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MacKenzies - Florida Civil War #4
Surrender
The daughter of a Yankee colonel and a staunch defender of the Confederate cause are brought together by fate amidst the drama and turbulence of the Civil War, and through their passion they are able to overcome their wartime political differences. Original.
381 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published February 1, 1998
33 people are currently reading
608 people want to read
About the author
Heather Graham
661books6,732followersAlso published as Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon Drake.
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell's Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette's Shadows, and for Harlequin's mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.
Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children's charity.
She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.
Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell's Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette's Shadows, and for Harlequin's mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.
Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children's charity.
She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.
Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 9, 2021
I read this so many years ago that I can't remember enough to write a review, except that the history that the author inserts into the novels of this series, plus the fascinating characters make it an amazing series. I read the series a couple of times, before passing the books on.
November 9, 2022
3,5⭐️
Този път мацката е янки, а героят - южняк. Само накрая тоя злодей отде се взе от нищото - можеше спокойно да мине и без него, но любовната история беше сладка.
Този път мацката е янки, а героят - южняк. Само накрая тоя злодей отде се взе от нищото - можеше спокойно да мине и без него, но любовната история беше сладка.
October 31, 2020
Di solito i libri di Heather Graham mi sono sempre piaciuti, ma questo "mattoncino" di quasi 400 pagine ha rischiato di mettere a dura prova la mia pazienza.
Non discuto sulla ricostruzione storica, curata come sempre (e non per nulla avevo amato molto il volume "Prigioniera" della stessa serie). Questo episodio, in particolare, si sposta lungo il corso della storia americana, narrando le storie dei McKenzie in piena guerra di secessione, con cugini divisi sui due fronti opposti: Ian con l'Unione e Jerome con i Confederati.
Ma, o questo contesto non aveva grande interesse per me (si tratta perlopiù delle vicende localizzate in mare, con le dispute tra le opposte flotte marinare, con il nord più organizzato e il sud dedito alle spedizioni e ai tentativi di infrangere il blocco dei porti), oppure questo continuo saliscendi da nave a spiaggia e viceversa, con scaramucce notturne, eccetera, è stato reso in modo piuttosto confuso.
E noiosetto.
Non parliamo della protagonista, Risa, una figura al di sopra delle righe, la cui condotta risulta del tutto incomprensibile, a partire dall'inizio, quando si propone da sola di entrare in territorio nemico per avvisare/salvare l'identità di una presunta spia (?) e combina ovviamente pasticcio su pasticcio.
Ne deriva poi un intero libro in cui Risa viene fatta prigioniera, scappa, viene ripresa, viene liberata, torna indietro, viene aggredita, salvata, ricatturata... alla fine non ne potevo davvero più.
In aggiunta, c'è una storia d'amore priva di senso, dove il confine tra violenza e consenso rimane sempre dubbio (o forse, essendo il libro vecchiotto, c'era ancora il mito dell'eroe impulsivo e macho, che ben pensa di approfittare della sciocchina di turno).
Di certo, questi due che si accoppiano litigando ispirano di tutto tranne che romanticismo.
Insomma, se ho molto consigliato "Prigioniera", per questo sospendo un po' il giudizio.
La Graham è brava, ma questo non rientra a mio parere tra i suoi libri migliori.
Non discuto sulla ricostruzione storica, curata come sempre (e non per nulla avevo amato molto il volume "Prigioniera" della stessa serie). Questo episodio, in particolare, si sposta lungo il corso della storia americana, narrando le storie dei McKenzie in piena guerra di secessione, con cugini divisi sui due fronti opposti: Ian con l'Unione e Jerome con i Confederati.
Ma, o questo contesto non aveva grande interesse per me (si tratta perlopiù delle vicende localizzate in mare, con le dispute tra le opposte flotte marinare, con il nord più organizzato e il sud dedito alle spedizioni e ai tentativi di infrangere il blocco dei porti), oppure questo continuo saliscendi da nave a spiaggia e viceversa, con scaramucce notturne, eccetera, è stato reso in modo piuttosto confuso.
E noiosetto.
Non parliamo della protagonista, Risa, una figura al di sopra delle righe, la cui condotta risulta del tutto incomprensibile, a partire dall'inizio, quando si propone da sola di entrare in territorio nemico per avvisare/salvare l'identità di una presunta spia (?) e combina ovviamente pasticcio su pasticcio.
