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KGI #9
When Day Breaks
THE ALL-NEW KGI NOVEL BY NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELING AUTHOR AUTHOR MAYA BANKS
The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business. Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background. Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t…
Eden is said to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her face has graced countless magazines and her body has sold millions of dollars of clothing. But her fame and beauty has earned her more than she ever imagined. Evil is stalking her, determined to extinguish the ethereal beauty forever.
Swanson or “Swanny” as his teammates call him is always up for the next mission. He came back from Afghanistan wounded and scarred. Hardly the kind of man who even belongs in the same room with Eden. And yet there’s something about the quiet beauty that stirs his blood and makes him dream of the impossible. Because Beauty loving the Beast only happens in fairy tales and KGI doesn’t deal in fairy tales. Ever.
The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business. Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background. Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t…
Eden is said to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her face has graced countless magazines and her body has sold millions of dollars of clothing. But her fame and beauty has earned her more than she ever imagined. Evil is stalking her, determined to extinguish the ethereal beauty forever.
Swanson or “Swanny” as his teammates call him is always up for the next mission. He came back from Afghanistan wounded and scarred. Hardly the kind of man who even belongs in the same room with Eden. And yet there’s something about the quiet beauty that stirs his blood and makes him dream of the impossible. Because Beauty loving the Beast only happens in fairy tales and KGI doesn’t deal in fairy tales. Ever.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2014
446 people are currently reading
5229 people want to read
About the author
Maya Banks
216 books21.5k followersMaya 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 772 reviews
August 26, 2018
I think I am officially done with Maya Banks. This one started out well but for me at least it went downhill pretty rapidly. First I am sick to death of authors telling me that one scar down a man's face makes him "a beast." If you want me to get behind thinking a guy is scared no one will love him if he's scarred you should at least make him look like Sandor Clegane from Game of Thrones. That guy might have a legitimate worry that people will judge him on his appearance.
Okay I was pretty happy that here was a stoic guy, a guy who stays in the back ground and is not a talker and is terse when he does speak. But he's sure of himself and competent and capable in his job. I love to read about a hero like that. I like to see them melt for a heroine who brings them out of their shell. I just wanted that bit of plot to take longer than 3 pages. He meets her and basically has diarrhea of the mouth. He's all about loving her and kissing her on the plane the next day and he's all overcome with how this beautiful girl is coming on to him and he is so nervous and shit around her. Way to cut him off at the knees MB.
And let's talk about how the heroine meets him and is immediately all over him she wants to sleep with him and fix him and tell him his scars don't bother her and jeez right in front of his whole team she sets it up so that they share a hotel suite. The next day, people! There's inst love and then there's just ridiculously unbelievable.
And everybody is all "I know getting involved with the person you're protecting is bad for your attention to your job but it's expected of the entire Kelly family and everyone who works for them so go for it!" She's all "I just want one thing, you. I feel so safe with you." Blah blah blah Unicorns and rainbows and snookums and babies and argh! could we just concentrate on the bad guy and not whose baby has a messy diaper? sheesh
A lot of people are going to love this one, I know. I just need more tension and a longer build up to romance and fewer hearts and flowers.
So after about 90 pages I skipped to the end. And
Nope done with this author. Although in the interests of full disclosure there have been one or two of hers that I liked. The first in this series for example. She's just gotten too sicky sweet for me.
Okay I was pretty happy that here was a stoic guy, a guy who stays in the back ground and is not a talker and is terse when he does speak. But he's sure of himself and competent and capable in his job. I love to read about a hero like that. I like to see them melt for a heroine who brings them out of their shell. I just wanted that bit of plot to take longer than 3 pages. He meets her and basically has diarrhea of the mouth. He's all about loving her and kissing her on the plane the next day and he's all overcome with how this beautiful girl is coming on to him and he is so nervous and shit around her. Way to cut him off at the knees MB.
And let's talk about how the heroine meets him and is immediately all over him she wants to sleep with him and fix him and tell him his scars don't bother her and jeez right in front of his whole team she sets it up so that they share a hotel suite. The next day, people! There's inst love and then there's just ridiculously unbelievable.
And everybody is all "I know getting involved with the person you're protecting is bad for your attention to your job but it's expected of the entire Kelly family and everyone who works for them so go for it!" She's all "I just want one thing, you. I feel so safe with you." Blah blah blah Unicorns and rainbows and snookums and babies and argh! could we just concentrate on the bad guy and not whose baby has a messy diaper? sheesh
A lot of people are going to love this one, I know. I just need more tension and a longer build up to romance and fewer hearts and flowers.
So after about 90 pages I skipped to the end. And
Nope done with this author. Although in the interests of full disclosure there have been one or two of hers that I liked. The first in this series for example. She's just gotten too sicky sweet for me.
June 27, 2014
I loved KGI books and was staggeringly disappointed by the previous book, After The Storm, where I felt like I'd been waiting for Van' story for so long and then it was just a horrendous letdown.
When Day Breaks was only marginally better in that it was not as bad as ATS. Faint praise indeed.
I get lust at first sight. I get crazy sparks and physical chemistry. I get those things, but I don't get spending 10 minutes with a group of people, taking a nap and waking up having decided somebody is THE ONE.
I know Maya Banks had some serious health issues this past year but I'd have rather waited for 2 good books in an otherwise compelling series than what we got in Swanny and Van's stories.
Is she cranking out too much, too many too close together in all her writing? I don't know and I can't say, but if this is what we have to look forward to in Joe and Rusty's stories, I'd rather they stay unwritten and that we skip Hancock altogether.
When Day Breaks was only marginally better in that it was not as bad as ATS. Faint praise indeed.
I get lust at first sight. I get crazy sparks and physical chemistry. I get those things, but I don't get spending 10 minutes with a group of people, taking a nap and waking up having decided somebody is THE ONE.
I know Maya Banks had some serious health issues this past year but I'd have rather waited for 2 good books in an otherwise compelling series than what we got in Swanny and Van's stories.
Is she cranking out too much, too many too close together in all her writing? I don't know and I can't say, but if this is what we have to look forward to in Joe and Rusty's stories, I'd rather they stay unwritten and that we skip Hancock altogether.
June 26, 2014
When did KGI turn into girls?
I used to love this series. Ms. Banks could write an Alpha male with hot sex scenes mixed into crazy special operations mission plots. This? This was an insecure man that had inner dialogue ad nauseam about how he wasn't good enough. The sex was slow, sparse, and agonizingly sweet... and the mission? I get more excited watching my kid's cartoons--no suspense. Even the plot twist was kind of lame. I don't know what happened with this series but I think I'm done. They've really gone downhill.
I used to love this series. Ms. Banks could write an Alpha male with hot sex scenes mixed into crazy special operations mission plots. This? This was an insecure man that had inner dialogue ad nauseam about how he wasn't good enough. The sex was slow, sparse, and agonizingly sweet... and the mission? I get more excited watching my kid's cartoons--no suspense. Even the plot twist was kind of lame. I don't know what happened with this series but I think I'm done. They've really gone downhill.
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September 13, 2014
This one really wasn't mine... Not at all, I'm afraid.
I love Maya Banks and her novels, but lately the aspects about her works that I liked once are the ones I don't like at all now. I will make an example of When Day Breaks and list all the things I didn't like.
1. Too Much.
The whole scenery was too mushy and too stuffy and too... filled with feelings and unnecessary tears and ... For my tastes it was just over the top.
Also there was MUCH, MUCH too much Talking. After the first four chapters I became so bored of the characters always, constantly talking. It was way too much talking and way less showing. Swanny and Eden just talked about how they have the special connection, how they are attracted to each other, how they like each other, how much it was just fate that brought them together. Meh!! Sorry, but they were really constantly talking about things, whereas I would have preferred to see some development in their relationship, some rocks thrown their way. But no. Everyone was constantly talking about how Eden and Swanny are made for each other, not to mention how much they talked about it themselves. The story and the flow of the action suffered a lot from that, the action and crime and mystery became unimportant and faded into the background until the very end.
2. Beauty.
Okay, the premise of the story sounded great. Beauty and the Beast themed, hero thinks himself not worthy of the love of the beautiful heroine. Nothing new, but that wouldn't have bothered me if it was put into a fresh package. But no.
I love the Beauty and the Beast theme, but this is the first were exactly that "conflict" got on my nerves. Swanny was always whinning about the fact that he was oh so ugly and hideous. Really, every other page he talked about the fact that he was so undeserving of Eden, just because she was beautiful! Nothing about "I'm traumatized by my past and she is innocent", no. Just "It still brought him to his knees when he thought about the fact that someone as beautiful as Eden wanted him". Duh. Really, just duh. Calm down. It's not all about the outer appearance.
