Sweet Possession [Paperback]

I've been looking forward to Connor's story for a long time. Maybe that's why I feel a little let down. I wanted to love his story. I love Maya Banks and this whole Sweet series. I have every book on my keeper shelf. And I will put this one there as well, with the whole series, but it will not be one I reach to re-read again.

This story is more sweet and just a little sexy, not scorching hot like the other ones in the series. And if you've read Damon and Micah, you know exactly what I mean. And even Nathan. Personally, I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between Connor and Lyric. Connor is more vanilla, and not that there's anything wrong with that. But as compared to the others in the series, the story just didn't grab me or excite me. Even if he's not going to be into the things his friends are, I still needed him to be sexier, hotter, the way I know MB can write a hero. I wasn't expecting Connor to be over the top like the previous heroes, but I did expect his story to be exciting and sexy.

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. It was nice catching up with what feels like old friends.

Other than for seeing the previous characters again, I didn't love this story. It just didn't do a lot for me, and this might get me killed by other MB fans. While I loved the rest of the series, with Sweet Persuasion being one of my all-time favorite books, I don't feel I could hound someone to read Sweet Possession. I don't feel as if I would have missed anything by not having read the story. I was expecting, hoping for more in Connor's story.

This is my favorite book of Maya Banks' Sweet series. I have to confess that after the last book (Sweet Temptation) I had decided that I wasn't going to read any more in this series. Angelina and Micah's relationship was waaaaay too kinky for me. She could've written enough pages to rival War & Peace, MB was not going to convince me that a man who set up his girlfriend in a gangbang with his friends was someone he cared about. But I took a chance and I read Sweet Possession because I read the first 3 chapters via google books preview and I liked what I read.

Now I'm happy I read this book. She brought the kink factor down a bit...make that a lot, and we got a truly sweet love story with characters who are now my favorite couple of the series...even above Julie and Nathan...gasp.

Faith and Gray (Sweet Surrender) were just okay for me. And while I love Damon (Sweet Persuasion), his character didn't seem to be that good of a lover (Serena was always made to get herself off). I loved Julie and Nathan (Sweet Seduction), but I wished Julie hadn't slept with Micah as I didn't see it as necessary and it wasn't something that Nathan was ever comfortable with, and as I mentioned before, Micah getting his buddies to run a train on Angelina isn't my idea of romance.

But ohhh, do I love Connor and Lyric's story in this -Sweet Possession- book

I should've prefaced everything by saying that for those of you looking for erotica and kink will be disappointed. I thought that based on Lyric's description in the previews that there would be a lot of threeways and bedswapping. There weren't. And given Connor's personality, I shouldn't have expected any. But Connor and Nathan are very much alike, and Nathan was made to deal with threeways and a fair amount of kink so I hadn't put it past MB to get Connor into a similar situation. She didn't, and I'm actually happy with that.

For those looking for a sweet (but not saccharin) honest to goodness love story with lots of laughs and an update on the other characters, you will not be disappointed.

At this point, I'm not even interested in Cole's story any more, I want to get more of Kane (who was introduced in this book as Lyric's very sexy but very bada$$ head of security). There is definitely a very hot, steamy story lurking in him. I actually liked Micah again after reading this book. Julie was a laugh a minute. If these characters were real, I'd actually feel sorry for Nathan.

This book was endearing and well-written with lively dialogue and interplay, and was laugh out loud hilarious at points (though I'm not sure how funny a lot of the jokes would be without reading the previous books in the series). In any case, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a romantic read.

Former Marine Phillip Armstrong is at the end of his rope when the antics of his top pop star Lyric Jones led to the firing or quitting of her security staff. The record executive calls in the marine motto of never leave a comrade behind when he asks his brother in arms Pop Malone to provide personal protection to Lyric while she is on "vacation" in Houston. Pop informs his stunned son Connor he will take care of the music diva. While his sister Faith smirks, Connor objects pointing out that they install security systems not provide bodyguards.

Malone and Jones detest each other at first sight and state so to one another, but he loathes her nasty manager Paul much more. However, under their veneer of disgust is also a desire neither wants to admit as he is hard from her first scornful remark and she is upset with his obvious disappointment when he gazed past her glitzy veneer into who she truly is. Neither wants a second engagement, but the two marines pressure both. At the Cattleman's, she kisses him, leaving both shocked with need. As they fall in love, a betrayal to the media exposing her past leaves Lyric distrusting Connor.

The latest "Sweet" heated romance (see Sweet Temptation and Sweet Seduction) is a wonderful contemporary starring a caring male and a flawed female whose childhood leaves her unable to ever be alone. The story line is a commonly used theme, but the lead couple and the support cast including the villain make for a fresh brisk tale; as Maya Banks insists that a powerful mental healer is sharing love.

Harriet Klausner