cover image Letting Go

Letting Go

Maya Banks. Berkley, $16 trade paper (352p) ISBN 978-0-425-27294-7

In this fiery erotic trilogy launch, two lovers explore the heights of domination, submission, pain, and pleasure%E2%80%94and find romance along the way. Three years after the sudden death of Joss Breckenridge%E2%80%99s husband, Carson, Joss is ready to move on. Though their marriage was a happy one, Carson could never be the dominant she%E2%80%99d always dreamed of submitting to. Now she wants to seek a dominant lover and see whether reality can live up to her fantasies. To her surprise, she discovers that Dash Corbin, Carson%E2%80%99s best friend, is dominant and has been attracted to Joss for many years. The plot drags at times, and the conflict%E2%80%94which is almost entirely centered on various characters recovering from Carson%E2%80%99s death%E2%80%94is somewhat contrived, but Joss and Dash are pleasant enough that rooting for their happiness comes naturally, and blazingly intense sex scenes will keep readers turning pages. This will satisfy fans of the racier passages in Banks%E2%80%99s previous novels as well as those looking for a little kink in their erotica. (Feb.)