Rush by Maya Banks-a review

Breathless Trilogy – Book 1 (Release Date: February 2013)

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

Gabe, Jace, and Ash: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They’re accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Gabe, it’s making one particular fantasy come true with a woman who was forbidden fruit. Now she’s ripe for the picking…

When Gabe Hamilton saw Mia Crestwell walk into the ballroom for his hotel’s grand opening, he knew he was going to hell for what he had planned. After all, Mia is his best friend’s little sister. Except she’s not so little anymore. And Gabe has waited a long time to act on his desires.

Gabe has starred in Mia’s fantasies more than once, ever since she was a teenager with a huge crush on her brother’s best friend. So what if Gabe’s fourteen years older? Mia knows he’s way out of her league, but her attraction has only grown stronger with time. She’s an adult now, and there’s no reason not to act on her most secret desires.

As Gabe pulls her into his provocative world, she realizes there’s a lot she doesn’t know about him or how exacting his demands can be. Their relationship is intense and obsessive, but as they cross the line from secret sexual odyssey to something deeper, their affair runs the risk of being exposed—and vulnerable to a betrayal far more intimate than either expected.

Review:

Oh, where to start with this one…… When Mia enters the ballroom and Gabe sees all eyes fall upon her, something stirs within him that he knows will change everything. He and Mia share a short dance and then he whisks her out onto the balcony and kisses the ever living daylights out of her and leaves her stunned…..and reeling. He then sends her home and tells her to be at his office the next morning. He knows that she’s wasting her talents by helping out at a local bake shop and it’s high time something is done about that.

When Mia arrives at his office, he offers her a job to be his assistant and to be at his beck and call 24/7. Not just professionally, but personally as well. But when he shows her the contract that she’ll have to sign, will Mia run for the hills or succumb to the fantasy that has intrigued her for years? And, what of her brother, Jace? She knows he will not be happy about any of it, but she jumps in with both feet. They decide to keep the personal part of their agreement a secret. But, as we all know, secrets have a way of coming out, and to say that this secret is revealed in the most inopportune way is a huge understatement.

This book has everything you expect from Banks. Erotic sex scenes, an extremely ALPHA male lead and a naïve, yet business savvy female lead. And, as much as it pains me to say, it fell a little short for me. I loved characters. I loved their interaction and how they came to care for each other. I loved how Gabe, Jace and Ash are there for each other, no matter what. I even loved how Gabe’s ex came back into the picture trying to stir up trouble. And, I absolutely loved the way Jace came to find out that Gabe and Mia were together. My heart broke for all of them during that particular scene, and I did NOT see that coming!! That scene itself made the whole read worth it. But, the whole “contract” thing put me off. I, personally, feel that that particular storyline has been done to death and thought that the story could have survived without it. With that being said, I really really liked the book. Unfortunately for me, I am used to LOVING her books. I’ve said it a hundred times. I worship at the altar that is Maya Banks, but this one missed the mark for me. LIKED, not LOVED………… But, definitely worth the read

Reviewed by Vickie M.

•••••••••••••

Fever by Maya Banks

Breathless Trilogy – Book 2 (Release Date: April 2013)

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

Jace, Ash, and Gabe: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They’re accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Jace, it’s a woman whose allure takes him completely by surprise…

Jace Crestwell, Ash McIntyre, and Gabe Hamilton have been best friends and successful business partners for years. They’re powerful, they’re imposing, they’re irresistibly sexy, and Jace and Ash share everything—including their women.

When they meet Bethany, Jace begins to feel things he’s never experienced before: jealousy, and a powerful obsession that threatens him, overwhelms him—and excites him beyond control.

Jace isn’t sharing Bethany—with anyone. He’s determined to be the only man in her life, and it’s jeopardizing a lifelong friendship with Ash. Bethany will be his and his alone. Even if it means turning his back on his best friend.

Review:

I LOVED THIS BOOK!! This one starts out right where Rush left off. Bethany is working as a server at Gabe and Mia’s engagement party when Jace sees her across the room. Ash notices Jace eyeing her and approaches her about spending the night with him and Jace. Seems they like to share their conquests. But Jace isn’t so sure about sharing this one, but ultimately gives in. Unfortunately, he almost immediately knows that he has made a huge mistake. She is his and he knows that’s going to create problems with him and Ash.

Jace awakens the next morning and goes to take care of a few things and when he returns, discovers that Bethany has left, and to make matters worse, Ash didn’t find out where she was headed. Jace becomes a bit crazed and uses all of his means to locate her. Once he does, and discovers her true circumstance, he isn’t quite sure what to make of it all. She is homeless and a recovering addict. But, he knows that he will do everything in his power to make sure she is taken care of and his.

As he gets to know more about her, he discovers that her “brother” isn’t someone that Bethany should be placing her trust in. He soon figures out though that he has to tread lightly where the brother is concerned, until Bethany can discover for herself that things aren’t as they appear where he’s concerned.

Gabe, Mia and Ash all help Jace in reassuring Bethany that she is worthy of his love, and some of those scenes are so well written that I had to put it down a couple of times. My heart was pounding and breaking all at the same time. Banks, for me, writes with more emotion than any author I’ve ever read and it leaps off of the page at you and totally engulfs you to the point where you can’t turn the pages fast enough.

Bethany is one of my favorite Banks heroines. And, that’s saying A LOT. She was so unexpected for me, and so totally believable. Is Jace a controlling jerk at times? Abso-freaking-lutely…….. But his determination with her is something to behold. Once they both get past their own demons and decide that they are meant to be together, look out world!! They still have hurdles, but it’s always easier to jump “said” hurdles with someone you love. Cliché?? You bet it is, but this works on so many levels that you can’t help but fall in love with them. Well done Maya, well done!!!!! I absolutely can’t wait for Ash’s book!!!!

Reviewed by Vickie M.