When Jason is shot while chasing after whiskey smugglers, Star reacts in a strange way. The idea of Jason dying isn't as pleasant as she once thought it would be. But even wounded, Jason can't seem to get along with Star.

Bittersweet Surrender has a fairly classic theme of an antagonizing couple, and it worked for Star and Jason. Their battles were humorous in the beginning, and emotion provoking by the end. However, sometimes Star acted a little too headstrong, even for me. It made her seem much younger than I'd have liked. I appreciated the fact that Star and Jason didn't often take their fights to the extremes. I loved the fact that the author included a little note to explain the inspiration behind Jason's grin; with it, I was fully able to imagine why it drove Star nuts, and just why she was attracted to him. I liked that Bittersweet Surrender wasn't the usual western romance. Instead, it concentrated more on the daily life in the late 1800s, and, of course, Star's political agenda. But what made the book enjoyable was, ultimately, the romance with its ups and downs.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Very sensual

Reviewer: Tara Black
May 23, 2006