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Sweet Surrender (Sweet #1)

by Maya Banks

4.00 · rating details · 1,553 ratings · 123 reviews

The author of For Her Pleasure makes readers surrender to erotic romantic suspense. It doesn't get much hotter.

Dallas cop Gray Montgomery is on a mission to find the guy who killed his partner. So far, he's found a link between the killer and Faith, a beautiful stranger-and if Gray has to get close to her to catch the killer, so be it. And closer still when the killer ma...more

Paperback, 344 pages

Published March 4th 2008 by Berkley Trade

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13th out of 251 books — 208 voters

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Jun 18, 2009

Shawna rated it

Recommends it for: Erotic romance/suspense fans

Shelves: maya-banks, erotic-romance-erotica-romantica, bdsm-kink, 2009-reads, cop-bodyguard-govop-merc-military, menage-multiple-partners, romantic-suspense, hero-im-gaga-over, hero-abused-scarred-tortured-angst, hero-alpha‎, yowza-hotness, heroine-naïve-virgin-like-a-virgin, series-sweet, i-read-own-faves-keepers, captive-kidnapped-hostage-slave, contemporary-romance, hero-expert-skilled-voracious-lover, favorite-romance-series, backdoor-action-lovin-playin, hero-dom, 4-to-5-stars, brothers-sisters-cousins-family, stalker-alert

4 ½ stars – Romantic Suspense/Erotica/BDSM/Ménage

This is a rather deep look into the makings of a Dominant/submissive relationship that encompasses both sexual and emotional fulfillment with a satisfying romantic suspense plot thrown in for extra measure. The H/H, dominant cop Gray and sweet, natural submissive Faith, are very likable characters, as are all the secondary characters. There are several hotties (sex club owner Damon and fellow security agents Connor, Nathan, and Micah...more

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Oct 22, 2010

Ridley rated it

Shelves: 2-star, erotic-romance, read-2009, ebook

I am glad I won this book in a contest. Had I paid a trade paperback price for this, I would have been out of my mind with disappointment.

Gray Montgomery is a Dallas cop working undercover, and off the record, to avenge his partner's death on the job. Faith Malone is the office manager at Gray's new job at a Houston security firm, and her mother is the suspected killer's accomplice. Gray takes this job to get close to Faith to see if she's in cahoots with her mother.

While...moreI am glad I won this book in a contest. Had I paid a trade paperback price for this, I would have been out of my mind with disappointment.

Gray Montgomery is a Dallas cop working undercover, and off the record, to avenge his partner's death on the job. Faith Malone is the office manager at Gray's new job at a Houston security firm, and her mother is the suspected killer's accomplice. Gray takes this job to get close to Faith to see if she's in cahoots with her mother.

While tapping her phones and invading her privacy illegally (how romantic) the two begin a flirtation. You see, Faith is looking for a dominant man to call all the shots in and out of bed and Gray is looking to do some shot calling. Slam dunk, right? Of course not. Naturally he has to fight his attraction. Why? I don't know. We're never really given a reason. So Faith goes after him. Wicked submissive of her, amirite?

To be fair, Gray does call Faith on her topping from the bottom, but the book gets no less silly. The mysteriously rich sex club owner Damon, on a short, professional acquaintance, offers his Galveston beach house for her solo use for a week (and sends her there via chauffeured Bentley) so she can think about her Gray dilemma. Uh-huh. Sure.

Right after she leaves, Gray's partner's father shows up in Houston all lathered up about the suspected killer being nearby. Gray and the people her works with, aka the Cast of Future Heroes, hatch a plan to set a trap to catch the bad guy, who's after Faith to try to kidnap and ransom her. Gray is then sent to Galveston to "protect" Faith with the command from her father to not tell her about all this trouble (foreshadowing should be subtle, this screams INCOMING BIG MISUNDERSTANDING, no?)

What follows is some light D/s play, some backdoor action, a borderline creepy threesome with her friend Micah and enough showering to drain the Great Lakes. Banks' falls into the trap of telling rather than showing when she writes sex. There's a lot of play-by-play where she tells us what cocks are doing to body parts and a major lack of emotion and reaction. Gems include, "He continued to thrust against her until finally he stopped....Then he eased out of her body with a gentle pop." So. Not. Hot.

