ARC Review – Falling In (The Surrender Trilogy #1) by Lydia Michaels

All in all, this was still an entertaining read for a lazy afternoon. ~ Lily, Guilty Pleasures 

Description:
With a dark past that would have shattered most people, Evelyn “Scout” Keats is doing what no one in her bleak world thinks possible—getting off the streets and leaving her impoverished life behind. She’s a new maid at the luxurious Patras Hotel, and aims to keep her job no matter what. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to sacrifice her dignity, or let anyone into her heart. The risk of losing either is just too great.

When hotel tycoon Lucian Patras discovers Evelyn in a compromising position, he uses everything at his disposal to seduce her—a proposition that both surprises and frightens her.

Ignorant to her true circumstances, Lucian relentlessly pursues Scout as a prize to be won. But he is soon given an unforgettable lesson in love and sacrifice when he learns how far Scout has gone to gain her independence and discovers that there are some things money can never buy.

Review copy provided for an honest review

This quote set the tone for the first half of the book as Evelyn “Scout” Keats unravels after meeting Lucian Patras while working in his hotel as a maid. Fellow fans of “Fifty Shades of Grey” and lovers of the “Cinderella-meets-her-Prince”, or the “from rags to riches” storylines will be excited to dive into this story.

Ms. Michaels drew me in as I followed Scout through her struggles just to survive. In spite of being homeless most of her life, Scout dreamed of moving up in the world and her new job at the hotel was her foot in the door. When Scout first meets Lucian while cleaning his private suite, she had just knocked over documents from his desk and the intimidating man before her seemed so cross with her that she thought she would be fired before morning. Instead he requests her help for the next week and goes so far as to offer her a proposition.

Other side characters in the story served to build up Scout’s story of strength, loyalty and perseverance. She really wanted to do the best she can but her mom was a drug addict and only wanted her next hit and her only friend Parker Hughes, a young man also homeless with a history we can only begin to guess in this first book, will serve to come between her and Lucian as the story develops.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book but I started to question some of the actions Scout, Lucian and Parker did as the story wrapped up in this first book. Also as Scout became more Evelyn, I liked her less. Maybe I need to read the second book to better understand the direction Ms. Michaels is taking her characters, but will I be disappointed if the events that concluded at the end of “Falling In” only get worse as the story continues in book 2? Lastly, not to spoil anything but I also couldn’t help but feel that the end seemed a bit abrupt, like the author had to just leave the story there so book 2 could start up.

All in all, this was still an entertaining read for a lazy afternoon.

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