A Lady Never Surrenders (Hellions of Halstead Hall #5)

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A Lady Never Surrenders (Hellions of Halstead Hall #5)

by Sabrina Jeffries (Goodreads Author)

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 2,283 ratings · 191 reviews

When the youngest Sharpe sister hatches a plan to gain marriage offers, the straight-laced Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter knows he'll do whatever it takes to ruin her scheme...

Lady Celia Sharpe hopes that if she can garner offers of marriage from several eligible gentlemen and show her grandmother she is capable of gaining a husband, she can convince Gran to rescind the...more

Paperback, 388 pages

Published January 24th 2012

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Feb 08, 2012 Nisha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historicalromance, men-in-uniform, frenemies, bluestocking-independent-spinster, kickass-heroine, opposites-attract, super-large-family-series

So, yesterday, I spent my entire day enjoying this book. As the conclusion of the Hellions of Halstead Hall series, I had high expectations. Unfortunately, character-wise, I didn't really care too much about Celia or Pinter, especially with new rakes in the mix - the Duke of Lyons (who appears to be decent sort) and Virginia's cousin (still can't remember his name for the life of me).

Anyway, before jumping into other stories, I'll summarize Celia and Jackson Pinter. For the entire series, we all...more So, yesterday, I spent my entire day enjoying this book. As the conclusion of the Hellions of Halstead Hall series, I had high expectations. Unfortunately, character-wise, I didn't really care too much about Celia or Pinter, especially with new rakes in the mix - the Duke of Lyons (who appears to be decent sort) and Virginia's cousin (still can't remember his name for the life of me).

Anyway, before jumping into other stories, I'll summarize Celia and Jackson Pinter. For the entire series, we all KNEW these two were destined for each other. Especially considering they were always fighting and Celia needed a man badly and clearly no gentleman was that interested. But until now, Celia was uninterested in marrying (in fear of getting hurt) - that is after Gabe's marriage, Celia is desperate to get married. She has 3 choices and makes Pinter find out which one is worth pursuing. Of course, this would be a difficult task for a man already in love/lust with Celia, and so they finally begin their adventure to realizing their true feelings toward each other. Along the way, they solve the entire mystery around cold case murder everyone's been piecing together from book one.

I never really cared for Celia until this book. And in some ways, it shamed me that I ignored her as easily. She's a sweet girl and reminds me of myself - without the super competitive streak. Pinter is a hardworking bow street runner and should rock the Richter scale, but he doesn't. Which is odd, because he has all the characteristics: proper, smart, brave, and sensual. I don't know, normally he would be my dreamboat.

Mainly, I got distracted with the other suitor in the book. Like the Duke of Lyons. He's seems like a sweet guy and clearly, he's getting his own book. Devenport (I'm guessing here - Virginia's cousin), the rake extraordinaire, makes me drool. I can't wait until he gets his comeuppance. His book happens to be the next book in the series - not sure if its going to have it's own title.

So, I can still recommend this as a good read, because it was highly entertaining and there's some seriously sexy characters scattered around.(less)

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Feb 08, 2012 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, part-of-series, regency

I really liked it. I loved the bickering between hero and heroine. There was doubt on both sides but I believe early on both were looking at a future together, something they were afraid to even admit to themselves.

And what's more and what I said in my review of another "Hellion" book, I liked the fact that both characters have first appeared in another series as not even secondary but third and forth level characters, at least the heroine. As a matter of fact, I think all of Sabrina Jeffries's...more

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Jan 20, 2012 E_bookpushers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, reviewed, historical, series, romance

This review originally posted at The Bookpushers: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/01/20/...

Publisher: Pocket Books
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: From the publisher

With two months left to find a husband to fulfill her grandmother’s ultimatum, Lady Celia Sharpe sets her sights on three eligible bachelors. Becoming betrothed to one of these wealthy, high-ranking men will surely prove her capable of getting married, so hopefully the wedding itself won’t be necessary for Celia and her sibli...more This review originally posted at The Bookpushers: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/01/20/...

Publisher: Pocket Books
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: From the publisher

With two months left to find a husband to fulfill her grandmother’s ultimatum, Lady Celia Sharpe sets her sights on three eligible bachelors. Becoming betrothed to one of these wealthy, high-ranking men will surely prove her capable of getting married, so hopefully the wedding itself won’t be necessary for Celia and her siblings to receive their inheritance. Step two of her audacious plan is hiring the dangerously compelling Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter to investigate the three men she’s chosen. But with Lady Celia bedeviling Jackson’s days and nights, the last thing he wants is to help her find a husband. And when she recalls shadowed memories that lead his investigation into her parents’ mysterious deaths in a new direction—putting her in danger—Jackson realizes the only man he wants Celia to marry is himself!
This blurb came from the author’s website here.

I usually find it bittersweet to read the last book in a series I have enjoyed. Bitter because that means the series is over and sweet because I get all the answers *rubs hands together*. A Lady Never Surrenders is the final book of Ms Jeffries Hellions of Halstead Hall series. I reviewed book four, To Wed A Wild Lord, back in November here. I was really looking forward to reading this for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted to know what happened with the suspicious deaths of the Hellions’ parents. And given that I had predicted this particular couple *happy dance* I wanted to see how their relationship was going to develop.