That really got on my nerves.
3. Eden.
Just as often as Edens superiority to Swanny was mentioned, her beauty was mentioned. She was a shallow and uninteresting character. And the poor thing didn't do anything, but she was just perfect. She was constantly described as beautiful on the outside as well on the inside. Beautiful. Innocent. Pure. Nice. Sweet. Nice. Loveable. Caring. Nice. Sweet. Beautiful. You see a pattern? I saw it throughout the whole novel. And it felt more like a campaign fighting discrimination against supermodels. Everyone was sure that Eden worked very hard and had a very hard job and it was ... yes, very hard. I just was annoyed and thought:
I don't know whether that was supposed to be an excuse for her not eating normally, but okay. Still, I don't see it as an high priority to make clear that supermodels work hard and do sports to stay fit. Thank you, but no.
4. No Story.
As in, there really wasn't a remarkable story at all. The Action was there at the beginning and at the end. The 250 or what pages in between? Nothing but the above mentioned things.
And why am I so ranting about this novel although I love Maya Banks' writing? Because I was really, really disappointed and I don't know whether to expect Maya Banks as I know her or Maya Banks as I know her NOW, when I read another novel by her. The above mentioned aspects have been there in the last few novels of this series, too, and in another few of her newer works.
I love Maya Banks and her novels, but lately the aspects about her works that I liked once are the ones I don't like at all now. I will make an example of When Day Breaks and list all the things I didn't like.
1. Too Much.
The whole scenery was too mushy and too stuffy and too... filled with feelings and unnecessary tears and ... For my tastes it was just over the top.
Also there was MUCH, MUCH too much Talking. After the first four chapters I became so bored of the characters always, constantly talking. It was way too much talking and way less showing. Swanny and Eden just talked about how they have the special connection, how they are attracted to each other, how they like each other, how much it was just fate that brought them together. Meh!! Sorry, but they were really constantly talking about things, whereas I would have preferred to see some development in their relationship, some rocks thrown their way. But no. Everyone was constantly talking about how Eden and Swanny are made for each other, not to mention how much they talked about it themselves. The story and the flow of the action suffered a lot from that, the action and crime and mystery became unimportant and faded into the background until the very end.
2. Beauty.
Okay, the premise of the story sounded great. Beauty and the Beast themed, hero thinks himself not worthy of the love of the beautiful heroine. Nothing new, but that wouldn't have bothered me if it was put into a fresh package. But no.
I love the Beauty and the Beast theme, but this is the first were exactly that "conflict" got on my nerves. Swanny was always whinning about the fact that he was oh so ugly and hideous. Really, every other page he talked about the fact that he was so undeserving of Eden, just because she was beautiful! Nothing about "I'm traumatized by my past and she is innocent", no. Just "It still brought him to his knees when he thought about the fact that someone as beautiful as Eden wanted him". Duh. Really, just duh. Calm down. It's not all about the outer appearance.
That really got on my nerves.
3. Eden.
Just as often as Edens superiority to Swanny was mentioned, her beauty was mentioned. She was a shallow and uninteresting character. And the poor thing didn't do anything, but she was just perfect. She was constantly described as beautiful on the outside as well on the inside. Beautiful. Innocent. Pure. Nice. Sweet. Nice. Loveable. Caring. Nice. Sweet. Beautiful. You see a pattern? I saw it throughout the whole novel. And it felt more like a campaign fighting discrimination against supermodels. Everyone was sure that Eden worked very hard and had a very hard job and it was ... yes, very hard. I just was annoyed and thought:
I don't know whether that was supposed to be an excuse for her not eating normally, but okay. Still, I don't see it as an high priority to make clear that supermodels work hard and do sports to stay fit. Thank you, but no.
4. No Story.
As in, there really wasn't a remarkable story at all. The Action was there at the beginning and at the end. The 250 or what pages in between? Nothing but the above mentioned things.
And why am I so ranting about this novel although I love Maya Banks' writing? Because I was really, really disappointed and I don't know whether to expect Maya Banks as I know her or Maya Banks as I know her NOW, when I read another novel by her. The above mentioned aspects have been there in the last few novels of this series, too, and in another few of her newer works.
July 17, 2016
First I am a fan of the KGI series and have enjoyed those I have read. I missed the last couple because they are not yet in the library on audio so I skipped ahead.
This might possibly be the WORST written book ever! Maya Banks could not have written this book. I have read tons of her books and I have never thought it was poorly written. I really hope this was a ghost writer or an editor who was subsequently fired. ok on to the book.
I listened via Overdrive. Must the narrator make Swanny sound like a hick from the sticks? It was so annoying.
The beauty and the beast storyline usually works for me. But not when the Hero spends 75% of the book inside his own head bemoaning his ugliness I just wanted to scream. Eden is too perfect, Swanny is a freakin Moron. Totally lovesick over her perfect looks. What a freakin hypocrite!
ok - so why was this book so terrible? Well I think there were probably 10 novel lines/paragraphs in the entire story and they were just copy and pasted everywhere. If you were told anything once, you were told at least 50 times. No joke. Small details - Swanny is huge - to past set ups - KGI meets their wives on the job - are told, retold, told again, and again and again and again and then about 100 more times. And each time they are told like you have never heard the detail before. I guess the author thinks her readers have gotten so stupid we cannot remember a detail given to us only a few pages before. If I had no life I would sit and count the number of times certain sentences showed up just to prove my point. But lucky for me I do have a life.
The other really horrible and annoying issue was that most of the book was spent inside Swanny's head. I hate this style. Pair that with him continually telling HIMSELF all of the above facts and recollections and I wondered about his sanity.
No OW/OM drama. Safe read.
This might possibly be the WORST written book ever! Maya Banks could not have written this book. I have read tons of her books and I have never thought it was poorly written. I really hope this was a ghost writer or an editor who was subsequently fired. ok on to the book.
I listened via Overdrive. Must the narrator make Swanny sound like a hick from the sticks? It was so annoying.
The beauty and the beast storyline usually works for me. But not when the Hero spends 75% of the book inside his own head bemoaning his ugliness I just wanted to scream. Eden is too perfect, Swanny is a freakin Moron. Totally lovesick over her perfect looks. What a freakin hypocrite!
ok - so why was this book so terrible? Well I think there were probably 10 novel lines/paragraphs in the entire story and they were just copy and pasted everywhere. If you were told anything once, you were told at least 50 times. No joke. Small details - Swanny is huge - to past set ups - KGI meets their wives on the job - are told, retold, told again, and again and again and again and then about 100 more times. And each time they are told like you have never heard the detail before. I guess the author thinks her readers have gotten so stupid we cannot remember a detail given to us only a few pages before. If I had no life I would sit and count the number of times certain sentences showed up just to prove my point. But lucky for me I do have a life.
The other really horrible and annoying issue was that most of the book was spent inside Swanny's head. I hate this style. Pair that with him continually telling HIMSELF all of the above facts and recollections and I wondered about his sanity.
No OW/OM drama. Safe read.
March 2, 2020
DNF
Another DNF this week. I am disappointed with this book. I read Miss Banks books in this series. Some of it are good. When Day Breaks is a disappointment. I think Miss Banks runs out of idea to make this book more interested.
There is no character development at all. The idea of Eden suddenly sexually attraction to Swanny is not believable. There is a lot of insta lust/ insta atrraction. Do not get me wrong. I do love cheesy OTT romance. Some of these cheesy OTT romance, I read it with Miss Banks's books.
Its just nothing click with me with this book.
2 stars
Another DNF this week. I am disappointed with this book. I read Miss Banks books in this series. Some of it are good. When Day Breaks is a disappointment. I think Miss Banks runs out of idea to make this book more interested.
There is no character development at all. The idea of Eden suddenly sexually attraction to Swanny is not believable. There is a lot of insta lust/ insta atrraction. Do not get me wrong. I do love cheesy OTT romance. Some of these cheesy OTT romance, I read it with Miss Banks's books.
Its just nothing click with me with this book.
2 stars
June 26, 2014
I have such a love-hate relationship with this series. The books either blow me away, or leaving MUCH to be desired. While I wasn't as upset with this book as I was with the last, the book felt boring and like it dragged on. The hard hitting suspense and action that was common in the early books was non-existent here. I needed more, all the way around.
