Terms of Surrender

Terms #1

by Lorrie Farrelly

The War Between the States not only destroyed all Michael Cantrell loved, it left the young, former Confederate cavalry officer without faith or hope, a solitary, haunted man trying to escape his demons in the vast western frontier. Then, one spring day along the Wind River, he finds himself suddenly in the thick of another life-and-death struggle -- Annie Devlin’s war.

Desperate to hang on to her ranch and her life, waylaid by gunmen hired by a powerful rancher who covets her land, Annie and her young brother, Robbie, fight a furious, rapidly losing battle for their lives.

When all seems lost, into the fray steps a cold-eyed, steel-nerved stranger -- Michael Cantrell -- who saves Annie and Robbie, but is himself grievously wounded.

With Annie’s care, Michael recovers not only his strength but a portion of his embittered soul as well. Fighting his powerful feelings for her, convinced he has nothing to give, Michael determines to stay with the Devlins only long enough to ensure their safety against the treachery that would destroy them.

Reluctantly, Michael, who for years has known only loss, allies himself with a stubborn, courageous young woman who will take his heart by storm and test the limit of his honor, his mettle -- and his passion.

A finalist for the prestigious Orange Rose Award, "Terms of Surrender" takes the reader on a stirring adventure that is also a heartfelt, emotional journey.

Genres: Westerns, Historical Romance, Western Romance, Historical, Romance, Western Historical Romance, Suspense

347 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

A Navy brat and graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz, LORRIE FARRELLY is proud to be a Fightin' Banana Slug. Following graduate school at Northwestern University, she began a career in education that included teaching art to 4th graders, drama to 8th graders, and finally, math to high school students.

She's been a Renaissance nominee for Teacher of the Year, a ranch hand at Disneyland’s Circle D Ranch, and a “Jeopardy!” TV quiz show champion.

Her novels have won multiple awards, including two 2014 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards. TERMS OF SURRENDER was a First Place Winner in the 2014 Laramie Awards, and TIMELAPSE was a First Place Winner in the 2014 Cygnus Awards. She has also written short fiction for Prairie Rose Publishing. Her short story "The Longest Way Home" won the Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award for Best Western Short Story of 2015.

Lorrie and her family live in Southern California.


WHAT READERS AND REVIEWERS ARE SAYING about Lorrie's novels:

"Filled with sweet emotion, but also heart wrenching hurt, TERMS OF SURRENDER by Lorrie Farrelly is exactly why I am such a fan of historical fiction!" ~ B. Casto, reviewing for Readers' Favorite

"TERMS OF SURRENDER is a heart-melting, pulse-racing, beautiful piece of literature." ~ Amazon Review

"TIMELAPSE is a fast-paced story that keeps the pages turning until the very end. This is one of my favorite books of the year!" ~ M. McManus, reviewing for Readers' Favorite

"Those who want their alternate history and timeslip stories laced with believable, winning protagonists should look no further than TIMELAPSE: it provides a gripping, involving read from start to finish, and stands out from the crowd." ~ D. Donovan, reviewing for Midwest Book Review

"DANGEROUS opens with a bang and just keeps on firing emotions and mystery to the end... Descriptions are vivid and capture a sense of awe, challenge, and love with deft pen strokes. Readers will find something new happens in every chapter...There's a healthy dose of steamy passion that charges the crime focus with romance, making this of special recommendation to romance readers." ~ D. Donovan, reviewing for Midwest Book Review

"DANGEROUS is a beautiful romance, full of heart wrenching insecurity and doubt, but it is also a gripping thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat!" ~ Amazon UK Review

"TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT is a powerful story. It incorporates love, danger, and excitement, with a soupcon of the paranormal." ~ Jada Ryker, Author of the TAKES A DARE series

"Wow. What a great book! TERMS OF TEMPTATION has it all: coherent plot, clear setting, credible dialogue and slang (for 1903, Wyoming), textured primary and secondary characters, humor, pathos, villainy and murderous mayhem (but not too much), authentic adolescents, adorable baby wild animals, and a few profoundly moving scenes involving the family ghost, or guardian angel." ~ Amazon Review

"I loved it! The author has written such a great story and it is so descriptive, making you feel as if you are the one in danger. (THE GUARDIAN'S ANGEL) is a thriller that leaves you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last a!" ~ Linda Tonis, reviewing for Paranormal Romance Guild

"More than your usual crime story: THE GUARDIAN'S ANGEL holds that promise in its very title, reinforces it in its opening chapter, and keeps its promise through a series of vivid encounters that keep readers involved on an emotional level." ~ D. Donovan, reviewing for Midwest Book Review

Lorrie always enjoys hearing from readers! Find her at:

http://www.amazon.com/Lorrie-Farrelly...
https://www.facebook.com/LorrieFarrel...
https://sites.google.com/site/yourbes...
https://twitter.com/@lorriewrites
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
http://enovelauthorsatwork.com/153-2/
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+LorrieFa...
http://www.linkedin.com/p

Reviews

[Mei · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely romance with a flavour of old western movies!

