A SECRET SURRENDER by Darcy Burke

Title:  A SECRET SURRENDER
Series:  The Untouchables: The Pretenders #1
Author:  Darcy Burke
Publisher:  Darcy Burke Publishing
Publish Date:   08.07.2020
Category /Genre:  Historical Romance
Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content
Grammar/editing:  A – near perfect
Received from:  Darcy Burke (as an ARC gifted copy)
Goodreads link: A Secret Surrender
Date completed: 09.16.2020
 
Description from the publisher:
Set in the world of The Untouchables, indulge in the saga of a trio of siblings who excel at being something they’re not. Can a dauntless Bow Street Runner, a devastated viscount, and a disillusioned Society miss unravel their secrets?
 
A survivor of the mean streets of London’s East End, Selina Blackwell has learned to be a chameleon, and in her current iteration as a fortune-teller, she’s able to provide a Season for her sister. Only, Madame Sybila can’t be a chaperone, so Selina takes on another identity as the proper Lady Gresham. But when a Bow Street Runner takes too much of an interest in her business, it seems the crimes of her past will finally come to light.
 
Determined to prove that Madame Sybila is a fraud bent on fleecing London’s elite, Harry Sheffield enlists the help of the alluring Lady Gresham in exchange for introducing her to Society’s best. With his busy career and aspirations for the future, Harry has no time for marriage, but an affair is just right—until he discovers the lady’s disarming secret. Whatever his feelings for her, he can’t ignore who she is and who she’s been. And when she holds the key to the one case he couldn’t solve; he must choose justice or love.
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A SECRET SURRENDER is the first book in the Pretenders series.  Though set in the world of The Untouchables, it is not necessary to have read that series.  On the other hand, I would recommend reading The Pretenders in the order of release since we are following Selina and her siblings.
 
I love Harry Sheffield.  He is a second son to Earl the Aylesbury, but instead of taking a commission with the army or a position with the clergy he chose to become a barrister.  When that didn’t suit him, he chose to become a constable working with the Bow Street Runners.  He’s a workaholic with a quick mind, a compassionate heart, and a forward-thinking ideology.
 
Selina has had a tough life from the time she was toddler.  Luckily, she had an older brother and a family “uncle” who helped her reach maturity, but then she was truly on her own.  Living by her wits in an age when women weren’t much more than chattel requires her to live beyond what most of us would consider to be our conscience.  She’s a complex character with a complicated background that built my admiration.
 
I didn’t know how Selina was going to ever get Harry to trust her with all that lies that had to be told.  How could she reveal the truth?  How could he forgive her?  I couldn’t put this book down until I knew how this was all resolved and I loved ever twist, turn, and fraud.
 
Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via NetGalley, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
 
The Untouchables: The Pretenders Series:
1.      A Secret Surrender
2.      A Scandalous Bargain (releases 11.10.2020)
Also from Darcy Burke:
·   The Magic of Mistletoe
Legendary Rogues series:
1.      The de Valery Code
2.      Romancing the Earl
3.      Lord of Fortune
4.      Captivating the Scoundrel
Love Is All Around Series:
1.      The Red Hot Earl
2.      The Gift of the Marquess
3.      Joy to the Duke
Ribbon Ridge series:
1.      Only in My Dreams
2.      Yours to Hold
3.      When Love Happens
4.      The Idea of You
5.      When We Kiss
6.      You’re Still the One
Secrets & Scandals series:
1.      Her Wicked Ways
2.      His Wicked Heart
3.      To Seduce a Scoundrel
4.      To Love a Thief
5.      Never Love a Scoundrel
6.      Scoundrel Ever After
So Hot series:
1.      So Good
2.      So Right
3.      So in Love
The Spitfire Society Series:
1.      Never Have I Ever with a Duke
2.      A Duke Is Never Enough
3.      A Duke Will Never Do 
The Untouchables series:
1.      The Forbidden Duke
2.      The Duke of Daring
3.      The Duke of Deception
4.      The Duke of Desire
5.      The Duke of Defiance
6.      The Duke of Danger
7.      The Duke of Ice
8.      The Duke of Ruin
9.      The Duke of Lies
10.  The Duke of Seduction
11.  The Duke of Kisses
12.  The Duke of Distraction
Wicked Dukes Club series:
2.      One Night of Surrender 
4.      One Night of Scandal 
6.      One Night of Temptation 
 

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