I have to admit that I felt sorry for Celia. Thinking about the amount of internal pressure she had to be under thinking that if she didn’t either marry within the next two months or convince her grandmother, Hetty, to rescind her ultimatum then all of her beloved siblings would lose any chance of inheriting. Celia also had to deal with the fact that no man had ever expressed interest in her before word got out that she was an heiress so how could she hope to find someone who actually wanted her and not her money? Not to mention that she enjoyed a lot of activities that were considered extremely unladylike and her future husband probably wouldn’t agree to let her continue.

Jackson on the other hand seemed like he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Hired to do a job, forced to investigate the potential suitors of the woman he wanted and unable to offer for her himself based on their life circumstances. He also had to deal with the fact that she seemed bound and determined to drive him absolutely insane without really trying. And then there was the pesky issue of what appeared to be a double murder instead of a covered-up murder/suicide.

I made the mistake of thinking that the very meddlesome Grandmother Hetty would have softened given the fact that she now had a gentleman caller but she continued to play a significant role. I already considered her a force to be reckoned with but when she went to work to prevent Celia from making what she considered a horrible mistake I got to see what she was really made of. Those couple of scenes and her refusal to consider anything else made it evident how she was able to care for all five children and create the family business into the empire it became.

I enjoyed the balance between the murder mystery and the building relationship between Celia and Jackson. Both had their fair share of twists and turns while continuing to progress. My only quibble was that a few parts of the mystery were tied up a bit too conveniently but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment as a whole. I can’t talk anymore about “who done it” without spoiling not just this book but the entire series. Ms Jeffries kept me captivated between the humor, the smexy times, the mystery, the Grandmother, and watching both Celia and Jackson overcome scars that had been inadvertently caused by their loving family. Once again I recommend that you start with the first book because this one builds on actions that have taken place in all of the others.

Check back later today for an interview with Ms Jeffries!

I give A Lady Never Surrenders a B+(less)

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Mar 08, 2012 .þµŋψà. [Punya Reviews...] rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sabrina-jeffries, bitch-slap-coming-through

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 03, 2012 Rebecca (everyday reader) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

Celia is the last of the 'Hellions' to find love and marry, as her siblings have done. Jackson is the 'Runner' who has been helping her family solve the mystery of their parents deaths, and to investigate all of their potential suitors. Jackson has been hiding his true feelings for Celia for over a year, and she is the only Sharpe sibling who gets his dander up and fights verbally with him. Celia starts to see him in a new light from his first kiss, and she wants more. Kisses and caresses are sh...more

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May 18, 2012 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

Ah, yes, Ms. Jeffries is back in fine form again! It was great fun to watch (er, read about) the staid and proper (and handsome, of course) hero secretly lusting after his elegant lady fair, who of course, he can never have because she is miles above him in social status. And it was great fun to watch her crumble anyway. (I would have!)

I liked this upper class heroine who carried a pistol, spoke her mind, and was a completely incompetent flirt. And I rooted for her middle class, self-made-man o...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Romancing the Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, regency, historical

Reviewed By~Jen
Review Copy Provided By~

I'm a longtime fan of Ms Jeffries and have loved her Hellions of Halstead Hall series. I'm sorry to see this series end, but loved the journey and the conclusion.

A Lady Never Surrenders is the love story between the youngest sibling, Celia, and the Bow Street Runner, Jackson, who has been hired by Celia's family to investigate their parent's deaths. Over the course of the series, we've seen Celia and Jackson butt heads and it continues in this novel. Howeve...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Jessi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-challenge, appealing-characteristic-character, historical, part-of-a-series, romance, 2012

Four of the five Sharpe siblings have married per their grandmother's stipulation. She is afraid that the "Hellions of Halstead Hall" are living up to their names and will never find love. Well, it's all down to Lady Celia, the youngest. She thinks that her family assumes that she can't get a man. She's too outspoken, too brash, and knows WAY to much about guns.
Well, she's narrowed her search down to three men, two of whom were in the previous book, "To Wed a Wild Lord." The Duke of Lyons is a f...more

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Feb 15, 2012 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

A LADY NEVER SURENDERS by Sabrina Jeffries is an exciting historical romance set in 1825 London. It is the 5th and final installment in "The Hellions Of Halstead Hall" series,but can be read as a stand alone. See " The Truth About Lord Stoneville","A Hellion In Her Bed","How To Woo A Reluctant Lady" and "To Wed A Wild Lord". What a wonderful ending to a wonderful family. Lady Cilia Sharpe is the youngest Sharpe sibling and the troublemaker,or so they say. She was only five when her parents where...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Bukcrz rated it 4 of 5 stars