I kept imagining Michael as John Wayne!!! O_O

It is very well written with good descriptions and the right amount of inner musigs.

I liked both Michael and Annie. Both are honorable and hard working people. They're just right for each other.

Their love story is a slow building, even if there's a strong attraction from the start.

I also like Annie's little brother Robbie: a sweet child who soon comes to idolize Michael.

The villains are sketch-thin. Elias Randolph, the tycoon of the town; his daughter Emma, a spoilt belle; her stupid husband the sheriff who is in Randolph's pocket, Clay Skinner, the sly killer ingaged by Randolph to scare a run away all his neibghours to order to get their land...

I didn't buy that Skinner was intelligent enough to go through such a lot of trouble just to kill Michael. Also, how could Skinner's accomplice in crime could so easily reach Randolph and Emma?
Some things were just left unexplain and totally to our imagination.

I found superfluous the presence of (Michael's brother) Gavin's ghost. Why that supernatural thing was inserted??

But, as I understnad this was the debut novel for Ms. Farrelly and thus, for me, it is a solid 3,5 stars rounder to 4!

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Those who love Pamela Clare's MacKinnon's Rangers series, including Surrender, might like this book -- the first in a series of three, and Farrelly's debut book. For me, it was good, but there was a little too much murderous villainy. Like a pendalum, the plot sometimes swung from a happy event to a grim reprisal.

Yet well done, for all that. And definitely worth reading for its own sake, and to fully enjoy the sequels, Terms of Engagement and Terms of Temptation. The sequels offer many scenes of this ranch and these characters.

Writing quality: The writing is of good calibre, the dialogue and lingo suits the setting, and there are few typos, if any. The plot is coherent, at times poignant, and the smexy times sizzle, especially in the hot springs. The historical aspects felt authentic, too -- more so than many books. Farrelly portrays kids realistically, unlike some authors.

However, I felt Farrelly revealed too much. She needs to keep her cards a little closer to her chest, instead of revealing everything the villains are up to, as the third-person POV switched from hero to heroine to villains. A story should include some suspense, right?

On the other hand, Farrelly avoids the trap so many romance authors fall into: She doesn't fill the pages and slow the pace with reams of internal dialogue and redundant rumination. (But there is some of that, which is fine. )

AUDIO QUALITY: I listened to this book and also read it, switching between book and audio. The narrator is Keith Tracton. He shows promise in terms of his ability to perform *some* character roles (others are not so good). For non-dialogue, he sounds almost robotic sometimes. So, narration gets 3 stars, max, I'd say.

Story synopsis, no major spoilers: Set in Wyoming just after the Civil War, the story spans 1865-1867. It begins with Confederate Captain Michael Cantrell, our hero, listening to his beloved General Robert E. Lee address the troops with a "farewell to arms" speech. The author made this authentic historically, including the papers Michael carries, stating that he will never bear arms against his own country again (something like that). Michael lost his entire family and is heartbroken, so he leaves Dixie and heads west on his noble steed, Jet. A year later, he happens upon Annie Devlin and her ten-year old brother Robbie, under deadly attack. The siblings are alone in the world, because their schoolteacher mother died six years ago, and their horse-breeder father died one year ago. A corrupt landowner wants the Devlin ranch, but Annie stubbornly won't sell and won't cave to threats and bully tactics, so the corrupt Colonel sends out his worst thugs, including a nasty piece of work named Skinner.

In the nick of time, Michael rescues Annie and Robbie from mayhem and possibly murder, but he gets badly wounded. Annie takes him home and nurses his wounds. This happens early in the story. At first, Michael is aloof and distant, because he doesn't ever want to feel any more loss or pain. However, the Devlins win his heart. He becomes a brother to Robbie, helping him with homework and horses, etc. Eventually, Annie and Michael become lovers and get married.

Sounds lovely, right? Well, yes and no. It's a fairly grim story, with splashes of joy. Like a Pamela Clare historical romance, there is no surcease fom the wicked schemes of amoral men. All three protagonists -- even Robbie -- must repeatedly battle various vicious villains. Too many times, in my opinion. However, there are some brief joyous scenes in between the mayhem. Some laughter. Some warmhearted at-home scenes, bonding with Robbie and Annie. Some fairly humorous banter between Annie and Michael, and I loved the comaraderie between Michael and his older roommate from West Point, the local Calvary Major he calls "Chief" (and Chief calls Michael "The Brat"). Eventually, some sizzling sexy times. Then a wedding at Fort Williams. The reception scene was quite something! Wonderful! Chuckles all around!

For Cantrell, there is a lot of "coming to terms" with all the Yankee soldiers -- especially the horde at the Fort. The author neatly portrayed Michael's sense of anxiety around the Yankee regiment, and his slow adjustment to being a Confederate Captain amidst a sea of blue.

