Cynthia reviewed A Lady Never Surrenders (Hellions of Halstead Hall, Bk 5) on + 41 more book reviews
The last book in the Hellions of Halstead series presents the story of Lady Celia Sharpe and Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter.
Jackson has resisted Celia for so long now, but when she hires him to investigate her three chosen suitors, it's the last straw. He can't begin to imagine how their lives would ever mesh with their stations in life being different; yet he loves her and can't bear to deny her. Celia begins to see beyond the "Proud Pinter" and the man he really is. Jackson is a proud man, an honorable man and he refuses to ruin or shame Celia. When Hetty, the ever-meddling Grandmother, interferes one too many times, Jackson backs off to ensure Celia won't lose her inheritance.
It took Celia a bit to finally stand-up to her Grandmother, but in the long run she did. Being the youngest of five and having to watch your siblings being pushed into marriage and knowing your turn is next to find someone "suitable" wouldn't be an easy task. Celia's emotional growth, especially when it came to her scenes with Jackson, were exceptional.
A LADY NEVER SURRENDERS is a splendid final chapter to the Hellions of Halstead Hall.
Jackson has resisted Celia for so long now, but when she hires him to investigate her three chosen suitors, it's the last straw. He can't begin to imagine how their lives would ever mesh with their stations in life being different; yet he loves her and can't bear to deny her. Celia begins to see beyond the "Proud Pinter" and the man he really is. Jackson is a proud man, an honorable man and he refuses to ruin or shame Celia. When Hetty, the ever-meddling Grandmother, interferes one too many times, Jackson backs off to ensure Celia won't lose her inheritance.
It took Celia a bit to finally stand-up to her Grandmother, but in the long run she did. Being the youngest of five and having to watch your siblings being pushed into marriage and knowing your turn is next to find someone "suitable" wouldn't be an easy task. Celia's emotional growth, especially when it came to her scenes with Jackson, were exceptional.
A LADY NEVER SURRENDERS is a splendid final chapter to the Hellions of Halstead Hall.
Michelle D. (Michelle74) reviewed A Lady Never Surrenders (Hellions of Halstead Hall, Bk 5) on + 153 more book reviews
5th book in a great series. The Grandmother threatens to disinherit all the siblings if they aren't married in the year. Celia is the last to go.
Throughout the romance is also the final part of a murder investigation that began in the first book.
While the mystery doesn't finish as well as I expected, I did very much enjoy the relationship between the hero / heroine.
In the previous books, we have been given tiny hints that these people who seem to dislike one another, will eventually be together. The sparks are there and I love to see how authors turn hate to love.
Overall, I highly recommend this book, but as is usually the case, I suggest you read the previous books first. (In order if you can.)
Throughout the romance is also the final part of a murder investigation that began in the first book.
While the mystery doesn't finish as well as I expected, I did very much enjoy the relationship between the hero / heroine.
In the previous books, we have been given tiny hints that these people who seem to dislike one another, will eventually be together. The sparks are there and I love to see how authors turn hate to love.
Overall, I highly recommend this book, but as is usually the case, I suggest you read the previous books first. (In order if you can.)
Joan W. (justreadingabook) reviewed A Lady Never Surrenders (Hellions of Halstead Hall, Bk 5) on + 1728 more book reviews
Well this is book 5 in the series and it did wrap up nicely though I will have to say that a couple of times I wanted to toss it across the room due to the repeating of the I am so not worthy,if he/she only loved me, blah blah blah... and it went on and on. Other than that it was great.
4amreader -
Typically terrific Jeffries.
As with all hers, it was a fun & quick read with lots of witty dialogue. Great wrap up to the Who Done It mystery woven throughout the last 5 stories.
I no longer keep every book Jeffries writes, and sometimes I get a bit lost when her characters are discussing the plot points that they remember better than I do, but I always enjoy reading her books and cannot wait for the next one, whether it's related or not.
As with all hers, it was a fun & quick read with lots of witty dialogue. Great wrap up to the Who Done It mystery woven throughout the last 5 stories.
I no longer keep every book Jeffries writes, and sometimes I get a bit lost when her characters are discussing the plot points that they remember better than I do, but I always enjoy reading her books and cannot wait for the next one, whether it's related or not.
NONA L. (Nonononette) reviewed A Lady Never Surrenders (Hellions of Halstead Hall, Bk 5) on + 7 more book reviews
This is the last of 5 in a series. The previous 4 should be read before this one.
Sheila S. (gaffney) - , reviewed A Lady Never Surrenders (Hellions of Halstead Hall, Bk 5) on + 29 more book reviews
Great book as were all in this "could not put down" series by Sabrina Jeffries.
Rachel A. (ra7) reviewed A Lady Never Surrenders (Hellions of Halstead Hall, Bk 5) on + 1029 more book reviews
Celia is the youngest of the Sharpe siblings. She was 4/5 when her parents died and has the least amount of memories of them. However, just maybe something she remembered could be helpful. She tells Jackson (Pinter) a Bow Street Runner has been in the previous books. He is investigating the parents' deaths.
