GIVING IN - Maya Banks
Surrender Trilogy , Book 2
Berkley
ISBN: 978-0-425-27296-1
May 2014
Erotic Contemporary Romance

Houston, Texas - Present Day

After a childhood of rape and abuse, Kylie Breckenridge knew she could never trust anyone enough to have any kind of relationship.  When her brother, Carson, died three years earlier, the only thing resembling family that Kylie has left is her sister-in-law, Joss, but when Joss starts dating Dash, Carson's business partner, things become strained between them.  Dash adding Jensen Tucker to the business as a partner only made things worse for Kylie, who works as their office manager.  Kylie has been her usual antagonistic, abrasive self to Jensen, but while Dash and Joss are on their honeymoon, Jensen decides to give Kylie the chance to do more than manage the office.

Jensen has been drawn to Kylie since their first meeting, seeing beyond the tough exterior to the vulnerable, lonely woman she hides from the world.  His own childhood was only a little better than Kylie's, and as a result, Jensen has to be in control of every aspect of his life.  After working together on an account, Kylie starts to feel a little more comfortable around him, and he starts to hope that a relationship with her is possible.  In order for it to happen though, he'll have to give over control in the bedroom to Kylie – something Jensen has never done.

The second book in the Surrender trilogy, GIVING IN focuses on Kylie and Jensen, two people very scarred by their pasts.  Kylie has kept a distance between herself and the few people she has let into her life, but she's starting to wish for more.  Wanting a closer relationship with her friends is surprising enough; the desire she is beginning to feel for Jensen has her totally stunned.  She's aware that Jensen is Dominant, much like Dash and Tate, her friend Chessy's husband, and it frightens Kylie more than anything else.  Jensen however, is more interested in her emotional surrender than a physical one; he just needs to convince her that she's safe with him.

The moving, emotional story of two people facing the demons of their past, GIVING IN should not be missed.

Jennifer Bishop