Sweet Possession

Sweet #5

by Maya Banks

From the "USA Today" bestselling author of "Sweet Temptation," a new novel of opposites attracting-and igniting.
There is nothing Connor Malone wants to do less than babysit the outrageous and out-of-control pop star Lyric Jones. But part of him relishes taming the celebratty songstress and showing her what it's like to be possessed-body and soul-by one man. And though Lyric's crazy antics nearly drive Connor to the edge, his quiet intensity penetrates her defenses, leaving them both vulnerable to the secrets that could topple Lyric from the stage.

Genres: Romance, Erotica, BDSM, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, Contemporary, Adult

320 pages, ebook

First published April 5, 2011

About the author

Maya Banks is the #1 New York Times, #1 USA Today and international bestselling author of over 50 novels. A wife and mother of three, she lives in Texas.

Reviews

[Auntee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone expecting a typical Maya Banks read might be a bit disappointed with this one. This is a straight up erotic romance, with nary a hint of kink in it (okay, maybe the cupcake scene could be called kinky)! But there's no bdsm, no master/slave, no Dom or submissive in sight, no ménage, no handcuffs, no whips, floggers, etc., and no anal scenes). Is this really Maya Banks? You bet, and Sweet Possession is a pretty darn good read. Our hero Connor might be a bit "vanilla" sexually, but let me tell you that was a breath of fresh air after reading about his friends Micah and Angelina's antics in Sweet Temptation, Damon and Serena's serious kink in Sweet Persuasion and to a lesser extent, Nathan and Julie's ménage fantasy in Sweet Seduction. Nothing wrong with a "vanilla" guy, especially when he's totally into the heroine and her pleasure!

This book had sort of a "Bodyguard" (the movie) feel to it. Lyric Jones is a famous pop singer with a 'difficult' reputation and she's been receiving some threatening notes (she may have a stalker). She's headed to Houston for a concert and her record company wants to hire some better security for her and to see if they can figure out who's behind the threats made to her. Connor Malone is tapped to be her personal security, but he doesn't want the job. He's not a bodyguard--he's a security consultant! But the head of his security company (his Pop) is doing this as a favor for his old Marine buddy (who heads Lyric's record label). Lyric will be in town for 2 weeks--surely Connor can do this favor for his Pop?

Connor...


Connor and Lyric don't get off to a good start. They rub each other the wrong way...but there's definitely a spark between them. Connor disapproves of her antics and wild ways, but what he doesn't realize is that Lyric is hiding her emotional vulnerabilities and fears behind some huge walls and some false bravado. Lyric has some devastating secrets from her past, and no one is able to get close enough to see the real woman (who is afraid to be alone yet frightened to let anyone get really close to her emotionally). Connor and Lyric can't help but be physically attracted to each other, and of course they eventually act on it. Connor feels himself falling for this complicated, talented woman---but can Lyric find the strength to let him see the woman behind the mask?

Connor and Lyric...



This book took a few chapters to get going, and for me to warm up to Lyric. Ms. Banks lets you know that Lyric has some tragic past, but the reader does not find out about it before Connor does. There's a reason why Lyric has no friends, no one she can trust, but we don't hear the whole story until late in the book. And then your heart just breaks for her. But before that we get to see Lyric lose some of her brashness and antisocial behavior as she's introduced to all the women from the past books (Faith, Serena, Julie, and Angelina) and has a chance to make some girlfriends for the first time in her life. The scenes where the girls bond (over some liquor fueled hair dyeing and skinny dipping parties) are some of the funniest, and most enjoyable in the whole book.

I liked Connor from the get-go. Yes, his sister (Faith) and his friends often described him as having "a stick up his ass", and he did like to stay in control, but he wasn't that bad. He wasn't looking to fall in love (like his buddies) but he had trouble fighting his attraction to Lyric. I was glad to see that it didn't take him long to realize the inevitable, and he didn't hide from his feelings. He was a tender lover, patient and playful, and there were plenty of hot scenes between him and Lyric. Most memorable (and their kinkiest, was when they made naughty use of Lyric's favorite food--the cupcake). Yum.:)

The cupcake...



The suspense? Ahhh, not all that suspenseful. I was kind of surprised about the identity of the stalker only because I thought there would be some kind of twist I didn't see coming. But there was no twist, and I don't think Lyric was actually in any real danger. This was more a 'relationship' story and about Lyric finding someone she could trust and let herself love, not a romantic suspense, so it worked for me.

I believe this has to be the last of the Sweet series, and if it is, Maya Banks can just slide on into what has to be the spin-off--a series about the security firm that asisted Connor in protecting Lyric. The badass Kane Murphy who heads the firm sure sounds like one intriguing character (and he got plenty of page time in this book)---I'd love to read a story about him!

So, if you're looking for an erotic read with no 'extras', I think you'll find Sweet Possession enjoyable. It's fast paced, easy to read, has a likable heroine and a husband-worthy hero, and enough heat to get your pulse racing. There's plenty of almost sisterly camaraderie, and ties up a lot of loose ends for the entire series. Fans will be happy to catch up with all the previous couples, and look forward to maybe seeing Lyric and Connor again? I sure hope so. If not, I'll look forward to one day reading about Kane Murphy. Not a bad deal there! 4 1/2 stars

[Tilly Slaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been looking forward to the story for Connor since he was introduced in the first book.

Connor can’t help himself. He sits around and watches his best friends falling in love and becoming whipped by the women in his life. His sister and her friends.

He doesn’t understand what the big deal is and couldn’t possibly fathom how they could have fallen so hard.

Working in security, Connor is forced (heheh) by his father, Pop, to work as a bodyguard to a pop diva, Lyrics. She has a super psycho stalker threatening her and everyone is scrambling to keep her protected. Can you just imagine some bee bopping high-pitched, tight pants, swinging ass singer arguing with Connor? HILARIOUS!

There was no way he could do this. Everything about the woman got on his last nerve, and he hadn’t even met her yet.

Lyric is your typical pop singer. I’m shaking my head even thinking about it. Just a quick copy of text below will explain her completely. She found a cop on the side of the road and this is what she says to him:

“Yes. You see, I have this crazy person stalking me and I had to hot-wire my BMW because the guy who’s supposed to be my security was being a dick and he has they keys, but I don’t want to be driving around by myself or go back to my hotel room in case the crazy stalker is waiting to kidnap me or make me his sex slave or whatever it is that crazy stalkers do. So I’d really appreciate it if you could follow me back to my hotel.”

A funny conversation between Connor and Lyrics when they first met:

A small smile curved the corners of her mouth upward. “I won’t lie to you. I’m used to doing things my way.”