The conclusion to the suspense has more gaping holes than a porn actress after a gang bang. What the hell was Mick on about by leading the bad guy to Galveston? Why was he so mean to Faith? Did the bad guy actually kill Gray's partner? Why was Gray unarmed? Why did the bad guy leave Faith where she could escape? Why would Faith believe an armed madman's word over Gray's and who the hell asks questions of an armed madman? Surely her relationship drama could've waited.

All told, this book was a chore to read. The secondary characters were woefully underdeveloped, the D/s rather vanilla, the sex tepid and the prose dry. It was a disappointment, as I enjoyed the Samhain books of hers that I read. I doubt I'll read book two, unless I win a copy of that as well.
(less)

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Apr 24, 2008

Daisiemae rated it

Recommends it for: Romantica Lovers

Recommended to Daisiemae by: Blackbook

Shelves: erotica, contemporary-romance

I loved this book so much! I hated to see it end. I loved everything about this book. The characters were likable and I found myself really caring about the outcome of the storyline.

Police detective Gray Montgomery is recovering from the murder of his partner and his own injuries. Just when he is about to return from medical leave, his partner's father Mick-who is a retired police officer-approachs him with information about the killer. Finding out that the killer is shacked up...moreI loved this book so much! I hated to see it end. I loved everything about this book. The characters were likable and I found myself really caring about the outcome of the storyline.

Police detective Gray Montgomery is recovering from the murder of his partner and his own injuries. Just when he is about to return from medical leave, his partner's father Mick-who is a retired police officer-approachs him with information about the killer. Finding out that the killer is shacked up with a two-timed loser of a woman who frequently mooches off her daughter and others, Gray decides to some investating of his own. When Mick tells him he has arranged for Gray to work at the business the daughter works at, Gray decides to earn the daughters trust, and hopefully it will lead to justice for the death of his partner.

Faith has had to take care of her mother most of her life. Shouldered by the responsibity of taking care of her worthless mother, she has learned to rely on her other family for emotional support. She has been making efforts to separate herself from contact with her mother. Longing for more dominance with her relationship with men, (she's still not a pushover) She is shocked by the immediate attraction and chemistry she has with Gray. Her instincts tell her he is exactly the man she is looking for.

Faith and Gray are very likeable people. But have issues of trust and personal growth they have to achieve throughout the book. Faith longs for a more dominant man in her life, but she isn't a pushover by any means. Gray also grows throughout this book. He is dominate, but not in a demeaning way. I liked that they became friends first before jumping into bed together. Both have some issues they had to work on, but watching them build their relationship was a wonderful thing to read. Some of the things Gray does for Faith was truly romantic...he definately knows how to take care of a woman!

This book could easily start a series or spin off from the other characters in it. I hope the author continues with the lives of the characters, because I am definately interested in what will become of everyone.
There is some mild BDSM and some strong language in this book, so if you are offended by either one, it won't be for you.(less)

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Mar 17, 2008

Auntee rated it

Recommends it for: Erotic romance/suspense fans

Shelves: erotic-romance, romantic-suspense, ménage, maya_banks

This one is for anyone who likes a little romantic suspense with their erotica. I loved it--it had the perfect balance!

The hero, Gray, is a Dallas cop whose partner has been killed in the line of duty. The police are getting nowhere trying to find the perpetrator. Gray gets a lead that the perp may some way be connected to a woman in Houston. Gray takes a leave of absence and finagles a job with the family P.I. company where the woman works. He's stunned by her beauty and innoce...more

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Jan 21, 2012

Melinda rated it

I read this book weeks ago and it was unexpectedly hot. I'm not someone who is into the whole submission/dominance bit, but I think that Maya Banks did an excellent job of making this particular kink accessible. I think that stereotypes of BDSM as a whole makes it seem that a woman who wants a dominant man (I would say person...) as a lover is viewed as having low self-esteem or self-confidence, but the author flips that on it's head. She makes it about caring and being cherished and apprecia...more

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Mar 16, 2011

Darcy rated it

Shelves: 2011

I really liked this book, the reason was Faith herself. I liked that she knew what she wanted, just wasn't sure how to express that. So after some research she realizes that what she wanted and needed in her life was described as dominance and submission. Her research led her to a fetish place called The House, where she is determined to learn more about herself.

