A man who shoots first and asks questions later…
Most people would take an all-expenses-paid trip to the beach in a heartbeat. Garrett Kelly only accepts to keep tabs on Sarah Daniels, who’s in hiding after witnessing a murder by Marcus Lattimer, her half-brother—and a personal enemy of KGI. This gig may be beneath a disciplined soldier like Garrett, but if he gets a shot at Lattimer, it will all be worth it…

…and the ultimate moving target.
But Garrett hadn’t counted on falling for Sarah. He’d considered seduction as a tactical maneuver, but when he glimpses Sarah’s dark past, he feels an urgent desire to keep her safe—even after she disappears on him. Garrett doesn’t know exactly who, or what, Sarah’s running from, but whatever it is, she’s running for her life…

Title: HIDDEN AWAY
Author: Maya Banks
Series: Kelly/KGI series, book 3
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year of release: 2011, March 1
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Bought via The BookDepository

First line:
There were a number of men who would do any job Marcus Lattimer wanted done.

Memorable Scenes:
- Garrett and Sophie’s meals > they slowly bring them together
- Rusty's part in the book > heartbreaking
- Sarah holding Garrett at gunpoint, demanding answers > loved this kick-ass side of Sarah
- Sarah realizing she'd fallen in love with Garrett > total awww-moment
- The Kelly brothers standing up for Rusty > cue the bawling


Garrett Kelly is the hero of this third KGI. He’s calm, intense, patient, and meticulous. He has a chivalrous streak a mile long and puts up a tough front and sometimes he’s very cautious of trusting those he doesn’t know well but he is very protective and caring and would go through fire for those he loves.

Sarah Daniels is Garrett’s heroine in this book. It was hard for me to get a real clear picture of Sarah. She'd seem strong and resilient one moment and would then completely fall apart the next. About a third to halfway into the book I still couldn't get a grasp on her. Yet this didn't mean I didn't like her as a heroine. She was skittish, loyal brave and smart and she didn't come across as one of those TSTL romantic suspense heroines.

HIDDEN AWAY was a completely different book for me than NO PLACE TO RUN was and though I liked NO PLACE TO RUN much better as I clicked with it on so many more levels, I still had a great time reading HIDDEN AWAY. I can absolutely appreciate that Maya Banks is writing such varied books in this series. Nothing bothers me more than installments of a series (in any subgenre) being carbon copies of each other. I really admire Maya Banks' ability to give me totally different books in this series and yet keep the series a cohesive, coherent whole in which each book and each couple has its rightful place.

One thing I loved in the first two books, was a little less for me in HIDDEN AWAY. The suspense started out very promising with a first chapter that immediately had my attention but soon the suspense was pushed back a little by the romance, secondary storylines and emotional stuff going on. I must also say that I liked the second part of the book better than first part. In the last third of the book the suspense picked up considerably and when the other KGI members were brought in, I welcomed the heart-racing suspense I'd been missing. Yet, at the end I was a little disappointed as the suspense in this installment just fell a bit short compared to the first two books. It just didn't put me at the edge of my seat like books 1 and 2 did. And also certain threads of the suspense felt like they were left unexplained or brushed over a little.

As I mentioned the romance took a more prominent place over the suspense in HIDDEN AWAY and I thought the build up of the romance was perfectly done. The slow pace and less heat of the romance fit the characters, especially Sarah and her background. It wouldn't have been right if Garrett and Sarah jumped each other from the start and I think Maya Banks handled this very well, even if it did make the book less steamy than the previous one.

I can't escape the comparison of Maya Banks' romantic suspense with another favorite of mine: Stephanie Tyler. Like Tyler in LIE WITH ME, in HIDDEN AWAY Banks wrote a villain I'm ambivalent about. Yes he's a bad man but the way he cared about his sister and her wellbeing made it hard for me to truly despise him as I should have when it comes to villains in romantic suspense novels.