Characterized by Guilt: Michael, only 24, was a prime cadet at West Point Academy before war broke out: top of his class, tall, strong, lethal. Dark blond hair and deep blue eyes. He was born into a prosperous and loving Virginia family that didn't approve of slavery, but did uphold states rights. During the war, he lost his entire family, especially his little brother Gavin. Michael blames himself for Gavin's death. I really dislike maudlin, self-glorifying guilt-tripping scenes -- and it seems to prevail in romance books -- but in this case, it was handled fairly realistically, and the cause was believable: Michael shouldered the blame for Gavin's death because he was the one who pulled strings to transfer Gavin to the unit that came under the heaviest fire. So, Gavin, long dead, plays a major role in this book, albeit a ghostly role. Literally. There are a handful of paranormal ghost scenes -- Gavin wants Michael to be happy. I liked the scenes with Gavin the ghost. Almost seemed truly believable, in some weird way.

Epilogue: I did NOT like the epilogue, because it was mainly just another sex scene. Who cares? The sex scenes are well written in this book -- I could feel the heat -- but after the first time or two, I lose interest. In the epilogue, I wanted to see the family settled safely, with scenes of prosperity and productivity. I wanted to see Michael doing what he was born to do -- breed horses. I wanted to see more of brave young Robbie, recovering nicely from his wounds. After all the hell these guys went through, I wanted to close the book with a satisfied feeling of healing and happiness.

Entire Series: In the sequel, Terms of Engagement, Robbie (Dr. Robert Devlin) and his 5-year-old daughter Grace rescue a mother and child fleeing an abusive husband / father. In the third book, Terms of Temptation, Michael and Annie's daughter falls in love while catching poachers and tending injured animals. Both sequels included Michael and Annie and Robert. I liked books 2 and 3 a lot.

[Celestine · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was such a refreshing change of pace to read a romance book with a hero who was actually a nice guy and not wallowing in despair or self-hate. To be sure, Michael Cantrell was scarred from his recent experience as a cavalry captain in the Confederate army, but author Lorrie Farrelly turns him into an optimistic survivor. He was in the West, wandering to find his new place in the world after losing his home and his family. Fortunately, he wanders right into the path of Annie and Robbie Devlin just when they need him most.

Beautiful Annie and her little brother are ambushed by the hired men of a neighboring rancher who covets the Devlin spread. During the fracas, Michael is seriously wounded and taken home by the Devlins so they can care for him. It doesn't take Michael long to realize that Annie and Robbie need some help. He also doesn't have any place he needs to be, and Annie Devlin sparks the first interest in life that Michael has had in a long time.

"Well, hell, Michael thought in wry chagrin, his body at taut attention. Looks like something works right after all."

Lorrie Farrelly crafts a romance between Michael and Annie that is full of homespun wit and humor. She makes the most of little jokes that play off Michael's southern twang, his adjustment to living among Union sympathizers, and victors versus losers in the game of war. Annie, Robbie and others teasingly don't let him forget for a second he was on the losing side.

"Don't know why I should be surprised by anything that woman does. God knows I haven't won a war yet."

They are a young couple, and both are experiencing their first, deep love. It is sensual and deceptively sweet. Farrelly is very talented in the way she portrays the pair in the earliest throes of physical lust; they just can't get enough of one another. I liked that even the tender moments kept me guessing and were suffused with humor.

Don't think for a second, though, that Michael is just a swain courting a girl. He comes across as an archetypal cowboy, sitting on a magnificent black stallion. He is on a quest for justice, but does it in a reserved, quiet and lethally intense manner. And every once in a while, Farrelly cuts his viciousness loose.

Annie and Robbie are great characters, too. She is one of those people who goes through life with a smile, and I liked her. Although the book starts out with her being savagely attacked, Annie's internal struggles are quieter than those of Michael. Michael is the one who grows and changes, and Annie and Robbie are the ones pulling him into the light. Robbie is ten years old, and is the appropriate mixture of bratty kid and responsible older child. Of course, before long he idolizes Michael - but what isn't there to idolize? Michael is surprised at his own fatherly reactions to Robbie.

"It's just...there for a minute...I opened my mouth, and my daddy just leapt on out."

I loved these characters, their romance, the suspenseful action that took a surprising twist and the sprinkles of good-natured humor. I'm glad I get to spend some more time with these people in the sequel, which I downloaded about ten seconds after I finished book one.

[Jane Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 ½ stars. Good story. Kept my interest. It was not run-of-the-mill like so many other romance stories.

I’m happy the couple did not have a fight-breakup, which most romance authors do. And there was no stupidity and none of my other pet peeves.

A trope I do not like is someone being framed for a crime and then having a long drawn out helpless guy in jail or being on the run. In this story a bad guy was planning a frame. I was worried I wasn’t going to like it. But when it played out, it wasn’t bad. And it was short. I thought ok, that was a reasonable way to move the plot.