“We don’t have to get along for this to work, but you have to listen to what I tell you. Every word. And you have to follow directions.”

She made a rude noise under her breath. “Just stay out of my way as much as possible.”

“Deal.”

She glanced sideways and appraised him with a seeking stare. “I think I like that you’re not kissing my ass.”

“It’s not your ass I want to kiss.”

And I just can’t help myself! .. The conversation below had me in hysterics:

“And it’s not like a guy gets a girl pregnant by himself. There’s definitely some cooperation on the egg’s part.”

“Oh huh-uh. The boy sperm chases down the girl egg and throws himself on her.”

“More like the girl egg crooks her finger and then when the poor unsuspecting sperm comes near, she sucks him in.”

All in all, a super funny book that is filled with vanilla lustful sexy scenes.

I recommend this book to ADULTS ONLY. This is a pretty direct and “normal” erotica so if you’re interested, please by all means read the series from the beginning. Sweet Surrender is the first book of the Sweet series.

Line of the book:

Fuck a goddamn duck.

[Syndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprise, surprise... Miss Banks wrote Sweet Possession with minimal kinky BDSM. And it turns out, I do not like it. I like it less compares to other books in this series.

Lyric (I do not like the nama) and Connor is just 2 ordinary characters having steamy sex. I was expecting so much more from Miss Banks. And I left a bit dissapointed. Maybe because in my mind, Miss Banks will always forever be my go to steamy BDSM author.

The story and the plot is actually decent. For contemporary adult romance, the overall is OK.

3 stars

[Cami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This whole series has been based out of Houston Texas where I live so that makes it a bit more fun for me.

Connor seemed so sweet & carrying in the other books so I was ready to read his story.

This book was pretty exciting when it came to the suspense stuff but it was a bit predictable. I wished for a little more mystery.

Also the other books in this series were pretty much off the chart with sexy but this one was a little more subdued. I was all for that, since I don’t want them to all be the same in a series because that makes it monotonous.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. I can't get enough of it. While this isn't my favorite (Serena's will always be my favorite), it didn't let me down either. I read a few mixed reviews before reading this and I could see why some others would be disappointed by the amount of sex in this book (or the lack thereof). While we don't get as much as we normally see from Banks, I thought this was really well done. The tension was high and when they finally came together it was perfect. Atleast to me.

I liked Lyric after Banks started to fill in the pieces for us. I like strong heroines, but every now and then I love to read about women who are vulnerable, even if they try their hardest not to show it. I know that not every woman can be strong and it's great to see the other side. I liked Cole in the other books. Big brother to Grace. I liked him even more in this one. While I tend to like the more kinkier side of most of Banks' novels, this one was still steamy and worth reading every word.

I'm such a fan of Maya Banks' writing. I can't get enough. Her site is one of those I seem to check every day for author and book news. I highly recommend her and her books (of course, for those of you who are 18+). She's a master with words and you won't be disappointed.

[Saimi Vasquez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lyric esta en la cima del mundo como artista pop, pero en su vida personal realmente esta cansada, no tiene a nadie en quien confiar, no es capaz de dormir sola y lo peor de todo es que siente como la vida se le cierra cada vez mas. Lo que no espera es estar recibiendo amenazas tan fuertes que su sello disquero decide cambiar por completo la empresa de seguridad con la que trabaja, ademas de asignarle un guardaespaldas personal 24/7. Y no es que el hombre sea mal parecido, es la forma como la hace sentir, como si realmente le importar su seguridad pero no ella como persona.
Connor es obligado a tomar un trabajo como "ninera" de una malcriada artista pop, pero cuando la conoce no es lo que espera. Si es malcriada, si es impaciente y mal-acostumbrada a hacer las cosas a su manera, pero tambien es sexy y la forma como lo ve enciende todo su cuerpo. Ahora solo tiene que separar los negocios del placer y hacer todo lo posible por mantener segura a Lyric hasta de si mismo.
Pero las amenazas a su vida no son nada con la amenaza que representan el uno para el otro, solo que ahora Lyric se vera enfrentada a algo que quizas no tenga la fuerza de negar, sus sentimientos por Connor. Y tampoco Connor podra detenerse en hacer a Lyric suya, de todas las formas conocidas.

El libro es de lo mas aburrido, intento ser una relacion odio-amor entre la pareja, y quedo cortisima, intento que fuera algo tipo guardaespaldas-cantante, y tampoco funciono, intento que fuera damisela-en-apuros-conoce-a-hombre-protector, y nada de nada. En fin, este libro fue una total decepcion, quedamos sin saber casi nada de ninguno de los protas, ademas de lo que ya sabiamos de Connor de libros anteriores, no descubrimos casi nada aqui, ni siquiera Pop tuvo mas que un dialogo o dos y solo los senti de relleno. En cuanto a la prota, demasiado infantil, sencilla, tosta, sin mayor personalidad, ni siquiera cuando cuando su pasado me llamo la atencion, se sintio tan plano, sin vida, que en fin, me paso como otro dialogo mas intrascendente.
Es una lastima, habia tanto que pudo haber salido de este libro, incluso el pasado militar de Connor, o su vida con Pop como padre soltero, y en el caso de Lyric, toda su historia con el manager y como fue "descubierta" o su vida en los hogares de acogida, habia tanto para sacarle a esta historia y quedo tan plana.
Bueno, pero ya casi termino la serie, un libro mas y listo, lo que lamento es que el proximo libro no se de Pop o algun epilogo de las otras parejas sino de un personaje que (aunque merece su propio libro) es mas como secundario en la mayoria de las historias, pero bueno, veremos que nos trae el ultimo libro de esta serie.

[KatiD · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lyric Jones is a star. One with a serious attitude and a crappy reputation, but the girl can sing, and she knows how to entertain a crowd. When she comes to Houston for a couple of weeks of R&R, and one show, Connor Malone's firm is hired to protect her. Lyric doesn't know it, but she's been getting pretty serious threats to her life, and her record label is concerned for her safety. Lyric dislikes Connor the first time she sees him. He's demanding, bossy and a bit of a tight-ass. For his part, Connor doesn't like the huge amounts of spoiled child attitude Lyric is throwing around, but he's determined to do his job and protect her. When she sasses him hard at that first meeting, Connor is both disgusted and thrown off by the arousal he feels. He hates her attitude, but is definitely attracted to the package.

