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Songbird

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The voice of an angel, a husband who loved her-she had it all...until a tragedy took it away. A Linger story. They called her their Songbird, but she was never theirs. Not in the way she wanted. The Donovan brothers meant everything to Emily, but rejected by Greer and Taggert, she turned to Sean, the youngest. He married her for love, and she loved him, but she also loved his older brothers. Her singing launched her to stardom. She had it all. The voice of an angel, a husband who loved her, and the adoration of millions. Until a tragedy took it all away. Taggert and Greer grieve for their younger brother, but they're also grieving the loss of Emmy, their songbird. They take her back to Montana, determined to help her heal and show her once and for all they want her. They're also on a mission to help her find her voice again. Under the protective shield of their love, she begins to blossom... until an old threat resurfaces. Now the Donovans face a fight for what they once threw away. Only by winning it-and her love-will their songbird fly again. Warning: Explicit sex, mnage a trois, multiple partners, a committed polyamorous relationship, adult language, and sweet loving.

140 pages, ebook

First published August 15, 2009

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1602 people want to read

About the author

Maya Banks

242 books21.5k followers
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.

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5 stars
1,141 (29%)
4 stars
1,165 (30%)
3 stars
1,072 (27%)
2 stars
326 (8%)
1 star
126 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
Profile Image for Holly.
304 reviews104 followers
October 13, 2009
*If you're planning to read this book you had best get used to all the flying bird references now. So I'll do my best to break you in ;)*

Growing up in Montana with a strict conservative father was difficult for Emmy, especially when all she wanted to do was spread her wings and sing her heart out. Emmy used to escape to the Donovan Mountain Pass Ranch whenever she was able to sneak past her disapproving father and within the protective bubble of the Donovan brothers, Emmy nurtured her childlike adoration into a woman's love for Taggert, Greer and Sean. Once her ticket to singing stardom was assured, Emmy hoped to fulfill all her childhood dreams by going to her home away from home and asking the brothers to love her, as she's always loved them. Unfortunately, her dream is not only left unfulfilled, they are shattered by Taggert and Greer's shocked and cutting rejection of her. She runs away, only to be met by Sean who agrees to leave with her, and the two of them indulge in a wonderful yet shortlived romance. For someone is disgusted by Emmy and her dreams of loving three brothers. And when that disgust ends in the murder of Sean, this songbird cages herself away for a year, slowly losing the will to live. It's only when Taggert and Greer come for her that she emerges from her self imposed isolation and dares to dream again.

Taggert and Greer can never forgive themselves for rejecting Emmy when she came to them, nor will they forget that only Sean had the courage to admit that he always loved Emmy. And when that courage ended in his death, they will never be able to forgive that they left their youngest brother to die in what should have been their place. So a year after Sean's death, they come for Emmy, determined to bring her home. They coax their wounded songbird back to life, urging her to live, to laugh and to love once more. Once unnerved by their joined passion for Emmy, Taggert and Greer learn to revel in it instead. And it's this very passion that once again brings out someone angered by their love. Determined to bring this songbird plummeting to earth, someone close reveals themself as a killer, and it's only with the love of all three brothers that Emmy finds her wings again and and learns to soar higher than she's ever gone.

Songbird opens up right after the death of Sean and our first look at our heroine is pretty depressing. She's pretty much a closed off emotional wreck and a year after her husband's death she's still hiding. But instead of rolling my eyes and making hurry-up-get-over-it motions (as I've been known to heartlessly do) I was too busy wiping tears away. Maya Banks has created a sad, wounded little bird in Emmy Donovan and she ruthlessly tugs on the heartstrings. This one is going to hurt a bit. If you've ever suffered a devastating loss before this book will definitely strike a chord within you.

As far as the menage went, I liked how the brothers were uncertain of how the relationship was supposed to work. These were men who never dreamed they would one day find themselves naked together and loving the same woman. But since fumbling men doesn't make for a very erotic romance, once we get our heroes and heroine naked in bed, they all move together like clockwork.

