I love a book where a character learns to see themselves as beautiful through someone else's eyes...or frees their inner issues through the love (expressed or not). A good book, with good characters...both emotionally injure and in need of the other. First book I've read centered on Victorian Sailing, which was very interesting.

It's nice when there is a book that takes you out of the main set of the ton. I like that this whole book was fixed around the boat racing scene. Don't we just love our troubled men. And to think Martin and Evelyn could have been together for longer if only....

It's set in Victorian England during a yacht race which makes it more interesting than your run of the mill romance location. It's also a really sweet story. This was my fir Maclean and it won't be my last.

Fun book! It's set at the beach for an America's Cup style yacht race. It was nice to read a book set outside of London or the country for a change, I really enjoyed this one.

This book was a joy to read.

Wonderful, tender love story. Martin needs to overcome the tragedy in his past to embrace love.

Book Description

No woman can resist him. . .

Lord Martin Langdon takes pride in his scandalous reputation as a scoundrel, and he considers the art of seduction a most rewarding pastime. So when this dashing rakehell learns of a particularly beautiful woman who is "impossible to flirt with," Martin is determined to prove that not even the prim and proper Evelyn Wheaton can resist his charms.

Except one.

Evelyn knows all about the reckless rogue's shocking reputation and she wants nothing to do with him. She may be looking for a husband, but Martin is certainly not a candidate. The smoldering looks he sends her way, however, are a different matter entirely. She suspects there is great passion to be had if she'd throw caution to the wind and surrender to this scoundrel . . . but dare she risk her heart?

And will Martin, who hides a most tormented past, find true love at last?

Good characterization.

I loved this book! The characters were well developed and the srory moved at a good pace. The hero was also in To Marry The Duke, but one does not have to read that book in order to enjoy Urrender to a Scoundrel.

Enjoyed this book!

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This was a second time read for me, in order to decide if I had gotten it right the first time and it really was a keeper. MacLean, IMO is mostly mid-range, so this was the only MacLean book on my keeper shelf, and I've read a few. She's not a bad writer, but she's not all that great either, and nothing else that I've read by her quite matches up to this one.
What I like about this book...
1st, it's a Victorian, which I always prefer over a regency these days, and I like the unique setting. I think this is the first thing I've come across that's set in the Isle of Wight and the yacht racing culture of the period. The setting has a nicely realistic feel to it as do her characters & dialogue. Secondly, there's the interaction between the H&H. Very candid and mature, which is a nice change of pace from the usual big misunderstandings. They have them, but seem to have figured out that a little communication goes a long way, and don't mind talking:P I also like the plain-ish widow who blossoms under the attentions of a gorgeous man scenario when it's done credibly, which I think this was. Martin (hero) has had kind of a thing for Evelyn (heroine) since they were children, and doesn't seem to ever see her in quite the same way that others do, and this was very appealing. Lastly, I like it that he recognizes his conflicts and isn't stupidly blind about what makes him behave the way he does. Does it stop him from behaving that way? No, but he knows he's a pinhead for it:P

What I don't like about this book...
The love scenes, IMHO, are a trainwreck, for the most part. The prose is somewhat stilted, and some of the pillow talk was a tad cringeworthy. I don't like how long it takes for him to get his act together, and some parts of that particular soul search got a little melodramatic. The tragedy in his past didn't ring 100% true for me either. And yet all of that said, I'd still recommend this particular book to anyone looking for a good MacLean. I think the positives outweigh the negatives effectively enough to represent her well as a writer. Judging by a few others that I've read, possibly better than she deserves. It doesn't stand up as well as I had hoped on a re-read though, & I'm not keeping it. It's definitely memorable, but not quite keeper class. I stick by my original 4 star rating.
Sensuality Rating: R

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