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Unspoken #1
Understood
When she breaks free from the bondage of her past, he ll be waiting.
Jake Turner committed the ultimate mistake of falling in love with his best friend s wife. The distance he puts between them costs both him and Ellie Matthews dearly. Jake will never forgive himself for not seeing what a bastard his friend was. Now that Ellie is free from her nightmare, Jake waits, needing and wanting. He ll be there when Ellie is ready to spread her wings.
Warning: this title contains: Explicit sex, graphic language.
Jake Turner committed the ultimate mistake of falling in love with his best friend s wife. The distance he puts between them costs both him and Ellie Matthews dearly. Jake will never forgive himself for not seeing what a bastard his friend was. Now that Ellie is free from her nightmare, Jake waits, needing and wanting. He ll be there when Ellie is ready to spread her wings.
Warning: this title contains: Explicit sex, graphic language.
99 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2006
213 people are currently reading
2095 people want to read
About the author
Maya Banks
251 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 241 reviews
February 16, 2011
The premise of this book had potential, but it needed more pages to be developed. As it was, the subject of Ellie's abuse wasn't dealt with the necessary depth to draw me into the story. Jake and Ellie were nice characters, but their HEA felt "forced": I didn't believe she was already emotionally stable to commit herself to him - or any other man, for that matter - and the nervous breakdown she had near the end of the story proved that.
Overall, this wasn't a bad read, but it wasn't good enough to put Ms. Banks on my authors-to-watch list. If I come across one of her other books in the future, I might try it if the premise appeals to me. You won't see me running to get it, though.
Overall, this wasn't a bad read, but it wasn't good enough to put Ms. Banks on my authors-to-watch list. If I come across one of her other books in the future, I might try it if the premise appeals to me. You won't see me running to get it, though.
April 22, 2021
Jake was in love with his best friend's wife, Ellie. To be respectful, he distanced himself. Jake didn't realize that Ellie was living a nightmare. Once Ellie got the courage to seek help, Jake stepped in, declared his love and provided protection.
This was too much, too fast for a novella. It has the bones to be a good story, but without the meat, it started to feel like a ridiculous, corny love story...and not in a good way.
I started this thinking “oh yeah, I finally found a good novella.” But that sentiment didn’t last long. The novella was good, but I was faced with the same issues: I feel like I don’t know the characters, no connection with the story, storyline gaps, etc. I wish that Maya Banks would have unpacked this story. There was enough there for a couple of hundred pages.
This was too much, too fast for a novella. It has the bones to be a good story, but without the meat, it started to feel like a ridiculous, corny love story...and not in a good way.
I started this thinking “oh yeah, I finally found a good novella.” But that sentiment didn’t last long. The novella was good, but I was faced with the same issues: I feel like I don’t know the characters, no connection with the story, storyline gaps, etc. I wish that Maya Banks would have unpacked this story. There was enough there for a couple of hundred pages.
November 14, 2023
3 Stars for Understood: Unspoken, Book 1 (audiobook) by Maya Banks read by Elizabeth Livingston.
The nasty past seemed to get too much in the way of current romance.
The nasty past seemed to get too much in the way of current romance.
January 28, 2020
I always have this Forrest Gump moment with Maya Banks. I never know what is the next taste of books that I picked up. Sometimes her books work for me, sometimes it does not. One thing that I can always count from Maya Banks is her sexy steamy sex. I do still blush when I listen to her audio books.
Understood is sweet, cheesy short novella. There is that insta lust/ love with zero character development. If this book is by other author it will turn ugly. With Maya Banks, I end up blushing. I do wish she make this book a full length novel instead of novella. The story is very promising. Its just lack of character development a good plot/ twist.
Overall this book is OK read for me.
3 stars
Understood is sweet, cheesy short novella. There is that insta lust/ love with zero character development. If this book is by other author it will turn ugly. With Maya Banks, I end up blushing. I do wish she make this book a full length novel instead of novella. The story is very promising. Its just lack of character development a good plot/ twist.