C-
Full review can be found here: http://thebookpushers.com/2014/06/24/...
C-
Full review can be found here: http://thebookpushers.com/2014/06/24/...
May 25, 2017
Very cute and Very sweet......
July 23, 2016
Hmmm, that doesn't look like Swanny...
Ahhhh....just okay for me. Really there was not much too it. Swanny falls in love with a supermodel who is not only beautiful on the outside, but is perfect on the inside. And she falls in love with him. Actually, she makes the first move. But why? Swanny is horribly scarred--she deserves so much better than him (this is Swanny's inner monologue repeated over and over...). This got to be so annoying...
Anyhow, Eden has a baddie gunning for her (this is tied to her father's past) so Swanny and his team are hired to protect her while she does this important ad campaign. Of course the KGI team leaves he alone for just a few minutes( like they usually do when they're protecting someone) and Eden may end up with an experience similar to Swanny's!
That's about it. A lot of "I don't deserve someone as wonderful as her" from Swanny and "I'm not good enough for her" thoughts that got to be a bit ...boring. I think this story could've been a novella--and it may have worked better that way. There just seemed to be an awful lot of filler. I was hoping for a better story for Swanny, not this Beauty and the Beast theme.
Oh well, maybe this series has run its course. Please marrying off Joe soon! 3 stars (less)
Ahhhh....just okay for me. Really there was not much too it. Swanny falls in love with a supermodel who is not only beautiful on the outside, but is perfect on the inside. And she falls in love with him. Actually, she makes the first move. But why? Swanny is horribly scarred--she deserves so much better than him (this is Swanny's inner monologue repeated over and over...). This got to be so annoying...
Anyhow, Eden has a baddie gunning for her (this is tied to her father's past) so Swanny and his team are hired to protect her while she does this important ad campaign. Of course the KGI team leaves he alone for just a few minutes( like they usually do when they're protecting someone) and Eden may end up with an experience similar to Swanny's!
That's about it. A lot of "I don't deserve someone as wonderful as her" from Swanny and "I'm not good enough for her" thoughts that got to be a bit ...boring. I think this story could've been a novella--and it may have worked better that way. There just seemed to be an awful lot of filler. I was hoping for a better story for Swanny, not this Beauty and the Beast theme.
Oh well, maybe this series has run its course. Please marrying off Joe soon! 3 stars (less)
June 27, 2014
I tried, I really did, but I just couldn't finish this. It was tooooooo boring. I kept thinking I should read just a bit more, because something (anything!) interesting must be about to happen, but it Just. Never. Did.
Basically, it went like this: Man with a facial scar meets pretty woman. He worries she won't like him because she's physically 'perfect' and he is not. She says she does want him. And repeat. Again. And again. And again. Are they ever going to move on from this endlessly tedious rut? Frankly, it got to the point where I just didn't give a shit any more.
Once I started to feel like pitching my e-reader across the room, I knew it was time to throw in the towel on this one.
The 'love' story also had a very unrealistic and rather bizarre timescale. The protagonists had only spent about 5 minutes together before she was throwing herself at him in a, frankly quite unhinged, way. I would have run a mile to get away from someone like that. The characters were undeveloped and I didn't understand at all what they saw in a each other. Strange.
I enjoyed the earlier books in this series, but I get the impression that the author was either in a huge rush or has simply lost interest in KGI. The book felt slapped together, incredibly repetitive and just, well...dull.
Basically, it went like this: Man with a facial scar meets pretty woman. He worries she won't like him because she's physically 'perfect' and he is not. She says she does want him. And repeat. Again. And again. And again. Are they ever going to move on from this endlessly tedious rut? Frankly, it got to the point where I just didn't give a shit any more.
Once I started to feel like pitching my e-reader across the room, I knew it was time to throw in the towel on this one.
The 'love' story also had a very unrealistic and rather bizarre timescale. The protagonists had only spent about 5 minutes together before she was throwing herself at him in a, frankly quite unhinged, way. I would have run a mile to get away from someone like that. The characters were undeveloped and I didn't understand at all what they saw in a each other. Strange.
I enjoyed the earlier books in this series, but I get the impression that the author was either in a huge rush or has simply lost interest in KGI. The book felt slapped together, incredibly repetitive and just, well...dull.
July 19, 2016
Ahhhh....just okay for me. Really there was not much too it. Swanny falls in love with a supermodel who is not only beautiful on the outside, but is perfect on the inside. And she falls in love with him. Actually, she makes the first move. But why? Swanny is horribly scarred--she deserves so much better than him (this is Swanny's inner monologue repeated over and over...). This got to be so annoying...
Anyhow, Eden has a baddie gunning for her (this is tied to her father's past) so Swanny and his team are hired to protect her while she does this important ad campaign. Of course the KGI team leaves he alone for just a few minutes( like they usually do when they're protecting someone) and Eden may end up with an experience similar to Swanny's!
That's about it. A lot of "I don't deserve someone as wonderful as her" from Swanny and "I'm not good enough for her" thoughts that got to be a bit ...boring. I think this story could've been a novella--and it may have worked better that way. There just seemed to be an awful lot of filler. I was hoping for a better story for Swanny, not this Beauty and the Beast theme.
Oh well, maybe this series has run its course. Please marrying off Joe soon! 3 stars
Anyhow, Eden has a baddie gunning for her (this is tied to her father's past) so Swanny and his team are hired to protect her while she does this important ad campaign. Of course the KGI team leaves he alone for just a few minutes( like they usually do when they're protecting someone) and Eden may end up with an experience similar to Swanny's!
That's about it. A lot of "I don't deserve someone as wonderful as her" from Swanny and "I'm not good enough for her" thoughts that got to be a bit ...boring. I think this story could've been a novella--and it may have worked better that way. There just seemed to be an awful lot of filler. I was hoping for a better story for Swanny, not this Beauty and the Beast theme.
Oh well, maybe this series has run its course. Please marrying off Joe soon! 3 stars
June 13, 2014
When Day Breaks is book 9 in Maya Banks KGI series and features Daryl Swanson or “Swanny” as he’s known by his teammates, as the hero. We were first introduced to Swanny in Whispers in the Dark, book 4. He was Nathan Kelly’s Army teammate, they were both captured in Afghanistan and tortured but escaped with the help of Nathan’s now wife, Shea. They both came away with internal and external scars, but Nathan now has Shea to help him deal with his, sadly Swanny is on his own and leading a pretty solitary existence aside from his job, his main and only focus is his team and family with KGI. Ryker, a fellow Army buddy, ends up calling in a favor from Joe Kelly (Nathan’s twin and fellow team leader) and KGI…his sister, Eden Sinclair, a famous model, is in trouble and he needs their help to protect her.
This is one of my favorite romantic suspense series, Maya Banks knows how to blend in just the right amount of romance and suspense…never having one overpower the other. Book 8, After the Storm, unfortunately lacked the romantic chemistry that has been such a big part of past books…even the suspense was a bit lacking but this book definitely felt more on par with the others. I loved that Swanny “knew” about Eden from when he and her brother were serving together..how Ryker would share her letters and pictures with all the teammates while they were freezing their butts off in the Afghani mountains. It made his crush on Eden all the more realistic and sweet! When Eden first lays eyes on Swanny, she’s immediately drawn to him and sees past the physical scars that seem to horrify others. That definitely endeared me to her, she wasn’t some superficial model who was all about the looks…she genuinely cared about others and her attraction to Swanny felt real.
It was heartbreaking to see such a big tough guy question why a beautiful woman like Eden would want someone as damaged and scarred as he was but she was a tough cookie and finally knocked some sense into him. As is common with a lot of romances, they are pretty quick with their declarations of love but it didn’t seem to bother me quite as much as it has with other books. It could be because of the fact that they knew of each other from years back, because of their connection with her brother, or it could just be that I felt that their attraction and connection was genuine and real. The suspense/action was a little more fast paced this time around and focused solely on Swanny’s team. Although Joe and Nathan Kelly are the team leaders and had some page time, I did miss the involvement of the other Kelly brothers and family, but it was fun getting to know the newest members. Skyler is the only female operative on their team, she’s kick*ss and a riot and Edge is another bad*ss alpha male who fits in so well that it seems like he’s been part of this group from day one! The camaraderie that is shared between this team and every other member of KGI is fantastic and is another reason this series is a fav!