After a very disappointing read on Gabriel's story, I am glad that Ms. Jeffries got back her magic in this book. So far of the books on this series, I enjoyed Celia’s story as much as I did the first book – Oliver’s story. The rest were okay.
While Oliver’s story centers on the value of family, Celia’s story is focused on her struggle to overcome her self doubt, insecurities, and or fear – however you call it. Although she is very confident and can back up her skill in firearms, it is quite belie...more After a very disappointing read on Gabriel's story, I am glad that Ms. Jeffries got back her magic in this book. So far of the books on this series, I enjoyed Celia’s story as much as I did the first book – Oliver’s story. The rest were okay.
While Oliver’s story centers on the value of family, Celia’s story is focused on her struggle to overcome her self doubt, insecurities, and or fear – however you call it. Although she is very confident and can back up her skill in firearms, it is quite believable the way we are shown why she is so insecure. Sometimes in big families, it’s not always a guarantee you will find a needed support when you most needed them.
Just reading her plan her scheme is like watching a wreck about to happen. It was so ridiculously plausible that I had to keep on reading to see how the scheme would play. But mostly, I am pleasantly surprise at how she constantly goes from confident to unsure especially with Mr. Pinter.
Now that’s another character that caught me from the first book. I always think it very interesting the way he always seemed to find the perfect words to ruffle Celia’s feathers. He obviously has another issue and inner battle inside and though the mystery of his father’s identity is a bit overly done, I think his self-doubt is very universal and very credible source of anybody’s insecurity.
I think the main characters are alive and believable, their battle is worth investing time with, and let me say that for once I read characters that truly earned their HEA.
Glad to see the hellions of Halstead Hall happy for once and still proud to put gossipmongers to work.
I only have one part here where I almost gagged: Gran’s speech. C’mon, I love her when she was a steel dictator, I loved her when she was so high and mighty, I loved her when she was such a sour vinegar – BECAUSE it’s her character. To read her sappy speech at the end was so overly done. Sweet, I grant that but it so just killed the charm of the mighty matriarch.
Other than that, I think this book is worth investing – time and money.
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Feb 09, 2012 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 200-books-in-2012, february-2012, read-in-2012

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Feb 09, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. More like 4 1/2 stars, and 5 tissues-- the third quarter of this book had me bawling (and had me finishing it in one night).

This is the last title in the Hellions of Halstead Hall series, and it put a neat bow on a whole LOT of plot threads that have been stringing us along for some time now (see what I did there?). The hot-and-cold sniping between Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter and youngest hellion Celia Sharpe has been brewing for several books already, and it was no big surprise to see the...more More like 4 1/2 stars, and 5 tissues-- the third quarter of this book had me bawling (and had me finishing it in one night).

This is the last title in the Hellions of Halstead Hall series, and it put a neat bow on a whole LOT of plot threads that have been stringing us along for some time now (see what I did there?). The hot-and-cold sniping between Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter and youngest hellion Celia Sharpe has been brewing for several books already, and it was no big surprise to see them put together in this book... nor was it a surprise how quickly things exploded between them. (The sex scenes in this one-- including Celia's solo scene-- pretty well topped the entire rest of the series, as far as I was concerned. And it kind of made me think about how effective solo scenes are, and how surprisingly rare they are in romances, particularly historicals.)

I continue to dislike the callously dictatorial Hetty, whose ultimatum-- ALL the Sharpe siblings must marry within the year or ALL will be stripped of their inheritance-- was the impetus behind the entire series. I don't care how "well-meaning" she was; I found her opinions and her attempts to micromanage her grandchildren's love lives to be overweeningly arrogant, myopic, and willful, and she RICHLY deserved the vicious set-down Jackson eventually gave her. (I cheered. Literally. I didn't think he went too far AT ALL.) Seriously, the woman already screwed up her own love life and her daughter's-- that's already one more chance than she rightly deserved. What made her presume that she deserved ANY influence at all in her grandchildren's? (Oh, right, money. News flash: they're your GRANDCHILDREN, you old bat, not your hirelings or your surrogates. You raise them as best you can and you spoil them rotten and then you let them live their OWN LIVES. Ahem. Soapbox moment over, we now return you to your regularly scheduled review.) She puts the thumbscrews to Celia even more than she did to her other grandchildren, which only underscores how little she really *knows* or understands the girl.

The "I am not worthy" class divide problem in historical romances often makes me mildly eye-rolly and irritated (what do you want, I'm an American), but I thought it was particularly well-handled here. Jackson's class-consciousness is just part of who he is, inevitably tied to his perceptions of his absentee father (and boy-howdy, was THAT a revelation), but he does live in this odd middle place... mostly comfortable in his own class and with the good life he's made for himself, certainly not ashamed of it, but equally well-positioned to understand how different the lives of the upper classes are. Jackson belabored the point a bit with Celia (and I greatly enjoyed the mental headsmacking his aunt gave him on the subject), but Celia *did* at least stop to think realistically about her priorities and how important her lifestyle actually was to her.

I was deeply gratified to finally see closure on the mystery of Lord and Lady Sharpe's deaths, although I was a little bothered that one of the suspects had been essentially hiding in plain sight, with *none* of the grandchildren (or Hetty, who'd presumably met him before, or worst of all, *Jackson,* who was supposed to be investigating this whole mess and should've at least been familiar with the main players) having a clue of that person's past connection to the family.

This one was QUITE a tumultuous ride and worthy ending to the series. The romance itself, I think, works as a standalone, but for the full effect (particularly with the mystery elements) you need to have read at least a few of the earlier books in the series.(less)

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Jan 28, 2012 Alvin Arceo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review originally posted at: http://pretentiousgrouch.blogspot.com...

There are a couple of things that are expected when you buy a book/e-book that's written by Sabrina Jeffries. You will get a decent characterization of the heroine and hero, a solid story for the chemistry of both characters to shine, passable to good structure that builds on what the two factors given and good pacing that optimizes the story and the characters that she created. Most of her books have always taken advantages of...more Review originally posted at: http://pretentiousgrouch.blogspot.com...

There are a couple of things that are expected when you buy a book/e-book that's written by Sabrina Jeffries. You will get a decent characterization of the heroine and hero, a solid story for the chemistry of both characters to shine, passable to good structure that builds on what the two factors given and good pacing that optimizes the story and the characters that she created. Most of her books have always taken advantages of her strength as a writer while minimizing her issues within the framework of the genre she works with. In the last book of her Hellions of Halstead Hall series, she somewhat delivers on creating good characters and chemistry but was hampered by the pacing, plot structure and aspects of the story.

