Letting Go by Maya Banks-Review, Interview and Giveaway

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Letting Go by Maya Banks-Review, Interview and Giveaway

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Letting Go
The Surrender Trilogy #1
by Maya Banks
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Genre: Contemporary, adult, erotic

Letting Go Feb 2014

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK:  Josslyn found perfection once, and she knows she’ll never find it again. Now widowed, she seeks the one thing her beloved husband couldn’t give her. Dominance. Lonely and searching for an outlet for her grief and wanting only a brief taste of the perfection she once enjoyed, she seeks what she’s looking for at an exclusive club that caters to people indulging in their most hedonistic fantasies. She never imagined that what she’d find is the one man who’s long been a source of comfort—and secret longing. Her husband’s best friend.

Dash has lived in an untenable position for years. In love with his best friend’s wife and unwilling to act on that attraction. He’d never betray his best friend. And so he’s waited in the wings, offering Joss unconditional support and comfort as she works past her grief, hoping for the day when he can offer her more.

When he finds her in a club devoted to the darker edges of desire, he’s furious because he thinks she has no idea what she’s getting herself into. Until she explains in detail what it is she wants. What she needs. As realization sets in, he is gripped by fierce, unwavering determination. If she wants dominance, he is the only man who will introduce her to that world. He is the only man who will touch her, cherish her…love her. And the only man she’ll ever submit to.

•••••••••••••••••••

Letting Go begins on the third anniversary of her beloved Carson’s death. She visits his grave and has decided that the time has come to let him go and live her life. Once she leaves his grave, she vows to not return. This is not how she wants to think of him and she knows that he would want her to move on.

Joss has been researching D/s relationships and has decided to visit The House, a club which we learned of in Banks’ Sweet Series, that is a hub of D/s activity. When she tells her two best friends of her decision, she is met with mixed reactions. She knew that Chessy would be supportive seeing as how she was a submissive herself, but Kylie was a different matter. She was Carson’s sister and they had survived a horrific childhood at the hands of an abusive father, and Kylie still bore the scars. But, once she explains things to both of her friends and that she has made her decision, she feels better. And stronger.

The night comes for her visit to The House, and even though she’s nervous, she heads out. And has no idea how much her life will change the moment she enters. Once she has been introduced to one of the male members, they walk through the entry way and walk straight into Dash. She is mortified that her husband’s best friend knows what she’s up to, and, what in the world would he be doing at The House? Once Dash storms over and extricates Joss from the other guy, he takes her home. He thinks she has no idea what goes on there…………….. Oh, what a surprise he’s in for. And, once she finds out Dash’s feelings for her? Let’s just say things get pretty interesting. Fast. Once they decide to give a relationship a chance, will she and Dash truly be letting go?

Maya Banks has done it again. I know there are a lot of books like this on the market, but she always, always makes her’s relevant. Joss is a wonderfully strong heroine. I love how she decides what she wants and goes for it. As for Dash? He’s a great hero, but I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to reach through and pop him upside of his thick head. Once he figures out that he’s been a tool, he moves heaven and earth to make things right. I also love that we get a peak at some characters from her Sweet Series. That’s always a plus for me. The end of the book had me tearing up and cheering, all at the same time. Once again, well done Maya Banks!

Copy supplied by the publisher

Reviewed by Vickie M.

Interview

ABOUT MAYA BANKS: Maya Banks is a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose chart toppers have included erotic romance, romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and Scottish historical romance. She lives in the South with her husband, three children and a variety of pets.

Follow Maya: Website/Goodreads/Twitter/Facebook

Maya BanksTRC: Hi Maya and welcome back to The Reading Café. Congratulations on your latest release LETTING GO.

MAYA: Thanks for having me back and thank you for the new release congrats! I’m super excited over the release of this trilogy.

TRC: LETTING GO is the first book in your erotic SURRENDER trilogy. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

MAYA: Basically the heroine was married to her soul mate, a man she loved with all her heart but he was killed in an accident which devastated Joss. Unknown to her, her husband’s best friend, Dash, has long been in love with her and he’s stepped in as a source of support for her during the time she’s grieved the loss of her husband, but he’s waiting and watching, battling with himself over when to make his move and his intentions clear.

ORDER: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

Letting Go Feb 2014TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters (Josslyn and Dash) in this storyline, which models or actors best represents your ideal image?

MAYA: I never ever model my characters after actors. I actually don’t watch much television or movies so I’m woefully ignorant of pop culture, lol. So now, I can’t even begin to cast the characters in my books after actors because each of my characters is unique, which makes them more “real” to me because I build a characters, their personalities and their needs and wants

TRC: Colter’s Gift was the final instalment in your Colter’s Legacy series. Do you have any plans to keep the readers up to date with novellas or short stories about the Colter Clan?

MAYA: Not at present, no. Colters’ Gift was intended to be the final installment in the Colters’ Legacy series.

Colter's GiftTRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

MAYA: It’s a little of both. Sometimes I plan for a story and have a good idea of the sequence of events. But my favorite part of writing are the surprises that pop up as I’m writing. It’s fun and exciting when what I THINK is supposed to happen changes and my characters take me in a different direction. It definitely keeps it fresh and interesting for me!

