It’s been a while since I had caught up with the Grayhawks and Flynns, and I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the craziness between these two feuding families. King and Angus, the two patriarchs, are still trying to destroy each other, but between “King’s Brats" and “those awful Flynn boys,” some fences are being mended.

Surrender starts out with intense action and then builds from there. Pilot, Taylor Grayhawk, is flying smokejumper, Brian Flynn, over a forest fire when an updraft of flames knocks out the plane's engines. They have no choice but to parachute into a meadow surrounded by flames and wait out the fire in a small cave. And then things really get interesting. Taylor and Flynn’s story was full of action and drama and plenty of emotional highs and lows. It grabbed my attention immediately and I sped through the book in one sitting, eager to find out what happened next. This was a fantastic, captivating read, it reminded me of what a gifted storyteller this author is, and I’m eager to read more from her.

*I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and reviewed it freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.

Taylor and Brian were stuck in a situation where their very lives hung in the balance. He would do anything to protect her even when she fought every single step of the way. Stuck together would she ultimately surrender to the feelings she felt back in high school but was too scared to wish for something more. Joan Johnston crafts a beautiful tale of second chances and finding the other half of your soul.

This is my first book by Joan Johnston and I loved it. The story has a very interesting plot line and the love hate between the characters is sizzling, at times I was confused because of all the other characters but since it is a series it could be understood and also the inclusion of the other characters picked my curiosity so I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. I was hooked by the first chapter. I see this is part of a series but I had no trouble reading it as a stand alone. Taylor and Brain spent a few months together in high school, but their families despised each other and so they part ways. Taylor has felt all her life she is not lovable and really left Brian before he left her. When they find themselves having to depend on each other to survive the wildfire, they both admit to feelings unresolved. I loved that the supporting cast was also dealing with their own love lives and can't wait to see how they stories resolve. This would have been a 5 star for me except I wanted Brian to grovel a little more for his actions.

“Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance of injustice. Injuries are revenged; crimes are avenged.” –Samuel Johnson

Firemen, smokejumpers, and bears… oh, my. Yep, we have fireman Brian Flynn, his pilot and ex-girlfriend, Taylor “Tag” Grayhawk, flying into the smoke and flames in order to deposit smokejumpers near a raging forest fire. After releasing their jumpers, they circle the drop zone, to ensure the firefighters landed safely. A sudden and freakish fire tornado snuffs out her twin engines and they have to jump in order to save their own lives. Now stranded on the ground, they find themselves surrounded by a blazing inferno. Utilizing all his firefighting knowledge and skills… Brian, along with Taylor, will have to depend on each other in order to survive.

This was a story about love, forgiveness, survival, and discovering what you truly want in life. However, what could have been a beautiful love story was completely overtaken and crushed into the ground by a strong thread of bitterness, hate, revenge and a longstanding family feud. There was also a congested list of additional characters, brothers, sisters, and cousins, that made up this series of Bitter Creek Novels. Two of the couples were featured in previous books in this Grayhawk vs Flynn feud series: Sinful: Delta sergeant Connor Flynn and Eva Grayhawk. Pub 4-28-15, and Shameless: Pippa Grayhawk and Devon Flynn. Pub 12-29-15

“My family has existed in eastern Kentucky for as long as there are records. If you’re familiar with the famous Hatfield-McCoy family feud back in the 1860’s, ‘70’s and ‘80’s in the United States, my family was an integral part of that.” –J.D. Vance

Although this can be read as a stand-a-lone, you will soon figure out that the story is a continuation and several of the characters have been featured in previous books. There are actually several books [different threads] in the Bitter Creek Novels and one thing stands out that is common to all of them. It seems that these people cannot get along with anyone, or themselves. There has to be something in the water. First, in this corner we have the Blackthorne vs Creed feud. Next… and in this corner, we have the Blackthorne vs the Grayhawk feud. And then we have the current Grayhawk vs Flynn feud. These guys are fighting over anything and everything. We are talking about century-old feuds… opposing dynasties and family rivals between scions. Dang, the books float back and forth between western, modern, and Regency time periods.