The main weakness was the sex scenes. A couple of them seemed too long and drawn out - especially the one traveling to and during the hot springs scene. My mind wandered.

There was one rape and one attempted rape. They might be ok for sensitive readers since they were not long or detailed.

There is a touch of paranormal with the ghost of Gavin talking to a couple characters. Gavin was Michael’s younger brother who was killed in a civil war battle.

ANOTHER REVIEWER:
Amazon reviewer Mountaineer said the following. “I felt the author reveals too much. I predicted *almost* every single bad thing that happened. She needs to keep her cards a little closer to her chest, instead of revealing everything the villains are up to, as the third-person POV switched from hero to heroine to villains.” I am guessing that Mountaineer likes mysteries and suspense, but not thrillers. The difference is: in thrillers we are in the bad guy’s head and watch him as he plans. In suspense we don’t know what’s coming. I enjoy thrillers - knowing what’s being planned and then wondering HOW the good guy will succeed. This book is done in the thriller style rather than the mystery suspense style. Different strokes (genres) for different folks.

THE SERIES:
This is book 1 in the series. You can read them as stand alones. But if you’re interested, I’d suggest reading them in order since the characters interact with each other. I liked all three.

Book 1 - Terms of Surrender - Annie and Michael
Book 2 - Terms of Engagement - Robert is Annie’s brother - he meets Tess
Book 3 - Terms of Temptation - Kinley is the daughter of Annie and Michael - she meets Bram

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Sadly I had problems with the narrator Keith Tracton. He had some good voices, but others not good. He sounded like an effeminate gay guy when speaking for women and children. Other male narrators do women and children without sounding that way. He should learn how to do it. Second, his voice for Michael was artificial - too low, gravely, and whisper like. I didn’t like it. If a guy is going to read a romance novel, I want him to have a sexy voice for my hero, or at least a normal guy voice. As for non-dialogue narration, he sounded robotic. Frank Mueller was a great narrator who read with a sense of wonder in his voice. I think Keith could learn from him. On the positive side, he was not as bad as some narrators whom I won’t listen to no matter how good the story. At least I was willing to listen to him.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 8 hrs and 42 mins. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 9. Setting: 1865 Virginia and 1866 Wyoming. Book copyright: 2010. Genre: western historical romance with a sliver of paranormal.

[Layla · Rating 5 out of 5]

The quality of writing in 'Terms of Surrender' raises it above most romantic fiction.

The setting is after the Civil War with all the aftermath of loss, suffering and confusion.

Captain Michael Cantrell is a young man whose experiences as a Confederate officer have aged him before his time. He has lost everything he once held dear, including his family and his home. He has travelled since the end of the war looking for a new beginning and a purpose in life.

Annie and her young brother Robbie are running their small ranch and raising horses alone in a hostile environment, having lost their last remaining family member to an Indian attack. Their most deadly enemy however is a local Colonel who wants their land at whatever cost.

Mike and Annie are brought together when he risks his life to save her and Robbie. He is gravely wounded in the process and they take him home to try to save him.

The story is full of detail and drama. Several events threaten their safety and future. In addition to external dangers, they face their inner nightmares and the memories that imprison them, especially Michael.
The love that develops between Annie and Michael is tender and touching, a healing force that drives away the pain of the past. Robbie is also a great character, helping to fill the huge void in Michael after the loss of his own young brother Gavin on the battlefield.

The secondary characters add interest, from the dark, cruel Skinner, the scheming Colonel and his daughter through to the `Yankee' soldiers at the fort and Mike's old friend the Major and his wife. There is also humour, such as fun at the expense of Michael's southern accent and ways.

The story is about the healing, redeeming power of love after the chaos and pain of war, not simply in the relationship between Annie and Michael, but also in bridging the divide between north and south.

[Mark Tilbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5* rounded up to 5*

This isn't a genre I'd normally choose to read or a period of history that I ever learnt about in detail (being from the UK,) but I decided to try a different genre and I'm glad I did.

What struck me the most about this book was how the author manages to pull you inside the story with her use of description. I'm not a fan of description that is not needed or overdone, but here you hear the sounds of war and witness the after effects as you read. It is really well done and enjoyable.

The character Michael, an army captain, is a great character. Trying to live with the consequences of his brother's death and the after effects of the civil war, his was a complex personality that I enjoyed getting to know.

The only thing that I didn't like as much were the number of sex scenes. I'm OK with romances (I'm a fan of Catherine Cookson for eg) but personally felt there were too many.