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavor?

MAYA: I think a writer has to really get into a character’s head and when they’re writing in a character’s point of view they have to take the reader right into what the character is thinking, what they’re feeling and their reactions to things. This is where emotion comes in and without emotion a story will most certainly fall flat.

TRC: If you could become a contestant on one of the reality TV programs, which program would you interest you the most? The least?

MAYA: I’m afraid I’m a tv/pop culture moron, lol. I just don’t watch much television at all! So I really can’t answer this knowledgably because I’m not in touch with what’s popular right now!

Surrender Trilogy

TRC: On what are you currently working?

MAYA: I’m just finishing up When Day Breaks, the 9th KGI story and then I’ll finish out the Surrender trilogy with the last book, TAKING IT ALL.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Cheese or anything WITH cheese! Lol You can’t go wrong with cheese 😉

Favorite Dessert: My made up recipe for a caramel Heath bar pie. It’s to DIE for.

Favorite TV Show: As mentioned above I don’t watch a lot of tv at ALL but I do love crime series like CSI or Law and Order etc.

Last Movie You Saw: I think the last movie I went to was when I took my oldest son to see one of the Harry Potter movies, lol. I don’t get out much!

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Definitely milk. I’m not a big chocolate fan anyway but it has to be sweet for me to eat it!

Secret Celebrity Crush: Definitely Oded Fehr and The Rock, hehe.

Last Vacation Destination: We took a cruise with the kids that we aborted midway through, lol. I have to say I’m just not much of a cruise fan!

Pet Peeve: I HATE when people don’t respond to emails. It makes me crazy!

TRC: Thank you Maya for taking the time to answer our questions and update the readers for 2014. We wish you all the best.

MAYA: Thank you so much! I appreciate y’all very much! Xoxo

giveaway

Maya and Penguin Group Publishing are offering a paper copy of LETTING GO to one lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. Please register using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Giveaway runs from January 27 to January 31, 2014

4. Giveaway is open to USA only.

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66 thoughts on “Letting Go by Maya Banks-Review, Interview and Giveaway”

  1. Wonderful Interview, Vickie. You showed how much you loved this book, especially tearing and cheering. When an author can get you to do both, it shows how good they are. Of course, Maya is on of the best.

    Also a wonderful interview, ladies. Welcome to TRC, Maya, we are thrilled to have you here. And…I want that recipe for your Caramel Heath bar pie.

  2. Great review, Vickie. This sounds like an awesome series. Is it ok to start with this series, since I have not read the other one?

    It is such a pleasure to see you here, Maya. I am a big fan. I am a cheese lover too.

  6. Wonderful review Vickie. I think I just may want to read this series.

    Thank you Maya for the great interview answers. it is always a pleasure meeting and interviewing the authors. Congratulations on all of your success.

  8. Thanks for the post, I loved reading your thoughts and your interview. I am very excited for this release. I love the Sweet series and miss all the strong women and wonderfully dominant men, it will be great to revisit the House. 🙂 I must say that I am glad that Maya doesn’t build her characters from actors because I can’t and don’t enjoy envisioning them either when I read a book. Thanks for the chance to win!
    kgagnon [at] donofrio [dot] cc

  17. Hi Maya,
    First, I hope you are continuing to do well after your surgery.

    I haven’t read Letting Go but will definitely look forward to it as I adore your books. It appears that Josslyn and Dash are going on a journey that will be eye opening for them both.
    I enjoyed the blurb, excerpt, review by Vickie, your q and a session, and learned a little more about you.
    And, I have to admit that I am eagerly awaiting the next installment of Tangled Hearts – Always Mine. If I could pre-order it, I would in a heartbeat.
    Continued best wishes,
    Ginger

  22. Maya Banks is an amazing author! I’m currenty in the middle of the KGI series and I am addicted! I can’t wait to read her new series 🙂 Love the Coulters’ Legacy series too! Great interview and love the Lightning Round!

  29. Nice review and interview. I like that Dash has been in love with Joss forever and kept it hidden until the time was right. I’d love to read this book.

    I’d also love to have Maya’s recipe for Caramel Heath Bar Pie. Yum!

    bmndshuler(at)hotmail(dot)com

  34. Great review Vickie. I too love anything Maya, she’s a wonderful author and as you said, she makes her stories relevant and puts her own spin on subjects in her stories. One of the things I like about her writing style.

    I love the covers on her Surrender Trilogy, the colours are so vibrant and eye catching, but I couldn’t help but notice that the sexy Francis J. Cura is gracing the cover of Coulter’s gift. Yummy

  35. Great Interview! Maya, I’ve so enjoyed your other series and am looking forward to reading this one. Thank you for stopping by TRC and letting us get to know a little more about you. Especially the Heath bar pie! Yum.

  40. Wonderful review Vickie. Love the cover-amazing!!!!

    Thank you Maya for the great answers. Always fun to meet the author.

    Oded Fehr -be still my heart!!

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