A Lady Never Surrenders has Lady Celia Sharpe and Jackson Pinter as its central characters, if you have read the books preceding this one - you knew that Ms. Jefrries have been hyping this pairing for a while now. The story centers on them finding an honorable fiancee for Lady Celia since she's the last Sharpe who hasn't caved in to her Grandma's ultimatum of getting married to stop the Sharpe family from getting disowned. The worst of it all is that Lady Celia has only two months to go get married which the author doesn't take advantage as a plot device. While that problem exists in the story - they also have to solve the mystery of who killed the Sharpes' parents which can be a monumental task by itself. The mix of the romantic aspect along with the mystery/suspense structure of the story really killed the flow and pacing of the story as the author tried to juggle these into the book. Jeffries' ambitious desire to spread out the mystery of who killed the Sharpes' parents shows her deficiency as a mystery writer. The red herrings she has given to her readers tend to be uninspired and tedious. It's as predictable as a Godzilla movie where the Aliens who were interested in Godzilla got blasted by the monsters electric breath blast. While she uses whodunnit aspects in some of her books before - it doesn't hamper the romantic vibe of the story since it's not really a big driving force in her books. It tends to be passable and easily dismissed since her penchant for writing good characters and romantic plots camouflages her inability to write a decent secondary plot most of the time.

The characterization of the Hero and Heroine were well fleshed out that they were well rounded and sympathetic most of the time. The angst aspect though tends to be overdriven by the author to such a degree that it does sound like both characters in some cases act like tweens who discovered Catcher In A Rye and tends to act it out in front of an audience for weeks on end. The Hero's obsession with the Heroine's wealth and station in life can be grating. As a device to flesh out his characterization - it is effective but cheap in some way. It is repeated a lot as a factor for them not to be together that the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The heroine has a more balanced development out of the two that she comes off as extremely likable, but even she tends to act out of character near the book. Both of these characters though were decently characterized that the book shifts to high gear when the two interact. The chemistry and sexual tension between the two made the pages fly fast until it shifts again to them trying to solve the murder of her parents and the Hero's comical way of being angry about his lack of pedigree that makes him unable to offer for the Heroine even though he has ruined her already. The Hero's issue with being a bastard was cheaply solved also that there wasn't foreshadowing at all.

The supporting characters in this book compared to the other books in the series tend to be more like fillers. They don't really add anything to the story...though you can probably say that the Sharpes' well elaborated character, Grandma Hetty tends to be vexatious in this book that even in the end, her redemption tends to be bland and awkward. They tend to make the plodding vibe of the story really heavy handed that regardless of the books positive points - you tend to magnify the negative aspects of the book because of these factors.

Regardless of its cumbersome plot pacing and structure that makes this one of the author's least satisfying books, A Lady Never Surrenders provides decent romance writing that the author is known for that makes this a good read when you want to spend your hours reading a book after a long hard days work.(less)

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Jan 26, 2012 Bookaholics rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Lady Never Surrenders by Sabrina Jeffries
Historical Romance - Jan. 24th, 2012
4 1/2 stars

In A Lady Never Surrenders, Sabrina Jeffries concludes her Hellions of Halstead Hall series with the young and impetuous Lady Celia.

Lady Celia feels the pressure of her wily grandmother's decree. Marry within the year or lose her inheritance and that of the rest of her family! With only two months to find a man to marry she has three prospects, but there is not anyone who she thinks she can love. However, L...more A Lady Never Surrenders by Sabrina Jeffries
Historical Romance - Jan. 24th, 2012
4 1/2 stars

In A Lady Never Surrenders, Sabrina Jeffries concludes her Hellions of Halstead Hall series with the young and impetuous Lady Celia.

Lady Celia feels the pressure of her wily grandmother's decree. Marry within the year or lose her inheritance and that of the rest of her family! With only two months to find a man to marry she has three prospects, but there is not anyone who she thinks she can love. However, Lady Celia is no innocent and realizes that her suitors may have their secrets and want her only for her money. So she persuades the annoying noble and staid Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter to investigate them.

However, Jackson has plans of his own. Lady Celia's beauty drives Jackson crazy but he knows that her station and wealth are far above him. In addition, he has been hired to discover the mystery behind the death of Lady Celia's parents by her brother. However, a key clue may be hidden in Celia’s childhood memories and she wants Jackson to probe into them to find the truth. As the investigation gets more heated and Celia and Jackson spend more time together, their passion flares out of control.

As the last in the Hellions of Halstead Hall, this book is a fitting end to a charming cast of characters that I will miss. There are several scenes that feature the rest of the siblings and their ever meddlesome grandmother who has a beau of her own. Although this book can be read by itself, much of its pleasure stems from the engaging cast that has only become better with each book. I particularly liked this book because of the ambitious yet very honorable hero, Jackson. He is intelligent, industrious, and just. The only cracks in his impeccable veneer are his wild desire for Lady Celia and his shame at being a bastard. As a result, he works harder to prove himself yet never seems to find any pleasure in life. Lady Celia is a bit impulsive but knows that she will have to break down and marry a man she doesn't love to fulfill her grandmother's demands. She does not want to be responsible for the losing the rest of her family's fortune. However, Celia secretly wants a love match and finds herself inexplicably drawn to the serious and oh so handsome Jackson. Surprisingly, she finds great pleasure in needling him! This book reveals surprising secrets concerning the mystery behind the death of Celia's parents. I particularly liked it when Celia determines that Jackson is the one for her and decides to pursue him! While not my favorite in the series, I really enjoyed reading Celia grow in this story, and I found the ending altogether fitting and satisfying. I am only a bit sad the series is finished!

