Review: In Total Surrender

Reviewed by Jen
 

This book started out a little confusing for me at first. It is book three in Anne Mallory's Secrets series, and I'm not sure if things would have been clearer for me if I had read the first two books or if the author was intentionally building a late reveal.

Andreas Merrick is definitely an anti-hero. He's dark, broken, and relentless in his pursuit of vengeance.  It seems like everyone in London wants him dead over his business dealings. And he is subjected to one assassination attempt after another. But as much as he would like to think himself utterly removed from humanity, he finds himself smitten with Phoebe Pace.  They have never met... he has only ever seen her from a distance at the theater.  But that changes when she shows up at his home, with a business proposition in hand.

Andreas does his very best to reject Phoebe. But no matter how many barbs he sends her way, she accepts him with a smile. Andreas simply refuses to open himself up to another person. Some things in life just happen, though, whether we want them to or not. Phoebe first wins him over in business, then slowly, in other ways.

This book was fun to read.  I really enjoyed Mallory's writing.  It was witty and smart.  Andreas was a fantastic tortured hero. There was great action and I absolutely adored the idea of him finding salvation with Phoebe.  BUT despite a phenomenal build-up, the sexual payoff was a huge disappointment. The sex scenes were rushed, vague, and terribly short.  And that's a real shame because I liked everything else about the way the relationship played out.

There were some pretty big twists at the end, which I didn't see coming.  And a satisfying conclusion.  Almost 4 stars.

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

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In Total Surrender

by Anne Mallory

Release Date: September 27, 2011

Publisher: Avon