#arrangedmarriage #marriageofcovenience #grumpysunshine #billionaire #gothicvibes #agegap #familycurse #forcedproximity #angstyromance
A cold, reclusive billionaire, a dark family curse, and an arranged marriage with the one woman he’s forbidden to love.
All my life, restlessness has haunted me, as if a piece of my soul were missing. Then, I met him.
A mysterious, charismatic bad boy in a leather jacket who whisked me away on the ride of a lifetime.
For the first time, I felt truly alive.
But as suddenly as he appeared, he vanished, taking my heart with him. I thought I wouldn’t see him again until I walk into a room to meet the man my parents arranged for me to marry to save my family’s business.
Maxwell Anderson is one of the city’s most powerful men. The reclusive billionaire—the frigid king, as the press calls him—is cloaked in shadows and secrets. He’s overbearing and mercurial, his moods giving me whiplash. He’s the complete opposite of the man I met that magical night.
He tells me he’s cursed, that he can never love me—his love is a literal death sentence.
But what if I’m willing to risk everything—my body, my heart, my very life? And judging by his heated gazes and scorching touches, he’s just as desperate to defy fate? Can we conquer the curse, or will our love be our undoing?
Buy When Hearts Surrender
When I say that this book consumed me, I mean it swallowed me up whole and STILL has me captivated!! Oh my goodness, I was completely hooked from the very start, learning the how and why the curse began. Reading through Emma’s point of view back in 1860 haunted me in the best way and I could practically feel her presence hanging around as I jumped to the present with Belle and Maxwell.
The curse has left an incredible amount of heartbreak and pain in its wake — the underlying question of whether it would affect Belle and Maxwell perilously hanged in the air as I read. Belle and Maxwell’s meet (as Anna and Silas) was fun, giving us a glimpse at a freer, more open side for both of their personalities. Once they realize that they are being set up for an arranged marriage, the tension grows because of the instant connection they had. It comes across as an enemies to lovers vibe for a bit and it is delicious!
The gothic vibes of the setting kept me on my toes, wondering if the curse would pursue with havoc, constantly anxious to know if they were going to find a way to break or overcome it. Belle’s year of “yes” helped give her the courage to go through with the arrangement that led to far more than she anticipated. Despite her upbringing, Belle’s heart is big for both animal and humans. She proves time and time again why she is worthy of the illustrious Anderson family name and legacy!
Maxwell gives us representation for near-crippling anxiety and social introversion. He’s an incredible man who has good reason for hiding it from the world. Like Belle, I wanted to reach inside of him and help heal every part of him that was hurting. His possessiveness with his wife will have readers swooning, constantly reminding us that he’s fighting his feelings just as hard as he’s falling for her.
For days, weeks, and even months, this book is going to stick with me. It’s absolutely one of the BEST angsty romances I have EVER read!
About the Author | Victoria Lum
Victoria is a lover of all things romance, including movies, books, and television shows. A hopeless romantic since childhood, she is always dreaming up stories and happily ever afters. Caramel lattes are her fuel in the morning and she can usually be found reading anything she can get her hands on. She lives with her family and a beautiful Siberian husky in sunny California.
