Series: Spindle Cove #1
Published by Avon on 30 August 2011
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance
Pages: 372
Source: Kindle Purchase
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Susanna Finch is sure there will never be a prince charming in her life, and is now content helping other young women hide from men in Spindle Cove. Being a bit tall, outspoken and extremely well read and intelligent has not helped Susanna during her debut, but she has vowed to help other women get ready for their staged debuts far from any possible scandal.
Victor Bramwell only wants one thing in life - get his life back, steer the army and be strong enough to help England win the war. When he arrives in Spindle Cove there is nothing but sheep and spinsters, plus the old man who might just be able to help him get back to the field. Little does he know the old man has his own plan - that does not in any way involve Bram falling in love with Susanna.
A Night to Surrender is a truly delightful story! I fell in love with Susanna from the very beginning, it was so refreshing to read about a regency era heroine who is intelligent, strong-minded and who won’t back down from a challenge. Disappointed with her own debut, she has decided to help young women in a safe environment, and Spindle Cove is the perfect place for it. Susanna grew up there, and now she brings shy, unconventional-looking or too brazen women to the same place, to help them all advance in some field. Susanna herself is quite unconventional, and she does not believe women should always be demure, obey men and not enlighten themselves in science or other matters usually not readily available to women.
Once Bram shows up with his soldiers, everything changes, though, especially Susanna! There is an instant chemistry between the two of them, but they are both trying their best to ignore it. It is quite futile for them to stay at arm’s length, though. And it is pretty funny how both Susanna and the other young ladies change little by little just because there are suddenly a group of men living in Spindle Cove with them. And the humorous situations that came because Susanna still wanted her charges to feel safe in an environment with very few men…
I enjoyed all of A Night to Surrender, the strong female main character was very well done, even if some things became a little anachronistic because all she knew how to do, and the assurance with which she did it all. Bram was a great character as well, once he realized how special Susanna was, he wanted to make her his – but of course, being as independent as she was, she made sure he realized just what that would mean. I did not care for Susanna’s father, he was a selfish old man who only used the other people around him to further his own agenda, and it ended pretty badly!
The romance was very hot in A Night to Surrender, and what started out quite innocent between Bram and Susanna became blazing hot once they truly admitted their feelings for each other. The writing is very good, with vivid descriptions where I could see the old castle, the cliffs and the water beneath it. Even the secondary characters were well fleshed out, and I hope at least some of them will make an appearance in other books in the series.
And the way he’d looked at her just before that kiss – as thought he would devour her, and she would enjoy it – was straight from the Dark Ages.
For him, listening to Miss Finch expound on the weakened state of Napoleon’s army had been like listening to a courtesan read aloud from her pillow book. Arousing beyond measure. And then he’d made the idiotic – thought inevitable – mistake of picturing her naked. All that luminous hair and milky skin, tumbled on crisp white sheets…
Of course, once she did sit next to him, he found his powers of concentration immediately diminished. The dwarfish size of the table forced them so close, her shoulder rubbed his arm. From there, it was all too easy to imagine sweeter sources for friction.
But now she saw his motives clear. Here it was, his secret. No childhood trauma, no ravages of war. Just a deep, unspoken desire for closeness. Oh, he’d rather die than admit it in such terms, but that low, yearning sound told it all.
But she was wrong. He didn’t like her this way. He thought he might love her this way.
Ooh, I love strong female MC’s! Especially in historical romances! Bram seems like a delight ;P Does anything bad happen to Susanna’s dad? Because I think I would be very happy with that…
LOL, her dad has a big scare, and it might change him. Bram is great! I love him ๐ And Susanna is awesome. I agree, strong female MCs in historical romances are great.
Thanks for stopping by Sadaf ๐
The book just seems amazing <33
Great review Lexie!
Thanks Joana, I loved it. Tessa Dare knows how to build the tension, and to flesh out her characters.
Have a great day!
Twitter: bmreviewsohmy
I like Tessa Dare so I am going to have to put this one on my TBR pile!! (It already has more books on it than I will ever read..lol)
I know the feeling, Stormi! This series is off to a great start, though, and I know what to pick up next time I want to read a historical romance novel ๐
Thanks for stopping by!! *hugs*
Returning the comment love here. While this is not my genre, I appreciate that these sell so well at our bookstore. I remember when I, too, used to swoon over these types of books. i”m a little to jaded and embittered to enjoy them now. Although I do love the costuming.
Oh, that’s a little sad, Pammy! I still love to plunge into a nice historical romance every now and then. And I’m glad they sell well ๐ It’s important for bookstores to have sales that are more or less sure things when they order the books.
Thanks for stopping by ๐
Yay! I love a good historical romance. And I love an unconventional heroine in the Regency era too! ๐ I also love it when an author can draw vivid pictures with their words. It seems A Night to Surrender would be a winner for me too, Lexxie. I haven’t read Tessa Dare before, but you can be sure I will now. ๐ Bram and Susannah sound like a couple I need to meet! I’m so glad you enjoyed this so much!
Wow this book sounds great! There was a time when all I read was historical romances. I love escaping in to another time period. I love how Susanna was independent, intelligent, and had a mind of her own! Great Quotes! Awesome review! Thanks for sharing Lexxie ๐