My Surrender

April 11, 2005
In the final installment of RITA Award–winner Brockway's Rose Hunters Regency trilogy (My Seduction
; My Pleasure
), Charlotte, youngest of the Nash sisters, behaves like a flirt and a romp (words trotted out by the author a bit too often to describe her) in order to spy more effectively on enemies of the Crown. When St. Lyon, a French loyalist resident in London, lays hands on a valuable letter, Charlotte is determined to do what she can to retrieve it. Unfortunately, the only way to get close to St. Lyon is to pretend to be his mistress—and to be convincing, she must allow herself to be ruined very publicly. Who better to do the ruining than attractive fellow spy Andrew "Dand" Ross? The two are unable to deny the passion they feel for one another, but Charlotte's decision to destroy her reputation strains their relationship. While readers will enjoy seeing Charlotte more fully developed than in her sisters' tales, the prospect of her impending prostitution casts a pall over the book. Dand, too, is so dark and brooding that he becomes almost a caricature of himself, and the novel's resolution feels almost madcap when compared to the narrative's earlier slow pacing. Agent, Steve Axelrod.

Starred review from April 15, 2005
In order for her plan to work, Charlotte Nash needs Dand Ross to seduce her. Well, actually, all Charlotte needs is for polite society to believe that Dand has ruined her. Then Charlotte can take courtesan Ginny Mulgrew's place as the latest acquisition of the Comte St. Lyon, a French loyalist and noted collector of art, books, and beautiful women. Once installed in his Scottish castle, Charlotte intends to do her part for British espionage by stealing a politically sensitive letter. Even though Charlotte logically knows the passionate romance that unfurls between her and Dand is nothing but a carefully choreographed dance of public seduction, she realizes that she neglected to plan for falling in love. This brings RITA Award-winning Brockway's Rose Hunters trilogy to a truly fabulous conclusion. By brilliantly blending an exquisitely sensual romance between two deliciously stubborn individuals into a plot rife with danger, deception, and desire, and then wrapping the whole thing up in wickedly witty and elegant writing, Brockway deftly demonstrates her gift for creating richly imagined, completely irresistible love stories.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)