Overall this was an enjoyable surprise of a book. Well written and edited to a high standard, and recommended to fans of American historical romance.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terms of Surrender by Lorrie Farrelly is an independently published 2010 release. I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Michael Cantrell is reeling from the effects of the Civil War. After losing his young brother and suffering from the massive loss of life witnessed during the war, Michael is empty on the inside. He has vowed to never set himself up to care for anyone else like he had for his brother because he couldn't bear the pain of losing them. Meeting the beautiful Annie Devlin makes sticking to the promise he made to himself very hard to keep.
Annie is alone except for her brother Robbie. The two of them come under attack and Annie is nearly raped. Now she must tend to Micheal's wounds after he comes to her rescue. Once Michael is feeling a bit better he sees Annie's need for some help around her place . He forges a bond with Robbie and before long it seems he is finding it hard to leave.
As Annie and her brother fight against a ruthless rancher for her land she shows Michael that being emotionally involved with people is what makes life worth living. She shows him that he is not hopeless after all. He still has a lot to offer and Annie slowly chisles away at his emotional wounds while Micheal heals from his physical ones.
I loved this Western Historical romance because of it's authenticity, it's wonderful story , the flawed characters, the hope it represents and above all the power of love. There are a few really emotional scenes that will have you reaching for that box of tissues. I loved Annie's character, her willingness to put others before herself, her strength of character and how she wins the hardened and broken Michael in more ways than one.
Michael is a character that has seen too much death in the war, lost his younger brother and has blamed himself. He still managed to command the respect of many and still has friends who will have his back no matter what. Michael found the conflict between the states a very difficult one for him personally as he would like to back one side, but found he couldn't fight against his own people. I'm sure that was a feeling a lot of folks probably had. He is still an honorable man that feels things deeper than he wants to admit. Though wounded in spirit, his still finds it within himself to help Annie and her brother and the payoff will be a life he never could have dreamed for himself.
I don't read a lot of Western Historicals because they seem to be a lot harder to find these days. There are a slew of contemporary novels with cowboys or ranchers in them, but the good old historical western romances are not as common. I really would like to see more like this one. If you like historical romances you should give this one a try. Well written with a female protaganist that doesn't whine or pout, a strong but conflicted hero that is touched by the healing power of love, and awesome HEA!!
This one gets an A ( 4.5 stars)

[Lex Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read my last western novel as a preteen. In those days, I’d devoured everything that Louis L’Amour published. Since those early years, I’ve moved through several favorite genres to include horror, high intensity political thrillers, science fiction, and more recently alternative history and religious conspiracy action and adventure stories. So, it was with some trepidation that I took on Ms. Farrelly’s “Terms of Surrender”. Listed as historical romance, it still spelled “western” to me and I expected a simple, purist tale of hero defeats bad guy, wins girl, lives happily ever after.

Something of a history buff, I was mostly drawn to this novel by the blurb that began with the American Civil War. From the first chapter, I was captivated by Ms. Farrelly’s wordsmith skills, as well as the verisimilitude and historical accuracy she brought to the narratives and dialogue about the War, the soldiers and their language. As the story moved into a more traditional western/romance storyline – single woman in danger of losing her ranch to the unscrupulous owner of a larger, neighboring ranch – I worried that I’d become bored with a plot that I instantly remembered from the past. I knew immediately where the story was headed and how it would end.

My misgivings were misplaced and I remained captivated by superb characterization and narrative. I was pleasantly surprised to see that sex in this genre, and even most romance novels, has moved forward from a chaste kiss where everything else was relegated to the furthest, darkest corner of off-stage, to several full-blown scenes of real human passion. These scenes were nowhere near pornographic or offensive, and certainly less graphic than what one can find on the movie screens today; yet, the author didn’t beat around the bush, either. At the end, Ms Farrelly delivered a twist to the plot that was unexpected, shocking and utterly real. I turned off my e-reader, completely satisfied and convinced that Ms. Farrelly is a far more romantic and entertaining writer than Louis L’Amour, with his cookie-cutter westerns, ever was.

I highly recommend Terms of Surrender to all readers of westerns, romance and 19th century American history. I would add that anyone who loves a great story, well written, will find this tale thoroughly entertaining.

[Hiding-out-with-my-Kindle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great read from beginning to end.

[Emmy]

This feels completely unoriginal. I feel like I've basically already read this book. Not going to waste any more time on a book that will be a 3 at best.

[Christoph Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Terms of Surrender" by Lorrie Farrelly is a gripping and action packed historical novel set in the 1860ies. It concerns the romance between Michael Cantrell, former army officer, and Annie Devlin, a woman who is trying to defend her ranch against a gang of local bandits who want to force her off the land.
In a dramatic fight against those men Michael appears on Annie's farm, saving her but getting himself wounded. The romance between them develops as he recovers, but the threat does not go away.
I picked this book because of the historical aspect and am very impressed with the way the author has created a very authentic feel for the times. It is a great western story that shows how insecure the western frontier at the time still was and how law enforcement was unable to cope.
Anna is a great character, strong and weak, the perfect heroine for a romance in that setting. Both leads have their own issues but they work together as love conquers all.
Great suspense and beautifully written.