Both antagonize the other. Both are interested and curious. And both have preconceived notions about the other. Things happen and there is the added event of an attempt on Celia's life. The longstanding thread of the parents murders is resolved in this. Nice end to the series.
Pierce (Virginia's cousin) and Maximilian (the Duke of Lyons) get stories in the next series.
Both antagonize the other. Both are interested and curious. And both have preconceived notions about the other. Things happen and there is the added event of an attempt on Celia's life. The longstanding thread of the parents murders is resolved in this. Nice end to the series.
Pierce (Virginia's cousin) and Maximilian (the Duke of Lyons) get stories in the next series.
Nice wrap up to the series!
Robin M. (robinmy) -
Almost a year ago, Hetty Plumtree layed down an ultimatum to her five grandchildren: They all must marry within the year or forfeit their inheritance. Now with only two months left, Celia Sharpe is the only grandchild who hasn't married. Celia comes up with a plan to become betrothed to one of three eligible bachelors that have been invited to the Sharpe's house party. She asks Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter to investigate her three suitors. For several months, Jackson has been investigating the deaths of Celia's parents. He doesn't want to have anything to do with helping Celia find a husband. He has loved her since the first moment they met. If he had his way, he would suggest Celia marry him to fulfill her grandmother's demands. But, he knows that Celia could never marry a commoner who was born a bastard.
This story wraps up the Hellions of Halstead Hall series. Celia and Jackson have sparred throughout the whole series and I was happy to finally read their book. Sabrina Jeffries writes a light-hearted historical romance that I didn't want to put down. Along with the romance, we finally learn what happened twenty years ago with the mysterious death's of the Sharpe children's parents which was an on-going story arc in this series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
This story wraps up the Hellions of Halstead Hall series. Celia and Jackson have sparred throughout the whole series and I was happy to finally read their book. Sabrina Jeffries writes a light-hearted historical romance that I didn't want to put down. Along with the romance, we finally learn what happened twenty years ago with the mysterious death's of the Sharpe children's parents which was an on-going story arc in this series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Good book and conclusion to the Hellions series. Celia is the last of the unmarried Sharpes, and the deadline to meet her grandmother's ultimatum is rapidly approaching. She doesn't want to get married and is actively working to find a way to get out of it. In the meantime, she has picked three possible suitors. The next step is to make sure that there are no secrets in their backgrounds that would derail her plans, so she hires Jackson Pinter to investigate them. Jackson is the Bow Street Runner who has been investigating her parents' deaths.
I really liked both Celia and Jackson. Celia is the youngest in the family and known best for her shooting ability. She is an expert marksman and takes great delight in showing up the men who show an interest in her. She is also haunted by her parents' deaths and the circumstances behind it, which has affected her outlook on marriage. She also has little confidence in her appeal as a woman, thanks to something that happened when she was younger. She is spirited, smart, and stubborn.
Jackson is a hard-working, honorable man. He has built an excellent reputation and is up for a significant promotion. In spite of this success, he also has some rather deep insecurities, thanks to the circumstances of his birth. He is a bit rough around the edges but can be very kind and sensitive.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Celia and Jackson. In the year that Jackson has been working with/for the Sharpes, the sparks have flown between them, and not always in a good way. Jackson isn't too happy about his attraction to Celia, as he sees no future in it, and reacts by finding ways that will keep her at a distance. All Celia knows is that something about him disturbs her, and she takes great pleasure in ruffling his feathers. By the time that Celia asks Jackson to investigate her suitors, he knows that he is in deep trouble. It was fun to see his jealousy of the other men, though I did ache for him also. I loved seeing her push him just a bit too far and him react by kissing her, starting a chain reaction of events.
The first half of the book was a little slow, but once Celia and Jackson started working together on leads regarding her parents' murders, things started to pick up. Jackson wasn't too happy about Celia's insistence on being involved, but her stubbornness makes it impossible to keep her away. The combination of danger and attraction set the scene for them to throw caution aside, and boy did they. They were quite spectacular together, but there are still obstacles to overcome. I loved how well they shared their insecurities and that they were able to support each other through them. I loved how finding out about Celia's past gave Jackson a deeper insight into what made her the person she is. There was also an interesting twist to Jackson's life that I didn't see coming, but did a forehead slap and "of course" when it was revealed.
Throughout the series, Celia's grandmother has been a master manipulator intent on getting her grandchildren married. In Celia's case, she has been pushing hard, creating a desperate situation for Celia. Though it is obvious that there is something growing between Celia and Jackson, Hetty allows her past to influence her actions. I hated what she said to both Celia and Jackson, which preyed on both their insecurities. It took a figurative slap upside the head from his aunt for Jackson to begin to see what an idiot he was, as well as a rather enlightening conversation with Celia's brother. I really did love Oliver's comment of "It's about time" and the dumbfounded reaction that Jackson had. I also liked Oliver's not-so-subtle assistance with Jackson's apology. I also liked that Celia didn't give in too quickly, but made Jackson work a bit for her forgiveness. Seeing Jackson stand up for Celia against Hetty and give her what was coming to her was great.
