The Surrender picks up where that stunning cliffhanger left off in book 1.
Jude is trying to redeem himself and get Amelia back.
Which will not be easy. because of how heartbroken Amelia is.
She is devastated and feels betrayed.
So yes Jude has a lot of groveling he needs to do.
But in this book Ms. Malpas reveals so much more of Jude.
He’s an intense and complex character with many layers to him.
Amelia is big hearted, kind and I adored her.
Jude broke her heart and she feels broken.
But the chemistry and connection is so strong between these two characters.
So what they have together isn’t easily forgotten nor can be found again easily.
Their story is emotional, passionate and I was gripped by it from start to finish.
**4.5 stars**

Angst-filled and dark, The Surrender is a stunning conclusion to the Arlington Hall Duet that had my heart rate quickening. We left off on a cliffhanger from Book #1, The Invitation. It left us with a lot of questions and questioning if Jude was the kind of hero you could safely give your heart to. He talked a good game, but there were holes in his story and questions we needed answers to. The Surrender gives us those answers and leaves us with more (which are answered in the end). Amelia had her doubts, but Jude is working hard to eliminate them all. Amelia is no fool though and she's been burned before. Something about Jude makes him hard to say "no" to. Can she trust her heart to Jude after uncovering the devastating secret he's hiding?

Gah! My attention was completely riveted to this book, rendering me unable to look away! It is well-written with a plot that grabbed me from beginning to end. JEM knows how to eviscerate your heart and put it back together. It took me on an unforgettable journey that will stay with me for a long time. I loved the mystery, twists, and turns. It is far from an easy or perfect love. My emotions were all over the place. It is intense, angsty, complicated, and the passion is fire! Their love is all-consuming. You'll love these flawed characters because underneath all of the complicated layers, lies a true heart. f you love a flawed, relentless, over-the-top, jealous/possessive billionaire hero who is shrouded in mystery, Jude Harrison is your man! He is intense and broody and knows what and who he wants, and he'll stop at nothing ( I mean NOTHING) to get what he wants...And he wants Amelia Lazenby. Amelia is smart, driven, independent, and feisty. Thank you, JEM for bringing their story to life! What a crazy ride their love story was, and I loved every minute of it! The epilogue left I can't recommend this duet enough. It is not a standalone. You must read Book #1, The Invitation, first to understand what is going on in this book.

I was biting my nails waiting for this to come out and boy, it did not disappoint! I loved how Amelia made Jude work for her and how she continues to stand up for herself. Amelia is one of the strongest female characters Jodi has written. Jodi is a master of pulling at all your emotions and really getting you involved in the story. I felt like I was Amelia with a breaking heart at the beginning and the roller coaster ride her emotions went on through this book really kept me invested.
In true Jodi Ellen Malpas fashion, there are twists and turns and you never really know how things are going to pan out in the end.
Another amazing book and series!

What a ride this one was!!! My emotions were all over the place!! I read and listened this book at the same time for the most part. What a great experience that was! I was hooked immediately and I didn’t want to put it down! This was a true one sit read/listen for me! I just got so lost in this world, I didn’t even notice the time passing by! The narrator was so good! She brought so much life to every aspect of this read! This one really did play out like a movie in my mind. Everything was so vivid! This book is one of those that you won’t want to end! I found myself so attached to the characters that when it was time to say goodbye it was a bit sad!! Although I’m holding out that there may be a story for two of the side characters! With that said book one must be read before this one!! Overall this is a definite must read!!