Ne deriva poi un intero libro in cui Risa viene fatta prigioniera, scappa, viene ripresa, viene liberata, torna indietro, viene aggredita, salvata, ricatturata... alla fine non ne potevo davvero più.
In aggiunta, c'è una storia d'amore priva di senso, dove il confine tra violenza e consenso rimane sempre dubbio (o forse, essendo il libro vecchiotto, c'era ancora il mito dell'eroe impulsivo e macho, che ben pensa di approfittare della sciocchina di turno).
Di certo, questi due che si accoppiano litigando ispirano di tutto tranne che romanticismo.
Insomma, se ho molto consigliato "Prigioniera", per questo sospendo un po' il giudizio.
La Graham è brava, ma questo non rientra a mio parere tra i suoi libri migliori.
February 24, 2012
Too Similar to REBEL, the 3rd in the Series
This is the 4th in Graham's 19th century Old Florida's McKenzies series--romances that tell the stories of the men and women who shaped a great state. Graham takes care to give us the history of the times (it's her home state after all!) as she weaves tales of love in the Eden that was early Florida.
Like the 3rd in the series (Rebel), Surrender takes place during the Civil War and follows closely on the heels of Rebel. This is the story of James and Teela McKenzie's oldest son, Jerome, a Rebel naval captain with Seminole blood, and Risa Magee, daughter of a Yankee general.
I was not pleased to find Risa, the "almost fiancé" and "other woman" in Ian McKenzie's life, to be the heroine. (I didn't like her from Rebel and did not find her friendship with Alaina, Ian's wife, to be persuasive.) Worse, as the story begins in May 1862, Risa is kissing Jerome believing him to be Ian...the husband of her supposed friend, Alaina! At the end of book 3, I just wanted Risa to go away (couldn't Graham find another woman for Jerome??), but since I already owned Surrender and was committed to read the series, I kept reading. And what I discovered was a different Risa...not the mature, poised woman of Rebel, but a hot tempered, and at times immature, young woman. I do wish Graham had given her a different name.
Jerome has his own ship, one he designed for speed, and runs the Yankee blockades on Florida's east coast for the Confederacy. He takes Risa captive when he learns she has information that could hurt them. Initially I liked him very much but then he turns bitter and cranky, at times indifferent to the hurt he causes Risa. The arguments that develop between Jerome and Risa seemed petty... and somewhat contrived.
The similarities between SURRENDER and REBEL bothered me. In both stories: (1) a Yank weds a Rebel; (2) there was a reluctant bride and a shotgun wedding; (3) the husband believed his wife was the enemy who betrayed him; and (4) a spurned prospective suitor sought revenge.
If you are committed to reading the series, as I was, you will want to read this integral piece to the whole, but I think both RUNAWAY and CAPTIVE were better than REBEL and SURRENDER. On to GLORY...
The series in order:
RUNAWAY
CAPTIVE
REBEL
SURRENDER
GLORY
TRIUMPH
This is the 4th in Graham's 19th century Old Florida's McKenzies series--romances that tell the stories of the men and women who shaped a great state. Graham takes care to give us the history of the times (it's her home state after all!) as she weaves tales of love in the Eden that was early Florida.
Like the 3rd in the series (Rebel), Surrender takes place during the Civil War and follows closely on the heels of Rebel. This is the story of James and Teela McKenzie's oldest son, Jerome, a Rebel naval captain with Seminole blood, and Risa Magee, daughter of a Yankee general.
I was not pleased to find Risa, the "almost fiancé" and "other woman" in Ian McKenzie's life, to be the heroine. (I didn't like her from Rebel and did not find her friendship with Alaina, Ian's wife, to be persuasive.) Worse, as the story begins in May 1862, Risa is kissing Jerome believing him to be Ian...the husband of her supposed friend, Alaina! At the end of book 3, I just wanted Risa to go away (couldn't Graham find another woman for Jerome??), but since I already owned Surrender and was committed to read the series, I kept reading. And what I discovered was a different Risa...not the mature, poised woman of Rebel, but a hot tempered, and at times immature, young woman. I do wish Graham had given her a different name.
