Welcome to my stop on the Letting Go Blog Tour, brought to you by Berkley/Penguin. My stop includes a review and giveaway of Letting Go.
Series: Surrender Trilogy #1
Genre: Erotic Romance
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Publication Date: 2/4/13
Format: ARC
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5 stars
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.
First Impression... This is my very first Maya Banks novel. Exciting!
The Story... Three years since her husband's death, Joss is finally ready to move on. First up is a night at House, a safe haven for kink, to find herself a Dom. Joss has always longed for a dominating man, a longing her husband couldn't fulfill. There she has an awkward run-in with her husband's best friend and business partner, Dash. Dash has been in love with Joss since the moment he met here, this is his opportunity to finally make His move. Though she's shocked, Joss wants to explore the relationship. Dash's dreams are coming true, but will he be able to trust that Joss is truly his?
The Characters... Both Joss and Dash were likable characters. They both experience guilt, but also hesitant happiness at exploring a relationship. It did help that three years had passed since Joss was widowed, so the guilt factor was fairly low.
I was interested in them, their relationship, but I didn't find much background on which to base their feelings and actions, particularly her desire to be a submissive. When I think about it, though, that's honestly fine. Letting Go was less of a D/s story and more of a new relationship story. Joss and Dash are navigating a new relationship, a new D/s relationship, and learning to reconcile their past with the future.
Letting Go has several prominent secondary characters, and spent a fairly large amount of time setting those characters up for future books in the series. I was fine with getting that sneak peek into the future, but would have also liked that time to be a bit more devoted to Joss and Dash's story.
The Writing... As I've stated, this is my first Banks book, though I have her Fever series. I enjoyed her writing style, and do look forward to checking out more work.
The Heat... Letting Go dealt a lot with Joss and Dash's physical relationship, particularly given their D/s lifestyle. However, that wasn't the main, or even an overwhelming portion of the story. Theirs was a heavily emotional relationship. Each scene seemed to work to help progress their relationship instead of being the focus. And yeah, it was pretty hot.
Could I Put Letting Go Down? I could, but I was happy to get back to the story as quickly as I could.
In the End... Letting Go was a compelling story. The characters were interesting, their relationship was emotional and full of intense chemistry. I am very curious about the next book in the series.
Favorite Quote:
"That's it, Joss. See me," he breathed out. "Finally. See me. Who I am. What I am. And that I want you with my every breath."
"How long?" she whispered, remembering his admonishment that perhaps she wouldn't want the answer to her question. But now she had to know. She had to know how long he'd gone unnoticed by her.
"Forever?" he said with a causal shrug. He tried to play it off lightly, but she could see the shadows that suddenly entered his eyes. The...pain. And the longing.
The Surrender Trilogy
(covers lead to GoodReads)
Purchase Links
GIVEAWAY
I have one copy of Letting Go to give away, courtesy of the publisher.
Must be 18+ years of age to enter; open US only.
About the author