Do you have one of those authors that no matter what they write, when they write it, it hits every time? Theres no risk of disappointment. You always go in with high expectations and somehow they still seem to out smart and exceed everything you thought you knew about their writing? Jodi is that author for me. I’ve been reading Jodi for a long tie now and still, I think I know, but I have no clue. Not really. What I’m trying to say is…go read this book. Read The Invitation first but then read this. You can’t read one without the other. This is The Surrender by Jodi Ellen Malpas. Her newest release has just blessed our bookshelves today! Thank you to Jodi and valentine PR for sending me an e-arc copy, I’ve been pulling my hair out to read this book ever since the cliffhanger at the end of book one. So this is the conclusion to the roller coaster that was The Invitation. This book starts out on a bang…but really! Amelia is devastated and beyond angry at what Jude did to her all along. Was their relationship based on a lie? How will she ever trust him or did she even really know him in the first place? This book answers those questions and then some. Of course Jodi would take us thru the emotional ringer as Amelia deals with a clingy ex, Jude’s ex-lover and some family drama. When it rains it pours I suppose. This book gives us everything we can expect from a great duet from Jodi. I had the best time; whether I was laughing, crying, turned on or angry at these characters! And boy did I swoon?? Nothing like a good groveling from a sexy billionaire with a traumatic past and plenty of secrets. Will these two get their happily ever after? Read and find out. 4.5/5 stars

After the cliffhanger from The Invitation my heart was a little broken right along with Amelia's, and I was so eager to know how Jude was going to redeem himself. The Surrender picked up right where we left off and it was gripping from start to finish. I was so emotionally invested in the push and pull, the go and stay, and the secrets it was clear Jude had. I both loved and hated Jude and was begging for his to do right by Amelia.

The twist and turns will keep you guessing and wondering if these two are going to make it work. Their chemistry and passion are undeniable, and the love is clear between them, but is it enough? Their's was a hard fought HEA, but the journey was well worth it. I absolutely loved the conclusion to this addicting duet.

Shakira Shute was bloody brilliant in her mesmerizing narration. She made me get lost in the story and never want to come out.

Thank you to the author and Valentine PR for the eARC and NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ALC.

My most anticipated read in 2025!

After the jaw dropping cliffhanger in The Invitation, I was anxiously counting down when book 2 would release.

So many questions…
So many secrets!
Why?
What’s next?

The Invitation was just that!
An invitation into a complex decadent world that almost seemed too good to be true.
The connection between Amelia and Jude was intoxicating and combustible. Their attraction was undeniable in spite of Amelia fear that her heart would be crushed by this mysterious secretive man.
Jude had so many secrets and was so closed off, he was his own worst enemy and it was the catalyst to the heartbreaking cliffhanger at the end.

So…The Surrender is the continuation of the invitation and it’s exactly that…a surrender!
In this installment we pick up right where book 1 ended, and Jude is back with a vengeance to do whatever he has to do to get Amelia back.
Is it too late?
Intense, suspenseful and full of unexpected twists, things are not what they appear and Jude has his work cut out to redeem himself with Amelia.
Their intense undeniable chemistry is still there but this author lets us know, that’s not enough!
Rich with deep emotions and “oh my gawd” seductive moments, we finally get to know this deeply flawed beautiful man. As they struggle to make sense of their predicament their banter and snarky humor was chefs kiss delicious, adding to their vulnerable “real” side!
Secrets are revealed and new revelations are made that made this story totally addictive!

What happens and how it all unfolds you’ll have to read and find out for yourself!
4.5 stars!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

If you are just not starting this series then you need to read The Invitation first or you are going to be lost. This book picks up where that one left off. Amelia is heartbroken thanks to Jude and he is trying his best to win her back. I don't know that I can say much about what goes on in this book or I will give something away. I loved the growth that Jade had in this book. There are some smoking hot moments in this book too. However, he still has some serious anger and a temper. I must also say that something is being hidden or he is just written to make it look like he is hiding something. I can't make up my mind which it is. The stars are aligning for Amelia too. Her career is taking off. She is head over heels in love again. She is living her best life. She is so happy and I think the other shoe is going to drop at some point.

The Surrender is the conclusion of The Invitation. I could not wait to get my hands on this story. I had to find out what happened with these amazing characters. Their story wrecked me in so many ways. I went through so many emotions with this one and was spent by the time I had finished. I devoured it and couldn't stop reading. I am in awe of how well this author's stories are written with so much emotion. I felt everything that this character went through.

