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A review by poisonivy70
Surrender by Violetta Rand
2.0
Robyn Gonzalez is struggling, working as a stripper and somehow manages to run afoul of a local Mexican cartel drug dealer. While running from him (literally), she falls at the feet of Garrick Dempsey, and well, romance happens.
The Good, The Bad and Everything In Between
Leave logic at the door: Sometimes you want a well written romance with great characterizations, filled with emotional scenes and amazing dialogue. And then there’s times when you want a book like Surrender - guilty pleasure, pure melodrama...basically, a telenovela.
Here, Robyn’s a virgin stripper by night,college student by day (actually working on a double major of history and archeology) meets an huge, good looking, hot MIT-educated mechanical engineer turned head of security for the strip club she works for. They fall in insta-lust then love while dealing with jealous fits about co-workers and grabby customers.
Just typing that made my eyes roll and it was silly but I’ll admit there are some good bits mixed in with the insanity. There's a bit too much telling me how the characters feel instead of showing for my taste, really. If you’re willing to go along for the ride. Or not. Anyway...
Garrick’s an alpha, natch: Garrick had a successful career working for BP, came from a loving family and his turn working at the club really doesn’t make a lick of sense except for, well you know drama! He’s protective and mostly understanding, but I really didn't get his motivation for most of the story. He was perfect for Robyn.
Robyn’s a contradiction: Robyn says all the right things - she wants to be independent, communication is key, she is smart. Unfortunately, her actions just scream TSTL. She’s the top stripper, but she takes off in the middle of shifts and punches customers who get handsy. She wants to be with Garrick, but she self-sabotages all the time. She runs from their actual talks and she rushes headlong into dangerous situations under the guise of taking care of herself. And she swoons. She’s not my kind of heroine and I side-eyed her. Alot.
Now mix it all with a dash of WTF-ery: the constant danger, the drug dealer, all those bits and more were just the crazy sprinkles on top of this melodrama.
The Bottom Line (2.5 stars)
It’s a telenovela in book form. There’s a decided lack of logic, a whole lot of drama, and it all resolves itself neatly at the end with a big ole bow. I’m still not sure how I feel about it, and I’d give it a very qualified recommendation for those with a high tolerance for melodrama. It may be your cuppa or not, but don’t say I didn’t warn ya.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
The Good, The Bad and Everything In Between
Leave logic at the door: Sometimes you want a well written romance with great characterizations, filled with emotional scenes and amazing dialogue. And then there’s times when you want a book like Surrender - guilty pleasure, pure melodrama...basically, a telenovela.
Here, Robyn’s a virgin stripper by night,college student by day (actually working on a double major of history and archeology) meets an huge, good looking, hot MIT-educated mechanical engineer turned head of security for the strip club she works for. They fall in insta-lust then love while dealing with jealous fits about co-workers and grabby customers.
Just typing that made my eyes roll and it was silly but I’ll admit there are some good bits mixed in with the insanity. There's a bit too much telling me how the characters feel instead of showing for my taste, really. If you’re willing to go along for the ride. Or not. Anyway...
Garrick’s an alpha, natch: Garrick had a successful career working for BP, came from a loving family and his turn working at the club really doesn’t make a lick of sense except for, well you know drama! He’s protective and mostly understanding, but I really didn't get his motivation for most of the story. He was perfect for Robyn.
Robyn’s a contradiction: Robyn says all the right things - she wants to be independent, communication is key, she is smart. Unfortunately, her actions just scream TSTL. She’s the top stripper, but she takes off in the middle of shifts and punches customers who get handsy. She wants to be with Garrick, but she self-sabotages all the time. She runs from their actual talks and she rushes headlong into dangerous situations under the guise of taking care of herself. And she swoons. She’s not my kind of heroine and I side-eyed her. Alot.
Now mix it all with a dash of WTF-ery: the constant danger, the drug dealer, all those bits and more were just the crazy sprinkles on top of this melodrama.
The Bottom Line (2.5 stars)
It’s a telenovela in book form. There’s a decided lack of logic, a whole lot of drama, and it all resolves itself neatly at the end with a big ole bow. I’m still not sure how I feel about it, and I’d give it a very qualified recommendation for those with a high tolerance for melodrama. It may be your cuppa or not, but don’t say I didn’t warn ya.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review**