In the meantime, while Faith is researching, Gray joins her father's security agency. Sparks fly between these 2, and w...more

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Jan 19, 2011

Sandy M rated it

Shelves: contemporary, erotic

I just discovered Maya Banks a few weeks ago when I read Into the Mist and absolutely loved everything about it. I was really looking forward to this book (Sweet), and while I liked it, I was a little disappointed because it didn’t all-out floor me like Mist.

I do enjoy Maya’s characters very much. I always feel like I really know them, I care about them, and that’s definitely the case here with Gray and Faith in this book. Even the secondary characters are great. I also like the common...moreI just discovered Maya Banks a few weeks ago when I read Into the Mist and absolutely loved everything about it. I was really looking forward to this book (Sweet), and while I liked it, I was a little disappointed because it didn’t all-out floor me like Mist.

I do enjoy Maya’s characters very much. I always feel like I really know them, I care about them, and that’s definitely the case here with Gray and Faith in this book. Even the secondary characters are great. I also like the commonality of family that I’ve found in the two Banks’ books I’ve read so far. Faith’s family — even the guys who work for her father are like brothers to her — look after her and protect her. Gray is following his heart when he goes after his partner’s killer because Alex was like a brother to him. Gray even comes to like the feeling he gets when he’s around Faith’s family, home or office. I loved the interaction among all of these characters. It was real, witty, fun, and it reminded me of family.

The storyline is a convincing one as far as Gray wanting to find Alex’s murderer. He even goes so far as to agree with Alex’s father to investigate on their own, which, of course, leads Gray to Faith. Faith is looking for something, too, though she’s not entirely sure what it is she needs. She knows what she wants, not what she needs.

Her desperation leads her into a situation that really doesn’t help, but it does get Gray riled up, and that’s when the light bulb begins to shine brightly for Faith. Gray is what she wants and needs, but she goes about getting him all wrong. At first I was a little skeptical about Faith’s desire to totally surrender to a dominant man, but it was Gray’s explanation of what he wants that brings it all together for Faith and the reader. He’s a control freak, yes, but he’s not looking for a slave.

Which leads to the sex scenes. I liked most of them, but the more sex there was in Gray and Faith’s pivotal week together, one scene just faded into another. I was looking for a little something more between them. Faith wanted a man to take care of her in bed as well as out. We didn’t see as much of the relationship out of bed except for the preparation of a few meals, some cuddling (which was very nice), and the like. I wanted that something more between them on an everyday basis, to see Gray’s domination there as well as with the sex. Once the action started, though, we definitely see how his feelings for Faith have grown, but he’s pushed into it. Nevertheless, it is a great action scene, very tense, and the following repercussions are very moving.

Other than that one little blip, this is a good book. The writing is wonderful. There’s always a nice flow and rhythm throughout the story. I never find myself tripping or stumbling over a phrase or any such thing. I know I’m feeling exactly what I’m supposed to in every scene.

Maybe it’s not fair of me to continue to think about Into the Mist and compare Sweet Surrender to it, but that’s very hard not to do. I still liked this one, loved the characters, and look forward to my next Banks book.(less)

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Jun 24, 2010

Shxrxn rated it

Surely nothing good ever came of a man saying he’d been thinking. Men just didn’t think, and they certainly weren’t prone to expressing those thoughts over pillow talk.
- Faith
she’d never considered herself a submissive person. Yeah, she wanted a strong man. Someone who didn’t have to ask. Who was confidant enough to act. But did that make her submissive?
- Faith
Maybe I haven’t found a man worthy of my beauty or culinary skills.
- Faith
I’m a regular saint.
-...more

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Jan 26, 2010

Shelly rated it

Shelves: borrowed-from-the-library, finished-in-2010

My first, and certainly not last, foray into the worlds created by Maya Banks.

Sweet Surrender is the first in her series of Sweet titles and I'm going to be looking everywhere for the next instalment.