This story takes up where The Invitation left off. Amelia has discovered that she was deceived by Jude. She is wrecked and heartbroken. She ran away from him and he came after her. He tried to explain what had happened but she didn't want to hear him. But Amelia was in love with him and couldn't stay away. Jude tried to show her more of himself. He was still an angry person but he tried to be better for her. He became vulnerable with her and told her about his past. They trusted each other with their feelings. But Katherine won't let go and is always waiting in the wings.

Amelia is doing better mentally and doing well in her job and hopes to make partner. Her ex, Nick, interviews for a job at her company. He can't seem to stay away and is fighting to win her back.

Throughout this story we see Amelia and Jude in a relationship that is on and off again. They have their own challenges to get through. Amelia is nervous when Jude meets her family. I loved how her family supported her. Her brother was the best brother anyone could have. They were a close family. Once Amelia's parents accept Jude everything is going so well. Until we hit another challenge.

I loved how Jude fought for his relationship with Amelia. He definitely redeemed himself from the first book and showed her who he really was. Their story is one that will live in my heart forever. Highly, highly recommended. I look forward to more from this author.

After that soul-shattering cliffhanger in The Invitation, I was desperate for Jude Harrison to grovel his way back into Amelia Lazenby’s heart (and mine). And boy —he delivers. This duet conclusion had me devouring every page like I was starving.

This story is called The Surrender for a reason… because that’s exactly what we got. Amelia stopped resisting. Jude kept persisting. And when they finally surrendered to each other’s feelings? Boom. Chemistry on a whole other level. Jude may be broken, obsessive, and oh-so-possessive, but he grew, he opened up, and he earned his place in Amelia’s world. My heart soared when he finally laid it all bare.

And can we talk about Jude’s lines? The way he’d throw out an “I f…ing dare you,” or mutter, “I need a hug that turns into s.x… or maybe one that doesn’t”..Ughhh, I lived for those moments. Those little quirks made me fall for him even harder. The connection and spice between Jude and Amelia was simply off the charts.

This duet is messy, emotional, addictive, and pure signature JEM magic. If you love billionaire romances with broken alphas, strong heroines who don’t back down, found family vibes, and enough twists to keep you gasping—you need Jude & Amelia in your life. Jude may have just dethroned Jesse Ward for me. Yes, I said it. Long live Jude Harrison.
10 out of 10 - Highly recommend the audiobook.
Prepare to have your soul shattered and glued back together.

When The Invitation ended on that cliffhanger, I don’t think I’ve ever run so fast to sign up for an ARC like I did that day! I NEEDED TO KNOW!!⁣
⁣
As I said in my review for The Invitation, Jude isn’t my normal go-to MMC. He has baggage, like, full trunks of baggage, but I was drawn to him. I needed to know what made him so guarded and I wanted to see some serious groveling. I got that and more!⁣
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I don’t want to spoil this story because some of the twists had me 😮🤯🤬😱 and I want everyone to experience that the way I did! Just know that you’re in for a wild ride and it’s worth it in the end!⁣
⁣
Amelia and Jude got the well-deserved HEA that they were destined to have! I could have melted into a puddle in the end.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐨𝐝𝐢 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐩𝐚𝐬
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★★★★

This was such a crazy rollercoaster of a ride! This is the second book in the Arlington Hall duology and definitely the most intense of the two. The relationship between Amelia and Jude continued on in this book but got a lot more toxic and a bit frustrating! At one point things between them were on and off again so much that I almost put the book down but I pushed through and I’m glad I did because the last quarter of the book was well worth it and what saved this book for me.

The tragedy, the desperation to finally make the commitment for good, the character growth in Amelia and the communication finally came into play in that last quarter and when it did, it was on point! The emotions, the truths that were revealed and depth this story dove into was all so worth pushing through the unnecessary back and forth drama that consumed a few too many of the chapters.

