Rush

So, this is the second time I gave Maya Banks a chance. I know she is very popular, and that terrifies me. Because the dynamics are totally fucked up. If the male character is saying to himself, "wow, I practically raped her mouth last night," MAYBE YOU RAPED HER MOUTH. If the female character is constantly saying to herself, "I can't believe I am staying" or "Why am I not leaving?" MAYBE YOU SHOULD RUN AWAY. I don't even understand. Is Maya Banks a virgin? A sick person? A sick virgin? Has she ever had a truly abusive relationship, or is she in one, because it smacks (pun intended) an awful lot of that. There's nothing wrong with erotica, BDSM, pain-play, floggings, etc. There IS something wrong with the dominant person in the show more relationship saying they want to ease the submissive into something, and then ignoring their own promises and becoming brutal and controlling to the point where they themselves call what they are doing rape. That is rape. That is what it is. It isn't sexy, it doesn't make for a good romance/erotica book, and it certainly isn't something a submissive should endure, real or fictional.

This is book number two I've read by her (this one I'm not finishing, though) and the themes are the same, the characters are just as fucked up, so I'm not going to continue with her. I'm assuming she's nothing more than a one-trick rapist pony. show less

I came across this review on my shelves when I updated my library. It was marked as a DNF, but I actually read it.

I know that a lot of people love this author and this series, it's on a bunch of lists, however it didn't sit well with me.

Gabe is the Hero and he is a businessman with bank. He is one of three brothers, and his object of desire is Mia who is the little sister to of his best friend.

After he secures Mia in his grasp, he gives her the BDSM contract and gets her to sign on the dotted line. Although Mia is excited and scared, she trusts that this man is going to treat her right. Yes, a woman can be treated right even while being spanked to and tied up.

However, Gabe asks Mia to go above and beyond what would be expected of her show more at such a recent introduction to the scene. I am referring to a specific scene where she was expected to strip naked and serve as a table or a platter or some kind of inanimate object to hold and serve food for a bunch of unknown businessmen. That pissed me off. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a table or a platter for BDSM fun. What is wrong was how he manipulated this young woman who otherwise has no experience in the scene whatsoever into being groped and watched by strangers while her "loving" boyfriend is there conducting business. Also, she had no idea she was going to be doing this. It was just sprung on her and was followed up with some kind of male manipulation to get it going. I don't remember if she liked it or not, but that isn't the point. The point is you do not get your new submissive who has never done anything kinky in the past to strip and become a platter for food for strange businessmen without even asking first. Actually, he shouldn't have even asked. This is a no-brainer. He supposedly loves her and is worried about her brother finding out they are together. How does he expect her older brother to react when he finds out he had her naked and groped during a business lunch?

Seriously? That is just one of the many reasons why I wanted to stab Gabe with at fork.

And that is one of the many reasons why I marked this as a DNF even though I read it, because that is the response I had after reading it. show less

*NOTE* This review and more can be seen on my blog at The Muses Circle

I would be lying if I said I am a hardcore Maya Banks fan. In fact, I've probably only read a handful of her books and I know she has been around for awhile. I love erotica and have a weakness for alpha male heroes, so why I'm jumping on the Banks fan train so late in the game will always be a mystery. Maybe it's because for the longest time my favorite erotic romance author was Lora Leigh. She used to deliver the type of books that were so good that I would buy anything she released without even knowing what they were about. She used to be that good. But I'm not the only Leigh fan that has been disappointed with her writing lately and it has left a huge void to be show more filled.

I stumbled upon an ARC copy of RUSH and when I read the synopsis, I was a bit skeptical. Older alpha male falls for his best friend's baby sister? Sound familiar? That's because Lora Leigh is the queen of writing that very scenario over and over again. And for some reason she used to nail it every time. So I was a bit worried going into RUSH, book 1 of Maya Bank's new Breathless series. Could it be as good as Lora Leigh's signature plot device? That would be a HELL YEAH!

Okay, let's get down to it. RUSH is already being compared to the Fifty Shades of Grey series as well as Sylvia Day's Crossfire series. While I have not succumbed to the Fifty Shades of Grey mania, I am a huge fan of the Crossfire novels. I do see some similarities, but I don't want to make this review a comparison/contrast essay. I think RUSH has enough power to stand on its own. But let me clarify a few things. While the Fifty Shades of Grey and Crossfire series deal with 1 couple and their story unfolds over several novels, each book in the Breathless series will focus on 1 couple with no cliffhangers. So while I do anxiously await book 2 in the Breathless series, I am at least satisfied that Mia and Gabe's story in RUSH is complete. Because let me tell ya, I am about to blow a gasket waiting to see what happens with Eva and Gideon in the highly anticipated 3rd novel of the Crossfire series. But I digress....

