Surrender: A Novel Mass Market Paperback – September 1, 1990

This was assigned reading for a women's club discussion about the Romance genre, or else I never would have chosen to look at it. I much prefer Historical Fiction, and what I appreciate about that is good research. All my notes on this book (and they are legion) are nit-picky complaints about misplaced modern day jargon and attitudes. I guess lovers of this genre don't mind historical inaccuracies because they are in it for the story (to quote another romance novelist, Maya Rodale): "We read for relatable characters. We read for scorching, hot passion (that would never have been spoken of in the polite society we write about, let alone written down). We read for true love blossoming and over coming obstacles. We read for happily-ever-after." Well, none of that fits into my own set of criteria; I feel sorry for giving this book only 1 star, when it's the genre I don't like. Sorry Amanda Quick!Although for the author I do have questions: Why would an ex-fiancee go to such lengths to get Lucas married? Why does Victoria wear the same color every single day? Why give a character one cardinal rule and then have him break it? Why would Victoria be attracted to a man with a temper who drinks port by the bottle considering how traumatized she was by her alcoholic, raging step-father? How contrived is it that both main characters happen to suffer from very specific nightly recurring dreams? Must the bad guys be so two-dimensional and cartoonish as they expound upon the details of their evil plan?

Heiress doesn't want or need to marry having been pursued by numerous fortune hunters. But then she meets the Earl, a totally different man from the others. Or is he? Most of the book is concerned with the developing relationship between the two. The heroine is adventurous and determined not to marry, the Earl wants a wife and is using strategies to obtain her. At first I wasn't liking the Earl as he was too plotting and manipulating but by the end he redeemed himself. Their relationship was solid and happy.

Lucas needs a rich wife and thinks that Victoria will fit the bill. Victoria has no intention of ever marrying anyone. No one will have control over her. Lucas realizes early on that he doesn't just want Victoria's money, he wants her too. He entices her with midnight adventures. Victoria is always up for an adventure and Lucas will make sure she stays safe. It is an odd courtship, but it works for them. Will Victoria ever surrender to Lucas?

I purchased this book because I needed a romance novel "fix" while awaiting Lisa Kleypas' next book. I'd never read any of the author's previous books, and was pleasantly surprised with this one.Victoria Huntington is an admirable character, who unlike her other well-bred contemporaries, wants to experience those aspects of life which are denied to her by society's rules ... and avoid all those fortune hunters constantly on her heels. Lucas Colebrook, the new Earl of Stonevale, needs to marry an heiress, and with the assistance of a former love, decides that Victoria is the woman for him. He soon discovers that she is not your "typical" heiress and that wooing and winning her is going to require his mounting a necessary, and hopefully victorious (pardon the pun) strategy/campaign. Being a former military man, he does just that. There is danger and humor throughout the book which made it that much more enjoyable for this reader. I recommend it, and may now have to check out other Amanda Quick novels.

Of all Amanda Quick's books, this one is one of her best and has found it's way to my reread list several times. The plot is simple: poor earl seeks heiress bride vs. adventurous spinster seeks dangerous escapades as a diversion from deep dark secret.But where other historical romances would play up Lucas' fortune hunting as an avenue to Alpha maledom, Lucas never quite gets beyond paternalistic. He chooses the adventurous heiress because she intrigues him (passing up the simpleminded heiress who'd easily give him money for title). He courts the adventurous heiress by taking her out on one scandalous and dangerous midnight escapade after another because that's the only way she'd let him near her. (And surprisingly for Quick) he's even a tender and solicitous lover to her when she decrees they have an affair rather than accept his marriage offer. (Explcit meaning of that is that the consummation scene is mutually satisfying for hero & heroine. Amanda Quick tends to write her love scene sequences in the same pattern of first encounter promising foreplay, unsatisfying consummation, third encounter the hero finally gets it right. "Surrender" and "Dangerous" are the two novels that don't use that cliche sequence.)Some reviewers have called Lucas a tyrant for later refusing Vicky's one-off reckless business investment, but he merely points out the foolishness of her plan. It makes more sense for her to invest her money in his land, helping rebuild the town for all the people she can truly help rather than blow it on some frivolous thing. (Something she herself notes a few chapters earlier when she intentionally shops in the town and plans rebuilding the roads simply because the people need that monetary help.) Indeed this whole segment seems shoehorned into the story solely to create a conflict of misunderstanding when one does not really exist.And as for his supposedly opposing her midnight jaunts once they're married, HE'S the one who invites her on those midnight rides in the country. Getting upset because she may be in danger at points is precisely what he did in their courtship... because he feels protective of her.If I fault this book for anything it is the consistent idiocy of the heroine. She's so determined to see fault in the hero, she makes up things he's done wrong. In the end, the reader is left feeling she was damn lucky he didn't give up on her.

The young heiress thought to never marry because the men only wanted her money! Until she met the one man that would never be bored with her shenanigans! Amanda Quick never disappoints!

This is another well written romantic mystery from this author. The story line is engaging and proceeds apace with well defined, likable characters who have their own quirks. I always salivate at the beginning in anticipation and am sad at the end that it is finished, which then morphs into a search for her next story!

This is one of my favourite 19th century novels by Amanda Quick. It has an original plot - something that isn't easy in this popular market. And, as always, she write so well with an easy and flowing style.The characters are well-drawn. Victoria is strong willed, used to managing her wealth and her life, and sees no need to marry. Lucas, also strong willed, has recently inherited an impoverished Earldom. He requires money so that he can improve and maintain his house and estate. Since even a good card player such as he is cannot expect to win enough money regularly to carry out this work, he is obliged to look for an heiress to marry. Lucas is sometimes a bit unloveable - but his character grows on you until you realise that he is exactly right for Victoria. Meanwhile, sometime she makes live difficult and your sympathies swing towards Lucas.I have read the book three times now, and I am sure I will return to it again in the future. I am sorry that Amanda Quick has moved on to writing early 20th century books set in America - good, undoubtedly, but they are not the same as her Victorian novels. Hopefully she will return to them occasionally.

I have always enjoyed Amanda Quick books. Some can be a bit far fetched but all have a knack of drawing you in to the stories and get you hooked on the characters.

I love this book so much I got others in the same series (but in English). It is a very good concept and I just love the illustrations. My Arabic is limited but I can almost completely understand it.

An easy book to read I liked the characters, the storyline was ok. If you want something light to read then this is ideal.

bought this for kindle as could not find my paperback copy - i love her books and will eventually download them all