At times Emmy was a little doll-like. I would have liked to have seen a little bit more personality from her, but at the end when confronted by the person who tried to destroy her life, she let out a few choice comments that definitely had me cheering. So all in all this was a nice little story and I'm glad I read it. There's nothing particularly earth shattering about this book, but if you're looking for something sweet, sexy and a little emotional, then Songbird by Maya Banks definitely delivers. 4 stars.
Profile Image for Cheesecake.
2,800 reviews509 followers
dnf
August 9, 2020
.
DNF at 58%
life is too short and this one's just too lifeless.
Mary Sue h who lost her husband when he defended her against a psycho who was never caught. (Gee, I wonder if the psycho will attack again before the book ends... )
Her husband was the youngest of 3 brothers. She loves them all, but the older 2 turned her down 4 years ago. So she married Sean and moved away to pursue a career singing.
She's lost her muse since she lost Sean. (Gee I wonder if she will be singing again by the end of the book...)
Taggart and Greer go find Emily a year after Sean's death and bring her back to the ranch. Once she and the 2 older brothers start getting it on, the rest of the story becomes filler. Actually the sex felt like filler too.
I thought T&G did a good job apologizing for pushing her away years ago.
One of those, it was for yer own good, excuses.
Safety is unknown.
Profile Image for books are life .
Author 56 books1,852 followers
April 24, 2014
I'm gonna start by saying that this will be the 11th maya banks book I've read and I have loved the other 10 but this was just awful I hated the characters I hated the story lines even the smut was rubbish is this someone posing as Maya cus it's just absolute dross sorry
Profile Image for Erotic Horizon.
1,738 reviews
September 11, 2009
3.75 Stars

The Donovan brothers have come into the city for one thing and one thing only - to get Emily their songbird.

Emily is hiding from not only the here and now but also from her dead husband’s brothers. After making some harsh choices years earlier she is now feel guilty and like she has nothing let – Taggert and Greer have found her to prove her wrong.

The brother are torn about a decision they made years ago and know they have to make it right and do it now. With Emily care and well being uppermost in their mind they throw caution to the wind and let her know all the things they wanted to tell her but never had the guts to do so.

Something had to give with Emily and hearing those words from Taggert and Greer is a defining moment – but is it one that any of these three can survive because something sinister is lying await just for the day that Emily comes back – and she is definitely back.

When I read Ms. Banks - COLTER’S WOMAN a few years ago I fell in love with her writing style as well as her gift for putting relationships together that seem not to have a ghost of a chance of survival…

I have been having a love hate thing happening with me and her last set of books and SONGBIRD fall in the not “doing it for me” category. There was no way I was not going to read it though because, come on - it a Maya Banks – I had to read it…

The story was mostly centred on the emotional journey of Emily and the brothers pulling up their sock to realise that they had to do something about the gap in their life that only Emily can fill. I am not liking Emily alot – she was just too broken for my taste – That sound horrible, but I couldn’t sympathise with her after a while and only got interest in her when the smut started happening.

The men were typical Banks men – Alpha and know it all and yet knew nothing, but I likes them and their moments of bravado was not bad.

Fan of Ms. Banks work you have to read – new readers you’ll like her style and be out hunting for more from this author.
Profile Image for Victoria.
1,188 reviews94 followers
May 3, 2015
3.0 RATING- An okay menage. Definitely not great. Kind of cheesy but a quick read and one I've been meaning to check out for a while. This isn't one I'd recommend. There's just too many better ones out there. Borrowed thru SCRIBD but the formatting was off which made it difficult to read.
Profile Image for Janna.
580 reviews32 followers
November 29, 2009
I’ve read a few books by Maya Banks before and I liked them most of the times. The first ménage romance I read was her Colters’ Woman, I think. That was a hot read that I enjoyed quite a bit. Songbird is another one of her ménage stories. Again it involves some hot ranching brothers. Originally there were three siblings, like in Colters’ Woman, but in this story one of them died an early and violent death. He was the one who was married to the heroine, Emmy. She loves all three of the brothers but the older two rejected her a few years back. Now with their younger brother dead, those brothers came to take Emmy back home and help her get over her grief. So far, the ingredients are promising. And the first third of the story was promising too. The characters were introduced, their feelings explained and their relationship was gradually developing into something beautiful. Emmy’s grief was heart-wrenching and the brothers were adorable in their behavior and insecurities.