Overall this book is OK read for me.
3 stars
April 17, 2012
This was a pretty ok book. It seemed a little short to me. But maybe that's actually a good thing? It means I didn't get enough!! I didn't realize that it was 106 pages so I was expecting a little more.
Ellie Matthews is a damaged woman. She married "The Golden Boy" who went to a great NFL career. But as time went on, he changed. He ended up beating the shit out of her. I couldn't tell if it was on a regular basis but if it was just once. Not that it matters. He's a piece of shit either way. In any case, he beats her one night and she runs down the street to their friend, Jake.
Jake lives a couple houses away and has known Ellie and her husband since high school. Jake has always had a "thing" for Ellie and it developed in to full blown love from afar. He never made any moves on Ellie because her husband was his best friend. He was until Ellie showed up at his house one night, covered in blood. Once he realizes what happened, he protected Ellie the best he could. He hired her on at his successful construction company and has kept her from her husband.
In the book, Jake and Ellie finally get together. Umm that's kind of it. There's lots of sex... Ellie's ex-husband gives an interview where he says she cheated on him and she freaks out. And then he shows up and tries to apologize and she freaks out. And then he has a press conference where he tells the truth about his abuse aaaaaaand she freaks out. Jake is patient throughout her freak outs which I thought was kind of pushing the bounds of believeability.
I wasn't in love with Ellie. Granted, I don't think I know anyone who has suffered abuse at the hands of their spouse. But I can tell you that if I man had the balls to hit me, he wouldn't be able to hit anyone else ever again because I would have his hands, pickling in a jar in my cupboard about 10 seconds after he hit me. And then to let him continue to have power over you and your emotions? I don't get it. I'm sure it happens and I'm sure there's a completely legitimate reason for it. I'm just saying I don't get it. And I don't REALLY want to read about it. I like my heroines strong and sassy and funny and confident. Ellie was none of those things.
I would have liked to see Ellie as she healed more and more. I think this book would have been better if it had been longer. I wanted more!! I will definitely read more of this author. I think this is a very good novella but I'm discovering that I don't LOVE novellas. I would definitely recommend this book. For sure. Its hot. Super hot. The hero is a strong man with a good bit of alpha male to him. I think anyone who likes novellas will LOVE this one!!
Ellie Matthews is a damaged woman. She married "The Golden Boy" who went to a great NFL career. But as time went on, he changed. He ended up beating the shit out of her. I couldn't tell if it was on a regular basis but if it was just once. Not that it matters. He's a piece of shit either way. In any case, he beats her one night and she runs down the street to their friend, Jake.
Jake lives a couple houses away and has known Ellie and her husband since high school. Jake has always had a "thing" for Ellie and it developed in to full blown love from afar. He never made any moves on Ellie because her husband was his best friend. He was until Ellie showed up at his house one night, covered in blood. Once he realizes what happened, he protected Ellie the best he could. He hired her on at his successful construction company and has kept her from her husband.
In the book, Jake and Ellie finally get together. Umm that's kind of it. There's lots of sex... Ellie's ex-husband gives an interview where he says she cheated on him and she freaks out. And then he shows up and tries to apologize and she freaks out. And then he has a press conference where he tells the truth about his abuse aaaaaaand she freaks out. Jake is patient throughout her freak outs which I thought was kind of pushing the bounds of believeability.
I wasn't in love with Ellie. Granted, I don't think I know anyone who has suffered abuse at the hands of their spouse. But I can tell you that if I man had the balls to hit me, he wouldn't be able to hit anyone else ever again because I would have his hands, pickling in a jar in my cupboard about 10 seconds after he hit me. And then to let him continue to have power over you and your emotions? I don't get it. I'm sure it happens and I'm sure there's a completely legitimate reason for it. I'm just saying I don't get it. And I don't REALLY want to read about it. I like my heroines strong and sassy and funny and confident. Ellie was none of those things.