A Lady Never Surrenders is a charming and pleasing end to an amusing series that showcases the author's delightful writing skills. This book is a witty and engaging romp.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

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Jan 24, 2012 SOS Aloha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Honesty is the best policy - when there is money in it. - Mark Twain

Gran is pragmatic. She runs a brewery. Gran encouraged her daughter to marry the Marquess of Stoneville, resulting in five children. When Lord and Lady Stoneville died under questionable circumstances, Gran tried to protect the children from the scandal. Understandably, the five children looked at marriage with skepticism. Gran grew impatient and issued an ultimatum – marry within a year or forfeit her fortune. Since the estate...more Honesty is the best policy - when there is money in it. - Mark Twain

Gran is pragmatic. She runs a brewery. Gran encouraged her daughter to marry the Marquess of Stoneville, resulting in five children. When Lord and Lady Stoneville died under questionable circumstances, Gran tried to protect the children from the scandal. Understandably, the five children looked at marriage with skepticism. Gran grew impatient and issued an ultimatum – marry within a year or forfeit her fortune. Since the estate (and the siblings) needs the funds, they sought to outmaneuver their Gran.

One by one, they married – Lord Oliver in THE TRUTH ABOUR LORD STONEVILLE, Lord Jarrett in A HELLION IN MY BED, Lady Minerva in HOW TO WOO A RELUCTANT LADY, Lord Gabriel in TO WED A WILD LORD, and finally Lady Celia in A LADY NEVER SURRENDERS.

With each book, Jeffries delivered unique characters, unbridled passion, and a clue to their parents’ death. The final book, A LADY NEVER SURRENDERS, serves as a metaphor as Jeffries never surrenders her trademark story telling of “lighter, sexier historicals romance.” The lady in question, Lady Celia, feels the pressure as her four older siblings found love while complying with Gran’s ultimatum. She invites three bachelors to attend a house party, intending to secure a fiancé long enough for Gran’s deadline to pass. Her partner in deception – Jackson Pinter. He’s conveniently available as he has been working for Oliver in solving the parents’ murder. But he is inconveniently attractive to Lady Celia, an attraction that is mutual. Hence, the dance begins between employer and employee; a lady and a commoner, a free spirit and a straight arrow.

Lady Celia shines as a “tom boy” growing up in the shadow of her older and accomplished siblings. Yet she can outshoot them on the target range – something that would turn off the average aristocrat. But Jackson is neither average nor an aristocrat. He is charmed by Celia’s “peculiarities” and guards her against any rogue seeking her fortune. Soon they find passion with each other as they piece together the clues of her parents’ murder.

A LADY NEVER SURRENDERS is a satisfying conclusion to the Hellions of Halstead Hall. Since the mystery spans the five books, I suggest readers new to the series start with THE TRUTH OF LORD STONEVILLE and read the other books in order. They, too, will be left wanting more from Sabrina Jeffries.
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Mar 07, 2013 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bodice-rippers-and-regencies

Well, it is a charming rift on the usual "must marry or will lose inheritance" meme, though in this case our heroine is the youngest, and the only unmarried sibling (because this is apparently one in a series of get-them-married-off regencies by Jeffries). The heroine is likeable and can shoot; is crippled by self esteem issues and that moment in her innocent past, etc. Personally, I'd have preferred the ending with more assertiveness on our heroine's part. You've got a lot of the typical themes...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Limau Nipis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, e-books-save-trees, historical-romance

Even though this one is a fast read for me and actually unlocked the mystery of the heroine's father and mother death 19 years ago, I found the grandmother of the heroine (in this case, the heroine is Lady Celia Sharpe) turned to be extremely annoying, since she meddled quite heavily in the love life of Celia and her love interest, Jackson Pinter.

Which at this point of time, I was going to curse and say "Go to bull**** Grannie! Why you always think your rank is much better than that Bow Street r...more

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Feb 01, 2012 Michelle Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read, historical

Excellent conclusion to a wonderful series

http://anotherlookbookreviews.blogspo...

Out of the Sharpe siblings, Celia seemed to be the one placed off in the background in the other Hellion books. She was there but not much of an appearance in the other stories. So going into A Lady Never Surrenders, I really didn't have any confirmed perceptions about Celia.

Mr. Pinter however has been in every single book quite a bit since he was the fore front investigator into the deaths of Sharpe's parents. Ce...more Excellent conclusion to a wonderful series

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Out of the Sharpe siblings, Celia seemed to be the one placed off in the background in the other Hellion books. She was there but not much of an appearance in the other stories. So going into A Lady Never Surrenders, I really didn't have any confirmed perceptions about Celia.

Mr. Pinter however has been in every single book quite a bit since he was the fore front investigator into the deaths of Sharpe's parents. Celia labelled him "Proper Pinter" and that would ring true. He did come across as very proper and straight. I pictured him stuffy with a tight cravat wrapped around his neck. He was a "by the book" type of man. Celia and Jackson seemed to love to hate each other ever since book 1, The Truth about Lord Stoneville. That contempt made for some great reading and conflict resolution. Reading and feeling the ice melt around Celia and Jackson's hearts was awesome. Also the major steamy kisses were meltworthy too.

