Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Darkest Before Dawn by Maya Banks


The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business.
Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background.
Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t...

The enigmatic Hancock has been both opponent and ally to the KGI teams for as long as they've known him. Always working a deep game, Hancock's true allegiance has never been apparent, but one thing is for certain—he never lets anything get in the way of duty.

But now, his absolute belief in the primacy of his ultimate goal is challenged by a captive he's been ordered to guard, no matter how much she suffers in her prison. She's the only woman who's ever managed to penetrate the rigid walls surrounding his icy heart, but will he allow his perplexing feelings for the beautiful victim to destroy a mission he's spent years working to complete or will he be forced to sacrifice her for “the greater good.”

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Book 10
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary Jo☆☆☆
I really enjoyed the action/intrigue part of this book, but the romance really didn't speak to me.

Honor is a young, idealistic aid worker in a war torn country. Despite the danger to her and the others who work with her, she is adamant to stay and help the villagers who need their aid desperately. When the extremists bomb the clinic, she knows she is lucky to survive the initial attack. Using her wits and will to live, she slowly makes her way out of the bombed out village and into the night.

Hancock, on the other hand, is everything Honor isn't. He has worked for special ops, black ops and secret government agencies until his government turned on him. Now he's a shadow among shadows doing his best to make the world safer by taking down one underground dictator at a time.

Hancock is sent to retrieve Honor and bring her back to the current boss. The one who will get him to his ultimate target, but along the way, Honor's pluckiness calls to him.

What worked/what didn't: What didn't work for me was Honor's acceptance of choices being made for her, even when those choices are life and death. After fighting so hard to stay alive, I was disappointed by her easy acceptance of the next hand she was dealt.

I enjoyed the slow build up in emotion between Honor and Hancock which made the later choices by Hancock both realistic and disturbing. Trying to be honorable, Hancock lets his emotions override his plans and when everything blows up in his face, he sees it as another black spot on his nonexistent soul.

There were a few scenes where I had to suspend belief and had to tell myself that the description of the events taking place were only a matter of seconds in real time, when the description of the events took pages.

Part of a Series: KGI, although the KGI team plays a relatively small part in this book.


Ruthie☆☆☆☆
Having read most of this series, I was delighted to read the latest from Ms. Banks. She does dark and dirty action romance with a lot of style. It is all too easy to sit comfortably in the West and not think about such things – yet they are most definitely happening.

This is not an easy read, and I questioned some of the actions that characters took – but they have no reason to behave how I assume they will! It is hard work in places to see how the story will turn, but it is worthwhile staying for the journey. Sometimes gritty, tough and complex makes the romance all the more effective ... especially when it takes time to mature. It was good to revisit old friends too, and I am keen to find out what Ms. Banks has in store for us next.



Maya Banks is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of the Breathless Trilogy, the KGI novels, and the Sweet series. Her chart toppers have included erotic romance, romantic suspense, contemporary romance and Scottish historical romance.

She lives in the South with her husband and three children and other assorted babies, such as her two Bengal kitties and a calico who’s been with her as long as her youngest child. She’s an avid reader of romance and loves to dish books with her fans and anyone else who’ll listen! She very much enjoys interacting with her readers on Facebook and Twitter, as well as in her Yahoo! Group and on her website.

Connect with Maya

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https://www.netgalley.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Darkest Before Dawn (KGI #10) by Maya Banks to read and review.

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