Three cheers for angst! I LOVE stories where the hero is angry at the heroine for a perceived betrayal when she actually made some kind of sacrifice for him. My only real complaint is that it could have used a bit of groveling, but otherwise this is excellent! ( )

A solid second-chance romance with quite a few twists.

CWs: attempted rape, murder, past murder, past spousal abuse x 2, sex work ( )

One Summer of Surrender ARC Review: One Summer of Surrender (Seasons) by Jess Michaels Love can conquer anything. Or so they thought. Lucien offered his heart to the woman of his dreams only to have it thrown callously back at him. Elise will always carry a special place in her heart for her first love, but sometimes love is not enough. When circumstances conspire to keep them apart, can fate in the form of a lady of the evening help them find their second chance? The mystery of the heartbroken Earl has led me on a merry chase since Lucien first graced thel canvas in Gray and Rosalind story. I wanted answers and Jess Michaels puts it all out there. Elise sacrificed her reputation and torpedoed her own happiness to protect the people she loved. It doesn't get more real than that. I shed quite a few tears for what might have been as I hoped and prayed that there would be a chance for these star crossed lovers to begin again. One Summer of Surrender reeks of passion from the emotional turmoil to the tempting attraction. The big reveal of the scandalous secrets was over drawn out but the story itself hypnotizes. ( )

I've read the first two Season books and I've preordered the next. Truthfully, I've been waiting for Lucien's story the most though. I thought there had to be more between him and Elise and this second chance romance finally showed me what it was.
Elise is finally widowed and with no other options decides to seek a gentleman to keep her as his mistress. She runs into Lucien in her quest, still wounded from their broken engagement, and the two embark on a sensual and troubled relationship.
Though I didn't like Elise at first (how could she do that to Lucien after all), I found that she had her reasons. Lucien has always been my favorite hero in this series and I am extremely happy that he found Elise again.
Jess Michaels always tells a good story and her sensual scenes are among the best. I recommend this book (and the series) for a steamy Regency romance. ( )