Connor arranges for Lyric to be moved to a protected compound within Houston, and hires an additional firm to undertake her protection. Lyric chafes at the protection and tests it a time or two, before understanding that she really isn't safe. Connor realizes that under Lyric's defenses, she's truly frightened and closed off due to something in her past. He decides to introduce Lyric to his friends and their wives. As Lyric is accepted into the group, she warms up, becoming less closed off and more accessible. The dynamic between the women is fun and silly and they have a good time together. Soon she's warmed up enough to act upon the attraction she feels for Connor and they are making love regularly. But each time they do, Lyric whispers afterwards that she has to go to the bathroom and takes off to sleep alone. Connor is puzzled, but allows her the space she needs. As Lyric gains confidence, she begins clearing the toxic people in her life out, and she gains the confidence to take control of her future and her career. Until something happens that causes Lyric to question everything that she knows about Connor. Will they be able to forgive and reconnect?

I'm torn about this book. I have really enjoyed previous entries in the Sweet series (this is book 5), but this book was...very vanilla. It's a one woman, one man story, which is fine (if slightly unexpected from Maya Banks, who writes dandy menage books), but also there is a lot of white noise in this book. Lots of time spent with past couples, lots of time spent discussing security and safety, and less time devoted to the actual building of the two characters. Unfortunately, the white noise is not very interesting, which makes the book decidedly skimable. I liked both characters fine, but for someone with as tortured a past as Lyric supposedly had (and it IS tortured), she just didn't exhibit enough damage. And the author kind of strayed away from what had the potential to be a terrific story about someone with a very difficult past creating a new future for themselves. I think that my reaction to the book is flavored by the fact that I recently read a most excellent book with a character with a tortured past, so this one really fell flat for me. Add to that a lot of past characters showing up, not enough of a sense of danger to engage my attention, and little to non-existent chemistry between the leads, and this book was a pass for me.

Final grade: D+

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You know, more women wouldn’t mind giving blow jobs if we could all have buttercream-flavored dicks.”

Do I have your attention yet??? If that didn’t pull you in, keep reading…

Connor Malone is a straight forward, to-the-point kind of guy. He takes his job at his pop’s security company and his relationship with family and friends very seriously. Pop Malone’s latest assignment for Connor is to serve as a bodyguard to bitchy, brassy pop start, Lyric Jones while she is on a two week vacation from tour. Lyric’s record label has hired Malone & Son’s Security to beef up protection for the songstress after receiving several threats from what they believe is a stalker with unknown intentions. Lyric has formed a tough exterior from past childhood abuse. And now with the reality of being a well known pop star in the public eye, she trusts no one, has panic attacks and uses no-strings-attached sex as a physical release. While she portrays and exterior of cockiness and immaturity, she is really a vulnerable, lost woman who’s life is spinning out of control in the spotlight. It is obvious that Lyric has her share of “ass kissing” from her entourage, however Connor isn’t going to indulge the princess. When Connor agrees to take the job, he lays down the law on what he expects from Lyric and the fact that he is boss when it comes to her safety. Their initial meeting is anything but pleasant, given their dominant personalities. But that is were the sparks turn to flame as we begin some fiery verbal sparring which later leads to some smoking hot action between the sheets.

Sweet Possession was a refreshing change of pace from the previous books. While the story had less edge and boldness in sexual domination, it delivered with strong sexual chemistry, emotional growth of character and a love story that soared from the pages. Where Maya Banks excels with this series is how she integrates all of the main characters from each book to present a group of friends that continue to play vital roles in each other’s everyday lives. We see the progression of each couple that has been introduced in the series and it gives a true sense of unity. In Sweet Possession, Faith, Serena, Julie, Angelina and their men were all accepting of Lyric immediately for who she is and not due to her stardom. Connor, while not considered a wild man, still presents intense and aggressive qualities both in his business and in the bedroom. He doesn’t need the whips, cuffs or collar to exhibit his total focus on pleasing Lyric and delivering her total mind blowing pleasure. And what I loved about Connor is he is a one man show. He has no desire to bring a second, third or fourth man into the bedroom. He is selfless and seductive when it comes to pleasuring his woman and his intensity provides more than enough for her to be solely satisfied. Although many readers of the series may feel Connor is more “vanilla” in the bedroom, rest assured he creates passion and sizzle that will fog up the mirrors and have you thinking all kinds of naughty thoughts about cupcakes in the bedroom!

The Sweet series is not for the faint of heart when it comes to pushing sexual limits and dominance in the bedroom. But if you can be open to that form of expression, you will experience some deeply rich, sensitive, alluring and emotional characters that you will come to love.

Another Favorite Quote:

“Damn, but the man was sexy in a disdainful you-annoy-me kind of way. She had to be a masochist. It was the only explanation for her bizarre attraction to him.”

4.5/5 stars

[Sassafrass · Rating 5 out of 5]

A review for The Romance Reviews.

I've been waiting to see Connor Malone fall in love since the beginning of this series, but I have to admit, SWEET POSSESSION exceeded all of my expectations and was definitely worth the wait. Maya Banks has held me spellbound during this entire series, I was so happy that Connor and Lyric's story was no exception.

Connor Malone is the straight-laced guy of Malone and Sons Security. So, there's no way he'd be willing to be the bodyguard/babysitter for a spoiled pop star, like Lyric Jones. But when he meets her, he can't deny the attraction. And when he gets his hands on her, he wants more, he wants it all--total possession.

Lyric Jones never trusts anyone. She's learned the hard way from her horrible past, and she certainly doesn't want some guy being in charge of her safety when it's obvious he can't stand her. But there's something about Connor...when attraction becomes lust and lust becomes something more, she may find something that she never knew she needed.

Connor, Connor, Connor. He has been hilarious throughout this whole series. He's teased and tormented every one of the men in the previous books mercilessly because they fell head-over-heels in love with their not-so-easy-to-tame women, so it was poetic justice to see him fall in love with a pop diva. Lyric was a perfect match for him. She mussed up his hair so to speak. It was wonderful to see him lose that rigid exterior he's always had. And when he did fall, he went full force. He's not going to give up until he had everything Lyric had to give.

Lyric was damaged but so much stronger than she gave herself credit for. She didn't feel like she deserved to be loved, and it was wonderful watching her come into her own and blossom under the security of her newfound friends. The vulnerability that she showed at times, while in stark contrast to the facade that she put up most times, made my heart ache more than once.

This is the fifth book in the Sweet Series by Maya Banks, and while I loved reading about Connor and Lyric, I really enjoyed catching up with the previous couples. I think that although this book is part of a series, it could be read as a standalone. However, you would miss out on some of the jokes and possibly not be able to appreciate some of the follow up that's given on the couples in the previous books.

The plot was great. It moved seamlessly, was appropriately paced, and was very well-developed. We could actually see the growth of both Connor and Lyric as they discovered their love for each other. And getting to the bottom of Lyric's past was not the focal point of the book, so it was more focused on their relationship instead of the angst of the past. The dialogue was funny, and Lyric fit right in with Faith, Serena, Julie, and Angelina (the heroines from the previous four books), especially when they get into trouble together.