Once again I loved the banter and bond between the brothers and their ability to make fun of themselves, their self-deprecating humor is so funny you can’t help but read their banter with a smile on your face. But…when push comes to shove they are also capable of handling sticky situations together. This is something that Maya Banks nails in every single installment of this series and something that makes this series a favorite on my keepers’ shelf

Though I definitely enjoyed this installment, the lack of intensity both in heat and suspense and my inability to really click with Sarah made it my least favorite of the 3 KGI books so far. Still the romance, emotionality, humorous banter and the Kelly family make this book totally worth the 8/10 rating I'm giving it.

Favorite Quotes:
He grunted under his breath. He hated this kind of shit. He didn’t do undercover crap. That was more Sam’s forte. He’d much rather go in, blow the shit out of the bad guys then go home and have a beer.

No, it wasn’t fear of him as someone who posed a potential risk to her safety. It was the fear a woman had when she sensed a man who could overpower her senses and reduce her to instincts to those of a primal being.
It was a heady sensation. It filled her mind and soul with a vibrancy that awakened a deep longing. To possess and be possessed.

He lowered his voice. “They won’t hurt you.”
She squeezed back. ”I know. If you trust them, so do I. I’m just so…” Her voice trailed off.
Yeah, me too, honey. Me too. But we’re going to make it just fine. And then I’m going to fulfill a little promise I made.”
Her brow wrinkled in question.
“You. Me. Naked. Me inside you. As many times as I can get there.”

“Come here,” he said in a sexy, husky voice.
When she looked up there was a predatory gleam in Garrett’s eyes. A look that told her she was his and he planned to lay claim. Oh but she loved that look. No one had ever looked at her with such intensity. Like he dared anyone to take what was his away. Like he wanted to devour her in a single bit and savor the taste.

Sam Kelly was her first love.
The last person Sam Kelly expected to pull wounded from the lake was Sophie Lundgren. Once they shared a brief, intense affair while Sam was undercover and then she vanished. She's spent the last months on the run, knowing that any mistake would cost her life and that of her unborn child—Sam's child. Now she's resurfaced with a warning for Sam: this time, he's the one in danger.

Now he's her last chance.
Sam has too many questions to let her slip away again—like why she disappeared in the first place. This time he vows not to be seduced. But one look in her eyes, and the passion burns again, and Sam knows he’ll do anything to keep her and his child safe. However, Sophie’s dark past is more dangerous than he imagines, and the only way for either to survive it is to outrun it.

Title: NO PLACE TO RUN
Author: Maya Banks
Series: Kelly/KGI series, book 2
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year of release: 2010, December 7
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 332 pages
Source: Received a digital ARC from the author for review

First line:
He was waiting for her as soon as she opened the door to his hotel room.

Memorable Scenes:
- First chapter > Maya Banks didn't hold back with this opening and immediately set the tone like only she can
- Bathroom scene with Sam, Sophie and their unborn child > I totally choked up, so beautiful
- Sophie telling about her mother > I bawled like a baby!

Sam Kelly is loyal and intense. Falling for someone while undercover is very out of character for focused, stoic and responsible Sam Kelly but it's exactly what happens. His carefree life comes to a complete end when his affair ends in a pregnancy and everyone around him, including his unborn child, are in grave danger. His intensity and sense of loyalty shine through and come in handy facing this situation he’s suddenly thrown in.

Sophie Lundgren is strong, self-reliant and feisty. Despite her delicate and petite appearance she's a tough cookie and resourceful. She's learned early in life to not show any weakness but throughout the book there were moments of fragility and vulnerability that made me love her as much as I loved her for her fierceness and strength. Sophie gives as good as she gets. She doesn't take crap and does what she must to survive and protect her unborn child.

I could argue that Sophie should've been more upfront with Sam and should've told him the whole story when she went to him for protection but that would've taken away a lot of the tension and anticipation of the suspense plot so I won't hold it against Maya Banks for writing the story like that.

NO PLACE TO RUN starts out more like an erotic romance than a romantic suspense, as it is very hot and explicit from the first page. However, you’ll hear no objections from me there as Sam left a lasting first impression on me. I already knew from her Sweet Series that Maya Banks can write some hot and steamy stuff in a contemporary setting and I am very happy to see she also does this in a romantic suspense setting. This will make me come back for more every time.

