Surrender to a Stranger

This has to be one of the most fascinating stories I have read. It had me engrossed from the first page. Surrender To A Stranger takes place during the French Revolution. The heroine, Jacqueline, is convicted as a traitor to the new Republic of France and sentenced to death at the guillotine. She is rescued the night before her execution by the hero, Armand ,and whisked away to England. I liked how Monk uses vivid description of France during this bloody reign of terror. The history was accurately portrayed, but be warned that it is somewhat disturbing. The bloodthirsty visciousness of the french population can be quite difficult to read at times. In other words, this is not a lighthearted read.Also, the heroine does not begin the story as a very likable person. She is sheltered, spoiled and very classist. However, she does change as the story moves forward. As they say, live and learn and I believe that Monk did a terrific job of developing the heroine's character. The romance is everything one could want in a story. Romantic conflict, sharing, passion and adventure. I also liked how they are not portrayed as these perfect people. They both have some issues they have to deal with which they help each other through.All in all, this is a beautifly written story that I am glad to have read.

SURRENDER TO A STRANGER is a enthralling story of passion, love, and intrigue. Karyn Monk weaves a rich, vivid tapestry of the Reign of Terror, seamlessly combining historical detail with intense drama, adventure, and breathtaking romance. Jacqueline and Armand are compelling characters, richly drawn and developed, who must grow and change and come to terms with the past in order to embrace their future. Jacqueline's transformation from a spoilt, arrogant aristocrat to a woman of compassion is extremely well done. Readers might not like her at first, but they will fully understand her actions and how she rises above the lessons and training of her childhood to become a truly noble woman. Armand's change from a reckless care-for-nobody to a man who hopes for a future is less drastic but equally complex. The secondary characters add depth and texture to the tale. Karyn Monk's SURRENDER TO A STRANGER is a fast-paced, fascinating, and riveting story of two lost souls and the healing power of love.

I first read this book, at my friend's insistence, in 1995 while away on a vacation weekend. For the whole weekend I walked around with it under my nose- simply unwilling to put it down. It was the first paperback romance that I had read and I was, quite frankly, not expecting to find any substance to it - feeling superior as I did, to the kinds of people, who I imagined must read this frothy frivolous type of "literature".( I'm sure other romance readers are familiar with this condescension from those who would never be caught reading a book of this genre.) To my chagrin, I found the book completely fascinating, and for quite some time afterwards, my thoughts returned to the lead characters, and to the images formed from the many intricately detailed descriptions depicting that terrible time in European history. And so, five years later, on the reissue of Surrender to A Strange, I find myself highly recommending this book. In fact, I give it the highest recommendation. This recommendation does not, however, come without warnings:First of all, be prepared to be disturbed. The macabre evil images of shocking cruelty; of horrific degradation suffered by so many, at the hands of the confused masses gone mad - these images of the most base despicable actions of mankind .may not put you in a light-hearted mood. Are you ready for this darkness?Secondly, be prepared to not immediately like the young heroine. While she, Jacqueline, is admirably strong-willed, brave and dignified from page 1, she is also unattractively haughty and her self-assured belief that she is a superior creature endowed with noble virtues because of her aristocratic birth and upbringing is sure to irritate many readers. But for me, this allowed a most interesting development of character to take place and so added further richness to this moving story. By the latter half of the story, we find the heroine's thinking about "the filthy common peasant" and the vulgar profit-driven bourgeoisie profoundly altered. Jacqueline's testy and passionate relationship with the magnificent wiser and older hero, plus her encounters with a common street urchin bring her a new understanding of what makes people decent, worthy and honorable. And in learning this lesson Jacqueline's true and glorious colours are ultimately revealed. Brilliantly done.It is also possible, that some readers will not approve of Jacqueline's desperate need to avenge the wrongful deaths of her father and brother - because it means abandoning perhaps forever, her two young sisters. This obsessive need for revenge seems unconscionable to us, as most of us have not been raised to believe, as the noble classes of that time were, that vengeance and honor -killings were obligatory actions, duties of the highest order to family, country and king. These days most of us admire those who are strong and compassionate enough to "love thy enemy", and who fight for causes, not with bloodshed, but

This book is a wonderful read, filled with fascinating historical detail, action-packed adventure, and a very moving love story. Karyn Monk has created an unforgettable hero and heroine who are both strong and determined, yet flawed by their backgrounds and the opposing beliefs of their times. I really liked how they both had to grow and change before they came together at the end of the book. "Surrender To A Stranger" should not be compared to Ms. Monk's "Warrior" books, which are lighter and more comic. This is a beautifully written, richly detailed historical novel, and I strongly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a more serious, passionate love story.

This book was great. While it certainly was different from the other Karyn Monk novels I have read, I thoroughly enjoyed the historic detail and suspense that the book offered. I have read this book twice already, and, while I generally like books that are more light hearted than this, I enjoyed the strength, passion and commitment of the characters, as well as the rich detail of the french revolutionary setting. I have suggested this book to several of my friends who tell me they are enjoying it.