I would say that the only negative, which is something that I also noticed in the last book, is that the characters have a tendency to repeat their thoughts many times…a few things became quite repetitive, it gets old hearing the same thing over and over. Regardless of that, this book was still quite enjoyable and one I would recommend! I’m sure it could be read as a stand alone, anything that was mentioned from past books was explained pretty well so the reader shouldn’t feel lost and the plot line is self contained, but I would highly recommend reading this series from the beginning. The earlier books, which are focused more so on the Kelly clan, really are the best of the bunch and shouldn’t be missed!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher via The Blogger Girls in return for a fair and honest review.
http://thebloggergirls.com/2014/06/13...
This is one of my favorite romantic suspense series, Maya Banks knows how to blend in just the right amount of romance and suspense…never having one overpower the other. Book 8, After the Storm, unfortunately lacked the romantic chemistry that has been such a big part of past books…even the suspense was a bit lacking but this book definitely felt more on par with the others. I loved that Swanny “knew” about Eden from when he and her brother were serving together..how Ryker would share her letters and pictures with all the teammates while they were freezing their butts off in the Afghani mountains. It made his crush on Eden all the more realistic and sweet! When Eden first lays eyes on Swanny, she’s immediately drawn to him and sees past the physical scars that seem to horrify others. That definitely endeared me to her, she wasn’t some superficial model who was all about the looks…she genuinely cared about others and her attraction to Swanny felt real.
It was heartbreaking to see such a big tough guy question why a beautiful woman like Eden would want someone as damaged and scarred as he was but she was a tough cookie and finally knocked some sense into him. As is common with a lot of romances, they are pretty quick with their declarations of love but it didn’t seem to bother me quite as much as it has with other books. It could be because of the fact that they knew of each other from years back, because of their connection with her brother, or it could just be that I felt that their attraction and connection was genuine and real. The suspense/action was a little more fast paced this time around and focused solely on Swanny’s team. Although Joe and Nathan Kelly are the team leaders and had some page time, I did miss the involvement of the other Kelly brothers and family, but it was fun getting to know the newest members. Skyler is the only female operative on their team, she’s kick*ss and a riot and Edge is another bad*ss alpha male who fits in so well that it seems like he’s been part of this group from day one! The camaraderie that is shared between this team and every other member of KGI is fantastic and is another reason this series is a fav!
I would say that the only negative, which is something that I also noticed in the last book, is that the characters have a tendency to repeat their thoughts many times…a few things became quite repetitive, it gets old hearing the same thing over and over. Regardless of that, this book was still quite enjoyable and one I would recommend! I’m sure it could be read as a stand alone, anything that was mentioned from past books was explained pretty well so the reader shouldn’t feel lost and the plot line is self contained, but I would highly recommend reading this series from the beginning. The earlier books, which are focused more so on the Kelly clan, really are the best of the bunch and shouldn’t be missed!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher via The Blogger Girls in return for a fair and honest review.
http://thebloggergirls.com/2014/06/13...
July 11, 2014
Ok where to start?? This isn't actually a review, as much as inner ramblings. So I liked Swanny in the other books, but here?? Not so much. I had to go to the dentist to take care of some cavities that formed while reading (skimming) this book and I had to check my sugar levels, because it was soooo sticky sweet. I tried to do the drinking game every time Swanny thought he wasn't good enough for Eden, I passed out the 2nd page after they met. Then we have Hancock, he comes in and says he slaughtered the wrong guy...and innocent man and he is like welp!!! We will just have to live with that for the rest of our lives..show of hands on who wants to go kill the cra-cray sister??? That doesn't scream hero material to me, that screams let's strap you down and give you a lethal injection!! Then we are back to Swanny who just gave Eden necklace and swore he would never keep anything from her, but somehow forgets that he has put a tracker in the necklace??? But doesn't remember for several hours after her kidnapping and she is being cut up then you remember??? Really??? So we are headed for the HEA and I learned my lesson with the drinking game, now I will eat mini marshmallows every time Swanni thinks Eden is perfect or he isn't good enough. So now on top of going to AA, I now have to go back to the dentist and take care of more cavities and go to Weight Watchers...great!! I still not even sure what Swanni looked like other than he had a scar and was tall.
PS to my friends, I wasn't making fun of anybody struggling with alcohol or their weight, taking insulin or challenged with dental hygiene or currently on death row. Promise. I was just making the point that I am pretty sure I am done with this series.
PS to my friends, I wasn't making fun of anybody struggling with alcohol or their weight, taking insulin or challenged with dental hygiene or currently on death row. Promise. I was just making the point that I am pretty sure I am done with this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2014
***********************SPOILER ALERT*********************************
I’ve had a difficult time writing this review so I’m just going to list what I liked, what I didn’t like and then my overall thoughts on the book.
What I liked:
**I liked the introduction of Eden’s father and brothers into the series. I would like to see them all in future books.
**I liked Swanny finally getting his happily ever after
**I also liked reading about the secondary characters and learning more about Skylar and Edge, the two new members of Nathan and Joe’s team
What I didn’t like:
**Swanny’s (and Eden’s) internal monologue. What will turn me off a book most is the extreme amount of internal talking the main character(s) do in between dialogue. This happened several times in the book and I probably skipped about 40% of the story because of it. During one instance, I counted five pages in between someone asking the hero a question and him speaking again. Five pages.
**Less than twenty-four hours pass after Swanny and Eden meet and he puts her hand on his junk. I understand there was an instant attraction and Eden is coming on to Swanny like a dog in heat, but I mean give me a break. Eden’s life is at risk, and she is groping her bodyguard and asking him to share her hotel suite with her instead of the female member of the team. *sigh*
**Eden is throwing every kind of game she has at Swanny to get him in her bed and when he’s there, she confesses she’s a virgin. And Swanny says, “Sure, your life’s in danger and you’re working the most important modeling job of your career but I’ll take your virginity no problem since we’ve known each other forty-eight hours.” Ugh!
I really wanted to like this book, I really did but I felt that the author didn’t let the story develop naturally. I wish we could have had more dialogue, especially since there are so many other characters in the story. We did get a little misdirection in the mystery/suspense part of the book but overall I felt dissatisfied. I really tried to keep an open mind, especially when I had so many issues with the last book in the series, but I just couldn’t enjoy the story. I will continue to follow the series because I love the characters; I just wish I didn’t have to weed through the filler elements to get to the actual dialogue.
***I was gifted an eBook copy from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own***
I’ve had a difficult time writing this review so I’m just going to list what I liked, what I didn’t like and then my overall thoughts on the book.
What I liked:
**I liked the introduction of Eden’s father and brothers into the series. I would like to see them all in future books.
**I liked Swanny finally getting his happily ever after
**I also liked reading about the secondary characters and learning more about Skylar and Edge, the two new members of Nathan and Joe’s team
What I didn’t like:
**Swanny’s (and Eden’s) internal monologue. What will turn me off a book most is the extreme amount of internal talking the main character(s) do in between dialogue. This happened several times in the book and I probably skipped about 40% of the story because of it. During one instance, I counted five pages in between someone asking the hero a question and him speaking again. Five pages.
**Less than twenty-four hours pass after Swanny and Eden meet and he puts her hand on his junk. I understand there was an instant attraction and Eden is coming on to Swanny like a dog in heat, but I mean give me a break. Eden’s life is at risk, and she is groping her bodyguard and asking him to share her hotel suite with her instead of the female member of the team. *sigh*
**Eden is throwing every kind of game she has at Swanny to get him in her bed and when he’s there, she confesses she’s a virgin. And Swanny says, “Sure, your life’s in danger and you’re working the most important modeling job of your career but I’ll take your virginity no problem since we’ve known each other forty-eight hours.” Ugh!
I really wanted to like this book, I really did but I felt that the author didn’t let the story develop naturally. I wish we could have had more dialogue, especially since there are so many other characters in the story. We did get a little misdirection in the mystery/suspense part of the book but overall I felt dissatisfied. I really tried to keep an open mind, especially when I had so many issues with the last book in the series, but I just couldn’t enjoy the story. I will continue to follow the series because I love the characters; I just wish I didn’t have to weed through the filler elements to get to the actual dialogue.
***I was gifted an eBook copy from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own***
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2015
*I gave this audiobook a C for the story and A- for the narration at AudioGals.
Narrator: Adam Paul
Sometimes you go into a listen with certain expectations. In the case of When Day Breaks, I was expecting a hardcore, suspenseful listen with, given many of Maya Banks’ prior works, a racier edge to the passion side. Unfortunately, when I discovered that I actually had something completely different, I was just never able to really warm up to what turned out to be more of a sweet romance bearing a slight resemblance to Beauty and the Beast with some light action and suspenseful scenes tying it all together. The one aspect of this audiobook that did leave me greatly impressed was the narration. This was my first experience with Adam Paul, and I will surely be looking for more of his works in the future.
