DARK SURRENDER first appealed to me because I love a good
gothic romance and Erica Ridley is so great at writing
them.
This is a very good example of the romance sub-genre.
All the classic elements are there: a "damsel in distress"
governess; a tall, dark, and handsome man of mystery with a
troubled past; the dastardly villain; angry villagers; talk
of vampires; and a spooky abbey with dark passageways and
locked rooms. I thoroughly enjoyed DARK SURRENDER!
I liked
how Erica Ridley takes classic gothic romance elements and
tweaks them. For example, even though Violet Whitechapel is
a woman in trouble and on the run, she's intelligent and
adapts to her current circumstances and makes plans
accordingly. Alistair Waldegrave might be a sexy, troubled
man but he is also more good-hearted gentleman rather than
imperious brute. In fact, Alistair is a big reason why I
liked this story so much.
At the beginning of the story, I
worried that his protectiveness toward his daughter would
manifest itself in negative ways. Happily, I found that not
to be the case. It is evident pretty early on to me, and
Violet as well, that Alistair is a deeply caring man. He
feels guilt about his wife's death and his daughter's
medical condition, but the guilt has not made him a
horrible person or destroyed his soul. It is very obvious
how much he cares about his daughter and it is heart-
wrenching reading about how the two of them have trouble
expressing their emotions with each other. I liked how
Violet was able to relate so well to Alistair's daughter
and connect with her through painting. I loved the romance
that develops between Alistair and Violet. There are a lot
of sensual and erotic scenes between the hero & heroine.
I wasn't sure at the start of DARK SURRENDER how things
could be resolved in the end, but I think Erica Ridley ties
everything together in a satisfying way that still makes
sense. The epilogue put a great cap on the story. I can't
wait to read more by this author, and hopefully more gothic
romance!
Violet Whitechapel committed an unspeakable crime to save a
child. To escape the hangman’s noose, she takes refuge in a
crumbling abbey with secrets darker than her own. When its
master offers her a temporary post, Violet cannot say no.
But when secrets begin to unravel, none of the abbey’s
residents will be able to remain hidden.
THEIR PASSION BURNS BRIGHT . . .
Alistair Waldegrave keeps his daughter imprisoned in the
black heart of his Gothic abbey. As he searches for a cure
to the disease the villagers call demonic, his new governess
brings much needed light into their lives. But how can the
passion between them survive the darkness encroaching from
outside their sheltered walls?
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