I have decided… I am not even going to attempt to start at book one and make my way through this mess. I don’t know how many books there are for sure as they stopped numbering them at seven. However, I did find at least eight more books with the name Bitter Creek on them. As I read the book blurbs and the reviews… they all are full of bitterness, revenge, feuding and hate between which ever family is fighting at the time. There are bastard children coming out of the woodwork years later and causing all manner of mayhem. There are bitter divorces, Romeo and Juliet type of romances and marriages, and children of the yours, mine and ours type with no love for themselves, their parents, or anyone else.

I don’t want to read love stories where the lovers are twisted and hurtful to each other. That is just wrong. Why are these people in love with someone that hates their guts… only to fall into bed with them the next minute… and creating an unexpected pregnancy? The cognitive dissonance is maddening. I see one thing, I read another, and yet… the story suddenly turns and twists and everything becomes clear and they love each other and will have their HEA. Only after the author has wrung out every last emotion that the reader has left. Whew!

Rating: MA: Mature Audience: language, graphic sex. I volunteered to read this and the views expressed are my own. I thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this and write a review.

This is a book which falls into 2 different series by this author but I read it as a stand alone. I wanted to read this based on the description after the cover drew me in. The premise of a romance with a survival situation sounded too hard to pass up. And I am so glad I got the chance to read this one.

This novel starts with the H, Brian, and h, Taylor escaping a plane crash. They are miles from help and with no way to contact the outside world. The two are truly in a survival situation. The pair come from families with a long standing vendetta between the two. That hostility is part of the reason these former high school sweethearts have long since been separated. While fighting to survive, those long abandoned feelings surface and things really heat up between the two. But with one of them injured and both fighting to live, what will happen to Brian and Taylor? If they are somehow rescued, what would happen to all those feelings and all that passion when family interferes.

This book was a great and fast paced read. The characters were believable and easy to relate to. The story had plenty of romance and angst in just the right combination to keep me turning the pages. The side characters were also engaging making me want to read all the stories before and those which will come after.

I definitely recommend reading this one.

Very very good book. Be prepared to cry. Their struggle was heartbreaking.

Surrender by Joan Johnston was a great read. Taylor Grayhawk was piloting a Twin Otter when flames from a raging forest fire snuffed out both engines. The smoke jumpers were already out and the only one left on the plane besides her was Brian Flynn. He left her know he wasn't leaving without her. The choice was to jump tandem as there was only one parachute, or go down with the plane. Both choices put them in the fire. They worked together to try to stay alive. I couldn't put the book down for long as I needed to know what happened. I suggest you read their story as I don't think you will be disappointed. I do want to note their fathers didn't get along so you saw the anomosity between the Flynn's and the Grayhawk's. I received an ARC for my honest review.

A Captivating Tale...
This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning! A tale of feuding families, survival, second chances and personal growth! Taylor and Brian go on an intriguing journey that had me glued to my seat. You get hints of things to come for other characters and their books along the way. I was impressed... looking forward to reading more in this series and from this author! Great Read!!!

Second chances don't come around too often, but in this story it does for Taylor Grayhawk and Brian Flynn. Thrown together after years apart and a lot of water under the bridge, Taylor and Brian are forced to work together at what they do best. Taylor, a corporate pilot and Brian, a firefighter are fighting a raging wildfire and the fire in their hearts ignites. There are so many emotions in this tale. Being in a constant danger, there is love, romance and the best of all hope that they will be able to make it out alive. A faced paced story that will have you turning the pages quickly to find out what happens. Be warned you will not be able to put it down once you start. In the wonderful style of Joan Johnston, you will be drawn into the emotions of the characters and rooting for them until the very end. Don't miss this great book and all of the Bitter Creek Series.

This book held my interest the whole way, the things that Taylor Grayhawk and Brian Flynn did to survive after having to bail out of the plane into a forest fire area were breath taking and so was their sizzling romantic scenes, and even their conversations were interesting.
I loved when they would remember their hot teenage romance and talk about the reasons they broke up or they would get into discussions about the pranks him and his brothers would play on her and her sisters or vice versa.
This is an engaging read with two very strong, likeable lead characters and even in the intense moments it’s just amazing. I very highly recommend you don’t miss it.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I am so glad that the end of the book gives us a preview of the upcoming book! While I loved the story between Taylor and Brian, I want to know what happens with Vick and her son, and Adrien and Leah, aoh and Matt and Jenny. There are three incomplete stories!!