Jerome has his own ship, one he designed for speed, and runs the Yankee blockades on Florida's east coast for the Confederacy. He takes Risa captive when he learns she has information that could hurt them. Initially I liked him very much but then he turns bitter and cranky, at times indifferent to the hurt he causes Risa. The arguments that develop between Jerome and Risa seemed petty... and somewhat contrived.
The similarities between SURRENDER and REBEL bothered me. In both stories: (1) a Yank weds a Rebel; (2) there was a reluctant bride and a shotgun wedding; (3) the husband believed his wife was the enemy who betrayed him; and (4) a spurned prospective suitor sought revenge.
If you are committed to reading the series, as I was, you will want to read this integral piece to the whole, but I think both RUNAWAY and CAPTIVE were better than REBEL and SURRENDER. On to GLORY...
The series in order:
RUNAWAY
CAPTIVE
REBEL
SURRENDER
GLORY
TRIUMPH
July 12, 2019
Ok, so this is one review for the whole saga.
The saga begins during the second Seminole war and ends at the end of the secession war. The first two books are about Jarrett (white american) and James his half brother who is half white (same father)/half Seminole. The four following books are focused on their children.
The McKenzies are a close knit family. Then secession war happens and though they are all staunchly against slavery they find themselves politically divided.
Heather Graham has a real talent to weave real History through her romances and each time she gave us both side of the story.
One of my favorite historical saga ever.
The saga begins during the second Seminole war and ends at the end of the secession war. The first two books are about Jarrett (white american) and James his half brother who is half white (same father)/half Seminole. The four following books are focused on their children.
The McKenzies are a close knit family. Then secession war happens and though they are all staunchly against slavery they find themselves politically divided.
Heather Graham has a real talent to weave real History through her romances and each time she gave us both side of the story.
One of my favorite historical saga ever.
March 29, 2010
This is the 4th story in the MacKenzie series. This story is about Jerome and Risa. It takes place during the civil war period and has great familyl strength.
4.7 on a 5.0 scale.
4.7 on a 5.0 scale.
August 14, 2023
This review is for the entire series.
Heather Graham is an incredible storyteller and her Florida Civil War series of six books is riveting, full of passion and rich historical details.
The first two books, Runaway and Captive, take place during the Seminole Wars, mid 1830s and the heroes are two brothers, Jarrett and James McKenzie who has a Seminole mother. Both wealthy landowners. Jarrett wins Tara, the heroine, in a poker game in New Orleans.
The rest of the series is about four of their adult children and is set during the Civil War. All the romances mirror the intensity and battles of these wars� they are enemies to lovers� especially during the Civil War books when the McKenzies are divided in loyalty � Union or the South.
This series has much more historical detail compared to Graham’s earlier series about the Camerons� Florida is her home state and was the breadbasket of the Confederacy. At times the actual romances are almost a backstory .., in one book they hero and heroine only meet sporadically until the end, as the battles in the North raged around them. There’s plenty of blood and gore, tragedy, high stakes adventures, all surrounding sex scenes full of slightly purple prose. The state of Florida plays a starring role along with the splendid McKenzie clan who all appear in the final book as the author ties all the loose ends together.
Recommend if you’re interested in reading HRs heavy on history and lighter on the number of pages for romance. Yes, I loved the series!
Heather Graham is an incredible storyteller and her Florida Civil War series of six books is riveting, full of passion and rich historical details.
The first two books, Runaway and Captive, take place during the Seminole Wars, mid 1830s and the heroes are two brothers, Jarrett and James McKenzie who has a Seminole mother. Both wealthy landowners. Jarrett wins Tara, the heroine, in a poker game in New Orleans.
The rest of the series is about four of their adult children and is set during the Civil War. All the romances mirror the intensity and battles of these wars� they are enemies to lovers� especially during the Civil War books when the McKenzies are divided in loyalty � Union or the South.
This series has much more historical detail compared to Graham’s earlier series about the Camerons� Florida is her home state and was the breadbasket of the Confederacy. At times the actual romances are almost a backstory .., in one book they hero and heroine only meet sporadically until the end, as the battles in the North raged around them. There’s plenty of blood and gore, tragedy, high stakes adventures, all surrounding sex scenes full of slightly purple prose. The state of Florida plays a starring role along with the splendid McKenzie clan who all appear in the final book as the author ties all the loose ends together.
