Temptation and Surrender: A Cynster Novel (Cynster Novels) [Hardcover]

Stephanie Laurens (Author)

Book Description

Series: Cynster Novels | Publication Date: February 24, 2009

Trouble and secrets When Emily Beauregard applies for the position of innkeeper on Jonas Tallent's Devonshire estate, nothing can prepare him for the trouble that follows. Little does he realise that Em has an agenda of her own: to discover her family's treasure, guided by a cryptic rhyme. Orphaned, near penniless, the treasure is her and her siblings' future, but solving the rhyme is no easy task. Passion and danger Only once she accepts Jonas as her lover and enlists his aid do they start to unravel the clues. But someone else has the Colyton treasure in their sights, and the closer Em and Jonas draw to her family's legacy, the greater the danger - and the passion between them - grows...

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stephanie Lauren's last twelve titles have been NEW YOKR TIMES, USA TODAY and PUBLISHERS WEEKLY bestsellers. Stephanie lives with her husband and two daughters, along with two cats, Shakespeare and Marlowe. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From AudioFile

Following Simon Prebble's steamy renditions of previous episodes in the Cynster story, Roz Landor has big shoes to fill. At first sounding prim and proper, like the British gentry she depicts in this Regency romance, Landor quickly shows why she's an award-winning narrator. She convincingly portrays terrified 10-year-old girls, ardent lovers, nefarious kidnappers, and disgruntled relatives. As the passion between innkeeper Emily Beauregard and gentleman Jonas Tallent threatens to boil over, Landor's even pacing serves to increase the anticipation. While Landor usually brings just the right tone to each character's voice, at times her impression of Jonas sounds more tired than virile. But even that doesn't detract from her overall impressive performance. E.N. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (February 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006124340X
• ISBN-13: 978-0061243400
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #211,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I really wanted to love this book......, March 15, 2009

By 

C. Gross - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Temptation and Surrender: A Cynster Novel (Cynster Novels) (Hardcover)

I'm so glad I borrowed this from our library and didn't pay purchase price. I love(d) Stephanie Laurens and couldn't wait for this Cynster novel to come out.

What I found was a main character believable for a heroine in this century, not 18th century, nor was there good character development. And by the end of the book, I think I would have screamed if I read about her "Colyton spirit" once more.

Gratuitous sex scenes, pages and pages, over and over, which I just wound up skipping over....several seemed identical (or extremely similar) to previous works. We got the picture. The more you run over a dead cat the flatter it gets. The scenes should enhance, not detract, from the story line.

The treasure "hunt" was somewhat entertaining, but also somewhat predictable.

I did finish it and will probably continue to check her books out of the library as published...for now. I think for me the Cynsters may be reaching the end of the line, though. It just felt that this was written to succumb to publisher pressure. I didn't feel the great writing that I have come to expect, and I was very disappointed. And saddened.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Laurens Lite, July 6, 2009

By 

NoAngel416 (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Temptation and Surrender: A Cynster Novel (Cynster Novels) (Hardcover)

I was waiting impatiently for the paperback edition of this story, and I must say, "my lungs seized" (sorry, I couldn't resist) when I found it, in hardcover, in a donation box at the used bookstore where I volunteer. I snagged it for $2!!! Something should have told me there was a very good reason for it to find it's way to a used book store so quickly--because that almost NEVER happens.

After skipping through most of the story, I am almost done. Which is the first odd thing--normally, I couldn't be pulled, kicking and screaming, away from a Laurens book before finishing it, and I NEVER skip, but here I am.

My sentiments echo most of the posters', so I'll just cut to the chase. I love Laurens. I have and will continue to read everything she writes, but this one was not her best. The story wasn't bad; it was just unimpressive. Two likeable characters who did deserve a story, I suppose, but perhaps that story would have been better told as a secondary plot in a more compelling romance, or as a short story in a collection. I too found myself skipping over the sex scenes--which is, again, pretty unusual for me--and while I can't put my finger on it, the fact that so many of us felt the same way bears some thought.

Laurens has a repetitive habit of using phrases rather than full sentences--dropping off subjects or pronouns. For example, "Needed him to gently strip away her gown." or "Had him feeling like surrendering." I normally don't notice it as much, but this time I found it very annoying, and I can only conclude that such abbreviated sentences are only effective when the reader's lungs are seizing as violently as the heroine's, which was not the case with this story, so in my opinion, the mechanism didn't work in this book.

It was a "nice" story, but now, 16 books down the line, think about how this story compares to "Devil's Bride". Much as I HATE to say it, I think the Cynsters are done, and probably should have been done a long time ago--maybe after the initial six. Did we jump on Jonas' story because he made such a strong impression in "All About Love", or was it really because we wanted to see what Lucifer was up to these days?

On the other hand, I am anxiously awaiting the conclusion of the Bastion Club series, with Dalziel's story, next month. And let's hope that unlike the Cynsters, this series ends right there, having resolved the fate of the initial heroes.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An innkeeper and a treasure hunt, March 10, 2009

By 

Helen Hancox "Auntie Helen" (Essex, England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Temptation and Surrender: A Cynster Novel (Cynster Novels) (Hardcover)

'Temptation and Surrender' is another in Stephanie Laurens' Cynster series, although the hero, Jonas Tallent, is related to the Cynster clan through marriage and they play a fairly minimal part in the story. Jonas is living back out in the country near the village of Colyton and trying to get to grips with being a landowner - including finding a decent innkeeper.

When a young lady, Emily Beauregard, comes to apply for the job of innkeeper, Jonas accepts her for the position. He is immediately attracted to her and realises very early on that something doesn't quite add up about her story and her references for the job. As he gets to know Emily more he realises there is a very special spark between them, one they both feel.

But Emily and her brother and sisters have secrets that they dare not entrust to anyone else. Their arrival in Colyton isn't accidental and they hope to reverse their fortunes by finding the Colyton treasure. Only where should they look? And can Emily keep her younger siblings safe from their nasty uncle?

The romance side of this book was a very gentle falling-in-love story without the usual misunderstandings and fallings out that are so often found in this sort of story. Both hero and heroine were appealing characters and it was a gentle read. The 'baddie' wasn't at all difficult to spot and the treasure hunt felt, at times, a little half-hearted, but it was an enjoyable read and will no doubt appeal to Laurens' fans and new readers alike.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2009