Surrender (Careless Whispers #3)

Surrender (Careless Whispers #3)

Lisa Renee Jones





Dear Readers:


I can’t believe we are finally about to Surrender, after all that denial and demand . For the many of you who have written me, so very eager for this book, thank you for your patience and excitement. I hope it lives up to your expectations and makes the wait worthwhile. I am excited about this one for many reasons. Ella’s such a survivor, and as she takes on her own life, she inspires me to be one, as well. And I wouldn’t mind kicking ass the way she does, too!

Many of you started Ella’s story with the Inside Out series, and for those of you who know that series, guess what? Chris and Sara are back in Surrender! And oh, how surreal it was to write about them again, if only a little bit. For new readers, Chris and Sara will offer you some small glimpses into Ella’s life from the Inside Out series. So let’s recap before we start Surrender. Spoiler warning! If you have not read Denial and Demand, do not read forward!

We all remember where this story started in Denial. Ella wakes up in a hospital bed with amnesia, having been saved by Kayden Wilkens. As they wade through the dangers of her memory loss and his Treasure Hunting world (The Underground), their passion and connection become something they can no longer ignore. And what comes of their weakness for one another is a lasting emotional bond and the ultimate exchange of trust.

Kayden and Ella began book two, Demand, by testing the strength of their relationship with the weight of their secrets and lies. What eventually comes of that is a stronger and deeper connection in the face of both Neuville’s impending threat and Niccolo’s deception. The two warring stepbrothers, who run the French and Italian mobs, are at odds over each other, Ella, and the butterfly necklace that she once held in her hands. But her memory still refuses to allow her access to why she had it and where she left it.

We left Ella and Kayden right after their confrontation with Blake Walker, one of the founding brothers of Walker Security, who was sent by Ella’s best friend, Sara, and Chris Merit to find Ella. After Blake finally found her, he helped shed some light on who she is. Yet with more of the truth came more uncertainty. Ella has just dropped the bomb that she believes she has a connection to the CIA. She’s unsure of what kind of connection it is—but what will this mean for her and Kayden’s relationship? And who does this make her in the grand scheme of the terrifying web of danger they still find themselves in?

There is so much more to explore in Surrender, and I hope you’ll enjoy the final installment of Ella’s story . . .

xoxo,

Lisa





characters




Ella Ferguson (25)—Heroine in the series. Woke alone in Italy, saved by our hero, Kayden Wilkens. Best friend to Sara McMillan from the Inside Out series.

Kayden Wilkens (32)—Our hero in the series. Leader of the Italian branch of The Underground (a treasure-hunting operation). Saves Ella and brings her to live in his castle while she recovers.

Niccolo—Very dangerous Italian mobster. Ella has some sense of unease and knowledge of this man that she can’t quite grasp.

Matteo—Works for Kayden and The Underground as a hacker. He helps create Ella’s new identity as Rae Eleana Ward, and continues to try to find out who Ella is.

Adriel Santaro—Both lives and works for Kayden running a high-end collectibles store from the castle. Kayden fired him from The Underground after Adriel’s father was killed on a hunt.

Giada Santaro—Adriel’s sister. Also works in the collectibles store. Has a very hard time coping with her mother and father’s deaths. Blames Kayden and The Underground for her father’s murder.

Marabella—Kayden’s housekeeper, lives on the premises. Very close to Kayden, Adriel, and Giada. Is considered a mother figure by them all.

Detective Gallo—Kayden’s greatest adversary. Very intent on making trouble for Kayden, and on finding out who Ella really is.

Chief Donati—The chief of police; Detective Gallo’s boss. Friendly with Kayden, yet hiding secrets of his own.

Sasha—A Hunter. Her family is made up of Hunters and Hawks that used to run the French branch of The Underground, before Kayden took over for them. She befriends Ella and has quite the personality.

Blake Walker—A transplant from both the Tall, Dark and Deadly series (you can read his and Kara’s story in Beneath the Secrets) and the Inside Out series. Chris Merit (Inside Out) hired Blake to help him and Sara find Ella after she ran off to elope with David and disappeared. At the end of the Inside Out series, Blake was still searching for her.

Enzo—One of The Underground’s newest and youngest members, killed during a dangerous mission.

Elizabeth—Kayden’s deceased fiancée. She was murdered in the castle five years ago.

Nathan—Physician for The Underground who helps Ella as she recovers from her severe concussion. While very charismatic, he is also tough and implacable.

David—Ella’s ex-fiancé (mentioned in the Inside Out series). He swept Ella off to Paris to elope. Very vivid and shocking memories return to Ella of her time with David, involving lot of arguing and anguish. At the end of Denial Ella still cannot remember all that transpired between her and David, but she does know she didn’t love him.

Kevin—Kayden’s adoptive father. He was the original owner of the castle and the previous leader of the Italian branch of The Underground. After he was murdered along with Elizabeth five years ago, Kayden took over his post in The Underground and ownership of the castle. Best friend to Kayden’s father.