I would have liked to see Ellie as she healed more and more. I think this book would have been better if it had been longer. I wanted more!! I will definitely read more of this author. I think this is a very good novella but I'm discovering that I don't LOVE novellas. I would definitely recommend this book. For sure. Its hot. Super hot. The hero is a strong man with a good bit of alpha male to him. I think anyone who likes novellas will LOVE this one!!
May 28, 2017
The characters felt like cartoon characatures more than real people, the plot was practically non-existant and the sex scenes bland and unevokative. The writing also had many adjectives and adverbs that could have been culled to give a cleaner and more enjoyable read.
While Jake's character may have been somewhat interesting (if used in a different story with a different woman and perhaps some serious kink), Ellie left a lot to be desired. After the abuse she went through at the hands of her ex-husband, there's no way she'd be ready to move on into another relationship (which is evident by her sporadic emotions and child-like behaviour).
Add to Ellie's behaviour and fragile emotional state, the almost smothering need to own that frequently comes out of Jake's mouth and it should have sent Ellie packing for real.
Definitely not for me. Wouldn't recommend it and probably won't read anything by the author again for quite a while.
December 24, 2009
Flimsy plot and scant characterization left me uninterested in the characters. Consequently, the sex scenes left me cold, as out-of-context porn scenes might.
The domestic abuse issue was treated fancifully, which bothered me. If you're going to bring that bugaboo up, at least do it right. Don't put it in there as a cheap and easy vehicle for angst.
The domestic abuse issue was treated fancifully, which bothered me. If you're going to bring that bugaboo up, at least do it right. Don't put it in there as a cheap and easy vehicle for angst.
January 1, 2017
I usually like this author, so I was surprised to not actually like this one. Maybe it was just too short to get into it.
October 21, 2024
I was surprised to see that this wasn’t listed as a comedy, because I couldn’t stop laughing!
December 9, 2021
Quick review for a quick read. So I wasn't expecting to pick this book up, but it ended up being a holiday-themed library checkout that I blazed through. The older cover on Goodreads shows it as a Christmas story, but the newer one doesn't. I'm surprised I was able to find this at my library on audio because it was published quite a while ago (2006).
"Understood" is the first in a series of connected novellas, about two and a half hours of an uber steamy, erotic story narrated by Elizabeth Livingston. The story centers Jake Turner and Ellie Matthews; Jake being the former best friend to Ellie's husband. Ellie had been in an abusive relationship with Ray before leaving him, while Jake had secretly pined over Ellie for a time and kept his distance out of respect for the two - friend and friend's wife. But when Jake realizes Ellie was abused, he feels guilt and maintains his distance until she's ready to be intimate and "be" with him. As Ellie actively seeks to move on, Jake encounters her at a bar, attempting to get drunk enough to engage a sexual encounter with a stranger. That has the two reunite, and both Ellie and Jake end up navigating the aftermath of it.
While the steamy scenes are *cough* very vivid, I don't think this story was given enough room to develop the difficult parts. It needed more time to establish the characters as well as the situation they were in. I was able to get pieces of Jake and Ellie's story folded between and beyond the intimate scenes, but it felt awkward in presentation. The banter felt forced and I couldn't really connect to their chemistry. I did like the scenes showing them prepping for the holiday, though.
I went back and forth trying to figure how to rate this first story in the novella collection. In the end, I'll give it 2 stars. I plan on reading the rest of the series to see how the rest of the stories compare. I wish this had been given more time to develop the characters, develop the seriousness of the conflict, and give more room for the main couple's connection to bloom.
Overall score: 2/5 stars.
