Regina (virgosun) reviewed Never Surrender to a Scoundrel (One Scandalous Season, Bk 3) on + 888 more book reviews
I couldnt wait to get my hands on this book because with her first trilogy, Lily Dalton quickly became one of my must-read authors. Of course, it jumped ahead of all the others waiting in my to-be-read pile.
I had good reason because like the previous two in the series, Never Surrender to a Scoundrel grabbed my attention and didn't let me go. I quickly reacquainted myself with previous characters, and within the first few pages, I needed to know Clarissas secrets. Every now and then, I detected a whiff of her
immaturity, but thankfully it didnt develop into anything annoying. Instead, Clarissa was a champion defending her newif unwantedhusband against her family's bad opinion (he was a family friend, after all), even if it came too late to stop the snowballing developments.
Mr. Kincraig, aka Lord Dominick Blackmer, was the reluctant hero who had to confront his crushing disappointment over ambitions now blown to smithereens. I knew him in previous installments as a pleasure-seeking drunken rake, but that turned out to be just a cover (a spy on a mission, you see). Yes, he was steamrolled into the marriage, but he remained a gentleman, which most likely was the reason why he allowed himself to be steamrolled. However, he was human, too, and his roiling emotions were painful to witness.
This desperate marriage of convenience between friends had all the makings of juicy conflict for the couple. They thought they knew each other. Instead, this new common ground was perfect for cultivating mutual romantic awareness while questioning the physical expectations of their marriage. Definitely, there was plenty of heated, sexy romance to satisfy any fan of the genre.
A little side note: I have little patience for detailed spy intrigues as they can overshadow the romance. Luckily, Never Surrender to a Scoundrel had only enough danger to give part of the story purpose and additional spice; it was not the main event. Yay!
Happily, I felt that Clarissa and Dominicks relationship remained the central focus. An appealing couple I could relate to, steamy love scenes, and just plain ol' good story telling made this a satisfying end to a fun-filled trilogy. Enthusiastically recommended at four stars.
I had good reason because like the previous two in the series, Never Surrender to a Scoundrel grabbed my attention and didn't let me go. I quickly reacquainted myself with previous characters, and within the first few pages, I needed to know Clarissas secrets. Every now and then, I detected a whiff of her
immaturity, but thankfully it didnt develop into anything annoying. Instead, Clarissa was a champion defending her newif unwantedhusband against her family's bad opinion (he was a family friend, after all), even if it came too late to stop the snowballing developments.
Mr. Kincraig, aka Lord Dominick Blackmer, was the reluctant hero who had to confront his crushing disappointment over ambitions now blown to smithereens. I knew him in previous installments as a pleasure-seeking drunken rake, but that turned out to be just a cover (a spy on a mission, you see). Yes, he was steamrolled into the marriage, but he remained a gentleman, which most likely was the reason why he allowed himself to be steamrolled. However, he was human, too, and his roiling emotions were painful to witness.
This desperate marriage of convenience between friends had all the makings of juicy conflict for the couple. They thought they knew each other. Instead, this new common ground was perfect for cultivating mutual romantic awareness while questioning the physical expectations of their marriage. Definitely, there was plenty of heated, sexy romance to satisfy any fan of the genre.
A little side note: I have little patience for detailed spy intrigues as they can overshadow the romance. Luckily, Never Surrender to a Scoundrel had only enough danger to give part of the story purpose and additional spice; it was not the main event. Yay!
Happily, I felt that Clarissa and Dominicks relationship remained the central focus. An appealing couple I could relate to, steamy love scenes, and just plain ol' good story telling made this a satisfying end to a fun-filled trilogy. Enthusiastically recommended at four stars.
Karin A. (Jerseygirltoo) -
I read the first book in this series, but it did not make a strong impression on me. This one however, was quite enjoyable, and made me want to follow the author. It's a variation on a shotgun marriage plot, with a spy hero. It was long enough so that the hero and heroine's relationship had time to develop gradually and believably after their marriage took place. I enjoyed see these two characters bond with each other.