The chemistry between Connor and Lyric was explosive. She would spew hateful things to Connor, and he would get aroused. Ha, who knew Connor would be a glutton for punishment? And when they finally came together, they were sensual and erotic together. I can say that I think I'll blush every time I see a cupcake now--just remembering that scene...YUM!

So, another phenomenal read in the fantastic Sweet series by Maya Banks. From start to finish, SWEET POSSESSION held me captivated. The engaging dialogue, amazing characters, endearing romance, and passionate sensuality all melded to make this book absolutely compelling and riveting.

[Sydney Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the characters especially Connor.
He is quite different from the others (from the first 4 books of sweet) , he had different taste for S**.
which is somehow good.
Aside from that, I somehow love how the story runs from the start up to the half especially when
Lyric is bitching him out. Together with Connor's friends and family. They totally rock.
They really love to see Connor falls utterly inlove with Lyric.
What I don't like the book is the part where the progress of their love story is to..
to hard to read? well, it is obvious for Connor's part that he really does care for Lyric.
It's quite confusing on lyric's part. I don't know if she really did have strong feelings of love towards Connor or it is just the attraction itself. It only made sense to me when Connor told Lyric so.

He was like “Talk to me,” he pleaded. “I’m begging you not to walk away from this. I think you feel something for me too. Am I wrong? Did I get you all wrong?”

I was like "oh~ so she really does have feelings for him."

That was nice of Connor. But I admitted that Lyric's past was really a torture.
Like on the part where she visited her mother.
“I’m making you a promise, Mama. As soon as I settle somewhere and have a home, I’ll make sure you’re moved. There’s nothing for you and me here. You should be somewhere happier. I’ll make sure you have a respectable headstone that celebrates the mother you were and that you died trying to protect me from a monster.”
Tears slid down her cheeks and made a pattern in the dust surrounding the grave. Her sobs caught painfully in her chest and her throat swelled with unbearable grief.
“I’ll bring you flowers. Violets and maybe some purple irises. I know it’s been a long time since we spoke. I spent so many years angry at you for leaving me. I was wrong. So terribly wrong. I wanted you to know that I did it. I became a singer. Just like you always wanted. I got to choose my new name when everything changed after the trial. I chose Lyric for you. As a promise that I’d fulfill your dream for me. I hope you’re proud of me. I haven’t done a lot to make you proud but I’m going to change that. You deserve more from the daughter you died protecting.”

I cried on that part. Family issues always makes me cry.

The good thing she has Connor and very lovely and Bad Influence friends :P

[C Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad I didn't let my previous disappointment hinder me from reading this next installment in Maya Banks's Sweet series.

What I'm happy about is it started out as something promising since I mentioned before that Connor is the most vanilla of the men in here. It's such a breather from the dark and kinky sex. I noticed that Ms Banks alternated the vanilla and kinky in her novels, because I remember not really liking Damon and Serena's story that much.

This was really fun because there wasn't the usual initial attraction or lust at first sight. Lyric and Connor loathed each other on sight and it was how they expressed this animosity that they attracted each other. It was Lyric's sass, and it was Connor's commanding presence that did it for both of them. I liked how their story progressed and as usual, I adored the girls especially when they get together. My favorite part was where they skinny dipped in the pool in broad daylight and just had the time of their lives, without worrying about their men. I'm also fond of Sam, the mother hen who's unexpectedly protective of "his girls".

Lyric has a troubled past and during their most tender moments, she divulged her history to Connor, and he accepted without judgment. I really like him a lot, he's probably my favorite, but Nathan was fun too. Connor was really a good influence on her in terms of seeing her as the wonderful person she is, not the spoiled pop diva. Ditching her a-hole manager and firing her fuck buddies, she decided to be serious with her career looking for a new sound and beefing up her security.

I enjoyed their lovemaking, it was pleasurable for them both and emotional. Connor gave it his all and waited patiently for Lyric to confide in him, he's really a gentleman. There were minor conflicts when it comes to danger, just that the climax was really time to perfection. I also appreciated it that this time, the focus of oral attention wasn't entirely on the hero.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be the first to admit I wasn't too keen on the singer story line at all. It was an overdone concept really. But, and yes there is a BUT! I was rendered laughing my ass off, crying, and heart pounding shock from this book. I don't care how many people griped that it was too vanilla...it was perfect. Connor was so damn hard headed and bad ass. I had an issue about the falling aspect with him. He was back and forth as was she, but somehow it all seemed to come together with copious amounts of giggles coming from me, the reader. I loved the girls, they seriously rocked this book. Connor and Lyric just gravitated to each other that made it more believable.

I have read quite a few reviews about this book, and it was flamed hard. I don't get it but I guess not their cup of tea. I found it refreshing and quite a break from the heavily hardcore sexed ones from the rest of the series. I know most react differently to a violent traumatic past, but Maya did a fabulous job with Lyrics inner turmoil. I just found it erotic and incredibly raw and without the bdsm aspects the other books consisted of heavily. Like I mentioned it was almost like a breather before the next course of books especially with the last book. Which was unbelievably hot, but shocking, very hardcore.

I've literally finished this entire series in less than week...I think it may even be like 4 maybe at most 5 days. I couldn't put them down. I definitely recommend this one to those who don't want the heavier BDSM aspects, but still have that hot factor that makes your blood burn. Absolutely recommend!

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the conclusion to the Sweet series and I loved it. It was nothing like the rest of the series in that it had no kink or BDSM at all in fact I wouldn't even class it as erotic but it did have some very sexy/steamy scenes in it.

I adored Connor, he was everything I hoped he would be which made the story all that much better. He was initially a bad ass with Lyric but soon saw past her bad girl facade and realised that she was a soft and decent person underneath. He was so understanding and helped her to clean up her life and take charge instead of surrounding herself with losers.

I loved that we got to see some more of the couples from the rest of the series and was really pleased that the girls took Lyric 'in' and made her feel part of the group and gave her a sense of real friends and family. The scenes where the girls got together and had real girlie time was fun and I loved how their men took loving care of them when they were drunk.

We got to meet Kane who became the head of Lyric's security detail. He seemed an interesting character and I wanted to know more about him, so was really pleased to read that there will be a spin off series featuring Kane and his team but it will be mainstream contemporary romance with a little bit of suspense here and there. There are no details at the moment of possible release dates as it is all still in the pipeline. This information was in MB's blog back in September 2011 so hopefully this series is a bit further on down the line by now.

[Mysti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where's the sex??