"Understood" is the first in a series of connected novellas, about two and a half hours of an uber steamy, erotic story narrated by Elizabeth Livingston. The story centers Jake Turner and Ellie Matthews; Jake being the former best friend to Ellie's husband. Ellie had been in an abusive relationship with Ray before leaving him, while Jake had secretly pined over Ellie for a time and kept his distance out of respect for the two - friend and friend's wife. But when Jake realizes Ellie was abused, he feels guilt and maintains his distance until she's ready to be intimate and "be" with him. As Ellie actively seeks to move on, Jake encounters her at a bar, attempting to get drunk enough to engage a sexual encounter with a stranger. That has the two reunite, and both Ellie and Jake end up navigating the aftermath of it.
While the steamy scenes are *cough* very vivid, I don't think this story was given enough room to develop the difficult parts. It needed more time to establish the characters as well as the situation they were in. I was able to get pieces of Jake and Ellie's story folded between and beyond the intimate scenes, but it felt awkward in presentation. The banter felt forced and I couldn't really connect to their chemistry. I did like the scenes showing them prepping for the holiday, though.
I went back and forth trying to figure how to rate this first story in the novella collection. In the end, I'll give it 2 stars. I plan on reading the rest of the series to see how the rest of the stories compare. I wish this had been given more time to develop the characters, develop the seriousness of the conflict, and give more room for the main couple's connection to bloom.
Overall score: 2/5 stars.
February 8, 2017
(Grrr. Goodreads lost my fucking review, so this is the second attempt. I hate rewriting long reviews from memory.)
I'm still currently reading this book, but it's rapidly looking like it may end up in the "abandoned" category. I'm just starting the fourth chapter, but I've already decided the heroine is "too stupid to live" and the hero should be in a Geico commercial, the cavemen ones.
Jake was Ellie's ex-husband's best friend. He didn't realize till the bitter end that her ex was abusive - it didn't specify if it was physical or just mental/emotional abuse. She's had a long and painful divorce and is still fragile and showing no signs of getting back into the dating world. Jake has been a platonic friend to her. He also got her a job as his secretary.
As the book opens, Ellie is slicked up and entering a bar to try to jump back into the dating scene with both feet. Jake sees her surrounded by predators, looking drunk and scared, and he takes her home. Okay, if it continued on that path, it would be fine. But it takes a really ugly turn.
Jake literally throws her over his shoulder, growls at her "suitors", and drags her home. He goes back to friend briefly, staying on her couch after she passes out, but he's back to he-man over breakfast. He basically pees on her, claiming "you're mine", before backing up ever so slightly saying "but you must come to me". Sounds like the same manipulative bullshit she had with her ex-husband.
This is wrong on so many levels. I'd be getting a restraining order on his ass, not inviting him home for a nooner. Despite any previously unacknowledged mutual attraction, he's always presented himself as a platonic friend. Going from friend to lover is fine, even wonderful. Going from friend to instantly overly possessive lover isn't. And that's before you add in the fact that he is her boss and that he knows first hand how fragile she is.
I know lots of women swoon over alpha males, but there wasn't a single attractive thing in his actions. Repulsive is the word.
If I abandon the book at this point, call it 2 stars. No idea if curiosity and boredom will lead me to read beyond the end of chapter 3.
I don't read many unadorned contemporary romances, but it's usually because they're formulaic and boring, not because the "couple" is so badly matched.
I'm still currently reading this book, but it's rapidly looking like it may end up in the "abandoned" category. I'm just starting the fourth chapter, but I've already decided the heroine is "too stupid to live" and the hero should be in a Geico commercial, the cavemen ones.
Jake was Ellie's ex-husband's best friend. He didn't realize till the bitter end that her ex was abusive - it didn't specify if it was physical or just mental/emotional abuse. She's had a long and painful divorce and is still fragile and showing no signs of getting back into the dating world. Jake has been a platonic friend to her. He also got her a job as his secretary.
As the book opens, Ellie is slicked up and entering a bar to try to jump back into the dating scene with both feet. Jake sees her surrounded by predators, looking drunk and scared, and he takes her home. Okay, if it continued on that path, it would be fine. But it takes a really ugly turn.
