Darkest Before Dawn

September 7, 2015
Banks’s solid 10th KGI military romance (after When Day Breaks) focuses on mercenary and frequent Kelly Group International frenemy Guy Hancock, whose previous occasional glimmers of humanity—almost always involving saving members of the Kelly family—become a shining beacon when he meets the beautiful Honor Cambridge. Honor, an aid worker in an unnamed Middle Eastern country, is the only survivor of an attack by the terrorist group called A New Era. Guy is hired by a power-hungry man named Bristow to capture her and use her as a bargaining chip. Guy knows this will allow him to get to his nemesis, Maksimov, but is uncomfortable with sacrificing an innocent even before he finally meets Honor. Once he realizes how strong and smart she is, he begins seriously questioning his mission. The story is hampered by some awkward turns of phrase and a decidedly creepy edge to Guy’s possessiveness. Longtime fans may long for the Kellys and KGI employees (who don’t even appear until the book is more than half over), but there’s plenty of action and sex to keep them entertained. Agent: Kimberley Whalen, Trident Media Group.

Relief worker Honor Cambridge survives a Middle East terrorist attack only to find herself subsequently being used as leverage by Guy Hancock's paramilitary group, Titan. Narrator Tad Branson plays up the chemistry between Honor and Guy, first in their antagonistic dialogue and later in their romantic encounters. Branson's rolling vocals slide over Banks's phrases, deliciously stretching out the tense moments of Honor's rescue and recapture. Branson fills the male voices of Titan's team members with ruthless machismo and contrasts Hancock's arrogance with Honor's earnest optimism. Reining in the story's anger and violence, Branson delivers it with controlled strength. Even though listeners may question Hancock's ethical dilemma, Branson maintains the lovers' balance between trust and betrayal. C.A. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine