Book Review: Surrender (Disarm #8) by June Gray

Title: Surrender (Disarm #8)
Author: June Gray
Publication Date: November 4, 2014
Publisher: Berkley Trade/Penguin
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romance

   

Julie Keaton had everything—she had a new career in a new city and, more importantly, a bright future with fiance, Jason Sherman. That is, until the day she discovered that he had been killed in Afghanistan. In one moment, her life changed, as everything she’d hoped for died along with him.

Years later and Julie still feels the aftershocks of Jason’s death. She is no longer the same adventurous, open girl; now she wears armor around her heart in order to protect the most important thing in her life—her son.

But when Julie meets the mysterious Neal, she starts to feel the smallest flicker of hope, as what began as a fling quickly becomes something more. Neal is the first man since Jason’s death to break down her armor and make her believe again. But when she discovers the secret he’s been keeping, she has to ask herself: can she surrender to a future with Neal or will Jason’s death forever tie her to the past?

Julie Grace Keaton was living a guarded life after the death of her fiancé, Jason, who was killed in Afghanistan while she was pregnant with their child, Will. Being a single parent wasn't easy, and even though she knew she was doing the best she could all by herself, she also knew that Will was missing out on many things.  

While she was visiting Jason’s family in California for his sister’s wedding, she met a stranger on the beach during her morning run.  Neal and Julie have an instant attraction and she knew she definitely was interested in him, but only for a quick fling.  After realizing that they had so much more potential than a fly by night romance, Julie was torn on whether she could ever take a leap of faith and open not only her heart but the lives of both herself and her son.  Could she really make room for someone else?  Could she ever really move on from the death of her fiancé?  Could she ever let go of the fear of ever being destroyed again?

Throughout the book, Julie recalls her relationship from start to finish with Jason while also uncovering secrets of her new love that could shatter both her and their relationship. 

At times it was distracting for Julie to flip back and forth between the past and the present, but all and all even though this book is very predictable it was a nice story.