Book One left us with a cliffhanger, and this sequel was everything we needed to complete that story. It begins with Jude pining for Amelia. Amelia also misses Jude but is deeply hurt by his actions. What started as a bet for him turned into something real; what he didn’t account for was his heart falling for Amelia. For Jude, she is his salvation, the only person who can bring light into his dark life. Amelia is angry and heartbroken.

Both Jude and Amelia are trying to cope separately, but with such strong attraction between them, can they really stay apart for long that is the question. This book brings so many twists and turns, with revelations that are dark yet understandable. Jude downright starts stalking her in order to make her listen. Her ex, Nick, also plays quite an interesting role in the story. Amelia and Jude share quite the chemistry; it is hot, intense and needy.

The love between Jude and Amelia is raw and carnal. They can't stay apart from each other, but their differences and all the situations and different people don't want them to be together. They are two very possessive beings and they would claw at anyone who even looked at the other with wrong intentions. The way the story unfolds is gripping and highly entertaining.

🎧Audiobook Review 🎧

As we step back into Arlington Hall, we are thrown back into a world filled with love, betrayal, regret, and worst of all revenge. Jodi Ellen Malpas knows what heart strings to pull in this hauntingly beautiful story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Amelia and Jude’s story fits perfectly amongst her other works and yet is a category of its own. True to Jodi’s style, The Surrender is filled with passion that has you begging for more. You can expect an antagonist that you will loathe (Catherine is giving Sarah vibes — IYKYK) from and supporting characters that you will fall in love with (I want a friendship trio like Amelia’s friend group). The Surrender will have you gasping, yelling, and crying all at the same time.

Shakira Shute did an amazing job with the audio. I was able to clearly differentiate between characters, get a grasp for the scene’s tone, and be immersed in the story.


Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Trope: Jealous Possessive, Billionaire, Alpha Male, Revenge Romance

"The Surrender" by Jodi Ellen Malpas, brought to life by the talented narration of Shakira Shute, offers a brilliant continuation of a scorching romance where solving a tantalizing man of mystery could risk everything.

Picking up directly where "The Invitation" concluded, Amelia Lazenby is reeling from betrayal by the wealthy and devastatingly sexy Jude Harrison. Though initially heartbroken, Amelia finds Jude determined to win her back, whispering sincere apologies and refusing to let her go. Drawn back into his orbit, Amelia soon finds her pulse pounding as she rediscovers the rapture she craves with him. As Jude opens up, revealing a more vulnerable and even humorous side alongside his known possessiveness and temper, Amelia falls for him once more, feeling her life finally aligning.

However, just as Amelia feels secure, old complexities resurface. Jude's ex-lover returns, and Amelia's own past reappears, bringing shocking revelations about Jude. This second installment in the Arlington Hall series plunges readers into an emotional whirlwind, filled with secrets and twists that rival even Malpas's "This Man" series characters. To fully appreciate the journey and Jude's compelling redemption arc, reading book one, "The Invitation," is essential.

The narrative skillfully balances intense emotional development with spicy romance and engaging secondary characters, whose humor provides welcome levity. Despite lingering mysteries around Jude, his growth and the couple's hard-won happily ever after feel immensely satisfying, making "The Surrender" an unputdownable read, further enhanced by Shute's brilliant narration.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

After finishing The Invitation I was dying to get my hands on book 2, The Surrender. The Invitation ended on a huge cliffhanger, with Amelia finding out some “truths”. Jude had a lot of making up to do after the ending of book 1 and I was left wondering if he would be able to do it. But he did. I loved seeing the different side to Jude, him opening up to Amelia, letting himself love her and be in a romantic relationship. I loved this book, Jude and Amelia are meant to be together and I’m glad they worked through their problems to end up happy together. I did at multiple points listening to this story, feel like I needed to shake these characters, especially Jude to reveal his truths and open up to Amelia. I loved the side characters, they had some hilarious moments and I loved them all just as much.
I listened to the audiobook, Shakira Shute is the narrator and she is fantastic. She brings each character to life and you would think it was a full cast narration.

Thank you to the author, Valentine PR and NetGalley for the ALC!

Amelia and Jude have a volatile relationship. She finds out things were not what she thought when they met, Then she has an ex that just won't leave her alone. Her father does not treat her as an adult and she has a job she loves but working with a man she is competing with who is out for her blood. No matter how hard Amelia tries to stay away from Jude he just won't leave her alone. He is in love with her and she loves him but is love enough for these 2?
I love the friendship she has with her brother and how her 2 best friends are always there for her. Her parents needed to mind their own business.
Jude also has a woman from his past that keeps making this relationship hard and she is a horrible person.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance publishing for the audiobook to review. I enjoyed the voice of the narrator.

When I requested this book, I didn't realize that it was a continuation of another book. I think it would have been helpful if this had been included in the description and or title of the book. I started with book one to give myself some background and I found the story to be lacking in terms of quality and depth. The main character spends endless paragraphs describing the male main character's physical attributes at nauseum. I realized this story is just not for me. I like my main characters to have depth and not be so fixated on the outward appearances of another individual. I get it, this is supposed to be a spicy romantic story but as it started I was completely turned off and therefore I believe I'm not the audience for her books.

