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Author Reviews
Surrender to a Scoundrel
Julianne MacLean
ISBN-10: 0-06-081936-7
Avon, January 2007, 384pp
Historical Romance-Victorian
$6.99 (US) $9.99 (CDN)
Reviewed by Maria
November 2007
Lord Martin Langdon is in every way a scoundrel. A three time yachting champ, this Lord is no stranger to the attention and affection of every woman he flirts with. A champion to all he encounters, Lord Martin is the respected brother of a respectable Duke. But the young Lord has a flaw: his love of fast boats has already cost him the two that he destroyed in earlier races. And his love of women has left him with quite a close call at the school dormitory. One night Evelyn Wheaton, a plain and proper young lady, makes her way into his dorm room with a child hood girl friend. The two encounter a less than decent Martin with an equally scandalous bedmate. Making no apologies or excuses for that matter, Lord Martin lets Ms. Wheaton know clearly what he thinks of her spying but not without being expelled from the school.
Fast-forward a ten years later and Evelyn Wheaton is all grown up. The twenty six year old vicar's widow is longing for another chance at love and starting a family. After inheriting her father's millions, Ms. Wheaton is indeed quite the catch. Evelyn decides to try her luck at yacht races, attending in search of a decent husband. Having been told by her father that she had nothing to offer look wise her whole life, the bespectacled beauty in hiding has a false sense of security in the millions she has inherited. Most men see her as a commodity, not a wife.
Having pulled Evelyn out of freezing water when she fell through ice at 10, Lord Martin can be credited for saving her life. Coupled with their embarrassing meeting when she was sixteen, Ms. Wheaton has always held a fascination with the young lord. Evelyn Wheaton wrongly believes that Martin has no idea as to who she is! Lord Martin on the other hand, knows exactly whom he is dealing with. He sets his sights on 'winning' the highly sought after trophy widow as well as the yacht race. Enter Lord Beckenridge, an equally handsome and avid yacht racer. He sets his sights on Evelyn as well and the games begin. Where Martin is looking to break through Ms. Wheaton's cold exterior and have a memorable week, Beckenridge is hoping to marry the wealthy widow for his own gain. When Martin and Evelyn finally do meet, sparks fly and the two make up for long lost time. What started as flirtation soon turns into so much more. Lord Langdon finds himself falling for the annoying, prim young lady of his school days. Will true love finally melt this scoundrel's heart?
Set in 1891, SURRENDER TO A SCOUNDREL captures the period beautifully. Victorian setting perfectly detailed, the excitement of yacht racing comes to life. Equally drawing are Martin and Evelyn. They are painted in such a light that every raw emotion and feeling shines through. Surrender to a Scoundrel is destined to be on the keeper shelves of many a reader. With a wonderfully detailed plot and fabulous characters, this story will not disappoint.
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Reviewed by January
October 2006
They met years before when he saved her life as a child. They met again briefly when she got him expelled from school and he was sent away. They both have formed unjust opinions of each others character. A lot of years have passed, they are both very different people and when their paths cross again the sparks fly.
Lord Martin Langdon lives behind his carefully created facade of charm and seduction. He simply loves the ladies. Since returning to England, he has been preparing for the annual yachting race that he has been champion of for the past two years. He meets Evelyn again, only she is Evelyn Wheaton, one of the richest widows in England. He can never resist a challenge and the one staring back at him from Evelyn's eyes is one he isn't going to refuse.
Evelyn Wheaton is looking for a husband, who loves her for herself, not her money or anything else. She's always been known as being bookish, virtuous and above reproach and she is tired of it. When she runs into Lord Martin Langdon at the yacht race, he makes her heart race. He offers her a chance to learn how to sail and she takes it. He makes her come alive and out of her shell allowing her inner self to shine through. He makes her feel beautiful as she sees herself through his eyes. She wants to get married again for love and have a family but knows Lord Martin doesn't so she must find a way to move on.
SURRENDER TO A SCOUNDREL is a story that will pull upon your emotions. I laughed, cried, and sighed as I read those last few words on the last page. Evelyn and Martin have several ghosts in their pasts that they must deal with or it could possibly tear them apart forever. As an unfortunate accident takes Lord Martin away, Evelyn finally finds herself and knows he must do this for himself. When they meet again, they know it will be forever. Ms. MacLean is a gifted storyteller who draws you right into each page as if you are part of the characters their story. I'm eagerly looking forward to reading what Ms. MacLean brings us next.