Gray Montgomery is a Dallas cop who is trying to find the man who killed his partner. On a tip from Mick (his partner's dad), Gray heads to Houston in order to cozy up to Faith Malone -- the one link to catching the killer. Little do either Faith or Gray realize that thin...more

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Oct 09, 2009

Marie rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 19, 2009

marlene rated it

i think i am glad i read book 2 before book 1. i am not sure how fast i would have continued with the series otherwise. the suspense story line was decent enough. since i cheated and started with book 2 i already met most of the characters so i knew i liked them.

the meeting of Damon and his extreme generosity just seemed odd to me. sure he seems like an all around nice guy who money means nothing to, and he did admit that he was doing a lot of it because he was interested in Fa...more

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Dec 28, 2010

Juju221 rated it

Yum, yum, yum! Definitely a sweet book, I came to this series from a recommendation from Sparklybearsy (#showingsomebearlove) I'd already read some Banks books, the Colter's series in particular after other blogger recommendations and generally enjoyed them, however Bearsy told me I must read the Sweet series and she was SO right, why? Because I loved them! For me one of the nicest things is being able to read a series back to back if you come late to it, and I was able to do that with this ser...moreYum, yum, yum! Definitely a sweet book, I came to this series from a recommendation from Sparklybearsy (#showingsomebearlove) I'd already read some Banks books, the Colter's series in particular after other blogger recommendations and generally enjoyed them, however Bearsy told me I must read the Sweet series and she was SO right, why? Because I loved them! For me one of the nicest things is being able to read a series back to back if you come late to it, and I was able to do that with this series as I had the first 3 on my TBR pile since the summer. I have book 4 being delivered any day now.

Why did I like them? I think it is because, as the title suggests there is something sweet about them, something that hints of deep and real emotions, the kind that sneak up behind you and whack you over the head with a lead pipe and leave you panting in the bedroom with Colonel Mustard. Ok so there is no lead pipe or Colonel Mustard and I have been playing too much Cluedo over the festive period, but hopefully you will get my rather odd analogy.

They are a fun frisky romp with real emotion and tension.

But first things first and my feelings about Sweet Seduction, the other two will follow over the next two days. There is a real thrill in this book, in the sense of the plot line of a thriller novel woven in with the story of a burgeoning relationship. Gray is strong, sexy, brooding and grieving for his dead partner, he goes to work for Faith's adoptive Father as a way of getting close to his partner's killer. He tries his best not to fall for Faith, but he struggles, when he finds out she wants dominance his fate is sealed and he can hold out no longer. When her life is put in danger he will do everything he can to save her.

Faith is no push over, she is feminine and innocent on the outside, but she knows what she wants and is prepared to go out and get it. This need for something different sends her to The House and has her meeting Damon, this journey also sends Gray's temperature off the scale and the scene where he goes and retrieves her is so hot!

Not only do you have two smouldering main characters but you have a host of well rounded supporting characters all who provide a relevant role, and whose own stories are fleshed out in later novels. Loved it, and if you haven't read them already... do!

A sexy damp panty read and I give it 4.5 frilly knickers out of 5! (less)

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Feb 17, 2011

Joy rated it

Shelves: ebooks, contemporary-romance, erotic-fiction, mystery-suspense

This one has a simple story with predictable plot and ending. The amazing amount of hot sex, added with a menage and a little danger on the side upped the tension. After having read no small amount of stories with a BDSM theme, I still find surprises along the way. I loved how Maya Banks (fast becoming one of my favorite authors in the genre) set her own parameters when it comes to a D/s relationship.

Having recently read "Overheard", I can't help but compare a lot of similari...more