[Ju Ephraime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terms of Surrender was a fabulous read for me. I have to admit when I began reading the prologue, I was not too thrilled, but as I continued into the book, it drew me in and I fell in love, first with Michael, and Annie, and then of course, young Robbie. Annie was a bit too head-strong for me, but I guess given the period in which the book was set, a woman had to have some backbone to survive. The passion between Michael and Annie lit up the pages. It pulsed like a living, breathing thing between them. It had me gasping every time Michael made a move on his Annie. This was my first read by this author, I’ll definitely read more. I highly recommend it!

[Andrew McBride · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Romantic fiction’ isn’t my thing so I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed TERMS OF SURRENDER. Captain Michael Cantrell is commander of a dwindling band of confederate soldiers, surrounded by his wounded and dying men in the Virginia woods in April 1865. In a moving opening scene he receives word from Robert E. Lee himself that the war is lost. In defeat, Michael heads west to find himself. In Wyoming Territory he finds instead a young settler woman, Annie Devlin, and her 10-year old brother Robbie. Annie is being forced off her land by greedy rancher Colonel Randolph and his gang of hired guns – including two particularly villainous ones. Michael sides with Annie against Randolph, in what looks to be another doomed cause. Violence ensues – fist fights, rape and gunplay - in the course of which Michael and Annie fall in love. As you might gather TERMS OF SURRENDER is a lot grittier than the description ‘romantic fiction’ would indicate. Of course it does cover familiar territory – shades of ‘Hondo’ and ‘Shane’ – but often the best western fiction re-works the familiar, while still finding new wrinkles, as Farrelly does here. The child characters in ‘Hondo’ and ‘Shane’ are rather passive and saintly, but Robbie is a lot spunkier. I particularly liked his humorous interplay with Michael. Perhaps the best aspect of this excellent novel is how the trio of brother, sister and damaged stranger bond against their enemies, while Farrelly’s writing skills provide the necessary edge. Recommended.

[Duane Petit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

I'm a fan of time period book's two of my favorites being western and the civil war era.Unfortunately I'm not a big fan of romance novels,with this being said it's not a big surprise I didn't find this to be a great read.Even though romance is not my thing I did like the book, and thought it was very well written.The author did a good job of world building and putting the reader in the post civil war era.After reading the book I can understand why it got so many high ratings even though it wasn't exactly my cup of tea genre wise I still liked it.Three stars.

[Darkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a good read, I felt like there should've been a bit more history of the families involved in the book, the Devlins, the Cantrells and the Randolphs, and the romance between Michael and Annie seemed a little to sudden but all in all it was a alright book.

[Prairie Lover · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure why I am just now finding this author. This story was just the kind of yarn I like ... Civil war veteran, spinster sister raising her brother and running a ranch alone, hero saves, sparks fly, a little spice and a HEA. I’m on to the next book in the series... Terms of Engagement.

[Linda Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

Highly recommend this story. Hero and heroine are well developed. Loved Robbie and the secondary characters. Really great read. One of the best historical western romance novels that I've read lately.

[Forest McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was a great book very well written!

[Elena]

Dnf

[Njkinny (Njkinny's Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the period post the Civil War, Terms of Surrender poignantly narrates the story of Michael Cantrell, the young, brave and now emotionally battered young Captain who lost everything during the war including his family, his home and his peace of mind.
Ever since he has wandered trying to run away from his guilt (What's the guilt about, is for you to read and discover from the book), sadness and his hopelessness of never finding the solace of a home and love of someone he could care about!

Then one day he comes across a scene of life and death which horrifies him as well as brings forth his protective instincts. He saves the day but is also horribly wounded.

Annie Devlin is desperately trying to prevent the evil rancher Colonel Randolf from acquiring her land just as he has acquired the other neighboring ranches. But what she doesn't predict is being waylaid by his thugs one day and getting almost killed. Saved by the stranger (Michael) who gets heavily wounded during the fight, she nurses him to health.

Although saved this once, what will she do the next time they come?
Can she save her land from the greedy paws of the Colonel?

Michael knows he cant stay forever but he will surely repay this fine lady by doing everything in his power to help her save her home. The only problem is that seeing her makes him hopeful of a home and a life of love which he knows deep down in his heart he is no longer capable of!

Will he ever find a home again?
Can he dare hope of having a life with Annie?
Will his presence be enough to save her house and protect Annie and her brother from harm?

A touching and poignant story of a man who lost everything serving his country in war.

"Gone forever was his innocence and hope for the future, but unwavering courage, loyalty, and duty -always duty- remained. It was all he had left to believe in, and it sustained what small, caring part of him remained."

I was deeply affected by the plight of the soldiers in war who have meager facilities and often die due to lack of attention. These are the people who fight for the safety of their country and its people. Fearless and undaunted by their hardships they are ready to fight till their last breath.Lorrie beautifully and sensitively paints a picture of the war which leaves behind only destruction and broken hearts. Her descriptions of the plight of the soldiers who see their fellow mates dying because they don't have proper rations was hard hitting and left me misty eyed.

