Review of South of Surrender by Laura Kaye

Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Series: Anemoi #3
Format Read: ARC PDF
Source: The publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: May 28, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon*  Barnes & Noble  The Book Depository*
* affiliate link; I get a commission if you click and make a purchase.

Blurb from goodreads:

Chrysander Notos, Supreme God of the South Wind and Summer, is on a mission: save Eurus from his death sentence and prove his troubled brother can be redeemed. But Eurus fights back, triggering vicious summer storms that threaten the mortal realm, dangerously drain Chrys, and earn the ire of the Olympic gods who ordered Eurus dead.

Laney Summerlyn refuses to give up her grandfather’s horse farm, despite her deteriorating vision. More than ever, she needs the organized routine of her life at Summerlyn Stables, until a ferocious storm brings an impossible—and beautiful—creature crashing down from the heavens.

Injured while fighting Eurus, Chrys finds himself at the mercy of a mortal woman whose compassion and acceptance he can’t resist. As they surrender to the passion flaring between them, immortal enemies close in, forcing Chrys to choose between his brother and the only woman who’s ever loved the real him.  

Bea's Thoughts:

This was the first book in this series that I've read but I had no trouble reading it. The events of the first two books are essential to the story so there are plenty of references throughout and I had no trouble keeping up.

There are two central stories: Chrys's fight to bring down his brother Eurus, who's been on a rampage, and Chrys and Laney's romance. There are side stories involving his brother Boreas, their father Aeolus and a nephew Owen. All are well-developed and feel real despite being gods. In fact, they didn't feel all that godly but more like humans with super-powers. The Olympians, the major gods in the Greek pantheon, are referenced but not seen; the references imply that they are less human, and godlier. I hope that we'll get to see them and events in this book imply that they'll make an appearance.

I enjoy Greek mythology and the wind gods, to my knowledge, haven't gotten much attention over the years so I enjoyed reading about them and seeing how Kaye updated things. I really liked her portrayal of Hephaestus, who's another under-utilized god. He has a bigger role than appears at first and plays an important role in Chrys and Laney's HEA. The relationship between Chrysander and his brothers was touching and realistic though I questioned the back story we got about them and their father. It just didn't ring true nor did the explanation for why Chrys didn't like being touched or how that led to his need to be so dominant and in control during sex. I was also skeptical about the revelations we get about both Laney and her friend Seth, they were too convenient, but I am curious to see where Kaye goes with them.

The romance itself occurred quickly. The story takes place in about two weeks so while not quite insta-love, it was very quick. Both are cautious at first then rapidly give way to their urges, and sex brings them even closer. The HEA felt rushed; I'd have liked to see their romance developed more.  Kaye could have ended the story on an HFN and continued their romance as a subplot in the next book.

I liked Chrys and Laney and would have loved to see more of Laney' horses and of Chrys's animal form. I'm horse lover so a story can never have too many horses in it. I did wonder how the farm made money. Laney supplemented her income by writing articles but it's unclear how the farm makes money. It's a minor detail but one I kept wondering about. Also, there were many typos but it was an ARC so presumably they were fixed and are not in the final book.

Despite my questions and nitpicks, I did enjoy the story and it was a fast, easy read. The love scenes were hot, the relationships were believable, the world building was good, and the story is an enjoyable read. Kaye gives us action, romance, steamy sex, humor, gods and other deities all mixed into a yummy confection.