Dear Reader,
I’ve been a longtime fan of author Maya Banks and have many of her books on my keeper shelf. So when her latest release The Darkest Hour hit the shelves you can bet I was one of the first in line to purchase it. It wasn’t at all what I expected. In fact it is so different from what I’ve read in the past I had to check and make sure the book cover said Maya Banks on it. Of course, as with all of her books, it’s well written, with good dialogue and strong characters, but the spirit of the book was a complete 180. And wow, I feel as if I’ve discovered a new author. I loved The Darkest Hour.
Second chances don’t come very often, especially when they involve coming back from the dead. Ethan Kelly, an ex-Navy SEAL, buried his wife and has spent the past year in deep mourning unable to get on with his life. On the one year anniversary of her death he receives information that his wife is in fact alive and being held hostage in a remote South American jungle by a drug cartel. Now who do you turn to when you find out the one true love of your life is not dead but was kidnapped by some drug lord in a third world country? If you’re Ryan Kelly you turn to your brothers, whose family business is the Kelly Group International, or simply KGI. Kelly Group International is a top secret, government sanctioned miliarty group specializing in hostage/kidnap recoveries, and when they discover that Ethan’s wife Rachel is alive, they move heaven and earth to rescue her.
The Darkest Hour is a romantic suspense, but at the very core of this book is a wonderful, endearing, loving, formidable family that stole my heart. Ethan’s parents and brothers are the kind of family that will have your back no matter what, and Ms. Banks’ engaging characterizations of each family member creates a sense of belonging and believing that hold this book together. If the core of this book is the Kelly family, the heart of this book is the romance is between Ethan and Rachel. Their love for each other is not a straight line. The work they have to do together and individually is hard, but Ethan’s steadfast devotion and need to make sure he doesn’t waste this second chance is evident in every decision he makes and every action he takes. Rachel is a heroine who has survived a terrible trauma and her long road to recovery is not easy. At times her weaknesses seem to be overpowering, but with her husband’s and the Kelly family’s support she’s on the road to gaining the resolve she needs to move forward.
This is a multi-layered book that traverses the emotional gamut through the long-standing relationships of this family and their friends, while still creating tension and action—like blowing things up and getting the mission accomplished. It’s a wonderful combination of suspense, mystery, family drama, and romance, skillfully interlaced to deliver a riveting read.
Ms. Banks introduces a boatload of characters, but she does it in such a way that each one is interesting, memorable and relevant to the story line. In fact the major players, Ethan, Rachel and the Kelly family are all people you want to know more about, and that’s the best thing I can say about any fictional character. These are people you not only want to see succeed, but you’d love to invite them to a Sunday Dinner.
So, dear reader, if you’re looking for a romantic suspense that has all the requisite action, great characters, a strong story line, and the added bonus of a family whose lives you want and need to know more about, might I suggest The Darkest Hour. I’m looking forward to reading many more books about this family because Ms. Banks has written a series that is sure to be on my keeper shelf—and you know that shelf is reserved for the best.
Until next Monday, remember, there’s a book waiting to be read. I’m off to read Christine Feehan’s Dark Peril. What about you?
Marisa is an avid reader and television producer.