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Dec 30, 2010

Catherine curtis rated it

Shelves: wishlist

maya, all i have say is WOW! i just started ur book and im loving it, i know its the first book that i have gotten but im def going to read them all. i started reading erotic book resently and saw ur book and i was think wow i love the cover. i know u should never judge a cover by its book, but come on look at the cover. its def draw ppl to want to read it and see what it is about. which i was right it was a awsome book and i loved every single details of faith and gray relationship and how they...moremaya, all i have say is WOW! i just started ur book and im loving it, i know its the first book that i have gotten but im def going to read them all. i started reading erotic book resently and saw ur book and i was think wow i love the cover. i know u should never judge a cover by its book, but come on look at the cover. its def draw ppl to want to read it and see what it is about. which i was right it was a awsome book and i loved every single details of faith and gray relationship and how they finaly fell for each other. faith is a great character that i liked b.c she is a strong woman that is trying to make everyone happy. she had a hard life w. a mother that she is taking care of and she gets nuthing back from her. it was like faith was the mother and celia was the daughter and it was heart breaking to see a child raising a grown woman at a young age. but she finly found pop to help her pain that she went threw w. her mother. pop is like her angel that took her away from all the pain and sadness she had against her mother. now that she has pop and connor and nathan, micah and now gray to help her and her new family. they are great ppl for her to be w. b.c they are very protective of her which she needs from all the mess her mother did to her.
Gray, i dunno how to put it in a good word for him. i think it would be this HOT AS HELL. gray is every woman dream to have b.c he is the perfect man in bed and out of bed lol. gray is one of those guys are a bad ass when u first met him but when u get to know him is so sweet and careing to others. o yea and he is build perfect. i mean he is a cop and he like to work out and at the same time he has those blue eyes that can melt ice in 3 sec. god i do love a guy that is well build and has beautiful blue eyes, he can del sweep me aways for a hole day. but gray is so perfect for faith bc they have great chemistry. at first they are attracted and then there is passion then they want more then just a saying hello to each other. i love how they are soo attracted to eachother that they want to avoid each other b.c they had there own problem to deal w. but in the end they give in to eachother passion and desire for each other. the love/sex scene was def HOT, maya def know how to describle her scene when it come to playing and then the love making and ofcouse the dominant part gray has in him.. mmmmmm god it hot to see gray control faith when it come to domince, ever woman does like that in a man. he fell in love w. faith and he would do anything to keep her safe, i love how much he cares about her after couple of weeks being w, her. it just broke my heart to see that faith got hurt and gray was hurting worse seeing his faith in pain and betrayed by gray. love can do alot of thing to a person, mostly bad b.c we try anything to keep someone safe no matter what even if we have to lie to that love of ur life to keep that person safe, and that is what gray did and it hurt him so much to lie to faith and worrie that he betrayed her trust. but gray finally got what he wantted and so did faith and i loved every moment from the first page to the last. o yea and damon is a awsome friend lol, he gave faith everything and got nuthing in return. damn that is a good friend right there, let her borrow his beach house and then again at the end of the story let her recover at the beach house again and this time he had some of his ppl take care of her. i mean this guy do anything to get to her. damon is a great guy for faith b.c he kinda help her find what she was loooking for at the house. well anyways i loved this book and i cant wait to start the second one. thanks maya and cant now wait to read all ur books.(less)

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Dec 16, 2011

Shabby Girl added it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. DNF - discovered after I'd started it that it had something in it that I can't hack in my romance. The H shares h with someone else in a non-permanent menage. I'm becoming a lot more evolved in my reading, reading things I couldn't stomach in the past, but obviously this is still a hang up with me. Never, I think, will I understand a m/f relationship where the H says he loves, adores the h, and then wants her to have sex with a strange man. That's NOT romance. I'm sure there's a reason this...more

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Nov 07, 2011

Melanie rated it

Shelves: erotica, maya-banks, rom-suspense, contemporary, library, lookin-out-my-backdoor, slap-and-tickle

2.5 stars.

This book was ok for me, but not up to the caliber of, say, Cherise Sinclair's novels involving a BDSM theme. While some of the scenes were definitely hot, I didn't feel there was a great connection between Gray and Faith. I kinda felt that Gray was a bit too selfish (more of a dictator than a dom), especially in his refusal to dole out a safe word. Faith, IMO, was a weak heroine - yes, I guess she was "assertive" enough to know and insist she wanted a submissive...more

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May 19, 2010

Zelda Gillian rated it

Shelves: bdsm, erotica

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. “Some good sex, but plot suffered…”

The Plot: This first book in Maya Banks’s Sweet series is about Gray, a Dallas cop whose partner is killed in the line of duty. Gray is put on administrative leave and sent to Houston on a covert assignment to track down his partner’s killer. While in Houston, Gray finds himself falling for Faith, a beautiful woman who is also the key to solving the mystery of the aforementioned murder. While Gray struggles with his moral dilemma, Faith is in the mi...more“Some good sex, but plot suffered…”

The Plot: This first book in Maya Banks’s Sweet series is about Gray, a Dallas cop whose partner is killed in the line of duty. Gray is put on administrative leave and sent to Houston on a covert assignment to track down his partner’s killer. While in Houston, Gray finds himself falling for Faith, a beautiful woman who is also the key to solving the mystery of the aforementioned murder. While Gray struggles with his moral dilemma, Faith is in the middle of her own internal crisis over her own personal sexual preferences and finds that she just might prefer her sex and partners a little rough… with a whip, that is.

Zelda’s Take: I’ll be the first to admit it — I’m a one-trick pony. I don’t stray from the urban fantasy/paranormal romance genre often (read “ever”), so picking up Banks’s Sweet Surrender was a bit out of character for me. That being said, the titillating prospect of my first real BDSM title had me all a’flutter, so I was willing to go out on a limb.

