I fell irrevocably in love with Cole Braden just as quickly as he fell for Leesa. My hear melted at how compassionate he was toward her. Even when she repeated pushed him away, he remain persistent and sincere in his pursuit of her. When Leesa informed him of what she had faced before seeking shelter in Peaceful Harbor, his trust in her was unwavering. Leesa's painful experiences made her determined to stay a loner. The people she had trusted in the past turned their backs on her, she'd lost her home, career, her reputation. All the things she considered important disappeared rapidly and painfully. Peaceful Harbor proved to be her wake up call. There she found people willing to take a chance on a down on their luck woman. The Bradens showed her the beauty of family, love and trust. This open her heart and mind to all types of possibilities. I have read a number of Ms. Foster's novels and they all have stirred emotions but I have to say Surrender My Love is the one I like the best. Through this novel Melissa Foster conveys the harm in jumping to conclusions and the benefit of keeping an open mind. Those qualities are important ones to remember. I received an ARC of Surrender My Love in exchange for an honest review. Any reader who doesn't read it is missing out. ( )

Loved this book! Annalise was a teacher in her home town, in the middle school that she herself was a student at. She gave her all to her students and helped them after school with tutoring and a Girl Power group that she co-sponsored. After trying to help a student that had been in a terrible accident, Annalise lost everything, her job, her boyfriend, her reputation, her sense of belonging, etc. Her student had developed a crush on her and when she turned him down, he told everyone she had been inappropriate with him. So Annalise leaves her hometown to go stay with a friend for a while and become Leesa, a waitress.

Dr. Cole Braden is a strong, sexy, confident man and an orthopedic surgeon. He moved home and set up a booming practice with his partner. All he has time for is work. Until he meets Leesa anyway. He seems to fall for her right away but has to battle to get her to trust him. He is surrounded by family while Leesa is all alone. Her father had died a couple of years before.

This story was relatable and very moving. The characters were well developed and complex. Even though this is written as part of a series, you could read it as a stand alone. It brought home the fact that we have seen this type of story in the news and don't think about what the accused is going for. We rarely hear if they are cleared and if we hear they are, we assume everything is over. You don't think about their state of mind or what happens to them. This was an eye opener. Can't wait for the next book!!
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I am super excited to be to be back here Braden's of Peaceful Harbor Maryland and I am even more excited to be reading another Melissa Foster romance.

Annalise (Leesa) Avalon is a hard working teacher who gave her everything to her students and boyfriend. But when Leesa spurns a teenager’s unrequited love, he makes false allegations against her, she loses everything, her boyfriend, job and girls empowering group that she loves. Even after she has been cleared of all of the charges, Leesa feels no difference. So she heads to Peaceful Harbor for the summer, while she tries to decide her future. What she doesn't expect is fate taking it out of her hands.

Dr. Cole Braden is an Orthopedic Surgeon with a booming practice, but what he doesn't have is someone to share it all with. But for the first time is a while he feels a spark of attraction with a stranger who takes his morning coffee and muffin by mistake. After bumping in to Leesa again, he knew he wanted to get to know her more! Then fate intervened when he find out that she is working at his parents restaurant Mr. B's.

But just when things are going great, the past comes back to haunt both Cole and Leesa! Even though they say that they have put everything into the past… is that true? And will they truly be whole people without facing their demons?

This book is so moving! Oh my word I cried like a little girl in parts. It is truly a moving story that I honestly couldn't put down. I will also say that this book was a bit of an eye opener, when you hear about a person getting accused of inappropriate behavior and then they are cleared, you dismiss it from your mind without giving it a further thought, but this book makes you take a step back and think.

The plot, characters and writing was simply perfect in this story and I honestly couldn't find a thing wrong with it. It was a classic romance that just made my heart break, piece back together and then melts in to a pile of goo!

So yet again I am spellbound by another Melissa Foster book, which is why it earned 5 stars from me.
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