Letting Go by Maya Banks

Letting Go (Surrender Trilogy (Maya Banks), #1) (Surrender, #1)

by Maya Banks

"In her sensational Breathless Trilogy, #1 New York Times bestselling author Maya Banks tested the boundaries of desire. In her new trilogy, there's only one thing left to do: cross them. And never have the consequences of erotic exploration been so irresistibly inviting, so shockingly intimate, and so totally unexpected; 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, 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 would be 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 but 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"--

Reviewed by Cocktails and Books on

3 of 5 stars

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Generally when I find out Maya Banks has a new book coming out, I rush to get my hands on a copy. It was no different when I heard about Letting Go. The premise of the story was intriguing and I was eager to see how the story of a widow and her husband's best friend entering a D/s relationship was going to work. The storyline was good and moved along well, but what I missed in this one was an emotional connection with the characters.

Joss Breckenridge, after three years, has decided it's time to move on. Time to let go of the grief of losing her husband and figuring out what she needs to be happy. So once she's said goodbye to Carson, she sets her sights on The House, a local D/s club in the area, where she can explore that part of her sexuality. Joss, while totally in love with her husband, was never able to ask him for the one things she truly wanted in bed. Having been an abuse survivor, Carson would never bring himself to "hurt" Joss, even if she asked for it. Now was her opportunity to discover if being a submissive is really what she wants and needs. Enter Dash. Dash was Carson's best friend and business partner. He also happens to be in love with Joss and has been for a long time. . He's been trying to figure out when the right time would be to make his move and declare himself to her. His plans go slightly awry when he walks into The House one night and finds Joss on the arm of another member. When Dash discovers why Joss is there and what she wants to explore, he demands that he be the only Dom that shows her what it's like to be a true submissive.

As I said above, I didn't feel an emotional connection to these characters. And considering who they were and the history that had between them, I felt like I should have. Part of the problem was the spent so much damn time talking to themselves. Wondering if they were doing the right. What did he/she feel? Was it the same as what they felt? Blah, blah, blah. I know part of the issue was getting passed the big elephant (or ghost) in their relationship, but talk to each other and not just yourself. It works wonders! And when I finally did start to get some semblance of emotions from the characters, it was Chapter 28 and the book was almost over.

Overall, it's not a bad book, but it was not what I thought I was going to get in a D/s book. I wanted more of that dominate male, pushing his submissive to the brink. Teaching her how the relationship was going to work. It was a good love story, but not what I was anticipating going in.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 27 January, 2014: Finished reading
  • 27 January, 2014: Reviewed