Published By: Berkley
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback from library , 333 Pages
RATING: 5 WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN STARS!!!
Blurb: Goodreads
She came to him when he needed her the most
She came to him at his lowest point. The voice of an angel, a whisper in the dark. She’s the only thing that gets Nathan Kelly through his captivity, the endless days of torture and the fear that he’ll never return to his family. With her help, he’s able to escape. But he isn’t truly free, because now she’s disappeared and he’s left with an all-consuming emptiness as he struggles to pick up the pieces of his life. Did he imagine his angel? Or is she out there, needing his help as he’d once needed hers?
Now he rushes to save her before it’s too late.
Shea has been on the run from people who will stop at nothing to exploit her unique abilities. She never wanted to drag Nathan, who’d already suffered so much, into danger, but she doesn’t have a choice so she reaches out to him for help. Finally face-to-face after having already formed a soul-deep bond in hell, their emotional connection is even more powerful than their telepathic one. Nathan refuses to consider ever letting her go again, but she worries they can never have a life free of the dangers that dog her every step. He’ll protect her with his every breath, but can he convince her that they are meant to face these threats together?
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:
I do love this series. Maya Banks totally kicked it with this instalment. Nathan one of the twins has got himself in a load of violent trouble. He has been captured and is being tortured, brutally. He hears a voice in his head. The voice of a woman named Shea.
Shea ultimately is his saviour mentally and physically, getting him through his capture. I really like Shea. She is quite a character.
Sam and the boys do what they do best at KGI, they save people. Pull them out of hostage situations and hell would freeze over before their own flesh and blood was not saved. Nathan is getting rescued dead or alive.
The teams have been organized and they are going in with guns blazing.
“Nathan is family and so are you. No way we’d leave either of you without as much protection as we can muster, so shut the fuck up and let’s go blow the fuck out of those goatherding motherfuckers who have Nathan.
Donovan cracked a smile. “Yippee ki-yay.”
“Fuckin’ A.”
“Sarah’s been on you about your language, huh.”
Garrett snarled in response and then muttered a few more F bombs for good measure.
“Yeah , you better get them all out now because when you get back home, no more F words for you.”
“Fuck you, Van. Just fuck you.”
What will they find?
What has Nathan had to endure?
It was quite emotional for me reading those scenes as Maya lets Nathan take a lot of pain and the rest of his own team that was also captured.
This is quite a powerful read as lots going on, lots of action.
Lots of smexi!!
I love Swanny he is such a great guy. He understands Nathan. What they have been through. They know how to hang together. No questions need to be answered about their ordeal. They both lived it. There is a peace with them side by side.
“Well , what do you say we don’t make any life decisions for the next day or two at least,” Nathan said with a smile.
“You got a place to stay? I’m thinking the biggest decision we need to think about is what beer we want and whether we’re going to run out.”
..... “Cancel the hotel. I’ve got better accommodations here.”
He gestured at a tent toward the edge of the cliff overlooking the lake just beyond the frame of his house. “If you don’t mind rustic, plenty of fresh air and all the beer you can drink. Ma has made it her mission to make sure I never starve, so we can count on routine deliveries of food.”
“Home -cooked food and beer? And they say you can’t go to heaven without dying.”
Nathan sobered. No. But you could certainly go to hell without dying.
“Cut him some slack. He’s fighting for what’s left of his sanity,” Swanny cut in. “Death wasn’t the enemy. It was our salvation. Our hope. Because only then would we be able to escape our reality.”
“Swanny , it’s really you.”
The poor guy looked terrified by the tiny woman standing in front of him. He acted like he didn’t know whether to shit or go blind.
Then it is Shea’s turn to need help and there will be nothing standing in Nathan’s way ......well Sam and the boys may want to be included.
“Oh , come on,” Joe said. “You’re telling me the king nerd can’t get anywhere without a security clearance card?”
“Eat me,” Donovan growled. “This’ll take less time. Provided it works. If it doesn’t , we’ll just blow our way in.”
Joe grinned. “I like the way you think when you don’t have your head stuck in a computer.”
“I’m so kicking your ass when this is over.”
