Series: Surrender Trilogy, Book 1
Author: Maya Banks
Published: February 2013, Berkley trade
Format: Print copy received for review
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.
This was an interesting story. Letting Go by Maya Banks was my first from this author, and I will be checking into more. While this wasn’t my favorite BDSM story, it did have engaging characters – and that’s what it’s all about, right?
Joss is a widow, and at first I didn’t feel connected to her right from the start. She goes to visit her husbands grave, and I thought that was quite emotional. I can’t even imagine how that feels. And even while her marriage with him was great, and she feels he was her one true soul mate, something was missing. Dominance. So yes, I had to hand it to her when she made the tough decision of going after what she wanted.
Of course, she didn’t think she would run into Dash there. Now here is a character I liked. Dash. The name fits him. He’s a strong guy, inside and out. And he loves Joss – and even worse, her husband, Carson, knew. How incredibly hard to stand day by day and watch that person you want to be with live their life and not even know you are incredibly in love with them. I just had to love Dash for that. It’s like, no matter what else happened, that happened to him, so he had my sympathy always.
The storyline itself is pretty good. Maya Banks has a nice flow to her writing, and I didn’t really find myself drifting off and thinking about other things. I was involved with the story and I wanted to see what would happen next.
I’m not sure what I expected with this book… It was different than I expected, but still good. Does that make sense? I think if you are looking for a book about a strong woman taking control of her life, and moving forward – and you like BDSM, well,then this is definitely the book for you!
Find Maya Banks Online
