I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Rush
by
Maya Banks
erotic romance in eBook edition that was published by Berkley on February 5, 2013 and has 413 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Sweet Surrender, Colters' Woman, Sweet Persuasion, Sweet Seduction, In Bed with a Highlander, Darkest Hour, Seduction of a Highland Lass, Colters' Lady, No Place to Run, Men Out of Uniform, Red-Hot Summer, Never Love a Highlander, Brazen, Sweet Temptation, Whispers in the Dark, "Colters' Wife", Colters' Promise, Echoes at Dawn, Undone By Her Tender Touch, Four Play, Cherished, The Tycoon's Pregnant Mistress, Never Seduce a Scot, Highlander Most Wanted, "Softly at Sunrise", Shades of Gray, Fever, Forged in Steele, Burn, Colters' Daughter, Colters' Gift, Be With Me, When Day Breaks, After the Storm, Taking It All, Keep Me Safe, Darkest Before Dawn, Enticed by His Forgotten Lover, Sweet Possession, Sweet Addiction
First in the Breathless erotica BDSM series.
Save your money; if you must, borrow it from the library.
My Take
This was awful. Cliché-ridden and just dorky. I was embarrassed to read it. In fact, I still can’t believe that Maya Banks wrote this piece of crap; I know she can do so much better! Hence the “1” rating. The mechanics of the text is lovely, but the lack of attention drags it down from a “2”.
It starts all right, but as I got into the story — about 20 or 30 pages or so — I started to wonder if Banks was channeling E.L. James with this silly contract and Gabe’s need for her to sign it. To be honest, Rush almost makes James’ Fifty Shades of Gray look good. And that is really sad.
There’s the guilt Gabe builds up about how he’s using Mia. What was Gabe thinking in Paris??? No, it was in no way, shape, or form a believable action. He works with these people, and this is Jace’s, his partner’s, sister! Sorry, that whole scene was rude, crude, and totally uncalled for. There was no finesse. Yet more clichés with Gabe’s reaction to getting caught. Oh. Puh-lease. Reading Little Red Riding Hood would have been like reading a classic tome compared to this crap.
Mia’s thoughts about Lisa are too lame for words. She knows from all three of the men how much Gabe hates the woman, and this is the best Banks can do to create tension? Both blackmail attempts were just stupid. The first was trite while I don’t believe the second could have been considered by an intelligent man. Although, he doesn’t actually strike me as that smart. Still, the way it was handled was so back-alley.
I can understand why Gabe acts as he does with Stella, but he’s an intelligent man. I can’t believe he doesn’t realize the effect it will have on Mia. And, yes, Mia was wrong to handle it as she did.
It is sweet that his dad comes to his senses.
The Story
Seems Gabe has been in love with Mia since she was sixteen years old. And he doesn’t intend to wait any longer. It no longer matters that Jace and Ash are his best friends as well as business partners, he needs Mia in his life.
To start, she can work for him as a PA, where he can have her with him every second of the day.
The Characters
Mia Crestwell is Jace‘s young sister about whom he is very protective. Jace is partners with Gabe Hamilton and Ash in their hotel business, HCM Global Resorts and Hotels. When it comes to sex, Jace and Ash like to share. Louisa and Greg own the bakery where Mia waits tables.
Caroline is Mia’s friend and roommate. Other friends include Chessy, Trish, and Gina.
Eleanor is Gabe’s secretary. Gabe’s parents have just divorced: his mother is freaking out and his father is acting out. Stella is one of his dad’s girlfriends; a real golddigger who is incredibly crass. Lisa is Gabe’s bitch of an ex-wife. Yeah, and her plans aren’t clichéd up the wazoo…
Charles Willis, Tyson “Tex” Cartwright, and Stéphane Bargeron are the rivals Gabe and Mia meet in Paris.
The Cover and Title
The cover is clean and spare with a splash of blue water exploding on contact with the white surface of the background.
I’m going to assume the title represents how Gabe/Mia feel when they see each other, the Rush that races through their bodies.