However, the first thing that bugged me a little bit and took my out of the story was a description of Greer’s appearance. If it was done somewhere at the start of the story, it would’ve been okay, but now it came at a moment that I’d already made my own mental picture of the guys. Suddenly he’s described as bulky and the shorter one of the brothers and that so didn’t match my image of the guy!

Well, this is just a minor thing, but a bigger problem for me was the sudden appearance of a kidnapper (can’t say much about that without spoiling it). Let’s just say, that turn in the plot came out of the blue for me. Maybe I’m not enough of a perceptive reader and should have seen it coming. But I didn’t and to be honest I don’t think the story needed this kind of suspense. I reckoned it all a bit too unbelievable! Besides, it reminded me very much of what happened at the end of Colters’ Woman… In my opinion it smelled of sensationalism, just added to jerk some more tears. And truthfully, the story didn’t need that plot turn to be a tearjerker. Like I said, Emmy’s grief was heart-wrenching enough. That part was imo written beautifully.

Another thing I liked was how the brothers were insecure about how to make this polyamorous relationship work, unlike the heroes of Colters’ Woman, who were all resolute about sharing one woman for the rest of their lives. Nope, not Taggert and Greer! Initially they turned Emmy down and even now they’d come to terms with it, they don’t really know how to act. That made them loveable for me. Of course things in the bedroom go smoothly from the first moment, but that’s how things (should?) go in romances! Right?

To conclude, reading Songbird wasn’t a waste of time, it has it’s good moments but it’s not one of my favorite ménage romances.
Profile Image for K.C..
Author 20 books254 followers
June 23, 2015
It was ok but got repetitive.

I made a mistake.
I love you.
Nervous break down.
Sex.
I love you.
I made a mistake.
I love you.
Sex
I love you.
Mistake.
Sex.
Breakdown.
Never leave me.
I'm yours.
Sex.

Just add a spattering of bird and flying references and that's the book.
Profile Image for Audrey.
262 reviews
October 14, 2014
I'm not a fan of this ménage, especially considering it included brothers. Not my thing. Once this got to the ménage part I quickly skimmed to finish it up.
Profile Image for Tamika.
337 reviews
Read
April 16, 2015
It was mostly a very melancholic and erotic story. I feel it lacked substance, though it did touch base on realistic reactions from society on such a controversial relationship.
394 reviews39 followers
June 15, 2025
I liked this one overall. I thought the mourning and grief parts were given enough weight to make it clear the heroine had loved her dead husband very much, while also still loving the two heroes of this story. The relationship between the three main characters was believable enough, and the big scary thing in their past was mentioned enough throughout the story that it was no surprise when it came back again for the climax. Overall it’s a solid romance/erotica.

Profile Image for Dre.
1,366 reviews54 followers
December 28, 2014
I liked the story, but I was a little confused because I don't see how after losing her husband and locking herself in her apartment for a year and being pretty much numb and not really living just going through the motions, Emily could go back home with her ex-husband's brothers, and suddenly after two days she's ok and having sex with them?! I know she's always loved them all, but just a little odd to me.
Profile Image for Christine Jalili.
2,187 reviews44 followers
September 21, 2020
Loved it.