Lyric (pop star) has a "stalker" and her label seeks protection from Malone & Sons security. Connor Malone has no interest in babysitting a spoiled popstar, but he gets hard when he meets her for the first time. They start the most boring story out of all the books.

This book doesn't come close to living up to the first 4 books. You're over halfway through the book before they get to the sex part. It wouldn't be as big of a deal if the first 4 books hadn't been so dang hot. Plus, there is barely any sex at all. Like one or two quickies and it's mediocre at best. I wasn't impressed and was actually pretty bored.

One of my biggest complaints, besides the lack of sex, is the story is SOOOO anticlimactic. The stalker is such a letdown and she was never in any trouble at all, just a few mean notes and voicemails. No attacks or anything! I was like, seriously?! That's it?! The last book Angelina was kidnapped and shot by her stalker. This one is just like "oh yea it was this guy. he's gone now." There were two times when drama could have played out more to give it some excitement and it just never happened.

There's also more time with her hanging out with the girls from the other books than there is with her and Connor.

Because I liked the other books so much more, I couldn't give this one more than a 3 because it's not nearly the same quality.

[Sláinte Wanderlust · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall rating 4 out of 5
Cover & Title – 4 out of 5
Favorite Line - “Snack?” Lyric asked hopefully. “It's not carrots or celery sticks is it?”
Faith's eyes twinkled and her smile broadened. “No, I made cupcakes.”
Lyric decided she was really a lesbian and immediately plotted to steal Faith away from Gray.
Favorite Character – Lyric

This book was a awesome. It had allsorts of emotion & drama, it fulfilled my book needs in a big way. I loved Lyric & Conner, they were such a fantastic couple. The sparks between them were sizzling in a big way throughout the entire book. The sex scenes were delicious, especially the part when they indulged in some cupcake-kinkery. It gave me some wicked ideas :)

This was my first book by this author and I am certain that it will not be my last. I loved every page & I could not wait to find out what was going to happen next. I would definitely recommend this book.

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[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was just ok. What gave it the 4 star rating was the interaction between the girls. Those parts were downright hysterical. And then when you have all those girls together naturally their men come in. And you get Damon and Micah. Sigh.

The rest of the story was slow. Connor is so very vanilla just like he said. After reading Micah's book this just wasn't even close. Hopefully Banks will go back to writing like Micah and Damon with Cole's book coming out next.

And the "bad guy" part was just pathetic. I mean, really? That was the best you could come up with?

[Miki’s⚠️ Safety Reviews & Rants⚠️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌟Brief Summary:
🤩This one surprised me.
It was a rough start but I ended up really enjoying this one. I even found that I was a little emotional at the end.
Being that this is the only NON EXTREME kink book in this series it’s the only one I can read.

‼️Lyric is a troubled pop star. She has a “I don’t give a shit” attitude. But it’s only a way to protect herself from her traumatic past.

‼️Connor has been charged with babysitting Lyric for 2 weeks while she is in town for a concert. She has a stalker and her record label is really worried for her safety. He is NOT HAPPY 🤭

‼️They meet, they hate each other, sparks fly and neither can resist the attraction and pull between them even though neither one likes the other in the beginning.

❓Can Connor look past the bratty pop star to see the real Lyric? Can Lyric learn to trust someone enough to let Connor in her heart.

❣️Things I Liked/Loved❣️
‼️They can’t help themselves push pull

‼️Found Family

‼️Realistic Pop star- I find that most books make pop stars sheltered and practicaly virginal and super down to earth, just wants to sing and not the fame 🙄.
When in reality it’s the exact opposite so I was glad that this portrayed a more realistic character. Sex, lots of toxic unhealthy relationships, removed for reality but not stupid, a star who loves the stoplight and fame. 💯I liked that this was more realistic. I don’t need a virginal pop star when if this was a man he would be a whore.

‼️Stalker

‼️Lots of Dramatics 😂

🔥Lots of steamy sexy times🔥- I really liked these scenes. No they are not the crazy BDSM kink like the rest in the series but it was perfect for me and for what the h needed.

❤️‍🔥Lots of chemistry between h and H

‼️Skinny dipping party scene 🤭

‼️Fun antics but also surprisingly lots of heart to.

Things I Did 💔 Not Like
-There was a lot of previous character interaction but I found that I enjoyed some of their interactions with the H and h and I didn’t feel totally left out by not having read their books. ‼️But there is 2 chapters from diff characters and their relationship that I skipped cause I just didn’t care about them.

🥀 Hero:
Conner- the more “Tame” of their group he works for his dad’s security company.
He is kind of a dick to the h
He a bulldozer and won’t take her shit
He has a heart of gold

🦋 Heroine:
Lyric
She has a very traumatic past that keeps her emotionally closed off and she has weird quirks from it. She acts out and can’t trust anyone around her.
She has a soft heart and needs someone to really see her, someone to trust.

💭 POV:
3rd person multiple mostly told from h and H
I did the audio book which I preferred with this read.
The narrator did a great job and I felt enhanced the story.

🔥 Burn Rate:
Medium

😡/😍 Angst level:
Medium low

❤️‍🔥 Sexy times & Descriptive sex:
Yes yes yes 🔥🔥🔥🔥
The cupcake🧁scenes was super sweet 🤭
Lots of chemistry

🌓 Push/Pull:
Yes for about the first 50%
They both push away

☠️ OW/OM Drama:
OMD- she has 2 bodyguard lovers in the beginning and they don’t want to loose her.

No OWD

🤮 OW/OM Sex / Fluid or DNA Exchange:
None

🤬 Cheating:
None

👰🏼‍♀️ Virgins:
None
Both are VERY experienced 🥳🥳🥳
-He has had GF and hookups in the past no talks of anything recent
-She was hooking up w her bodyguards but it stopped as soon as she met the H.

⛈️Separation/ 3rd Act Breakup:
3rd act conflict but I wouldn’t say it was a break up. It last for 1 day.

Safety⚠️Triggers🗡️:
Child sexual abuse
Stalker
Watching a parents Murder
Defilement of a cupcake 🧁RIP

🌈Epilogue:
Not really but the last chapter is some tome in the next year

🥂HEA:
Yes!! I wish we had more but I felt solid about them

❌My opinion is just that… MY OPINION.
I know we all get passionate about our favorite reads and characters but we should respect each opinions a thoughts. ~Thank you

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Possession is the very first book I have ever read by Maya Banks. I know, I know, I’ve failed in the Maya Banks department! I really like this book because Maya Banks does such a nice job with the heroine, Lyric. Lyric is famous, wealthy, and surrounded by people she doesn’t trust in her life. When Connor becomes head of her security (a job he sooooo doesn’t want) there is immediate dislike between them. But as the reader, you realize that deep down Lyric isn’t really the bitchy, defensive woman she portrays, rather a very vulnerable, sad girl whose life has gotten out of control. With Conner’s help, and the help of his friends, she slowly learns the meaning of trust and family.