At first glance the suspense may seem predictable because a lot of information is known to the reader and there's no unknown bad guy lurking around to make you guess but this didn’t bother me in the least as I knew the suspense was waiting for me around the corner. And just when I was thinking that I was missing some suspense and action other than Sophie and Sam trying to stay safe, the action kicked into gear and nail-biting events started following each other in a fast pace. And it’s awesomely written too. Early on you learn the identity of Sophie's father, a fact that is crucial to the suspense plot and from then on it's a rollercoaster of events and action that kept me at the edge of my seat and not wanting to stop reading.

I really love how Maya Banks writes male characters, family dynamics and brotherly banter. I really enjoyed reading about the other brothers and their backgrounds. This book had less multiple POVs than the first book in the series, which gave it a very different vibe too together with Sam and Sophie’s story being so very different from Rachel and Ethan’s. These very different stories make this series stand out for me and make me wish there are many, many more to come.

I have absolutely NOTHING I didn't like or that bothered me about this book! I cried, I smiled, I bit my nails, and I feared, I was outraged, I lamented and I went all 'awwww', all in the span of these 300+ pages. With the KGI series Maya Banks has turned me from avid fan to a devoted one, writing Romantic Suspense I love to read and rave about.

Favorite Quotes:
(Garrett) "We're in fucking Mexico trying to set up a buy with Alex Mouton, and lover boy takes time out to have some hot fling with a waitress in one of the local watering holes."
Donovan shrugged. "So? He still has a dick. Bound to use it sometime."

(Sam to Garrett) "Look, I know you're a suspicious bastard. I'm having my share of what-the-fuckitus at the moment myself, but until I hear what she has to say, I'm reserving judgment."

Sainthood. He deserved sainthood.
Not only had he stood in the bathroom with a very gorgeous, very naked woman, but he'd calmly discussed getting her things like a bra and underwear without batting an eyelash.
Give him bombs, grenades, blood, guts and gore, but bras?
Jesus.
Now, where the hell was he going to get her a bra?

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 US government can’t…

It’s been one year since ex-Navy SEAL Ethan Kelly last saw his wife Rachel alive. Overwhelmed by grief and guilt over his failures as a husband, Ethan shuts himself off from everything and everyone.
His brothers have tried to bring Ethan into the KGI fold, tried to break through the barriers he's built around himself, but Ethan refuses to respond… until he receives anonymous information claiming Rachel is alive.
To save her, Ethan will have to dodge bullets, cross a jungle, and risk falling captive to a deadly drug cartel that threatens his own demise. And even if he succeeds, he’ll have to force Rachel to recover memories she can’t and doesn’t want to relive—the minute by minute terror of her darkest hour—for their love, and their lives, may depend on it.

Title: The Darkest Hour
Author: Maya Banks
Series: KGI Series (Kelly Group International), book 1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Berkley
Year of release: 2010, September 7
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages
Source: Received an e-ARC on request from author for review
First line:He'd hoped if he drank enough the night before he'd sleep right through today. Instead his eyes popped open at eight A.M., and sunlight promptly fried his retinas.
Memorable Scenes:
- bathtub scene > heartbreaking
- first time they make love after Rachel returns > so beautifully written

Ethan Kelly is grieving for the wife he lost in a self-destructive way: drinking, holding on to everything that reminds him of her, consumed by guilt over his role in the rough time his marriage went through before she died. Then, on the 1-year anniversary of her death he receives a message that she is still alive and is being held captive in a South American hellhole. Grabbing this second chance with both hands, he enlists his brothers' help for a save and rescue mission.

Ethan is an ex-SEAL, he’s a little rough-around-the-edges and blunt yet he’s also sensitive and has a heart of gold. He’s tough, protective and stubborn. However, he is not afraid to admit his mistakes and own up to them. He knows he screwed up with Rachel before she disappeared and is now determined to make things right.