Let's talk about the story and characters. We have 3 best friends, Gabe, Jace, and Ash. They are extremely rich, run a business together, and have each others backs, even when shit goes bad to worse. They all have troubled pasts which makes RUSH and the planned sequels that much more intriguing. At the heart of RUSH is Gabe and his obsession with Jace's baby sister Mia. He's kept his hands off her out of respect for his friendship with Jace, but at the ripe age of 24 and finding her unescorted at one of his Hotel grand opening events, Gabe can't fight the attraction anymore. He'll probably burn in hell for being 14 years her senior and forbidden fruit, but he sees it as a sign to set his plans in motion since she is there alone, without her protective brother Jace hovering over her. What I find so interesting about Gabe is his imperfections. Yes, he is ultra alpha, possessive yumminess. But he also has some major trust issues. Like MAJOR. Like draws up a contract and has women sign it before entering any kind of sexual relationship with them, including Jace's baby sister, Mia. Crazy, right? Wait until you see some of the things Gabe includes in said contract! So yes, there are times when Gabe rides the fine line between love and hate and I must say, it's been a long time since I've struggled with loving and hating a character, especially in romance.

There is one particular scene in RUSH that is getting a lot of heat which relates to my comment that you will love and hate Gabe at times. Without giving away too many details, there is a scene that happens in Paris that may be a bit hard to get through. Some reviewers feel that the scene was unnecessary and unforgiveable, some felt it did not add anything to the story and was kinda just thrown in there. I would have to disagree. Yes, it was a bit terrifying and I was shocked that Maya Banks had the guts to go there. But I think it did serve a purpose. Gabe has been attracted to Mia since she was a teenager but doesn't make his move until she is 24. Once they start a physical relationship, he expects to sort of get her out of his system, but instead, he feels more drawn to her, more out of control. What happens in Paris was a test. It was his way of proving to himself that what he feels for Mia is strictly physical. But obviously he is proven wrong-- it is just tragic that it had to go that far for him to realize that Mia means more to him then he expected.

Other things that I enjoyed about RUSH or that you should know...what I love about this series over Sylvia Day's Crossfire novels is the third person narration. I have always been a big fan of 3rd person narration--I like being able to get into the minds of different characters, not just one. Being in Gabe's head really helped me understand him more and forgive him easier because I was able to feel his pain, anguish, fear, and regret.

Also, I think I am finally getting used to these...abstract cover art treatments. I've always been a fan of half naked men on the front covers, ya know, something to catch your eye and set itself apart from the hundreds of other books vying for your attention in bookstores and online. I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't digging it at first; do you know how many times I passed Bared to You by Sylvia Day in the bookstore and online? I think at one point I even asked a friend what the hell those 2 things on the cover were until I finally realized after reading the book that they are cuff links! It's hard to break old habits and I still at times find myself dismissing or skipping books based on their cover art. I'm working on it since I definitely don't want to miss out on a great book because the cover wasn't appealing! If anything, I guess it forces us to really use our own imaginations.

I give RUSH 5 stars because it's been a long time since a story with this particular plot device has captivated my senses so completely. Maybe it's because I am mourning the loss of my favorite erotic romance author--yes, yes I know Lora Leigh isn't dead, I just miss the way she used to write and wonder where the fire has gone. Anyway, I give Maya Banks credit for making the story edgy, writing an alpha male character that you love to hate and hate to love, and did I forget to mention that the sex scenes are...HOT HOT HOT!!! Let me remind you again this is EROTIC literature, so...just saying, you have been warned! I anxiously await FEVER and BURN, books #2 and #3 in the Breathless series. Jace and Ash like to share women but that will be tested when Jace becomes obsessed with Bethany, a woman that ties him into knots and makes him feel things he has never felt before. It will be interesting to see how Jace and Ash's relationship changes when a woman finally becomes between them--er no pun intended!

Mia @ The Muses Circle show less

One-dimensional characters stuck in a so-so plot with damn well excessive use of the word damn. The erotica archetypes of powerful, handsome man brought to his knees by a non-descript, unaccomplished 20-something is starting to bore! How about two equally powerful and accomplished characters? Could be damn sure hot.

Let me start of by saying this isn't normally the type of book I would read, but it was highly recommended by my BFF. It is really my first step into the scandy romance section, and I can honestly say I had NO idea what to expect.