“Now wait just a goddamn minute,” Sam said in exasperation. “I don’t know who you two knuckleheads think you are or what you’re doing, but you don’t run this operation. And Steele damn sure won’t take orders from either one of you infants.
Nathan and Joe , we really only get them as Beavis and Butthead in the previous books and not much of them. In this one, we get lots of Nathan and his smexi is full on. He is absolutely gorgeous but at the same time he is really struggling with what happened to him.
Joe is having a hard time being shut out from the one person who he is the closest to. He has to give his twin space but he wants to invade that space and make it like it was before Nathan was captured.
Joe jammed his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans. “Don’t pull this shit again, man. Swear to God, I’ll kick your fucking ass, and I don’t give a shit what kind of shape you’re in. You need my help, you goddamn ask for it.”
Nathan pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. “I’m asking now.”
Joe punched him in the shoulder. “Okay then. That’s better. Now let’s get the fuck on the road so you can fill me in on everything. And I mean everything.”
“Not going to hug me?” Nathan mocked.
Joe gave him a look of disgust. “Garrett’s turned into an emotional wuss since hooking up with Sarah. I’ll let him do all the mamby-pamby shit. Besides , what you need is a swift kick in the ass. If you want a hug , go see Ma.”
Now he must help Shea. He needs to connect with her and help her. They have never met, but they forged a connection when Nathan was captured that is solid as a brick house.
But when they did meet..... it was a done deal.
He never has a shortage of women friends or even sexual partners. At least before his captivity. But none ever commanded this overwhelming insanity that seemed to grip him when he was with her. Hell, not even with her. All he had to do was think about her.
As soon as she said it, she knew she’d made a huge mistake because suddenly she was being stared down by one big, pissed-off mass of seething male. His fury enveloped her. Oh yeah, he was angry.
He grasped her shoulders and hauled her toward him until there was no space between them and their breaths mingled hotly on her lips. His nostrils flared , and to her shock, he crushed his mouth to hers.
“Everyone has accepted the inevitable except you. You’re it for me. They know it. I know it. It’s time you start believing it too. I’m not going to let anyone or anything change that. You’re mine. I’m yours. It’s as simple or as hard as we make it.”
Rio is such a fave of mine. I just checked and book # 5 is my boy Rio’s book. He has such a mystery about him. He also shows us a gentle side when he is around the ladies. A wall gets dropped and he always has something supportive to say to the ladies who have survived, been rescued. It’s only ever a few lines but it always makes me swoon over him.
“Thank you,” she said fiercely. “I’ll never be able to repay you for this. She means everything to me.”
Rio looked a little befuddled as he stepped away and extricated himself from Shea’s hold. Then he smiled down at her. “I can see why Nathan is so enchanted by you.”
Rusty is still trying something out. I do love her. Her little side kick parts are always amusing.
Joe tossed down his napkin and rose. “Beer sounds good. Baseball sounds even better.”
Rusty smiled impishly and darted a glance toward Frank. “Yeah , beer sounds great!”
Frank gave her a get-real look. “Very funny, young lady. You get lemonade.”
“Hey , I’m eighteen now! “
“And?” Marlene asked.
P.J and Cole, could Cole be any more obvious? Each book we are getting closer to a P.J and Cole book...woot!!!
“This is better than a romance novel,” P.J. said with a wistful sigh.
“You read that stuff?” Cole demanded.
... “Why the hell do you ask the question like that?”P.J. said, annoyance evident in her tone and expression.
“You just didn’t seem the type,” Cole mumbled.
She flipped him the bird, and Shea had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. P.J. was easily half Cole’s size but she also looked like she had the confidence to take on the much larger man. She might even kick his ass. The idea intrigued Shea greatly.
“I’m tempted to shove one of my romance novels up your ass,” P.J. said sharply. “But I love my book’s too much to desecrate them like that. I’ll settle for my boot.”
Cole held up his hands in surrender. “I won’t say another word. Romance novels are great. I love romance novels. I think everyone should read them.”
I love how the brothers all band together and have such wonderful family values and respect for the women that have entered their lives. They can be fiercely protective one minute and the biggest teddy bears with the women the next. They are all thirty and up in age but the inner little boy in them can’t help but come out to play when they are at home throwing the banter about and being lads.