See the full review at AudioGals.
Narrator: Adam Paul
Sometimes you go into a listen with certain expectations. In the case of When Day Breaks, I was expecting a hardcore, suspenseful listen with, given many of Maya Banks’ prior works, a racier edge to the passion side. Unfortunately, when I discovered that I actually had something completely different, I was just never able to really warm up to what turned out to be more of a sweet romance bearing a slight resemblance to Beauty and the Beast with some light action and suspenseful scenes tying it all together. The one aspect of this audiobook that did leave me greatly impressed was the narration. This was my first experience with Adam Paul, and I will surely be looking for more of his works in the future.
See the full review at AudioGals.
June 29, 2014
Seriously? What happened? There is more teen angst in this book than in all of the Twilight books.
July 1, 2014
Not what I was expecting
I have read this series since the beginning, and have anticipated each new release. To me, the last good book in the series was Shades of Gray. This one was too repetitive. If you never read a book in the series before you really wouldn't need to after reading this one. I was so tired of reading the same thing over and over! Also, I like a good balance of action and romance, and this one was a bit too heavy on the romance for my taste. I was bored and found myself skipping pages- not a good sign. If you've never read a book in this series DO NOT start with this one. It may turn you away from some really good books.
I have read this series since the beginning, and have anticipated each new release. To me, the last good book in the series was Shades of Gray. This one was too repetitive. If you never read a book in the series before you really wouldn't need to after reading this one. I was so tired of reading the same thing over and over! Also, I like a good balance of action and romance, and this one was a bit too heavy on the romance for my taste. I was bored and found myself skipping pages- not a good sign. If you've never read a book in this series DO NOT start with this one. It may turn you away from some really good books.
July 26, 2014
I was hoping for either Joe's story or Sean & Rusty
October 2, 2020
3 🌟 (ma con fatica)
~ RECENSIONE CON POSSIBILI SPOILER ~
Non so se sia solo una mia impressione, ma negli ultimi volumi, non ho trovato la Maya Banks che ho conosciuto e adorato all'inizio. Ho voluto darle un'altra possibilità con questo romanzo, ma purtroppo, l'ho trovata piatta, prolissa nei monologhi interiori dei protagonisti, dialoghi a volte fuori luogo, poca dinamicità e, a volte, oserei dire noiosa nell'intreccio.
Parte suspance: pervenuta poco. Peccato, perché la Banks capace di tenermi incollata alle pagine con azione e colpi di scena emerge veramente solo all'ultimo 15% del libro.
Parte romance: parto col dire che si tratta di un colpo di fulmine tra Eden e Swanny che, confesso, non amo particolarmente, ma se la relazione poi cresce con i giusti tempi lo posso anche accettare. Qua, purtroppo non è stato così! Nell'arco di 24h c'è il primo bacio e in 72h il primo rapporto. Eden, inoltre, pur essendo vergine è piuttosto sfacciata e tanto disinibita da dormire subito mezza nuda con uno Swanny in mutande. Insomma, tutto talmente veloce che non ho sentito nessuna tensione e nemmeno coinvolgimento nelle scene erotiche, che però sono ben scritte.
Ora che tutto è accaduto tra i protagonisti il libro va avanti per inerzia, tra servizi fotografici di Eden, shopping, scene erotiche e le paturnie mentali di Swanny che, a causa della sua insicurezza dovuta al suo aspetto fisico, continua a ripetere di non essere all'altezza di Eden che, invece, è considerata la donna più bella del mondo. Per carità, fa molto piacere vedere un uomo fragile e dolce, però dopo un po' le sue insicurezze stancano e le ho trovate prive di fondamento, anche perché Eden è vergine in attesa della sua anima gemella, più volte gli ribadisce che è la prima volta che prova qualcosa per un uomo, quindi se ti fa questo dono, caro Swanny, un motivo ci sarà!
D'altro canto Eden viene descritta così bella, pura, gentile, simpatica, insomma perfetta fino all'esasperazione e alla poca credibilità.
Dò 3 stelle, ma risicate, solo perché negli ultimi capitoli ho ritrovato l'adrenalina della vecchia Maya Banks, però è un romanzo che ho fatto abbastanza fatica a finire.
~ RECENSIONE CON POSSIBILI SPOILER ~
Non so se sia solo una mia impressione, ma negli ultimi volumi, non ho trovato la Maya Banks che ho conosciuto e adorato all'inizio. Ho voluto darle un'altra possibilità con questo romanzo, ma purtroppo, l'ho trovata piatta, prolissa nei monologhi interiori dei protagonisti, dialoghi a volte fuori luogo, poca dinamicità e, a volte, oserei dire noiosa nell'intreccio.
Parte suspance: pervenuta poco. Peccato, perché la Banks capace di tenermi incollata alle pagine con azione e colpi di scena emerge veramente solo all'ultimo 15% del libro.
Parte romance: parto col dire che si tratta di un colpo di fulmine tra Eden e Swanny che, confesso, non amo particolarmente, ma se la relazione poi cresce con i giusti tempi lo posso anche accettare. Qua, purtroppo non è stato così! Nell'arco di 24h c'è il primo bacio e in 72h il primo rapporto. Eden, inoltre, pur essendo vergine è piuttosto sfacciata e tanto disinibita da dormire subito mezza nuda con uno Swanny in mutande. Insomma, tutto talmente veloce che non ho sentito nessuna tensione e nemmeno coinvolgimento nelle scene erotiche, che però sono ben scritte.
Ora che tutto è accaduto tra i protagonisti il libro va avanti per inerzia, tra servizi fotografici di Eden, shopping, scene erotiche e le paturnie mentali di Swanny che, a causa della sua insicurezza dovuta al suo aspetto fisico, continua a ripetere di non essere all'altezza di Eden che, invece, è considerata la donna più bella del mondo. Per carità, fa molto piacere vedere un uomo fragile e dolce, però dopo un po' le sue insicurezze stancano e le ho trovate prive di fondamento, anche perché Eden è vergine in attesa della sua anima gemella, più volte gli ribadisce che è la prima volta che prova qualcosa per un uomo, quindi se ti fa questo dono, caro Swanny, un motivo ci sarà!
D'altro canto Eden viene descritta così bella, pura, gentile, simpatica, insomma perfetta fino all'esasperazione e alla poca credibilità.
Dò 3 stelle, ma risicate, solo perché negli ultimi capitoli ho ritrovato l'adrenalina della vecchia Maya Banks, però è un romanzo che ho fatto abbastanza fatica a finire.
June 26, 2014
3.5 Stars
Eden is a supermodel whose beautiful face has graced countless magazine covers. But her life is about to be turned upside down when an attempt is made on her life which throws her into the protective arms of Swanny, and his teammates at KGI.
Swanny remembers Eden’s pictures and sweet, thoughtful letters her brother shared during their time in the military while stationed in Afghanistan. The thought of Eden in danger brings all of his protective instincts to life. When his team is sent in to guard her, Swanny takes point in the assignment even though he’s not technically the leader. He just can’t help it. Right away Eden zeroes in on him just as he’s focused on her, but he can’t fathom why. He knows the facial scar he gained while held captive brings out pity in others, sometimes even disgust, so what could Eden, one of the most beautiful women in the world want with him?
This story is one of instant chemistry and attraction. Both Swanny and Eden felt an immediate magnetic pull between them, but both are plagued by insecurities and doubt. Both wonder if the other feels as strongly and as deeply, but that doesn’t hold them apart for long.
I truly felt for Swanny, who felt like Beast to Eden’s Beauty:
“What could I possibly have to offer you? I feel like we’re caught up in a modern Beauty and the Beast situation. I’m not handsome. Most would consider me ugly. I’m scarred not just on my face but on my entire body. How could you want someone like me?”
He went through unimaginable horrors in Afghanistan while held captive, and so it’s not only scarred him physically, but emotionally as well. Eden doesn’t see any of the scars when she looks at Swanny. She sees a completely sexy, honorable man. Eden is just as insecure with Swanny wondering if he thinks of her only as a superficial beauty. But Swanny sees Eden’s beauty inside and out.