In the end, I’m afraid this title didn’t quite hit the O for me. Faith is a newbie to the BDSM world. She decides one day that she knows what she wants and that her current boyfriend just isn’t cutting it. She quickly decides to visit the “House,” a local alternative sex/kink studio, to find what she wants… and with nary a glance behind her, Faith finds herself draped over a pommel horse getting spanked by a stranger.

Enter Gray. Literally. He sweeps Faith out of the House determined to save her from making a decision that she will regret. Wait, that’s putting it too nicely… he sweeps her out of the House under the grand assumption that Faith is naive and hasn’t a clue what really goes on at the House, while not hesitating to spank her and get some head while he’s at it. Men. Blech.

So, while Gray misses the mark completely, Faith is continually down on herself about her sexual preferences, doubting her desires and wondering what could possibly be wrong with her. The self-flagellation gets to be a bit heavy at times. Not to mention the back-and-forth with Gray. He chases her. He avoids her. He chases her. He av… you get the picture. All the while, the subplot continues with the attempt to track down a murderer.

The subplot rates a fail in this book. It’s intended to keep things interesting, but isn’t fleshed out enough to really make sense. The major scenes addressing the subplot are rushed — at the expense of dialogue and reader comprehension — and the conclusion cheats the reader out of any belief that the characters were ever in any real danger or distress.

I will say that the sex scenes in this book were hot. From the voyeurism and m/m/f scenes to the whips and ropes, Faith is my kind of girl. Plus, the idea of a dominant man who caters to your every needs (while keeping you tied up to a bed) is a turn-on in so many ways. Plus, the scenes were well-integrated into the plot so as to not seem gratuitous (what can be a great failing of many erotica titles).

All in all, the book was pretty innocuous. The characters were mostly likable, if at times verging on a bit unbelievable. Bit players such as Faith’s friend and colleague Micah and her newfound friend and House-owner Damon keep things interesting and… stimulating. In the end, the sex was the most redeeming factor in this book. Probably enough so that I may pick up the second title in this series somewhere down the line.(less)

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Mar 16, 2011

Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust* rated it

Recommends it for: BDSM and Erotica fans

Shelves: dont-make-me-beg-bdsm, menage-a-trois, sex-me-up, erotica-romance, first-book-in-series, romantic-suspense, read-in-2011

3.5 STARS!!!

Sweet Surrender was a little slow for me. I thought that there was a lot of emphasis placed on things that really weren’t necessary. I don’t need to read about Faith’s day-to-day work duties. In contrast, the things that I was looking forward to didn’t meet my expectations. I was a little bit disappointed with the pacing. I hate to admit it, but I was skimming a lot of the pages.

Part of the reason was because even though I liked Faith in the beginning, she k...more

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Apr 08, 2011

Akaria rated it

This just wasn't my kinda book. So many things turned me off and the only reason I finished it was because it was part of a reading challenge.

First of all, the pacing was off. Gray and Faith spent most of the book doubting their feelings for each other and trying to resist their attraction to each other. Then all of a sudden in the last third of the story Faith goes on vacation to a beach cottage courtesy of a man she's met all of one time and it turns into a porn fest, complete with ...more

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Feb 21, 2011

Beate rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: romance-and-erotica

This book starts off really great. Good characters, good plot, good everything - until you reach about 2/3 into the story. Suddenly something weird happens, almost as if the author changed her mind or something about the plot. A 3-some with someone you work with and would consider a brother? No. And what's with all the showers? I counted 4 in one day, that is until I lost count.

What bugs me the most, is how cool, strong characters towards the end become weak and sniveling. And that pin...more

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Sep 28, 2009

Susi rated it

Shelves: 2009-09, contemporary-romance, erotica, bdsm

Faith is a natural submissive- she wants a man to take the lead and the control. She wants to be cared about and needs to feel treasured. Short said: She wants a REAL man and doesn’t know how to get one of those. She’s intrigued by Gray but is afraid to just get another “wannabe” man. So she makes her own plans about getting what she wants. And where did she go to: the local sex club and his sexy owner Damon.