I loved the murder/suicide puzzle that flowed through from book 1, The Truth about Lord Stoneville straight through to this final book, A Lady Never Surrenders. The mystery was an excellent way to keep readers up to date with all the siblings and their spouses. There were twists and turns and just when I thought I figured it out, Mr. Pinter would take us on another route. I am not a mystery reader so I don't read well into the mystery formulas and their plot lines but I did enjoy this Hellion series. I would gauge it to be a light mystery but regardless, it kept my interest throughout.

I adored their grandmother all the way along but I got a wee bit annoyed with her in A Lady Never Surrenders. Even though my annoyance was there, I still understood why she was making the decisions she did. It is only because I was privy to Celia and Jackson's point of view that made me mad at her. As always her heart was in the right spot.

It was a treat to read each story from back to back and that is truly my favourite way to read a series. I had been wanting to read The Hellions series for a while so when this last book A Lady Never Surrenders was recently just released, I knew that this was a perfect time to jump aboard.

PS - This series did annoy me that the paperback book is only 7.99 from Amazon but the Kindle versions were 10.25. I almost didn't start the series due to this pricing. Small font size in paperbacks drives me crazy. I need my Kindle versions. Not the author's fault by no means so this comment is not reflected in my perfect 5 star rating. Just a fact that makes me crazy!

Teasers: hunting competition for a kiss OR a new rifle, bastard's father revealed, cozy poacher's cottage, kidnapping(less)

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Nov 22, 2012 Nicole Laverdure rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Lady never surrenders, book #5 of The Hellions of Halstead Hall series.

I love Ms. Jeffries's characters Celia Sharpe, a beautiful woman who is fascinated by guns and Jackson Pinter, a dark and dangerous man.

It’s the story of a grandmother who wishes that her grandchildren would settle down and marry so she can enjoy great-grandchildren’s. It’s also the mystery surrounding the deaths of both parents of Celia.

Celia must marry by year's end or be disinherited.

Celia hires Jackson to investigate t...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Jean rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, england, romance

This novel is the final one in the Hellions of Halstead Hall series. It involves Celia who is the youngest of the brood and the final pieces of the mystery surrounding the death of their parents.

I enjoyed the characters and the intrigue regarding the mystery of their parents' murder. We also have further development on Gran's character. She undergoes a re-examination of her manipulative machinations. I love Jackson's aunt. She seems like a more balanced version of Gran's character.

While I also e...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Chucha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: proper-men, bad-girls-and-good-guys, love-hate

I love Sabrina Jeffries’ Hellions of Halstead Hall Series, and although A Lady Never Surrenders, is not my ultimate favorite among the other five, I still gave it a five starts because I think the novel deserves it. Finally, the last book – I am so glad the mystery is going to be solved and the last among the Sharpe will be getting her very own love story.

Primarily, being the last book in the series, I would advise readers to read the rest of the previous novels first before jumping into this o...more

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Mar 01, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was the perfect ending to the Halstead Hall Hellions series!

With her quick wit and keen understanding of Rgency England's Social Rules and Intmancies, Ms. Jeffries navagates us through the last Sharp sibling finding her true love and solving the 19 year old mysterious deaths of their parents.

Celia Sharp is convinced that no man will ever want her for herself, she prefers to shot to ball dancing, prefers to talk guns instead of fashion, and as the youngest she has no choice but to marry...more This book was the perfect ending to the Halstead Hall Hellions series!

With her quick wit and keen understanding of Rgency England's Social Rules and Intmancies, Ms. Jeffries navagates us through the last Sharp sibling finding her true love and solving the 19 year old mysterious deaths of their parents.

Celia Sharp is convinced that no man will ever want her for herself, she prefers to shot to ball dancing, prefers to talk guns instead of fashion, and as the youngest she has no choice but to marry or her siblings who have managed to fulfill their grandmothers ultimatum will lose their inheritance. So she enlists the help of the Bow Street Runner that has been hired by her family to help her check out the three men she has decided to encourage in their pursuit of her. As she watches Jackson Pinter work, and gets to know him, she finds it isn't a great lord at all that rocks her back on her heels... but this honorable man of the law.

Jackson has loved Celia almost from the first moment he saw her, but as bastard born son whose father never claimed him, he knows that his chances of winning her hand are worst than none. So he protects his heart, and goes about showing her suitors the real Celia, not wanting her to settle for a man that makes her miserable. When they head out of town on a quick trip to check a lead, they find themselves out all night because of a an attempt on her life.

Hetty Plumtree has looked out for her grandchildren since the day her daughter and son in law died, what was assumed was a murder-suicide. Now that Hetty is finding out that their deaths were murder has caused her to more closely examine the suitors for her youngest granddaughter and the bastard born Bow Street Runner who she ‘knows’ is after Celia for her connections and money, is not the man she would have her granddaughter marry, even she thinks she loves him. She lets Jackson know this.