"He had seen death far too many times not to recognize it now. Henry was no more than a boy, and now he would grow no older."

The characters are admirably and very expertly sketched and developed. They take the reader along with them to their world where he is able to feel each and every of their emotions and also empathize with them.
Michael has known only loss and fears having anymore losses on his conscience.

Annie is a strong woman who took up the hard and toiling work of looking after her vast ranch as well as the care of her younger brother after her father's brutal murder four years ago. She has known only one home and is determined to keep it, whatever the consequences. Both these characters have seen much sadness and misery and so when they meet its both lovely and so touching. The chemistry between Annie and Michael is sweltering hot and sensuous. I also loved the camaraderie between Annie's younger bother, Rob and Michael. People who are strong and determined to live their life fully despite the hardships, it was interesting to see how it all panned out. I could be seen reading with cent percent attention and swiftly turning pages with monosyllables for answer to any question anyone asked while I read this book. So engrossed was I in the story. :)

Lorrie has done her homework and she successfully gives us a plot that has been beautifully sketched in the Civil war times. I was able to visualize each and every scenario irrespective of the fact that the Civil war happened more than a hundred years ago!

The story is fast paced and with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader interested and glued to his seat. Whenever I thought I had the story figured out, Lorrie threw a new twist and left me feeling awed.

All in all, a very beautifully written historical romance that will awe and wow you. I highly recommend Terms of Surrender and give it a 4.5 out of 5. Kudos to Lorrie for writing such a sweet and totally endearing story.

Did you know that Terms of Surrender was the finalist for the "Orange Rose Award" ?
In my opinion, it totally deserved it. :)

Great book and first in the three "Terms" book series, this is a must read.

I received this book as a gift from the author to read and review and I am very thankful to her for introducing me to such an endearing book. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.

This review is also available on my blog http://njkinny.blogspot.in

[Lita Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terms of Surrender by Lorrie Farrelly is a historical western romance about a former captain in the confederate army, Michael Cantrell, and his search for redemption in the ranch lands of Wyoming.

In the months following the American Civil War, the battlefield horrors have broken Michael’s spirit. He saw his beloved brother Gavin fall, and heartache consumes Michael. With nothing left of his life except for his warhorse Jet, a saber, and an army issue Colt Navy revolver, he rides Jet to the western frontier.

Annie Devlin has overwhelming cares for such a young horse rancher. Her parents are dead and she struggles to make a home for ten-year-old brother Robbie. Annie’s powerful neighbor Elias Randolph covets her family’s pastureland, and he pulls dirty and deadly tricks to get her to sell.

Fate brings Michael to the siblings’ rescue when Randolph’s henchmen attack the two on their way home with a mud-stuck wagon of supplies. Michael wins this skirmish, but is near-fatally wounded.

Annie takes Michael home and tends the fallen confederate captain. Bringing him back from death’s gate is just the first of their harrowing adventures to protect the ranch. Love blossoms between the northern woman and southern man, but the War Between the States is not over for some. Despite advice from Gavin’s ghost, the cards are stacked against Michael finding redemption and love in the Wild West.

Terms of Surrender is a tender love story about a couple in a harsh world. The tale unwinds through Michael’s eyes, and at times his anguish brought me tears. The romance was sexy and delightful, and the bad guys were ooh, so despicable. The scene descriptions were vivid and done well. At times I shivered from the chilly kiss of the Wyoming wind.

Readers who enjoy westerns and spicier romances would enjoy the story. For other readers that love immersive worlds, just saddle up and ride on in to Terms of Surrender.

[Demelza Carlton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say that I couldn't put this down, for there were a couple of places where I absolutely had to. I didn't want to read on because the tension was too much...for this romance has plenty of action (both in and out of the bedroom) and it was the clothed kind that had me on edge. Of course, that didn't last long - I picked it up again and kept right on reading...nailbiting suspense and all.

Annie's brilliant - a brave young woman who will stop at nothing. Perhaps it was my early connection with such a well-written character that had me desperate to NOT see her get hurt any further as the story progressed.

Now Michael...there's a conflicted character. I like how Farrelly presented his PTSD - without mentioning the modern term for it. Of course, that's only a tiny bit of the man - for a complex hero, he's another one I wanted to see happy and not hurt.

Now, being a romance, I expected a happy ending of some sort, but Farrelly certainly kept me wondering as to where and how that would be possible - and who would survive to the end at all.

Brilliant pacing throughout - my only complaint is that perhaps the story contained too much sex for me. Not that any of it was unnecessary or overkill, just a matter of my personal preference.

A well-deserved five stars as I go to track down the rest of the series...