Gray is on an important mission- he wants to get the murder of his partner b...moreFaith is a natural submissive- she wants a man to take the lead and the control. She wants to be cared about and needs to feel treasured. Short said: She wants a REAL man and doesn’t know how to get one of those. She’s intrigued by Gray but is afraid to just get another “wannabe” man. So she makes her own plans about getting what she wants. And where did she go to: the local sex club and his sexy owner Damon.

Gray is on an important mission- he wants to get the murder of his partner but what he finds is sweet Faith. He can’t seem to avoid her. He likes her more every time he sees her and he knows getting involved with her isn’t the smart thing to do. He lies to her because his mission is incognito and he hates every minute of it. But what should he do? Stopping to try to find the murder or just forget her? He goes for the second solution but when he discovers what she plans to do in the sex club all bets are off.

The relationship between both of them is a steady back and forth in the beginning. Faith wants all and as fast as possible and Gray is a little reluctant to believe she really wants what she says. Gray annoyed me a bit with, I can’t even say what exactly. I think he annoyed me because he is himself. I think I just don’t like him. I hated the lying and that he didn’t tell her the truth when he had the chance too. I talked to a few people on twitter about that and it seems I’m the only one who’s thinking so. The sex is hawt- it has nearly everything you can think of: BDSM, D/s play and ménage without being too much. Ok perhaps I should rephrase that: Everything I can think of. Don’t know how dirty your minds are. LOL

The suspense plot is good and the pace of the story is great. I really like Maya’ style of writing. The side characters are perfect. I think I love all the other boys- specially Damon and Micah. OMG, these two are yummy.

On thing I noticed is that Maya uses the word “glad” very often(14 times- yep I counted). I only noticed because I so hate this word so much. I know I’m crazy but it sounds so awful and I have the need to puke every time I read it. I don’t know why perhaps it’s because English is not my mother tongue. So just ignore this if you’ve got no problem with this word.LOL

Ignoring my own craziness this book was really good and I enjoyed reading it.
3 1/2 of 5 stars (less)

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Jul 16, 2011

E. rated it

Shelves: erotica, suspense

Faith Malone has come a long way from the young child forced to care for her substance abusing mother and she is ensconced in a comfortable lifestyle surrounded by her adoptive father and brother and other protective males. She is searching for a Dominant lover to submit to but is startled to discover the new guy from her job (Gray Montgomery) at The House, a sex club that she is trying out. Gray is a cop on the trail of the person who killed his partner and he thinks that Faith is somehow inv...more

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Dec 08, 2011

Tilly Slaton rated it

Shelves: reviews-completed

This review contains some content that may not be appropriate for all eyes. I have chosen a paragraph from the book that is tasteful (IMHO) and gives you a look into how the author portrays delicious moments between the lovers in Sweet Surrender.

It has been a very long time since I’ve read an erotica book. I was a little shocked haha .. I guess I feel old. Regardless, this book was super cool and I really like the story and the characters.

The author did a fantastic ...more

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Apr 08, 2010

Amy rated it

Shelves: 2read2

Well, first thing to say is Gray is yummy, yummy good and I loved the first book in Maya Banks "Sweet" series so much so I'm ready to go get the rest! Loved that the book was mixed with both a good storyline, romantic suspense and erotica all in a nice pretty package! While it was not over the top kink, it had some nice BDSM moments along with a menage moment, both conveying the trust that the partners had in one another, both emotionally and physically. More than anything it conveyed ...more

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Dec 22, 2011

Alyssa West rated it

Shelves: favorites, maya-banks

To sum it up: Under Faith Malone's deceptively soft exterior lies a woman who knows exactly what she wants: A strong man who'll take without asking -- because she's willing to give him everything.

Dallas cop Gray Montgomery is on a mission: find the guy who killed his partner, and bring him to justice. So far, he's found a link between the killer and Faith -- and if Gray has to get close to her to catch the killer, so be it.

Faith is sweet and feminine, everything Gray want...moreTo sum it up: Under Faith Malone's deceptively soft exterior lies a woman who knows exactly what she wants: A strong man who'll take without asking -- because she's willing to give him everything.

Dallas cop Gray Montgomery is on a mission: find the guy who killed his partner, and bring him to justice. So far, he's found a link between the killer and Faith -- and if Gray has to get close to her to catch the killer, so be it.

