Search - The Darkest Hour (KGI, Bk 1)

Let's get the reasons for my giving it a 4 instead of 5 out of the way. I expected [and wanted at that particular moment] an action plot [I mean, look at the cover!] but it's not really an action book - it's a relationship book. It has some great action SCENES but the book is mainly about Ethan and Rachel trying to recover their lives and move forward. The other reason? Ethan has some real character flaws...

But it is a good book and a good set up for the series. I enjoyed it. I'll read the next one. But a warning for those who have come in from Banks' erotica - this isn't. The h/h first sexual encounter [after her return from captivity] doesn't start until page 160...

The Kelly Group International
1. The Darkest Hour (2010)
2. No Place to Run (2010)
3. Hidden Away (2011)

Ethan is still devastated a year after his wife, Rachel's, death it is on this day that he gets a package that he immediately dismisses, when he opens it his world changes. I found the Kelly's to be a great family, strong, hardheaded and with fierce loyalty to each other. Ms. Banks did a great job with Ethan as the man tortured at the loss of his wife when their marriage was far from perfect and then with Rachel having little memory of before her kidnapping following her journey of self discovery.
Not all the memories are good ones and finally Rachel and Ethan hash it out, or start too but the men that took Rachel now know she is alive and home, they can't have that so they are after her once again.
It was an entertaining read, highly recommend and I look forward to the next installment of the KGI which I believe will be older brother Sam's story...

I've only read one short story by Banks prior to this book. I'm glad I decided to give her a try. I was hooked from the very beginning and couldn't put it down.

Banks has a way of expressing emotions through her characters without being overly wordy or fancy. I cried a lot reading this book mostly out for the anguish the characters felt or had gone through. I loved that Banks included so many small details when it came to Rachel readjusting to her life again. So many books act oversimplifies the recovery process, but this one was really touching.

I actually didn't like Ethan too much as a character. Prior to Rachel's "death" he was such an immense jerk to her. I have a hard time believing that he won't resort back to that self-destructive behavior.

Ironically (Banks being famous for her erotica), the love scenes here are rather standard. They weren't hot, just kind of sweet.

My favorites are of course the family scenes. They are so much fun.

Looking forward to reading other books in the series. There are so many characters introduced here that I really don't think Banks would run out of characters to write about.

This book had me hooked from the moment I picked up it. I truly enjoyed it and will definitely read the others in the series (in fact I already have the second so will be reading it soon:). I think Maya Banks does a great job of blending romance and suspense in The Darkest Hour, and the main characters and supporting cast were well done. Although I really liked this book, there were a couple of annoyances that I had with it. Firstly, everyone had pet names for the heroine and they used them a lot which I found annoying at times (i.e. hero always referred to her as baby, one brother calls her sweet pea, she is referred to as honey a lot, etc.). And maybe I have just read too many romantic suspense novel s with this theme lately, but I have had enough of the finding-your-long-lost-love storyline to last me for a while without picking up another one. That being said though, still a great book and I suspect I will like the others in the KGI series even more.

This book is good, but not the best of the series. If you don't love this book...don't give up, the next one is great!

Great story line. The author has you hooked from the beginning, & it only gets better. Just when you think you know everything, BAM! Another twist. I loved it & plan on purchasing the rest of the series!!