“Quit looking like you just got a hand job from a drag queen,” Garrett muttered beside him.
“How the fuck do you know what I look like?” Donovan asked irritably . “It’s dark as shit out here.”
“Don’t need to see you to know you have that pinched, tight-ass look on your face....”
“It’s going to get interesting now. Keep your eyes peeled. Shoot first and don’t get your ass shot.”
“You have such a knack for stating the obvious,” Joe muttered as he broke into a run down the hall.
“You’ve got a hell of a lot of explaining to do , little man.”
Nathan punched Garrett in the gut. “Watch who you call little man.”
Garrett grinned and rubbed his abdomen. “Nice to see you haven’t wussed out on me in the last months. Was afraid you’d turn into a girl or something.”
I love the quotes I get from these books as Maya brings it with humour, emotion, smexi and action.
I am rather addicted to this series and can’t wait to devour another book. I literally inhale the words off the pages and feel very satisfied.
I love Swanny he is such a great guy. He understands Nathan. What they have been through. They know how to hang together. No questions need to be answered about their ordeal. They both lived it. There is a peace with them side by side.
“Well , what do you say we don’t make any life decisions for the next day or two at least,” Nathan said with a smile.
“You got a place to stay? I’m thinking the biggest decision we need to think about is what beer we want and whether we’re going to run out.”
..... “Cancel the hotel. I’ve got better accommodations here.”
He gestured at a tent toward the edge of the cliff overlooking the lake just beyond the frame of his house. “If you don’t mind rustic, plenty of fresh air and all the beer you can drink. Ma has made it her mission to make sure I never starve, so we can count on routine deliveries of food.”
“Home -cooked food and beer? And they say you can’t go to heaven without dying.”
Nathan sobered. No. But you could certainly go to hell without dying.
“Cut him some slack. He’s fighting for what’s left of his sanity,” Swanny cut in. “Death wasn’t the enemy. It was our salvation. Our hope. Because only then would we be able to escape our reality.”
“Swanny , it’s really you.”
The poor guy looked terrified by the tiny woman standing in front of him. He acted like he didn’t know whether to shit or go blind.
Then it is Shea’s turn to need help and there will be nothing standing in Nathan’s way ......well Sam and the boys may want to be included.
“Oh , come on,” Joe said. “You’re telling me the king nerd can’t get anywhere without a security clearance card?”
“Eat me,” Donovan growled. “This’ll take less time. Provided it works. If it doesn’t , we’ll just blow our way in.”
Joe grinned. “I like the way you think when you don’t have your head stuck in a computer.”
“I’m so kicking your ass when this is over.”
“Now wait just a goddamn minute,” Sam said in exasperation. “I don’t know who you two knuckleheads think you are or what you’re doing, but you don’t run this operation. And Steele damn sure won’t take orders from either one of you infants.
Nathan and Joe , we really only get them as Beavis and Butthead in the previous books and not much of them. In this one, we get lots of Nathan and his smexi is full on. He is absolutely gorgeous but at the same time he is really struggling with what happened to him.
Joe is having a hard time being shut out from the one person who he is the closest to. He has to give his twin space but he wants to invade that space and make it like it was before Nathan was captured.
Joe jammed his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans. “Don’t pull this shit again, man. Swear to God, I’ll kick your fucking ass, and I don’t give a shit what kind of shape you’re in. You need my help, you goddamn ask for it.”
Nathan pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. “I’m asking now.”
Joe punched him in the shoulder. “Okay then. That’s better. Now let’s get the fuck on the road so you can fill me in on everything. And I mean everything.”
“Not going to hug me?” Nathan mocked.
Joe gave him a look of disgust. “Garrett’s turned into an emotional wuss since hooking up with Sarah. I’ll let him do all the mamby-pamby shit. Besides , what you need is a swift kick in the ass. If you want a hug , go see Ma.”
Now he must help Shea. He needs to connect with her and help her. They have never met, but they forged a connection when Nathan was captured that is solid as a brick house.
But when they did meet..... it was a done deal.
He never has a shortage of women friends or even sexual partners. At least before his captivity. But none ever commanded this overwhelming insanity that seemed to grip him when he was with her. Hell, not even with her. All he had to do was think about her.