Rachel is quiet, shy and calm. The ordeal she’s gone through leaves her damaged but not broken. Fear and pain have ruled her world for a year and now she needs to build up trust from scratch and built on a few hazy memories. With her memory returning she also discovers that the Ethan she’s getting to know now, is not the Ethan she knew before her disappearance.

Ethan and Rachel were the main characters of THE DARKEST HOUR as they were the couple the story centered on but reminiscent of Suzanne Brockmann’s and Stephanie Tyler’s romantic suspense I’ve read, there are much more POVs in this story than just Ethan and Rachel’s. There are 9 in total (if I counted them right). Of course the more important ones were those of Rachel and Ethan but Marlene, most of the other Kelly siblings and some other brief POVs are used in this book. I don’t mind multiple POVs as it gives me a fully rounded story from different angles but I know there are readers who are not a fan of this type of storytelling. Those readers I’d want to warn in advance and at the same time urge them to take a chance on THE DARKEST HOUR if they love to read romantic suspense novels, as the POVs all serve a purpose and it’s excellently done by Maya Banks.

Ethan’s brothers, each and every one of them, made a lasting impression on me and I can’t wait to read their individual stories in the future. Next up are Sam and Garrett, consecutively and I am already looking forward to what they will bring to the table. But there are more secondary characters that sparked my interest. Some non-family members of KGI were just as intriguing: female sniper P.J., and team leaders Steele and Rio. I doubt it will happen but would love it if these secondary characters got their own books in the future.

Attached to the multiple POVs are a few distinct and separate plotlines being Ethan and Rachel’s romance, the how and why of Rachel’s disappearance and there’s a storyline about Ethan’s parents and a girl they take in their home. This last storyline was a bit lost on me. I enjoyed reading it but did wonder what the actual point of the story line was as it didn’t really tie-in with the rest. As for the other two plotlines, Maya Banks executed those masterfully. While reading some questions popped up in my head about the romance and the suspense and all those questions were gradually and satisfyingly answered along the way, working towards a climactic ending that was a perfect and made me sob with emotion.

Maya Banks pulled me in from the very first sentence and didn't let me go until I finished. Though I would have liked to see a little bit more suspense in the middle part, she kept me at the edge of my seat with a fast-paced first installment of the KGI series where she didn’t waste time or pages on a lot of background information. I liked that because there was enough information and background provided intertwined throughout the story without taking away from pace or suspense.

The romance in this book was subtle and beautiful. There weren’t many love scenes but Maya Banks definitely made the ones that were in it count! They were sweet and pretty hot and exactly right for romantic suspense. And when you have me sobbing at the end of a book, to a point that your husband wakes up from it, that makes you an author that is high on my favorites list, because emotion gets me every single time, no matter how suspenseful, hot or exciting a book is, if it doesn’t affect me emotionally, to me it hasn’t done its job.

With THE DARKEST HOUR Maya Banks brought me the beginning of something very promising. It was a story of second chance, family bonds, personal struggles and forgiveness brought through brotherly banter, easy and fluent writing, great suspense and characters who aren't perfect but make it right in the end.

Favorite Quotes:

A peculiar prickle shivered up her spine, leaving a warm glow in its wake. Her chest fluttered, and something inside her long dead awakened and unfurled.

"First rule of seduction. At least one of us has to get naked. Preferably you," he murmured.

He wasn't going to survive this. He was trying to be good. Patient and understanding, when every instinct screamed at him to take his woman and make love to her until she forgot both their names.

“Ethan?”
He looked at her, knowing that in this moment she could ask him for damn near anything and he’d tell her yes.
“Would you mind too terribly if I made love to you?”
He swallowed and swallowed again. Here was this beautiful woman, a woman he loved more than anything. The woman he’d married and lost. Now she was here, like a dream, asking him so sweetly if she could make love to him.
Dear God, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
“I’d love nothing more,” he managed to croak out. It sounded better than oh hell yeah, even if that was what his c#ck was screaming.