Throwback Thursday: Seducing Simon by Maya Banks

Author: Maya Banks
First published in 2006 by Samhain 

One fateful night, Toni Langston seduces her best friend, the guy she's been in love with forever. Two problems-he doesn't remember a thing that happened and now she's pregnant. Toni Langston has been in love with Simon, her best friend, for years. The night Simon breaks up with his long time girlfriend, he and Toni make love. Toni is devastated and humiliated when, in the heat of the moment, he calls her by his girlfriend's name. The next morning, Simon remembers nothing of the previous night and Toni is only too relieved not to remind him. Two months later, she discovers she's pregnant. She wants Simon to love her, apart from any obligation he might feel because of the baby. So she embarks on a quest to seduce her best friend, to make him see her as more than a little sister, to make him love her as much as she loves him. It works. Maybe too well. Now when things are perfect, she faces telling him of the secret she's kept.

After not loving Into the Mist, I was hesitant about trying another of this author's early romances.  In all, Seducing Simon was a cute story.  If you can get past Toni's deception, watching Simon realize he has feelings for Toni was fun to watch.  The ending is a bit abrupt, but I still liked it.

What I didn't like was the audiobook.  The narrator who was chosen for this audiobook had almost no emotion at all.  There was little change in the character voices, so it was often hard to tell which character was speaking.  It's a pretty short book, so it was tolerable.  But, I would recommend reading the book instead.

Throwback Thursday: Into the Mist by Maya Banks

Author: Maya Banks
First published in 2008 by Samhain

Hostage recovery specialist Eli Chance has a secret. He was born a shifter. A freak of nature. While on a mission, Eli’s men and their mercenary guide are exposed to a powerful chemical agent, and suddenly his secret has become easier to hide. Now he’s not the only one with the gift. But for his men, this “gift” is becoming more and more of a curse.

Tyana Berezovsky’s brother Damiano was the guide for Eli’s team and was the worst affected by the chemical. As he grows increasingly unstable, Tyana fears she’s going to lose him to the beast he is becoming. Tyana will do whatever it takes to help him, even if it means using her body to go after the one man she thinks holds all the blame—and possibly the cure. Eli Chance.

I have read this author's historical romances and have really enjoyed them.  I wish that was the case with this book.  I downloaded the audio-book from my library and I have to admit, I only made it to the middle of the second disc.  By that point, Eli (whoever he is) sees Tyana (whoever she is) in a bar.  He takes her back to his apartment for sex.  He decides to still sleep with her after he sees her try to drug his drink.  Really?  You need her that badly?  At this point I don't think they even exchanged names. After the most boring sex scene, she breaks into his office after he fake falls asleep. Then he tries to catch her by shifting in mist (?).  Then the scene switches to her back at her headquarters feeling like a slut and all of a sudden needing a hit of pot. 

I gave up after that. I should not have to wait that long to even have a hint of what is going on in a story. There was no character development whatsoever.  Had I not read the synopsis, I wouldn't have had in inkling of the story line.  And using dirty names for body parts does not make for a hot sex scene.  I was actually bored to tears with that opening scene, as there was no chemistry at all.  Meh, I say skip this one and read her McCabe trilogy instead. 

Throwback Thursday: Golden Eyes by Maya Banks

Author: Maya Banks
First published in 2008 by Loose-Id

When Sheriff Duncan Kennedy finds an injured cheetah in his mountains, he brings it home, determined to find out how she got there and stop the poachers who were hunting her. When he later checks on the cheetah and instead finds a gorgeous, naked woman with an arrow in her leg, he's completely flabbergasted.

For six months, Aliyah Carver has been trapped in cheetah form. Taken by poachers who import exotic animals to illegally hunt, she stayed in animal form to avoid detection. She escaped the hunters, but now she faces another problem -- a devastatingly sexy sheriff who now knows her secret.

The book is really short.  It was only 4 discs long.  I think that this may have been more enjoyable had it been a longer book.  I had a hard time buying that Duncan and Aliyah fell in love.  The "insta-love" just didn't work for me.  I just couldn't figure out when they were supposed to have fallen in love.  For the few days they are together, all they do is have really raunchy sex.  Now, for those of you who read this blog regularly, you know that I do like some erotica   This one, not so much.  It was kind of crude and I found myself being put off by it during the bedroom scenes.  

Knowing this is one her the author's early erotica short stories, I keep reminding myself that her writing has much improved in recent books.  I have enjoyed her historicals.   I can't really say that I liked this one that much.   This is probably a safe one to skip.  It's not one that I would recommend.

Throwback Thursday: Overheard and Undenied by Maya Banks

For Throwback Thursday this week, I have the remaining two books in in the "Unspoken" series by Maya Banks. I reviewed the first on, Understood, back in August.

The second book, Overheard (Samhain Publishing, 2007), features Luke and Gracie's story.  I liked this one the best out of the three in the series.  Gracie and Luke have been best friends for ever.  When he over hears her talk about a fantasy that she wants to fulfill, he decides he wants o be the man to do it.

I liked watching their friendship turn into love.  I also loved how Luke courted Gracie first.  What was the fantasy?, Well you have to read the book to find out.  I'll just say that Ms. Banks knows her way around a steaming hot love scene! (hint - the cover should give you an idea.)

The final book in the series, Undenied (Samhain Publishing, 2007),
was the one I really didn't care for.  I did love Wes.  He was just too funny and very sweet.  I loved how hung up he was on his first experience with Payton.  Most guys probably don't remember things from when they are 18.  Made me love him more.

What I didn't like was the "love" came way too fast for me.  They hooked up once 12 years before.  They meet up again have sex and now they are in love?  Didn't buy it.  I also didn't care for Payton too much.  The epilogue was a nice warp-up to the entire series.  All three books are short, so give them a shot if you have an afternoon.