Recommend if you’re interested in reading HRs heavy on history and lighter on the number of pages for romance. Yes, I loved the series!
February 10, 2020
Probably my least favorite in Heather Graham’s Florida Series. You’re introduced to the heroine, Risa Magee, in the previous book, Rebel, and that introduction makes it hard to root for Risa in this book, Surrender. The connection between Risa and hero, Jerome McKenzie is prefaced on Risa’s connection with his cousin, Ian McKenzie. Without giving too much away, this triangle of sorts made Jerome feel like Risa’s second choice, which made it hard to buy into their romance.
Additionally, there were long stretches on the book where Jerome and Risa don’t interact. As a result, when they eventually meet, the tension between them feels less sexual and more like genuine frustrations between two people who don’t know each other very well.
As an author, Heather Graham excels at character development and seamlessly weaving historical details into the underlying romance. I thought this book was heavy on history, light on romance. It was enjoyable, but doesn’t stand up against Rebel or the writing in her other Civil War themed books, such as the Camerons.
Additionally, there were long stretches on the book where Jerome and Risa don’t interact. As a result, when they eventually meet, the tension between them feels less sexual and more like genuine frustrations between two people who don’t know each other very well.
As an author, Heather Graham excels at character development and seamlessly weaving historical details into the underlying romance. I thought this book was heavy on history, light on romance. It was enjoyable, but doesn’t stand up against Rebel or the writing in her other Civil War themed books, such as the Camerons.
February 29, 2020
Simply a masterpiece
As I picked up this book , frankly I was perplexed how Heather Graham was going to pull of the story of one incredible heroine Risa and two McKenzie men. She brilliantly has crafted one of those books containing moments: riveting/spellbinding moments, tender and bittersweet moments and genteel/gutwrenching moments. All of these have contributed to Surrender in this series as one of most powerful and monumental segments. It was breathtaking and spellbinding. Some series starts off so great and then they falter, yet this series only gets better. Surrender stands as a testimony to an incredible writer.
As I picked up this book , frankly I was perplexed how Heather Graham was going to pull of the story of one incredible heroine Risa and two McKenzie men. She brilliantly has crafted one of those books containing moments: riveting/spellbinding moments, tender and bittersweet moments and genteel/gutwrenching moments. All of these have contributed to Surrender in this series as one of most powerful and monumental segments. It was breathtaking and spellbinding. Some series starts off so great and then they falter, yet this series only gets better. Surrender stands as a testimony to an incredible writer.
October 7, 2022
Great read
As with the first three books, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not only is it a great love story, but I have learned a lot of Florida history that, even though I have lived in South Florida for over 60 years, I did not know and have found to be very interesting. I love the printed timelines at the end of each of the books and the family trees at the beginning of each book. I am looking forward to starting book 5 later today!
As with the first three books, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not only is it a great love story, but I have learned a lot of Florida history that, even though I have lived in South Florida for over 60 years, I did not know and have found to be very interesting. I love the printed timelines at the end of each of the books and the family trees at the beginning of each book. I am looking forward to starting book 5 later today!
August 25, 2017
Amazing story, not about the Civil War, but of the people North and South that had to deal with it.
March 11, 2021
Great Series
Another great book in the series. This is about Jerome son to James. He is a gun runner who falls in love with a northern general's daughter. Exciting read.
Another great book in the series. This is about Jerome son to James. He is a gun runner who falls in love with a northern general's daughter. Exciting read.
June 19, 2023
Reread - one of my all time favorites
Read
August 11, 2024DNF. I only read the first pages but the beginning was too melodramatically ridiculous for me.
January 6, 2025
4.25 stars.
January 15, 2025
I don’t really remember but I think it was a little tedious
March 5, 2017
Excellent!
August 6, 2011
This was my favorite book so far of the Florida Civil War series, of course, I have two more to go.
This again follows the MacKenzie family. Jerome is the oldest son of James MacKenzi and he is a Rebel Captain of the ship The Lady Varina. Risa is Ian MacKenzie's ex-fiancee, Jerome's cousin. Risa risks her life to cross enemy lines into Florida to save Ian and his wife Alaina. She is abducted by Jerome and taken aboard his ship because he fears if he lets her go, she will tell the South's secrets to the Yankees.