Combine a dream, dangerous assassins and two strong willed people and you have a gripping tale that catches you in the beginning and doesn’t let go. I have everything I have read by Ms. Jeffries, but this one sets the bar a little higher for her next book. A sparkling 5 stars and I am definitely looking forward to more from this knowledgeable author.(less)

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Mar 09, 2012 Karyn Gerrard rated it 4 of 5 stars

QUICK TAKE:

An enjoyable conclusion to the 'Hellions of Halstead Hall. This story focused on Lady Celia Sharpe. Once you get past the grandmother's ludicrous declaration that the five Sharpe siblings must marry before the year is out or forfeit their fortune, the rest of the story falls into place. After you roll your eyes, just go with it. Now the last remaining unmarried Sharpe, Celia is torn. She enlists the help of Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter to investigate a few prospective beaus on top...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Dawn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: jeffries-sabrina

Another delightful installment of the 'Hellions of Halstead Hall' series. They have all been absolutely wonderful stories.

This one is about the youngest sister, Celia. In her attempt to meet the demands of her meddling grandmother, she convinces her to throw a house party inviting three suitable prospects for marriage. Also in attendance is Jackson Pinter, the Bow Street Runner investigating the murder of the Sharpe siblings' parents 19 years earlier. Celia and Pinter had been infatuated with e...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Book Binge Blog rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews-by-holly

This is the final installment of the Hellions of Halstead series. I'm sad to see it end. I've enjoyed spending time with the Sharpe family.

I have to say, I was much more bothered by Hettie's interference in this novel. I'm not sure if it's because we got more from her POV, or if her meddling went over the top. While I understood her reasons for being wary of Pinter, it didn't make a lot of sense for her to push him so hard. Especially when it was obvious Celia cared for him. It went against her...more This is the final installment of the Hellions of Halstead series. I'm sad to see it end. I've enjoyed spending time with the Sharpe family.

I have to say, I was much more bothered by Hettie's interference in this novel. I'm not sure if it's because we got more from her POV, or if her meddling went over the top. While I understood her reasons for being wary of Pinter, it didn't make a lot of sense for her to push him so hard. Especially when it was obvious Celia cared for him. It went against her actions in previous books, where she played the part of disapproving harpy, but was secretly working to push the couple together.

Aside from that, I enjoyed the novel. I liked that Pinter wasn't a member of the aristocracy. He was an investigator with Bow Street and lived in a modest home in Cheapside. Though he wasn't dirt poor, he wasn't rich, either. We don't see enough of these types of heroes in romance. Of course it was somewhat ruined by Celia's giant inheritance, but whatever.

Celia has a lot of insecurities. Her grandmother - and some of the other members of her family - have made her feel like she isn't good enough to find a husband. "Who would want to marry you" is what she feels like they're saying to her. Especially her grandmother. Because of this, there was additional conflict with Pinter (who himself had insecurities about marrying above himself). While it could have been extreme, I think Celia's issues gave her an air of vulnerability that made her more likable. She wasn't just a brash young woman looking to challenge the men of London to duels.

There were several times I snickered over Celia's attempts to downplay her knowledge about weapons and Pinter's determination to see her outed. The two of them had great chemistry, as well as quick-witted banter.

The mystery behind their parent's murder is finally resolved here. While I wouldn't say it was completely contrived, I did think the resolution was somewhat anti-climatic. I might have liked to see it come about earlier in the novel so more time could be spent on the reactions of the family. Still and all, this was an enjoyable read and a nice way to close out the series.

This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Holly.(less)

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May 28, 2012 Regina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good book, better than the others, but so glad this series is over. Jackson was your average man with ambitious goals. And that didn't change, which I liked. No secret aristocratic heritage coming to the rescue to make things tidy. Celia was a fighter, too, willing to stand up for her beliefs and knew what she wanted despite her grandmother's outrageous ultimatum. Their romance was sweet and romantic in all the right places. Most importantly, the mystery of her parents' death is solved! So ultim...more

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Feb 17, 2012 PoligirlReads rated it 4 of 5 stars

Pinter! Pinter was a secondary character that I have consistently enjoyed starting in the Heiresses series, and so I was really glad to see him get to be the lead. Not disappointed at all. I even liked his aunt. Celia was the right balance of plucky and vulnerable and I thought her story was convincing. Well, the part about overhearing the conversation as an infant was a bit much, but whatever.

Two things I didn't care for:
1. Lack of character consistency with Hetty. She always struck me as deli...more

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Feb 16, 2012 Dabney rated it 2 of 5 stars

Dear Ms. Jeffries—

I was ambivalent about investing my time in the last of your Hellions of Halstead Hall series. I’ve read the first four with varying levels of satisfaction. I found The Truth about Lord Stoneville, the first book, that of Oliver, the eldest Sharpe child, to be a contrived and insubstantial tale. I enjoyed the second, A Hellion in her Bed, Jarret’s tale—you did a nice job of explaining the ins and outs of making ale in the 19th century. I loved the third, How to Woo a Reluctant...more Dear Ms. Jeffries—

I was ambivalent about investing my time in the last of your Hellions of Halstead Hall series. I’ve read the first four with varying levels of satisfaction. I found The Truth about Lord Stoneville, the first book, that of Oliver, the eldest Sharpe child, to be a contrived and insubstantial tale. I enjoyed the second, A Hellion in her Bed, Jarret’s tale—you did a nice job of explaining the ins and outs of making ale in the 19th century. I loved the third, How to Woo a Reluctant Lady, Minerva’s story—it was one of the better romances I read in 2010. (Giles was a dream hero: sexy, smart, and completely encouraging of his love’s dreams for herself.) The fourth, To Wed a Wild Lord, was a chore to read and, at its end, I didn’t give a damn about who killed the Sharpes’ parents—a mystery woven throughout all the books—or whether or not their busybody of a grandmother would release her fortune—all the books are based on her threat that the five siblings must marry within a year or else she will disinherit them. But, I did read the first four and, after contemplating the final book for several weeks, I decided I’d see how the series concluded.