Jake literally throws her over his shoulder, growls at her "suitors", and drags her home. He goes back to friend briefly, staying on her couch after she passes out, but he's back to he-man over breakfast. He basically pees on her, claiming "you're mine", before backing up ever so slightly saying "but you must come to me". Sounds like the same manipulative bullshit she had with her ex-husband.
This is wrong on so many levels. I'd be getting a restraining order on his ass, not inviting him home for a nooner. Despite any previously unacknowledged mutual attraction, he's always presented himself as a platonic friend. Going from friend to lover is fine, even wonderful. Going from friend to instantly overly possessive lover isn't. And that's before you add in the fact that he is her boss and that he knows first hand how fragile she is.
I know lots of women swoon over alpha males, but there wasn't a single attractive thing in his actions. Repulsive is the word.
If I abandon the book at this point, call it 2 stars. No idea if curiosity and boredom will lead me to read beyond the end of chapter 3.
I don't read many unadorned contemporary romances, but it's usually because they're formulaic and boring, not because the "couple" is so badly matched.
May 10, 2017
It's a good thing I listened to the 2nd in the series first because I didn't care for this novella at all. Both main characters annoyed me. Ellie was a total wimp. OK, her ex-husband had been abusive. Understandable that she'd be jumpy, but she was just too much of a cliché to be appealing. And Jake, Mr. Macho, admits he's been in love with her ever since he met her, despite the fact that she was married to his best friend. His manner was supposed to be forceful and protective, but he came across as controlling and bossy. I listened to an audio version of this story, and the reading was fine, with good differentiation between the characters. But Ellie's voice was faint and retiring at all times, and I think that was part of the problem. I liked the secondary characters (Wes and Jeremy, police officers, and Luke, Jake's construction co-worker) much better and look forward to hearing more from them.
July 20, 2016
Ellie needs to shake the cobwebs off shall we say. So she goes to a bar to do just that only the object of her affection is there and he is not having it. He literally takes her in to his hands and takes her home.
Jake has been waiting in the wings for Ellie to be ready for something more with him since her divorce. He is running out of patience.
Ellie’s marriage was a bad one. And Jake saved her one fateful night.
When these 2 finally come together it is so freaking hot you need to have a cold cloth near ya.
Great short story.
Jake has been waiting in the wings for Ellie to be ready for something more with him since her divorce. He is running out of patience.
Ellie’s marriage was a bad one. And Jake saved her one fateful night.
When these 2 finally come together it is so freaking hot you need to have a cold cloth near ya.
Great short story.
October 1, 2022
he called her wench and heifer more than once :/
February 13, 2024
2 stars ✨
Misogyny, misogyny, internalized misogyny, misogyny but let’s add some glitter and stickers and pretend it’s feminism
😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫
Misogyny, misogyny, internalized misogyny, misogyny but let’s add some glitter and stickers and pretend it’s feminism
😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫
October 19, 2014
Jake has been in love with his best friend's girl since they were in high school. Ellie married, and then later divorced the other guy, and of course, fell in love with Jake. The story picks up two years after Ellie's divorce. After she left her husband after his abuse became too much for her to bear.
I had a lot of problems with this story. I felt like I had started reading a story in which I had skipped ahead to chapter 20 of 40, so I missed out on what happened in the beginning, but there was no beginning to this story. It started in the middle. Even short stories typically have a beginning, a middle and an ending, and this did not. It had a middle and an ending. The middle talks about how Ellie (who ironically had been working for Jake as his office assistant) walks into a bar dressed like a slut looking to score. Jake, seeing as his love was looking for someone to hook up with, became incredibly cave-man like, and threw her over his shoulder, carried her out of the bar, and home and into his bed. The next bunch of chapters dealt with the two of them exploring each other in bed.