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story takes place post-Civil War. I don't think I've ever read a novel that addressed so extensively the residual prejudices (not just racial) that remained to be dealt with following the end of the War. This aspect of history was very well presented and was a thread throughout the story. The author's research seemed quite extensive and accurate. A little slow in the beginning, but I hung in because of the good reviews. The writing was excellent, and *very* well-edited (kudos to the author Lorrie Farrelly!). This author has a command of language, offering descriptions of the settings that put me right there in place and time -- and descriptions of characters that made me understand their emotional makeup. This turned into a very interesting story, with characters of color and depth. Loved the H and h. Everything I need to appreciate and enjoy a novel was contained herein. There was a good bit of action -- not necessary to satisfy my reading taste, but it sat well with me. This is a stand-alone story, even though there are two more books in the series. I've found a new favorite author.

[Jada Ryker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surrender to Lorrie Farrelly’s Excellent Story

In Terms of Surrender, by Lorrie Farrelly, Michael Cantrell, a former captain the Confederate Army, is devastated by a lost war, young soldiers dead or maimed, and land scarred by battle. With only his saber, Navy Colt, his black thoroughbred stallion Jet, and his heavy heart, Michael heads west.

Determined to buy the ranches in the valley bisected by the Wind River, Colonel Elias Randolph waged a surreptitious war against Annie Devlin to drive her and her ten-year-old brother away from their ranch. When the Colonel’s minions, including the nefarious Clay Skinner, decided on more overt tactics, Michael intervenes. While saving Annie’s land, he also saves her from a fate worse than death.

The story is entertaining, and includes humor, such as the proud Jet put to work pulling a wagon. Michael says since Jet is a Confederate cavalry mount, he’s used to being asked to do ‘dang fool things.’ It’s also a poignant story, which explores the ravages and hidden scars left by war.

[Felicia Mires · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a deft handling of a troubling time in US history. Usually, I dislike reading anything from the Civil War era, but this was without a doubt the best romantic adventure of that time that I've ever read. The characters were well-fleshed out. The mental anguish of the hero after the horrific events of the battlefield is gripping, as if the author had been there and knew what was in the minds of the soldiers. The heroine faces tragic circumstances. After she loses her parents, she has little hope of holding off a takeover from the villain who wants her ranch. Enter the hero. Gut-wrenching yearning builds in the romance department as they tackle the problems. Extremely satisfying. I also liked the realism of the Indian conflict. The author dealt with everything that concerns that time era in a realistic manner and with such skill that you want to finish the story, but you don't want it to end. I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My views are my own.

[S.R. Mallery · Rating 5 out of 5]

A FINE LITERARY ROMANCE!


To me, what sets Lorrie Farrelly’s well-written TERMS OF SURRENDER historical fiction romance apart from many of the other books of that ilk is her fine, literary prose. In fact, in reading her love/sex scenes—and there are quite a few—I kept thinking, ‘Why, even her love making is poetic!’

But in the end, what resonated the most with me was the depth of her characters and her portrayal of how both post Civil War Northerners and Southerners were far from being healed. The very touching opening scene with General Lee surrendering to General Grant at Appomattox as his soldiers choked on their own mixed emotions; the ghosts of family killed forever present in people’s hearts and minds, and how a feisty northern woman (with the help of her little brother) lead a physically and emotionally wounded southern captain down the path of ultimate trust and happiness all made for a very engaging read. Recommended, indeed!

[Jalpa Williby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tender and sweet love story...

This romance is a very sweet read. It takes place in the 1860’s in America so it was a nice change for me.

The heroine is left alone with her little brother, trying to handle her land. Unfortunately, there are people who want the land so she has many conflicts and struggles to hang on.

The story starts out with a bang. It captured my attention immediately. The hero comes in the picture right away and helps the damsel in distress.

I enjoyed how their relationship blossoms as she tries to save him. She is quite feisty and a good match for him. I especially loved the story about the hero’s young brother, Gavin.

This story has many surprises… I enjoy a good story that keeps me guessing. If anybody just wants to read a “feel good” story, I recommend this one. Terms of Surrender is a nice little escape.

[Marsha Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, thank you, Lorrie Farrelly!

I usually don't do Civil War stories, but this one did not dwell, and slow with civil war data. Thanks for that. I do think the war refugees had a great deal to do with settling the west, and certainly American west speaking accents. I especially enjoyed the spiritual details, in my own life I have felt the guiding spirit of my mother, gone 22yrs. The love story was a perfect blend of not there yet, and not too much drilling to get there.

[Wendy Willett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding a future without having any hope is a great challenge

losing everything including the war of northern aggression, the only option is to go west. Saving a woman and a young boy almost cost him his life. this is a great story about the journey of a good man and his way back to living and finding love. I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed the story, characters, and highly recommend it.

[Scott Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm normally not a romance reader, but this one caught my attention with its great reviews. I picked it up for my kindle, and boy am I glad I did. The writing is fantastic, the story engaging, the characters extraordinarily well developed. I felt what they felt. I wanted what they wanted. I couldn't wait to get through work so I could get back to reading. I've already purchased and read book two of the series, and it's also incredible. Great book!