Review & Giveaway: Darkest Before Dawn (The KGI Series) by Maya Banks

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Darkest Before Dawn (The KGI Series) by Maya Banks

Publication Date: October 27, 2015

Genre: Romantic Suspense

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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…

The enigmatic Hancock has been both opponent and ally to the KGI teams for as long as they’ve known him. Always working a deep game, Hancock’s true allegiance has never been apparent, but one thing is for certain—he never lets anything get in the way of duty.

But now, his absolute belief in the primacy of his ultimate goal is challenged by a captive he’s been ordered to guard, no matter how much she suffers in her prison. She’s the only woman who’s ever managed to penetrate the rigid walls surrounding his icy heart, but will he allow his perplexing feelings for the beautiful victim to destroy a mission he’s spent years working to complete or will he be forced to sacrifice her for “the greater good.”

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***POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW****STOP READING IF YOU DO NOT WANT SPOILERS***

Note: We usually do not post spoilers with our reviews but this book was an exception. We are fans of the series and  felt certain details were needed to explain why we felt the way did about the book.

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I was so excited to read the new KGI installment and thought of it like a decadent dessert. When I began to read it I thought that maybe the character descriptions were a bit lengthy but I looked over that since it was a KGI novel. I liked Honor at first because she was strong, intelligent and resourceful but still a nice person. With Hancock I figured he would straighten up fairly soon since he had the alpha male traits that I love so much. He also had Mojo, Conrad and the rest of his team to help him.

I began to quickly lose my respect for Hancock when they left the desert. All because he did not even contemplate different choices and scenarios, he was just going to give Honor up knowing the horrors she would be put through. Then Honor lost my respect and empathy about 1/3 of the way through the book when she turned all meek sacrificial goat because she loved him. Then when she apologized to him for not being able to handle an attempted rape by a bad guy? That’s when I no longer even liked her. The ONLY reason I kept reading is because it was a KGI Novel. What on earth happened to the woman in the beginning of the story?

I began to dislike Hancock in earnest when they finally made love. She was a virgin and asked him to make love to her so she would know what it was supposed to be like before she was gang raped. (I could only shake my head at that) It was the night before he would be turning her over to the sadistic rapist and terrorist group for her rape, torture and murder and what does he do? He goes all Dom on her, pleased to see her natural sub tendencies. UH, WHAT? Instead of enjoying the scene like I normally would, in this storyline all I could think of was “ Your hair pulling and forceful actions are really preparing her for the torture tomorrow. Way to break her in buddy…” The only reason I kept reading after that is I needed the HEA to redeem the KGI Series that I love so much…but even that was lacking. It was like some ‘cry me a river’ fest that I just wasn’t feeling.

I know others will love this book and that is the joy of reading, we all have our likes and dislikes. I cannot wait for the next KGI installment so I can move on from this one.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review. 

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image Kindle: http://amzn.to/1H6iNii
Amazon PBK: http://amzn.to/1HDUkV6
Nook: http://tinyurl.com/qy3cr2a
B&N Mass Market Paperback: http://tinyurl.com/q2eum4f
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/o4sosjz
BAM: http://tinyurl.com/oes3o9b
IndieBound: http://tinyurl.com/p6eq9s5
Google: http://tinyurl.com/njj2ffk

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✦THE KGI SERIES BY MAYA BANKS ~ READING ORDER✦
✦ Book 1, The Darkest Hour ➢ Amazon PBK http://amzn.to/15OVcxI | Kindle http://amzn.to/1dZVOZx | B&N http://bit.ly/1coxIWo | Kobo http://bit.ly/1cZVhmr
✦ Book 2, No Place to Run (December 7, 2010) ➢ Amazon PBK http://amzn.to/1d4qkyw | Kindle http://amzn.to/15Uj8Pj | B&N http://bit.ly/18bTiOs | Kobo http://bit.ly/1coyz9w
✦ Book 3, Hidden Away ➢ Amazon PBK http://amzn.to/1dZWheu | Kindle http://amzn.to/17UPIDO | B&N http://bit.ly/193VtlT | Kobo http://bit.ly/1f0myYp
✦ Book 4, Whispers in the Dark ➢ Amazon PBK http://amzn.to/1dZWvlP | Kindle http://amzn.to/18SL5cn | B&N http://bit.ly/1coy1Aw | Kobo http://bit.ly/1bjXKFC
✦ Book 5, Echoes at Dawn ➢ Amazon PBK http://amzn.to/1aovaWm| Kindle http://amzn.to/17WVWkp | B&N http://bit.ly/193V5UB | Kobo http://bit.ly/1bjyx1q
✦ Book 5.5, Softly at Sunrise (Novella) ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/1aovoww| B&N http://bit.ly/1coy9zS | Kobo http://bit.ly/18G62Oa
✦ Book 6, Shades of Gray ➢ Amazon PBK http://amzn.to/1fX3sAJ | Kindle http://amzn.to/15UkVnv | B&N http://bit.ly/1d24bAj | Kobo http://bit.ly/18G6sEe
✦ Book 7, Forged in Steele (June 25, 2013) ➢ Amazon PBK http://amzn.to/1aovEMj| Kindle http://amzn.to/15hXOrx | B&N http://bit.ly/1gaQKCY | Kobo http://bit.ly/193VUwt
Review 5 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-jh
✦ Book 8, After the Storm ➢ Amazon PBK http://amzn.to/15OQxMl | Kindle http://amzn.to/17i63lF | B&N http://bit.ly/1kg5q1g | Kobo http://bit.ly/1cZUban
Review 5 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-Sf
✦Book 9, When Day Breaks ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/1NE1x5D | Amazon PBK http://amzn.to/1esgKeq | B&N http://bit.ly/1prBuTC | Kobo http://bit.ly/1jHCeQK
Review 4.5 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-1nX
✦Book 10, Darkest Before Dawn (October 27, 2015) ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/1H6iNii | Amazon PBK http://amzn.to/1HDUkV6

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►Enter Rafflecopter (Paperback Copy) Ends 10/27 ➢ http://gvwy.io/lr7215

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imageMaya Banks is the #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today and bestselling author of the Surrender Trilogy. Her other chart toppers have included erotic romance, romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and Scottish historical romance. She lives in the South with her husband, three children and a variety of pets.

Visit her online at http://www.mayabanks.com, http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMayaBanks, and twitter.com/maya_banks.

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