Like I said, this is the first I have read by Maya Banks, but if you are familiar with this series, the cast from the previous books play an important role in Lyric’s evolution. Connor and his friends are very overprotective alpha males. This book portrays a fantasy life for a romance reader. There is one scene in particular where the girls all meet in this big mansion with bodyguards and a butler. They have wine and do each other’s hair while the men I don’t know – roam around and do manly things. When they all pass out drunk the boys come back and take care of them. This is the life, right girls? Where is my ticket to this town? Where some might see this over the top, (and again I have not read the previous books where we are introduced to these supporting characters) I found this world to be warm, very sexy, and a very nice escape.

Lyric also has a stalker situation happening which I think is handled nicely in the book. It doesn’t overshadow Lyric’s quest to find peace in her life and love with Connor.

This is labeled as an erotic romance, and while there are plenty of romance scenes, it takes awhile to reach that point, and I almost want to say it feels like the focus of this book is more on their relationship, and Lyric getting to a good place in her life, than just sex. Lyric has a great struggle with intimacy and her ability to trust Connor in sexual physical situations plays an important role in this book.

Sweet Possession is a very sexy book and I am so glad I finally read Maya banks after all of the wonderful recommendations I have received.

Rating: B+

[Aղցela W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Connor and Lyric story. Sooo good. Lyric's wild antics and Connor's. Connor is the last of his friends to remain single. He has sat back and watched and laughed as every one of them has fallen like a rock for their wives. When he gets assigned to be Lyric Jones' bodyguard, he wants nothing to do with the rock star. It's dislike at first sight for them both, except for the huge spark between them. Lyric doesn't understand why she needs a bodyguard when she already has two of them. Her record company is insistent that there are threats being made against her, and they want to protect her. Once these two are stuck together, the sparks fly and they begin to see a little deeper into each other. I did like seeing everyone again, catching up on baby news, and seeing how the relationships have developed. Damon, my sexy barbarian, still turns me on. Micah is still super intense. Nathan still cracks me up trying to rope Julie in. It was fun seeing the girls all together, getting sloshed while Sam stands guard. And to see Micah wearing a baby Snuggie, too funny. I liked catching up with all the character's from the other books in this series.

[Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

That sounds pretty harsh, huh? It's not that I didn't like this book. It was romantic and sweet, with just a touch of... not action, but mystery, and a good dose of humor. It just didn't belong in the Sweet series in my opinion. It's not what I was expecting out of this particular series.

Connor fell a bit flat for me, maybe too vanilla? Lyric was an entertaining character, she portrayed a good pop-star diva. Her interactions with the girls were really funny. I loved when they all got drunk together and colored their hair blue. And when they got drunk and were in the pool naked!

We get to see a bit of every other couple's relationships, which was nice, and it felt a bit like an end to that group of characters.

The mystery part of it, at the end was anticlimactic. The other books had a bit better storyline as far as that goes.

I am looking forward to Cole's story, and maybe going back to The House will help bring this series back on track for me.

[Smut Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't want to sound terribly redundant, so I'll just refresh your memory....I LOVE THIS SERIES! I have to say that Lyric is a little annoying at first, but you just KNOW that there is a reason for her obnoxious behavior. I think it's a pretty damn good reason, so it's all forgiven. Connor is one of those guys that is in all the books, but his role is not really all that big, so it was great to get a story just about him. LOVE HIM. And I enjoyed his determination and patience in his pursuit of Lyrics heart. Excited and sad to start the newest release in this series....I pre-ordered it and got it on release day, but haven't read it yet because I wanted to re-read the entire series again first...excited because I LOOVE Cole....sad, because then I'll be done the series.....I might cry....

[Marielis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha encantado conocer esta serie Sweet, es una pena que no comenzara con el primer libro. Aunque no hubo problema alguno para disfrutar de Connor y Lyric, ya que cada libro cuenta su propia historia de amor. Me divertí mucho con el grupo de amigos y conocer sus historias será un placer. Aquí en Sweet Possession Connor Malone me enamoro; él y Lyric fueron una combinación perfecta. Un libro bien narrado y con la dosis justa de Romance Erótico.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up. This book started out a little rocky. Our first introduction to the heroine, Lyric, paints her in just about the worst light possible. She’s a spoiled, sexually promiscuous brat who has no problem making out with random guys in front of everyone she works with. The hero, Connor, judges her harshly at this first meeting and frankly I was right there with him. I came close to popping out the audiobook CD right then and there. I disliked Lyric that much.

But gradually as things progress, Maya Banks peels back the layers of Lyric’s personality and you start to understand why she behaves the way she does. She’s got some very harsh demons that she’s been running from for years. And her worst fear is the press finding out about her past and splashing it all over the headlines. So she’s never trusted anyone with her innermost secrets…until Connor.

I thought the whole thing was very well done. Maya Banks did a great job of showing Lyric’s character arc as she forced herself to face her demons, take control of her life, and learn to trust Connor. And the development of Connor and Lyric’s relationship was believable too. He was gentle and patient with her when he needed to be, but never even came close to beta territory. And their sexual chemistry was very good.

The threat of Lyric’s stalker was used effectively to keep tensions raised but I was a little disappointed by the resolution to it. Also the angst in the final climax was great but I thought it could have been resolved a little better by having Lyric go public with the truth and become a celebrity spokesperson drawing attention to the cause. That would have truly shown us how much Lyric had grown throughout the book. That she’d not only survived having her worst fear come true, but that she’d turned it around and owned it so that it became her greatest strength instead. We’re not given any real resolution on that front and are left with more of a “the people who are closest to her know the truth so that’s enough” kind of ending.

In term of the level of sexuality in this book, I think it falls kind of awkwardly in between categories. A lot of MB’s fans like her for her erotica stories and therefore expect a high degree of kinky sex. And since this book is one in a series where all the previous books fulfilled that requirement, they’ll be particularly expecting to see it here and they’ll be disappointed. All the sex is vanilla. There’s no bondage or toys or anything out of the ordinary. However, fans of more run-of-the-mill romance novels who are used to the standard 2 sex scenes told is soft, romanticized language may be put off as well. There are no “implied” sex scenes where the couple just wakes up in each other’s arms and we know the sex happened off page. Nope, every headboard-banging session is on display and described in minute detail. And while it’s not unnecessarily vulgar, the language is definitely blunter than you’ll find in a Harlequin Presents. So that could put some people off as well.