I really enjoyed this story and Eden and Swanny had lots of chemistry leading to some pretty hot scenes. This was an insta-love/lust situation and it didn’t bother me, because I get that. There are times I’ve met someone, and had an instant, strong connection, and just clicked, so I can totally relate. The only drawback for me with this story was the repetitive inner thoughts from both characters. Even so I wouldn’t mind continuing with this series because I do adore romantic suspense.
A copy was provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.
Eden is a supermodel whose beautiful face has graced countless magazine covers. But her life is about to be turned upside down when an attempt is made on her life which throws her into the protective arms of Swanny, and his teammates at KGI.
Swanny remembers Eden’s pictures and sweet, thoughtful letters her brother shared during their time in the military while stationed in Afghanistan. The thought of Eden in danger brings all of his protective instincts to life. When his team is sent in to guard her, Swanny takes point in the assignment even though he’s not technically the leader. He just can’t help it. Right away Eden zeroes in on him just as he’s focused on her, but he can’t fathom why. He knows the facial scar he gained while held captive brings out pity in others, sometimes even disgust, so what could Eden, one of the most beautiful women in the world want with him?
This story is one of instant chemistry and attraction. Both Swanny and Eden felt an immediate magnetic pull between them, but both are plagued by insecurities and doubt. Both wonder if the other feels as strongly and as deeply, but that doesn’t hold them apart for long.
I truly felt for Swanny, who felt like Beast to Eden’s Beauty:
“What could I possibly have to offer you? I feel like we’re caught up in a modern Beauty and the Beast situation. I’m not handsome. Most would consider me ugly. I’m scarred not just on my face but on my entire body. How could you want someone like me?”
He went through unimaginable horrors in Afghanistan while held captive, and so it’s not only scarred him physically, but emotionally as well. Eden doesn’t see any of the scars when she looks at Swanny. She sees a completely sexy, honorable man. Eden is just as insecure with Swanny wondering if he thinks of her only as a superficial beauty. But Swanny sees Eden’s beauty inside and out.
I really enjoyed this story and Eden and Swanny had lots of chemistry leading to some pretty hot scenes. This was an insta-love/lust situation and it didn’t bother me, because I get that. There are times I’ve met someone, and had an instant, strong connection, and just clicked, so I can totally relate. The only drawback for me with this story was the repetitive inner thoughts from both characters. Even so I wouldn’t mind continuing with this series because I do adore romantic suspense.
A copy was provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.
January 29, 2021
2.5*
O. M. G! I need mucho kudos for finishing this book. I swear it was like trying to baptize a cat on Sunday in the rain.
I swear they were both in their heads almost the entire book. Including Repeat Introspection.
Yeah, I didn't think it was a thing either, but evidently there is. I mean hardly any action, even the love interest was mostly the thought process. It was a total missed opportunity. Especially when we knew next to nothing about Swanny's background & captivity. The author had a huge blank canvas to work with.
But did she?
O. M. G! I need mucho kudos for finishing this book. I swear it was like trying to baptize a cat on Sunday in the rain.
I swear they were both in their heads almost the entire book. Including Repeat Introspection.
Yeah, I didn't think it was a thing either, but evidently there is. I mean hardly any action, even the love interest was mostly the thought process. It was a total missed opportunity. Especially when we knew next to nothing about Swanny's background & captivity. The author had a huge blank canvas to work with.
But did she?
July 22, 2014
What's happened to the KGI series? In a series that was once action-packed and sexy, I find myself now wading through a flowery (!!) romance of simpering men and "perfect" women. I didn't find strength in any of the characters, least of all Swanny, who had been depicted in previous books as broody but dangerous. Eden felt like a one-dimensional character meant to change readers' opinions of supermodels. Together, their romance felt instant and was not fleshed out at all. What I loved so much in other books in this series was also the inner turmoils of the characters, yet everything in this particular relationship was physical. Using the "Beauty and the Beast" aspect here didn't exactly work for me since Banks only focused on the physical scars and not the mental or psychological scars (touched upon but barely). And where exactly did we get a villain? Hardly mentioned and the "conflict" was over and done with in a paragraph or two.
I loved the first books in this series, and even some of the later ones that began dividing the readers, but this one was just not for me. I couldn't find a single thing to like. I'm not giving up completely on this series but with the disappointment that had been Donovan's story and now this, my loyalty to KGI is wavering.
I loved the first books in this series, and even some of the later ones that began dividing the readers, but this one was just not for me. I couldn't find a single thing to like. I'm not giving up completely on this series but with the disappointment that had been Donovan's story and now this, my loyalty to KGI is wavering.
June 3, 2017
4,5/5 stars
June 7, 2020
Bodyguard romances are my favorite sub-genre. There's just something about a strong alpha male protecting his woman from some outside evil while the passion sparks between them that just does it for me. Now the caveat to that is that the heroine has to be good too. I can't stand bratty, uncooperative, TSTL heroines who insist on putting themselves in danger because the author can't tell the difference between "strong" and "stubborn and b*tchy" when writing women.
When Day Breaks is just such a bodyguard romance. The heroine is never b*tchy or hysterical or anything but cooperative when it comes to her own safety. She keeps her spirits up and is kind to one and all, despite being a supermodel. And there is a very real external threat to her all throughout the story. On paper, this book seems to have everything I love in it...so why did I only give it 2 stars?
It was boring, the hero was an insecure wimp, the heroine an over-the-top Mary Sue, and their romance made me want to gag. The writing itself was also annoyingly slipshod, with a lot of information being stated multiple times in close succession and in nearly identical language.
In the end I just wasn't moved. Eden was so perfect as to be a boring Mary Sue. Swanny was insecure and too stupid to be believed. Disappointing.
When Day Breaks is just such a bodyguard romance. The heroine is never b*tchy or hysterical or anything but cooperative when it comes to her own safety. She keeps her spirits up and is kind to one and all, despite being a supermodel. And there is a very real external threat to her all throughout the story. On paper, this book seems to have everything I love in it...so why did I only give it 2 stars?
It was boring, the hero was an insecure wimp, the heroine an over-the-top Mary Sue, and their romance made me want to gag. The writing itself was also annoyingly slipshod, with a lot of information being stated multiple times in close succession and in nearly identical language.
In the end I just wasn't moved. Eden was so perfect as to be a boring Mary Sue. Swanny was insecure and too stupid to be believed. Disappointing.
June 25, 2014
3.5-4 stars
This was a pretty good story. I already liked Swanny from previous books and was hoping that he's find someone that would love him past his scars. Eden ended up being a great match for Swanny as she has a big heart and doesn't care about his scars.
Eden is a model and considered one of the most beautiful women in the world. She lost her mom years ago but is close to her dad and 2 brothers. Regardless of her job as a model, Eden is very down to earth and a nice woman. She's milking her career while she can, knowing that models have a short shelf life and she needs to work while she's in demand.
Swanny used to be a soldier but lost a lot when he was taken as a PoW with Nathan Kelley. They escaped together and returned to the states (in book #4 Whispers in the Dark) but Swanny was left badly scared. Swanny ended up joining the KGI team and has been relatively happy. His main problem is that he believes his scars make him unworthy of a good woman and Swanny doesn't think he can find someone that would be willing to look past his scars.
Eden is on a modelling job and is just leaving when there are shots and her bodyguards protect her and get her to safety. She doesn't know what's going on but thinks it's just a random shooting that couldn't possibly be aimed at her. What she doesn't know is that her Dad pissed off some people years ago. They caused her mother's death and now her Dad has received threats against her (just before the shooting). Eden's Dad quickly gets KGI on the job (one of Eden's brothers served with Swanny and Nathan and called them in ASAP) and everyone flies out to where Eden is. Eden is kept in the dark about the exact nature of the threat against her because her Dad is footing the bill and he insisted she shouldn't know. Swanny isn't happy about this but goes along with it. From the first time Swanny and Eden are in a room together, it's obvious that there's a mutual attraction. Eden hasn't felt this kind of attraction to any other man and doesn't care about Swanny's scars so she's very interested in pursuing something with Swanny. Swanny thinks Eden is beautiful and nice but can't seriously think she's want to be with someone like him. He has some image issues due to his scars but I also think it's a bit because of what he went through during his time as a PoW. As KGI starts providing Eden with security on her next modelling job (taking place in Paris), Eden starts trying to get to know Swanny more as soon as the plane leaves the ground. Swanny is cautious and doesn't think she's serious. Eden tries to show him she likes him but isn't sure how to handle his rebuffs. Fortunately, he soon realizes (with a little help from a friend) that she's only going to be open to him for so long and if he continues to rebuff her, she'll give up and he's an idiot to lose his chance. Although he's still unsure of her motives, Swanny decides to take the chance.