Naturally, high jinks ensue, and before long their passionate arguments become passionate lust. Jerome never trusts Risa, always believing she is a spy and that she is still in love with his cousin, Ian.
Believing his daughter kidnapped and ravished by a southern savage, Risa's father, searches for Jerome MacKenzie, even after his daughter is safely returned. He becomes infuriated and is out for blood when he learns his only daughter is in "the family way."
This again follows the MacKenzie family. Jerome is the oldest son of James MacKenzi and he is a Rebel Captain of the ship The Lady Varina. Risa is Ian MacKenzie's ex-fiancee, Jerome's cousin. Risa risks her life to cross enemy lines into Florida to save Ian and his wife Alaina. She is abducted by Jerome and taken aboard his ship because he fears if he lets her go, she will tell the South's secrets to the Yankees.
Naturally, high jinks ensue, and before long their passionate arguments become passionate lust. Jerome never trusts Risa, always believing she is a spy and that she is still in love with his cousin, Ian.
Believing his daughter kidnapped and ravished by a southern savage, Risa's father, searches for Jerome MacKenzie, even after his daughter is safely returned. He becomes infuriated and is out for blood when he learns his only daughter is in "the family way."
August 15, 2012
Another great McKenzie saga Heather Graham's really enthralls you with a scorching romance, and a firm historical novel.
A Yankee colonel's daughter Risa Magee was trying to rescue a friend Alaina known as "Mocassin" with a bounty on her head. So, Risa travels South to informed Alaina to stop spying or she'll get hanged. While down the river in the Confederate Peninsula she encountered one of the Naval Rebel Captain Jerome Mckenzie a cousin of his ex-fiancee Ian McKenzie who now married to Alaina known as "Mocassin".
Jerome McKenzie was suspicious with Riza Magee thinking that she was spying on them and may report to his father with their activities, so he decided to kept her with him on his ship until she scaped from him forever??? maybe!!! Great read a kind of book that you wanted to read over and over :))......that is if you're romantic like me~~~
A Yankee colonel's daughter Risa Magee was trying to rescue a friend Alaina known as "Mocassin" with a bounty on her head. So, Risa travels South to informed Alaina to stop spying or she'll get hanged. While down the river in the Confederate Peninsula she encountered one of the Naval Rebel Captain Jerome Mckenzie a cousin of his ex-fiancee Ian McKenzie who now married to Alaina known as "Mocassin".
Jerome McKenzie was suspicious with Riza Magee thinking that she was spying on them and may report to his father with their activities, so he decided to kept her with him on his ship until she scaped from him forever??? maybe!!! Great read a kind of book that you wanted to read over and over :))......that is if you're romantic like me~~~
February 20, 2015
Risa Mageewas in love with Ian McKenzie and he love her to but he had to married another, he was fighting for the north and his wife is a spy for the south. The north is hunting her down know know her true identity. She sets off to inform Ian that the one he seeks is his own wife. Suddenly, she was the prisoner of a man with rippling bronze muscles, sensual lips, and plundering kisses.
Nothing in his years of battle could have prepared Rebel sea captain Jerome McKenzie for the desire that ignited when this lovely, reckless woman brazenly entered his home state of Florida--and his world. Can he make Risa forget her love for Ian and return his love.
Nothing in his years of battle could have prepared Rebel sea captain Jerome McKenzie for the desire that ignited when this lovely, reckless woman brazenly entered his home state of Florida--and his world. Can he make Risa forget her love for Ian and return his love.
September 20, 2012
Part of the McKenzie series, this book was a quick read and very enjoyable. Heather Graham is one of my favorite romance authors. I especially enjoy her historical romances. Set during the Civil War with our hero and lady on separate sides, but with a mounting attraction they cannot deny, the story is timeless. The hero of this tale is Jerome McKenzie, part Indian naval commander for the Rebel forces. He is everything you would want a southern gentleman with savage roots to be. But alas, he is no match for Risa Magee daughter of a Northern commander.
August 23, 2010
Loved this one the best out of the McKenzie saga.
March 8, 2016
I'm sick of waiting - i want this on KINDLE NOW!!!
June 25, 2014
So far my favorite in the series.
October 13, 2014
I am enjoying this series. The McKenzie men are good at making love first, then realizing that the lady in question was a virgin. Yet, the women are willing. Who wouldn't be?
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