This book also wrapped up the mystery of what had happened to the Sharpes' parents. New pieces of information had been uncovered, which sent Jackson's investigation in a different direction. Celia had also remembered something she witnessed as a child that opened up some more questions but also put her in danger. The final confrontation had some twists and turns that I didn't see coming, but explained a lot once they were revealed.
The epilogue was terrific. I liked seeing Jackson and Celia settled into their life together. I enjoyed seeing Hetty and the General get their own happy ending, with Hetty having learned her lesson. The best part was the final conversation between Jackson and Celia.
I really liked both Celia and Jackson. Celia is the youngest in the family and known best for her shooting ability. She is an expert marksman and takes great delight in showing up the men who show an interest in her. She is also haunted by her parents' deaths and the circumstances behind it, which has affected her outlook on marriage. She also has little confidence in her appeal as a woman, thanks to something that happened when she was younger. She is spirited, smart, and stubborn.
Jackson is a hard-working, honorable man. He has built an excellent reputation and is up for a significant promotion. In spite of this success, he also has some rather deep insecurities, thanks to the circumstances of his birth. He is a bit rough around the edges but can be very kind and sensitive.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Celia and Jackson. In the year that Jackson has been working with/for the Sharpes, the sparks have flown between them, and not always in a good way. Jackson isn't too happy about his attraction to Celia, as he sees no future in it, and reacts by finding ways that will keep her at a distance. All Celia knows is that something about him disturbs her, and she takes great pleasure in ruffling his feathers. By the time that Celia asks Jackson to investigate her suitors, he knows that he is in deep trouble. It was fun to see his jealousy of the other men, though I did ache for him also. I loved seeing her push him just a bit too far and him react by kissing her, starting a chain reaction of events.
The first half of the book was a little slow, but once Celia and Jackson started working together on leads regarding her parents' murders, things started to pick up. Jackson wasn't too happy about Celia's insistence on being involved, but her stubbornness makes it impossible to keep her away. The combination of danger and attraction set the scene for them to throw caution aside, and boy did they. They were quite spectacular together, but there are still obstacles to overcome. I loved how well they shared their insecurities and that they were able to support each other through them. I loved how finding out about Celia's past gave Jackson a deeper insight into what made her the person she is. There was also an interesting twist to Jackson's life that I didn't see coming, but did a forehead slap and "of course" when it was revealed.
Throughout the series, Celia's grandmother has been a master manipulator intent on getting her grandchildren married. In Celia's case, she has been pushing hard, creating a desperate situation for Celia. Though it is obvious that there is something growing between Celia and Jackson, Hetty allows her past to influence her actions. I hated what she said to both Celia and Jackson, which preyed on both their insecurities. It took a figurative slap upside the head from his aunt for Jackson to begin to see what an idiot he was, as well as a rather enlightening conversation with Celia's brother. I really did love Oliver's comment of "It's about time" and the dumbfounded reaction that Jackson had. I also liked Oliver's not-so-subtle assistance with Jackson's apology. I also liked that Celia didn't give in too quickly, but made Jackson work a bit for her forgiveness. Seeing Jackson stand up for Celia against Hetty and give her what was coming to her was great.
This book also wrapped up the mystery of what had happened to the Sharpes' parents. New pieces of information had been uncovered, which sent Jackson's investigation in a different direction. Celia had also remembered something she witnessed as a child that opened up some more questions but also put her in danger. The final confrontation had some twists and turns that I didn't see coming, but explained a lot once they were revealed.
The epilogue was terrific. I liked seeing Jackson and Celia settled into their life together. I enjoyed seeing Hetty and the General get their own happy ending, with Hetty having learned her lesson. The best part was the final conversation between Jackson and Celia.
Regina (virgosun) reviewed A Lady Never Surrenders (Hellions of Halstead Hall, Bk 5) on + 888 more book reviews
Good book, better than the others, but so glad this series is over. Jackson was your average man with ambitious goals. And that didn't change, which I liked. No secret aristocratic heritage coming to the rescue to make things tidy. Celia was a fighter, too, willing to stand up for her beliefs and knew what she wanted despite her grandmother's outrageous ultimatum. Their romance was sweet and romantic in all the right places. Most importantly, the mystery of her parents' death is solved! So ultimately everyone gets their HEA, even Hetty. She redeemed herself quite nicely after working my last nerve for the longest time. Because Celia and Jackson's romance was the most engaging of the family, and we find out who killed the parents in this overlong series, it deserves 4 stars. However, it looks like a minor character gets his own story next...perhaps we can get a fresh story without the Halstead Hellions.