🖤 Billionaire Romance
🖤 British Alpha Hero
🖤 Jealous Possessive
🖤 Revenge
🖤 Tortured Lead
🖤 Suspense

My cliffhanger hangover cure has been cured after reading the continuation of Arlington Hall.

This story was definitely an emotional coaster. Jude and Amelia are definitely made for each other. The two fight hard but love even harder. They have a love so powerful that they need to be with each other all the time, their invisible string pulls them back together even when they should be apart. The secrets, scandals, toxicity and revenge can’t tear them apart.

Jude has so much trauma that he has been carrying around that he is broken in more ways than he thinks. He might not be rational and is very impulsive but he really does try to redeem himself with Amelia. He truly loves her and regrets everything he has done to her. Eventually they do get their HEA but not without some surprises at the end.

🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
Shakira Shute did an amazing job with the storytelling of this book. You can feel every emotion that all the characters go through.

✨I received this book as an ARC for free in exchange for an honest review✨

The Surrender picks up where The Invitation ends. It's another rollercoaster ride of emotions. It's unpredictable how The Surrender will end. Will it be another cliffhanger ending, or will it conclude Jude and Amelia's journey to happily ever after? Even after the last word is read, you're going to want more of Jude and Amelia. However, I believe we haven't seen the end of Jude and Amelia.

Wow, this book picked up right where we left off at that cliff hanger. Amelia and Jude are at odds. These two people are so stubborn, but also so in love, but they have this big divide in between them. He Is massively in the doghouse that he hast to find his way out. But she is so defiant and sassy, and he’s gonna fight him to the nail on it every step of the way. But their chemistry is electric, so it doesn’t matter how mad she is at him if they’re too close together or they’re in close proximity, all bets are off. What I love about this book is we get to peel back even more layers of Jude and what makes him who he is because by god that man is still an enigma. With all the twists and turns in the ups and downs, They definitely put us through the wringer. This is a wild roller coaster ride, but by God, they finally do get there happily ever after. I’m so glad they got their love story just different than we all expected.

This is the second book in this impressive series.
Amelia is trying to recover from Jude’s betrayal, while he is desperate to make amends. When both of their pasts come back to haunt them, will they survive?
This is a well written emotional roller coaster, with family, friendships, betrayal, heartbreak, obsession, humour, witty banter, tension, challenges, twists and turns, romance, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, tragic, twisted, and unpredictable, addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

The Surrender by Jodi Ellen Malpas was an emotionally-charged masterpiece that plunged me back into Jude and Amelia’s intoxicating, pulse-pounding love story. The Surrender picks up where The Invitation left off, but with a thrilling plot full of twists and turns and even more passion, pain and raw vulnerability than before. This captivating sequel simmered with delicious second-chance tension as Jude, the enigmatic, charismatic billionaire, steadfastly fights with single-minded determination to win back the woman who owns his heart and soul following his betrayal. Amelia, whose strength was matched only by her fear of being shattered again, didn’t give in without a fight.

Their chemistry was a volatile and addictive mix of searing desire, aching regret and unforgiving history that ignited on every page. Malpas’s storytelling was utterly consuming as she wove together this intensely intriguing plot with the blistering steam and heart-wrenching emotion of a grand, sweeping romance. Jude was relentless in his pursuit of both his redemption and a reconciliation with the woman he loves. Meanwhile, Amelia’s battle between self-preservation and the undeniable love she felt for Jude coupled to create a powerful dynamic that proved true surrender isn’t about defeat, it’s about finding the courage to trust, even when it hurts. Five smooches from me for The Surrender by Jodi Ellen Malpas!
~Danielle, Red Cheeks Reads

📚 BOOK REVIEW & HAPPY RELEASE DAY📚

The Surrender - @jodi_ellen_malpas

Since discovering this author through "the Invitation" earlier in the year I was dying to find out where the characters would take us in "the Surrender." So I was delighted to dive back in and revisit Arlington Hall.