My verdict is: not especially well. A Lady Never Surrenders, the story of Celia, the youngest Sharpe sister, isn’t the worst historical I’ve read lately. (That would be Susan Johnson’s Seductive as Flame.) But as I read it, I wondered at its mediocrity. Actually, that’s a lie. As I read it, I was vexed the book was phlegmatic and prosaic. I’ve enjoyed a number of your other books: How to Woo a Reluctant Lady is a jewel of a love story; the 1999 book The Forbidden Lord is an excellent tale, full of steam and wit. I’d hoped for better here and was thwarted.

This novel’s pairing was inevitable—anyone who has read even one of the Hellion books knows Celia Sharpe and Jackson Pinter, the Bow Street Runner hired by Oliver to investigate any number of things, are destined to have hot sex and realize the other is their soul mate. So, I began this book—after skimming the preface, an artificial sounding letter from the meddlesome grandmother, an annoying plot device used in all the Hellion books—wondering what Celia’s and Jackson’s story would be. What would restrain their romp toward romance? After reading almost 400 pages—the lyric “the long and winding road” kept popping into my head and not in a good way–I was disgruntled to see their story is nothing more than a wisp of a conflict explained by the overused axiom: “we can’t be together because we come from different worlds.”

This plot already appeared in The Truth about Lord Stoneville. Yes, the sex roles were reversed. In that tome, Oliver’s of the nobility, Maria’s from the commercial class. Readers know the Sharpes have already dealt successfully with this challenge. It makes no sense to devote hundreds of pages of prose to surmounting an obstacle this family has already overcome. The Sharpes themselves point this out several times. It’s clear to Celia’s brothers and sister that Jackson’s a good guy and Celia has the hots for him as does he for her. Everyone can see they should be together. So why aren’t they? Because, in a character conversion I found baffling, Celia’s grandmother, a woman who has been pushy in the other books but still pleasant, becomes an officious harridan. Hetty Plumtree goes from likeable—I was excited, in the last book, she acquired a lover; old people never get laid enough in historical romance—to horrid. She’s like the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio; Hetty makes up random rules Celia must follow to succeed and then threatens to ignore or alter those same rules all in the name of protecting Celia....

This is a partial review. To read my full review, go to DearAuthor.com.

http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/ov...(less)

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Aug 25, 2012 Joanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed yet another read by Sabrina Jeffries!!! A hottie historical romance book.

Lady Celia Sharpe has been told by her grandmother that if she does not marry within a certain time, she will never get her inheritance. She selects 3 eligible bachelors for them to be invited at a ball her grandma is giving. She hopes that she will prove to her grandmother that she is capable of finding a husband of high rank.

But she hires a Bow street runner to investigate the 3 men. Jackson Pinter the good look...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Marcia Berg Haskell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, love-the-series

"New York Times" bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries delivers the final novel in her "Hellions of Halstead Hall" series, filled with "lively repartee, fast action, luscious sensuality, and an abundance of humor" ("Library Journal"). Lady Celia Sharpe hopes that if she can garner offers of marriage from several eligible gentlemen and show her grandmother she is capable of gaining a husband, she can convince Gran to rescind the marriage ultimatum for her. And if that plan doesn't work, at least sh...more

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About Sabrina Jeffries

If having a colorful life turns you into a novelist, then I had no choice but to become a writer. My whole life changed when my parents moved us to Thailand when I was seven. Before I was eighteen, I'd eaten chicken heads and jellyfish, been chased by a baby elephant, seen countless cobras and pythons, had the entire series of rabies shots (yes, the ones in the stomach with those lo-o-o-ng needles...more

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Books by Sabrina Jeffries

The Truth About Lord Stoneville (Hellions of Halstead Hall, #1)

One Night With a Prince (Royal Brotherhood, #3)

How to Woo a Reluctant Lady (Hellions of Halstead Hall, #3)

Never Seduce a Scoundrel (School for Heiresses, Book 1)

In the Prince's Bed (Royal Brotherhood, #1)

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Quotes from A Lady Never Surrenders

“Love is taking chances when every rational part of you screams, ‘Don’t risk it.’ Because it’s only when your heart has been ripped open that you get a chance to find the one person capable of making it whole.” — 17 people liked it

“You weren't always so...appreciative. When I said that men enjoyed my company, you said you found that hard to believe."

What?" he retorted with a scowl. "I never said any such thing."

"Yes, you did, the day that I asked you to investigate my suitors. I remember it clearly."

"Theres no way in hell I ever..." The conversation came back to him suddenly, and he shook his head. "You're remembering only part, sweeting. You said that men enjoyed your company and considered you easy to talk to. It was the last part I found hard to believe."

"Oh." She eyed him askance. "Why? You never seem to have trouble talking to me. Or rather, lecturing me."

"It's either lecture you or stop up your mouth with kisses," he said dryly. "Talking to you isn't easy, because every time I'm near you I burn to carry you off to some secluded spot and do any number of wicked things to you."

She blinked, then gazed at him with such softness that it made his chest hurt. "Then why don't you?"

-Celia and Jackson” — 5 people liked it

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A Lady Never Surrenders (Hellions of Halstead Hall #5)

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