Sandy M’s review of Sweet Surrender by Maya Banks
Contemporary erotic romance released 4 Mar 08 by Berkley

I just discovered Maya Banks a few weeks ago when I read Into the Mist and absolutely loved everything about it. I was really looking forward to this book (Sweet), and while I liked it, I was a little disappointed because it didn’t all-out floor me like Mist.

I do enjoy Maya’s characters very much. I always feel like I really know them, I care about them, and that’s definitely the case here with Gray and Faith in this book. Even the secondary characters are great. I also like the commonality of family that I’ve found in the two Banks’ books I’ve read so far. Faith’s family — even the guys who work for her father are like brothers to her — look after her and protect her. Gray is following his heart when he goes after his partner’s killer because Alex was like a brother to him. Gray even comes to like the feeling he gets when he’s around Faith’s family, home or office. I loved the interaction among all of these characters. It was real, witty, fun, and it reminded me of family.

The storyline is a convincing one as far as Gray wanting to find Alex’s murderer. He even goes so far as to agree with Alex’s father to investigate on their own, which, of course, leads Gray to Faith. Faith is looking for something, too, though she’s not entirely sure what it is she needs. She knows what she wants, not what she needs.

Her desperation leads her into a situation that really doesn’t help, but it does get Gray riled up, and that’s when the light bulb begins to shine brightly for Faith. Gray is what she wants and needs, but she goes about getting him all wrong. At first I was a little skeptical about Faith’s desire to totally surrender to a dominant man, but it was Gray’s explanation of what he wants that brings it all together for Faith and the reader. He’s a control freak, yes, but he’s not looking for a slave.

Which leads to the sex scenes. I liked most of them, but the more sex there was in Gray and Faith’s pivotal week together, one scene just faded into another. I was looking for a little something more between them. Faith wanted a man to take care of her in bed as well as out.  We didn’t see as much of the relationship out of bed except for the preparation of a few meals, some cuddling (which was very nice), and the like. I wanted that something more between them on an everyday basis, to see Gray’s domination there as well as with the sex. Once the action started, though, we definitely see how his feelings for Faith have grown, but he’s pushed into it. Nevertheless, it is a great action scene, very tense, and the following repercussions are very moving.

Other than that one little blip, this is a good book.  The writing is wonderful. There’s always a nice flow and rhythm throughout the story. I never find myself tripping or stumbling over a phrase or any such thing. I know I’m feeling exactly what I’m supposed to in every scene. 

Maybe it’s not fair of me to continue to think about Into the Mist and compare Sweet Surrender to it, but that’s very hard not to do. I still liked this one, loved the characters, and look forward to my next Banks book.

Grade: B-

From the back cover:

Sometimes the first step in taking control is surrendering.

Under Faith Malone’s deceptively soft exterior lies a woman who knows exactly what she wants. A strong man who’ll take without asking-because she’s willing to give him everything…

Dallas cop Gray Montgomery is on a mission: find the guy who killed his partner-and bring him to justice. So far, he’s found a link between the killer and Faith-and if Gray has to get close to her to catch the killer, so be it.

Faith is sweet and feminine, everything Gray wants and desires in a woman, but he suspects she’s playing games. No way she would allow a man to call the shots in their relationship. Or would she?

Faith sees in Gray the strong, dominant man she needs, but he seems determined to keep her at a distance. So she takes matters into her own hands to prove to him it’s no game she’s playing. She’s willing to surrender to the right man. Gray would like to be that man. But catching his partner’s killer has to be his first priority. Until Faith is threatened and Gray realizes he will do anything to protect her.

Read ane excerpt.