Ugh, there were times that I really wanted to smack some people when they let things go for weeks in talking to the person that they love.

At the end, I thought Taylor was pretty forgiving to get back with Brian, after not talking to her for weeks, rejecting her, then not bothering to see her when he finds out she is pregnant, wow, I would be pretty pissed off for a lot longer than Taylor was!

Lots of drama going on in this book, and some pretty emotional parts, and great romance. It really is so sad that these daughters are so emotionally deprived that they feel they are unlovable.

I like that we see previous characters from the first books in the series and are kept up to date in their lives as well as more than the main two characters, we see other couples along the way.

Hope there is not a long wait for the next book, I really want to know how Adrien and Leah do, and how Vick is going to figure out a way to get her son in her life and his father, and I would be upset at Matt like Jenny is - not telling her for 20 years that their daughter didn't die! This is better than a soap opera!!

This book just didn't do it for me. The writing is good, but I couldn't connect with the characters. I also don't feel like there was any chemistry either. They were stuck in an impossible situation and just did what they thought they should with the time left. I know you don't need to, but it may have helped to read the previous books. I don't know, just not my cup of tea.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

Surrender by Joan Johnston is book 11 in the "Bitter Creek" Series. This is the story of Taylor Grayhawk and Brian Flynn. I thought this was easily a stand alone book.
Taylor and Brian had been high school sweethearts but they ended up moving on to other things and people. Now time had brought them back together but each have changed and learned harsh lessons.
This was a really nice second change at love.

I absolutely loved Surrender!!
It is the first book I've read by
Joan Johnston, & it won't be the last.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!!
It is a sexy, suspenseful, & emotional story. Tag & Brian were caught in a firestorm tornado, which flared out the engines, in her Twin Otter plane. Tag flys in & drops off smoke jumpers. Brian is a
smoke jumper, who was stayed with Tag, after her drop off, to be a spotter,
& report on the fire storm.
Tag & Brian, have known each other,
their whole life. Their father's are sworn enemies. With a strange twist of fate,
Tag & Brian will need to depend on
one  another, if their going to survive.
Their father's vendetta has effected both family's, Tag & her three sisters,
& Brian & his three brothers.
The story pulled me in, & kept me
reading, wanting to find out what
happens next.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND FOR EVERYONE!!!

I will not restate the plot nor reveal any spoilers in this review.
It has been years since I have read Joan Johnston and I am asking myself why it has taken me so long to pick up another one of her books. Surrender is a novel that has everything I expect in a great book. There are family dramas, suspense, romance and of course, a HEA ending. Joan Johnston has given her readers a glimpse into the lives of smoke jumpers and the challenges they face during a fire. It is also about reconnecting with previous love interests and overcoming significant challenges. This author delivers a book that you will find difficult to put down. A 5 star read!

First book I’ve read by this author. The storyline had me impatiently waiting for it to move along; often times it dragged sleepily along. Too many stories going on at once. Not just Taylor and Brian but also Leah and Aiden and more. Then the relationship aspect of the two main characters that would run hot and cold so often I felt I’d get whiplash. Terribly frustrating. Really was not vested as much in this book to be enjoyable.

"Surrender" by Joan Johnston
Wow !! Since I tend to emotionally live a well written story.. I was scared, thirsty, bone tired, and saw things I will remember for a long time, and, I laughed and cried, too. I was gifted with a copy of this story... which I thoroughly enjoyed. I think it would make an interesting book club read.. I expect this story to grab & keep your attention just as surely as it did mine. Happy Reading !

I really enjoyed this survival story romance! Taylor is piloting the plane that Brian and the other Smokejumpers are jumping out of to fight a fire on the ground when the plane's engines fail. Brian and Taylor are the only two left in the plane and they have to parachute out. Stranded with fire burning all around them they have to be resourceful to survive. Enjoyable romance with a strong survival theme.