Things between Eden and Swanny move rather quickly as there's a very strong attraction between them. Swanny is torn between worrying about getting his heart broken and worrying about being too distracted by Eden and not doing his job well enough which could put her in danger. Eden is pretty good about doing what she's asked to and not fighting them on the security precautions and things stay surprisingly calm for a while. This gives the love at first sight between Eden and Swanny to mature between them and solidify so that they both find they'd like more in the future. But they're both a little bad about talking of their feelings and don't get things out in the open as they should (at least not right away). They are rather busy though because while there's no more attacks on Eden, there is plenty to do with her modeling and the full schedule that goes with it. Swanny and Eden try to take as much time together as they can and things continue to deepen between them. Eventually, the bad guy does strike again in a big way and Eden eventually finds out the truth of who's after her. We also find out that Hancock (from previous books) is very close to Eden and her family and Hancock's interference causes some issues which ends up putting Eden in danger. There's much drama and some worrying before things get worked out. Thankfully, everyone comes out alright and Swanny and Eden start their HEA together.
This was a pretty enjoyable story. I liked Swanny and was so happy he found a woman to appreciate him. Eden is a good woman and I liked how she was with Swanny and the fact that she never let him believe he wasn't good enough for her. My only real complaint is that there was a point that I felt the action plot didn't get enough attention. It wasn't too bad though and the end certainly had an action packed conclusion. This was a good addition to the series. I'd recommend it. :D
* note - I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator did a very good job.
This was a pretty good story. I already liked Swanny from previous books and was hoping that he's find someone that would love him past his scars. Eden ended up being a great match for Swanny as she has a big heart and doesn't care about his scars.
Eden is a model and considered one of the most beautiful women in the world. She lost her mom years ago but is close to her dad and 2 brothers. Regardless of her job as a model, Eden is very down to earth and a nice woman. She's milking her career while she can, knowing that models have a short shelf life and she needs to work while she's in demand.
Swanny used to be a soldier but lost a lot when he was taken as a PoW with Nathan Kelley. They escaped together and returned to the states (in book #4 Whispers in the Dark) but Swanny was left badly scared. Swanny ended up joining the KGI team and has been relatively happy. His main problem is that he believes his scars make him unworthy of a good woman and Swanny doesn't think he can find someone that would be willing to look past his scars.
Eden is on a modelling job and is just leaving when there are shots and her bodyguards protect her and get her to safety. She doesn't know what's going on but thinks it's just a random shooting that couldn't possibly be aimed at her. What she doesn't know is that her Dad pissed off some people years ago. They caused her mother's death and now her Dad has received threats against her (just before the shooting). Eden's Dad quickly gets KGI on the job (one of Eden's brothers served with Swanny and Nathan and called them in ASAP) and everyone flies out to where Eden is. Eden is kept in the dark about the exact nature of the threat against her because her Dad is footing the bill and he insisted she shouldn't know. Swanny isn't happy about this but goes along with it. From the first time Swanny and Eden are in a room together, it's obvious that there's a mutual attraction. Eden hasn't felt this kind of attraction to any other man and doesn't care about Swanny's scars so she's very interested in pursuing something with Swanny. Swanny thinks Eden is beautiful and nice but can't seriously think she's want to be with someone like him. He has some image issues due to his scars but I also think it's a bit because of what he went through during his time as a PoW. As KGI starts providing Eden with security on her next modelling job (taking place in Paris), Eden starts trying to get to know Swanny more as soon as the plane leaves the ground. Swanny is cautious and doesn't think she's serious. Eden tries to show him she likes him but isn't sure how to handle his rebuffs. Fortunately, he soon realizes (with a little help from a friend) that she's only going to be open to him for so long and if he continues to rebuff her, she'll give up and he's an idiot to lose his chance. Although he's still unsure of her motives, Swanny decides to take the chance.
Things between Eden and Swanny move rather quickly as there's a very strong attraction between them. Swanny is torn between worrying about getting his heart broken and worrying about being too distracted by Eden and not doing his job well enough which could put her in danger. Eden is pretty good about doing what she's asked to and not fighting them on the security precautions and things stay surprisingly calm for a while. This gives the love at first sight between Eden and Swanny to mature between them and solidify so that they both find they'd like more in the future. But they're both a little bad about talking of their feelings and don't get things out in the open as they should (at least not right away). They are rather busy though because while there's no more attacks on Eden, there is plenty to do with her modeling and the full schedule that goes with it. Swanny and Eden try to take as much time together as they can and things continue to deepen between them. Eventually, the bad guy does strike again in a big way and Eden eventually finds out the truth of who's after her. We also find out that Hancock (from previous books) is very close to Eden and her family and Hancock's interference causes some issues which ends up putting Eden in danger. There's much drama and some worrying before things get worked out. Thankfully, everyone comes out alright and Swanny and Eden start their HEA together.
This was a pretty enjoyable story. I liked Swanny and was so happy he found a woman to appreciate him. Eden is a good woman and I liked how she was with Swanny and the fact that she never let him believe he wasn't good enough for her. My only real complaint is that there was a point that I felt the action plot didn't get enough attention. It wasn't too bad though and the end certainly had an action packed conclusion. This was a good addition to the series. I'd recommend it. :D
* note - I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator did a very good job.
April 5, 2016
This book was a disgustingly hateful read. I mean, I knew I wan't going to like it. but damn I didn't know it was going to be this much!
After getting through the first few chapters, I decided to start skimming knowing already how things were going to play out.
Also, when I started to do this from the beginning:
I realized it wasn't a good sign....
I suspected from the synopsis what type of book this was going to be: broken/ tortured/ ugly/ scared puss faced guy meets/ falls in love with gorgeous gal. He moan's and cries over his ugliness, stating she deserves better, and she constantly pets and reassures him. They have sex. They fight or a tragic disaster occurs. They unite, realizing their love for one another. And they get married or something to that affect of holy union. What do you know? I was right. And what do you know? I fuckin hate these kind of books.
They make me, you guessed it:
What's amazing is how predictable the whole entire story was, how lacking in substance it was, and how mother f*ck*ng repetitive it was... mind you I was skimming the entire thing.
I know, I know your next question is why I would submit myself to this kind of torture. Well you see the next book after dumb ass Swanny is: My. Guy. Hancock. So I had to read this book first before I got to: My. Guy. because yes, I do suffer from a mild form of OCD. So you see that explains it. Hancock, did eventually make an appearance and he made the pain all worthwhile for a little bit. I mean if he called me cupcake I would die and go to heaven with great pleasure. I am so happy that the pain is over and that I can finally move on with: My. Guy. where I hope it will be more of this:
And this:
Annnnnd this:
After getting through the first few chapters, I decided to start skimming knowing already how things were going to play out.
Also, when I started to do this from the beginning:
I realized it wasn't a good sign....
I suspected from the synopsis what type of book this was going to be: broken/ tortured/ ugly/ scared puss faced guy meets/ falls in love with gorgeous gal. He moan's and cries over his ugliness, stating she deserves better, and she constantly pets and reassures him. They have sex. They fight or a tragic disaster occurs. They unite, realizing their love for one another. And they get married or something to that affect of holy union. What do you know? I was right. And what do you know? I fuckin hate these kind of books.
They make me, you guessed it:
What's amazing is how predictable the whole entire story was, how lacking in substance it was, and how mother f*ck*ng repetitive it was... mind you I was skimming the entire thing.
I know, I know your next question is why I would submit myself to this kind of torture. Well you see the next book after dumb ass Swanny is: My. Guy. Hancock. So I had to read this book first before I got to: My. Guy. because yes, I do suffer from a mild form of OCD. So you see that explains it. Hancock, did eventually make an appearance and he made the pain all worthwhile for a little bit. I mean if he called me cupcake I would die and go to heaven with great pleasure. I am so happy that the pain is over and that I can finally move on with: My. Guy. where I hope it will be more of this:
And this:
Annnnnd this:
June 1, 2024
These books are awful, but I love them. They're good to me!
Swanny (KGI team member and former POW hostage with Nathan Kelly) and the KGI team go to protect Eden (virgin, supermodel, and sister of soldier that Swanny served with) after her life is threatened because of her father’s past. They accompany her to Paris while she's on a photoshoot. Swanny finds it hard to believe that this supermodel is interested in him because of his scars (back in book 4 when Swanny and Nathan were held hostage, Swanny’s face was slashed), but she is. Eden ends up seducing Swanny and it's the absolute sweetest. Eden also has a secret family member that I was so excited to see in this book. Shooting, laughs, and HEA.