The audiobook narrator was quite good on this one. I especially liked the voice she used for Angelina.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First posted at http://yummymenandkickasschicks.com/?...

*Sigh* I love this series. It’s filled with characters you want to hang out with. And of course, it has Damon in it…even though this isn’t a book about Damon, he’s still in it and that’s enough for me. But enough about Damon *swoon*. Let’s get talking about Connor and Lyric.

Connor has appeared in every book in this series and yet has remained ‘the mystery character’ that whole time. What do we know? He is Faith’s brother and Pop’s son. He works as a security consultant for his dad’s firm. He is an ex-army dude. He’s clean cut and hard working. He thinks his friends are a little nuts because of all the kinky sex they take part in. That’s pretty much all we know. After reading Sweet Possession, the fifth book in Maya Banks’ Sweet series, we know that he is even more loyal than we thought, he is true to his word even if he wants to run away screaming and he is all heart. Oh, and he really isn’t into anything overtly kinky at all when it comes to sex. At all. He is a one woman guy…and that one woman is Lyric.

Lyric Jones is a pop-superstar. Her security entourage is…well they’re just dumb and Connor is asked to help out while she’s in Houston.

Let me just say that, while I understand that Connor and Pop’s firm were asked to help out with Lyric’s security as a favour, I don’t understand why they were approached in the first place. I mean, they are security consultants! Connor was in the army but he has no experience as a bodyguard! Why would someone entrust a mega-star’s welfare to people who have never done this sort of thing before?! It’s not a huge deal, but I did find myself scratching my head over that little tid-bit. Okay, now back to Lyric.

Lyric is your stereo-typical pop superstar. She gets into trouble, is always in the press and sees herself as the center of everyone’s universe. When she first meets Connor, she is really confused. You see, he won’t kiss her ass…and she finds that she likes this. Actually, she finds herself looking for his approval. This scares her…and who is to blame her. When you are used to people bending over backwards for you and you don’t give two craps what people think of you, it will unrattle you when you suddenly find yourself caring about the opinion of a practical stranger. Through the book though, you witness Lyric coming into herself and you learn of what she went through in her childhood. Let me tell you…whoa. I ended up really liking her and it was wonderful to see her blossom through the book.

Just a quick note, this is a series, but each book can stand alone. But, you will miss out on some super character development if you skip out on the other books…and these other characters are wonderful. From reading the other books in this ‘series’, you can’t help but fall for these people. Serena, Damon *swoon*, Faith, Grey, Micah, Angelina, Nathan and Julie. They are a group of close knit friends who are a hoot to read when they are all together. I especially love it when either just the guys hang out or just the ladies. There were two such instances in Sweet Possession where it’s just the gals. These scenes were among the funniest in the book. Why do they always have to involve booze?…I’m not really sure, but it did make the scenes that much funnier.

The blurb for this book and the way it’s set up in the first few chapters makes us believe that there is going to be a suspense sub-plot in this book. Well, even with the ‘hype’, there really wasn’t much of a suspense story. It was all kind of anti-clamactic. Therefore, go into this book expecting a nice romance story with some saucy bits, a yummy alpha hero and a pretty complex heroine. Don’t go into it expecting a suspenseful book. And another way this book is quite different from the other books in this series is the sex. It’s actually quite tame in comparison! There is no tying up, no whipping, no extra lube and butt plugs and no D/s play. It was actually kind of…nice. I enjoy reading that kind of stuff in the other books, but I’m glad Maya didn’t go there with Connor and Lyric. It just would have felt forced after what we know about these two.

Even though this book wasn’t as strong as some of the others in the series, I still really enjoyed it. While reading it, I found it was well, sweet. I enjoyed the characters and the romance was nice. I’m not going to hold the ‘suspense but not really a suspense’ thing against it and I’m rating it the way I’m rating it because I am sure that someday, I’ll be re-reading it again. This series is my “feel-good” series. The one I go to when I need a happy pick-me-up.

Up next is Cole’s book. We didn’t see him at all in this book (since he works at The House and Connor doesn’t ‘go there’) but I for one didn’t forget about him. His character is even more mysterious than Connor and I can’t wait to read all about him! His book, Sweet Addiction, is due to hit stores April 2012.

[Malinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This was a very good story. I liked Lyric and Connor (although I wanted to kick Connor in the balls at first) and their story was quite enjoyable.

Lyric is a very talented singer and has made it big as a pop star. Lyric had a really messed up childhood and it has made her afraid to be alone while also making sure that she didn't trust anyone around her. Lyric has let other people run her life, especially her jerk of a manager, but recently she's felt the need to change her life (like the type of music she records). Lyric puts up a show of confidence and attitude to mask the vulnerability that's just below the surface.

Connor is ex-Military and now works for a security company owned by his father. Connor has seen his sister and friends all get into relationships but hasn't been anxious to follow down the same path. The security company normally doesn't do bodyguard work so Connor is very surprised (and rather pissed) when his father asks him to take a "babysitting" job for a spoiled pop star.

Lyric is just finishing up her tour before going to Texas for a couple weeks for some appearances and a rodeo show while she's resting up. Her security is pretty much non-existent and her record label is insisting that she needs more security on her. They're working to hiring a team but in the meantime, Connor has been asked to keep her safe during her "break" while they work on getting a more permanent solution in place. Unfortunately, Connor automatically judges Lyric based on the tabloid stories and his first impression of her so he's not happy to be "babysitting" her and makes his displeasure clear to Lyric.

Connor and Lyric don't get along at first but they make a truce to work together, especially once they both find out that Lyric has had a stalker getting to close to her and the record company didn't bother to tell her. Once they start working together, Connor starts to see that Lyric is actually a pretty good person that uses her attitude as a mask. He sees her vulnerability and sweetness and has a harder and harder time trying to keep their relationship professional and his resistance doesn't last very long. Their relationship grows as they spend more time together and learn more about each other. They have some difficulties to get past but once they do, Connor and Lyric end the story starting a very nice HEA together.

This was a very enjoyable story. I liked Lyric...she wasn't very likable when we're first introduced to her but that quickly changed for me and I started liking her more and more as I read. Connor...well, in first part of the story I wanted to kick him in the balls because he wasn't treating Lyric very nice or fairly but once he got past that he was a pretty good hero. Overall, I liked the story very much and would recommend it. :)

* note - I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator did a very good job. I will say that even though I had the playback speed for 1.0x (the normal playback speed) the narration seemed a little fast. I changed the speed to 0.90x and it was much better.

