My Surrender (Rose Hunters) [Mass Market Paperback]

Connie Brockway (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rose Hunters | Publication Date: April 26, 2005

CONNIE BROCKWAY

sweeps readers into the ballrooms and boudoirs of Regency-era London and on to the Scottish Highlands in a sizzling tale of scandal, deception, and breathtaking passion.

Charlotte Nash is the most impulsive of the Nash sisters. Using her position as one of London's most popular and naughty debutantes, she assists English spies in conveying messages that will help them infiltrate Napoleon's inner circle -- and fulfill the mission her father died trying to achieve. But only as a courtesan can she infiltrate London's most notorious gatherings and retrieve a crucial document. Is she ready to take part in a deception that will leave her reputation in shreds? And when Highlander Dand Ross -- a dangerous, disreputable blackguard -- reappears in her life and offers his aid, dare she accept it? The exquisite pleasure she finds in his arms might be worth the price of her surrender, but is the dark Highlander who loves her so passionately really just luring her toward the ultimate betrayal?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the final installment of RITA Award–winner Brockway's Rose Hunters Regency trilogy (My Seduction; My Pleasure), Charlotte, youngest of the Nash sisters, behaves like a flirt and a romp (words trotted out by the author a bit too often to describe her) in order to spy more effectively on enemies of the Crown. When St. Lyon, a French loyalist resident in London, lays hands on a valuable letter, Charlotte is determined to do what she can to retrieve it. Unfortunately, the only way to get close to St. Lyon is to pretend to be his mistress—and to be convincing, she must allow herself to be ruined very publicly. Who better to do the ruining than attractive fellow spy Andrew "Dand" Ross? The two are unable to deny the passion they feel for one another, but Charlotte's decision to destroy her reputation strains their relationship. While readers will enjoy seeing Charlotte more fully developed than in her sisters' tales, the prospect of her impending prostitution casts a pall over the book. Dand, too, is so dark and brooding that he becomes almost a caricature of himself, and the novel's resolution feels almost madcap when compared to the narrative's earlier slow pacing.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* In order for her plan to work, Charlotte Nash needs Dand Ross to seduce her. Well, actually, all Charlotte needs is for polite society to believe that Dand has ruined her. Then Charlotte can take courtesan Ginny Mulgrew's place as the latest acquisition of the Comte St. Lyon, a French loyalist and noted collector of art, books, and beautiful women. Once installed in his Scottish castle, Charlotte intends to do her part for British espionage by stealing a politically sensitive letter. Even though Charlotte logically knows the passionate romance that unfurls between her and Dand is nothing but a carefully choreographed dance of public seduction, she realizes that she neglected to plan for falling in love. This brings RITA Award-winning Brockway's Rose Hunters trilogy to a truly fabulous conclusion. By brilliantly blending an exquisitely sensual romance between two deliciously stubborn individuals into a plot rife with danger, deception, and desire, and then wrapping the whole thing up in wickedly witty and elegant writing, Brockway deftly demonstrates her gift for creating richly imagined, completely irresistible love stories. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books (April 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743463242
• ISBN-13: 978-0743463249
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #600,545 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Romance, May 16, 2005

By 

Tina Matthias "Tina" - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Surrender (Rose Hunters) (Mass Market Paperback)

I am so darn tired of romance readers whining about cliches but then when it comes to reading a book that has any subtlety in it at all, they start screaming that it's not hot enough. MY SURRENDER had so much depth to it and the love affair between Charloette and Dand is based on respect as well as intense passion. I really felt the anguish that Charlotte and Dand had over how they could not tell one another they loved one another and still do what they needed to do. It was a very moving story and it was told as much by what the characters couldn't say to one another as what they did.

I think this book showed that sometimes when everything doesn't always turn out perfectly its even more satisfying than when it does. For example, bad guys really do slide by without any harm ever coming to them and I applauded the fact that Brockway didn't tie everything up with bows. Another cliche would have been if Dand had refused to let Charlotte become another man's mistress but instead locked her in a room despite the fact that so many lives relied on her becoming this guy's mistress.

Okay, the virginity thing kind of stopped me for a bit too until I realized that Charlotte was thrown into her role as a substitute at the last minute. After that I totally bought that she just pushed all that to the back of her thoughts while she tried to see if she could even make the plan work. And that same reason was why the "authorities" let someone so young and inexperienced have such an important mission. She was a last minute substitute. It was her or no one.

Anyway I loved this book. Everything was so well thought out and the humorous bits were great. Especially like the baroness. Dand was dangerous and passionate and trying so hard to let Charlotte go and Charlotte was just desperate to do the right thing, no matter how much it hurt her. I'll read it again.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't miss this one..., April 25, 2005

By 

CaiS (Wisconsin, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Surrender (Rose Hunters) (Mass Market Paperback)

My Surrender completes the Rose Hunter trilogy by Rita award winner and two-time Rita nominee for 2005, Connie Brockway.

Charlotte Nash, the most headstrong of the three Nash daughters truly shines in this tale of intrigue, scandal and sacrifice. Charlotte has taken the role of spy very seriously, after all, who would believe that such a flibbertigibbet could carry out such a role. She has cultivated a "certain reputation" among the ton while still managing to keep her morals intact and above question.

The questions about her morality don't bother Charlotte, but they do concern Dand Ross. Dand, Andrew, Andre, call him what you will, it is very obvious that this member of the Rose Hunters has his own secrets to protect. At first the reader isn't sure whether or not he even likes Lottie - until one begins to see below the surface. Dand might be called carefree, but again, that is only the surface of this young man.

And that, truly, is what My Surrender is all about in my view. Seeing what lies below the surface, seeing what lies below the faces shown to society and to our friends. This third in the series was definitely worth waiting for and anyone who is not touched by the strength of Dand and Lottie, by the fortitude they show to one another and to their cause, is not looking below that surface, not seeing what is truly important. Honor, courage, and above all, love.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow. I have no complaints!, May 4, 2005

By 

E. A. Montgomery (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Surrender (Rose Hunters) (Mass Market Paperback)

(I'm not sure I can even write a review that isn't bitter about something.) While this is the third book of a trilogy, it could easily be read by itself. Brockaway has included enough background that the story makes sense but it still feels fresh. In a way, the trilogy feels like this was the book she wanted to write and the others were just warm up sessions.

Dand and Charlotte jump off the page in that 'instant classic' way some characters do. I don't want to give major plot points away but while this book does have a highlander in it, this isn't a Scottish romance in the genre sense. Nor is it a true spy book. My Surrender steps outside genre convention to involve you emotionally. Charlotte is set on a path that makes her hurt those close to her. Brockaway doesn't gloss that aspect over, as it usually is. The break between Charlotte and those who love her feels very real. Nor does she set Dand up as the white knight saving the day (though he often does).

It's not until the last section of the book that you fully understand how the story has been laid out. What you thought you were reading is twisted slightly so that everything which came before is changed. I am very rarely surprised in an ending, but she got me. I almost didn't read My Surrender tonight, thinking the resolution of the 'mystery' would be tedious. I've never been so wrong about being right. I did know who the 'bad guy' was, but his name was all I knew. This is romance at it's best. Clear a space on the keeper shelf for it.