✨AUDIO ALC 🎧 REVIEW ✨

Amelia Lazenby is trying to put her heart back together after the betrayal of Jude Harrison when he shows back up in her life trying to win her back. He is saying all the right things and she finds it hard to resist him. Just has she starts to let him back in his ex reappears to start trouble and even Amelia’s own ex Nick shows up knowing more about Jude than Amelia can imagine.

The Surrender is book #2 in the Arlington Hall series and it does continue from where book #1 left off. This book is so good and the characters well developed. I really loved Amelia’s friends. The audio was narrated by Shakira Shute and she really did an amazing job bringing the story to life. I was invested in Amelia’s and Jude’s messy and toxic relationship and all the exposed secrets. The drama, twists and turns kept me listening. I really couldn’t put the book down and I really enjoyed listening to The Surrender. I devoured it in a couple hours. Amelia is so fierce and I loved how strong she is. Honestly I was not team Jude because he was too much of a red flag for me but now he has my whole heart and I am glad that Amelia did not give up on him because he was just a broken man and all he really wanted was for someone to love him, see him and be there for him and Amelia did just that!! I really loved that despite everything Amelia and Jude went through at the end they got their HEA!

This serious is a good one and I definitely recommend it!!

thanks NetGalley Brilliance Publishing and Valentine PR Influencers for the ALC in exchange of my honest review! 🩵

#jodiellenmalpas #arlingtonhall #thesurrender #ContemporaryRomance #EroticRomance #Billionaire #BoyObsessed #Revenge #JealousPossessive #ObsessedHero #Suspense

Finally Everything comes together in this book and I LOVED it to pieces.
The Surrender is the 2nd book in The Arlington Hall series,and it picks up where book 1 ended.
This book is a huge WOW of a Rollercoaster and I felt emotionally exhausted afterwards.
Jude has ALOT of begging for forgiveness to do..as he broke Amelia's heart and in this story we see him trying to win her back...Which will not be easy but their connection,chemistry and attraction is still something that will never go away.
Jude is very much still reckless and posessive as always,mystery surrounds Jude and he may be a bit unhinged but you cant help but fall in love with him.
You will fall for him its a guarantee as we see a different side of Jude in this book,a softer more vunerable side as we discover more about him and his past.
Amelia is so easy to love also she is a good person with a beautiful heart and she is getting her life back together,after being broken.I love the friendships in this book Amelia's girlfriends are so supportive and would fight anyone for her.
Jodi Ellen Malpas will ALWAYS be an author who I want to read she has a formula in her stories that works and attracts readers interests,I adore her storytelling.
The narration once again is voiced by Shakira Shutes and she does a wonderful job at portraying the characters..She is so expressive and gives a marvellous rendition of Jude and Amelia's rocky romance.
The Surrender is addictive,passionate,emotional and Amazing and I really enjoyed listening to it.
Loved it
Brilliant.
5 Stars

🖤 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.

Amelia and Jude are back together and it is still tumultuous. Lots of twists and turns in this one and I loved it so much!

5 stars

Many thanks to Net Galley and Brilliance Publishing for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jude and Amelia’s story just gets better in The Surrender. 🔥 Full of passion, secrets, and unexpected twists, this book had me hooked from start to finish. Jude is every bit as mysterious and possessive as before, and Amelia has to decide if loving him is worth the risk. Steamy, suspenseful, and impossible to put down—I devoured it!

Audio update 🎧
Shakira Shute’s narration brought all the drama, steam and suspense to life—an addictive listen from start to finish!

Jodi really tried my patience with this one, but in a great way! I was loving Jude getting his redemption but then he kept screwing it up! If he would just tell everything already, Amelia would be all in! But of course, that wouldn't make for much of a compelling story to keep you intrigued so I loved every second of her emotional turns.

After reading The Invitation I was so ready to see Jude get his comeback after deceiving Amelia. Even through all of the secrets, he truly did love her and just wanted to give her everything. I loved how strong Amelia was in general. She knew what she wanted for her life and even though she felt like she had given her heart up too easily, she wasn't afraid to also pick up the pieces of said broken heart when she found out each new secret. Jude was his pushy yet romantic self. He was also so lost without her. I really enjoyed Amelia and her dad hashing things out and seeing their relationship get to a good place. The rest of the family and friends had me cracking up just as they did in the first book. I was glad Nick finally got what he deserved too but I did NOT see that twist coming. Nor the twist with Amelia's best friend... but I won't spoil things. Just know that there are many twists in this one and even though Jodi makes you really not like Jude a lot, his reasonings will break your heart and make you love him so much!

I was also approved for an ALC of this one which was done by Shakira Shute. Her accent made the story so amazing. She really had me picturing everything from the story and I adore when a narrator can do that, especially for books that are based somewhere else where they speak with a different accent. It just adds a great touch to the book.

Thank you so much Netgalley, ValentinePR, and Brilliance Publishing for the advanced copies in exchange for my honest review!