Keep Me Safe: A Slow Burn Novel by Maya Banks

Rating: 2 stars

Synopsis: 

A sizzling story of a woman who risks her life and her heart to find a wealthy man’s missing sister—the first novel in a sexy new romantic suspense series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Maya Banks

When Caleb Devereaux's younger sister is kidnapped, this scion of a powerful and wealthy family turns to an unlikely source for help: a beautiful and sensitive woman with a gift for finding answers others cannot.

While Ramie can connect to victims and locate them by feeling their pain, her ability comes with a price. Every time she uses it, it costs her a piece of herself. Helping the infuriatingly attractive and impatient Caleb successfully find his sister nearly destroys her. Even though his sexual intensity draws her like a magnet, she needs to get as far away from him as she can.

Deeply remorseful for the pain he’s caused, Caleb is determined to make things right. But just when he thinks Ramie's vanished forever, she reappears. She’s in trouble and she needs his help. Now, Caleb will risk everything to protect her—including his heart. . . .

Review: 

*Sigh* 

     It almost physically pains me to write this because I LOVE Maya Banks. However, in the last year or so her books have changed and I just haven't liked them. I gave this book 2 stars. 

     So this book started strong. I liked the beginning. I have read other reviews and a lot of readers find the way Caleb used Ramie upsetting and a lot just seem angry about it. Well, it is upsetting, but it's pretty realistic. I would pretty much be where Caleb is and feel absolutely horrifying about it, but I could live with it because my loved one was alive. And I think it is easy for Ramie to come to the same conclusion. I wish she made Caleb work for her forgiveness a little longer than what she did, but I understand her understanding. Espescially with the way she was treated her whole life.

     However, once Ramie contacts Caleb again, the book just moves downhill. There is insta-love, which I have no problem with, but this was done poorly. It was almost random. I want to keep you with me because I want you safe ... aaaaand I want to be your boyfriend .... I, literally, think that might be the frist mention of any attraction. It was so off and it just proceeded to move on from there. Also, we don't get a lot of a physical description of Caleb.

     Caleb then takes Ramie home with him where he lives with his whole family; brothers and sister, Tori. It has been a year since Tori's escape from her kidnapper, which is very short and abrupt. Other than it happening, there really isn't any mention of it. I'm sure there will be a book later about it, but in this book it is abrupt and doesn't flow well with the story. When Ramie meets Caleb's family they are all very cold to her because Tori decides to be an uber bitch to her. I get it that Tori went through a tragic shameful experience that Ramie knows about, but to demand that she leaves because it makes you uncomfortable .... REALLY?!? "I know you can die out there without the protection of our home, but you make me uncomfortable ... so go." How selfish and rude and shitty. I don't want to read Tori's book because I hate her already. I mean this girl SAVED you and this is how you act. UHG! 

     Also, there was no introduction between Ramie and Tori. They just saw eachother and knew. Which would be fine if I had a better understanding of what the psychic interactions were like.

     Ramie talks about how she senses the evil in the bad people, but she gets it from an item of the victims and then gets in the victim's head? I'm confused. What exactly does she do? I don't mind a little psychic stuff in a book if it is done well and this was not. At all. It was very inconsistent and just played along with whatever was needed in the story. All of a sudden Caleb can connect to the killer ...wait! What? Oh and the killer ... It was so abrupt. We don't get any information on why he does what he does or who he is ... and the ending ... sooooo lame. There was one moment when I was like "Oh snap!!! I didn't see that coming! Maybe the ending will make up for everything ... " 

    

     Then it ended and it was still bad. The ending was horrible. I understand love heals all ... but I feel like some therapy is needed ... Like, SERIOUS therapy.

     And the biggest flaw of all ... the thing that will ruin any book for me ... repetitiveness. Over and over and over and over and over again ... and over and over AGAIN!! I wanted to make this a drinking game. Everytime Caleb talks about his need to be in control but he doesn't have it .. drink. Everything Ramie blames herself for the serial killer killing everyone .... drink. (I mean how conceited). Everytime the same conversation happens .... drink! Prepare to be drunk!

     Wow .. I haven't event talked about the characters ... Ramie is weak ... soooo weak. She has like a sentence where she will be "I'm going to be strong" .. and then it is gone into the ether. Caleb just doesn't have anything great about him. Some side characters are in there and we even get their point of view sometimes ... It's pointless and distracting. There is a scene between Tori and Dane ... it has absolutely nothing to do with the story. Then we get Dane's POV but there is no break in the paragraphs to let us know we aren't getting Caleb's POV .. just BOOM ... Dane is thinking. BOOM ... Caleb is thinking ... No transition at all.

     Oh yeah ... there are sex scenes ... They're OK, but the timing of them is not good. Hey, let's have a taumatizing experience and then bring on the sex. Caleb says he wants to wait to give her time to get used to him ... apparently that is 12 hours. I have read books that have been saved by the sexy sex scenes. This was not one of them. Which is alarming coming from Maybe Banks .... have you read the Colter's Legacy ... Whew!! *fans face* ... this was not happening here.

     OK ... I'm done ... I can't do it anymore. I love Maya Banks and this makes me so sad. I've been in a book rut and I went to her to get me out of it and it was just so bad. If you want some good Maya, then start at the beginning of the KGI series, but be cautious with After the Storm. Or read any of her books prior to a year ago. They were phenomenal!!

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