As soon as she said it, she knew she’d made a huge mistake because suddenly she was being stared down by one big, pissed-off mass of seething male. His fury enveloped her. Oh yeah, he was angry.
He grasped her shoulders and hauled her toward him until there was no space between them and their breaths mingled hotly on her lips. His nostrils flared , and to her shock, he crushed his mouth to hers.
“Everyone has accepted the inevitable except you. You’re it for me. They know it. I know it. It’s time you start believing it too. I’m not going to let anyone or anything change that. You’re mine. I’m yours. It’s as simple or as hard as we make it.”
Rio is such a fave of mine. I just checked and book # 5 is my boy Rio’s book. He has such a mystery about him. He also shows us a gentle side when he is around the ladies. A wall gets dropped and he always has something supportive to say to the ladies who have survived, been rescued. It’s only ever a few lines but it always makes me swoon over him.
“Thank you,” she said fiercely. “I’ll never be able to repay you for this. She means everything to me.”
Rio looked a little befuddled as he stepped away and extricated himself from Shea’s hold. Then he smiled down at her. “I can see why Nathan is so enchanted by you.”
Rusty is still trying something out. I do love her. Her little side kick parts are always amusing.
Joe tossed down his napkin and rose. “Beer sounds good. Baseball sounds even better.”
Rusty smiled impishly and darted a glance toward Frank. “Yeah , beer sounds great!”
Frank gave her a get-real look. “Very funny, young lady. You get lemonade.”
“Hey , I’m eighteen now! “
“And?” Marlene asked.
P.J and Cole, could Cole be any more obvious? Each book we are getting closer to a P.J and Cole book...woot!!!
“This is better than a romance novel,” P.J. said with a wistful sigh.
“You read that stuff?” Cole demanded.
... “Why the hell do you ask the question like that?”P.J. said, annoyance evident in her tone and expression.
“You just didn’t seem the type,” Cole mumbled.
She flipped him the bird, and Shea had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. P.J. was easily half Cole’s size but she also looked like she had the confidence to take on the much larger man. She might even kick his ass. The idea intrigued Shea greatly.
“I’m tempted to shove one of my romance novels up your ass,” P.J. said sharply. “But I love my book’s too much to desecrate them like that. I’ll settle for my boot.”
Cole held up his hands in surrender. “I won’t say another word. Romance novels are great. I love romance novels. I think everyone should read them.”
I love how the brothers all band together and have such wonderful family values and respect for the women that have entered their lives. They can be fiercely protective one minute and the biggest teddy bears with the women the next. They are all thirty and up in age but the inner little boy in them can’t help but come out to play when they are at home throwing the banter about and being lads.
“Quit looking like you just got a hand job from a drag queen,” Garrett muttered beside him.
“How the fuck do you know what I look like?” Donovan asked irritably . “It’s dark as shit out here.”
“Don’t need to see you to know you have that pinched, tight-ass look on your face....”
“It’s going to get interesting now. Keep your eyes peeled. Shoot first and don’t get your ass shot.”
“You have such a knack for stating the obvious,” Joe muttered as he broke into a run down the hall.
“You’ve got a hell of a lot of explaining to do , little man.”
Nathan punched Garrett in the gut. “Watch who you call little man.”
Garrett grinned and rubbed his abdomen. “Nice to see you haven’t wussed out on me in the last months. Was afraid you’d turn into a girl or something.”
I love the quotes I get from these books as Maya brings it with humour, emotion, smexi and action.
I am rather addicted to this series and can’t wait to devour another book. I literally inhale the words off the pages and feel very satisfied.
Michelle
Shea sounds like quite the rescuer for Nathan. Glad you enjoyed!
ReplyDeleteBrandi @ Blkosiner’s Book Blog
Hi Brandi,
DeleteThey are a great match :)
Mich
I am going to devour this series the first chance I get. I always live your reviews!!!
ReplyDeleteJesse @ Pretty In Fiction
Hehe!! I do enjoy this series as smexi as the lads are, they are also very family and I love watching them being protective . I do love the lines some of these boys get given..hehe!!!
DeleteEnjoy!!
I am waiting on book #5 from library
x
mich