Thankfully this book continues on from the first installment and a lot of the questions we had are uncovered and answered in this book. We find Amelia distraught and heartbroken after her discovery in the first book. I remember thinking that Jude would need to redeem himself and he absolutely does. But he's a lot more tortured than we originally thought and the drama just kept unfolding and I couldn't get enough. I whizzed through this book and was once again completely hooked.

I love the way that Jodi writes and I just didn't know where the book was going to go as the twists and turns just kept on coming and just when I thought I had things sussed it went in another direction. It was a total rollercoaster of a book and I was completely here for it.

I think Jude might just be my all time favourite tortured hero. Jodi has written a perfectly, broken man. He's all types of swoonworthy, complicated, charismatic and beautiful. He's been through a lot and I think it was written so well as he tried to work through his jumbled thoughts which then caused him to make reckless decisions at times. But he was swoonworthy and loveable and I fell just as hard Amelia did and the epilogue was perfect. I really hope there's a book coming for Abbie.

Jamie x

(Note: This is book 2 in a duet so you really need to read book 1 first)

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I don’t even know where to begin with this review. I feel like I’ve been put through the ringer and left in a puddle and I ADORED every second of it. Jude had me wanting to hug him one minute and shake him in the next. He’s that perfect (but frustrating) blend of sexy, confident, obsessed alpha hole, tortured hero, and sweetheart who you just want to save from himself… after kneeing him in the nuts. He had me ensnared from the first book and yes, even through all of the turmoil, by the end of this one, I would have followed him anywhere.

I really appreciate how Jodi wrote Amelia in such a multi-dimensional way. She’s a strong driven woman and holds her own with Jude and his rollercoaster of hidden secrets. And she calls him on his stuff when he needs it. Amelia and her posse of close friends are an added wonderful support system for her…That’s some serious friendship relationship goals, right there.

Jude’s going to drive you crazy. You just need to accept it. But you’ll fall for him like a ton of bricks. The spice level is off the charts, intense and electric. I love his obsession of her, how he takes care of her, supports her career and then the bonehead frustrated me with jealousy and a double standard. And yet, I devoured and loved it all.

After the devastating cliff-hanger revelation at the end of book 1, I seriously had doubts how Jodi was going to pull off the story. There are parts that frustrated me so much I wanted to chuck the book repeatedly. Jude can be a man-child with double standards that can upset readers, me included. Yet Jodi weaves her magic wonderfully well. So, hold on to your knickers because, oh lord, the last 20% of the book is a white-knuckle rollercoaster ride. The groveling is epic…On his knees… kind of epic.

The Surrender is the conclusion of JEM’s Arlington Hall Series. It can’t be read as a standalone. But, if you love a book with angst, lust, love major push and pull with a sprinkle of suspense then this is the book for you.

Wowzers! As always, JEM takes us on a roller ride and I’m here for it. She always does a good of giving all the angst, drama, making you feel all the emotions, pulling at your heart strings, all while serving up all the heat!
We leave off in The Invitation with a bet, and complete heartbreak. Jude is groveling trying to save his relationship with Amelia but nothing like 2 ex’s trying to stir the pot. Their shady moments (and there was a few) cause a big stink. It was definitely an uphill battle for them both. The complexities, challenges, intensity and angst of the storyline is always present. I was definitely on my toes. The push, pull, banter, the sheer chemistry and sexiness was oozing off the pages. They were combustible.

And, just when you think everything might go their way, bam… jokes on you. JEM definitely throws you for a loop. Jude had so much growth. Amelia, was a complete game changer for him and honestly a wild card he wasn’t expecting. He was vulnerable, open to love, showing Ameila the person he was deep down, while trying to prove to her that he could always be there for her no matter what hurdles got in their way. It was heartbreaking to hear his whole story. I love how they never fully gave up on one another. Excellent read and the story had such a redeeming ending.
I can’t wait to listen to the audiobook for this one.