BOOK REVIEW - AFTER THE STORM by MAYA BANKS - KGI # 8 - BERKLEY - ADULT SUSPENSE ROMANCE

By: Maya Banks

Published By: Berkley

Released : Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 392 Pages

Blurb: Goodreads

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 U.S. government can’t….

Over the years, Donovan Kelly has fought relentlessly for justice, women and children always holding a special place in his heart. Working side by side with his brothers, Donovan has witnessed firsthand the toll it’s taken—physically, mentally, and emotionally—on his loved ones, and the innocent lives caught in the crossfire. What he never expects is for his next mission to happen right on his home turf—or for it to take a very personal turn.

Picturesque Kentucky Lake is the perfect place for a soul in search of safe harbor. A beautiful stranger has arrived—desperate, breathless, and on the run from a dark past closing in on her and the younger siblings she has vowed to protect. Donovan must now draw on every resource at his disposal—if he wants to save a woman and the children who may prove to be his destiny.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle

This review is going to be hard for me to write. You will note I haven't given it a rating.

I have much respect for Maya Banks as an author and I LOVE the KGI series and the other books I have read in her other series.

The woman can write a darn entertaining read.

Much respect.

These are just my personal thoughts and how I personally felt. I still encourage readers who love KGI series to read this book as there is so much more going on that you don’t want to miss.

I will start with the positives. I have been waiting for Rusty to get a meatier role and she did in this installment. She has a big heart and she is evolving into quite a lady. It certainly looks like it will be a Rusty and Sean romance one of these days. Seeds of romantic interest were being left in previous books with Sean’s character.

I did feel that there was a lot of repeat comments and gushy , gushy stuff with the big KGI family. But, hey, they are a pretty cool family.

I did wonder about them all being in that big ol’ compound. Sure it is rigged up with some high tech security and eye scanners and all that good James Bond shiz, but I couldn’t help pondering an air strike. I mean they are all set up in this compound. Spread out for privacy, but what is stopping a fly over and a bomb or two being dropped by their enemies? They are all in the one spot. Sitting targets almost. They have made a shiz load of enemies who have weaponry at their disposal.

Ehh. Just me over thinking.

Now I was going to include some of my shiz load of quotes that I have on my many pages of notations, but I have decided not to. I was being negative, rather than positive. So I have vetoed any quotes from this book. If the publisher wants to know I have page numbers of what I felt went wrong with Donovan’s character for me personally.

Speaking of Van. I do love Donovan. He has always come across as such a stand up lad who fights the good fight and loves to get in there and rescue women and children.

BUT!!

Dear Lordy. I am not the first reader to voice this and I will do it politely, but what happened to Van?

I can’t help thinking about the writing process and how much work it takes the author then the editors, beta readers, critique partners who look over it all.

From what I can gather on Goodreads, readers felt uncomfortable with Donovan as he was written. 

... what happened to Donovan? 

I know it's not Donovan's fault, he is a fictional character.

This is all I can say, or else my rip cord will be pulled and I don’t want to say how I was feeling. I just finished the book and I am a little gahhh at what I read. I have to say I had to push myself to finish reading the book, but at the same time it had some great parts in it. 

It was Donovan. 

What happened to Donovan?

Some readers had spoken in my ear prior to reading and voiced their almost exact same thoughts. I just didn't want to believe it. I had to read for myself. Make my own mind up.

I will say, I did check Goodreads, which is just one review platform only, prior to reading After The Storm and I did see a lower overall rating. I then looked at some of the low star reviews and then at the higher rating reviews.

The low star reviews all said the same thing. 

Sadly I have to agree. 

I tell you I fought those feelings mainly from the halfway point of this book because this is MAYA BANKS!! This is DONOVAN! This is KGI!!

Before that I was ok with what I was reading in this installment. I don't care one bit that this wasn't a mission read. 

I won’t rate this book on my blog because I find it too hard to. I am by no means saying another reader won't love Donovan's character and rate this book highly. I can see readers that have loved this book. The insta love and how he voiced it in words or thoughts was just...

I am very much looking forward to When Day Breaks # 9. Due for release June 24th 2014.

I can also see on Goodreads that there are up to 15 books in this series. 

Very exciting.

I think you can by now gather this was not my favorite book in the series, but that will not deter me from reading on. I mean check out the cover for Swanny's book.

And we get a face!

Michelle

Eden is said to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her face has graced countless magazines and her body has sold millions of dollars of clothing. But her fame and beauty has earned her more than she ever imagined. Evil is stalking her, determined to extinguish the ethereal beauty forever.

Swanson or “Swanny” as his teammates call him is always up for the next mission. He came back from Afghanistan wounded and scarred. Hardly the kind of man who even belongs in the same room with Eden. And yet there’s something about the quiet beauty that stirs his blood and makes him dream of the impossible. Because Beauty loving the beast only happens in fairy tales and KGI doesn’t deal in fairy tales. Ever.