entertaining Eversea historical romance (see THE PERILS OF PLEASURE) is an engage tale due to the hero who wants the facts, just the facts as he and his "sidekick" investigate while each struggles with their attraction. The investigation is intertwined with the romance in a clever DNA helix way so that fans will relish the search of London to find the missing sister and the misplaced love.

Harriet Klausner

Strangely enough, Meredith Duran's "Written on Your Skin" (also released this week) followed a very similar plot: met and separated 5 yrs ago, now needs help to find a missing (and annoying) relative, he is macho, and wants her, she wants independence. It was like both writers decided to use the same outline but see how their different writing sensibilities would affect the final product.

I though "Since the Surrender" was lighter, with occasional bursts of laugh-out-loud humor, but some of it strained the edges of believabiity - fear of puppets and goofy men wanting mermaid fantasy. "Written on Your Skin" was more philosophical, darker, more connected to the struggle between men and women. Both had merits, both disappointed. I hate it when women try to act "independent" but the reason is mostly either silly or goes unexplored. In "Written on Your Skin" the heroine's reasons for independence were very clear and as the reader I felt fully connected to her. In "Since the Surrender" the ending was ridiculous.

I also thought that in "Since the Surrender" the sense of time was very strange, no sense of urgency to find the lost relative, everything happened "tomorrow." Plus stopping for a protracted love scene in the middle of a search was irritating. (Focus, people!!)

I'd recommend you read both books back to back like I did, it was fun to notice the similarities and differences in both books.