What I liked about this book:

-The characters. I loved Mia as our leading lady. She is a strong, smart woman who has a good head on her shoulders. She is very realistic for me, because I was able to identify with the choices she made (good and bad) throughout the book. I also really, really loved Gabe. He is a BA who knows what he wants and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. I absolutely loved them together as a couple. I had a feeling from the beginning that their relationship would develope more than show more what the contract stated because of how they both felt for each other for so long. Jace and Ash are awesome parts of the book as well. Jace rocks as a brother and he sounds sooooo steamy. Ash is my favorite because he is so silly but has that charm that knows exactly what to say to ladies. I love a dude with confidence

-The ending. OMG the ending. It was aboslutely perfect. All the loose ends were tied up and made into a perfect little bow. SO romantic. Definitely one of my most favorite romantic endings for a book EVA.

-The moment that Jace finds out about Mia and Gabe's relationship. It isn't very often in a book that I will be so caught up in a moment and something surprising happens that I literally gasped outloud and nearly pooped my pants. I was SO caught off guard!

- The dialogue between the characters. I love how they all banter back and forth. They're sarcastic and witty and so funny. Mia doesn't take crap from the boys in her life and has no problem putting them in their place. Even with Gabe (who expected her to be submissive and mousy), she quickly shows him that isn't the type of gal she is and he needs to stand down. I loved it!



What I didn't like about this book:

-The Paris scene. I think this is by far the most disliked part of this book from any review that I've read. I understand why Maya wrote it as apart of the plot because I do think it is a MAJOR turning point in Mia and Gabe's relationship, but I really really dislike it. I hated what Gabe did, and I hated how Mia reacted and bounced back so quickly for Gabe. Just the whole thing was awful, and it really just made my stomach turn. So, I GET it, but I don't like it. I think if this scene wasn't included, the book would be a full five stars for me.

-The Charles dude from Paris. HATE HATE HATE HATE. Well, really ALL the dudes from Paris.

-What Gabe does to win Mia back at the end of the book (no spoilers). I wish he would have been more in person about everything (Mia felt the same way, which once again proves how much I love her). He makes up for it, but I was still like REALLY DUDE?

-The scene with Gabe and Stella. I LOVED Mia's reaction but I really wanted to junk punch Gabe.

-Lisa, Gabe's ex-wife. I feel like with the empty threats that she made and all, she would have had a bigger part, but she really ended up being just a very minor part. I don't really see why she was even included.



Overall, I really LOVED this book! I sat down to read a few chapters and ended up finishing the entire thing in like three hours. Gabe definitely makes my book boyfriend list because of how handsome he is and the transformation he makes over the course of the book. Mia also makes my top leading lady list because she reminded me a lot of myself, that is if I were a character in a scandy novel.



I am super excited to read the other books in this series from the other guys POV. I love Jace and Ash, so I am excited to see what happens in their life (mostly Ash though, not gonna lie!). I definitely will be looking into other books that Maya Banks has written because I really enjoyed her writing style.



4.5/5 stars

http://southernbredsouthernread.blogspot.com/2014/12/rush-by-maya-banks.html
http://southernbredsouthernread.blogspot.com/2014/12/rush-by-maya-banks.html
http://southernbredsouthernread.blogspot.com/2014/12/rush-by-maya-banks.html
http://southernbredsouthernread.blogspot.com/2014/12/rush-by-maya-banks.html show less

Alquanto deludente, mi aspettavo di più dalla Banks... ma forse il suo punto forte sono gli historical piuttosto che i contemporanei. Non so.
O forse la "forzatura commerciale" di cercare di costruire una serie BDSM che concorresse con 50S and company ha avuto la meglio su di lei, con risultati però mediocri (non che le altre serie siano chissà che).
Perchè si, la storia può anche essere godibile sotto molti punti di vista: raccontata bene (il talento c'è non si può negare), emozioni ci sono (attenzione però, raccontate più che sentite), personaggi e trama pure.
Ma non è nulla di nuovo. E' piatta.
Mi è piaciuto il finale, molto dolce…ma il resto?!
Per di più c'è un punto della storia che mi ha disturbato non poco. Sarà show more anche il punto di rottura e di svolta ma non mi è piaciuto per niente.
Se in Never seduce a Scot mi aveva fatto piangere e soffire per i suoi personaggi, entrare così profondamente nella storia da non riconoscere più ciò che mi stava attorno, qui oltre a non essermi mai immedesimata alle volte ho sentito "freddo", veramente.
Brr…spero il secondo romanzo di questa serie migliori…e non si può mai dire che non mi venga in mente di leggerlo comunque…ma per ora salto. Decisamente. show less

Rush is an erotica romance that closely mimics Fifty Shades, but slightly dirtier with a lot less plot. Erotica is not my usual genre of choice, but since I had seen it advertised quite a bit I thought I'd give it a chance.

The story line had no premise other than, "we can't let big brother find out about us". It was all about forbidden fruit and kinkiness. I understand the book is erotica, but the multiple sex scenes were so long that I finally had to skim passed them. I guess that's why each book in the trilogy has a new woman for the trio of best friends to devour.