I’ve read this book twice. This author is one of my favorites. Loved the connection between Emily ( Emmy) and the Donovan brothers. She loved all 3 of them. There’s some heartbreak. Will she get over Sean’s death? Will Taggert and Greer show her that they love her? I cried as something happens to her, will her men find her? Loved their happy ever after. I highly .
Profile Image for Aimee.
761 reviews62 followers
February 8, 2011
Maya Banks just has a way with crafting a great story. I just loved this. It encompassed every emotion while not making it seem fake or stretched or too fast. I wanted to cry through most of this, and while most of the time I hate that, but this was just so heartfelt that I had to keep reading. I wanted to see Emily get her happily ever after and to be able to live again. Wonderful story.
Profile Image for Sarah.
2,130 reviews30 followers
December 28, 2019
Loved this story. It has such heartbreak. In start u have a broken women slowly killing herself after the death of her husband, which she feels is her fault. When her two brothers in law find her and come n get her the story really starts to hear up. With emotions and passion flying everywhere this is a lovely sexy book with the best HEA. If u like maya banks u must get this story n read it.
Profile Image for Wild_irish_rose.
494 reviews9 followers
September 27, 2017
This is one of my favorite menage stories. The heroes, Tagg and Greer, are awesome and Emily had so much pain to work through. It was touching to watch them deal with the challenges in their life.
Profile Image for Shh I'm reading!.
649 reviews32 followers
May 15, 2015
I'm normally fine with menage, but this didn't sit well with me. Everything about their relationship moved so fast for someone mired in grief.
Profile Image for Debra.
3,463 reviews13 followers
March 17, 2019
Songbird

This is a very steamy read. A M/F/M romance. They were always there for her. The three brothers protected her in her childhood. But when the oldest to rejected her living them the youngest left with her. She became a popular singer. But one night it was taken away from her when he was stabbed to death. And after finding out the depth of depression the older brothers bring her back home. When they see what she was going through they decide that they are going to love her together. This begins a new life for the three of them. But what happens when the person who murdered the younger brother is still out there? Will they get their happy ending?
Profile Image for Nicoline.
406 reviews
June 19, 2024
This just felt trashy and cheap - like it's about two brothers sharing their dead brothers widow? And she's in mourning and grieving her husbands death, but then the second the other two brothers apologize for pushing her away years ago, she spreads her legs for them, telling them how must she has always loved them and poof she's suddenly not in mourning anymore and is the happiest she has ever been?

No thanks, not for me
Profile Image for Angela.
357 reviews
August 5, 2021
Suspense & Love

This book shook me in a good way...so sad but so good!!! Love conquers all!!! The characters were perfect and the relationship Emmy had with the 3 Brothers was intense and very hot at the same time!!! Heavy sexual content but done in a very respectful way. Absolutely loved this book!!!
26 reviews
April 10, 2018
Really brothers?

I was ok with the beginning thinking they were going to have someone choose but the tag team is disgusting and they are brothers sharing their brothers widow... some lines shouldn’t be crossed so disappointed I stopped reading before I even got half way
Profile Image for Nicole.
669 reviews
November 11, 2019
This is an emotional story. I was starting to wonder if Emily would ever start living her life and being happy. Greer and Taggert are gentle, but from with her, trying to coax her into living again.
It's not one of my favorites by Maya Banks, but still a good story.
Profile Image for Theresa.
1,036 reviews2 followers
January 5, 2020
This is a quick simple read. It feels like the only purpose is to lead to a threesome. Most of the story takes place before the book so there is little connection. It talks about singing but almost nothing in book has to do with music.
Profile Image for Janet McCullen.
5 reviews1 follower
January 15, 2024
I like the idea of the book more than the actual book. I feel it left out time or skipped ahead without full building of the characters. It felt a bit rushed. Overall not a bad read but I wouldn't read it again.
Profile Image for Maya.
1,758 reviews
September 3, 2018
I cried! This one tugged at the heartstrings. To see and feel the struggle...it was heart warming. Loved every page. Couldn't out it down.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews

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