Throwback Thursday: Understood by Maya Banks

Author: Maya banks
First published in 2006 by Samhain Publishing

When she breaks free from the bondage of her past, he'll be waiting.

Jake Turner committed the ultimate mistake of falling in love with his best friend's wife. The distance he puts between them costs both him and Ellie Matthews dearly. Jake will never forgive himself for not seeing what a bastard his friend was. Now that Ellie is free from her nightmare, Jake waits, needing and wanting. He'll be there when Ellie is ready to spread her wings.

Understood became available on my library's audio site and it looked perfect for Throwback Thursday.  It's more like a novella, since it was only 2 discs.  I was able to finish listening to it during my commute to and from work in one day.  

I can't say I liked this story all that much. I had a hard time believing that Ellie could go through all that she did with her ex-husband and suddenly be OK to jump into bed with Jake.  I think I would have believed it more had she gone into some counseling.  Also, after she was beaten by her husband and Jake rescued her, why didn't they call the police?  I know that the police hadn't believed her before, but Jake had friends on the force who he could have called.  Not to mention she was bleeding, beaten and had been raped.  Who wouldn't believe that? 

I thought the writing was repetitive.  I was almost tempted to re-listen to count how many time Ellie bit her lower lip or Jake lifted her chin with his fingers.  I only know that I started rolling my eyes after the 3rd or 4th time.   It was also way too short.  There should have been more character/story development.  I also wanted to understand the change of heart her ex had after his interview.  What made him suddenly change his mind?

I know Ms. Banks has better books out there.  I'd say you could skip this one unless you have 2 hours in the car to waste.

Blog Tour: Highlander Most Wanted by Maya Banks

Author: Maya Banks
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Date of Publication:  March 2013

Genevieve McInnes is locked behind the fortified walls of McHugh Keep, captive of a cruel laird who takes great pleasure in ruining her for any other man. Yet when Bowen Montgomery storms the gates on a mission of clan warfare, Genevieve finds that her spirit is bent but not broken. 
 
Bowen seizes his enemy’s keep, unprepared for the brooding and reclusive woman who captures his heart. He’s enchanted by her fierce determination, her unusual beauty, and her quiet, unfailing strength. But wooing her will take more than a seasoned seducer’s skill. For loving Genevieve, he discovers, means giving her back the freedom that was stolen from her—even if it means losing her forever.

Highlander Most Wanted is the second in the Montgomery/Armstrong series.  While I enjoyed the first book, Never Seduce a Scot, I liked this one a bit more. This one is Bowen and Genevieve's story.  Genevieve was the woman who helped Graeme find his wife in the first book.  

Ms. Banks has given us a very emotional book.  My heart broke for Genevieve and the things she had to endure.  Any woman would have broken from the abuse, but she had the strength to become a survivor.  I loved Bowen and his tenderness toward Genevieve.  He sees beyond her scars to the woman she is underneath. I loved how he set out to woo her.    His patience with her as he shows her how it can be between a man and a woman was very sigh worthy! I have to say Ms. Banks can right a great love scene!  The sacrifice that he makes for her in the end was just heart wrenching.  But, it was worth it for their wonderful HEA.  

I can't wait for the next book in the series, Highland Ever After.  It looks like it is Brodie and Taliesan's story.  I was so hoping they would end with their own story!  I look forward to more of these two wonderful families!

About the author:

Maya Banks is the New York Times bestselling author of Highlander Most Wanted, Never Seduce a Scot, In Bed with a Highlander, Seduction of a Highland Lass, Never Love a Highlander, The Darkest Hour, No Place to Run, Hidden Away, Sweet Possession, Sweet Temptation, Colter’s Woman, and Colter’s Lady. She lives in Texas with her husband, three children, and an assortment of pets.

For more information on Maya and her work, please visit her website, mayabanks.com.

*Author photo by Ben Riley Johnson, Jr.

                                                                                  

Review: Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks

Author: Maya Banks
Publisher: Random House - Ballantine books
Date of publication: September 2012

Eveline Armstrong is fiercely loved and protected by her powerful clan, but outsiders consider her “touched.” Beautiful, fey, with a level, intent gaze, she doesn’t speak. No one, not even her family, knows that she cannot hear. Content with her life of seclusion, Eveline has taught herself to read lips and allows the outside world to view her as daft. But when an arranged marriage into a rival clan makes Graeme Montgomery her husband, Eveline accepts her duty—unprepared for the delights to come. Graeme is a rugged warrior with a voice so deep and powerful that his new bride can hear it, and hands and kisses so tender and skilled that he stirs her deepest passions.


I have been on a historical romance kick lately.  Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks was a great book.  I was sucked in right away.  Ms. Banks is a great writer. Her descriptions of Scotland  make me want to travel. I loved the characters.  Eveline and Graeme are both put into a situation that they are not happy with.  The King has forced them to marry in an attempt to create peace among their clans.  

I was all set to dislike Graeme.  It was rumored that Eveline was "touched" and I was ready for him to be mean at first.  Instead, I was pleasantly surprised.  Graeme shows her nothing but kindness, even before he learns she is only deaf and isn't "touched".  Eveline is a wonderful match for him. I had to admire her courage and strength.  I also loved that their fall into love was pretty effortless. I really enjoy watching big alpha males be brought to their knees by the love they find for a woman.  The ending was super sweet.   

The villain in the book was despicable and I was fully happy with the resolution in the end.  I was secretly applauding! It looks like the villain's clan plays some part in the next book. We will be part of a blog tour featuring the next book, Highlander Most Wanted on Friday (April 19). Make sure you come back to see my thoughts!   I definitely recommend this book to any lover of historical romance!