Faith is sweet and feminine, everything Gray wants and desires in a woman, but he suspects she's playing games. No way she would allow a man to call the shots in their relationship. Or would she? ...Faith sees in Gray the strong, dominant man she needs, but he seems determined to keep her at a distance. So she takes matters into her own hands to prove to him it's no game she's playing. She's willing to surrender to the right man. Gray would like to be that man, but catching his partner's killer has to be his first priority.... until Faith is threatened, and Gray realizes he will do anything to protect her.

...this book was simply amazing! I'll start by saying, if you haven't read Maya Bank's Sweet Series, then you're missing out! This is the first book in the series, and I was blown away! This story has a solid cast of supporting characters just as intriguing as the main hero/heroine. Gray is your typical tortured hero- (my favorite type to read about!) Not only is he fighting to capture his late friend's killer, but his own internal demons. He struggles with guilt over a necessary deception, concern that he wants more from Faith than she can give, and fear that he might lose her forever. For a man as in control as Gray is, that internal struggle is perhaps more worrisome than the murder investigation he's conducting.

Faith is such a beautiful heroine- she's warm and giving, and just an all-around sweetheart. In the beginning, she's unsure of what she really needs from a relationship, and afraid to admit what she suspects it is- Yet, as she begins to explore her submissive side, she learns more about herself than she ever expected, and she soon discovers that what she needs can only be found in the arms of one man.

This book seriously has it all: sexual tension, suspense, and characters that live on in your memory even after you've put the book down. Maya Banks's storylines are always full of situations that captivate you, but it's the emotional pull you experience which brings the stories to life. ...If I could give this book more than five stars, I would! :)
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Sep 17, 2011

Kathy Davie rated it

Shelves: homey, romance

First in the Sweet series.

The Story
This was a sweet, erotic love story that explained submission very well. Banks created a loving, suburban atmosphere making the characters seem very everyman. Not at all threatening until wrapped around individual crises. Faith has her deadbeat mother hitting her up for money. Again. Gray has his need to find the man who killed his partner. The two crises merging together into one that will threaten them both.

The Cover
The cover has...more

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Jul 04, 2011

I ♥ Bookie Nookie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: sub-theme-bdsm-elements, sexual-mix-mfm, sexual-mix-mf, genre-smut-spense, character-police-officer, a-series, sub-theme-menage-experience, zz-reviewed, 2011-read-in

Another great book that was collecting cyber dust forever and now I wonder why I ignored it for so long.

A great story that combines love and loss and forgiveness and breaking out of personal boundaries. It's not super erotic, so if that is what you are looking for, then you are going to be disappointed. It is more in line with romantic suspense with some hot stuff going on right at the end of the book. And when I say some hot stuff, I mean all kinds of hot stuff. I kept looking at...more

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May 04, 2011

Monica rated it

Shelves: monica, own, reviewed

Wow! First off, I love Maya Banks, there is not one book she has written that I have read that I haven't loved. First off, I love that Maya Bank's characters are real people, they cover the important safe sex issues everyone has to face including STDs and birth control. I love that.

Continuing with the characters I think the progressions the characters make from mutual like, to lust, to love is leisurely and more real that most erotica that I have ever read. On that topic, this book i...more

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Jul 25, 2010

ൠSinful rated it

Shelves: gal-pal-group, contemporary, adventure, suspense, series, romance, mystery, menage, light-bdsm-not-a-focus, full-novel, erotica

Great story.
Faith raised her mom and after a big blowup that ended her mom in the hospital, her step father from 5 years past found her and adopted her. Since then she has worked for Pop at his security company keeping the office humming. She is the little sister of the men who work there. She has come to a point in her young life that she finally knows what she wants in a relationship. A man to take charge. Of everything. Just how does she find a man who won't abdicate his control?
...more

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Feb 24, 2008

Julie (jjmachshev) rated it

Shelves: 2008-reads, erotica

Not for the faint of heart. Includes bondage, submission, menage, etc.
Can't wait for the next one in this series...

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About Maya Banks

Maya Banks lives in Texas with her husband, three children and assortment of cats. When she's not writing, she can be found hunting, fishing or playing poker. A southern girl born and bred, Maya loves life below the Mason Dixon, and more importantly, loves bringing southern characters and settings to life in her stories.

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Quotes from Sweet Surrender

“Women were supposed to be the enigmas, but men? Moody, brooding bastards, the lot of them. A woman with PMS had nothing on a man. Where women might get hormonal once a month, men suffered their own brand of PMS on a daily basis.
- Faith” — 52 people liked it

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