[*Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet Possession
by Maya Banks
#5 Sweet
Audio narrated by Caroline Winter
3-1/2*

Connor Malone is hired to serve as a temporary bodyguard to pop star, Lyric Jones. Lyric has a reputation for being a wild child so the two bump heads immediately because Connor is all business and wants her to take her safety seriously. They are forced by circumstances to be glued to each other 24/7 until the danger of a possible stalker passes so Connor is given the opportunity to see Lyric's true personality, which is nothing like what you find in the tabloids. They fall in love and Lyric is welcomed into the fold of Connor's closest friends and their spouses.

Although this was an enjoyable read, there were two things that came up that I see on occasion and can be a little irksome. The first is when the bodyguard immediately lusts after or falls for his client when he really should be focusing on their safety. That was covered in the story so it wasn't too troublesome for me in this case, as Lyric was well protected by a team of security personnel and wasn't strictly reliant on her personal bodyguard.

The second thing was there was kind of a big deal made about Lyric fluctuating between being a size 12 and 14 and that Connor still thought she was tiny and stressed to her all the time that she was perfect. That was sweet and at first her self-consciousness about not being smaller was due to her business manager harping on her weight because he thought her fans didn't want to see someone who didn't have a "perfect" body. My problem was that they focused A LOT on the amount of food she ate. In other books I've read, where often the character's looks and figure fits into the desirable cultural ideal, I don't think I've seen so much focus on the specific eating habits of a character when they are a little bit of a thing. Focusing on a bigger character's "healthy appetite" defeats the purpose of showing them being a desirable person as they are. Instead, the focus seems to be that they are desirable to the object of their affection despite the fact of their eating habits. It wasn't handled in an insulting way in this book, but is just a minor irritation to me when I see it come up in books. To compare it to real life, I have a friend who was once told that she "looks good for having five kids". I saw the compliment in what she was told, but her feelings were a little hurt because she wasn't just told "she looked good" in and of itself, but that there was an "in spite of" thrown in there. That made me look at compliments like that in a different light, so now it's a weird quirk of mine to be sensitive to it.

[Book Binge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connor is the last of his friends to remain single. He has sat back and watched and laughed as every one of them has fallen like a rock for their wives. When he gets assigned to be Lyric Jones' bodyguard, he wants nothing to do with the rock star. It's dislike at first sight for them both, except for the huge spark between them.

Lyric doesn't understand why she needs a bodyguard when she already has two of them. Her record company is insistent that there are threats being made against her, and they want to protect her.

Once these two are stuck together, the sparks fly and they begin to see a little deeper into each other.

Oh, how I loved this book. This book brings all the friends together from the previous "Sweet" books. I love the camaraderie and that the girls all immediately accept Lyric into their group, and that the guys all tease each other like crazy, and that each of the women has every one of those guys by the balls. And that they all know it. It's very reminiscent of the families and close friends that Lauren Dane weaves through her stories as well, and I loved it. Think Brown family with more saucy and irreverence.

As for Connor and Lyric, what a wonderful, sweet love story. And holy cow. I think Connor is my favorite hero of the year. Tender and gentle, but still possessive and alpha through and through. *swoons* I loved how he took care of Lyric and understood her and was willing to wait for her to come to terms with her past.

"I'm the man who loves you more than anyone else will ever love you. I'm the man who wants to be with you and will do everything I can to keep you from every being hurt again."

"I want inside you, Lyric," he whispered. "I love your mouth, but I want you in my arms, your body wrapped around mine while I dive so deep that we lose ourselves in each other." *sniffle*"

I'm not sure if the rest of the security team will get their own stories, but I sure hope that Banks is writing Kane's story. How awesome was he!

I was totally in my happy place. A growly, hot hero and lots of tender sex, plus hilarious hijinks with girlfriends.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Lori.

[Willow Brook · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable Bodyguard type story where a pop diva is being threatened and needs extra protection, Lyric and Connor instantly dislike each other yet just as instantly fall in lust. She decides he is a judgmental stick in the mud jackass and he thinks she is an out of control, spoiled star who expects to be catered to. They're both right to a certain extent, but of course both missing so much more that each person is. I found the love story convincing and Lyric's music world lifestyle interesting, though the resolution to the suspense/stalker plot to be curiously simple and wondered why they didn't solve it by 25% into the book.

Lyric has HUGE childhood issues that haunt her and drive a good deal of her seemingly diva behaviors. At the end when Connor tells her she need to see someone to become "healed" the therapist in me thought "lots of luck with that, fella.". Not that Lyric can't heal and have a happy life but what she went through isn't something that ever gets fully resolved, I'm afraid. Otherwise, I thought Banks did a great job realistically showing the trauma and it's lasting effects on Lyric.

I've really been liking Banks' mainstream books this year, first the KGI series and now Sweet Possession which has no kink, just very hot sex. I know this author is loved for her ménage and BDSM books, but some of those were just too much for me. I, for one, am very happy with this Vanilla trend. :)

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is worth reading, but it wasn’t my favorite Sweet book. I loved that we get to see Lyric interact with the girls, and bring their mischievousness to a whole new level. I loved that we get to see them all settling and becoming more comfortable with their own HEA’s, because let’s face it – the end of each book is really only the beginning of something (hopefully) wonderful, and with each additional book you get to see that is the case. But what didn’t do it for me? Lyric and Connor. I knew going in that he was more “vanilla” than any other male in the series, and I didn’t really understand why all the men teased him about him falling harder than the rest, because I always felt he was the only one looking for that someone special. Lyric’s supposed to be badass, and I felt while she came across that way professionally and personally, she certainly didn’t sexually. I had hoped she might rub off on him, like Julie did with Nathan. While Nathan too is more vanilla, he’s totally bad ass, so him wanting some one-on-one seemed fitting but there was some definite heat. I mean, I get why she chose to make them sweeter (ha) but it just didn’t work for me. I can’t wait for Cole’s book!

[Taryn Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

What a great book! I'm a little hit or miss when it comes to Maya Banks books. I tend to stay on the sweeter side of her backlist. I'm not so much into the D/s lifestyle. This one was pure erotic romance with a bit of suspense.

I gotta say the Bodyguard trope is a fave of mine and this one delivered.
I like that Lyric wasn't interested in playing the you-can't-tell-me-what-to-do-so-i'm-going-to-do-epically-stupid-things-because-i-can. So it was a nice change in that regard.

I really enjoyed Lyric and Connors growth and the way they slowly came to understand each other. Lyric came with a boatload of baggage and Connor's patience and solid relationship with his family made for a wonderful background to bring Lyric around from a spoiled Diva to a happy and secure woman.

A VERY good story.

Not quite 5 stars because I think the suspense part of the story fell flat. I loved the characters too much to quibble about it much tho. ;)