When Ellie's abusive ex (who is an NFL football player) gives an interview where he states that the divorce was all Ellie's fault, in that she cheated on him and left him with a broken heart, Ellie goes into shock. When the ex shows up at her door a few days later, Ellie goes into a blind panic, especially since the last time she reached out to the police for help, she was laughed out of the precinct for "lying" about the town's Golden Boy. This time, the police didn't let her down, but Ellie still ran. Jake, who had been professing his love for her for a while now, was bereft. But this being a Maya Banks story, you know it takes a separation for the main character to come to his or her senses, before rushing back with open arms and an open heart to fulfill their happily ever after.
While the writing was good, and it kept my attention, Maya Banks is now following a pattern- have a couple get together, have them be happy. Then have some catastrophic event that tears the couple apart, before the main character comes to his or her senses to come back and profess love and a happy ending. It's getting old, tired and boring. I think it would help the author to break out of the mold and try something different, especially if she wants her fan base to continue being just that- her fan base.
I had a lot of problems with this story. I felt like I had started reading a story in which I had skipped ahead to chapter 20 of 40, so I missed out on what happened in the beginning, but there was no beginning to this story. It started in the middle. Even short stories typically have a beginning, a middle and an ending, and this did not. It had a middle and an ending. The middle talks about how Ellie (who ironically had been working for Jake as his office assistant) walks into a bar dressed like a slut looking to score. Jake, seeing as his love was looking for someone to hook up with, became incredibly cave-man like, and threw her over his shoulder, carried her out of the bar, and home and into his bed. The next bunch of chapters dealt with the two of them exploring each other in bed.
When Ellie's abusive ex (who is an NFL football player) gives an interview where he states that the divorce was all Ellie's fault, in that she cheated on him and left him with a broken heart, Ellie goes into shock. When the ex shows up at her door a few days later, Ellie goes into a blind panic, especially since the last time she reached out to the police for help, she was laughed out of the precinct for "lying" about the town's Golden Boy. This time, the police didn't let her down, but Ellie still ran. Jake, who had been professing his love for her for a while now, was bereft. But this being a Maya Banks story, you know it takes a separation for the main character to come to his or her senses, before rushing back with open arms and an open heart to fulfill their happily ever after.
While the writing was good, and it kept my attention, Maya Banks is now following a pattern- have a couple get together, have them be happy. Then have some catastrophic event that tears the couple apart, before the main character comes to his or her senses to come back and profess love and a happy ending. It's getting old, tired and boring. I think it would help the author to break out of the mold and try something different, especially if she wants her fan base to continue being just that- her fan base.
January 29, 2020
The first book was the second one I read of the Unspoken trilogy so I knew what will happen from page one.
Jake wanted Ellie for years but she was Ray's girlfriend and later wife. Ray raped and abused Ellie and no one knew anything about it. When she when to the police they returned her back to her husband cause he was the golden boy and there wasn't a chance that he would do anything like that. Two years later Ellie goes to a bar where Jake works. There Jake realizes that she is terrified and takes her home. The next morning he says that he wants her and leaves the ball at her field. A few days(if I recall corectly)she goes to him and they start having something sort of a relationship. Their only problem is Ellie's past that knocks her door again without her having gotten over it yet. If they want their relationship to work Ellie must put the past behind. The question is: will she be able to get over it?
May 30, 2016
If I had read this first, I don't think I would have read the rest of the series. I didn't care much for either of the characters. Jake was too macho and possessive for someone who really cared for and wanted to protect someone coming from an abusive relationship. Ellie was just too weak for my liking. I know she experienced some bad things in the past, but she almost seemed to need therapy for PTSD. I just didn't find the story relatable or believable. Since I have already read books 2 and 3, I will say the series makes perfect sense, even if you skip this one.
January 19, 2011
This book was ok. It was a very short story that didn't really make me feel anything. I didn't care much for either of the characters, the romance was so-so and sometimes the emotions fell flat. Definitely not my favorite by Maya Banks!
August 5, 2016
This was fun is little sappy, but still fun. Short, sweet and to the point.