I love Swanny because he’s absolutely the sweetest KGI member. I also have a thing for men with scars because I have so many myself.
The biggest complaint about this book is the repetition. They spend about 40% of the book talking about how he doesn't know how she could want someone with as many scars as him and how he's not good enough for her. I mean they repeat it a million times. Then I could probably count at least 30 times they compared Eden to the sun. I mean damn. It's sloppy writing.
I'll be honest - is it the best written book? No. Is Swanny the absolute sweetest? Hell yes!! It's Swanny's character alone that gives this all the stars. Plus, Eden is so worthy of Swanny. She's a good and strong and I love how she goes after what she wants.
The KGI series is so good (to me). This is not a sex focused book/series so if you’re reading it for that you’ll be disappointed. You need to read the series in order and not skim the books. I listen to the audio books. The characters are developed throughout all the books so if you start reading this one first, you’ll miss out on all the important things about Swanny.
Swanny (KGI team member and former POW hostage with Nathan Kelly) and the KGI team go to protect Eden (virgin, supermodel, and sister of soldier that Swanny served with) after her life is threatened because of her father’s past. They accompany her to Paris while she's on a photoshoot. Swanny finds it hard to believe that this supermodel is interested in him because of his scars (back in book 4 when Swanny and Nathan were held hostage, Swanny’s face was slashed), but she is. Eden ends up seducing Swanny and it's the absolute sweetest. Eden also has a secret family member that I was so excited to see in this book. Shooting, laughs, and HEA.
I love Swanny because he’s absolutely the sweetest KGI member. I also have a thing for men with scars because I have so many myself.
The biggest complaint about this book is the repetition. They spend about 40% of the book talking about how he doesn't know how she could want someone with as many scars as him and how he's not good enough for her. I mean they repeat it a million times. Then I could probably count at least 30 times they compared Eden to the sun. I mean damn. It's sloppy writing.
I'll be honest - is it the best written book? No. Is Swanny the absolute sweetest? Hell yes!! It's Swanny's character alone that gives this all the stars. Plus, Eden is so worthy of Swanny. She's a good and strong and I love how she goes after what she wants.
The KGI series is so good (to me). This is not a sex focused book/series so if you’re reading it for that you’ll be disappointed. You need to read the series in order and not skim the books. I listen to the audio books. The characters are developed throughout all the books so if you start reading this one first, you’ll miss out on all the important things about Swanny.
April 26, 2015
3.5 stars
I am a big fan of this series. It's the perfect mix of suspense and nonstop action with a strong emphasis on family loyalty and unconditional love. But I was sad to see that it was mostly loyalty to the beloved characters that kept me reading this time. Every once in a while a book from this series comes out that deviates strongly from what I think is the perfect recipe for a romantic suspense novel. As is the case with When Day Breaks. It lacked action and sadly the strong "family feel" that this series is known for. But what little there was of it, especially the Kelly brothers' presence, I thoroughly enjoyed.
I really liked Swanny. I think his struggle with being terribly scarred (inside and out) was portrayed really well and I liked that the author decided to pair him with a stunningly beautiful woman, just to show that outside beuty isn't all that matters in the world and in love. But I didn't like Eden, the main female character all that much (I just had to look up what her name is in the book's description) and the way other people reacted to her. I feel like the majority of this book was a morality lesson on not judging people based on some preconceived notions of what kind of people models really are and realizing their work was hard and includes a lot of sacrificing. I didn't mind the message of it, but I did find it be quite tedious to read about constantly.
So this one was a disappointment, but it is the ninth book in the series and for every less than stellar book two are released that are absolutely phenomenal, so I've made peace with it.
I am a big fan of this series. It's the perfect mix of suspense and nonstop action with a strong emphasis on family loyalty and unconditional love. But I was sad to see that it was mostly loyalty to the beloved characters that kept me reading this time. Every once in a while a book from this series comes out that deviates strongly from what I think is the perfect recipe for a romantic suspense novel. As is the case with When Day Breaks. It lacked action and sadly the strong "family feel" that this series is known for. But what little there was of it, especially the Kelly brothers' presence, I thoroughly enjoyed.
I really liked Swanny. I think his struggle with being terribly scarred (inside and out) was portrayed really well and I liked that the author decided to pair him with a stunningly beautiful woman, just to show that outside beuty isn't all that matters in the world and in love. But I didn't like Eden, the main female character all that much (I just had to look up what her name is in the book's description) and the way other people reacted to her. I feel like the majority of this book was a morality lesson on not judging people based on some preconceived notions of what kind of people models really are and realizing their work was hard and includes a lot of sacrificing. I didn't mind the message of it, but I did find it be quite tedious to read about constantly.
So this one was a disappointment, but it is the ninth book in the series and for every less than stellar book two are released that are absolutely phenomenal, so I've made peace with it.
February 6, 2015
My first thought after abandoning this book is that maybe it was written for men. Eden was called "every man's wet dream" more than once ... and maybe that's exactly what this was intended to be? I mean here we have "the most beautiful woman in the world" (according to TIME magazine), who is also beautiful on the inside, a world-famous model, adorable without her makeup, tough, in shape, bold and passionate when it comes to chasing the man she wants, and yet amazingly still a virgin at 24. Oh, and she doesn't just look past a man's disfiguring scar to see the real him inside -- she just *knows* from the first moment she sets eyes on him that he's perfect.
I'm not a fan of love at first sight; I usually dismiss it as lust at first sight, but in this case I'm not sure what it was except, perhaps, every man's wet dream. After all the hero is shy, with low self-esteem, and here's the most beautiful woman in the world literally throwing herself at him, all the while understanding him perfectly.
I don't understand it at all. Eden was simply too perfect to be remotely likable. Her characterization didn't make much sense. Plus, she and the hero spent endless chapters having essentially the same conversation over and over again about how she really does want him even if he thinks he's not good enough for her.
Meanwhile, there's supposed to be someone trying to kill her ... bullets, anyone? That might have helped with the monotony but they weren't flying fast enough.
I'm not a fan of love at first sight; I usually dismiss it as lust at first sight, but in this case I'm not sure what it was except, perhaps, every man's wet dream. After all the hero is shy, with low self-esteem, and here's the most beautiful woman in the world literally throwing herself at him, all the while understanding him perfectly.
I don't understand it at all. Eden was simply too perfect to be remotely likable. Her characterization didn't make much sense. Plus, she and the hero spent endless chapters having essentially the same conversation over and over again about how she really does want him even if he thinks he's not good enough for her.
Meanwhile, there's supposed to be someone trying to kill her ... bullets, anyone? That might have helped with the monotony but they weren't flying fast enough.
September 1, 2017
"When Day Breaks" is the story of Swammy and Eden, and a diabeties inducing love story in a protector-victim plot of KGI series.
Swammy was adopted into KGI family after being rescued in Nathan's book. We know he's scarred, and extremely insecure about him looks- finding himself unlovable.
When some old teammates contact the KGI for a personal mission, he realizes its to do with Eden, the supermodel and most beautiful woman in the world- who he's always loved from afar.
Now 80% of the book is
-Swammy being self conscious about himself and if Eden actually loves him
-Him paying ode to her beauty
-Eden trying to convince Swammy otherwise
-Sweet lovemaking
There are scenes of mission, her lifestyle, and friendship between Skylar and Eden- but most of the book concentrates on the main couple.
This book had OTT sweetness and couple just crazy about each other, playing roughly on a beauty and the beast theme. YAY for a devoted hero!
HOWEVER,
It ends rather abruptly, but a good read overall.
Safe
3.75/5
Swammy was adopted into KGI family after being rescued in Nathan's book. We know he's scarred, and extremely insecure about him looks- finding himself unlovable.
When some old teammates contact the KGI for a personal mission, he realizes its to do with Eden, the supermodel and most beautiful woman in the world- who he's always loved from afar.
Now 80% of the book is
-Swammy being self conscious about himself and if Eden actually loves him
-Him paying ode to her beauty
-Eden trying to convince Swammy otherwise
-Sweet lovemaking
There are scenes of mission, her lifestyle, and friendship between Skylar and Eden- but most of the book concentrates on the main couple.
This book had OTT sweetness and couple just crazy about each other, playing roughly on a beauty and the beast theme. YAY for a devoted hero!
HOWEVER,
It ends rather abruptly, but a good read overall.
Safe
3.75/5
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