Laura’s Review of Letting Go (Surrender Trilogy, #1) by Maya Banks

Synopsis

         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 and 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 is 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 and 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.

What I Loved

          This was my first Maya Banks book, and I went into this with high expectations because I’ve heard so many great things about her and I can honestly say I was not disappointed in the least.  The story begins with a bittersweet note, Josslyn has finally made up her mind to turn a new leaf.  She realizes it’s time to say goodbye to her dead husband, Carson and find her own happiness once again.  I loved that Josslyn was a woman lost in her grief but realized it was time to put the final pieces of her life back together again and went about doing just that.  She’s definitely a relatable character who was easy to love which made it so easy for me to become completely engrossed in this story.

          I loved that Josslyn was willing to take a huge step out of her comfort zone to find something that she always craved deep down.  To me, she is such a brave woman to put herself out there in such a raw way, completely willing to submit not only to a dominant but to her passion and ultimately what would make her happy.

          Dash’s dominance rolls off him from the very beginning and even though he is at Joss’ beck and call he still knows when to take control and push her limits when she needs it.  I haven’t read a good BDSM story in a while and I loved this one because of how hot and possessive Dash was towards Joss.  The attraction to each other was burning up the pages and I couldn’t put this story down needing to know what kind of kinkery they would get into next. 

Not So Much

      

         I get that Carson was Joss’ husband and Dash’s best friend but at some point I wish the comparisons between Carson and Dash would stop.  Whether it was Joss comparing them (which she did, constantly) or Dash stressing out about Dash, it became a little bit too much after a while.  To me it felt like it was more of a disservice to the characters rather than adding to their relationship.  I get that this story wasn’t just about finding new love and exploring the world of BDSM, but also about saying goodbye, so I understood it in the beginning. But about half way through the story it became tiring to constantly refer back to Carson and his relationship with Joss. 

To Sum It All Up!

          Like I mentioned before this was my first Maya Banks novel and I was not disappointed in the least.  This was a very bittersweet story about finding love and happiness again after a heartbreaking tragedy and I loved being able to experience that.  The characters and details in the book were well written along with the foundation and overall plot to the story.  I love hot possessive men, and Dash definitely lived up to that for me.  Also I love strong female leads and Joss was every bit the strong independent woman she needed to be.  Even if she didn’t have as much as experience as Dash, she knew what she was looking for and went after what she wanted.  This story has definitely made me a big Maya Banks fan and I can’t wait to read more of her books!