June 17, 2023
Alpha Jake to the Rescue
Ellie Matthews and Jake Turner have a past that left marks on them both. Breaking free of the past may have been Ellie's goal when she walked into a bar, but what ends up happening is hot and comical as Jake shows his alpha. 🥵
I love that Jake makes his intentions crystal clear before putting the ball in her court. I appreciate that she gives it real thought before reacting.
For a novelette, it contains a boatload of heat, but also a storyline that had me grabbing for a tissue. 🔥❤️😥 When the past turns up... well, Ellie quickly learns who she can and can't trust.
I should have expected the turmoil and heart, as Maya frequently delivers those, but I guess it's been too long since I last read one of her books. Yeah, I'll have to (re)visit more of her books.
I borrowed a copy of the audio book. The narrator is Elizabeth Livingston. It's my first time listening to her, and I really enjoyed it.
Story: 4 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Listening Speed: 1.5x
Ellie Matthews and Jake Turner have a past that left marks on them both. Breaking free of the past may have been Ellie's goal when she walked into a bar, but what ends up happening is hot and comical as Jake shows his alpha. 🥵
"When I claim you, I'm not ever letting you go."
-- Jake Turner
I love that Jake makes his intentions crystal clear before putting the ball in her court. I appreciate that she gives it real thought before reacting.
For a novelette, it contains a boatload of heat, but also a storyline that had me grabbing for a tissue. 🔥❤️😥 When the past turns up... well, Ellie quickly learns who she can and can't trust.
I should have expected the turmoil and heart, as Maya frequently delivers those, but I guess it's been too long since I last read one of her books. Yeah, I'll have to (re)visit more of her books.
I borrowed a copy of the audio book. The narrator is Elizabeth Livingston. It's my first time listening to her, and I really enjoyed it.
Story: 4 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Listening Speed: 1.5x
January 30, 2024
Wow this was such a good book. I was worried at first that smaller books aren’t as good cause you don’t get to know the people better but holy you got to know every single character so well. I absolutely loved the story line and the spice was also amazing. The connections with the characters was made so perfectly that in a small town you can tell everyone cares for each other. Ellie is this girl who married an abusive NFL player but they later get divorced but, he still comes back to her to see what happens later. Omg jake is like 🥵 anyways he’s so protective and when ellie wanted to leave he found her straight away to prove how much he loved her. I loved this book so much and definitely reccomend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2019
This was the first book I’ve read by Maya Banks which is surprising because I’m a total romance bookworm. My sister has recommended her books to me more than once. I enjoyed the story, but the ending was a bit cliche. Overall I would definitely read another book by Maya Banks!
March 29, 2018
I liked the premise of this book and I wish the plot was more developed and it was longer. there wasn’t enough to actually rate. It’s a quick read.
December 20, 2019
Protagonistas: Jake & Ellie
Profesiones: Secretaria & Constructor
Pais: USA
Profesiones: Secretaria & Constructor
Pais: USA
Read
June 19, 2025AUDIO BOOK
August 29, 2022
Meh. I'm tying to expand my horizons, and this author is mentioned in a facebook book group I'm in, a lot. This was so tropey. Abused woman recovers from her emotional damage through the love of a man. Bleh. Nah, boo. Get some therapy. Much more effective and less co-dependent. Some okayish sex scenes, though.
July 14, 2015
This was quite short. I was quite surprised that it was turned into an audiobook given that it's only 2 hours long.
The narrator did a good job. Though funny, the voice reminded me so much of the individual who narrates the Stormwalker series that I actually had to check to see if it was her. It wasn't but man it was spooky.
Now the story. Hmmm... Well... I think Jake was too much of an Alpha male considering Ellie was a battered wife. I mean really, any girl who hears things like "I'm never let you leave" (said very dominating) and has just gotten out of a marriage as a victim of abuse would be running for the hills. Not walking. RUNNING. And he constantly said those things to her.
