365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #163

Surrender to the Past- Carole Mortimer
Mills and Boon Modern
Harlequin UK, 2011
ISBN: 9780263886719





My rating



From the back cover:

"The return of Ethan Black – the most magnificent man she’s ever met...
Mia Burton thinks she’s seen the last of Ethan Black – the man who haunts her heart. She’s wanted to forget him – but can you really dismiss from your mind the most magnificent man you’ve ever met? He’s a painful reminder of her troubled past and she needs him to stay just a memory...
But Ethan’s returned in all his very real glory – unyielding in his bid to resolve the history between them. Mia wonders what his real motive can be – because it’s clear he’ll do whatever it takes to win her back!"


I found this book in my local library and couldn't decide whether to read it. I wasn't too keen on the last Carole Mortimer book I read but the blurb of this one sounded really good. I really enjoyed it.

After five years of looking, the hero Ethan has finally found Mia, the heroine. Mia is not happy to see Ethan again, she has worked hard to make a success out of her life but Ethan reminds her of her very painful past and the reasons she left five years ago. We discover that she had been heartbroken after her disabled mother committed suicide and then she had found out that her father and Ethan's mother had been having an affair. Ethan and Mia had also been in a relationship at the time and Mia thought he had been using her. She left with only a brief note and has not been in contact since. Ethan was both devastated and angry when she left before anyone had the chance to explain. He asks Mia to come back to visit her father, whom recently suffered a heart attack and has never given up hope of seeing Mia again. Mia refuses but Ethan doesn't give up and pursues her until she agrees, albeit reluctantly. They also realise that the issues between the two of them are unresolved and they still desire each other. However with all the past hurts and the real reasons behind them, it's unlikely they can have a future.

This is a very emotional read that has an original and well thought out plot. The heroine is a wonderfully written character, she has a perfect mix of independence and vulnerability. I really empathised with her reasons for leaving and could really feel the hurt she still carries with her. The hero is also a good character, although I found his anger towards the heroine is a little hard to fully grasp, this would have been helped by more narrative from his point of view. I really liked all the 'family drama' and 'you can never go home again' themes, it is well executed and quite emotional stuff. The relationship is also nicely developed and satisfying in the end.

Overall, this is a passionate, emotional, and warm romance. Worth a read.

Xx