Surrender the Night

Summary: When British soldiers invade Baltimore amid the War of 1812, Rose McGuire, alone on her family farm, is easy prey for a brutal lieutenant. In the midst of the attack, she’s saved by British 2nd Lieutenant Alexander Reed. Will she now have to heal, as well as hide, this enemy soldier?

            Alex hadn’t meant to kill his superior or get shot in the process. Now badly wounded, he’s at the mercy of this tomboy who obviously hates him. Can he trust her, or will she turn him over to the Americans?

            Rose is having trouble keeping Alex hidden from her family, the townspeople, and the man intent on courting her. Will the discovery of Alex’s presence force her to accept an abhorrent proposal?

            As their love blooms, trouble looms, for the British are on the move again. This time, their target is the city of Washington. Will these young lovers at heart find themselves enemies at war?

My Take:

I love MaryLu Tyndall. She writes about real history and then adds in these fabulous characters that tear at your heart and make you feel as if you lived their story right alongside them. This is one of her best so far.

Rose has gone through some horrific experiences and has come through it with a strength that covers fear. She hides away on the farm and shuns the social life in town. She likes animals more than people and spends copious amounts of time in the barn instead of dressing up and tea parties. She certainly isn't interested in men, especially the one that comes calling most often - and wants her land more than her. She's fiercely patriotic and hates what the British have done -- especially to innocent women and civilians.

Alex is a man of integrity. He's a loyal subject in His Majesty's Navy who has an overwhelming desire to prove himself. He can't ignore what he sees around him though. When a particularly nasty man attempts to rape a young rebel girl he tries to talk him out of it and the encounter ends up with him killing him in self defense. He's badly wounded and though it's clear she hates him, he has to trust her to take care of him until he's well enough to get back to his ship. They know his being there is dangerous for them both.

Alex is protective, honorable and attractive. Rose is intelligent, caring, independent, and beautiful. The sparks fly between them for many reasons. I love how the relationship develops slowly and how they fight so realistically over things that would have truly divided them. It was also wonderful how the author used the different relationships between her Aunt and Uncle and their wishes for Rose. There were a lot of unexpected plot twists and turns. It was an exciting and satisfying book. This one goes on my favorites list for the year.