I think she got over her abuse amazingly fast. Just.. wow... Amazingly quick. But it was a short story and required an HEA.
I kind of thought Ellie was dumb at first.. I don't remember what my opinion of her was later on.
Jake... other than being a bit too alpha for a battered woman.. I liked him. There wasn't much to him, because again this was a very short novella. But I did like him.
The narrator did a good job. Though funny, the voice reminded me so much of the individual who narrates the Stormwalker series that I actually had to check to see if it was her. It wasn't but man it was spooky.
Now the story. Hmmm... Well... I think Jake was too much of an Alpha male considering Ellie was a battered wife. I mean really, any girl who hears things like "I'm never let you leave" (said very dominating) and has just gotten out of a marriage as a victim of abuse would be running for the hills. Not walking. RUNNING. And he constantly said those things to her.
I think she got over her abuse amazingly fast. Just.. wow... Amazingly quick. But it was a short story and required an HEA.
I kind of thought Ellie was dumb at first.. I don't remember what my opinion of her was later on.
Jake... other than being a bit too alpha for a battered woman.. I liked him. There wasn't much to him, because again this was a very short novella. But I did like him.
June 30, 2011
A sex-fest with a side story of a battered woman and the man who’s wanted her forever.
I’m not a big fan of battered-woman storylines, except when that terrible experience makes her a better and worthy heroine (which seldom happen, by the way—they usually just use their fears to hid behind instead of going back to the living, and it’s the hero that has to literally drag them out of their hole, but is still afraid of their “fragile” state and she spends the majority of the story throwing tantrums and he feeling guilty).
Well, this also wasn’t one of those “you-go-girl-show’em-who’s-in-charge” storyline, because the best way for the heroine to “solve” her problems was to run away. But at least the hero didn’t spend the majority of this short story feeling guilty...just heart-broken. Which is just the best way for a battered woman to “grow and mature”. Hurt people like some of them hurt you.
Still, the sex was good. I missed an actual plot, though.
I’m not a big fan of battered-woman storylines, except when that terrible experience makes her a better and worthy heroine (which seldom happen, by the way—they usually just use their fears to hid behind instead of going back to the living, and it’s the hero that has to literally drag them out of their hole, but is still afraid of their “fragile” state and she spends the majority of the story throwing tantrums and he feeling guilty).
Well, this also wasn’t one of those “you-go-girl-show’em-who’s-in-charge” storyline, because the best way for the heroine to “solve” her problems was to run away. But at least the hero didn’t spend the majority of this short story feeling guilty...just heart-broken. Which is just the best way for a battered woman to “grow and mature”. Hurt people like some of them hurt you.
Still, the sex was good. I missed an actual plot, though.
April 29, 2011
Jake has been in love with Ellie for years. He stood by and watched her marry his best friend and then supported her when their marriage fell apart. Now Jake is ready to claim Ellie as his own... but is she ready for another relationship?
Maya Banks is one of my favorite erotica authors. I completely fell in love with her writing when I read Colters' Woman in 2006. However, as much as I enjoyed the characters and the plot of Understood, I felt that it was a little underdeveloped. It mostly revolved around Ellie and her relationship with Jake. After her troubled marriage, she fell into Jake's arms too easily for my taste... or it just wasn't explained quite enough.
This book is currently only available as an ebook. However, I understand that Samhain Publishing is planning on printing this book as part of a Maya Banks anthology in the future.
Maya Banks is one of my favorite erotica authors. I completely fell in love with her writing when I read Colters' Woman in 2006. However, as much as I enjoyed the characters and the plot of Understood, I felt that it was a little underdeveloped. It mostly revolved around Ellie and her relationship with Jake. After her troubled marriage, she fell into Jake's arms too easily for my taste... or it just wasn't explained quite enough.
This book is currently only available as an ebook. However, I understand that Samhain Publishing is planning on printing this book as part of a Maya Banks anthology in the future.
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