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The beginning of the emotionally charged and highly erotic contemporary romance Surrender trilogy, in which love and trust are the most dangerous games of all.

With a dark past that would have shattered most people, Evelyn Scout Keats is doing what no one in her bleak world thinks possible getting off the streets and leaving her impoverished life behind. She s a new maid at the luxurious Patras Hotel and aims to keep her job no matter what. But that doesn t mean she s going to sacrifice her dignity, or let anyone into her heart. The risk of losing either is just too great.

When hotel tycoon Lucian Patras discovers Evelyn in a compromising position, he uses everything at his disposal to seduce her a proposition that both surprises and frightens her.

Ignorant to her true circumstances, Lucian relentlessly pursues Scout as a prize to be won. But he is soon given an unforgettable lesson in love and sacrifice when he learns how far Scout has gone to gain her independence and discovers that there are some things money can never buy.

Evelyn ‘Scout’ Keats knows the meaning of a hard knock life. She lives in the streets and follows her own rules. Growing up without any structure or help, left her with a hard shell around her heart and letting people in is not a choice she is willing to make. All her rules fly out the window when she makes a deal with the hotel owner, Lucian Patras.

Lucian catches Scout going through his things in his luxurious penthouse. He should punish or fire the new maid but he doesn’t want to see her go. He propositions her to stay with him and be his companion in every sense of the word. The more time he spends with Scout, the more he wants to know about her but she doesn’t share her secrets with him.

I absolutely adored Scout. She is strong and fighting to deal with the day to day grind out in the streets. She is a hard worker and independent. Despite being homeless and illiterate, she doesn’t stop dreaming of a better life. For the most part, she handles Lucian very well…at least until she starts to fall for him.

I had a hard time warming up to Lucian. He is smart and gorgeous. He is wealthy and successful but is very cold. Eventually, he shows that he cares about Scout and what is going on in her life but it almost comes at the end.

The character development is slow and when it finally turns around, it almost feels forced. Scout is strong and a fighter in the beginning. Then she becomes weak and timid around Lucian. On the flip side, Lucian is cold and then he is warm and open with her. I felt like I missed the actually moments that made them change.

The sex is smoking in this book but there are things that I felt the author was trying to throw in to see where she could go or how the characters would respond. However, it didn’t turn me off. I end up liking how Lucian dealt with Scout’s position on sex.

I’m willing to read the other books in the series to see if the characters grow more.

Reviewed by Samantha
Heat Level: Scorching

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