A Secret Surrender (The Pretenders #1) by Darcy Burke-Review Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 7, 2020.

A survivor of the mean streets of London’s East End, Selina Blackwell has learned to be a chameleon, and in her current iteration as a fortune-teller, she’s able to provide a Season for her sister. Only, Madame Sybila can’t be a chaperone, so Selina takes on another identity as the proper Lady Gresham. But when a Bow Street Runner takes too much of an interest in her business, it seems the crimes of her past will finally come to light.

Determined to prove that Madame Sybila is a fraud bent on fleecing London’s elite, Harry Sheffield enlists the help of the alluring Lady Gresham in exchange for introducing her to Society’s best. With his busy career and aspirations for the future, Harry has no time for marriage, but an affair is just right—until he discovers the lady’s disarming secret. Whatever his feelings for her, he can’t ignore who she is and who she’s been. And when she holds the key to the one case he couldn’t solve, he must choose justice or love.

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REVIEW:A Secret Surrender is a historical romance novel set in London, 1819. If you are familiar with Darcy Burke’s novels and characters, you will remember some of the characters in this novel from previous novels.

This is the story of Harry Sheffield, second son of the Earl of Aylesbury and now a Bow Street constable, and Selina Blackwell, orphan, thief, and swindler. Such an interesting pairing!

The delicate balance of a cat and mouse game as these two meet and begin to fall madly in love is a genius of plot crafting. I won’t give away details, you really must read this for yourself. You won’t regret a minute it. The pace is quick, the details develop slowly, the romance is heartfelt and steamy. I could not see how the author would resolve the conflicts, but she certainly did.

An interesting time period for women and not at all a safe one. The characters are well crafted and charming, except for the villain, he’s definitely not charming. The heartbreak is painful, as it should be. The HEA is unexpected…I didn’t see it coming.

Kudos to Darcy Burke on this marvelous addition to her work.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Georgianna S.

Excerpt: Sneak peek at chapter 1

https://www.darcyburke.com/books/the-pretenders/a-secret-surrender/a-secret-surrender-excerpt/

Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of hot, action-packed historical and sexy, emotional contemporary romance. A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, and three Bengal cats. Visit Darcy online at www.darcyburke.com and sign up for her newsletter, follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/darcyburke, or like her Facebook page,www.facebook.com/DarcyBurkeFans.

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