Tracy’s review of Forged in Steele (KGI #7) by Maya Banks
Steele, a KGI team leader, is an enigma not even his team mates understand. His emotions are tightly locked down and nothing can break that icy exterior. Nothing except Maren Scofield, a doctor on a mission, a woman who has gotten under Steele’s skin and threatens to crack that unflappable cool he’s legendary for.
Steele is determined not to allow Maren past his carefully guarded defenses, but when she’s in danger, there’s no way he’ll allow anyone else to protect her. She’s hiding something. He’s sure of it. But he isn’t prepared for the shocking discovery her secrets reveal. Or how they will forever alter the course of his destiny. He has a decision to make. Hold tight and shut her out. Or take a chance on something more powerful than he’s ever faced. Love.
Maren Scofield is a doctor and a woman who has known Sam Kelly for many years. Because of this the KGI teams trust her and use her medical services. Maren knows Steele as a hard ass. He’s the strong silent type but oh so hot. Unfortunately he constantly looks at her like he just can’t wait to get away from her. On one trip to her clinic in Costa Rica Steele finally tells Maren that the reason he needed to get away from her was that he fantasized about her constantly and he wanted to keep things on a professional level. He’s decided, however, that professionalism is highly overrated and he wants her in bed…like, NOW. He says he wants to get her out of his system so this is a one time thing and then they’ll go their separate ways. Maren is a bit surprised by Steele but agrees as she’s hot for him too. Steele ends up being a wonderful lover and Maren is sad to see him go in the morning.
Steele doesn’t stay away long and soon returns to Maren which she is extremely pleased about. She believes she’s pregnant from their previous session but says nothing. When Steele has to leave on a mission Maren is kidnapped by a psycho who is obsessed with her and Steele stops at nothing to get her back. Luckily she has one man that works for the psycho that doesn’t want to see her harmed and helps her escape.
Steele takes Maren back to his house where she finally tells him about the pregnancy – which he’s shocked and thrilled at – and they make plans for the future. Unfortunately psycho man isn’t done with Maren and is soon back in her life making threats against the ones she loves.
I have to admit to being a little leery about reading this book. The last book in the series, Shades of Gray, was a DNF for me so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I finally decided as I’d like the previous books in the series that I should give it a go – I’m glad I did.
The story was both exciting in parts and not so exciting in parts. The sex, the kidnapping, the rescuing that occurs…that’s all exciting. Unfortunately the parts where Steele and Maren are in his home together after she escapes is just kind of stilted and on the verge of dull. I realize that this part was to help Steele and Maren get to know each other because frankly they really hadn’t gotten to know each other, except in bed, before her kidnapping. While I understood that was what that time was for it just slowed the story down too much for me and I really didn’t care for it.
Steele was a brute of a man with a soft gooey heart. He was majorly gentle when it came to Maren – almost ridiculously so at some parts – but it showed how much he cared for her and their unborn child. Maren was a tough cookie and was perfect for Steele, imho. She really was strong to put up with psycho man and even at the end when shit hit the fan her strength showed through.
Overall this was a good book that I enjoyed. The middle of the book was definitely slower than the rest but other parts mostly made up for that lack. If you’ve been reading the series you’ll definitely want to read Steele’s story as you’ll see a side of him you never saw before.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5
You can read more from Tracy at Tracy’s Place
This title is available from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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